3: End of the Year Activities
We discuss some of our favorite activities and games to do with students at the end of the year! We go over: future teacher letters, student led in-service presentations, and easy games for your last few sessions.
Resources Mentioned:
Student Led In-Service Presentation
The Hard of Hearing Teacher on TPT
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
This podcast is brought to you by:
episode 3: End of the year activities
Transcript
Intro: Welcome to the TOD Podcast, or as we like to say, the “TOD POD.” We chat about all things Deaf Education while you drive around. I’m Kimmy from The Hard of Hearing Teacher and I’m Deanna from Listening Fun, and let’s get started!
D: Today I thought we could chat about some ideas for the end of the year. For some people that's very soon, and for others like me, it's not until the end of June, but this is one of those topics that I thought it would be helpful to hear what other people do.
K: The end of the year typically feels like a whirlwind, so we're going to give you some ideas to save you time and energy because we know everyone is low on those this time of year. First, we're going to discuss some longer project kind of activities, and then we're going to talk about some quick low-prep activities.
D: Yeah, when we were planning the episode, we realized we both do similar like end-of-the-year projects that can be used also during the fall in-services. Um, sometimes a letter and sometimes more of an in-service presentation.
K: So we're going to talk, kind of in detail, about each of the things that we have done with our students. I'm going to start by talking about what I've done with my high school and middle school students. I typically have them write a letter and then for my younger students we work together to create a digital book or slide deck instead of the letter. But it was still in more of a visual letter kind of format. But back to my older students. I usually break up writing the letter into 3 parts over 3 sessions. But obviously, it's going to look different for each situation.
For part one of the activity I like to start with a brainstorming session. And this session served as both an opportunity for me to take some notes and data on the student's knowledge of their hearing loss, equipment, accommodations, etc. I would start by having them tell me, without any prompting, what they thought it was important for their teacher to know - just to start the conversation.
And then as we're going along I would provide them with some prompting and guidance as we continue to brainstorm together. I might give them a category like "What equipment do you have?" or "What does your teacher need to know about your equipment?" or "What things help you learn in the classroom?", "What can you tell your teacher? What has worked for you?" And overall this gives me a quick assessment of their knowledge and advocacy skills and then we're going to add in more details as we begin to write.
D: Yeah, I find those follow-up questions can be really helpful with some students, like helps avoid that blank stare. Um, my format's kind of similar basically during the last month of school I chat with my students about like what worked well, what was hard, what they want to continue next year. Um, and I usually do an outline first, where we just do some bullet points. I have a free dear future teacher template in my store that I'll link in the show notes. It's more for younger students who handwrite. Um, but I use this theme general outline with older students too who are typing.
K: Um. I typically use a Google Doc and that's what we use when we get to the second part, which is our writing phase. So they have their brainstorm in the upper part of the Google Doc and then we start to write right below it so that they have that information right there. I like to start when we're writing with the part that's a little easier for them and helps like get their creative juices flowing. So I typically have my students start with the first paragraph being about them. What is their name? What grade are they going into? A couple things about them - interests, hobbies, favorite school subject, etc. and I always explain that it's important to include this information because they are not their hearing loss. Yes, we want them to be able to explain to their teacher what accommodations work for them and what equipment they have.
But I think including some things about who they are aside from their hearing loss is important to showing them who they are and their self-image and helping their teacher see them as a whole student as well. So they might start with something like, "My name is Kimmy. I like rock climbing and walking my dog. And I have a hearing loss so here is how you can help me learn." That's a very quick summary of what the first paragraph might look like.
This paragraph also has no right or wrong answers so it's lower stakes and less intimidating. And that makes it a little easier for the student to start with. Next, I have my students use the brainstorming that we did to explain their hearing loss, equipment, and accommodations. So this might be like 1 to 2 paragraphs depending on how the student wants to write it, but they can write about their formal accommodations and their learning style and preferences or what other teachers have done that have worked well for them. And then we end it with what they're looking forward to next year and maybe something that they have planned for the summer
D: Yeah, and I especially try to include the HAT system or the FM system in this letter somewhere. Something like, "My teacher wears a microphone that sends the sound directly to my hearing aids. This helps me hear her clearly even if she's across the room." Um, and there's a few reasons I always want to make sure that's included in the letter. 1. It's good for the student to practice speaking about their equipment so they're capable of explaining it should someone ask, and this is like a good opportunity to put language to that for them.
And also, I think it's more impactful for the teachers to hear directly from the student about how helpful the HAT system is. Um, for most teachers like even ones who might be like challenging to work with for us, um, they're going to care if a student tells them that something helps them learn. And, for me, usually the HAT system or the FM system is like my biggest thing that I'm trying to help a teacher with at the beginning of the year. So I really like getting the students' words on why that's helpful to them.
K: So, on that note, I actually, when I'm writing this letter with my middle schoolers and high schoolers, when I'm focusing on their HAT system or on their equipment, it's typically more to show my students why it's important. Because middle schoolers tend to be more finicky about actually using their equipment, um, and I like to take that as an opportunity to help them explain why it's important and then they hear it back to themselves and hopefully that they'll want to use it a little more.
D: Yeah, you know sometimes too, I'll have them like be honest in the letter and like give specifics so like they might say like, "Usually when I walk in, I put it on the desk - that way I don't have to hand it to you." Like things like that that are like kind of specific and small but are like actually going to help them use the HAT system. Like little details like that I think are helpful.
And then they can even say like, "I tend to use it more in XYZ class because it's louder." And it's okay, I think, for them to be like upfront about that because at least they're being honest about when they're planning on using it and then we can kind of hold them to that because it's like, "Well, you did say this was important and you agreed that this was something you wanted to do." Um. So I do think it's helpful to have them be honest about when they use it and when they - maybe they don't have to write when they don't play on using it - [both chuckle] but just get the reasons why they use it is helpful in the letter.
K: I agree.
D: So in addition to the HAT, when I'm working on that accommodations paragraph, I usually like to frame it as like what classes were the most successful for you and why was that. Like, was it the teacher that made it easier? Was it the subject? Uh, sometimes it's the way the teacher used Google slides for directions or always posted the homework for the whole week or always wrote the page numbers on the board. Like the student can think about specific things the teachers did that were helpful. And then we outline some of these things together in that paragraph with the accommodations.
And at the end I like to include something they're looking forward to, kind of like Kimmy said, about next year. Some examples kids have given me in the past are like moving to a new building or a new part of the building, joining a new club, uh, a sport, a field trip associated with that grade, or a specific subject they enjoy learning. And I always find that's like a nice way to end the letter.
K: And there's multiple ways to do this, but you can do it however is most fitting for you and your students. I just think it's really helpful if you have some kind of framework in mind though before you start this project with your students so that you can monitor monitor the time it's taking and also make sure that the information that you're practicing with them is actually helping the student and is going to be helpful for their teachers too.
So you want to have a framework, kind of like a checklist at least of what you want included in the letter and I also wanted to mention that during the writing part I always had my computer open with the Google Doc while the student was working on it on their computer with the Google Doc open, and I would start by saying I have it open but I'm not looking at it like I'm not watching you write, while they're doing like the actual writing part, like writing full sentences out because that's really intimidating if someone's just sitting there watching you write. But they also - there was some accountability because they knew that I had the doc open and could check on it and see if they stopped typing and I could ask them questions and help them along if they needed it.
D: Do you know what I do sometimes, too? I was just thinking about it while you were talking, is sometimes, I mean it depends on the student, sometimes I'll tell them if you just want to talk and I'll type, it depends on the student obviously, but some students are more comfortable, especially if they're not good typers, if they're a little younger. Like maybe like younger middle schoolers or they just like maybe they're not super comfortable with writing for whatever reason just having them talk and then I write down what they say and then we edit it together to make it make sense. Sometimes that can go faster if you're having a student who is maybe a little reluctant to writing a letter.
K: Yeah, that's a good idea I've also taken this letter that I do with my older students and kind of differentiated it into more of a presentation kind of slide deck for even my middle schoolers and high schoolers. Like if that's what was fitting to their needs. If they could bullet point their thoughts, great! I'm happy that you're able to you know communicate that. If they're able to write your thoughts in the sentences, awesome! We can do that too.
D: And sometimes I actually have them do like the Google Docs voice typing. Most - sometimes they just think that's cool. Like you know where you like click the little microphone and it types what you're saying. Um, so instead of me typing what they're saying, Google is typing what they're saying and that is more for fun than for function. But, a lot of students like doing that. So it's another little trick for reluctant writers.
K: I like that. There's a lot of different tricks you can do. You really have to know your students I feel like, to kind of make this work for them. Um, but the last phase that I do with my older students who write letters is that we edit it together. So I personally prefer if there's a break in between the writing and the editing phases. And that they're done in separate sessions so that the student can, you know, take a break from what they were writing and then they can come back with fresh eyes. And when we sit down we proofread it together.
Um, so I have them read over it first. Give them one chance with their fresh eyes to read it over, make sure they think it flows and catch any errors. Typically they will catch some and they'll change them and then they'll say, "Okay, I'm ready we can look at it together." And then we look at it together. We proofread. Make sure it's flowing in a natural way. We make sure it has everything that they want it to have. Obviously, also what I want them to have for their teacher, but I've done that already in the brainstorming and in the writing parts as I've kind of walked them through it. And then I also have them put like little cute borders on it or they can choose the font or the color or whatever.
D: I love letting them do like those fun little personal touches and like adding little pictures or whatever they want to do. I think that's cute. Okay so the letter is one route. Another option is to create a presentation about their hearing loss. I've had students participate in their own in-services to various degrees in the past and it's really impactful to have the student explain in their own words what's helpful for them. Some students create the presentation and then we'll actually present the whole thing in the fall. Some will create it and then maybe they'll talk about 1 or 2 slides during the in-service while I lead the presentation. Some just create the presentation and I just email it to the teachers for them to look at.
And sometimes, honestly, we just make the presentation just as an end-of-the-year review activity and I don't use it in the fall, but I will use their specific examples when I talk about them in the fall. And I find it's really helpful just to get those examples because I can tell the teachers like the student actually told me that in this situation XYZ. And it just makes it more specific to the student as opposed to like generally speaking about students with hearing loss.
So I have like a template presentation that I made. I put it on TPT. It's called "Student Led In-Service Presentation". Um, and you can customize it with your students. The whole first section is them describing their hearing loss, what it's like for them to hear through their devices. Then they can talk about their specific equipment - what it's called, what classroom equipment they use. A lot of time this is the part that the students like to talk about because they like showing the teachers how to do something. They like being the teacher for the section about how to use the HAT system, how to use a mute button, how to use a signal if they have that, because this is something that they um know a lot about and they feel comfortable speaking about, and I want them to feel comfortable speaking about it.
And then the next section of the presentation is about accommodations, which I usually break up into background noise and visuals. I actually do this either way, like if I'm just doing the in-service presentation like normally, I still break it up this way because I think it's helpful. But the student can give examples of sources of background noise and various ways to reduce it. And we're, when we're creating the presentation, we talk about many different accommodations and the student can pick the ones that they think are the most impactful for them and why. So this includes things like not sitting next to the HVAC system, closing the classroom door, having students speak one at a time.
And in the presentation like there's, there's a spot to write a list but then there's also a spot to put a specific example. Like, "Last year my teacher accidentally put me next to the AC unit and I couldn't hear anything so I had to move." So it's just like an opportunity for them to write an anecdote. And like I said, even if they don't end up presenting this in the fall I can use that anecdote when I talk about it and that makes it, I think more, it just gives more specific examples which I think is helpful. On the visuals slide they discuss the visuals they use the most. So I have a whole list in the template so you have like a starting point to discuss with your student and then they can select the things that were the most helpful to them.
So some examples are the teacher facing the class while speaking, writing page numbers on the board, projecting instructions on the board. For different kids some visuals, like they're going to use some visuals more than others, so I want them I want the teachers to know what the student is actually using in terms of accommodations. And then at the end, I think this is very important, I have a slide about what the student will do. So this is where the student explains their own role in their learning.
For younger kids This might be, "I will raise my hand when I don't understand something." For older kids, "I'll put the mic on your desk when I walk in" or "I will ask for clarification when I'm confused about directions". And I think this sets the students up for success by naming what they can do to take ownership of their learning and it kind of sets up a teamwork perspective that the teacher and the students are working together towards a common goal.
K: I love that. I think it's very comprehensive and I'm all about student ownership in their learning and ways that they can express that and be part of the team. So I think that's really awesome. Another option that I have done in some of the presentations that my students have created, which again are really slide decks really. Um, is to add videos. So especially if the student isn't coming with you to meet their teacher in the fall and like doing this presentation with you. Uh, the videos can be really helpful because they're still using their vo- their voice and the teacher is still hearing it directly from the student.
I had quite a few of my students add pictures and videos. Especially of them demonstrating how to use their DM system and explaining their devices. I've also brought some of my students while we're working on this project into an empty classroom like during a lunch period for another class and had them take pictures to demonstrate their accommodations. So for example, they might sit in the back with a frowny face. And then in the next picture they're sitting in the front row, or on their better side for unilateral, and they're smiling because they can hear you from their seat. Uh, they also really like to play teacher as we've talked about.
So I've had them take pictures standing near the board facing the board and then looking towards the class. And when we went back to the presentation we would put like a big red X on the teacher facing the board and a green checkmark on the picture where the student is facing the classroom. And then this also gives the student a chance to get a little creative with it too.
D: I Love that. I think that's so fun and you know those students will like definitely remember those things that they've taken pictures of. And I like to if you're going to be doing the presentation in the fall and the student won't be with you, it's still a way for them to be included and you know it shows some of their personality to their teachers too which is fun.
K: All of the teachers that I gave those presentations to that watched those videos, they loved the videos. Like this is a kid that you don't know. You don't know the 30 kids that are coming into your class, next week. And it's kind of fun for the teachers.
D: Yeah, absolutely. So that's kind of like a bunch of random information about how me and Kimmy do our end-of-the-year projects. Um, but when all that is said and done I also like to have a few like fun, easy games that we can play at the end of the year. Um and these are games that I can still integrate listening and language goals into easily, but they're also kind of fun and kind of easy. So we're going to go over, we're just going to bounce back and forth with a bunch of random ideas that you might want to try. You can go first Kimmmy.
K: One of my go to activities for when I don't have a lot of prep time or I just need something like quick and easy is I like to grab a small ball and throw it back and forth and either "go on a picnic" or "go on a vacation" and when you have the ball it's your turn to add to the list. And then you go back and forth like adding to the list as you go. So in addition to practicing auditory memory and a little categorization throwing the ball back and forth also adds a little fun and movement to that game.
D: Another one I like to do, I don't really I don't use the term hangman for the game anymore, so I play a different version - I play a flower version of the game where I add a petal to the flower every time they get a letter for the mystery word. Sometimes I tell them the word is related to like a self-advocacy skill we learned about this year or sometimes I tell them it's a noun or a verb or whatever else is related to whatever language goal they had that year, but you can play this like flower power game like over and over again and work on a bunch of different stuff.
K: I also like to use Guess Who. I actually had a version of this from the dollar store and it works great. So I highly recommend if you can find it. Um, but Guess Who is great for working on descriptions expressively and also it's good for receptive language, you have to really listen to the other person, and it's a good opportunity for self-advocacy I like to throw a little sabotage in there like whisper something or turn my head away so that the student has to ask for clarification. And then since it's, you know a little competitive, typically they actually want to use those strategies. And then when it's your turn, you can also model some of those self-advocacy strategies for them.
D: Sometimes I will teach older students different card games because they have to auditorily attend to the directions in order to play. There's one called Spit you can like look it up. I used to play it all the time when I was a kid, one of my favorites. And like the directions, it takes a minute to learn so you can explain it to them. And then also games like solitaire or any card game. It can be fun to play at the end of the year
K: A card game that I love to use for like a standard card deck I love Go Fish. Um you practice listening and also auditory memory and that's kind of auditory memory for an extended period of time because they have to like hold what you said 3 turns ago if they want to be able to get your cards from you.
D: I like Simon says for little ones if I push in with them. You can play it with their friends. Obviously, it's a following directions game and then you can also let them give the directions which can be kind of fun and kind of silly.
K: Uno is another good one if you have a deck of Uno cards you can add in a little twist like if you have to draw a card then you either have to ask someone a question, if you're working on expressive language, or they have to answer a question based on one of their goals.
D: An easy no prep, no special items needed one is a drawing barrier game. I just take a piece of paper and fold it twice. So I have 4 boxes then we each draw a picture and then describe it to each other. Obviously you can adjust your language as needed to see how close we can get to the target picture. I usually set a timer when we're drawing for like a minute so it's pretty fast. And then um, it's fun to like describe it to each other and it's great for listening skills. Um, and it also ends up looking kind of silly, usually. I feel like a lot of my examples ended up being silly but I feel like that's a point. [laughing]
K: Well, that's what we need. [laughing]
D: Just the kind of mood I'm in at the end of the year, you know.
K:Yeah, you need that at the end of the year.
D: Um, I feel like there's tons of other examples, but we just wanted to give you a few ideas of things that we use for the last few weeks of school. A lot of these games are pretty familiar. But at the end of the year, I feel like you just need a little help remembering all the fun things that are out there to do.
K: We'd love to hear thoughts and if you use any of these ideas or if any of these are new to you and you found them helpful, please let us know. You can find both of us on Instagram. Deanna is @listeningfun and I'm @Thehardofhearingteacher. You can also find a full transcript of the episode and the show notes at listentotodpod.com and we'll see you next week.
Both: Bye!