What can kids say with wipe-off eye gaze cards?

LOTS!

Handy wipe-off word cards that we used to answer a homework assignment

For kids who read, whether proficiently or as fledgling readers, printed choices can be quick and efficient for indicating  thoughts. We tried dry erase boards for years, writing choices in the corners, with marginal success. For our daughter, the ability to adjust the spacing of cards within her field of view can be critical. This is especially true on those “off” days when she isn’t feeling her best.

Index cards are an option that let us space her choices to meet her needs of the day, but the cost of using them adds up quickly.

Over the summer, I tried laminating 3.25 x 5.25 cards cut from oaktag file folders. These have worked GREAT! We simply write choices on the cards with a dry erase marker as they are needed and wipe them clean with a dry cloth when we’re done.

Handwriting the words or phrases is so much faster than trying to locate symbol cards in a notebook and re-file them after we’re finished. Also, many of the words my daughter needs have no symbol counterpart.

Some speech therapists recommend using black dry erase boards for certain students, as they may be easier on the eyes. If this is true for your child, try laminating cards cut from black construction paper or heavy scrap book paper.

Our laminator is made by Purple Cows and the small hot pockets work especially well for this project. The laminated cards wipe clean and are holding up beautifully. I have a dozen of them at the ready, which allows me to have a nice stack of choices. I can also have answers ready several questions ahead if she is completing a homework assignment.

If your child is able to read at all, I suggest giving these laminated blank cards a try. You might find them to be a quick solution to the time-consuming problem of symbol storage and retrieval.