Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The Children's Television Network has created a delightful set of learning activities that strengthen skills in letter recognition, decoding, listening, problem-solving, and more. Led by the familiar cast of characters from Sesame Street, your youngest students will love to explore Elmo's World, the Game Room, and participate in interactive stories. The links include games, stories, art, music, mail, and Elmo's World. At the Games link you will find science activities about the weather, counting challenges, classification activities, musical fun, and numerous other educational activities. This site truly has something for all primary elementary classroom.

tag(s): classification (22), counting (61), listening (92), numbers (120), preK (291), sound (71), sounds (43)

If you're looking for a resource that will engage reluctant readers or help new readers with unfamiliar vocabulary words, you may want to incorporate these fun and interactive stories into your classroom. Students can read through the interactive texts independently, click on troublesome words, and listen to their pronunciations. Select from movies, videos, and games that illustrate special sounds, pronunciations, and spelling rules.

tag(s): sound (71), sounds (43), vocabulary (242)

Mac owners will want to check out the "lite" version (free) of this downloadable program that makes study card stacks based on teacher or student notes. It's further evidence that the Mac, while now a "minority platform" retains a strong library of useful educational software.

This site offers a broad collection of ideas, resources, and best practice discussions regarding the uses of assistive technology in schools. While the precise applicability of these resources will depend on local circumstances and student populations, this site could be a live-saver for teachers suddenly faced with a special education technology need.

tag(s): resources (83), Special Needs (52)

The American Foundation for the Blind has created Braille Bug to explain Braille - what it is and how it works - to the sighted world. This site would be a great introduction for students who have family, friends, or classmates who are blind. There's a very complete introduction to the Braille alphabet, along with a printable Braille letter guide.

tag(s): alphabet (52), vision (42)

This site, a companion to the PBS program of the same name, uses five case studies to help parents, teachers, and students understand the challenges associated with learning and developmental disabilities in children and adults. It includes several simulations that can give users a sense of how someone with a particular disability perceives the world.

tag(s): adhd (27), disabilities (32), dyslexia (11), Special Needs (52)

This page is primarily for parents of gifted children, but it includes lists of traits of the gifted and links to resources which classroom teachers might find helpful. A hot topic is the crossover between traits of the gifted and of ADHD children.

tag(s): gifted (64)

This center is directed by Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli of the University of Connecticut. This site contains a wealth of current and reliable information on the topic of gifted education and includes lists of abstracts from recent NRC/GT publications, recommended videos, book resources, articles from NRC/GT newsletters, and related educational links. An invaluable source for parents and teachers of gifted children.

tag(s): gifted (64)

America's pioneer guide dog school was founded in 1929. If you are interested in information about a seeing eye dog, visit this site.

tag(s): vision (42)

A nonprofit organization, RFB&D is the nation's leading educational lending library of academic and professional textbooks on audio tape from elementary through post-graduate and professional levels. They offer over 75,000 titles in accessible format, as well as other products and services, through an easy-to-use online catalog.

tag(s): vision (42)

AFB is a nonprofit organization founded in 1921, recognized as Helen Keller's cause in the United States. Besides offering a number of educational pamphlets, videos, and other information, this site has two very interesting sections: a mentor database and the Helen Keller archives. The Careers & Technology Information Bank (CTIB) is a network of blind people from all 50 states and Canada who use assistive technology at home, at work, or at school, and are able and willing to serve as mentors to others. Helen Keller's writings are not all available online, but you can read some of them, and there are photographs available.

tag(s): vision (42)

National Geographic publishes this ongoing collection of short documentary pieces, each of which has both text and audio narration in high quality stereo sound, with lots of natural effects. For students with special needs, who have trouble either reading or attending, these short sound clips provide a well-constructed exposure to topics ranging from science to cultures and celebrations. Watch for new segments each week, along with a monthly feature presentation.

tag(s): adhd (27), learning disability (21), Special Needs (52)

NICHCY is an information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for parents and teachers. If you're not sure what you need and want to talk to a real person, they have a hotline you can call to talk to an "information specialist." They have a wide variety of publications on disabilities, most of which you can print right off the Internet. There is also an organization database where you can search for a specific organization dealing with any type of disability. All their materials are also available in Spanish.

tag(s): disabilities (32)

This is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting public awareness and understanding of children and adults with disabilities. It has a good basic section on learning disabilities, with a definition of LD, a list of behavioral warning signs, evaluations for LD, legal rights for children with LD, and more.

tag(s): learning disability (21)

An information-loaded site for parents, teachers, and children dealing with learning disabilities. It has a special section just for teachers with constantly updated material, as well as an online ordering service where you can read about and order books and videos. The "LD in Depth" section is especially helpful: you can find the latest news and articles by the experts on an array of topics, including Early Identification, Reading, Social Skills, Transition, Gifted/LD, and more. Click on "for Teachers" in this section to find teaching strategies, or visit the bulletin boards to exchange ideas with other teachers. Kidzone affords children with Learning Disabilities a place to "publish" their work. This is a "must see" site!

tag(s): learning disability (21)

Located in Vermont, this college is the only fully accredited college in the U.S. designed for students with dyslexia, attention-deficit disorder, or specific learning disabilities. The teacher-to-student ratio is one to three, with an average of seven students per class.

tag(s): college (44), learning disability (21)

Extensive, reviewed information on hundreds of topics. ERIC should be a staple of any resource collection on exceptional children.

tag(s): resources (83)

While the term has fallen from favor in some areas, this site still has a very useful collection of resources for teachers, parents, and adults on learning disabilities. Worth a look if you're trying to help a student with learning disabilities.

tag(s): dyslexia (11), learning disability (21)

This is a combination information and advocacy site for dyslexia and dyslexics. There is ample information, presented in a supportive, thorough context.

tag(s): dyslexia (11), learning disability (21)

This site has good basic information on dyslexia and literacy issues. It has information for teachers and parents regarding current research recommendations and teacher training, and also offers some articles and pamphlet excerpts by the founder of The Greenwood School, a boarding prep school for boys with dyslexia.

tag(s): dyslexia (11), learning disability (21)