Category Archives: Inclusion

Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom documentary & more on the If We Knew Then podcast

Posted on by

I encourage EVERYONE to watch the Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom documentary and then watch or listen to episodes 179 & 181 of the If We Knew Then podcast. 

Everyone deserves the right to an equal opportunity for education.

  • The type of segregation and discrimination seen in the documentary and discussed in the podcast must end.
  • Parents should not have to endure this type of trauma from educational systems.
  • There needs to be proper supports in place for inclusion.

Forget Me Not: Inclusion in the Classroom documentary: https://forgetmenotdocumentary.com/index.php/streaming/.

I am in the USA and watched it free on Hoopla through my public library. It’s also available for free streaming on Tubi.

After watching it I wanted to find out how their story progressed. After a bit of searching online I found two podcast episodes in 2025.

Episode 179: https://ifweknewthen.podbean.com/e/179-forget-me-not-inclusion-in-the-classroom-documentary-hilda-olivier-bernier/; also on YouTube:

Episode 181: https://ifweknewthen.podbean.com/e/181-olivier-and-hilda-bernier/; also on YouTube:

If you are a parent in the state of Oklahoma in the USA and need help from a parent advocate regarding your child’s IFSP or IEP, reach out to the Oklahoma Parents Center: https://oklahomaparentscenter.org

See additional information about special ed parent advocates on this blog post by A Day in Our Shoes: https://adayinourshoes.com/free-special-education-advocate/

Want a deep dive into special ed laws and advocacy in the USA? See the WrightsLaw website: https://www.wrightslaw.com

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

(Disclaimer: I am not a parent advocate and cannot advise anyone regarding their individual child’s IFSP or IEP. I am providing information in this blog post to help folks seek out help from entities equipped to do that)

Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.

Looking for AAC resources? Check out the Resource Links page my blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

• OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

• AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac

• Instagram Threads: https://www.threads.net/@omazingkidsaac

• X (formerly Twitter): https://www.x.com/amoorad

• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac

• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/u/VintageVeraBradley/s/w3L1d8H5rk

• AppRaven AAC App Collections: https://bit.ly/AAConAppRaven

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com / Resource Links page: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

AAC & Apple Books in Split View on an iPad (Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2023)

Posted on by
Image ID: Screenshot showing the Proloquo AAC app in Split View alongside the Apple Books app with the book “A Day With No Words” by Tiffany Hammond. Includes a notation to tap the three tiny dots to access Split View.
Image ID: Screenshot showing the Proloquo AAC app in Split View alongside the Apple Books app with the book “A Day With No Words” by Tiffany Hammond. Includes a notation to tap the three tiny dots to access Split View.

AAC apps that offer full support of Split View / Split Screen offer the opportunity for greater accessibility and access than AAC apps that don’t support this. Why does this matter? There are many adult AAC users who multitask with their tech. But this isn’t just a feature that benefits adults. Here is an example of how I’m using the Proloquo app by AssistiveWare alongside the Apple Books app with “A Day With No Words” by Tiffany Hammond (Fidgets and Fries). I also own a hardcover copy of this same book and loved it so much that I decided to purchase the ebook version in Apple Books to offer another means of access and use (both alongside AAC and separately).

My only “wish” is that iPad Accessibility – Spoken Content – Speak Screen was able to properly detect the text in picture books. I tried it in both Apple Books and the preview in the Kindle for iPad app. Both weren’t able to perceive the text separately from the gorgeous illustrations. Which I wouldn’t trade the stylized text in this book for that. I just wish there was something behind the scenes that made this type of text accessible. (Hey Apple & Amazon Kindle if you happen to read this… please make it so.)

https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-day-with-no-words/id6448319163

A Day With No Words, Hardcover: https://a.co/d/0P5a6Mw. Also available on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C59KD7SR but I highly suggest the Apple Books version instead. See my video for a comparison:

Global Accessibility Awareness Day: https://www.facebook.com/globalaccessibilityawarenessday

#GAAD
#GlobalAccessibilityAwarenessDay

Looking for info about which AAC apps fully support Split View / Split Screen and lots of other important features? Check out these resources:

iOS Symbol-Based: https://bit.ly/SymbolBasedAACapps

iOS Text-Based: https://bit.ly/TextBasedAACapps

Visual Scenes & Video Visual Scenes: https://bit.ly/AACvsd

AAC Feature Matching Resource Bundle (includes all three, save 10%): https://bit.ly/aacFeatureMatchingBundle

Basic Feature Chart for Affordable and Free AAC apps & AAC-Related Apps (iOS, Android Google Play, Amazon Fire, Windows + a few Web-Based options): https://bit.ly/BasicAffordableAACchart

Robust Android AAC (Android Google Play & Amazon Fire): https://bit.ly/RobustAndroidAACappChart

The perfect companion to supplement these in-depth resources are the “AAC Apps and Features At-a-Glance (Single Page Handouts)”: https://bit.ly/AAC-At-a-Glance

Updated 5/25/23:

Excited to discover that there’s a way to do Split View on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite tablet. This is the Android version of Avaz alongside “A Day With No Words” by Tiffany Hammond (Fidgets and Fries).

Guess what… there’s a way to do Split Screen on an Amazon Fire tablet too. This is the CoreVoice app. Be watching for a video tutorial soon 🎦

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

• OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

• AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad

• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com / Resource Links page: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Autism Iceberg – free visual to document unseen supports needed for the child to be successful (print or fill in with SnapType app) – created by Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP at OMazing Kids

Posted on by

A free visual support for parents to use to help document the often unseen supports that they are providing that help their child succeed at school.

Unfortunately it’s common for evaluators who are not familiar with a child to state things like “But I don’t see any signs of Autism” or “But he doesn’t “look” Autistic” when they haven’t gathered all the info, looked deeper below the surface or even done any tests that would be part of the process to confirm that diagnosis.

This is especially unhelpful for a child who was accurately diagnosed with Autism at a very young age, has had years of intense intervention and they, their family, their teachers, their SLPs, etc… have worked very hard to make gains to achieve this level of success. You may mean well but pushing to change the eligibility category based on such limited info is harmful.

I worked with lots of kids, teens and young adults with Autism over my 28 year career. Most of the patients on my caseload either had that diagnosis or very similar needs.

So I know firsthand that Autism doesn’t just disappear. A particular individual’s needs may ebb and flow over time and can vary greatly even day to day depending on how they feel, sleep patterns, dietary changes, hormones, environmental sensory triggers, etc… And I’ve read numerous posts from adults with Autism who describe their part time use of AAC and varying need for supports depending on the needs, setting or communication partners. At it’s core Autism is a life-long neurological difference that we need to acknowledge, honor and support over the lifespan.

 

If you are in the process of completing an evaluation on a child you just met or don’t know very well, I invite you to:

  • Look deeper
  • Understand that Autism is a life-long neurological difference
  • Listen to that individual, their family and those who know them well regarding their journey and the types of supports that are needed in order for them to be successful
  • Remember what you are seeing in an eval, even one done over a couple of sessions, is just a tiny tip of a much larger unseen iceberg

I created this visual for the mother of one of the most amazing kids I ever had the pleasure of working with. I saw him for several years and his transformation was quite extraordinary.  But he still has Autism and still needs support. He has an incredible family who have always been willing to move heaven and earth to get him the services and supports that he needs. I have no doubt he will either discover or invent something that will be world changing. So when she reached out to me of course I had to do something. I will never “retire” from caring 💕

So I’m posting a FREE PDF and pictures of this in case anyone else might find it helpful.

If you want to print and fill out by writing in the boxes, there are three versions in this PDF (full color, faded color and black/white) so you can choose the one that best fits your printing needs: Autism Iceberg – Supports Needed for My Child to Appear Successful (free printable from Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP at OMazing Kids)

Or tap to open each full sized picture and then save the full sized picture of the one you want to the Camera Roll on your iPad or iPhone and then use the fabulous SnapType app to easily add text to the boxes. You can also take a picture of any worksheet to import it into that app to fill it in.

Full Color:

Faded Color:

Black and White:


.
App: SnapType by SnapType, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snaptype/id1124115982, iOS Universal, iOS 9.0 or later, FREE.

If you want more features, check out their very affordable full version: SnapType Pro by SnapType, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/snaptype-pro/id1124123246, $4.99. There are other PDF filler apps but this is by far the easiest one that I’ve used.

Example of me filling it out on SnapType (not specific to any particular child… just examples based on commonly occurring supports). After you are finished you can save it and export as a picture, as a PDF or as a SnapType file to share via e-mail or text message. The yellow highlighting only shows up while you are completing it… not in what you share.


.

I made this visual using the iESLp app by Irmgard Raubenheimer, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ieslp/id912953895, iPad only, iOS 8.3 or later. The SymbolStix symbols are included in that app. The iceberg photo is an open source, non-attribution photo that I found online.

Please feel free the share this blog post but do NOT upload the PDF, any of the pictures or any of the links to those items to any online files, servers, Boom Cards, Teacher Pay Teachers, or any other sharing platforms. Just refer folks here to this post to get the items for themselves. I feel that it’s important for them to read this blog post to understand why they were created.

Thanks 😊

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC
Facebook: https://bit.ly/2Si6k7Y
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amoorad1/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

{Please Be Kind} Autism Acceptance Month 2017

Posted on by

.

As we are on the verge of heading into April, I wanted to post a request to those of you who follow my OMazing Kids blog, Facebook page, AppPeeps Facebook Group & other social media sites. I would like to keep this a safe place free from the crankiness that sometimes occurs this time of year:

.

  •  Please be kind.

It is not helpful or encouraging to leave rude comments on my Facebook page or social media sites. Everything I post is done in an attempt to provide helpful information.

Not all AAC or therapy app developers choose to offer app sales or may only offer them in certain countries. That is their choice and may be due to expenses they have incurred in keeping an app updated, licensing fees for premium voices and symbols, pricing laws in foreign countries and royalties that Apple takes from sales.

I am NOT the developer of any of the apps that I post about so therefore have no control over pricing decisions. If you have concerns or questions, please contact that app developer directly via Facebook messaging on their page or by e-mail. Most AAC app developers have a Facebook users group for that app so you can also ask questions or leave feedback there. They will not see feedback made via comments here on my page.

I have never monetized my blog or social media sites and therefore have no plans to pay to promote posts. So please don’t leave cranky comments if you miss a sale. I cross post on my AppPeeps group and several other groups when I see really great apps that are either free or on sale to help spread the word. But I work full time as a SLP and do not have time to recheck prices throughout the day and then update posts. If you notice that an app sale has ended, feel free to leave a comment about that on a post but please word it in a kind way.

Please check app prices before downloading. I verify app prices in the USA App Store at the time of the post. If I have received details from an app developer regarding dates of a sale and what countries it will be available in, I will include them in the post. Otherwise, I have no way to know how long an app will be on sale and pricing or availability in other countries. Prices are different in every country based on the exchange rate.

App prices can change very rapidly so it is wise to take the initiative to go check pages frequently that announce app deals and then download what you want quickly.

.

  •  Please do not post cranky comments about app developers not caring about other disabilities.

They are generously offering app sales during April as part of Autism Acceptance & Awareness Month. These same app developers often offer sales at other times of the year and there are no rules saying your child has to have this diagnosis to get the app on sale.

.

  • Please be mindful and respectful of each others opinions.

Despite what is reported in mainstream media, not everyone wants to “light it up blue”, be represented by a puzzle piece, loves Julia the new Sesame Street character, wants to find a cure, supports Autism Speaks, believes in “people first” language or wants an Autism Awareness day or month. Some do and that’s fine. But there is a growing community of those who do not. I invite you to read blogs and posts on Autism Acceptance and Neurodiversity to broaden your perspective. I have done so and it totally changed the way I practice and post as a SLP.

.

Thanks in advance for keeping OMazing Kids a safe and kind place 💕
.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: http://m.me/OMazingKidsYoga
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkids
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
YappGuru: http://yappguru.com/user/omazing-kids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 27 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

Adapted Games for Inclusive Play: Candy Land (updated 3/19/24)

Posted on by

Adapted Games For Inclusive Play - Candy Land

.

Adapted Games for Inclusive Play: Candy Land

[Note 3/19/24: This blog post was originally written in 2016. Sadly some of the websites or blogs linked have disappeared over the years]

I’ve been looking for a way to make the Candy Land game accessible for kids with special needs and found a great solution by combing an app, a specific version of the board game and ideas from an old journal article and a few websites!

Who knew that there has been SO many different versions of this game over the years and that each version has slightly different pictures on the “picture squares” in the game?

Well there has been and I was determined to get the version of the board game that matched up to this app. Could have sworn that I already had the Candy Land board game but looked through my entire stash of materials and couldn’t find it. If I had found it and it wasn’t the right version, my plan was to take screenshots of the pink picture squares from the app and attach them to the game board to make it match.
.

After extensive research I finally figured out which version of the Candy Land board game matches this app. I bought “Candy Land – The Kingdom of Sweets Board Game” (2010) on Amazon for $7.49: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000DMF5 and this app for $.99 (Candy Cards by Panther Technology,  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/candy-cards/id554983778?mt=8 , iOS 3.2 or later, Universal app that works on iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch). I was initially leery of the app since it had not been updated since 2012 but at the price of $.99 decided to try it out. I’m pleased to report that it worked fine on my iPad Air (running iOS 9.3.1) and on my iPhone 5 (running iOS 9.3.2). The only quirky thing I noted when using the app on an iPhone is that the app did not adjust to landscape orientation and had a small black band of dead space at the top and bottom of the screen.

Check out all the options in this app’s settings area:

Under “Accessibility” settings:

  •  “Safety Time”: For kids who tend to tap repetitively, you can lock the screen for 2, 3, 5 or 10 seconds after drawing each card.
  • The “Target” feature can be centered, appear at random places, or even move around the screen if you are wanting to work on “targeted touch”. When “target” is toggled off, you can tap anywhere on the screen to “draw” a card (great for kids with more severe motor impairments).

Under “Play Settings”, you can toggle on/off the background music, the card count, and sound effects and select one of four backgrounds (grey metal, orange, candy stripe and my personal fave… a calming green).

.

image

.

image

.

See more about the app on the developer’s website: http://panthertechnology.com/products/panther-candy-cards/

*** Update 3/19/24: Sadly this app by Panther Technology disappeared several years ago. See info about a new free app from a different app developer below ***

.
So for the bargain price of $8.48 I now have a version of this classic kids game that is more inclusive of kids of a wide range of abilities and needs. I plan on modifying play further when I am in a group or have parents and/or siblings present by playing as “teams” where one teammate’s job is to “draw” the card using the app and the other teammate’s job is to move the game piece. Another option in a 1-on-1 session would be for you and the child to use it as a “cooperative” game and work together as a team to move one of the game pieces to the castle.

.

image

I am also planning on incorporating the ideas for adaptations & task analysis from the journal article “Everyone Can Play!: Adapting the Candy Land Board Game TEACHING Exceptional Children July-August 1996 28: 28-33” (yes I realize the article is 20 years old but the concepts are still valid today). I saved a PDF of the full article out on Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1p1pimgnjmm52wp/Everyone%20Can%20Play%20-%20Adapting%20the%20Candy%20Land%20Board%20Game.pdf?dl=0

image

.

image

{No Prep SLP Tips: Candy Land} https://omazingkidsllc.com/2016/07/28/no-prep-slp-tips-candy-land/

.

Additional ideas:

Check out these great Pinterest boards full of game adaptation ideas:

And lots of materials created by SLPs on TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Browse/PreK-12-Subject-Area/Speech-Therapy/Search:candy+land. I especially like this self esteem conversation prompts freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Self-Esteem-Prompts-for-Candy-Land-1152578

.

Oooh… just saw this fun idea to combine Candy Land + the Name That Word Game. Love finding new ways to use materials that I already own! I got my copy of that game several years ago at a back-to-school sale at a teacher supply store but saw that it’s available on Amazon.

http://millionsoffingerprints.blogspot.com/2013/05/today-in-speech-therapywe-played-candy.html

Update 3/19/24: Fishdog.net released their new FREE Candy Cards app today: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/candy-cards/id6478815300, iOS Universal, iOS 12.0 or later + Mac on macOS 10.15 or later + Apple Vision on visionOS 1.0 or later.

It appears to match this version of the Candy Land board game: https://shop.hasbro.com/en-us/product/candy-land-game/C4E461C2-5056-9047-F5F7-F005920A3999

Check out the Ultimate App and Digital Resource Guide for SLPs: https://bit.ly/UltimateAppDigitalResourceGuideSLP & TherAPPy Tools: iPad Apps for Pediatric SLPs (Recorded Webinar & Handouts): https://bit.ly/TherAPPyWebinar

Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.

Looking for more AAC resources? Check out the Resource Links page my blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links 

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting 

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1 

• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac 

• OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/ 

• AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/ 

• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup 

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac 

• Instagram Threads: https://www.threads.net/@omazingkidsaac 

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad 

• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/ 

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac 

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com  / Resource Links page: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links 

A peek inside my special needs acceptance & awareness library….

Posted on by

image

.

One of the frequent requests I receive is for suggestions regarding resources to help kids understand & appreciate special needs. The reason why I have a variety of resources for this is that there is no “one size fits all” resource. Some of the books in my library are geared towards group or classroom settings (but can also be modified for individual use). Some are geared towards specific special needs. Some are more subtle with general themes of respect, compassion & caring. Some are new and some have been in my library since I started my career as a SLP over 25 years ago. My library is frequently expanding but here’s what it includes at the moment:

.

  • A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan
  • All Kinds of Friends by Ellen B. Senisi
  • ASD and Me: Learning About High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder by Teresa DeMars
  • Can I Tell You About Autism?: A guide for friends, family and professionals by Jude Welton
  • Do-si-Do with Autism Friendship Kit by Sarah Stup
  • How Katie Got a Voice (and a cool nickname) by Patricia L. Mervine, SLP
  • I Like Birthdays…. It’s the parties I’m not sure about! by Laurie Renke
  • Ian’s Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears
  • In Jesse’s Shoes: Appreciating Kids With Special Needs by Beverly Lewis
  • Leah’s Voice by Lori DeMonia
  • Love for Logan by Lori DeMonia
  • Meet the Beaker Kids: A book for anyone who’s ever had “enough” by Shanna Philipson
  • Show You Understand: Learning about Compassion and Caring by Regina G. Burch
  • Someone Special Just Like You by Tricia Brown
  • Sometimes My Brother: Helping Kids Understand Autism Through a Sibling’s Eyes by Angie Healy
  • Special People, Special Ways by Arlene Maguire
  • The Autism Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone with Autism by Ellen Sabin
  • The One and Only Special Me by Rozanne Lanczak Williams
  • The Special Needs Acceptance Book: Being a Friend to Someone with Special Needs by Ellen Sabin
  • This is Gabriel Making Sense of School: A Book About Sensory Processing Disorder by Hartley Steiner
  • We Can Do It! by Laura Dwight

.

I only have listed books that I have in my personal library. If you are an author of a book or resource geared towards helping kids understand special needs and would like me to review your work OR if you have questions about any of the resources I have listed, the best way to reach me is via Facebook Messaging on my OMazing Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894.

(My e-mail is listed below but I am getting tons of spam mail due to using that account for social media and blogging…. to the point that I may not receive the e-mail or it being buried among the spam.)

.

stars-divider

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. 

crayons divider

The Best Lesson Plan ~ Follow Your Passion

Posted on by

I have had several inquiries this week regarding recommendations for the best kids yoga teacher trainings, where to find lesson plans & how I create my lesson plans. There’s not a simple answer.

grass-green-divider-bar

I do what works for me & for the kids I see. I work in a very unique setting with very unique kids. The JD McCarty Center is a pediatric rehab hospital for kids with developmental disabilities. We serve kids ages birth to 21 years of age & the patients are assigned to therapeutic groups by their treatment team (which I may or may not be a part of). The kids in my theraeutic yoga group change from week to week depending on admissions & discharges from the hospital (think “revolving door”…. some kids will overlap in their time in the group but not much). So I don’t have the luxury of having a long period of time to teach yoga foundations that I can then build upon in later sessions. We’ve had a few patients stay with us an extended time that have gotten to be in our therapeutic yoga group over several months…. but that’s the exception not the rule. I’ve had kids as young as 2 1/2 yrs. & as old as 20 yrs. in the same class. Not ideal but I made it work. When I did yoga at our summer camps, the kids ranged from 8-16 years. Again…. not ideal but I made it work. The only time I’ve been able to set my own age parameters for a class was the “inclusive” kids yoga class I offered last summer for kids ages 4-8 years. Even then that was not an ideal age range (big difference between 4 yr olds & 8 yr olds in attention span, interests, size, physical abilities (including balance), etc…) but I had to make it that broad in order to get enough kids registered to be able to offer it.

My 24 years of experience as a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist has taught me how to modify everything “in the moment” to meet individual needs (not just in kids yoga but in everything I do). I am always equipped with visual supports & props (because I know they are helpful for most of our patients). I always have a general idea / lesson plan of what my goals or intentions are for a kids yoga class (just like I plan for my speech therapy treatment sessions). But I’m not tied to the plan. It becomes obvious very quickly when I am going to need to modify in the moment. I have had several patients lately with physical limitations & orthotics that made it very difficult to transition from sitting to standing. I often don’t know that until they show up in my class. So I modify poses & activities in the moment so that all kids can be included & feel successful.

While I learned alot in my yoga teacher trainings, it is not the only info I use to create my classes. I have attended several other trainings, have read lots of books, reviewed lots of materials & constantly gain new ideas from blogs & social media sites. I also incorporate all that I know about developmentally appropriate practices, child development & inclusive practices from all the continuing ed I have attended over my career and life lessons along the way. I incorporate arts & crafts, music & books into my kids yoga classes. How I do it depends on the needs of the kids in that particular class.

One of the most frequent requests I get via e-mail & Facebook comments or messaging is asking for a recommendation for “THE best kids yoga teacher training”. My typical response is “there are LOTS of great kids yoga trainings out there. The best one for YOU depends on lots of factors: where you will be teaching kids yoga (a yoga studio? school? hospital? yoga-themed birthday parties? camps?), what ages of kids you will be working with, will you also be offering “family yoga” or “mommy/parent & me yoga”, if your classes be inclusive (include kids with special needs), where you live or your ability to travel to a training (both time & expense), the amount of $$$ you have to invest in a training, etc…”

Most yoga teacher trainings include info about developing lesson plans and/or materials that will give you inspiration for lesson plans. But there is no perfect lesson plan. Please don’t be offended…… I LOVE lesson plans. You see me sharing them all the time. They are great inspiration for ideas. But if you have a lesson plan that you love so much that you can’t deviate from it or modify it in the moment, it’s a recipe for disappoinment / disaster. In my opinion, that holds true regardless of the particular kids in your class (2 or teen, with or without special needs) or where you will be teaching. You need to be flexible to connect with each individual.

My advice is to combine what you learn in any kids yoga teacher training with everything you already know & already love to develop lesson plans that work for you. They will then be from YOUR heart…. from YOUR passion. So I guess there really is a “simple” answer….. “Follow your passion”. You can’t go wrong with that 🙂

grass-green-divider-bar

 I love to connect & exchange ideas! Feel free to leave a comment below or on the OMazing Kids Facebook page :)

grass-green-divider-bar

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

crayons divider