Tools to Support Writers

[Pages:2]Tools to Support Writers

Tool

Text to Speech: Listening to your writing helps you evaluate what your wrote.

Add Images: Photos and illustrations add meaning and interest for your readers.

Spell Check

No

Yes

Yes

MS Word

Yes. The Listen Tool Yes

Yes

allows you to listen to

Inspiration

any text.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Kurzweil

Yes. You use with

No

No

other programs such

as MS Word or the

Natural Reader

Internet.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Clicker 5

Yes. The Listen Tool Yes

Yes

allows you to listen to

Kidspiration

any text.

Yes

No

No

WordQ

Yes

Yes

Yes

Pixie

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland Curriculum 2.0 - Grade 4 2012

Graphic Organizer to Outline View: You can switch from your graphic organizer to an outline or import writing into another program.

Dictionary/ Thesaurus: These resources support word choice and determining the meaning of unknown words.

Voice Recording: You can add audio recording as you write can help you explain your ideas

Special Features

No

Yes

Yes

Yes. The Word Guide is a Yes

dictionary and

thesaurus.

No

Yes--talking dictionary Yes

and thesaurus

Yes

No

No

No

No

Yes

Word and

picture banks

Yes

Yes. The Word Guide is a Yes

dictionary and

thesaurus.

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Strategies for

Writing

Description: Diverse learners benefit from a variety of UDL strategies to support written expression. Many students who struggle in writing are able to express their knowledge and ideas more effectively given a range of tools and supports. UDL supports are intended to provide all students with flexible and varied means of expression. UDL strategies may include both the use of technology and tools and supports that do not require technology. Student's preferences and choice should also be taken into account when providing support for written expression. More information on the principles of Universal Design for Learning can be found at . Quick Guides for specific strategies and tools can be found on the HIAT website.

Strategies and scaffolds to support written expression: Keyboarding--students who struggle with hand writing may be able to produce more text with less effort when typing Text to speech--text to speech provides feedback to students as they write, allowing them to listen to what they have written, support word choice, sentence structure and spelling in order to revise and edit their work Word banks--provides models or options for students who struggle with spelling, vocabulary, or word choice Audio and video recording--alternative or to compliment written output for students challenged by handwriting or spelling Illustrations, images, or graphics--used as a way to capture ideas or concepts and expand on written output

Tools and features: Microsoft Word: spelling and grammar check Clicker 5: text to speech, spell check, picture supports for text, word banks, ability to embed multimedia, students can add audio o There is a variety of Clicker 5 resources on the Instruction Center available to support writing. To see all Clicker 5 resources, search for Clicker 5 in the search box o Important--when downloading Clicker 5 resources from the Instruction Center, right click and Save target, then open the document Pixie 2: text to speech, picture supports for text, voice recording Kidspiration: graphic organizers and outlines, text to speech, picture supports for text, talking dictionary (Word Guide tool), voice recording Inspiration: graphic organizers and outlines, text to speech, picture supports for text, voice recording, add multimedia Kurzweil: text to speech, talking dictionary, talking spell check, voice recording Word Q: word prediction/spelling supports, text to speech Natural Reader: text to speech, can be used with any program, including Word or the internet, free download for home use

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland Curriculum 2.0 - Grade 4 2012

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