26 Oct:: AAC Month Relays

Today people around the world Skyped, Twittered, posted on Facebook and blogs and talked in chat rooms for 24 hours for International Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Month. All through October every year people hold events and share stories and movies to celebrate AAC. This year some people are doing 'Power of Communication Relays' to raise awareness of AAC.

We took the ‘I Love AAC’ banner to Durham Area Disability Leisure Group last Cyclability session of the season at Durham Cricket Ground race track 30 September. Thank you friends!

Movie on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLAdNdQib8 

More pics on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150370234002492.379315.574347491&type=1&l=cf38a09e79

 

24 Oct: Grammar Chants

On Monday we started using grammar chants from Kenneth Beare's ESL site for our language practice.

Rob stayed over Monday and Tuesday. Katy and Lauren stayed on Tuesday.

22 Oct: Paul Squire

My nephew Paul Squire stayed with us for the weekend.

15-21 Oct::

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14 Oct::

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Phonics, reading with Gemma, meeting new social worker Marie.

12 Oct: Diana @ Lancaster House

Special networking event for Diana Award Holders at Lancaster House, London, and the launch of 5 new categories of Award Holder. My story, with photo of me working on our 'Equality Without Words?' campaign poster, featured on the Diana Active Campaigner banner, and Maggie Turner, Director of the Diana Award, is looking into how the Diana Award will support our campaign.

More pics on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150363892027492.377851.574347491&type=1&l=3dc44cf860

5 Oct: CAD/CAM - Z

Mam asked college if they could find me something more to do than just 'making toast' - that is what she calls my Life Skills course. Richard found a computer aided manufacture lesson and our whole class will be printing our own designs on a T Shirt or mug soon. Richard asked Mam to help me choose a design. We talked about whether it would be words or a picture, whether I wanted to do something new or use pictures I already have. I decided to make a collage of the things I love most - me as the Hoover Z vacuum cleaner with my Pathfinder communication aid for its foot, a pylon, and the beige angel from my friend Stephanie's black jumper. Z's headlights are Christmas lights.

Mam animated Z in her 3D class at Bishop Auckland College, 2005. Janitor Rap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnQ1x7bawIs

I replicated Terry’s PowerPoint version of Z ready to animate him in Flash and Keynote.

 

A cardboard cut-out of Z stars in our stop motion animation The Language Stealers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vib2__BDCXc

I am really looking forward to making my CAD/CAM T Shirt!

27 Sep: Diana Active Campaigner

Working on the poster for our campaign 'Equality Without Words?'.

15 Sep: Allotment

My college tutor phoned home to say how happy I am at the allotment!!!

10 Sep: Birthdays

I was 22 on 11 September and Grandma was 80 on the 5th. We celebrated together at my house on Saturday the 10th and the family went to the Honest Lawyer for lunch Sunday.

Pics on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150364289232492.377908.574347491&type=1&l=ebefe821d7

 

 

2 Sep: Today

Worked on our Arts Award portfolios, printed invites for my party next Saturday, laminated our grapheme charts back-to-back with our core words language mates, practiced 'have' phrases.

1 Sep: Garden

Today we cut the grass then went to Taekwondo.

31 Aug: Forbidden Corner

 

Movie on Youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelbrianreed#p/u/6/Z-51LxWU3wM

29 Aug: Bluebuds @ Fishburn WMC

Good tunes Justin & Kirk! A good day made even better when Trevor took me to Moxy's on the way home and he gave me a red coat!

24-26 Aug: Lauren, Andrew, Trish & Dad

Lauren stayed over at mine Wednesday and I met her Nanna and dog when I took her home Thursday. Andrew stayed on Thursday. We went to Taekwondo. Trish brought her baby Shaun to see us on Friday and we took her home before visiting Dad for his birthday.

Lauren is my friend from college but she left last year. Andrew and Trish are friends I went to school with.

20 Aug: Claire & Will Sky Dive

Cousin Claire and boyfriend Will skydiving at Shotton Colliery Airfield. Exciting and scary. Don't think I would do it.

Camera 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RuzG8Yuj8M&feature=related
Camera 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwJqmIC0yY8&feature=related
 

11-15 Aug: Hadrian's Hikers

5 days, over 60 miles, good time with family. tough work but good fun. Lots of nice food. good time had by all.


http://www.youtube.com/user/michaelbrianreed#p/u/9/lnNHlpk3Iq8

6 Aug: Andy & Rob

Andrew stayed over from Wednesday 4th to Saturday and Rob stayed from Tuesday 9th to Thursday. Mam and John worked with Andy on his presentation about the Core Words communication aids our group has been making this last five years and with all of us on synthetic phonics using Debbie Hepplewhite's Sounds Books and THRASS Sound It Out - in between shopping for camping stuff and packing for our family holiday walking Hadrian's Wall.

5 Aug: Camera Mouse

We showed Hannah's son Tom the free mouse alternative software Camera Mouse. People with motor impairments could use it to access the Core Words Language Mate we made in the free software Tico to give everyone access to core language.

4 Aug: Legoland

Me, Andy, Rob and friends from DADLG - Durham Area Disability Leisure Group - at Legoland Manchester. It's a lot smaller than Windsor. It's in a shopping Centre. The 3D movies were ace.Everything came right at you off the screen.

Movie on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/v/10150279715547492

29 July: Hearing Aid Good

Talking about my week with Hannah, showing her my Journal, revising comparatives and working on phonemes with John, walking down the stream with Rob. Everyone was happy for me when I signed that I hadn't felt sleepy or made any frustration signs by hitting or pressing my hands on my chin today and signed that it was my new hearing aid helping me. 

26 July: No Yoga

Had a headache and needed to sleep so no Yoga or Wishing Well club tonight.

25 July: Tom & Jack

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6uLU9k-M0&feature=BFa&list=UL8bMg6VOJoYk&lf=mfu_in_order