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This month’s features: |
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'Tis the Season to Celebrate |
Winter Holidays |
Parents and Children Learning Together |
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Explore some little known December celebrations. |
Learn about traditional December holidays. |
Parents play an important part in the literacy of children. |
'Tis the Season to Celebrate |
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December, a month full of holiday traditions from around the world, can be an opportunity for students to learn about other cultures, history, and folklore. Most American's are familiar with Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, but not many have heard of Boxing Day, which is celebrated in Great Britain and Canada on December 26th. Jolly Brits and Canadians start this holiday by "mummering" or visiting neighbors with song or dance, while in disguise. Sounds like Christmas meets Halloween! Other countries celebrate the arrival of Christmas through their own unique celebrations. Many Hispanic countries observe Las Posadas December 16-24. Scandinavians mark the beginning of Christmas on December 13th with St. Lucia Day, a festival of lights. Germans and Dutch alike may honor St. Nicholas, the protector of children, with St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. December offers a month of cheer and opportunities for students to learn about other cultures and appreciate diversity. Happy holidays from DCMP! Related Links
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Winter Holidays |
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December is a favorite month for children of all ages, whether they celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa. It is a time for family get-togethers, eating lots of rich foods, and enjoying the season. It is also a time of giving and receiving gifts. This year DCMP is helping to give the gift of learning through accessible media. Students who are blind only gain full access to video when descriptions are added. Students who are deaf only gain full access when captions are displayed. DCMP has the solution for both. Check out our list of classic holiday favorites. Related LinksShare This Story
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Parents and Children Learning Together |
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It's an exciting time when your child is learning how to read. Suddenly, letters are not just foreign shapes on pieces of paper or the fronts of buildings anymore. They begin to make sense, and children learn how to combine different consonants and vowels to sound out words they hear every day. Children who are blind or have low vision need to have direct experience with objects and activities in order to develop an understanding of the meaning of words. These hands-on experiences are critical to building a rich literacy environment for reading. You can prepare your child to read by sharing your time, talking about the world around you, telling and reading stories, and asking and answering questions. During these read-together sessions, children learn that books can introduce people, places, and ideas and describe familiar experiences. Listening and talking helps children build their vocabularies. Working on your child's reading skills doesn't have to be restricted to just school, homework, and bedtime stories. DCMP encourages you to take advantage of the rich adventures in your community. The world is your oyster. It is open and inviting with a rich display of beautiful pearls of wisdom around every corner. DCMP encourages parent and family learning time. There are numerous selections in the DCMP collection that embrace the magic of ideas and reading through accessible media. Join DCMP's online membership and celebrate the importance of families learning together. Related Links
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Quick Hits |
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Apple Spotlights Disability Apps |
National Federation of the Blind is Santa's Helper |
Classic Films from the DCMP |
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Apple has a growing number of apps catering to individuals with disabilities. They recently launched a section called "Special Education" which includes 72 applications for the iPhone and 13 applications for the iPad. There are 10 categories ranging from sign language dictionaries to accessible readers and language development to life skills. If you have iTunes installed, see the apps in the "Special Education" category. Don't miss the DCMP title e-Pirates of the Digital Age: Copyright Issues in Software and Music, and go to the DCMP library catalog and browse the topic area "Computers and Technology". |
Between November 15 and December 20, parents can go online at www.nfb.org and fill out a Santa Braille Letter request form. (Or print and fax to 410-685-2340). Beginning December 1, the Braille letters from Santa will start going out to boys and girls around the country. |
Want to watch some great classic films over the holidays? DCMP has made four wonderful titles available on its YouTube channel for anyone to view: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: |
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The contents of this newsletter were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Cooperative Agreement #H327N060002. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Ernest Hairston. The DCMP is administered by the National Association of the Deaf. |
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