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What would you buy with $2k?


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Hooray, my SpEd budget got a one-time boost of $2,000! I need to spend it on "instructional supplies" by the end of June. My students range from K-8, with mostly very typical needs in reading, writing, and math. I'd like to get some "general" things that could be used with many students. I can use my regular budget for things specific to individual kids.

Any wish list items you'd recommend or love to buy?

 

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I'd really like some materials to specifically target comprehension.... I remember at one of my old schools they had a book series that had different categories... inferencing, predicting, etc... I seem to remember they were smaller and thinner than regular books. (Good clue, I know! Sorry...)

Writing is always difficult. Most of the paragraph or multi-paragraph writing materials are either way too wordy and busy, or too "cute," or too.... extra. Something super slimmed down and basic would be amazing. 

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3 hours ago, Kanin said:

I'd really like some materials to specifically target comprehension....

Carson Dellosa has their Spotlight on Reading series, which I've used and liked. (all levels, all topics in the series)

I'm using a bunch of Power Practice books (also a series) from Creative Teaching Press this year and really like them.

The National Geographic grade leveled readers have been a winner for us. They're something he can just read and discuss and they balance fiction and nonfiction for less socially interested kids.

Can't go wrong with any levels or books of IEW.

Software for editing, basically anything Don Johnston sells. Inspiration, Ginger, basically all the stuff I don't have, lol. 

Subscriptions, espcially software like Lexia

Story Champs if any of your kids have narrative language issues. 

books with audio. There's a series of abridged hi/low classics I started collecting that you can find with audio. 

Reading comprehension is such a can of worms anyway. You can have language deficits in syntax, vocabulary, etc., narrative language deficits, metalinguistics stuff like inferencing, all kinds of things being a factor. 

Lakeshore Learning has some terrific kits for language, reading comprehension, etc. They have board games (remind me, is this for a school or home??) and also more instructional materials like decks of cards for homonyms, comprehension, etc. You could blow a lot of money hot fast at Lakeshore. 

Reading Comprehension Games Library - Gr. 4-5

Reading Comprehension Games Library - Gr. 1-3

This is an example of their Quickies and Match/Sort and I REALLY like them. Super easy to use, actually pretty fun, nicely made, available for lots of topics and levels. 

Match & Sort Reading Comprehension Quickies - Gr. 2-3

Reading Comprehension Activities Workbook - Gr. 5-6  I buy my workbooks as pdf but here they are in print.

Fiction & Nonfiction Paired Passages - Gr. 3  If you don't want cards, various publishers have workbooks in this vein.

Text Structure Finding Evidence Kit - Gr. 4-5

Theme & Main Idea Finding Evidence Kit - Gr. 4-5

That's just stuff to get you started. You can easily blow a lot of that money just with Lakeshore Learning. 😄 

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/language/reading-comprehension-fluency/N/3469474959/page-1/sort-best/num-96/?view=grid&ref=hpS1FC2&update-filter=951228441

I have a bunch of their bingo games and they have them for all kinds of topics. Their geography games are terrific too btw. I LOVE their hands on spelling crosswords. 

https://www.languagedynamicsgroup.com/story-champs/  This is Story Champs. It's a big spend ($350) but so worth it if your students tend to have narrative language deficits. Open and go, terrific manipulatives to mark the story grammar components, a winner. You'd use it with every student forever to work on reading comprehension, narrative and expository writing, etc. 

https://www.kelly-mahler.com/product/the-interoception-curriculum-master-bundle/  Take your student's social comprehension and self regulation to the next level with interoception work for everyone. It may be a missing piece for them, the thing you didn't realize you were looking for. Again, will affect every area. Master kit is $454 and I suggest throwing in her $50 Body Check Ring as well. 

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Ooh I wish I had a budget!! 

My students like the Jake Maddox books - I teach 5-8 special education. https://www.amazon.com/Line-Jake-Maddox-Sports-Stories-ebook/dp/B00E3SY9IO/ref=sr_1_14?keywords=jake+maddox+books&qid=1654216615&sprefix=jake+madd%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-14

They're super high interest and easier reads. They're also not babyish and appeal to bigger kids! 

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