Home schooling and Covid-19

Information by Abigail Davison-Hoult – Rett UK Communication and Education Support

Many of continue self-isolating at home due to Covid-19. Even with neurotypical offspring, this is a challenge but for those of us with children, teens and adults with complex needs such as Rett syndrome it is beyond daunting. Talk of home schooling and endless lists of online resources are rampant on social media and hastily created WhatsApp groups, and whilst the intention is to be helpful, I know first-hand how this can send parents who are already worried, confused and second-guessing themselves into a spin!

Read the blogs:

The Plan Week 2

Week 4 Week 6 Still Here

Online resources

Many of us like useful websites to grab resources and ideas from so having trawled through these long lists, I have added- (in my opinion) the most useful (for people with Rett syndrome) links below:

Tobii Dynavox have many resources available on pagesetcentral.com. Here you can download pagesets for many ordinary activities at no charge. These resources are for Snap + Core First, Communicator 4&5, Compass and SymbolMate.

Their products Boardmaker Online, Reading Avenue and Accessible Literacy Learning for Windows provide readymade resources, online books and learning guides as well as the option to create your own. Windows Control is another piece of software available that allows one click access to most interactive websites via eyegaze technology.

Smartbox have a link here: https://thinksmartbox.com/product/super-core-new/ to a set of printable grids that you can download.

Liberator offer some activity ideas and supporting information here: https://www.aaclanguagelab.co.uk/activities

Other learning resources – not eyegaze specific but offering printable and downloadable activity and learning sheets:

twinkl.com – use the code UKTWINKLHELPS for a month’s worth of free resources/lesson plans
https://scratch.mit.edu/ – this is a coding site for children to create their own games and animations which can then be shared. These creations can also be accessed via eyegaze technology using Windows Control
https://tarheelreader.org/ – a great resource for online books on a whole host of different subjects, again accessible via eyegaze technology. The books can either be read alone or together. Many are factual rather than fiction and good for home learning. If there is no book for the subject you want, there is the opportunity to write and upload your own!
http://www.tuxpaint.org/ – this is an online painting tool again accessible via eyegaze technology using Windows Control. It is free to download and you can print your creations once you have finished them.
https://ed.ted.com/lessons – For slightly older kids, these videos are educational and fun, and not too long so may keep them entertained whilst learning something too!
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/# – there are free resources for ages 3-11 here on a wide range of subjects. The games and activities are accessible with eyegaze technology using Windows Control and there are guidance notes for parents (so valuable!).
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/ – this app is widely used by schools in the UK for KS1 phonics. It can be accessed via eyegaze technology using Windows Control.
Good old YouTube is useful for pretty much any video snippet you can think of.
BBC iPlayer has Watch on Demand links to shows such as Horrible Histories and Operation Ouch!