Many people have worked hard to get classical books onto the internet, so that they will be available to as many people as possible. These are books that are in the public domain. "Public domain" means that a book is past its copyright (usually published in the early 1900's and before).
Librivox provides books that are read orally by readers for your - or your child's - listening pleasure. If your computer is equipped to read an MP3 file, you can simply click and read. Alternatively, if you wish, you can download a file onto your hard drive.
If your student can use a computer with the aide of a screenreader, screen magnification, or refreshable Braille, you may also like the more plentiful options available in text at byGosh.com. Or you can copy the stories and Braille them yourself, print them for your child to read with a video magnifier, or use them in any educational way you wish. This site provides: Kid's Classics, Short Stories, Novels, Nonfiction, and Poems. For your older child or yourself, you may be interested particuarly in the Autobiography of Helen Keller. Also available is Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington.
Another resource I would like to share is the Gutenberg Project. These are files that you download onto your computer. I haven't tried them yet, as I had an overloaded computer until very recently; so I got used to using only things that we could just "click and read"; but the advantage here is the scope. The Gutenberg Project has 20,000 free books available. If you like the Gutenberg Project, you may like some of the curriculum suggestions of Miss Maggie at her Old Fashioned Education website.
Another resource where downloading is required is AudioBooksforFree.com. At this site, they will be happy to sell you downloads to your MP3 or other personal player; however, they also offer free downloads to your computer.
I hope something here will be helpful to you!
Showing posts with label Language Arts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Language Arts. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
A Treasurehouse
Is your child a user of the Library of Congress, National Library Service Talking Books*, which are available on specially formatted tapes? And the many Braille books they offer?
Did you know that you can look for specific books -- and you can also look for specific categories of books? The Library of Congress search page for this has a drop-down box where you can choose Audio, Braille, or both.
Once you find out what books are available, you can request them from your local NLS library by phone or by email.
*("for the Blind and Physically Handicapped")
Did you know that you can look for specific books -- and you can also look for specific categories of books? The Library of Congress search page for this has a drop-down box where you can choose Audio, Braille, or both.
Once you find out what books are available, you can request them from your local NLS library by phone or by email.
*("for the Blind and Physically Handicapped")
Monday, February 26, 2007
Adapting the Writing
I began writing this at my other blog, and then realized that it was just as appropriate - probably more so - for this one. So, my "next post" was supposed to be a book review, but by that I meant later today or tomorrow. The following post is just a bonus:
Is this how the kids feel when they're supposed to write something, and they sit and look at a blank screen? (Remember when we used to call it a blank piece of paper?)
This morning I am wondering just how I've been coming up with posts nearly every day! I hope this morning's blankness isn't related to my having split my mind into two blogs. (Smile. Not that my mind wasn't already scattered here, there and everywhere.)
This staring at blank whiteness makes me think of my youngest son - the one who is visually impaired - who struggles to write. He is extremely good at talking, expounding, articulating. Can I think of any more verbs for him? You get the picture. But all he has to do is sit down to the keyboard to write a book report, and suddenly he doesn't know what to say. I finally figured out that it was the process...that if I sat myself at the keyboard and had him dictate, he could think and speak as fast as his mind works, and yes, I can type that fast. So he dictates; I type. Then on another day, I dictate what I've typed for him, and he types it. So, in the end, it's "all his".
This is, of course, a temporary plan, as he prepares to enter high school level work. I hope to get him typing faster, and in the meantime, I would like to get him doing this process using a tape recorder.
But the other day he had a little spare school time, so he watched a show on the history channel about Fort Knox, which he found fascinating. The next time he needed to write, he said he wanted to write about Fort Knox. Instead of sitting down at the computer, he got a pen and paper, and began writing (in his one-inch print). He wrote about six pages and did a great job. He said that on another day, he will type it. Who would have thought he'd be more comfortable writing by hand?
One thing I love about homeschooling is the flexibility it allows us. We can push the children to do what they aren't comfortable with, but at the same time, allow them to find ways to overcome their discomfort, grow, and even become enthusiastic.
Is this how the kids feel when they're supposed to write something, and they sit and look at a blank screen? (Remember when we used to call it a blank piece of paper?)
This morning I am wondering just how I've been coming up with posts nearly every day! I hope this morning's blankness isn't related to my having split my mind into two blogs. (Smile. Not that my mind wasn't already scattered here, there and everywhere.)
This staring at blank whiteness makes me think of my youngest son - the one who is visually impaired - who struggles to write. He is extremely good at talking, expounding, articulating. Can I think of any more verbs for him? You get the picture. But all he has to do is sit down to the keyboard to write a book report, and suddenly he doesn't know what to say. I finally figured out that it was the process...that if I sat myself at the keyboard and had him dictate, he could think and speak as fast as his mind works, and yes, I can type that fast. So he dictates; I type. Then on another day, I dictate what I've typed for him, and he types it. So, in the end, it's "all his".
This is, of course, a temporary plan, as he prepares to enter high school level work. I hope to get him typing faster, and in the meantime, I would like to get him doing this process using a tape recorder.
But the other day he had a little spare school time, so he watched a show on the history channel about Fort Knox, which he found fascinating. The next time he needed to write, he said he wanted to write about Fort Knox. Instead of sitting down at the computer, he got a pen and paper, and began writing (in his one-inch print). He wrote about six pages and did a great job. He said that on another day, he will type it. Who would have thought he'd be more comfortable writing by hand?
One thing I love about homeschooling is the flexibility it allows us. We can push the children to do what they aren't comfortable with, but at the same time, allow them to find ways to overcome their discomfort, grow, and even become enthusiastic.
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