Technology @ High Point, vol. 7

Tech for teaching and learning in our new space

Fill Your Toolbox!

Well-implemented technology gives classroom staff loads of tools for teaching students with a broad range of learning styles. The time investment in learning new technology will make teaching easier and assist students in advocating for their life-long learning. This newsletter PD is intended to help you learn new technologies at High Point a little bit at a time, slowly filling up your teaching toolbox throughout this chaotic school year.

This Week's Tech Feature:

Three square, white talking brix with bright colored round buttons in the center.

Talking Brix 2

Talking Brix 2 are compact, recordable communication buttons for easy use any time and any place. Multiple buttons can be linked together to make a communication grid of any size. They are magnetic so can be attached to any magnetic surface. They have a clear cover so a printed icon can be placed underneath. Recorded messages can be up to 10 seconds long.

Talking Brix 2 from Ablenet, Inc.

Who is it for?

The Talking Brix are great for switches users. Students must be able to access the 2 inch button as there is not a switch input jack. The buttons are in high contrast colors: red, blue and green. High contrast labels can be created in the Symbol Overlay Maker (included on your classroom iPad) or by using your Lesson Pix account.

If parents are looking to purchase talking buttons to use at home, these are a nice, reliable, affordable option at about $200 for 3 buttons. With the rechargeable battery, they will not have to purchase batteries in addition to the button.

Setup Instructions

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Mounting

Use magnet to put on the fridge or the whiteboard or a door frame
Use Velcro to mount anywhere
Connect multiple Talking Brix together in any configuration

Side view of the Talking Brix showing the connector to link multiple Brix.

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Features

Directions for recording are on the back
Low profile won't get in the way
No switch jack

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Symbol Overlay Maker App

The Symbol Overlay Maker iPad app will allow you to quickly make circles with SymbolStix icons to add to the Talking Brix under the plastic cover. It also has templates for all AbleNet devices. This app is on all High Point classroom iPads.

Video of how to use Symbol Overlay Maker

Maintenance

This switch can be wiped with Clorox wipes, as needed.

The Talking Brix have a rechargeable battery which can be charged with the included Micro USB charging cord. You can charge multiples at one time by connecting them together.

Ideas for Using This Tech in the Classroom

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Tell a Joke

Connect 3 Talking Brix. Record the 1st button to say, "Knock, knock!"; the 2nd to say, "Abby"; and the 3rd to say, "Abby New Year!!" (or any other joke, if you can possibly come up with a better one :) ) This teaches students to press a sequence of steps and motivates them to use a voice output communication device.

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All Done!

Record a Talking Brix with the message, "All done!" Allow a student to press it to communicate when they are done in the bathroom or with a project or eating. You could keep that button in a location near the activity so it is always accessible to the student or for staff to grab to place near the student.

3 linked Talking Brix with "fun", "run", and "sun" on them

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Phonemic Awareness

Work on phonemes by programming one button to say, "-un" and other buttons with letter sounds to create a word, such as F, S, B, P, or R. Stick the Talking Brix on the magnetic white board and allow students to arrange them to create words. This will allow students who are not able to voice the phonemes to learn how they work to form words.

Past "Tech @ HP" Newsletters