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Welcome to Virtual ExCEL Academy
APH Virtual ExCEL Academy Fall 2020
As our nation continues to adjust with some schools and students remaining in virtual instruction and others returning to brick and mortar buildings, APH will continue to provide the APH Virtual ExCEL Academy for students. Based on feedback from attendees during the spring and summer we will be offering FREE engaging lessons for students with a variety of abilities. We also hope to model ways that online learning may be used to supplement services. We understand that children’s needs are unique and that lessons may not apply to all kids, but we are dedicated to working out a plan to provide as much as we can.
Beginning October 13, 2020, the APH Virtual ExCEL Academy will include a live hour at 2:00 ET, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. A more detailed description of each day will soon be available on our website. To help with organization, our attendees suggested organizing the days grouped by age; therefore, we will work hard to provide classes as follows:
- Tuesday: Focus from Birth to 6th grade
- Wednesday: Focus from 7th to 12th grade
- Thursday: Focus on students with multiple impairments
Once a student is registered, the link remains active from October 13 until December 17, 2020. A new registration will be provided for our spring program. Because we know students are not always able to attend during the scheduled hour, we will be recording these sessions so all have the opportunity to learn.
We also know that many educational professionals as well as college students preparing to enter the field will be participating in the webinars to watch teachers at work. Remember, you are able to observe but please stay in the background just as if you were in a physical classroom. We will not be able to provide you with ACVREP credit for this type of activity.
Upcoming Virtual ExCEL Academy Webinars
All times listed in Eastern Time. This world clock can help provide local equivalents.
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- Academy Audience
- 4th-6th Grade students
- Title of Webinar
- O&M Problem Solving
- Date
- 10/27/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Description
- This session will offer a discussion of what to do when things don’t go as planned when traveling with your cane and how to solve the problem
- Instructor
- Jay Whipple
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Orientation & Mobility
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- Age appropriate O&M skills
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to recognize problems when they arise
- Participants will be able to use a strategy to find a solution to the problem
- Material Needed
- none
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- Academy Audience
- Middle and High School Students
- Title of Webinar
- Likeable vs Likes – Strong and Safe Communication on Social Media
- Date
- 10/28/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Description
- Each and every minute of every day you are asked one simple but pivotal question: Are you the boss or the chump of your own life? With every interaction, our communication habits help others understand who we are as an individual. Social media makes it easy to connect with people all over the globe, any time of day. It’s a new world of communication – for the better and worse. Learn to move past the psychological traps purposefully encoded to make you come out the loser and the algorithm a winner. Get the tools that will not only gain you likes, but a likable and authentic version of your on-line self.
- Instructor
- Corina A. Lopes
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Compensatory Access Skills (communication modes; speaking and listening); Social Interaction Skills
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- None, though awareness of social media platforms is helpful.
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to learn and employ active listening in a social media format, which includes close reading of texts.
- Participants will be able to learn and employ responsive communication techniques, allowing them to more effectively deliver opinions and perceptions in thoughtful, engaging ways.
- Participants will develop critical thinking skills.
- Material Needed
- Computer and internet connection
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- Academy Audience
- MIVI
- Title of Webinar
- Farm Animals
- Date
- 10/29/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Description
- Identifying farm animals with their sounds
- Instructor
- Shivali Desai
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Primary core
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- Awareness of different animal names
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to identify the farm animals
- Participants will be able to name the farm animal by listening to the sound
- Material Needed
- Toy animals (Cow, Dog, Sheep, Duck, and Pig)
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- Academy Audience
- K -6th grade
- Title of Webinar
- What Makes Music Movin’ and Groovin’?
- Date
- 11/03/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
- Description
- Why do you want to dance when you hear music? What makes it sound the way it does? We are going to answer those questions talk about the 3 primary things that make music fun and interesting to listen to: rhythm, melody, and harmony!
- Instructor
- Amelia Welsh
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Leisure activities and hobbies, music!
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- N/A
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to understand what rhythm is, and how we use it in music.
- Participants will be able to pick out the melody of a song, and explain what that is.
- Participants will have an understanding of what harmony is, and how it works with the melody and the rhythm of a song to make some groovin’ and movin’ music!
- Material Needed
- N/A
-
- Academy Audience
- High School Students
- Title of Webinar
- Cooking Without Looking
- Date
- 11/04/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
- Description
- A discussion on cooking techniques for individuals who are blind/visually impaired aiming to help prepare students for independent living.
- Instructors
- Conner Green
- Frankie Ann Marcille
- Casey Reyes
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Independent Living Skills, Assistive technology, Self-determination.
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- Basic Kitchen knowledge
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to identify some assistive technology resources to aid them while cooking.
- Participants will be able to list at least three different cooking techniques and tips for cooking with a vision impairment.
- Participants will create one personal cooking goal to work on following this presentation.
- Material Needed
- N/A
-
- Academy Audience
- Pre-Symbolic language
- Title of Webinar
- Recipes and Ooblek!
- Date
- 11/05/2020
- Time
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
- Description
- We are going to take a look at using our calendar systems in order to create a recipes that can be followed step by step. The recipe that we will explore today will be Ooblek!
- Instructor
- Jessica Chamblin
- Primary Core or ECC Area
- Rec and Leisure, Independent Living
- Pre-requisite knowledge
- Concept of first, then. Experience with calendar systems
- Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to follow first, then directions.
- Participants will be able to use a calendar system to anticipate an activity.
- Participants will apply knowledge from this lesson to social/family interactions.
- Material Needed
- Activity: Measuring cups (1 cup and ½ cup), corn starch, water, bowl, spoon
- Calendar system: Photos from the attached calendar schedule, pipe cleaners/shoe strings/ spaghetti (for tactile recipe) , recipe pictures, tactile schedule objects
- Picture Symbols PDF
Virtual ExCEL Academy and Summer Camp Archives
Missed a chance to attend one of our webinars or just looking for more resources? Check out our ExCEL Academy and ExCEL Camp webinars on our YouTube Channel.