When you teach in a multiple disabilities classroom, there is often a lot of equipment in a multiple disabilities classroom
I'm going to focus on 4 easy ways to target receptive vocabulary with interactive books along with some sample IEP goals that they might fit with.
We live in a digital world... technology is all around us! Our kiddos with disabilities should have the same opportunity to learn to use tec...
Classrooms are busy places, and sometimes the AAC gets lost in the hustle and bustle. If you’re interested in boosting AAC use during the school day, here are some things to try. Co-teach or teach …
We’ve been focusing on training communication partners recently and today we’re focusing specifically on paraprofessionals/educational assistants. Our guest post is authored by SLPs Cor…
We return to Michigan today to hear more from school-based SLP, Rachael Langley. In this post, Rachael shares some prAACtical thoughts on making PODD books always available for communication. :::::…
Safety awareness can be a very abstract concept for our students… yet it is such an important one! We need to find ways to break the concept down into more understandable chunks and build the language needed for emergencies. Here are some ideas for breaking it down and build those crucial life skills. Personal Information ... Read More about Teaching Students With Disabilities About Safety
All long time ago and very, very far away from my current location, I got my first job as an SLP. In addition to many students in the general education setting, I served two severely impaired classrooms. In one class, the students spent much of the day on side liers being tube fed and given
Circle time is my baby. When I started my current job in 2002 and had one class of highly-impacted and self-contained students, I knew I wanted to lead the class in some way. Circle became my "thing". I now serve three self-contained classes and do circle in each of them. Each classroom's circle looks somewhat
I post these signs on my board with the weekly/daily objectives! Please leave feedback :)
Theater for kids with special needs? Yes! Check out these myths about theater in special education and hear why you should be incorporating theater with your students.
Most students with Autism aren't Intellectually Disabled. With that in mind, how do you get meaningful materials for Autism classrooms?
The death of David Cameron's son has turned the spotlight on a very special group of schools, says Caroline Roberts
Today, we’re pleased to introduce SLP Jackie Kearns, coordinator of the Technology Resource Center at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital for Rehabilitation. Prior to that, she received her b…
You might know I LOVE adapting books. And for good reason! Adding symbols and/or interactive pieces to books helps give students confidence and a purpose while reading. Recently, I adapted this book B is for Breathe using Widgit Online and it was so simple! I wanted to share the steps here with you, so you can adapt books of your own. And also, I'll share the symbols for this book as well. Using Widgit Online Software Widgit Online is very user friendly. It is similar to other word processing software, but when you type words, symbols appear with it! You can type in a regular word-type document, or you can choose a template to get started. For this book, I decided to use one of the templates. I picked the custom grid and simply added symbols to the grid! It is literally as easy as just typing in the boxes and the symbols appear! Here's a couple quick tips when using widgit online. How to change text on a symbol: See below. I wanted the symbol to say talk about feelings but wanted the feelings symbol. So I first typed "feelings", and then went up to the symbol with cat with the green box under it. When I click that symbol, it allows me to change the text that goes with that symbol. Super easy! How to change skin color for symbols: This button shows below allows you to change the skin color to any of the options below. And the button to the left of that one changes it from colors to black and white. Adapting the Book Often I add symbol sentences to books, but for this book I decided to add symbols to each page to focus on the calm down strategy offered on each page. First, I printed two copies of the symbols I created in Widgit Online. The first copy I cut apart (using a paper cutter, saves time and your fingers!) and then used packing tape* to attach each picture to the appropriate page. (*Note: For a sturdier copy of the book for heavy use or with rough students, take the book apart, glue symbols on and then laminate.) I put the pictures in a different spot on each page and this was for two reasons. The first, so that the book would still lay somewhat flat when all the velcro and extra pieces were added (as opposed to keeping them in the same spot). Also, this way I could make sure the symbols didn't cover up much of the artwork on each page. I added soft Velcro on top of each symbol after securing with the packing tape. And I actually cut the dots in half, because otherwise sometimes the pull can be so strong! Smaller dots would have also worked as well. The second copy I laminated. Then I added hard Velcro to the backs and then cut apart (with my paper cutter). That's all! Now the book is ready to use. Using the Adapted Book I usually just take off the symbols and place them next to the student or on a Velcro page or piece of carpet that Velcro sticks too for the students to take the pieces off while they read. Another option would be to print a third copy of the symbol page, laminate and attach the symbol pieces to that while reading or storing! As the student reads each page, they can match the calming strategy symbol to the each page. This is helpful because it gives the student something concrete to do on each page while reading the book, giving the book more of a purpose. Also, students can see how many pieces are left and know how much more of the book they have left! I also think it would be awesome to go through and practice these strategies with your class and discuss with students which strategies they think help them the most! You can even keeping one of the symbol pages in your class and when students need to calm down, they can look at those options for a coping strategy. Want to adapt your own copy of B is for Breathe? Buy the book HERE (amazon affiliate link) Download the symbols for free HERE Let me know if you have any questions about adapting books!
Our district uses the Unique Learning System (along with modifying and adapting the regular curriculum. We also use News 2 You. What is News 2 You, you ask? It is a Special Education Online Weekly Newsletter! We LOVE News 2 You. There are So many things that you can do with the paper. There are different levels (just like in Unique). There are different worksheets. There are different words. There are different assessments. In other words, it is a fabulous way for my students to get information from a newspaper geared towards my classroom. This all sounds fantastic, but can you say OVERLOAD! Just like every other year I change things up a bit. This year, I really like how I have my News 2 You. I pull my students over to the calendar area in the afternoon. Remember, I have many different levels of learning, so I really have to make sure that I use my time wisely and get to all of my learners. Couple of quick things before I go into more pictures. Every year I go shopping for school supplies. I found these really cool clear sleeves that are heavy duty. I bought them and then spent a good 3 months trying to figure out how I wanted to use them. I Finally figured out that I wanted to use them for my News 2 You area. It is great to put the worksheet inside and then add tape to make the area interactive and easy to change for the next day. The activities on this board we do every day for a week. On Friday's I then give my students the activity to do by themselves so I can assess. Vocabulary Words Every week there are new vocabulary words that go with the theme of the paper. I print these off and on Friday's we add them to our word work books (students) and our word wall (class) Some ideas -we alphabetize these -we find the beginning letters -we point to certain pictures -we read them Webbing Activity I LOVE this activity! I have even made a larger one in my classroom for when we read books (can you say getting my kiddos ready with anchor charts and STAAR-alt and being just like every other regular ed class!) As we read our news we fill in the blanks. Cut and Paste Sentences This one is another great activity for putting sentences in order. The News Because News 2 You is in a PDF format to download I print them on half sheets. I make sure there are enough different levels of books for each of my students to be successful. We read these as a group at the first of the week, and then I listen to my readers throughout the rest of the week. For my non-verbal students to participate I have them point out pictures as we go along and supply words as able. Other Great Things about News 2 You -my students LOVE The Knock Knock jokes! What a great way to teach taking turns and humor! -on Thursday's we do the science experiment that goes with the News (yes, there is a science experiment too!) -on Friday's we cook (we even have a special helper that comes in on Friday's to help us do that) -on Friday's we also put the weekly News 2 You in book boxes. Students can then color them, fill them out, and read them on their own time. There are a TON of different things you can do with News 2 You! These are just a few of my ideas that I have used for my students to be successful. One Last Note I completed my first project for sewing! I had been talking about making myself an apron all year. I had an amazing parent make me a BEAUTIFUL apron a couple of years ago, but I have retired it to my house. I really wanted a half apron. Not only did I want a half apron, I wanted one with a clear pocket on the front so it could hold my badge. I am constantly leaning over to help my kiddos, and my badge always gets in the way. So, I did it! I followed the pattern, and added a couple of touches of my own. It has 2 pockets, one clear pocket, and a pen holder. I am pretty proud.
Karen Natoci is back with another wonderful book and plenty of ideas for AAC implementation. Enjoy! Book: Over in the Garden, by Jennifer Ward, Illustrated by Kenneth J. Spengler Core Vocabulary f…
Transition Services As students get older, it is increasingly important to begin to focus on the skills that they will need for adult life. This should include skills that they need for everyday life, such as movement, communication, and self-care (toileting, dressing, bathing, eating, etc.), as well as other functional skills. Sometimes introducing materials that
I know toileting procedures are something we are all trying to learn more about. How do we help students be as independent as possible in this area?
Encourage language development, while fostering fine motor skills, following directions and other functional life skills. Cooking in the classroom with visual recipes, step by step recipes to foster those super important life skills, and work on those IEP goals and objectives... all at the same time!
News-2-You (N2Y) is something I use in my classroom regularly. If you haven't heard about it check out the website here. I like N2Y for a f...
With the start of the new year, we thought it would be a good time to get back to basics. So this month, we’ll talk about the nitty gritty of teaching basic requesting to someone who is first learn…
Get ready to read! Interactive storybook reading is one of my favorite ways to build AAC skills. No matter what the age or kind of disability, it seems like my therapy always includes ssome type of…
Right now I’m in the process of creating a series of STEM projects for students who are studying Ancient Civilizations.. Next stop, Ancient India! 🙂 During the summertime in Ancient India (and still to this day), a monsoon would come every year, raining buckets and buckets of water. In Eastern India, a second monsoon would
Classroom Freebies Too is more freebies for more teachers!
With the world advancing at a faster rate and scientist and engineers trying to keep up the demand and advances of technology in trying to best accommodate children and adults with disabilities, helping students with special needs in schools has always been a hard and challenging thing to do especially due to the pandemic requiring […]
Adapted books are great to get all students in your classroom engaged with what they are reading. Making adapted books is super easy. Learn more.
This is my most requested blog post! Putting my schedule in one post is difficult because there are so many moving pieces, but I will try to give an overview below! I did my best to give an overvie…
Re-Post from the Bridge School Link to the Bride School website, HERE for video examples of students using eye gaze What They Are An eye gaze communication board (also known as an e-tran) is a vertically held/mounted board, made of plexiglass or sturdy paper with a window cut in the middle, that enables children with severe speech and orthopedic impairments (i.e. children who are unable to speak or use their hands to point out pictures or symbols on a communication display) to communicate by focusing their gaze on selected items displayed on the board. Again, this strategy, if a match for a student’s needs, skills and existing strategies, can further expand a multi-modal communication system. (The Eye-Talks from Enabling Devices is a relatively inexpensive example at 22.95) What They're Not Limited to the four quadrants! Items can be displayed in any configuration and can be encoded to provide more choices on each board. How They Work When the eye gaze board is held up at eye level to the child, the child and his/her communication partner should be able to make eye contact through the open window. Several steps may be involved in the training process, including: Learning to scan the items available on the board Learning to fixate eye gaze on the desired item Learning to look back at the communication partner to confirm the selection Bridge School Video Examples (Click HERE to view): Elle looks at all her choices and then makes a selection by looking at the word and then looking back at the teacher. She confirms her choices by saying ‘yeah’. Courtney uses a generic eye-gaze communication board to answer multiple choice questions about 8th grade literature. For students who are able to use four symbols to represent multiple meanings, this method provides some nice flexibility – especially for testing and spontaneous discussions. From RettGirl.blogspot.com DIY Eye Gaze Flip Frame: This is a great flip frame you can make right at home. You can have different pages for different things - for instance one for snacks, one for activities and one for needs. Don't spend too much time putting this together because it's easy to over think things and then procrastinate. You can use boardmaker or other symbols - ask your Rett Girl's school if they could print you some extra ones if you don't have a program, or check out this website with FREE symbols. You can also just take pictures of objects, food, etc. and print them off on your own printer. It doesn't have to be fancy to be functional. If you don't have the time to do this on your own you can also buy them HERE. From T/TAC Online, Link HERE
Back to School season is upon us! I know I can't believe it either. To make heading back to the classroom easier I have compiled my top 10 special education resources for your classroom. Click on any of the cover images below to find the resource in my TPT store! Resources for Teacher Organization Before the students even start, it is essential to get organized! So much of the SpEd world revolves around paperwork so these resources are great time (and sanity) savers! 1. NO PREP IEP Organization Kit: This kit provides helpful resources for IEP planning and progress reports. Check out this blog post for a page-by-page snapshot of what's included: Must-Have IEP Organization Kit 2. NO PREP IEP Progress Monitoring BUNDLE: This bundle includes over 100 progress monitoring sheets covering TONS of skills in Math, Reading, Writing, Communication, Vocabulary, Daily Routines, and Fine Motor that are ready to print and go! Resources for Routines The first week (or two!) of school should mainly focus on establishing classroom routines. Once students learn these expectations it will be easier to begin introducing academic content. 3. Location-Based Interactive Visual Schedule: These visual supports are essential for students who need assistance with transitioning more willingly and independently. Students match icons to corresponding location signs to get them from place to place all day long! Learn more in this blog post: Student Schedules 4. Number of the Day Math Corner: Practicing basic math skills every day in my math corner was a total game changer in my classroom! The daily repetition allowed students to demonstrate skills beyond what I even imagined when we first started out. For more information on implementing this resource in your classroom check out this post: Number of the Day Math Corner Bulletin Board 5. Differentiated Morning Meeting Book and Worksheets: Morning Meeting was always my favorite way to ease into task demands each day. It was an easy activity to keep predictable and differentiate especially through this resource. 6. Interactive Morning Message: My favorite part of our Morning Meeting was our interactive morning message. I loved watching my students build confidence in completing the message and reading it each day. It was always a popular classroom job! Learn more in this post: Morning Message 7. Differentiated Home-School Communication Reports: These communication reports made daily home-school communication more meaningful and created authentic communication opportunities for students. A win for everyone! Learn more in my recent post: Why I Ditched Communication Notebooks in my Special Education Classroom... and Never Looked Back! Resources for Instruction 8. Back to School BUNDLE: This is actually 3 resources in one! My Back to School Thematic Unit (to learn more about why I love thematic units don't miss this post: ) and Picture Book Communication and Comprehension Supports for No, David! and David Goes to School by David Shannon. Resources for Paraprofessional Management 9. EDITABLE Paraprofessional Role Sheets: This is one of my most popular resources! It helps communicate expectations not only to paraprofessionals but to subs and volunteers too. Plus they are super cute! 10. Paraprofessional Survival Kit Gift Tag: To start the year I always liked to give my paras a little something. These gift tags made an extra cute addition and you can grab them for free in my TPT store! And you can learn more on this post: Paraprofessional Survival Kit- FREEBIE Download my FREE Paraprofessional Survival Kit Gift Tags! I look forward to connecting with you and sharing SpEd Spot tips and FREEBIES! Download the Gift Bag Tag Built with ConvertKit
Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism
Attractive Objects Adapted from Space and Self, (Nielsen, 1992)Most objects could be perceived as useful as equipment for the “Little Room” or the Position Board. It is the children’s reaction in the form of increased activity that indicates whether an object is attractive.The list of objects presented here is meant as inspiration and to demonstrate
behavior, special education, token boards, when token boards don't work, money token systems
Teaching rules, expectations and procedures are a MUST, regardless of what kind of classroom you are in. I always start my first few weeks by teaching, reviewing, practicing, and practicing some more. For students to understand each rule, we need to give them specific examples. Visual supports are a must-have for teaching classroom rules in a special education setting. Here's a great way to introduce classroom rules to your students.
Using Language Supports for Non-Verbal Children
Get ready to read! Interactive storybook reading is one of my favorite ways to build AAC skills. No matter what the age or kind of disability, it seems like my therapy always includes ssome type of…
