Audio uses unlimited

Indecision is something that I just don't do normally. This week though, I seem to have a heap of it in my research. I think this is because of the change in focus that lies ahead in September as I start out in FSL and Spec Ed. I am torn because of my experience as a classroom teacher in an Early Years classroom and my news areas of focus. How can I roll these areas into a common thread to reach a variety of learners of different abilities and ages?
There are several avenues that I wish to pursue but none is more appealing to me than my love of Special Education. As a mother of a 13-year old Autistic son, I have immersed myself in this field all of these years.

I think I have discovered a compromise: motivation. I will seek to use audio as a motivator across the curriculum in education.

I will begin with my research. I have found some great information with regards to Special Education and the use of audio.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art6434.asp BellaOnline features a great article about the use of audio books to improve reading skills for special education students. Audio books take away the embarassment of not being able to read aloud to others. With the pressure of reading off, the students are able to feel success while they are building a large vocabulary, increasing visualization and imagination skills. Combined with printed words the audio allows for multi-sensory input where they are hearing and reading the words at the same time. Most importantly, students are able to learn beyond traditional methods and feel successful. A list of audio book sites are also included. These include: http://www.emediaxpress.com/free-childrens-audio-books and http://www.horizon-academy.com/AudioBooks/AR_Audio_Books/ar_audio_books.html.

A great article called Digital Storytelling in the Middle Education Special Education Classroom: A teacher's story of adaptations http://escholarship.bc.edu/education/tecplus/vol1/iss4/art3/
documents adaptations provided to allow learning disabled students to organize their thoughts and tell their own stories about themselves. The experience was highly rewarding. As a result, the students were highly motivated and engaged, displayed improved oral communication skills, were excited to work, gave increased effort into writing and verbal communication and completed multimedia projects of digital storytelling on an equal footing to regular peer levels. The main result is that the students experienced increased self-esteem. The author conclues that the teacher must be willing to invest lots of time and effort into a project but the rewards are worth it.

As for lesson ideas of audio, I have discovered Listen and Learn. This consists of a great series of blog entries surrounding the topic of audio book usage and Audible.com in education and classrooms. Students are able to develop critical listening skills while listening at their own pace.
http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/03/06/how-teachers-use-audio-books-in-the-classroom-the-research-process/
Topics include: the research phase, thinking and listening by pausing and drawing (lesson plan, ages 5-7 using Amelia Bedelia from Audible.com), ESL students: Audio books make reading a pleasure, build mental imagery through storytelling (lesson plan, grade 2 using Matilda from Audible.com), develop a love of literature (lesson plan, Grade 4, Because of
Winn Dixie) http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/03/21/discussion-about-predictions-and-inferences-builds-students-love-of-books/ , make history relevant to the everyday lives of students (lesson plan, Grade 4, Magic Tree House: Tonight on the Titanic )http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/03/26/making-history-come-alive-through-listening/, improve imagination (lesson plan, Grade 6, The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe) http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/03/developing-imagination-through-listening-and-diversifying-the-teaching-experience/, provide emotional connection to a story (lesson plan, Grade 3, Shiloh) http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/03/emotional-connection-to-a-story-through-listening-and-guided-visualization/, engage all readers in learning (lesson plan, Grade 6, From the Mixed up Files of Ms. Basil E. Frankweiler) http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/09/listening-engages-all-students-in-learning/
intensifies the reading experience http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/20/audio-intensifies-the-reading-experience-for-teens/ (lesson plan, Grade 11, The Yellow Wallpaper), bring scientific and social issues alive with authentic voices http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/25/bringing-scientific-and-social-issues-alive-with-authentic-voices/(lesson plan, Grade 6, Talk of the Nation), make participants out of reluctant readers http://listenandlearn.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/reluctant-readers-become-enthusiastic-participants/ (lesson plan, Grade 11, The Yellow Wallpaper (short story).

I really came away with a greater appreciation for the uses of audio in not only language arts but in many subject areas. Audio provides interest, something just a little different that engages literacy and reading.