Supporting special needs learners that transition to college can include comprehensive planning as Annie from Accessible College explains.
Find the perfect adapted books for special education students. Learn how they work, create your own, and explore our teacher-tested selection.
I get this message all the time: "It's going to be my first year in a self contained classroom. What do I need to start off the year?!" Let me just start by saying, this is a BIG question with really no right answer. However, after teaching in self contained for the last 8 years, I will try to answer it to the best of my ability! Some of this will be geared more towards elementary, but some of it can be used across the board! This will be part one of two blog posts, the second being more about how to start off your year with kids, paraprofessionals, and your classroom as a whole! THE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES There are SO MANY awesome resources all over Teachers Pay Teachers for special education, I could go on for days. Some of the essentials that you should grab to start off the year (again, in my opinion!) are: VISUAL SCHEDULES Visual schedules are KEY. Here are a few great options to get your classroom started: This visual schedule pack in my shop is perfect for an elementary classroom just getting started with schedules! This Visual Schedule Bundle by Autism Adventures is a great option for middle/high school students! This Visual Editable Flip Schedule from Teach Love Autism is another great option for older students and different than the traditional visual schedule! This First/Then Flipbook from Especially Education is a perfect schedule option (and includes behavior stuff as well!) for your students who go out to inclusion! BEHAVIOR RESOURCES This kind of goes hand in hand with the visuals. You will most likely need to make more behavior visuals once you get to know your students, but here are a few great resources to get you started from day one! This Behavior Starter Pack from my shop is a great starting point for first/then visuals and working for boards! This Positive Behavior Intervention Flipbooks product from Supports for Special Students is an awesome resource to start off your year! It's a great item to have handy for your paraprofessionals and any other teachers your students might see as well! This Calm Down Kit from Autism Adventures is something that I have used in my classroom for years and honestly is a must buy for any self contained classroom! This Behavior Tool Box from The Bender Bunch is another great resource to get you started with dealing with behaviors from day one. She even includes walking you through writing a Behavior Intervention Plan! DATA COLLECTION This IEP Goal Bank & Data Sheets from my shop is a great resource to build your stock of data sheets and IEP goals. Please read the description of this before purchasing as it applies mostly to elementary classrooms. These Task Analysis Data Sheets from You Aut-a Know are perfect if you will have any students working on sequencing activities such as hand washing! These Behavior Data Sheets from Autism Classroom Resources are a perfect addition to your data sheets if you will be dealing with behaviors in your classroom! This Easy Data Collection pack from Supports for Special Students is another great data sheet resource! RESOURCES TO START This is probably the hardest section to narrow down. Below I'm going to list some of the best resources to start off your year (again, some might not work for your age group, but I will try to add a variety!). Many of these items will be bundles and a little pricey, but honestly will be the BEST bang for your buck in the long run! There are SO MANY awesome resources to add to your classroom over time, but these are a good base to start off your time in a self contained setting. Anything you see below is something that I would personally use with my own students. I LOVE file folders. We use file folders every single day in my classroom whether it be for morning work, independent work, or one on one instruction. This bundle will last you the ENTIRE school year and guarantees your students will never get bored of them! You can also find a similar Intermediate File Folder Bundle for the Year for your students who are working on a little higher of skills! Getting your students started each morning in a structured, organized way is key to a successful day at school. I love these Morning Work Worksheets from You Aut-a Know to get your students started each morning. (She also has advanced morning work for your higher level learners!) If you are needing resources to work on reading comprehension with your students, this Bundle from Mrs. P's Specialties is a great way to be set for the year! I used these Math Workbooks from Teaching Special Thinkers almost every day last school year. The variety of math skills is AWESOME and so worth your money! Plus - no prep! I know one of the hardest things to find is work that our lowest level learners can participate in. These Errorless Adapted Books from Adaptation Station are a great way to get those students started on adapted books! These Task Boxes from Especially Education are another great item to prep to start off your year. These are great for 1:1 work and independent work! This growing bundle of Science & Social Studies activities is the perfect way to include those topics in your curriculum throughout the year. (Life Cycles will be added soon after this post is published!). If you're working with older students and need to incorporate some life skills, these Visual Cooking Recipes are a perfect starting point! This was only a small piece of the amazing resources for Special Education on TpT. Hopefully you saw a few things that will be a great start to your year (or career!) as a self contained teacher. Be on the lookout for part 2 of this blog post soon all about scheduling, the first weeks of school, managing paraprofessionals, communication, and more!
Newcomer students receive some support from an ELD (English Language Development) teacher in most elementary schools. The majority of their time is spent in their grade level classroom. Here are some strategies for supporting a newcomer student both in their grade level classroom and areas to focus on during targeted language development lessons. Create a
Explore effective strategies for adapting science curriculum for special education to meet diverse learning needs.
Advice from three ESL teachers on the things regular classroom teachers can do to help English language learners thrive in mainstream classrooms.
Supporting kids with special needs works best when both regular education and special education staff work together. That's why it is helpful for all teachers to understand how they can modify and accommodate for students in their classrooms. For newer teachers, learning that you need to modify work
Resources and ideas for teachers and caregivers of learners with severe, profound, intensive, significant, complex or multiple special needs.
Children exposed to intentional storybook read alouds benefit from learning about written syntax and vocabulary, develop concepts of print and phonological
Teaching science in the special education classroom can be one of the most interesting but challenging topics for our students. Hop over to find some ways to present it and document progress for alternative assessment.
Abey CompAide Ablenet AugResources Adaptivation Attainment Company Stay tuned for new photos over the next couple of days. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Are you looking for a hands on back to school activity, beginning of the year activity, or just a fun activity? This is a great science lab activity that has been scaffolded so that it's accessible to multilingual learners (English learners) and students with special needs. I have heard it referred ...
Speaking and writing are two components of language development. With elementary-aged students, the typical progression is that students progress more quickly in speaking than in writing. This is most likely due to the fact that all students at that age are learning writing, while speaking is a natural way that children socialize. For older students,
Working with girls and women who have Rett Syndrome can be a unique and wonderful experience. Rett Syndrome is a neurological condition that effects only girls (with a few, rare exceptions). Althoug
Paths to Literacy Bridging the Gap: Pre-Braille to Braille Reader. For teachers, families, and others interested in literacy for children and youth with visual impairments
Are you teaching US history to special education students and English language learners? Let’s talk about how to best support these students in your class! Here are 3 tips for designing US history curriculum for
These 5 awesome ways to teach special needs learners letters include playdough, sand, cars and sprinkles as learning tools.
Teachers, are you seeking ways to better support autistic learners? Explore these research-based tips designed to create positive and inclusive classroom environments. #SpecialEducation #AutismAwareness
The 'A.P.P.L.E Teaching Guide and Resources' book has been developed to create a common understanding amongst educators about the delivery of the A.P.P.L.E. Core Words program for emergent literacy learners. This comprehensive book also contains resources for classroom use and information to support teachers to deliver the A.P.P.L.E program. The resources and information have also been carefully designed to include students with low vision and guide teachers to help students with special needs.
Use these free Writing Folders and freebies to give your writers support during their independent writing time. Find all our FREE Writing Printables HERE. If you are a subscriber to my newsletter, you can download all the printables that go with it for FREE! Not a subscriber? Simply subscribe HERE! NOTE: If you are already a ... Read More about Writing Folders – for K-5 Learners
Special educators need a pretty large toolbox of strategies and resources to support our learners. So often, our students can have significantly diverse needs and levels. On any given day, special education teachers might need to take student reading data, modify a math assessment, teach science wit
Special eduction law can be a bit gray at times. Although it should be clear cut, it can be difficult to get explicit answers to some of the basic questions that pop up in the day-to-day life of a special education teacher. Here is a scenario that you may have run into before. You need to set up an IEP meeting, but have been unable to confirm a meeting time with the family. How many attempts do you need to make to set up an IEP meeting with a family? What do you do if they don't respond? Can it all be done through email and phone calls or does one of the attempts need to be a letter? Does one attempt need to be a certified letter? While there are laws related to these questions (which you can find HERE), you may find the answer given still leaves you a bit confused. When it comes to these questions, and many more, the law does not give specifics. The specifics tend to come from each state's interpretation of the law and from court case rulings. So how is a special education teacher supposed to make sense of the scattered out information and try to teach at the same time? Well... it's really hard. Some districts have incredible administrators who have a deep understanding of the law, current court cases, and best practice. Many of these districts also reach out to lawyers for guidance. They do the leg work so you can focus on providing your students with what they need to be successful. With that being said, it is still in everyone's best interest to know how to seek out the answers to your own questions. If you do not have this level of support in your district, you will have to take the extra steps to become informed of your role and responsibilities as a special education teacher. I cannot answer all of your questions here. However, I can provide you with some links and resources that will empower you to become more informed and confident in your understanding of special education law. I am going to share a ton of information. I recommend bookmarking this page so that you can refer back to it as questions arise throughout the school year. But first, let's start with the basics. There are three main federal laws that address disabilities. I recommend you click on the links and skim through each of the laws. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - The primary purpose of IDEA is "to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living." IDEA (2004) This is a major law in the world of special education and there is a lot jam packed into this act. You can use the search feature on this page to find information related to a specific topic. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - This is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination based on disability. This law is less applicable to public education, but is still valuable to review. Section 504 Rehabilitation Act - Section 504 extended civil rights to people with disabilities in education and other settings. The act outlines the need for a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) which may include reasonable accommodations. Unlike IDEA, students do not need to qualify for an IEP to fall under the umbrella of 504 services. Please note - this is why it is extremely important that the accommodations listed in the IEP or 504 plan are being followed. If they are not, it becomes a civil rights issue, not just a special education issue. Click on Subpart D for information related directly to preschool, elementary, and secondary education. If reading through those three acts seems daunting, don't worry. I am going to share with you some great resources for synthesizing the plethora of information found above. WrightsLaw - I cannot recommend this site enough. It is run by Pete Wright, an attorney who represents children with special needs, and Pam Wright, a psychotherapist who has worked with children and families since the 70s. They summarize court cases in a way that is easy to understand and provide concrete takeaways from the rulings. They have also written numerous books related to special education law and provide training around law and advocacy throughout the country. Make sure you sign up for their newsletter to stay on top of current court cases. The website has quite a bit of information and can be a little difficult to navigate. However, you can click HERE to watch a quick video about how to sift through all of the information. Center for Parent Information and Resources - This website was produced under the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. While it is geared primarily toward parents, it serves as a great resource for anyone working with students with special needs. Their resource library provides links to documents related to disability services and special education. This site is easy to navigate and the information is accurate and concise. National Education Association (IDEA & Special Education) - This site offers "IDEA Briefs" to explain developments about and aspects of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They are presented in a question and answer format, and are quick and easy to read. The site also offers a nice summary of the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA found HERE. Department of Education - The specifics surrounding special education law can vary between states. Search your state's department of education website for state specific laws, codes, and policies. You can search for your state HERE and get a list of helpful links. State Specific Education Association - Many states have their own rules and regulations that expand upon those found in IDEA. Your local union (if applicable) may have resources to help you learn more about special education law in your state. If you are unable to find answers on the website, don't hesitate to reach out to your local union reps to see if there are any resources or training opportunities that may be available for special education teachers. Understanding the law is a huge undertaking and I hope that this post has given you some guidence and resources to make it a bit easier. Do you have any other go-to resources for special education law? Please share in the comments below!
Find out how choice-making activities can be used to guide and support special education students toward independent living and life skills.
The great debate in gifted education is whether or not students should have gifted pullout services. Come find out the ins and outs of pullout services, and learn strategies to help you in the regular education classroom if you don't have gifted services.
Visual Spatial Relations Age Group : 6+ Laid out in a colourful and easy-to-use format, it is addressed to special education needs teachers, occupational therapists, logopedists, parents and schoolteachers who aim to support their children in developing and strengthening their skills. It introduces a set of games and activities that build and enhance visual perceptual skills in an enjoyable and interactive way! Visual spatial awareness denotes the ability to understand spatial concepts and directions, necessary for interacting with the outside world. It also involves processing outside information and reasoning with it through visual representation in the mind. Along with quantitative and verbal ability, it plays a key role in developing expertise in learning and work settings as well as in determining orientation, laterality and directionality. People with visuospatial deficits have poor performance in sports and suffer from coordination and balance problems. They can also find it difficult to perform rhythmic activities. Furthermore, they are clumsy and tend to reverse forms and letters / syllables, including “o” and”8” or “ma” and am”. The book includes, inter alia: 135 worksheets; activities aiming at detecting elements with or without a point of reference; activities aiming at detecting letters in several types of grids and tables; activities aiming at finding the appropriate boxes for two-syllable and three-syllable words; activities requiring learners to follow their teacher’s instructions and draw letters and numbers inside squares, as well as interactive games and activities. Visual perceptual skills influence several aspects of children’s development and everyday life, ranging from (mixed) motor skills to essential life aptitudes.
Keep your learners on track with individualized visual schedules. These daily schedule cards include 40+ visuals with real pictures and 15 schedule templates for daily use. Perfect for: -Special education classrooms -Students who require extra support following the daily schedule -Students with autism -Students requiring extra support with transitions -Students using picture supports (PECS) -Student IEP accommodations, including visual daily schedule This product pairs with: Daily Schedule Visuals: Elementary Daily Schedule Visuals: Elementary, Digital Clock Daily Schedule Visuals: Elementary, Analog Clock Or check-out the Bundle! Visual Schedule Bundle: Elementary
Tips for working with english language learners and how to best support ELLs them in your classroom!
This IEP accommodations overview sheet makes it easy for Special Education Teachers to list all accommodations for every Special Education student on one sheet. Since this is used in Google Sheets, you can easily share it with other teachers, making it easy for them to see each student's current accommodations. This IEP Accommodations Overview Sheet has customizable drop down options for eligibility, services, and goal areas. I fill this out at the beginning of each school year and share it with general education teachers. It's easy to update after each meeting, and changes update on their copy as well. There are two options for this sheet. One of the sheets is color coded in a way that keeps eligibility, services, and goals easy to navigate. The other sheet has no color coding. Please let me know if their are any questions or problems!
If you need practical tips on differentiation , here are effective strategies to use in your special education classroom!
Today, we turn to the UK in a guest post by Laura Tarver. a London-based Speech and Language Therapist working with children with ASD and other complex needs. She previously worked in a primary sch…
What is Oral Language? Oral Language skills are an important component of language development. It is made up of at least five key components (Moats 2010) including phonological skills, pragmatics, syntax, morphological skills, and vocabulary. Students need opportunities throughout the day to practice their speaking and listening skills. For English Language Learners this is particularly important
