How Jolly Classroom Turned Struggles Into Strengths
Kaitlyn Kramer, a 13-year special education teacher at Oakbrook Elementary (MO), discovered that Jolly Classroom wasn’t just another literacy tool, it was a lifeline for her K–3 students with autism, ADHD, and severe behavioral challenges. By leveraging its multisensory visuals (like "jelly letters" and segmenting sliders) and structured routines, her students, who once struggled to focus for 5 minutes, now beg for "Jolly Time" and sustain engagement for 25-minute sessions. "If kids weren’t growing, I’d have nixed it. But they’re thriving."
Kaitlyn’s classroom serves high-need students: non-readers with autism, ADHD, and developmental delays. Traditional methods failed to address:
"I needed something visual, structured, and engaging enough to meet them where they were."
Jolly Phonics stood out for its:
✅ Visual-heavy design: Animated sliders, wobbling "jelly letters," and story videos captivated students.
✅ Built-in OT support: Tracing activities strengthened fine motor skills.
"The tracing builds finger dexterity. We call them ‘jelly letters’—kids love how they wobble!"
✅ Routine-driven framework: Predictable steps (e.g., daily blending practice) reduced anxiety.
"Kids on breaks would see Jolly on my screen and leave their break to join. That never happened before."
Quantitative Wins
Qualitative Wins
Implementation: Small Steps, Big Leaps The strategies and steps that teachers can take are relatively small, but ultimately have a huge impact on classrooms. To set the foundation, Kaitlyn adhered to two main strategies for implementing Jolly Learning:
"Even my most challenging student completed Step 1—his GenEd teacher saw the difference."
With those strategies in place, the steps were small and relatively simple, leading to huge leaps in students’ abilities. These steps are outlined below, with real-world advice in Kaitlyn’s own words!
Start Small—But Start Strong Week 1: "Just open Jolly Classroom on your smart screen for 10 minutes daily. Let kids explore the ‘jelly letters’—they’ll gravitate to it." Pro Tip: Use the segmenting slider first—it’s the most addictive tool for ADHD learners.
Embed Routines Like a SPED Superhero
Hack the IEP System
Win Over Resistant Colleagues
When Kids Regress (Because They Will)
The Ultimate Buy-In Hack "Let kids ‘catch’ you using Jolly during their breaks. They’ll beg to join—mine did!"
Start small like Kaitlyn—try Jolly Classroom FREE for 30 days. Your toughest learners might just surprise you.
You can try Jolly Classroom for free by heading to JollyClassroom.com
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