1. Before School Including children with various needs in a general education classroom can be a concern for some teachers who have not had any experience with inclusion. It can be an overwhelming task with IEPs to follow, adaptations to make, and differentiated lessons to create. Not to mention, inclusion is rumored to cost a lot of money! How can general education teachers ever make this work? First and foremost, inclusion is an attitude not a program. Just by starting to think that all children in your class will be included as much as possible is the best way to begin! In fact, one of the most effective, inclusive behaviors is to use inclusive language! Rather than using the word “them” when referring to children with special needs , start using the words “we” or “us”. And, second, start small. Making a few tweaks to your curriculum and daily schedule each week will set you on your way! In this article, I list several ways in which you can quickly, easily and cheaply transform the beginning of the school day to make it more inclusive and support students with various social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs. These activities can be adapted to most grade levels. 2. Meet and Greet Shaking a student's hand at the beginning of class If you are a teacher who sits at your desk as the students enter the room, you would surprised at what a difference greeting them at the door makes. For some children, this will be the first positive interaction they have had with an adult that morning. This time can set the stage for a day full of positive learning experiences. By cheerfully greeting each student you let them know it is a new day with a fresh start and you are happy to see them. In a very effective way, this creates the sense that you are on their team and are ready to help them learn. (In addition, it has the added benefit of allowing you to assess the mood of the students before they even sit down so you can make curriculum adjustments accordingly!). Here are some ways to greet your class: high-five fist bump say ‘Hello’ in another language secret password handshake wave Teacher giving the students a high-five Different ways to say 'hello' Found on Pinterest 3. Seating Before sitting down at their desks, make sure the students know where to put their belongings. Assign hooks, shelves or lockers to students. You would be surprised at the amount of interaction that goes on in this area, so help students be fair and considerate of one another. In addition, take the time to plan a seating arrangement for your class. Make seating inclusive by: taking into account student needs (ie. physical, sensory, or proximity to teacher). For example, placing a student with ADHD near the front of the class allows the teacher to help the student remain focussed.) placing desks in a way that facilitates inclusion such as a horseshoe shape, in pairs, groups, a circle or side by side in a line. ensuring that ALL students are a part of this arrangement and not relegated to the back corner of the classroom Instead of individual desks, use large tables for students to sit around A modified "horseshoe" seating arrangement 4. Schedule Posting the class schedule in a highly visible area of the classroom supports ALL students by providing predictability, routine and transitions. Schedules can be used and created in many different ways such as: a visual schedule with pictures of activity and/or time the activity takes place individual schedules at the student’s desk In addition, the use of timers during each new learning time can help students anticipate future transitions in the schedule. A visual timer found on www.online-stopwatch.com Individual schedules taken from www.handsonbibleteacher.blogspot.com Visual Schedule with print and picture 5. Sponge Activity After the students are seated, help them prepare for learning with a “Sponge” activity. A sponge activity is always engaging and sets the student up for learning. In addition, this is typically a quiet time that allows the teacher to take care of matters such as attendance or homework check. Here are some guidelines I use for Sponge activities: Always provide choices for Sponge activity Offer choices that appeal to various learning styles Provide choices that are at various skill levels Choices come from various subject areas Sponge activities can be done independently A "Choice Board" with Sponge activities An example of what students might see when they enter the room Let me know if you make any of these changes! To help you get started, I have put all these suggestions into a checklist: *Unless otherwise noted, all images are royalty-free and are from Google Images
An education blog with strategies, tips and information for teachers about teaching students with disabilities in the inclusive classroom.
Special Educators have challenges that require a special set of tools for their classroom. Here are some great items every Special Needs teacher should have in their classroom.
Anyone who is or knows a teacher also knows that summer vacation is a time for professional development. Whether it is attending workshops, reading about the latest teaching trends or finding new lesson ideas on Pinterest, teachers are using their summer vacation time to plan for the school year ahead. Here is a list of helpful resources that teachers can read and use in the inclusive classroom: The Inclusion Tool Box: Strategies and Techniques for All Teachers Authors, Jennifer Kurth and Megan Gross, provide a comprehensive resource for inclusive education in this essential resource! Full of research-based strategies, tools, and practical advice on inclusive education. The Inclusion Tool Box will expertly guide any teacher through the development, implementation, and expansion of an inclusive classroom. Topics include collaboration techniques, lesson planning for inclusion, grading, and ideas for behavior management. Checklists, templates and examples of schedules round-out this must-have book. From Text Maps to Memory Caps - 100 More Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms Paula Kluth and Sheila Danaher put together 100 more ways that teachers can differentiate instruction in their follow-up book to From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks. This illustrated guided gives teachers time-effective ways in which they can tailor curriuclum to meet the different needs of students. Inclusive or not, K-12 classrooms will benefit from the creative ideas in this book that must be on every teacher's shelf. Topics include strategies for differentiating mathematics, language arts, assessment and behavior management. ParaEducate Here is a handy resource guide for paraeducators and teachers written by paraeducators! Authors, Megan Gross and Renay H. Marquez, have written the "ultimate guide to working in special education." Easily adapted to the inclusive classroom, ParaEducate, outlines ways in which paraprofessionals can support student learning, behavior, communication and social skills. Special education terms, tools and stories give readers a deeper understanding of how to educate all kinds of learners. Esteem Builders This award-winning teacher's guide by Dr. Michele Borba is a timeless classic for every teacher's resource shelf. Dr. Borba provides a skill-building approach to developing student self-esteem and improving class, as well as, school climate. Teachers can quickly and easily use the practical ideas that Dr. Borba suggests, resulting in greater student motivation and social/personal responsiblity. The book includes strategies for monthly themes, school-wide activities, staff and student assessment, as well as cooperative activities. Academic Instruction for Students with Moderate and Severe Intellectual Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms June E. Downing, a pioneer in the world of inclusive education, writes a resource book for teachers who have students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities in their classrooms. Suggestions for determining student needs, adapting curriculum, and assesing students help teachers fully include students who work below grade level. National Center on Universal Design for Learning This website needs to be bookmarked by teachers in every kind of classroom. It provides the most comprehensive information on Universal Design for Learning on the web! UDL is a set of principles for curriculum development that allows all types of students access to the curriuclum. Ideal for inclusive classrooms, UDL is a proven, research-based, approach to delivering content. In addition, resources such as a UDL lesson planning page, is an invaluable tool for curriclum planning. Quio Students make progress in a variety of ways and letter grades are not the only way to report growth. Student-centered, summative as well as formative assessment, are key features of an inclusive classroom. Enter Quio. Quio is an innovative, online platform that teachers can use to track and assess authentic student learning. Teachers can plan meaningful instruction and evaluation by matching curriculum perfomance descriptors. Evidence of student growth (such as photos, documents, audio clips and video clips) can be safely stored on line and shared with students and/or families. This transparent form of communication allows students to develop self-directed learning skills and parents to support learning outcomes. Quio is suitable for all grade-levels and types of classrooms. Why Inclusion Works In an Educational Setting Online Course Full disclosure here! This online professional development course for K-12 educators was co-developed by The Inclusive Class and Kids Included Together. It pulls together accurate and recent research, in addition to a wealth of real-life experience, to create a comprehensive overview of inclusion in the classroom. Delivered in a user-friendly, interactive format, this online course can be used towards CEUs. Topics include the history of inclusive education, the purpose, what inclusion looks like and what the research says about it. Glenda's Assistive Technology Information and More.... This is one of my favorite go-to sites for all-things assistive technology! Creator, Glenda Hampton Anderson, combines her extended experience as a teacher and service provider to bring the latest information on supporting students using assistive technology. She covers dozens of topics including helpful software, strategies for skill development, and technology implementation. You'll spend hours combing through the valuable and helpful information Glenda gives! Learn Alberta - Understanding Medical and Disability Information This is one of THE BEST sites on the internet for learning and understanding medical and disability issues within the school context. Created by the province of Alberta, educators and families can research ways to support and teach students with various disabilities. In addition to medical information about moderate to severe needs, there are strategies for teaching and communicating with students. Just as important, it is presented in a quick and easy-to-read format. Graphic Organizers Eduplace.com houses a number of free graphic organizers that can be printed off and used for any class. These graphic organizers can help all students better understand concepts as well as demonstrate learning. A must-have resource for your classroom! Inclusion Books for Kids Wanting to promote inclusion and acceptance early on? Here are some books (for mostly primary grade classes) on valuing one another that you can use to stock up your library. From the site, A Day in Our Shoes, each book has a description and link to Amazon. Definitely a resource to use when planning for social and emotional learning opportunities. Do you have any more must-have resources to add to this list? Comment below with the name and link to the resource! Thanks!
The difference between accommodations and modifications to help you best teach all children whether you're a parent or a teacher.
All of our students on IEPs have some type of accommodations; many also have modifications. How do we implement these in our inclusive, co-taught classrooms?
Inside: Browse, print, and use this comprehensive list of IEP Accommodation and 504 Accommodations. Includes a PDF.
5 tips that will help you grow a strong, positive co-teaching relationship.
Accommodations allow students with dyslexia to perform at their intellectual ability in the school setting even if they are still reading below grade level. Here are some great accommodations for students with dyslexia that really work!
Strategies for Reading Aloud for Non-Verbal Students and Children with Special Needs
Are you homeschooling a child with Dyslexia? There are solutions that can help you to meet your child’s unique needs. Dyslexia is a neurological condition caused by a different wiring of the brain. There is no cure for dyslexia and individuals with this condition must learn coping strategies. It often presents with difficulty reading and …
Homeschooling twice exceptional kids is often the very best thing you can do for them... and you. If you’ve never heard the term, twice exceptional is the label given to kids that are identified as gifted and also have a learning difficulty of some sort. Some may have learning disabilities, anxiety issues, Tourette Syndrome, ADD
Refer to this checklist of common modifications and accommodations to get to know options for struggling students.
Using a sensory swing may be the key to helping your child with sensory integration. Sensory swings help stimulate the vestibular and proprioceptive systems in a calming way.
Until next time,
Encouraging your hypersensitive child to brush their teeth can be a real battle. I should know I have one! Mini finds toothbrushing really uncomfortable a ...
Hands-on, meaningful learning resources and teaching ideas for primary students.
Strategies for Reading Aloud for Non-Verbal Students and Children with Special Needs
If you're looking for a resource to help support your special education paraprofessionals, this Paraprofessional Training Binder is perfect! It's packed with information and tools to help set them up for success in the classroom. Topics include an overview of the special education process, working with students with disabilities, behavior management strategies, and more. Plus, there are handy checklists and forms to help keep everything organized. Whether you're a new paraprofessional or have years of experience, this binder will be a valuable resource. This TRAINING BINDER is INCLUDED in the Positive Paraprofessional Partnerships Mini-Course - Check it out HERE. This training program covers all the important topics that impact our students and classroom community. There are also tips to stay flexible and customize for exactly what your classroom needs. Confidentiality Crisis/Response Protocols Paraprofessional Surveys Paraprofessional Schedule - Ideas Professional Expectations for Paraprofessional and Staff Classroom Duties for Paraprofessionals Contact List - for Special Educators Communication Log - Staff Organization Data Collection in Special Education Prompt Hierarchy in Special Education Professional Evaluation for Paraprofessionals Student Caseload - Organizer Sensory Considerations in Special Education Special Education Acronyms Printables Professional Development Meeting Notes and MUCH more! A full list of Table of Contents is included in the preview. This is an editable PowerPoint file; there's also a link to Google Slides. NOTE: This resource is already included in the Special Educators Resource Room bundle. If you already own it (or planning to), please do not purchase - you will already have access to it! Please follow my store to stay up to date on my newest products. Copyright © Positively Learning. All rights reserved by author. This product is to be used by the original downloader only. Copying for more than one user is prohibited. This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view. Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Clipart and elements found in this PDF are copyrighted and cannot be extracted and used outside of this file without permission or license. See product file for clip-art and font credits.
College. There are the courses that prepare you for the "textbook stuff", but nothing in the world prepares you for teaching quite like actually teaching does. Learn the special ed secrets, that things you don't learn in college, only at Mrs. D's Corner.
Specially designed instruction means the adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the unique needs of the child that have been outlined in the Individualized Education Program. Special education teachers should be skilled in providing SDI to students with disabilities. Learn more.
