The
Law
In 1975, the Special Education Act was created (PL
94-142). It assured a free public
education in the Least Restrictive
Environment (LRE) to
every student.
This included students with:
v Severe
disabilities
v Mild
to Moderate mental handicaps
v Students
having middle to moderate learning disabilities and behavior problems
Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 1997
Public
Law 105-17 (replaced PL 94-142)
Every District must
have:
·
A Child Find,
which is a continuous process of public awareness activities, screening, and
evaluation designed to locate, identify, and refer, as early as possible, all
young children with disabilities and their families who are in need of early
intervention, as mandated through the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA).
·
Assessments by a
qualified team from the Local Education Agency (LEA). Note: These assessments
must be completed in 30 days and must be non discriminatory
ªThe LEA determines
whether the student qualifies for special education and determines student’s
needs ª
·
IEP (Individual Education Program) Team
v Team that
develops an individual education program for the student
v Comprised of:
Parents, teachers, special education teachers, administrator, specialists, and
student when appropriate
Websites:
Council for Exceptional Children: http://www.ideapractices.org/
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/idea.pdf
A 25-year history of the IDEA: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.html
Factors for considering an IEP: http://ericec.org/digests/e578.html
Child Find Projects: http://www.nectac.org/topics/earlyid/earlyidproj.asp
How to Write an IEP: http://pages.prodigy.net/cvengr/_wsn/page6.html
Emotional and
Behavioral Disorder (EBD)
Definition: A long-term behavior or
condition that affects the child’s education.
Characteristics:
v
Characterized by
behavioral responses in school programs different from children their own age.
v Inability to learn that
cannot be explained by health problems
v Child cannot maintain
relationships
v Inappropriate behavior
v General depression or
unhappiness
v The child may
develop fears or physical symptoms due to school or personal problems such as
physical or verbal aggression, opposition and noncompliance (these are
external), or anxiety and depression (which are internal).
These students require:
v Help or instruction on
social and/or personal management
v Help on managing behavior
Inclusion strategies (Some
may work, some may not):
v Social skill
instruction that helps the child build relationships, manage transitions, and
respond appropriately.
v Creating a peer support
system to help child
v Working with another
colleague (collaborative teaching)
v Manage behavior by designing a plan, find
motivators, and a reward.
v Instruct at their level
v Watch to see how they
respond to special instruction
v USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE!!!!!!!
Web Sites:
Council for Children with Behavioral Problems: http://www.ccbd.net
The American Psychiatric Association: http://www.psych.org
Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: http://www.slc.sevier.org/emoclass.htm
What is an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder: http://www.pacer.org/parent/php/PHP-c81.pdf
Emotional and Behavioral Disorder: http://www.utc.edu/ContinuingEducation/ContinuingEducation/eds/am/EBD.htm
Preferred Strategies for Children who are Regarded as Having Emotional
and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD): http://www.isec2000.org.uk/abstracts/papers_g/garner_2.htm
Autism
Definition: A physical disorder of the brain that causes life long
developmental disability.
Characteristics:
v
Echolalia (parrot
like repeating of what was said)
v
A monotonous tone
lacking pitch and intonation
v
Lack of social
imitative play
v
Variation in
language use
v
A discrepancy
between receptive and expressive language with no concept of abstractions such
as danger
v
Little or no eye
contact with others
v
Fail to interact
and develop appropriate peer relationships
v
Prefer isolation
v
Exhibit
stereotypes and repetitive patterns of behavior such as hand flapping, hand
regarding, eye gazing, body rocking, grimacing, tapping, and vocalizations
v
Become focused on
one pattern of behavior or routine, exhibiting a need for sameness
v
Have an abnormal
interaction with toys that may include an extreme focus on parts of objects
v
Olfactory and
taste sensitivities may be an issue
v
Abnormal visual
stimulation may include such behaviors as the lining up of toys or figures,
obsessing over patterning configurations, letters and numbers, and eye gazing
in various lights
Teaching Strategies:
v
Routines (Top to
Bottom, Left to Right, Start to Finish, First and Then)
v
Physical
Structure (Physical Boundaries, Visual Boundaries, Minimum Visual and Auditory
Boundaries, Teaching Areas)
v
Daily Schedules
(Object/object sequence, Picture/photograph cards, Pictured written lists,
Written lists/cards)
v
Work Systems
(Left to Right, Matching, Written systems)
v
Visual Structure
(Visual Instruction, Visual Organization, Visual Clarity)
Web Sites:
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=autismcharacteristics
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=autismdiagnosis
http://members.aol.com/Room5/strat.html
http://www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/SPED/autism/structure/str10.htm
Deaf and
Hearing Impaired
Definition:
Deaf is a condition in
which so little information is received through the sense of hearing that other
senses must be used for learning. Hearing impaired is characterized by a
condition in which hearing, although impaired, can be used as one of the senses
of learning.
Behavior and Characteristics:
v
Easily distracted
v
More aware of
movement or action than sound
v
Turns head to one
side in effort to hear
v
Confuse words
with similar sounds
v
Difficulty
following verbal directions
v
Mumbles without
awareness
v
Speaks quietly
v
Difficulty with
articulation
v
Monotone voice
pitch
Inclusion Strategies: Ways to Communicate:
v
Teletypewriter
(TTY) is an older term used for a telephone.
v
Telecommunication
Relay Service (TRS) is a system that allows hearing people, without TTY, to
communicate by telephone with deaf people.
v
Personal
Delivery: Lip reading
v
Sign Language
uses a manual means of communication rather than speech.
v
Interpreter
v
Teaching Strategies:
v
Keep background
noise to a minimum
v
Do not turn back
while speaking
v
Use over-head
projector
v
Provide notes of
lectures
v
Use visual
teaching strategies
v
Provide assignments
orally and in writing
v
During class
discussion allow only one student to speak
Web Sites:
http://www.nad.org/site/pp.asp?c=foINKQMBF&b=91587
http://www.uclan.ac.uk/student_services/accentre/dld/guidelines/deafstudents/teaching/
http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/archive/strategies.html
Learning
Disability, Mental Handicap, and Attention Deficit Disorder
|
|
Definition |
Characteristics |
Strategies |
|
Learning Disability (LD) |
A neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store and respond to information. |
There is a significant discrepancy and distinct gap between the level of achievement that is expected and what the student is actually achieving in listening, speaking, reading, math, writing, or mathematics. |
Use peer support systems, modeling, prompting, monitoring, reinforcement, tutoring, and instruction at their level. Brake learning into small steps; administered probes; supply regular quality feedback; use diagrams, graphics and pictures to augment what they were saying in words; provide ample independent, well-designed, intensive practice; model instructional practices that you want students to follow; provide prompts of strategies to use; and engage students in process -type questions like “How is that strategy working? Where else might you apply it?” |
|
Mental Handicap |
Mental retardation is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills, which affects school learning, language, and social development. |
Rate of learning is considerably slow and most areas of development are delayed which causes the students not to meet age expectations in language, math, and social skills. There is restricted cognitive development, limited language ability, they often start to talk late and children have difficulties learning the meaning of words and grammatical rules. |
Develop a circle of friends, revise curriculum to fit their needs, peer support systems, reinforcement, tutoring, and include the student in class activities. Young people have to rely on opportunities for learning by doing This has an effect on what they learn, how they go about their tasks, how quickly and how long it takes them to learn, their ability to think in abstract terms, and on their spontaneity and range of interests. Curriculum for students with mental retardation should be designed to prepare students to function as independently as possible in an integrated society. |
|
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) |
Inattention that is consistently displayed and is persistent for more than 6 months to the degree that it is inconsistent with development level. If not diagnosed by a doctor, ADD/ADHD is considered an EBD. |
People who are inattentive have a hard time keeping their minds on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. They may give effortless, automatic attention to activities and things they enjoy however, completing a task or learning something new is difficult. They are hyperactive, excessively talk, blurt out answers, and have difficulty waiting. They can be impulsive, run instead of walk, are restless, constantly fidget, and are forgetful. |
Have a structured learning environment, decrease the
amount of distractions, avoid sudden transitions, have a peer support group,
help keep student organized, have activities that require movement or active
participation. Add in self-monitoring
and behavior management
techniques. Reinforce good behavior, give only one or two directions at a time,
establish reward systems, set a routine, praise, allow longer wait time, and
communicate with parents. |
Web Sites:
Social Skills
Students with special needs will be more successful in the
general classroom if they are taught social skills. Children with special needs
will benefit from the social skills learned by the regular students.
Ways to teach social skills:
Immersion- Surround the student with social skills and teach
them hands on so they understand. Reward
them on their progress by taking them to dinner/lunch, or introduce them to
people (example: the teacher in NY who
taught the students skills and then buying them suits and taking them to
dinner).
Direct
Teaching- Teach the subject, rehearse
and practice it over and over.
Generalize the social skill by putting them in a different setting and
see if the can still perform the skill.
Enculturation- Seize the opportunity to practice the social skills
as the problem arises (direct teach in the classroom when the opportunity
arises).
Resources/ Instructional Materials:
v Skill
streaming the Elementary School Child: New Strategies and Perspectives for
Teaching Prosocial Skills, by McGinnis and Goldstein (1997).
v Getting
Along With Others: Teaching Social Effectiveness to Children, by
Jackson and Monroe (1983).
v Social
Skills in the Classroom, by Stephens (1978).
Websites:
Teaching
Social Skills: http://specialed.about.com/cs/behaviordisorders/a/social.htm
Teaching
Social Skills: http://home.att.net/~clnetwork/socialsk.htm
Positive
Reinforcement: http://www.modelmekids.com/social-skills.html
Developing
social competence: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200101/ai_n8945296#continue
Teaching
social skills: http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1749
Instructional
Strategies
Teaching instructions have to vary for each child. One thing may work with one child but not the
other. There are three levels of
learning:
·
Frustration Level- the student gives up, they think its too
hard, find excuses.
·
Instructional level- the teacher can help them and instruct
them.
·
Independent level- the student can do it himself or herself.
Use Organizers to Introduce and Conclude
Lessons
·
Use
blackboard or overhead projector to state objectives of lesson or activity.
·
Use
visual aids to guide students through the lesson.
·
Summarize
main points at the end of the lesson.
Use Prompts
·
Make
transitions clear and let students know what is coming next.
·
Teach
transition vocabulary.
Graphic Organizers
Use graphic organizers to chart student
comprehension.
·
Time
lines
·
Diagrams
·
Flowcharts
·
Pyramid
designs
·
Cartoons
·
Pictures
·
Advance
organizers
·
Herringbone
charts
·
Webs
·
Chapter
maps
Concept Maps
·
Alternative
to note taking or outlining.
·
Students
think about content and organize it in a meaningful way to them.
·
Improves
students' ability to categorize, organize and integrate new information.
·
Time
on task improves student retention of material.
·
Gives
the teacher a chance to see and discuss students' thought process as shown
through drawing and linking of map.
·
Demonstrates
new areas of learning or misunderstanding of new material.
Teach listening skills
·
See, Say and Repeat: Include visual support along with your
verbal directions and then have a student explain the directions in his own
words.
·
The Last Word: During an oral direction, stop near the end of the
directions and have the students predict the last word or phrase.
·
Misfits: Read a short passage to students. In each selection, include 1-2
humorous, almost logical, and/or socially inept elements that are
inappropriate. Have students identify and explain the misfits. This activity
can be used to provide enjoyable listening experiences, build context skills
and shape social skills.
·
Listen and Sum: Routinely have students
briefly retell in their own words what you read aloud or say. This strategy
increases attention, reinforces content, builds important summarizing skills, and provides a second
chance for students to hear and to check their understanding.
·
5 R's: Check that I Really
understand. Relate the information to something I already know. Replay what I
understand. Reorganize the known and identify the gaps.
·
Encourage student to summarize and
Repeat in own words.
·
Use checklist to help student self-regulate
attention and behavior.
·
Teach students how to organize and
associate information.
·
Use concrete examples, pictures and
imagery to make a point.
·
Increase meaningfulness, i.e., if
teaching about the scientific process do an experiment using the scientific
process.
·
Have student repeat information
after hearing it or reading it.
·
Teach students to visualize concept
in order to better understand and memorize.
·
Break down information into smaller
parts.
Mnemonics
·
Use mnemonic devices to remember
information.
·
Have students create their own
mnemonic strategies to improve student study skills (for example, HOMES Great
Lakes = Lake Huron,
Study Guides
·
Lists major concepts to be covered
with space for student to add notes
·
Improves organization
·
Improves memory
·
Improves note taking skills
·
Improves study skills
Improving Study Skills
·
Discuss study skills strategies as
you are teaching.
·
Discuss self-monitoring strategies.
·
Teach students to stop and
summarize information into their own words.
·
Use a written checklist for student
to review study skills.
·
The 5 R's:
v Check that I Really understand.
v Relate the information to something I already know.
v Replay what I understand so far to see if that
helps.
v Reorganize the known and identify the gaps.
v Consult a Resource or ask for help.
Develop Note-taking Skills
·
Give student a note-taking format to
follow.
·
Use prompts to let students know
what is important.
·
Teach how to abbreviate and to
write quickly and legibly.
·
Emphasize how important it is to
review notes and fill in any information that is missing after class.
·
Correct spelling after class.
·
Use a tape recorder.
·
Share notes with a peer tutor.
·
Teach "The 3 and 5 R's"
Strategies:
·
The 3 R's:
v Review previous lecture notes and materials before
class.
v Read materials for class before class.
v Relate the lecture topics to other known
information.
·
The 5 R's:
v Record important facts and details.
v Reduce notes to short phrases.
v Recite the important information in your own words.
v Reflect on the notes and add any other important
information.
v Review all notes and information.
·
The LINKS strategy:
Step One: Listen for key cues from
the teacher.
v Listen
v Identify cues
v Note
v Key words
v Stack information into outline form
Step Two
v Write words, not complete sentences.
v Abbreviate words.
v Do not use any punctuation.
v Draw a line through an error rather than erase.
v Allow extra space to add more information.
v Use synonyms.
For
·
Phonics: Teach the common phonics generalizations and
principles.
·
Know what you are assessing when you assess a student.
·
Test them so you know they comprehend it (standardize tests, etc)
·
Know their level of reading skill and challenge them
appropriately.
Reading Strategies for Textbooks
·
Describe how textbooks are organized and how to find specific
information.
·
Use a graphic organizer and checklist to help student with
this process.
Modifications
·
Use materials of different reading levels.
·
Modify length, time, or difficulty of assignment and
assessment.
·
Give the student a chance to redo assignments.
·
Give the student the opportunity to choose test format. (i.e.
written or oral).
·
Break down concepts and important points that lead to the
"big idea".
·
What are the essential concepts students need to know? What
are the basic steps to get there?
·
Place practice work in student review area of the classroom.
·
Use educational software for student review.
Homework
·
Homework should be a review of the day's work.
·
Have examples for student to follow.
·
Modify for length, time or difficulty.
Spelling
·
Use multiple strategies to teach spelling.
·
See Spelling Styles Chart.
·
Play spelling games.
·
Use mnemonic strategies to teach spelling:
·
Look, Say and See: look
at the word, say it, and see it in your mind. Copy the word, look, say and see,
write the word without looking; Check, look, say and see;
·
Learning Centers for Student Review
·
Provide an area to promote
independent student learning.
Activity-Based
Instruction
·
Meets the learning style of the
student
·
More hands-on
·
More active participation
·
Emphasizes cognitive thinking
skills
Cooperative Learning
·
Jigsaw Model: each member of the
group learns a portion of the material and then teaches it to the rest of the
group.
·
Full Option Science System (FOSS)
model for mixed ability groups. Cooperative learning activity involves 4
students working together and taking turns with the following roles.
v
Reader: this student reads all
print directions.
v
Recorder: this student records
data, observations, predictions and estimations.
v
Getter: this student assembles all
of the necessary materials.
v
Starter: this student oversees manipulations
or the materials and ensures that all members have equal opportunity at using
the hands-on materials.
·
Students prefer working on a
project for longer periods of time rather than stopping and starting several
short lessons.
·
Connects student to real world
situations.
·
Student able to generalize
knowledge.
·
Increases time on task.
·
Increases creativity on the part of
the teacher and the students.
·
Increases teacher enthusiasm.
·
Use video presentations to meet
objectives of the unit.
·
Assessments can reflect student
work rather than the textbook's paper and pencil tests.
Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT)
·
Practical and easy to use.
·
Students learn more by
doing/teaching.
·
Students prefer working with other
students.
·
Increases time on task.
·
Allows teacher to observe and help
all students, not just focusing on 1 or 2 students in need.
·
Promotes social and academic
skills.
·
Improves performance on
standardized tests.
·
Allows students to respond and
receive immediate feedback regarding their performance.
·
Increases student learning
opportunities.
Web Sites:
http://www.teacher.scholastic.com/products/instructor.htm
http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/inclusion/teaching/kelly.htm
http://www.howtostudy.com/topten.htm
http://cuip.uchicago.edu/www4teach/98/teams/Peerpals/home.htm
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/cornell.html
Alternative
Assessment Techniques
Curriculum
Based Assessment
·
Create assessment before, during and after unit in order to monitor
individual student progress, thinking skills and comprehension.
·
Provide learners with more than one way to be assessed:
written, performance based, verbal or through drawings.
·
Assess student progress during unit in order to make
modifications if necessary.
·
Weekly graph shows student progress.
Authentic
Assessment
·
Student produces project to show mastery of concept.
·
Does not emphasize paper and pencil skills in which student
may be deficient.
·
Fits student learning style.
·
A change of pace from the regular written tests.
Portfolios
·
Promotes student involvement.
·
Shows student work and progress.
·
Closely matches objectives of the class.
·
Hands-on activities and performances included.
·
An alternative to written tests.
·
Gives student a chance to reflect on his work
Performance-Based
Assessment
·
Teachers interact with students as they work and assess
students' completed assignment.
·
Shows what students can do, not just what they know.
·
Shows student's thought process.
·
Emphasizes problem solving or completing complex tasks.
Rubrics
·
Establishes guidelines.
·
Sets standard for grading.
·
Increases objectivity.
Test
Taking Skills
·
Blurt-Immediately blurt or outline the essential information
you might forget
·
Imagine-Imagine yourself acing the test and know that you can
·
Answer-Answer easy questions first and then go back to harder
ones
·
Look-Look for key terms that signal answers or expectations
·
Certain-Make certain you have answered all questions.
Behavior
·
Let students know that you are aware of what is happening in
your classroom.
·
Have a few rules and be consistent in enforcing them.
·
The rules are fair and clear to students and teachers and
administration.
·
Be consistent and let students know the consequences for not
following them.
·
Praise appropriate behavior.
·
Identify behavior that needs to be improved.
·
Identify new behaviors to be developed, provide opportunities
to practice them.
·
Use teaching strategies that promote positive academic and
social behavior success.
·
Have fun and use humor in your classroom, it promotes a
positive learning environment.
·
Work with administration and specialty staff on individual
plans for students in need.
Websites
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/kennedy/about/index.html
http://www.nwrel.org/msec/mpm/developing.html
Helpful
Websites
http://www.directionservice.org/cadre/trainers/
http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/kennedy/
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&Template=/templates/CECHomePage.cfm
