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Assessment on UDL the Differentiated Way

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Assessment on UDL the Differentiated Way

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An impactful idea that I gathered from this module is learning about the Universal Design For Learning. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ensures that’’ learning experiences in school, the workplace, and in life are thoughtfully designed ‘’ (CAST, 2025, p. 1).  Learning experiences must be beneficial for all learners.  Furthermore, UDL is designed to elevate strengths, and to eliminate barriers because everyone deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive (CAST, 2025, p. 1).  This makes UDL an impactful tool for learning. UDL guides educators to address diversity in learning through engagement, representation, action, and expression.

Engagement ensures that educators recruit interest, sustain effort, demonstrate persistence, and self-regulation (CAST, 2025, p. 6).  Learning must be interesting for students.  Representation ensures that there is perception, language, symbols, and comprehension (CAST, 2025, p. 6).  UDL ensures that there is something to learn. UDL ensures that action and expression can have some physical action, communication, and executive function (CAST, 2025, p. 6). This is how learning is demonstrated through UDL.

A differentiated resource that is beneficial is the partnership between Cast and some PreK-12 Professionals. This partnership ensures that coaches, teachers, and administrators have some transformational change (Cast, 2025, p. 3).  The transformational change can be unique. Educators can implement UDL to assure that knowledge and skills reshape pedagogical practices (Cast, 2025, p. 3). This demonstrates that a partnership between Cast and some PreK-12 Professionals is impactful. This partnership’s objective is to have a system where there are closed achievement gaps, support for English learners and students with IEPS (Cast, 2025, p. 3).  This will strength the school culture. For this reason, a partnership between CAST and some PreK-12 Professionals is beneficial.

An assessment that is beneficial for educators is the one that will advance a postsecondary education.  This assessment will ensure that students recognize their strengths, develop leadership skills, and that they learn strategies for lifelong learning (UDL, 2025, p. 3). Assessments must prepare students for the real world. This type of assessment will ensure that a wide variety of learners are helped (UDL, 2025, p. 5).  Meaning that they will recognize their strengths. Therefore, this demonstrates that an assessment that advances a postsecondary education is beneficial.

References

Cast, O. (2025, June 7). PreK-12 Professional Development . Retrieved from Cast: https://www.cast.org/what-we-do/prek-12-professional-development/

CAST, O. (2025, June 7). UDL Guidelines . Retrieved from Universal Design for Learning : https://www.cast.org/what-we-do/universal-design-for-learning/

UDL, Guidelines. (2025, June 7). Postsecondary Professional Development . Retrieved from https://www.cast.org/what-we-do/postsecondary-professional-development/

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This week was full of interesting ideas that may be used in Universal Designs of Learning! In the film, they highlighted the legal duties that schools must meet. Schools are required to make testing accommodations for students who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The video demonstrates various accommodations, including text-to-speech, color masking, and longer time, as well as examining alternate routes. To maintain coherence and efficiency, those handling varied accommodations must receive thorough training.aining. It is vital for parents, educators, and staff to work together to ensure that the strategies are well-informed and and efficient. "UDL is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning based on what we know about the human brain." (Universal Design for Learning|CAST, n.d.) There are three core principles of UDL. These principles are Engagement, representation, and action and expression. Engagement is the "why" of learning. Representation is the "what" of learning, and the action and expression are the "how" of learning. UDL is based on the notion that each learner has a unique learning style, and this framework encourages all educators to work with these unique qualities and help design an experience that works for all. UDL is all about advocating for differentiation among the students within the classroom. Differentiation starts by figuring out what and how the students learn. Additionally, comprehending the optimal learning environment for the student is crucial.

References

Dwyer-Kuntz, T. (2022). UDL in online learning - One size doesn’t fit all. In University of Ontario Insitute of Technology eBooks. https://doi.org/10.51357/ghkl9022

Novak, K. (n.d.). How to universally design grading. Novak Education. https://www.novakeducation.com/blog/how-to-universally-design-grading

Universal Design for Learning|CAST. (n.d.). CAST. https://www.cast.org/what-we-do/universal-design-for-learning/

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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SPE-508_ Module 8-Informational Texts Qualitative Analysis Tool

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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SPE-508_ Module 8-Initial Considerations for Complexity & Cultural Relevance

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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Critical Literacy Text Analysis: Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today (grades 9-12)

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SPE-508_ Module 8-Know Yourself, Know Your Students

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Michelle, Nora, and Paige

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📚 Kids Books Read Aloud: Just Ask by Sonia Sotomayor

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Michelle, Paige, and Nora

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'My Brother Charlie' read by Holly Robinson Peete

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https://youtu.be/hJP5GqnTrNo?si=W6zv7i_vJKkM58sQ

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The Power of Inclusive Children's Literature

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Empowering Reugee Families of Students with Disabilities

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Empowering Reugee Families of Students with Disabilities

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Empowering Refugee Families of Students with Disabilities

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Often times people are different in various ways, whether it be race, culture or religion, you may not at first understand. We should not assume people are mean. Give people the benefit of the doubt before we pass judgement. Often there is a reason for people to act the way they do without us even knowing it.

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DIFFERENT | Award Winning Short Film by Tahneek Rahman

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Browse communication activities resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/not-talk.html

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As with other skills and milestones, the age at which kids learn language and start talking can vary. Knowing a bit about speech and language development can help parents figure out if there's cause for concern.

How Do Speech and Language Differ?

Speech is the verbal expression of language and includes articulation (the way we form sounds and words).

Language is giving and getting information. It's understanding and being understood through communication - verbal, nonverbal, and written.

What Are Speech or Language Delays?

Speech and language problems differ, but often overlap. For example:

A child with a language delay might say words well but only be able to put two words together.

A child with a speech delay might use words and phrases to express ideas but be hard to understand.

What Are the Signs of a Speech or Language Delay?

A baby who doesn't respond to sound or vocalize should be checked by a doctor right away. But often, it's hard for parents to know if their child is taking a bit longer to reach a speech or language milestone, or if there's a problem.

Here are some things to watch for. Call your doctor if your child:

by 12 months: isn't using gestures, such as pointing or waving bye-bye

by 18 months: prefers gestures over vocalizations to communicate

by 18 months: has trouble imitating sounds

has trouble understanding simple verbal requests

by 2 years: can only imitate speech or actions and doesn't produce words or phrases spontaneously

by 2 years: says only some sounds or words repeatedly and can't use oral language to communicate more than their immediate needs

by 2 years: can't follow simple directions

by 2 years: has an unusual tone of voice (such as raspy or nasal sounding)

Also call the doctor if your child's speech is harder to understand than expected for their age:

Parents and regular caregivers should understand about 50% of a child's speech at 2 years and 75% of it at 3 years.

By 4 years old, a child should be mostly understood, even by people who don't know the child.

What Causes Speech or Language Delays?

A speech delay might be due to:

an oral impairment, like problems with the tongue or palate (the roof of the mouth)

a short frenulum (the fold beneath the tongue), which can limit tongue movement

Many kids with speech delays have oral-motor problems. These happen when there's a problem in the areas of the brain responsible for speech. This makes it hard to coordinate the lips, tongue, and jaw to make speech sounds. These kids also might have other oral-motor problems, such as feeding problems.

Hearing problems also can affect speech. So an audiologist should test a child's hearing whenever there's a speech concern. Kids who have trouble hearing may have trouble saying, understanding, imitating, and using language.

Ear infections, especially chronic infections, can affect hearing. But as long as there is normal hearing in one ear, speech and language will develop normally.

How Are Speech or Language Delays Diagnosed?

If your child might have a problem, it's important to see a speech-language pathologist (SLP) right away. You can find a speech-language pathologist on your own, or ask your health care provider to refer you to one.

The SLP (or speech therapist) will check your child's speech and language skills. The pathologist will do standardized tests and look for milestones in speech and language development.

The SLP also will check:

what your child understands (called receptive language)

what your child can say (called expressive language)

sound development and clarity of speech

your child's oral-motor status (how the mouth, tongue, palate, etc., work together for speech as well as eating and swallowing)

Based on the test results, the speech-language pathologist might recommend speech therapy for your child.

How Does Speech Therapy Help?

The speech therapist will work with your child to improve speech and language skills, and show you what to do at home to help your child.

How Can Parents Help?

Parents are an important part of helping kids who have a speech or language problem.

Here are a few ways to encourage speech development at home:

Focus on communication. Talk with your baby, sing, and encourage imitation of sounds and gestures.

Read to your child. Start reading when your child is a baby. Look for age-appropriate soft or board books or picture books that encourage kids to look while you name the pictures.

Use everyday situations. To build on your child's speech and language, talk your way through the day. Name foods at the grocery store, explain what you're doing as you cook a meal or clean a room, and point out objects around the house. Keep things simple, but avoid "baby talk."

Recognizing and treating speech and language delays early on is the best approach. Call your doctor if you have any concerns about your child's speech or language development.

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Knowing how speech and language develop can help you figure out if you should be concerned or if your child is right on schedule.

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Ensuring that Instruction Is inclusive for Diverse Learners ( Sandra M)

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Ensuring that Instruction Is inclusive for Diverse Learners ( Sandra M)

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When students with learning differences are placed in the general education classroom, they often receive accommodations and services. However, when such accommodations are combined with and constrained by a traditional, rigid curriculum, the result can be the opposite of inclusion with. a "typical" student in mind. Often there is a way for all students to learn the material, such as a lecture or slide show.

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Using ideas from Universal Design for Learning with all students can make classrooms more welcoming for those with learning disabilities.

©Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images

Humans have a tendency to fall into patterns of behavior. For teachers, that means that if we're not careful, we begin to teach things the same way every year. This is comfortable for us, but it can result in a rigid curriculum that may not work for all students-and traditional classrooms are curriculum-centered already, not easily adapted to the differing needs of individual students. Instead, students are required to adapt to the curriculum.

As a special education teacher, part of my job was helping students who had a diagnosed learning disability access the general education curriculum, so I frequently found myself co-teaching with a math or English teacher. When students with learning differences are placed in the general education classroom, they often receive accommodations and services. However, when those accommodations are paired with-and constrained by-a traditional, rigid curriculum, the result can be the opposite of inclusion, in my experience.

Teachers in this situation may become frustrated because trying to accommodate each child individually creates a lot of stress and often an unmanageable workload. Another issue I saw at the middle school level is that despite teachers' best efforts, students with learning differences often feel singled out, and as they get older they may reject accommodations in order to fit in-even though that means forgoing supports that could help meet their learning needs.

The majority of students need something different, but how can you design a curriculum that works for all students-and for the teacher?

In working together, the general education teacher and I would work out ways to flex and adapt our teaching styles to fit our students' needs. As a team, we modified our instruction based on what worked and what didn't. We used what we learned to design instruction that could change based on students' needs.

All of this work was based on the well-known, flexible model called Universal Design for Learning, which can be used in any classroom to make instruction more accessible.

3 Ways to Implement Universal Design for Learning

1. Teach content in many ways: In a traditional classroom, planning for the lesson is done with the "typical" student in mind. Often, there is one way for all students to learn the material, such as a lecture or a slide presentation.

Instead, try to plan the lesson with all students in mind. Survey students to find out what they already know and questions they have about the new topic. Use that information to scaffold instruction and make lessons more relevant to students. You can also vary the methods that you use to deliver the direct instruction portion of your lesson-try showing a demonstration or video clip for one lesson, and have students participate in stations or listen to a podcast for another.

If possible, use more than one modality within a lesson, and think about supports that students may need for learning. If students are moving around the room, have clearly defined procedures and a goal at each learning center. If they're listening to you or a podcast, it may be helpful to provide an outline where they can add notes or sketch visuals while they listen. If they're reading texts, you can allow them to partner read or use technology to adjust the font and text size.

2. Provide choices to sustain student engagement: Allow students to choose an activity. For guided practice, they could decide whether to answer questions independently and receive feedback, play a game, do a role play, or practice in a group. To demonstrate their understanding of a concept, they could decide whether to create a poster or construct a model, write a paper, make a video or podcast, or do a presentation. Making choices allows them to relate to the content in a way that sparks their interest.

Teachers can often offer students other choices in the classroom, beyond instruction. For example, you may be able to provide flexible seating, allowing students to choose a quiet area of the classroom to finish up an assignment on their own, or to sit at tables for group work, or to grab a seat at a computer to watch a video, print a new worksheet, or read a digital textbook.

3. Provide accommodations for all students: Instead of providing accommodations only to students with an IEP or a 504 plan, think about accommodations that such students frequently need and make them available to all students.

For example, if you often have students who need a copy of the notes, using a site like Blackboard or Google Classroom to post each slide presentation and assignment makes it easier for everyone to access those materials. Students who are absent, lose their copy, or have trouble taking notes can use the online notes and documents. Having documents available online also makes it easier for parents, special education teachers, and paraeducators to help students without making extra work for the teacher.

Another example would be teaching students to use a free text reader like the Read and Write extension for Google Chrome or a voice-to-text tool like those available in Google Documents. Students may choose not to use them, but they're a good option for students who happen to retain information better when they hear it or who have a disability that interferes with writing.

Universal Design for Learning allows instruction to become student-centered by creating a more welcoming and flexible classroom environment and a curriculum that is more accessible to all students. Flexible instruction should lead the student to be more personally accountable for their learning: Instead of the teacher expecting all students to learn in one way, the student sets their own goals for how they will learn the required material.

The student becomes an expert not just on the content but on how they learn. Once the content has faded from their memory, this is the skill that will allow them to acquire the knowledge necessary for whatever endeavor they decide to pursue.

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Ensuring That Instruction Is Inclusive for Diverse Learners

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Using ideas from Universal Design for Learning with all students can make classrooms more welcoming for those with learning disabilities.

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Talking and listening to your preschooler to help build their communication skills.

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Preschooler talking and listening: what to expect

At 3-5 years, you might hear lots of talk and questions from your preschooler. This is because preschoolers:

need to practise new words, speech sounds and language skills

are constantly fascinated by the world around them

learn by talking with people who know more than they do.

Preschoolers communicate through:

lots of talk and questions

body language like gestures and noises

play, particularly make-believe play

painting and craft.

Your child is getting better at using words to tell you that he's upset, instead of having a tantrum. This is because he's better at understanding feelings and controlling his own emotions.

You'll also notice that your child can hold longer conversations. This is because she can pay attention to things for longer.

And don't be surprised if your preschooler tells the same story over and over again. This is because repeating ideas and stories helps preschoolers work out what's going on in the world around them.

Listening to your preschooler

When you show your child that you're listening, it sends the message that what your child is thinking and saying is important to you. This message is great for communication, as well as your relationship with your child.

Here's how to listen - and show your child that you're listening:

Stop what you're doing and give your full attention to your child whenever you can.

Get down to your child's level and make eye contact.

Tune in to your child's body language. This can tell you a lot. For example, your child might be shaking with anger or jumping up and down with delight.

When your child tells you something, summarise it back to check that you understand what he's saying.

Use phrases that show you're interested. For example, you can say, 'Really?', 'Go on', or 'And then what happened?'

Nod, smile and be affectionate when your child is talking.

Try to listen until your child finishes telling a story.

Preschoolers love to talk and tell stories! If you can't listen right now or you need to stop listening during a long story, let your child know. For example, 'We're almost at preschool. Would you like to finish the story quickly now or tell me the rest later?' Make sure to follow through later.

Talking to your child

Your child can use and understand a lot of words, but she still might have trouble understanding what you're saying sometimes.

Here are some ideas that can help you talk and communicate clearly with your preschooler:

Try to say exactly what you mean. Your child might not understand jokes, exaggeration or sarcasm and you might hurt his feelings.

Make sure your body language and facial expressions match what you're saying. For example, smile and make eye contact when you tell your child you love her.

If your child can't understand what you're saying repeat the same message in a couple of different ways. For example, 'Put your bag on the hook' and 'Pick up your bag and hang it on the hook'.

Help your child learn 'why' by explaining things when you're speaking. For example, 'We don't ride bikes on the road because we might get hit by a car'.

Encourage your child to take turns when you're talking together. This develops good conversation skills for life. Taking turns to talk also builds your child's listening skills.

Give your child lots of specific praise and encouragement for good communicating. For example, 'Thanks for finishing the story when it was time to eat lunch'.

Answering your child's questions

When you take your child's questions seriously and take the time to give a real answer, you encourage your child to keep asking questions. This helps your child to learn about the world as he grows and develops.

If you don't know the answer to your child's question, you can find out the answer together. For example, you could say 'That's a really interesting question - let's see if we can find out. Can we ask someone we know? Can we look on the internet or find a book at the library?'

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At 3-5 years, you might hear lots of talk and questions from your preschooler. This is because preschoolers: need to practise new words, speech sounds and language skills are constantly fascinated by the world around them learn by talking with people who know more than they do.

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Language & Social Implications of a Visual Impairment

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Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities - Graduate Programs for Educators

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Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities - Graduate Programs for Educators
Strategies for Teaching Students with Disabilities - Graduate Programs for Educators

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Adapted from The Essentials: Supporting Young Children with Disabilities in the Classroom, by Pamela Brillante. Copyright © 2017 by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

When you open your classroom door this new school year, you'll be welcoming preschoolers with a variety of experiences, strengths, and challenges. For some children, this will be their first time in a classroom, and they may struggle to follow routines and grasp concepts. Others will arrive having a lot of experience with books and language, and some may be dual language learners. A few children in your new class might have disabilities or developmental delays that impact their learning, social skills, or behavior.

You may be wondering, How do I support children with disabilities or developmental delays when I don't have any training to do that? All children learn best in a developmentally appropriate program that offers them the supports they need to participate successfully alongside their classmates. Many children with disabilities benefit from simple accommodations and modifications, while other children may need more specialized, individualized supports provided by special education professionals. These professionals will work with you, the children, and their families to help the children learn and thrive.

To be an effective teacher, remember that regardless of individual needs, children are first and foremost children-and best practices for young children are best practices for all young children. Here are some ideas to help you set the stage for a great year for everyone.

Try basic modifications

Painting and drawing: Some children have a hard time painting or drawing on a tabletop because it involves using very small muscles in the hands and wrists, which may not be developed yet. Try also setting up easels, which allow children to stand and use bigger arm movements that originate from the shoulders, which often is easier.

Books: Make board books available, and add jumbo paper clips to regular book pages to make them easier for children to turn. These modifications help children with motor delays but are also fun for everyone.

See the child as a child first

Each child is unique, and every child can learn. Look beyond a child's disability or label, and get to know her as a person. Observe children to discover what interests each one and to get ideas about what might motivate her. Talking and playing with children provides important opportunities for building trusting relationships. Set learning goals, choose strategies, and assess children's progress. And just as you do for all children, have high-but realistic-expectations for children with disabilities or developmental delays.

Reexamine your beliefs and knowledge

To be an excellent educator for all the children in your classroom, stay in touch with your inner teacher. Review both your understanding of child development and your toolkit of practices. Honestly examine your beliefs about children and families. Then think deeply about your responsibility to make learning-and the physical environment-engaging, developmentally appropriate, and accessible for all children.

Tap into the expertise of special education professionals

If a child has an identified disability or developmental delay, he receives services specified in his Individualized Education Program (IEP). The child's teacher should either be given a copy of the IEP or opportunities to review it. Don't hesitate to ask the special education teacher, early intervention coordinator, or administrator to explain anything that is confusing. They can help you adapt and modify your curriculum, physical space, materials, and educational expectations so the child can participate as fully as possible in classroom routines and activities. These professionals can also support you in identifying the child's strengths and interests, helping you find relevant ways to connect your teaching to each child.

Speech, physical, and occupational therapists who work directly with a child can also brainstorm adaptations and modifications with you. For example, for a child who has difficulty with balance and large motor control, a physical therapist could provide a special chair for the classroom and work with you to find other comfortable seating options that let the child be part of the group.

Make simple changes

Design the classroom space, routines, and activities so they are adaptable and can be used by the children in a variety of ways. This proactive approach supports children's strengths and can be modified to address children's needs. Plan activities that require more than one child's participation to accomplish a task. Instead of an adult always working with a child with a disability, pair the child with a peer buddy. Provide dress-up items with multiple ways to fasten them. Find ways to absorb background noise to avoid distracting children.

Strategies to try

While there are many strategies to support children with disabilities, here are a few.

Environment: Arrange the classroom furnishings so all children-including children with visual or physical disabilities-can move and maneuver around the room and learning centers by themselves. Make sure materials are within reach. Watch for classroom clutter and unstable flooring (throw rugs that move easily) that make the classroom space inaccessible for some children.

Routines: The best routines have a predictable beginning, middle, and end. Use visual supports, such as pictures or props, to teach children routines, help them stay engaged, and aid them in transitioning between different activities.

Peers: Peers who do not have disabilities can model positive prosocial and communication skills and demonstrate everyday routines that young children with disabilities can imitate. Classmates can also help children develop social relationships and increase their motivation to be part of classroom activities.

Noise: Managing noise in the classroom plays an important role in both learning and behavior. Loud classrooms affect a child's ability to understand increasingly complex language. Carpets and other sound-absorbing materials, like wall hangings, heavy drapes, felt, and chairs with tennis balls on the bottom of metal legs, all help reduce classroom noise.

Materials: Modifying materials in the classroom can have a big impact on independence. Add pencil grips to crayons and markers to make them easier for children with motor difficulties to hold. Gluing small knobs to puzzle pieces make them easier to pick up.Create opportunities for refugee parents to share their traditions.

Determine where individual children need more support

What do you expect children to do and learn during typical routines and activities? Consider this, then think about the supports you can provide to help a child with a disability be more independent and successful. Break down activities into smaller, more manageable tasks for her, and teach the tasks one by one. To help the child transition to a new activity, give her a picture or symbol of the area to show where to go next. If a child uses a nonverbal mode of communication (picture symbols, sign language), teach all of the children to use it.

Finally, trust your knowledge and instincts

Whatever the needs of the children in your classroom, learn to trust your instincts and rely on your professional expertise and judgment. Be willing to seek help from others who have valuable experience and knowledge to share with you. These are important things you can do not just for children with disabilities but for every child in your classroom!

COMMONLY USED SPECIAL EDUCATION TERMS

When there is a child with a disability or developmental delay in your class, you're likely to hear a dizzying variety of terms from special education professionals. Here are a few helpful definitions.

Assistive technology (AT): any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of children with disabilities. Assistive technology helps with speaking, seeing, hearing, learning, walking, and many other functions. Different disabilities require different assistive technologies (wheelchairs, walkers, braces, educational software, pencil holders, communication boards).

Developmental delay: a significant lag in a child's achievement of developmental milestones in one or more areas of development (cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional)

Disability: a physical or mental condition-such as hearing loss, cerebral palsy, autism, or Down syndrome-that affects the way the body works or develops and that significantly limits a person's abilities in one or more major life activities, including walking, standing, seeing, hearing, speaking, and learning [Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (Public Law 101-336)]

Inclusion: the practice of educating children with disabilities in the same classroom as their same-age peers who do not have disabilities. Inclusion is part of the philosophy that people are more alike than different, that differences make classrooms and experiences richer, and that everyone-children with and without disabilities, families, educators, and communities-benefits when children are educated together.

Individualized Education Program (IEP): a written plan for a child between the ages of 3 and 21 that outlines the child's learning goals and the services to be provided to meet his educational needs

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 (Public Law 108-446): the law that governs how states and agencies provide early intervention and special education services to children and young adults

Interdisciplinary (or multidisciplinary) team: a team of professionals who evaluate a child to determine whether a delay or disability exists and whether she qualifies for services

Least restrictive environment (LRE): the educational setting that allows a child-to the maximum extent possible-to be educated with his same-age peers who do not have disabilities

Referral: a formal request that is often made by families, physicians, or teachers to begin the special education evaluation process

Sensory processing issues: difficulty handling and responding to sensory input
Note: While you may occasionally hear the older term mainstreaming used to mean inclusion, the two are not interchangeable. Mainstreaming describes a child with a disability participating in a program with her peers for just part of the day or for specific activities where she can participate without the teacher making any changes to the activity. Inclusion is the philosophy that children can engage in activities with their peers even if those activities need to be adapted or modified in some way for children to be successful.
Author's note: Different terms, such as challenged, differently abled, and s pecial needs, are used to refer to individuals with disabilities. While these terms appear to be inoffensive and seem to emphasize positive qualities, they are euphemisms and are not frequently used in the disability advocacy community (Syracuse University Disability Cultural Center). The Essentials: Supporting Young Children with Disabilities in the Classroom (the book the information in this article is adapted from) uses "child with a disability," and we do also.

Photos © NAEYC/iStock

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Every Child Belongs: Welcoming a Child with a Disability

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When you open your classroom door this new school year, you'll be welcoming preschoolers with a variety of experiences, strengths, and challenges.

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Fostering independence in children is an important task for both parents and teachers.

Here are some ideas and daily activities to encourage independence in young kids.

While it can be a nice feeling when your child needs you and it makes you feel good to take care of them and do things for them, it's important to find a balance between caring and letting them become independent.

What is our role as a parent? What is the role of any parent in the animal kingdom?
To raise our young so they can cope in the world without us.
We may not be sending our children off to fly and never seeing them again, but we certainly want them to have the skills to live their own lives and be functional, happy adults.

Children have a right to be taught independence skills. It is one of the basic emotional needs that all children have.

The first signs of child independence occur when infants want to do things like hold their own spoon and feed themselves or walk somewhere on their own.

Encouraging independence in toddlers is as simple as letting them do things they are trying to do on their own or asking your toddler for help here and there.

By the time preschool rolls around, however, you should be actively teaching your children this skill. The more independent your children feel at this stage, the more sense of competence they will feel in themselves.

How can we foster independence in early childhood? Here are 10 simple ideas to include in your kids' daily routine.

1. Give Daily Chores

You don't need to give your child a long list of back-breaking chores but helping out with certain light tasks every day should be expected.

Things such as taking plates to the table, clearing dishes and helping you hang the washing are all small tasks that will teach responsibility.

You also shouldn't need to reward everyday tasks as you are giving the message that they don't need to help unless they receive some kind of compensation.

Rather praise your kids and tell them it's wonderful how everyone in the family pitches in to help and take care of each other.

2. Make Kids Responsible for Their Bedroom

Your child's bedroom should be their territory and also their responsibility.

They should be expected to pack away their toys, put dirty clothes into the laundry basket, etc.

Toddlers are notorious for refusing to comply so manage your expectations. Get them to do a little tidying while you sing a clean-up song but don't expect them to do a great job when they're exhausted before bedtime.

If siblings share a room, teach them to work together to tidy it, or to make a chart and divvy up the chores.

You will see the difference in how your child keeps their desk at school or packs their bag later on.

Just make sure you don't "fix" or redo things, such as pulling the bed duvet straighter (at least not in front of them) or you will be sending the message that what they're doing isn't good enough.

3. Let Them Pack Their School Bag

Do you pack all your child's things into their school bag to prepare for school the next day?

Umm...you aren't the one going to school. Rather help them pack their own bag.

Your child must learn that things don't magically appear in their bag every day. They need to start practising how to plan for the next day.

Do they need a hat? Change of clothing? An item for Show-And-Tell?

If you are used to doing all these things now, it will not likely change when your child is in the older grades. You will be getting regular tearful phone calls from school asking you to bring a book, sports kit or project that was left at home.

Make it a habit every day to ask your child what they need for tomorrow and either send them to pack it, or pack the bag together. Your child can also help you prepare a healthy snack for school.

4. Don't Do Things They Can Do For Themselves

When your child is able to do certain things independently, such as dress or brush their teeth, let them do it.

By doing everything for them because it's easier or quicker, you're taking away their independence.

The worst that can happen is your child goes to school with a top that's back-to-front and inside-out, and mismatched shoes. It won't be the end of the world.

5. Give Choices

Part of learning independence is also learning to make choices for yourself and making wise decisions.

Instead of laying the law for everything, or constantly responding with either yes or no to requests, pre-empt a situation by providing choices.

Ask your child to choose one of 3 winter dresses you've taken out of their closet instead of arguing because your child insists on wearing a summer dress.

Give choices about activities.

Today, after school, would you like to visit granny or go for a swim?

Would you like soup or curry for dinner?

Would you like to take out the blocks or paint in the garden?

Would you like to apologise to your brother for hurting him and come play outside with us or wait inside until you feel ready to say sorry?

It is important that your child is frequently making decisions and weighing up situations, instead of constantly being told what to do and how to do it.

6. Make School Drop-Off Quick and Painless

The daily drop-off should not be a painful and traumatizing experience.

How you approach it will have a big effect on how your child experiences it.

Read all about preschool drop off and how you can make this a positive experience.

7. Let Kids Plan Their Own Playdates

If you are spending tons of energy planning fun and exciting play dates for your children and their friends, you are taking on an unnecessary task and not letting your kids engage in independent play.

Read this article about why it's actually important to let your children take control and plan their own playdates.

8. Talk to Them and Ask Their Opinions

It's important to talk to your children frequently and show an interest in their opinions.

You want them to not only act independently but also think independently and form their own ideas and opinions.

Let your children see that you take an interest in their thoughts and opinions and they will surprise you with how insightful they can be.

9. Allow Kids to Resolve Their Conflicts

A huge part of being an independent adult is learning to deal with people and managing interactions and relationships with them.

One of the earliest experiences of dealing with others is through conflict while playing. Let your children sort out most of their conflicts with siblings or friends on their own.

Obviously, there will be times you will need to intervene but for the most part, let them develop the skill to resolve conflict on their own.

When your child complains about someone or something that has happened, ask them how they will sort it out or what they can say to ease the situation.

It is too easy to immediately jump in and reprimand the other child. It will then also become too easy to rely on you to solve every problem going forward.

10. Make Your Children Accountable

One of the best ways to foster independence in preschoolers is to allow them to don't develop a sense of accountability. This doesn't happen when children are overly protected from consequences.

Children must learn about cause and effect and how their actions will result in certain consequences, whether positive or negative.

Fixing every problem, not allowing your child to feel disappointment, or not providing appropriate discipline will prevent your child from understanding how life is going to be as an adult.

Adults are held accountable for their actions, and childhood is the time to learn that.

These 10 ideas will help you teach your preschooler to be independent and learn important life skills.

The earlier these habits are in place, the quicker they become the norm. The elementary/primary grades are actually too late to start teaching independence.

Children feel a great sense of competence when they are independent.

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10 Daily Activities to Encourage Independence in Preschoolers

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Try these 10 simple daily activities to encourage independence in kids. Start at a young age to instil confidence early on.

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Tools To Grow, Inc. | Pediatric Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy printable handouts resources activities

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Pediatric Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy printable resources, activities, worksheets, and educational material for therapists, educators, special needs teachers, and parents/caregivers.

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My eight-year-old can often be found hanging upside down. From monkey bars, in the branches of trees, and lately, with his dancing feet propped up on the back of the couch while reading a schoolbook.

"Are you... comfortable like that?" I ask him, mentally referencing the sit-up-straight and both-feet-flat-on-the-floor guidelines that were sent to parents during Zoom classes and at-home learning.

"Yup! I learn better in this direction 'cause it's all going right into my brain!" he answers before flipping the page. Unconventional studying positions aren't only limited to my third-grader. Upstairs, I can hear the 13-year-old alternatively pacing his bedroom and drumming (loudly) on his desk as he prepares for an upcoming test.

"You're supposed to be studying," I yell up over the pounding.

"Yeah, I am, but I can't concentrate if I'm sitting still!"

I don't know why their wiggling and walking surprise me-I'm the same way. In fact, between writing this paragraph and the next I'll pause for a 20-minute hike in the nearby woods so I can stretch my back and legs and refresh my mind.

Movement, it turns out, isn't just good for adults trying to write their next sentence or who need a break from their computer screen. Through active play and physical activity, children studying at home and students from kindergarten through high school can boost their brain power, support their mental health, and build a wide range of competencies.

Play and movement at school

While navigating another unconventional school year, where much of the emphasis is on "getting back to normal" and " catching up," what if we also make it an opportunity to prioritize mental and physical health by incorporating active play and movement-not as a replacement, but rather a complement to traditional learning strategies.

Whether it's four-year-olds engaged in free play during class and in the school yard, third graders merging sports with their math and science class, or middle-schoolers absorbing a biology lesson while studying (and climbing!) schoolyard trees, research indicates that students become more engaged and attentive when we let them out of their chairs. Through play and movement, children can work on literacy skills and critical thinking, and successfully transfer skills across subjects while developing gross and fine motor skills.

Movement enhances learning

According to a 2020 study published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, children who have higher levels of physical activity have "consistently been shown to positively associate with a variety of academic performance factors, including cognitive functioning, academic behavior, and school grades." The study, which collected data from over 37,000 U.S. children aged six to 17 years old, found that in addition to improving cognitive skills, physical activity may also positively impact classroom behavior.

Research also shows that children have improved concentration and attention when they spend time in green spaces. Co-author Dr. Anne Schutte recommends the implementation of green space around schools, daycares, and homes, and for children to spend time in natural environments -even if they end up covered in mud.

Movement and play in schools

Basketball and Tchaikovsky may be unlikely learning partners, but used together in the video below they're encouraging hand-eye coordination, catching, and rhythm. Through movement, the whole body becomes an instrument for learning!

Paper and pencils aren't the only way to practice math equations. What about an interactive learning game where quick feet and throwing skills are also used?

Sensory paths in school hallways or outdoor spaces are an opportunity for students to develop fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, skipping, and hopping as they travel through hallways or play in the schoolyard. These paths can serve as a break from classroom anxiety or overstimulation, or be used as an active learning space for literacy and numeracy.

Help kids get up and moving

What can parents do to encourage and advocate for play and movement-based learning at their kids' schools? Get involved with your school board and the home and school association to encourage programs such as Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL). Help facilitate fundraising for in-class equipment and outdoor classrooms and playgrounds, and champion for longer recess and outdoor play.

At home, whether it's between Zoom classes or during homework, have your kids get up and dance while practicing their spelling words, take a brain break between math sheets, or bike to a nearby park to read under the trees. For active brains, they need active bodies, and who doesn't want to see kids moving, learning, and having fun?

Play isn't the enemy of learning, it's learning's partner."
-Dr. Stuart Brown, founder of the National Institute for Play
Photo courtesy of EcoKids.
Read more about movement, play, and learning:
Play is what we need: How cities responded when playgrounds were closed 12 ways to incorporate learning into your kids' play The power of play: Why outdoor child-led movement at school is important 6 ways kids should engage in "risky" play

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If we want children to learn, we need to let them move

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My eight-year-old can often be found hanging upside down. From monkey bars, in the branches of trees, and lately, with his dancing feet propped up on the back of the couch while reading a schoolbook. "Are you... comfortable like that?"

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Tracy Murray's kindergarten classroom in New York City has a unique approach to supporting students on the spectrum.

Tracy Murray / The Atlantic

A charming, bright 5-year-old stands out in his classroom at Maurice Wollin elementary school, on Staten Island, as an extremely social, kind, and curious child. He remembers more about his peers-names, significant events, likes and dislikes-than almost any other kindergartner at his school does.

But despite his genuine interest in his classmates and their well-being, he often struggles with interpreting their feelings and intentions-he has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). (This 5-year-old and the other students mentioned in this article have been granted anonymity to protect their privacy.) One morning last month, in the middle of a math lesson, a soft-spoken classmate accidentally bumped into his shoulder, and quickly apologized with a big, friendly smile. But the sociable child concluded that his classmate was being mean, and punched him in the shoulder, then dropped to the floor, crying, his arms flailing and his voice growing louder.

In many classrooms, a teacher's aide might have pulled him aside, attempted to help him calm down, and encouraged him to be quiet. If he didn't comply, and continued to disrupt other students' learning, he might have been sent to a counselor's office or the principal's office, or have been sent home for the day. (Across the nation, students with disabilities are suspended at twice the rate of students without them.)

More in this series

Instead, within seconds of his dropping to the floor, his teacher, Tracy Murray, raised a laminated sign with an image of her classroom's "clubhouse," a special stress-relief area where kids who feel emotionally overwhelmed can take a break and use relaxation techniques that their teachers and therapists have recommended for them personally. There, he sank into a black beanbag chair and started slowly squeezing a pink ball in order to soothe himself.

Once he looked more relaxed, Murray, a 26-year veteran of special education, sat down next to him while her co-teacher, Elizabeth Garber, continued with the lesson. Because many children with autism learn better with visual aids, Murray drew a simple comic strip-with stick figures and dialogue balloons-to represent what had happened with the student and his classmate. Once he saw that the encounter was an accident and that he could make "smart guesses" about his peers' intentions in the future by observing their facial expressions and listening to what they say, he calmed down and returned to the math lesson.

The scene in Murray's classroom unfolded as it did because the kindergartner is part of a program called ASD Nest, which places students like him alongside neurotypical students in classrooms led by specially trained teachers. ASD Nest, which is named after its goal of giving kids with ASD a nurturing place to learn and grow, is a collaboration between the New York City Department of Education and NYU. It launched in 2003 with four teachers and has since expanded to 54 elementary, middle, and high schools in New York City.
Read: How to keep teachers from leaving the profession
Nationwide, more than half of students with autism ages 6 to 21 spend more than 40 percent of their school day in a majority-neurotypical classroom, with about two-thirds of this group spending 80 percent of their day in one. In general, the rest spend most of their school day in a special-education class or at a school where all students have one or more disabilities.

When a student on the spectrum is present, majority-neurotypical classrooms typically have one certified teacher-many without special-education training-and one or more teacher's aides, who help students with special needs follow teachers' directions and complete academic tasks. ASD Nest, meanwhile, places two certified and specially trained teachers in each participating classroom, which allows one of them to provide one-on-one social, emotional, or academic support whenever the need arises, without disrupting the lesson or pulling a student out of the classroom. On top of that, each classroom's two co-teachers meet weekly with occupational, speech, and physical therapists to discuss each student's progress and share observations about what's working and what isn't.

Murray, who was one of the inaugural Nest teachers, thinks that the program is effective because of its focus on collaboration among the ASD Nest teachers, school therapists, and university researchers, which results in frequent adjustments in the classroom activities and strategies tailored to every student. "We don't expect students to learn the way we teach-we teach them the way they learn," Murray told me at her school, sitting next to bookshelves covered by curtains in order to minimize visual stimulation, which can overwhelm some of her students on the spectrum, much like clutter, bright lights, and loud noises can.

Throughout the day, Murray and other teachers in the Nest program provide explicit guidance about emotional cues and social norms-information that can be elusive and invisible to children with autism. By the age of 5, many children can deduce that a smiling, friendly classmate is not looking to start a physical fight. Children with autism can struggle to reach that conclusion, but many special-education teachers, including Murray, believe that the ability to pick up on social cues can be taught in a classroom setting. ASD Nest is one of the few academic programs in the country that implements this approach in the classroom.

Last year, before the student Murray sat with in the clubhouse was enrolled in the program, he frequently struggled to make sense of social interactions and often stormed out of his preschool classroom in a panic, unable to return to class and missing out on learning. Two months into kindergarten, he hadn't excused himself from his classroom once.

"We have a permission to prioritize social goals over academic lessons if we see an opportunity," Murray said. That contrasts with the traditional approach to integrating students on the spectrum into majority-neurotypical classes, which prioritizes academic development, often without addressing the social and emotional challenges that can make classroom engagement difficult. The Nest approach, in the long run, can help give kids on the spectrum skills that they need in order to live with some degree of independence as adults.

Each Nest kindergarten class typically includes four students with autism and eight neurotypical students, and Murray maintains that the Nest approach benefits all students, not just those with developmental disorders. "Learning how to perceive the intentions and feelings of others and manage your own emotions is good for all students, not just autistic children," she said.

Stephen Shore, a special-education professor at Adelphi University who has autism, thinks that Nest is effective because it focuses on addressing students' strengths rather than their weaknesses. Too often, he says, programs for students on the spectrum dwell on their deficits, such as their inability to pay attention for long periods of time. Nest teachers, meanwhile, get to know the strengths and interests of each student, and then extend them to the academic domain.

For instance, one pink-cheeked, shy student at Maurice Wollin excels in reading but recently failed a math test. Teachers noticed that many of the books he read were about dinosaurs, so they changed some of the math questions to include dinosaurs. His engagement and confidence soared.

ASD Nest represents a big philosophical shift for Murray, who grew up in the 1970s attending schools that made few accommodations for students with diverse needs. She remembers when, in fifth grade at her Catholic school, a teacher reacted harshly to a friend of hers who she now guesses was on the spectrum. After the student asked for help multiple times, Murray recalled, the teacher slapped his textbook out of his hands and yelled, "How dare you keep interrupting while others are thinking!" The student returned to his desk in tears and, overwhelmed, threw his chair against the wall. (Murray long ago lost touch with him, and never learned his backstory.)

When, as a child, Murray would ask her mother what she could do to help her struggling friend at school, her mother would tell her that she could become a teacher. Eventually, she did. After graduating from college in the early '90s with a degree in general and special education (and after a brief stint at a Catholic kindergarten that she disliked because she found it too similar to her own schooling experiences), Murray began working for the Guild for Exceptional Children, a nonprofit school and day-care center for children and adults with developmental disabilities based in Brooklyn. Seven years later, she enrolled in a special-education master's program and then accepted an invitation from a mentor to teach for ASD Nest.

Murray said that in the 16 years since she joined the program, she has come to focus less on exclusively academic goals and more on her students' needs and desires, including their wishes to form relationships and be recognized for their individual strengths and contributions. "I'm not trying to change my students, eradicate their intense interests, or teach them compliance," she said. "I'm helping them become the most successful they can be in ways that are meaningful to them."

The shift in her thinking mirrors a larger, society-wide one. The animal-behavior professor and author Temple Grandin's 1995 memoir, Thinking in Pictures, has been credited as the first narrative of autism by a person on the spectrum. It helped establish the idea that autism, as Steve Silberman put it in NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, is "both a disability and a gift." The contributions of Grandin and other public figures on the spectrum-including the actor and writer Dan Aykroyd and the climate activist Greta Thunberg-have promoted the notion that autism isn't something to be "cured" or eradicated, and that it is the result of natural variations in human genes.

ASD Nest was formed in the early days of this neurodiversity movement, and since the beginning, it has focused on helping students become more independent. One recent morning, a counselor brought a student back to Murray's kindergarten class from a speech-therapy session. He scores well on tests, but panics when faced with anything unexpected, such as a slightly different daily schedule or a stranger entering a classroom. His therapist has been working with him on detecting visual markers in the classroom so that he can make inferences about what's going on. Today, instead of having a meltdown upon returning to class in the middle of a lesson, he scans the room and quietly walks to his seat, pulling out his school supplies.

Every day, Nest students with autism also attend "social clubs," which are intended to help demystify unstated norms, such as whispering in libraries and not talking to strangers in bathroom stalls. In social clubs, students read fiction, look at photographs, watch movie clips, and play games, trying to glean what the characters in the films and books, as well as their peers in the group, are feeling and thinking based on their facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.

This all has been working well for the student who was practicing making inferences based on what he saw in the classroom. Last year, when he went to preschool each day, his mother had to fight with him to get him on the school bus. "This year has been such a change," she told me. "Every day, he is talking about teachers, his friends, what he is learning." He even teaches his family members about the appropriate voice levels in different settings and about notions of private space-information he learned in his social club this year. He has two friends he can name-a major milestone for him. It's one of many that ASD Nest has helped him and other students reach.
This article is part of our project "On Teaching," which is supported by grants from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Panta Rhea Foundation.

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What School Could Be If It Were Designed for Kids With Autism

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Tracy Murray's kindergarten classroom in New York City has a unique approach to supporting students on the spectrum. A charming, bright 5-year-old stands out in his classroom at Maurice Wollin elementary school, on Staten Island, as an extremely social, kind, and curious child.

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https://minds-in-bloom.com/20-three-minute-brain-breaks/

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Brain Breaks Can Be Quick!
Click here to read more posts like this!
Do you use Brain Breaks with your students? You should! This amazing guest post about from pediatric occupational therapist Loren Shlaes was so popular that I decided to follow it up with a list of Brain Breaks for kids! These are great to use anytime your students are feeling restless and are struggling to pay attention, and easy to slip into your lesson plan. Most of these will only take a few minutes, and then you can get back to the lesson with your students ready to focus on the lesson at hand. Check out all our Games!

20 Brain Breaks You Can Use Today!

5-4-3-2-1 In this simple game, students stand up and the teacher (or leader) has them do five different movements in descending order.

For example the teacher would say: "Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times, hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pausing in between each task for students to do it).

1. Trading Places Have students stand behind their pushed-in chairs. Call out a trait, and everyone who has that trait must change places with someone else (students who do not have the trait stay where they are). Examples: "Everyone with curly hair." "Everyone who ate cereal for breakfast." "Everyone who is wearing stripes."

2. Six Spots Number six spots around your room from 1-6. Have students each go to a spot of their choice. Choose a student to roll a die (if you can make a big one out of foam, it adds to the fun). All the students at the number rolled must go back to their seats. Students that are left go to a new spot, and the die is rolled again. Continue until only a few students are left. You can click here for a digital dice you can project! Here's another way to roll a brain break!

Have you tried Minds in Bloom Unlimited? Sign up for a free trial and choose 3 Brain Break Activities of your choice!

Be sure and check out our new blog post: Brain Breaks for the Online Classroom
TAG: Brain Breaks

1. Mingle, Mingle, Group! In this game students mill about the classroom saying, "mingle, mingle, mingle" in soft voices until the teacher says, "Groups of 5," at which point the students must quickly group themselves into groups with the correct number of people. Students who are left over must do three jumping jacks before the next round starts. The teacher can call out any number for the group size. You can also add rules such as: as soon as a group is complete, all members must sit down in a line.

2. Dance Party! Put on some rockin' music and dance! If you can make the room semi-dark and have a black light or other special effect, your kids will love it!

3. Freeze Dance! Similar to Dance Party, except that every so often the music stops, and students must freeze and hold the position they are in until the music begins again.

4. Name Moves Students stand behind their chairs. In turn, each student says his or her name accompanied by a special movement. For example a student might say, "Kayla!" while dramatically dropping to one knee and doing Jazz Hands. After the student does his or her move, the rest of the class says the student's name in unison and imitates the move. Then it is the next student's turn.

5. Keep It Up Students must keep a beach ball from hitting the ground. Add two or three balls to make it even more fun.

6. Simon Says An oldie but a goody!

7. Movement Songs Sing a song with whole-body movements, such as, "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes," "Father Abraham," "Toe-Knee Chest-Nut," "Shake Your Sillies Out (Raffie)," "Grand Old Duke of York," "My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean," etc.

8. Recorded Movement Songs Older students might enjoy a simple Zumba routine, YMCA, or the Macarena. Littler ones will love Sesame Street's A Very Simple Dance to Do.

9. Animal Pretend Younger children will enjoy pretending to be various animals (or even objects such as lawn mowers or airplanes). Call out a few in sequence.

10. Would You Rather Ask a "would you rather" question and have students show their choice by moving to one end of the room or the other. Have a few kids share why. Here are 20 free "Would You Rather" Questions to get you started.

11. Find It Fast Call out a color or other trait (e.g. something round, something made of wood), and students must find an object in the room that fits the trait and get to it quickly.

12. Physical Challenges Challenge students to do something physically difficult, such as standing on one foot with arms extended, or this one: Grab your nose with left hand, and grab your left earlobe with your right hand, and then quickly switch so that your right hand is on your nose and your left hand is grabbing your right earlobe. Yoga poses could also be a good variation.

13. Plates Give each student a paper plate. Students must walk around the room balancing the plates on their heads. If a student drops his or her plate, the student must freeze until another student picks it up and places it back on the student's head (while keeping his or her own plate in place, of course).

14. Line Up! Have students line up using a specific criteria, such as age (use day and month, not just year), height, alphabetically by middle name, hair length, etc.

15. Limbo All you need is a long stick and a pair of kids to hold it. Music is nice, too.

16. Human Knot Divide students into groups of about eight students. Have students each grab right hands with someone who is not directly next to them. Then do the same with left hands. The challenge is to untangle and become a circle without releasing hands.

17. Jump Skip Counting Have students count by twos, fives, tens etc. while jumping with each count. You could also practice spelling words this way.

RANDOM Brain Break Chooser!

Brain Breaks to the Rescue!

Whether you're teaching 5th grade or kindergarten, brain breaks belong in your daily routine and can significantly boost students' mental health, focus, and overall classroom experience.

These short, engaging activities are perfect for providing a much-needed mental break, especially during long periods of instruction. With a wide range of ideas (I mostly used 4th grade brain breaks!) available, it's easy to find activities that cater to different interests and energy levels.

As educators, it's essential to keep our classroom ideas fresh and engaging, and incorporating these brain breaks can be a game-changer for indoor recess or as a quick pick-me-up during the school day.

By making time for these rejuvenating exercises, you'll create a positive classroom environment that helps your students develop healthy habits for managing stress and maintaining focus.

So go ahead, give these brain breaks a try, and watch your students flourish both academically and socially!

What's your favorite Brain Break? Leave it in the comments!

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Brain Breaks - 20 awesome ways to energize your students FAST!

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Brain Breaks Can Be Quick! Click here to read more posts like this! Do you use Brain Breaks with your students? You should! This amazing guest post about why kids need to move from pediatric occupational therapist Loren Shlaes was so popular that I decided to follow it up with a list of Brain Breaks for kids!

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Welcome to the Global Montessori Network

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This video lesson is designed for 3-6 years old children. It introduces various activities to improve gross motor skills and boost creativity.

Motor skills help children to move and do their daily tasks, such as playing, feeding themselves, moving from place to place, etc. Therefore, it is essential for a child's overall development. There are two types of motor skills: and Gross. In this video lesson, we will learn about gross motor skills and the activities that help a child develop and refine gross motor skills.

In our previous , we learned about the meaning and importance of gross motor skills for a child's development. In this lesson, we will discuss movements and gross motor activities for 3-6-year-olds that are easy to set up at home.

What are Gross Motor Skills?

Gross motor skills involve whole-body movements. In order to maintain balance and coordination in the body, the muscles need to work in cooperation with the neurological system.

It uses the large muscles of the torso, legs, and arms in the body to allow for balance, coordination, reaction time, and physical strength so that we can walk, run, and jump.

With age, children's muscles become larger and stronger, enabling them to perform more complex physical movements like climbing playground equipment, riding bikes, swimming at the beach, etc.

Gross Motor Skill Activities for 3-6-Year-Old Children

Looking for activities to develop gross motor skills in your child's daily routine? This video helps the child develop their gross motor skills as they grow.

Learning movements in Montessori education is purpose-driven development-stage-appropriate, and natural. In Montessori education, movements are the basics and core to the development of a child's personality.

There are lots of fun and simple activities that you can set up at your home without spending a dime to help develop gross motor skills. These include:

1. Yoga - Make cards with stick figures showing basic yoga figures. if you have a sand timer clock to go along with this, great! Show them some basic yoga postures in the card and let them try these out whenever they are upset or just want to stretch.

2. Kick the cup - place some cups or glasses upside down on the floor and label them differently. E.g. colors, letters, shapes, etc. Have some chits of paper for your child to pick. These will have labels on them. Whichever label they pick, they have to kick the ball from a distance to knock them down.

3. For your young readers, have one-word exercise cues placed in a bowl with written words like hop, jump, run, walk backward, walk front, crawl, etc. Let them pick the chit and do the action. The smile that follows when they read it, might just surprise you.

4. Leave a trail of breadcrumbs for Hansel and Gretel! - Gather painted pebbles, toys, or marbles and make a long trail with them placed a couple of feet apart. The child has to pick the marble one by one and place them in the bucket that they carry along.

5. Basic bubble mix dish wash (sugar and glycerine if you have one) - Blow bubbles using a plastic funnel or a twisted wire and pop as many as you can! It is a fun activity for both parent and the child. Ensure to wipe off the residue with a cloth and space to keep the child safe.

6. Make an obstacle course with pillows, cushions, chairs, bedsheets, etc. Make some rules and enjoy the game at your very own bedroom Olympics.

Note: 3 P's of activities (Practice, Perfect, and Perform) help children learn and develop new skills.
Watch the video to learn more about the importance of movements for 3-6-year-old children as they work, play, and learn. Let the child practice and develop gross motor skills at their own pace.
Related video Resources

Video created by Aishwarya | I teach I learn

Primary | Movement | Gross Motor (English)

This video has been added and used with the author's permission. It is also available on the author's YouTube,

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Gross Motor Activities for Children | Practical life Lesson | GMN

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This video lesson is designed for 3-6 years old children. It introduces various activities to improve gross motor skills and boost creativity. Motor skills help children to move and do their daily tasks, such as playing, feeding themselves, moving from place to place, etc. Therefore, it is essential for a child's overall development.

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Self-care Routines and trouble with Motors Skills ( Sandra Molano)

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Self-care Routines and trouble with Motors Skills ( Sandra Molano)

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Trouble with motor planning can make it hard to do basic routines, like getting dressed or brushing teeth. (This can also be a problem for kids who struggle with executive function.) But there are ways to help.

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Kids who struggle with motor skills might have trouble with a skill called motor planning. This skill helps us remember the steps to do something and do them in order.

Trouble with motor planning can make it hard to do basic routines, like getting dressed or brushing teeth. (This can also be a problem for kids who struggle with executive function.) But there are ways to help.

Using a chart can help your child get better at everyday tasks. Watch the two-minute tutorial below for ideas. You can also download and print these picture charts for brushing teeth, washing hands, and getting dressed.

Tell us what interests you

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Keri Wilmot is an occupational therapist who works with children of varying ages and abilities in all areas of pediatrics.

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Self-Care Routines and Trouble With Motor Skills

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Kids who struggle with motor skills might have trouble with a skill called motor planning. This skill helps us remember the steps to do something and do them in order. Trouble with motor planning can make it hard to do basic routines, like getting dressed or brushing teeth.

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Task analysis (TA) is a practice often used in the classroom to teach multi-step skills or behaviors related to academics, communication and social skills. It can also be effective for teaching daily living skills. As the school year winds down, now is a good time to focus on them. Your students can end the school year having gained new skills that they can use throughout the summer in their homes.
Task analysis is used to break down complex skills into manageable, discrete steps. Students learn the individual steps in sequence in order to master the overall skill. Task analysis can be easy to use as it often requires few materials, can be inexpensive and can be used in a variety of settings. Most importantly, it supports students who have difficulty with executive functioning skills like sequencing, working memory and attention.

Start to think beyond academics and imagine the impact that task analysis can have in supporting your students' daily living skills. Sequence the steps for hygiene activities like handwashing, toothbrushing or toileting. Provide supports for steps involved in household chores like dusting, cleaning the bedroom, clearing the table or picking up toys. Teach complex tasks in the kitchen like making a sandwich, putting away groceries and setting the table.

Planning for Task Analysis

In planning to use task analysis, be sure to select a skill that is achievable for your student. If you plan to teach your student how to follow a recipe, they must have the motor skills to pour, scoop, stir, etc. It may be necessary to isolate individual steps to teach first before using task analysis to teach the entire skill. Additionally, look to your student's individualized education plan (IEP) for goals that require task analysis or goals that could more easily be taught by breaking the skill down into manageable steps.

Have a concrete goal in mind by clearly defining the expected behavior. Rather than simply saying that your student will wash their hands, it is helpful to explicitly state that your student will wash their hands with soap for 20 seconds and dry their hands when finished.

Before teaching the skill, ensure that each individual step is identified and put in the correct sequence. It can be helpful to perform the skill yourself, or observe another adult performing the skill, and record each individual step. For example, to develop a task analysis for washing dishes, start with the step of turning on the water. Complete and record each individual step, being careful not to leave out any detail.

As part of the planning process, take time to observe your student completing the target skill. This will give you a clear idea of what level and types of support to provide for each step of the task. It may also highlight any routines that your student has already developed around this activity as well as reveal areas of strength.

Once you have identified each step and observed your student engaging in the activity, think about how best to present the task analysis to your student. Line drawings or photographs like those in decision trees may be helpful to support some students. A written checklist might be appropriate for others. Even video modeling can be meaningful and appropriate for some students. Consider your student's level of learning to determine the best presentation.

Tips for Implementing Task Analysis

There are three methods for using task analysis: forward chaining, backward chaining and total task presentation. Select the one that best fits your learner's strengths and needs. When evaluating which method to use, consider your student's learning style and temperament. Backward chaining benefits students who respond to immediate success. Consider the learning environment and time available to teach. Total task presentation may require more time as you teach and reinforce each step of the skill. Think about past experiences with using task analysis. What method has been successful for your student? Also, look closely at the IEP goal related to the target skill. The method of task analysis to use may already be indicated in that goal.

Forward Chaining

Start by teaching and reinforcing the first step in the chain. Then support your student's completion of the remaining steps by starting with the least amount of prompting necessary to help your student complete the step successfully. Again, an initial observation of your student's skill can provide some insight into what level of support is appropriate. Once the first step is mastered (i.e., once your student can independently complete the first step), teach and reinforce the second step while continuing to support the steps that follow.

Backward Chaining

Start by teaching and reinforcing the last step in the chain as you provide a model and support for all steps prior to the last. As the last step is mastered, move backward in the sequence by teaching and reinforcing the second-to-last step. Backward chaining lets your student end every teaching session with success and positive reinforcement.

Total Task Presentation

Present all steps of the sequence at one time. Teach and reinforce each step of the process. This allows your student to learn a complete routine and understand the expectations of the full task from the start.

Task analysis is most effective when paired with a positive reinforcement. As your student performs an individual step or completes the total task (as described above), reinforce their behavior. Consider what reinforcers are motivating and meaningful to your student. This could be verbal praise, a high five or a small token. Keep it simple, and be sure that the selected reinforcer is effective for your student.

In addition to reinforcement, use task analysis in combination with other evidence-based practices. Various levels of prompting can support your student's learning. Video modeling and visual supports, such as social narratives and decision trees, may also be used to clarify expectations and increase understanding of the skill being taught.

Monitor Your Intervention

Monitoring your task analysis is just as important as thoughtful planning and implementation for two reasons. First, by taking data on your student's progress, you can objectively determine when your student has met the goal or whether there is a lack of progress. Be sure your progress monitoring indicates your student's required level of support for each step of the skill. Second, by analyzing the data you can identify whether changes need to be made to your instructional plan. If progress is not being made, think carefully not only about your student's abilities, but also about your approach to teaching this skill.

Consider the Skill Itself

Has it been clearly defined? Is it truly measurable? Without these characteristics, student progress is difficult to accurately monitor. Also revisit your student's skill level. Are the prerequisite skills truly present? Is the skill aligned with the IEP and achievable as it is written?

Look Closely at the Task Analysis

Is the skill completely task analyzed? Is there a step missing? Be sure that every step of the sequence is a discrete skill, and not a series of steps collapsed into one.

Review Implementation

If other team members are also teaching this skill, be sure that everyone is using the same chaining method for using task analysis. A thorough task analysis will support consistent implementation as well. Ensure that additional supports (video models, social narratives, visual supports, etc.) are being used in the same way each time.

Reconsider the Positive Reinforcement

If your student is showing a lack of progress, interest or engagement, it may be necessary to find a more effective way to reinforce the skill.

Task analysis can effectively be used to teach daily living skills by breaking down tasks into manageable parts. With thoughtful planning, consistent implementation and careful monitoring, you can support your student's growth in this area.

Learn how to capture your students' attention with video that helps you teach valuable social skills-no special equipment required!

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About the Author Becky Dees is an Educational Consultant who specializes in Autism Spectrum Disorder. She has worked as an autism clinician, an educational coach, and a special education trainer. She currently works with the autism group in research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Becky received her degree in psychology from UNC-Chapel Hill.

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Using Task Analysis to Teach Daily Living Skills | n2y Blog

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Task analysis (TA) is a practice often used in the classroom to teach multi-step skills or behaviors related to academics, communication and social skills. It can also be effective for teaching daily living skills. As the school year winds down, now is a good time to focus on them.

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https://youtu.be/I2oCE1tfl3c

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Dr Becky Bailey gives advice for helping a child work through a tantrum.

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Social and Emotional Learning, Equitable School Culture, and Discipline Resources. Conscious Discipline® is a comprehensive social and emotional and classroom management program that uses everyday life events to teach children and adults self-control, conflict resolution, character development and social skills. Conscious Discipline® has been specifically designed to make changes in the lives of adults first.

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PBIS World | A Complete Tier 1 Through Tier 3 Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports System

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PBIS World is in no way affiliated, associated, or connected with any other website, entity, organization, or federal, state, local, or other government agency, department, program, policy, organization, or initiative.

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A Child’s Perspective of a Traumatic Experience - Sesame Workshop

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This video was created to help us understand reactions to traumatic experiences at different ages, and to highlight the powerful role of caring adults.

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Social and Emotional Development ( sandra Molano)

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Social and Emotional Development ( sandra Molano)

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This article tells us about the importance of The social and emotional development that each child has refers to the ability to create and maintain meaningful relationships with adults and other children. This helps the child's first years of life to strengthen good mental health that helps development and healthy growth.

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Positive social and emotional development in the early years provides a critical foundation for lifelong development and learning. Social development refers to a child's ability to create and sustain meaningful relationships with adults and other children. Emotional development is a child's ability to express, recognize, and manage his or her emotions, as well as respond appropriately to others' emotions. Both social and emotional development are important for young children's mental health. In fact, early childhood mental health is the same as social and emotional development!

To read more about this domain, visit the Interactive Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. The Social and Emotional Development domains for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers include the following sub-domains:

Effective Teaching Practices

The effective teaching practices that follow are grouped in three categories: Interactions, Environment, and Individualization. Examples of ways to support goals for children are provided by sub-domain. It is likely, however, that these practices will also support goals for children in additional domains and sub-domains. This is the nature of teaching and learning in the early years.

Home Visitors

Teaching practices in home visiting are the ways that home visitors work with families to provide experiences that support their child's development and learning, engage in responsive interactions, and use the home as the learning environment. Home visitors:

Facilitate parent-child interactions

Engage parents in focusing on their child's development

Directly encourage parents to teach, talk, and interact with their child in responsive and warm ways

Use family activities, routines, and materials in the home for learning

Collaborate with parents to plan activities and experiences

Home visitors may consider using group care teaching practices in the "Know," "Do," and "Improve" sections during home visits and group socializations. They can engage with parents to identify, adapt, and use these practices or when appropriate, model the practices.

Sub-Domains

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Social and Emotional Development | ECLKC

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Positive social and emotional development in the early years provides a critical foundation for lifelong development and learning. Social development refers to a child's ability to create and sustain meaningful relationships with adults and other children. Emotional development is a child's ability to express, recognize, and manage his or her emotions, as well as respond appropriately to others' emotions.

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New teachers-and experienced ones too-can find ideas here on how to stop disruptive behavior before it begins.

In the 1950s, psychologists Jacob Kounin and Paul Gump discovered a curious side effect of discipline: If a student was being disruptive and the teacher responded with strict disciplinary measures, the student might stop-but other students would start exhibiting the same misbehavior. Kounin and Gump called this the " ripple effect," and it demonstrated that efforts to control a classroom can backfire.

"The teacher who is interested in controlling ripple effects can generally do so best by giving clear instructions to the child rather than by exerting pressure on him," Kounin and Gump wrote.

Decades later, classroom management is still a thorny issue for teachers. Nearly half of new teachers report that they feel "not at all prepared" or "only somewhat prepared" to handle disruptive students, in part because the average teacher training program devotes just eight hours to the topic, according to a 2014 report from the National Council on Teacher Quality. This lack of training comes with a cost, as teachers report losing 144 minutes of instructional time on average to behavioral disruptions every week, which comes out to roughly three weeks over the course of a year.

Recent research confirms what Kounin and Gump discovered decades ago. A 2016 study found that while negative attention-reprimands like "Stop chitchatting!"-may temporarily stop misbehavior, students eventually became more likely to engage in disruptive behavior. Students in the study felt disengaged, had difficulty concentrating, and weren't able to effectively regulate their thoughts and emotions-a vicious cycle that "actually amplifies students' inappropriate behavior," the study authors explain.

8 Proactive Classroom Management Strategies

Instead of handling disruptions after they've happened, it can be more effective to set up conditions in which they are less likely to occur. Here are eight classroom strategies that teachers have shared with Edutopia, all backed by research.

1. Greet students at the door: At Van Ness Elementary School in Washington, DC, Falon Turner starts the day by giving each of her students a high-five, handshake, or hug. "During that time, I'm just trying to connect with them.... It's kind of like a pulse check to see where they are," she says.

In a study published last year, greeting students at the door helped teachers set a positive tone for the rest of the day, boosting academic engagement by 20 percentage points while reducing disruptive behavior by 9 percentage points-adding roughly an hour of engagement over the course of the school day.

For older students, give plenty of warning if you need them to follow instructions. Reminders and cues are helpful ways to encourage students to follow instructions without being overtly controlling or forceful. For example, if you can anticipate a disruption-such as students getting out of their seats if they finish an assignment early-give a short reminder of what they should do instead.

Reminders are commonly verbal, but can also be visual (flicking the lights to signal that it's time to be quiet), auditory (ringing a small bell to let students know they should pay attention to the teacher), or physical (using a hand signal to let students know to get back in their seats).
Courtesy of Emily Polak
But that doesn't mean choice is always bad. Giving students a sense of ownership in the room, paired with clear expectations for behavior, can have surprisingly positive effects. A welcoming space can reduce anxiety and boost academic performance. Emily Polak, a ninth-grade teacher in Madison, Alabama, gave her room a cozier feel by adding a couch, a loveseat, rugs, a coffee table, and posters. Her students decide where to sit-but if they can't get their work done, they get moved back to a desk. "Discipline issues have significantly decreased. My students seem to feel more relaxed and more motivated in a setting that honors their choices," Polak says.

It's also helpful to avoid using the word don't, suggests Alyssa Nucaro, a sixth-grade English teacher in Memphis. Students are more likely to listen to instructions that include clear reasons.

6. Set clear expectations: Instead of just displaying rules for behavior, have a discussion with your students about why those rules matter. Bobby Shaddox, a seventh-grade social studies teacher in Portland, Maine, works with his students to create a list of norms-words such as inclusive, focused, and considerate -to build a sense of community. "It helps us own the behavior in the classroom," Shaddox says. "Instead of a top-down list of rules that a teacher gives a class, these are words that we generated together. These are words that we believe in."

A 2017 study found that a teacher's nonverbal cues-such as smiling and making eye contact-can "reduce physical and/or psychological distance" with their students, boosting students' positive feelings toward the teacher and the course material while improving behavior.

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New teachers-and experienced ones too-can find ideas here on how to stop disruptive behavior before it begins. In the 1950s, psychologists Jacob Kounin and Paul Gump discovered a curious side effect of discipline: If a student was being disruptive and the teacher responded with strict disciplinary measures, the student might stop-but other students would start exhibiting the same misbehavior.

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https://blog.brookespublishing.com/5-universal-practices-to-support-young-childrens-positive-behavior/#:~:text=5%20Universal%20Practices%20to%20Support%20Young%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Positive,THE%20HANDOUT%20...%207%20GET%20THE%20BOOK%20

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5 Universal Practices to Support Young Children’s Positive Behavior - Brookes Blog

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What are some universal classroom practices you can use to help avoid or resolve challenging behavior in your young learners? Excerpted and adapted from the book Prevent-Teach-Reinforce for Young Children by Glen Dunlap, Kelly Wilson, Phillip Strain, & Janice K. Lee, this post gives you 5 general gu…

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The resource I am including this week is the documentary entitled Including Samuel.

This documentary was introduced to our school during our spring retreat.  I really enjoyed the documentary of a little boy with cerebral palsy through the eyes of himself, his father, mother, brother and teachers.  The intimate thoughts from the parents and older brother are very insightful and truly hit home with what challenges, struggles and joys they find in their everyday lives.

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These five strategies can help ensure that students feel they belong in your classroom.

©Ikon Images/Trina Dalziel

About a year ago, I received a text in the middle of the teaching day from the mother of a student I had taught eight years earlier as a second grader. She thanked me for always being there for her son, who had come out as gay to their family the night before. She shared that her son-now a senior in high school-mentioned me in their conversation and said I had taught him that all people have equal value in the world, a lesson that helped him face the truth of who he was.

Early elementary teachers rarely see the seeds we try to plant in our young students come to fruition, but we always hope they will grow into the people we imagine they can be. For the last 16 years, I've taught in an inclusion classroom where many students have learning differences that can pose a challenge to connecting with others. I've learned that if students feel anxious socially, they will not be open to taking academic risks, so building a culture of belonging has become my greatest priority. It is important to clarify that when I say "belonging," I am not talking about "fitting in"-students' individuality and uniqueness should always be valued. Belonging in the classroom means ensuring that all students feel welcomed, comfortable, and part of the school family.

Here are five simple ways I've found with which I can convince every student that he or she was meant to be in my classroom:

1. Shine a light on each student. Students often look to their teacher for a cue on how to handle social situations. In learning, we simply call this modeling. When working with students who have learning differences, I've learned it's important to model that every child has something special about him or her that we can celebrate. I had a student who ate alone every day the year before she joined my class. Her behaviors set her apart, and other students naturally started avoiding her. When she became my student, my co-teacher, my aide, and I made an intentional effort to laugh with her and praise her around her classmates. Soon, my students began to see her in a different light, and she never ate alone again. Help your students see each other through your eyes, so they can see each other's greatness.

2. Foster student identity building. Five times per year, I allow my students to do genius hour or passion projects of their choosing. I require only a two-paragraph written or typed piece to ground the work in English language arts. For students, these projects become very personal and a way to share more about who they are with their classmates, while boosting their public speaking skills. I've had students present about their rare medical conditions that they were previously afraid to talk about. Other students have explored their family heritage or activities they participate in, like karate or dance. In every case, students are empowered by their interests and passions, and they regularly say they enjoyed the learning that took place-about themselves and each other.

3. Always leave one desk empty. Every year, I have had at least one new student join us halfway through the school year. Chances are, for any 8-year-old going through a midyear move, it is one of the most difficult times they will ever endure. Seeing an empty desk when they arrive signals that our class has been waiting for them all year-and reminds other students throughout the year that our class could grow and change at any time. I also have my students make and hand out cards for the new student to welcome him or her upon arrival. Teachers have the power to send the message that they've been inconvenienced or the message that they're excited and happy for a new student to join the class.

4. Make sure that each child feels chosen. Several times a year, I ask my students to anonymously write down the names of three students they want to sit with or work with-ranked in order of preference. I go over the results to see who is being selected and who is not. With that knowledge, I seek out students who aren't chosen and create opportunities for them to build relationships with their peers. I may call on one of them and say, "Choose anyone you want to walk this to the office," for example, to help improve their social equity in the eyes of their peers. Other times, I will assign these students specific partners who will help them by modeling good social behaviors.

5. Weave social and emotional practices throughout the day. Toward the end of a school year, I start allowing students to choose their partners for activities, but I change up the traditional classroom social dynamics by letting the students who are typically not chosen to be the choosers. Knowing how this could easily backfire, I remind students of the proper and improper ways to react if the person who chooses them wasn't who they had in mind by stating, "When someone chooses you, they are giving you a gift-the gift is saying, out of all the people in the class, I choose you." This simple exercise takes only about three minutes, but it builds an important social and emotional foundation that teaches students to appreciate each other.

We can never take for granted the importance of our students feeling they belong. In a world that does not yet fully welcome everyone, schools can reinforce existing divisions or provide students a safe community that feels like a second home. That former second-grade student of mine went on to attend the prom with his boyfriend in our very conservative town and initiated a town-wide pride campaign. I have never felt more proud of my impact as a teacher. As educators, we really can help change the world, one child at a time.

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Every Student Matters: Cultivating Belonging in the Classroom

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These five strategies can make a big difference in ensuring that students feel they belong in your classroom.

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Students with Disabilities: Special Education Categories

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The Sensory Room: Helping Students With Autism Focus and Learn

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Accommodating children with diverse needs in the dramatic play area.

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Accommodating children with diverse needs in the dramatic play area.

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Advice for making accommodations to help children with diverse needs navigate the dramatic play area.

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Dramatic play activities touch on multiple areas of development, including social skills, emotional understanding, motor skills, language development and cognitive skills. A dramatic play area should accommodate all kids who use it, including those with special needs. Adaptations are often simple and inexpensive, depending on the specific needs of the kids. The changes allow for easier access and use of the props. The modifications allow all children to engage in and benefit from dramatic play activities.

Assess the specific special needs within the group to identify the type of modifications that are needed. Look at both physical and cognitive delays that could affect how a child uses the dramatic play area. For example, a child with a visual impairment may have difficulty locating the different props in the area.

Arrange a large enough space that allows all kids to play. This is particularly important if a child has a wheelchair or a walker that makes it difficult to navigate. A wide entrance and plenty of empty space allow the child to play without bumping into objects.

Collect a variety of props and dramatic play toys to accommodate different ability levels. For example, choose objects with large grips so a child with limited hand movement can hold them. Choose dress-up clothes that are easy to pull on if a child cannot fasten buttons.

Organize the pretend play area so that every item has a specific spot. This creates predictability for kids with special needs so they can find the props or costumes they want. Make large labels with both words and pictures that are easy to see.

Store dramatic play props in containers that are easy for everyone who uses the space to open. A container with a screw-on lid may keep small props secure, but a child with low muscle tone or poor coordination won't be able to open the container on her own.

Add pictures to offer ideas of how to use the dramatic play center 2. Kids who cannot hear or understand verbal instructions use the photos to figure out how to play.

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Dramatic play activities touch on multiple areas of development, including social skills, emotional understanding, motor skills, language development and cognitive skills. A dramatic play area should accommodate all kids who use it, including those with special needs. Adaptations are often simple and inexpensive, depending on the specific needs of the kids.

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10 Strategies to Build on Student Collaboration in the Classroom

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10 Strategies to Build on Student Collaboration in the Classroom

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The Graduate School of Education and Human Development

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Collaborative learning - the practice of breaking students into small groups to answer questions, work on projects and learn from one another - has become one of the strongest core philosophies operating in classrooms today.

The concept is not new; much of the early research on collaborative learning (also called cooperative learning) was done in the 1980s and 1990s when most classrooms favored the traditional teacher lectures and individual student work. But with the growth of technology and the increasing value society places on the ability to work in teams, collaborative learning has become more common. Here are 10 strategies for encouraging the success of collaborative learning:

1. Deliberately select which students will work together

Left to their own devices, students will sort themselves into groups of friends who share common bonds. However, when a teacher creates the groupings, he or she can match students by strengths and weaknesses, deliberately mixing ability, diversity and social capability.

2. Size the groups for maximum effectiveness

If a group is too small, ideas and discussion may not be diverse or energetic enough; if too large, some students won't get involved. Optimum group size tends to be four to five.

3. Teach your students how to listen to one another

Among young learners, active listening isn't a natural skill. Taking time to discuss and practice listening skills with your students - teaching them to make eye contact, avoid interruption and repeat important points - has both short and long term benefits.

4. Set the rules of language and collaboration

There will always be one or two students in each group who will be more likely to take the lead - or take over. Take the time to teach students how to clarify issues, how to paraphrase, how to disagree constructively and how to build on what others have contributed.

5. Make goals and expectations clear

Specific goals and expectations are important. If students are not clear on the goals they are expected to meet, group work has the potential to trail off into socialization or apathy.

6. Assign roles to the members of each group

With roles delineated, students are able to better understand what is expected of them. With roles like leader (directs the group's actions for the day), recorder (takes notes and does all writing), encourager (enables discussion and gives positive feedback) and checker (checks the work and hands it in), its clear how each student needs to fulfill his or her responsibilities.

7. Use real-world problems, not imaginary ones

With practical, real-world assignments, students find information through research and forming real opinions. If you find a scenario that they feel involved in - an environmental issue, a recent Supreme Court case, a complicated social issue - they will take more ownership of the project. Even better, select a problem from the students' own community and challenge them to solve it.

8. Consider giving each group a different task

Delegating tasks gives each group a sense of importance and emphasizes the fact that large problems are solved by people working together. By solving different pieces of an issue, your student groups will have a more personalized learning experience and will better refrain from ill-spirited competition or "borrowing" each other's work.

9. Play a game to get students warmed up

This is particularly helpful for younger students, who may not be sure of their roles in the group or the classroom. Cooperative games require children to use the same skills that they do in collaborative schoolwork, and they can see results quickly. For example, Teach Hub offers cooperative classroom games that are appropriate for grades 1-3, grades 4-6 and grades 7-8.

10. Evaluate each group on its own merit

If you judge groups in relation to each other, students will feel like their success or failure is not entirely in their own hands. Try a system where you can give grades per how well each group met its goals, and/or how each student performed the duties of their assigned role. You can also reward by category, as in best discussions, best research or most original solution.

The Changing Trends of Education

Collaborative learning is just one of the countless ways in which education is changing today. To learn more about how you can develop your leadership potential and enhance your career with a Master's in Educational Leadership and Administration, Education Specialist (EdS) and Post-Master's Certificate from the George Washington University, request information or call 202-994-9283.

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10 Strategies to Build on Student Collaboration in the Classroom | The Graduate School of Education and Human Development | The George Washington University

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Collaborative learning, breaking students into groups to work on projects and learn from one another, has become ! of the core philosophies in classrooms today.

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By adapting learning for all children, so that they have equal access to learning.

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[ en Español]

Children and adults with severe speech or language problems may need to find other ways to communicate besides talking. There are many types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) they can use. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help.

On this page:

About AAC

AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. Augmentative means to add to someone's speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Some people use AAC throughout their life. Others may use AAC only for a short time, like when they have surgery and can't talk.

There are a lot of different types of AAC. No-tech and low-tech options include things like

gestures and facial expressions,

writing,

drawing,

spelling words by pointing to letters, and

pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.

High-tech options include things like

using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and

using a computer with a "voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

A person may use different types of AAC because there are many ways that we all communicate. An AAC system means all of the tools of this type that a person uses.

Working With A Speech-Language Pathologist

An SLP can help find the right AAC system for you or your loved one. They also help you and the people you talk with learn how to use AAC to communicate. Not every tool works for every person, so it is important to find the right one for you. SLPs work with other professionals like occupational therapists and physical therapists if you have different physical skills that affect how you access your AAC system. Some AAC tools are covered by insurance, but some are not. Your SLP can help you understand your options.

Common Concerns

You may have questions or concerns about using AAC. Professionals have been studying AAC for years, so we've learned a lot about how AAC helps people communicate. Here are some of the areas that research has helped us understand.
Age, Skills, and Timing
Some people wonder if children need to be a certain age before they can use AAC. Research shows that AAC helps people of all ages (even those younger than 3 years old)! You can use AAC early. There are no thinking skills, test scores, or other milestones that you need to reach before AAC can help.
Talking and Motivation
A lot of people wonder if using AAC will stop someone from talking or will slow down language development. This is not true-research shows that AAC can actually help with these concerns! People who use AAC can also learn how to read and write.
Movement
You might wonder how someone can use AAC if they have trouble moving their arms and hands. There are many ways to use an AAC system besides touching it. Your SLP may work with occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) to find the best way for each person to use their AAC system.

You probably have other questions. The best person to talk to about AAC is an SLP. A good place to find an SLP who specializes in AAC is ASHA's Profind.

Other Resources

This list does not include every website on this topic. ASHA does not endorse the information on these sites.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Children and adults with severe speech or language problems may need to find other ways to communicate. There are many types of AAC that they can use. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help.

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The UDL Implementation Rubric was authored by Melissa Toland, and you can read more about it here. This is an adapted version of The UDL Progression Rubric by Dr. Katie Novak and Dr. Kristian Rodriguez. In the original version, teachers can self-evaluate their performance on each individual checkpoint of the UDL guidelines, whereas the adapted version is less specific in scope and focuses on performance in more general terms in the following areas: multiple means of engagement, multiple means of representation, and multiple means of action and expression. You can view this rubric to see where you may be in your UDL journey across a spectrum ranging from UDL explorer to UDL idol. Click the link below to download the pdf version of this document.

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CAST UDL Guidelines The two files below outline the UDL guidelines by multiple means of representation, multiple means of action & expression, and multiple means of engagement. Knowing the UDL...

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Top Tips to Help You Get Started

All children have unique learning needs, but children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD require a little extra guidance and support. Whether you're a parent or teacher, it's essential to understand what a child with autism needs and how you can help them learn better.

FREE Download: 8 Language Builder Emotions Cards
These 10 tips will help you get started:
1. Create a Structured Environment - Children with autism feel more comfortable when they have a routine with clear structures, and minimal deviations from their predicted schedule. Make sure the learning environment and lesson plans are structured in a manner that tells students as well as educators what is to be done, for how long or how much, when it needs to be done, when it is completed, and what comes next.
2. Make Communication Easier - Many communication techniques are used by educators who teach children with ASD. For instance, some learning centers use sign language for autistic children with low speech skills. Facilitated communication is another technique that may help them learn better, where you hold the child's hand or arm and encourage them to press the appropriate key on portable communication devices.

3. Use Visual Aids - Visuals are an important aspect of teaching young children, particularly for children with autism. Line drawings, photographs or Language Builder Picture Cards, "if/then" cards and stickers can be incorporated within various daily activities, while picture schedules and mini-schedules provide structure. Other tools such as online tutorials and videos deliver information in a visual manner that a child with ASD may find easier to absorb.

4. Encourage Social Interactions - You need to help children with ASD develop the knowledge and skills required for social interaction, both at home and in school. A child with autism may not seem interested in interacting with peers, parents and teachers, but it's important to keep teaching them social skills. Classrooms provide the perfect setting, and childhood educators should build an environment that encourages children to practice communication skills. Try using the Stages Learning Emotion Cards to help children identify and learn to interpret facial expressions.

5. Make Activities Structured Too - Providing structure within various activities can be effective at helping children with ASD learn better. Use visuals to provide the child with information for each task or activity, in the same manner as lesson plans and daily schedules. For instance, a timer can tell them how long each activity will take. Include opportunities for peer interaction as well, to help children improve their social skills.

6. Use Direct Language - Young students with ASD may not understand abstract concepts or figurative language, and they tend to take most things literally. Non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and gestures, may not make sense to them at all. If you're used to teaching children who don't have autism, it can take some time to get used to the right wording for what you want to say. Practice being as direct as possible.

7. Give Them Extra Time - Even when you use direct language, a child with ASD may not be able to respond or react right away. Give them extra time to absorb what you've said, and process it at their pace. Patience is a key when you're teaching autism children. If you try to hurry the child or rephrase your instructions, statements or questions, you will only slow them down further as they start reprocessing.

8. Be Aware of Sensory Issues - Children with autism are either over-sensitive or under-sensitive to sensory stimuli the rest of us don't even notice. For instance, they may be bothered by perfumes and other smells, certain lighting, or even the buzzing of electrical appliances and echoes from other areas. This leads to extreme reactions and from learning, so remain aware of potential triggers and avoid them as far as possible. Provide children with sensory tools to help them reduce stress and process information being communicated to them.

9. Eliminate Potential Stress - Children with autism don't react well to changes and disruptions to their routine, so use transition warnings, visual schedules and clear instructions to help set them feel at ease. Remember, positive reinforcement is far more effective than threats or punishments, which are likely to cause anxiety and behavioral issues. Focus on building a positive learning environment where they feel safe and comfortable.

10. Keep Instructions Simple - Complicated strings of directions can be difficult for any student to follow, but particularly so for children with ASD. Many struggle with processing oral language, so you break down instructions step-wise, and avoid giving them more than one or two at a time. Make sure you're using short sentences and simple but clear language, allowing the child enough time to process each step and respond.

Consult a doctor or therapist if you need guidance, research new techniques for teaching children with autism, and try a few different methods to gauge how effective they are for each child. Most importantly, don't lose patience. With a little practice and effort, you'll find what works best for them!

Additional Resources:

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10 Tips for Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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All children have unique learning needs, but children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD require a little extra guidance and support. Whether you're a parent or teacher, it's essential to understand what a child with autism needs and how you can help them learn better.

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12 Benefits of Sensory Play with Ideas | Petit Journey

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The benefits of sensory play for babies and toddlers include cognitive development, knowledge building and inclusiveness. It also enhances problem solving, exploration, creativity, memory, fine and gross motor skills to name a few. Our list also includes sensory play activities and ideas.

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This is an example of use of the Creative Curriculum when designing a developmentally appropriate learning environment for children of differing abilities.

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In Action A Day Using CC in the Preschool Classroom

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The video I wanted to share shows quick but very informative ways to use adaptive technology for writing in a preschool setting. I wanted to share this video because it shows the different tools that can be used to assist students in their pre-writing skills. This is a great way to see the various tools in action and consider the use of technology in the classroom.

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AT for Writing Low-Tech and High-Tech Adaptations

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Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

An individualized education program (IEP) serves as a blueprint for special education services. Its creation should be a collaborative process, serving the student as a living document, its implementation requiring a constant and collaborative conversation between all stakeholders. The input and involvement of the student's family prior to the annual IEP meeting is critical to this process.

Laying the Groundwork

It is important to create an open and ongoing line of communication with families (such as parents and primary caregivers) early in the school year so they can ask questions, provide information about the child, take part in classroom activities, share stories both of success and challenges at home, and discuss thoughts on the IEP's progress. This data will be invaluable to a teacher as a tool for guiding instructional and programmatic decisions.

Daily journals, reciprocated notes in students' agendas, phone calls (about both the positives and the concerns), establishing a reliable email chain, invitations to participate in classroom activities, and the use of teacher-created classroom websites are all examples of effective communication.

Establishing a written communication system, such as notes in a student agenda book and those just discussed, keeps parents and caregivers informed of the child's progress while providing them the opportunity to express concerns or compliments. Implementing the IEP, conducting IEP-related pre-meetings, and writing the IEP will be easier for the team who have been working together with the parents throughout the school year.

Teachers can also use phone conferencing with parents to increase participation. First, teachers must establish clear rules and expectations. Parents should know that because of their teaching loads, school activities, busy prep periods, teacher duties, or school meetings, teachers cannot respond to all calls immediately. Simultaneously, teachers must recognize the importance of promptly returning phone calls. This strategy will help to build trust.

Inviting families to take part in classroom activities is another good way to build rapport. Opportunities to serve as volunteers for classroom parties, guest readers, activity chaperones, or classroom aides allow families to become active participants in the educational process.

Teachers can create a variety of ways for students' families to gain access technologically. With the click of a computer mouse, they can access classroom events, activities, assignments, and homework expectations. Teacher websites are extremely useful because they allow teachers to communicate with all families at once rather than individually with each parent.

The exchange of student artifacts between parents and teachers is an efficient way to communicate student progress while also guiding and justifying the IEP team's placement and programmatic decisions. This could include sending home photocopies of student work so that parents can keep track of their child's progress. Using shared folders (such as those found on Google Drive) allows stakeholders to share work, notes, and other information that can improve the educational experience of the student.

Preparing for the Annual IEP Meeting

Stakeholders can meet in pre-meetings as a prelude to prepare for the annual meeting. Online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangout allow for document sharing. Team members can easily display student work or data gathered to show why specific decisions will be discussed at an upcoming IEP meeting. The artifact-sharing practice will be more effective than simply sending progress reports as outlined in the IEP's Measurable Annual Goals section because it will be ongoing rather than sporadic.

Before the annual IEP meeting, the teacher should provide the parents with a draft IEP and give them ample time to read and review it. A pre-conference meeting can help by providing parents time to go over the draft IEP, answer questions, and clarify anything that needs to be clarified.

Helping Parents Write Their Portion of an IEP

It's common practice to send a form home for parents to complete that summarizes their perspectives on the effectiveness of their child's educational program. While this practice satisfies the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated parental involvement requirement, it frequently yields minimal insights and does little to instill a sense of empowerment in the parent.

Instead, a teacher can assist families in writing their portion. Together, they can collaborate to write this section of the IEP, ensuring that any concerns and suggestions are summarized. The parents can then clearly communicate their input to the team during the IEP team meeting.

Conducting the Annual IEP Meeting

Teachers can do things during the annual meeting to increase involvement and participation in the IEP meeting. The IEP meeting seating arrangement can help to set the tone for collaboration. Parents, students, and advocates frequently sit on one side of the conference table while school district professionals sit on the other. This creates an us-versus-them atmosphere. Simply by arranging the seating so that the two entities are not seated across from each other, the intimidating nature of the conference room setting can be reduced.

The special education teacher should actively seek stakeholders' input and make certain that everyone is on the same page throughout the meeting. A collaborative IEP meeting should never consist of the teacher simply reading the document to the team and asking for signatures. Stakeholders should view it as a conversation rather than a presentation. At the end of the meeting, the team should spend some time summarizing the child's IEP plan, focusing on goals, services, and specially designed instructional strategies.

Simply thanking parents for their input and participation, followed by a promise of continued collaboration throughout the IEP's life span, will empower them even more. Familial stakeholders must believe that the IEP meeting is not a onetime event and that the IEP is a living document in which they play an important role.

Finally, following the meeting, the teacher should contact the family for a follow-up. Many IEP team meetings are packed with data, information, and planning. Allowing the parents a week to review the meeting and the IEP document allows them to process everything. A follow-up call, email, or meeting will emphasize the open, ongoing nature of communication, allow them to ask additional questions that may not have been raised during the meeting, and restate the meeting outcomes.

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Maximizing Parental Involvement in Developing the IEP

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Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

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◀ Back to Criteria

Criterion 13

Minimal Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The curriculum provides minimal guidance on how to embed teaching practices and other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities or other special needs. The Teacher's Handbook provides examples of modifications that teachers working with children with disabilities have made (e.g., using picture cues, partnering children with more competent peers, providing visuals for vocabulary). However, the curriculum lacks guidance on how to embed specific research-based practices or other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities or other special needs.

Learning Environment: C4L provides minimal guidance on how to ensure learning materials and the physical environment are accessible to children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. The Teacher's and Director's Handbooks include a few specific adaptations for materials (e.g., adding materials when children with sensory issues have a difficult time with planned materials, providing a second copy of books for children to follow along during read-alouds). Universal design principles are not explicitly addressed, and the curriculum lacks consistent, embedded guidance on how to ensure that the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to all children.

Minimal Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The Handbook provides general strategies for using the curriculum with children who have disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs (e.g., using visuals, differentiating instruction). However, the curriculum lacks guidance on how to embed specific research-based teacher practices or other interventions in daily routines and activities.

Learning Environment: The curriculum provides general guidance on how to ensure learning materials and the physical space are accessible for children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs.The Handbook includes a few specific adaptations (e.g., adjusting the physical environment to accommodate wheelchair access, using visuals to help children with autism follow directions). However, universal design principles are not discussed. The Handbook does not provide consistent, embedded guidance on how to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to all children.

Full Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: Volumes 1-6 provide strategies and examples of how to ensure daily routines and activities are inclusive of children with disabilities or other special needs (e.g., using visual and tactile cues, providing picture sequences). The Teaching Guides and Intentional Teaching Cards provide specific suggestions for how to include children with disabilities or other special needs in learning experiences (e.g., providing something to hold during large group activities to focus a child's attention, suggesting alternative materials for all children to participate in an activity).

Learning Environment: The curriculum provides specific guidance that is embedded throughout many of the curriculum materials to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities or other special needs. The Volumes offer many examples of universal design principles and modifications to the physical environment. The activities in the Teaching Guides and Intentional Teaching Cards provide specific suggestions for how teachers may need to add or modify learning materials to meet individual children's needs.

Minimal Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The curriculum provides minimal guidance on how to embed intentional teaching practices and other interventions to support the development and learning of children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. The "Supporting Children with Special Needs" section of the Teacher's Manual suggests setting up a buddy system, using peer tutoring, and reducing the amount of material that is covered each day. However, the curriculum includes no further guidance in this area.

Learning Environment: The curriculum provides limited guidance on how to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities and other special needs. The Teacher's Manual suggests that, depending on a child's disability, a teacher might employ assistive technology such as computer screens to enlarge text. The curriculum encourages teachers to use concrete materials with children with special needs. Even so, the curriculum lacks overall guidance on how to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to all children (e.g., universal design principles), and the curriculum could include specific examples of how to adapt learning materials embedded throughout the instructional components.

Minimal Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The Curriculum Guidebook provides general guidance for working with children with special needs (e.g., be inclusive, work with the child's family) and suggestions for the types of adaptations that can be made to support children with specific disabilities or special needs, such as motor delays and visual and hearing impairments. For example, the curriculum suggests that children with hearing impairments be seated close to the teacher during instructional activities. One limitation is the curriculum lacks specific guidance on how to embed intentional teaching practices and other interventions in the daily routines and activities to support the development and learning of children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs.

Learning Environment: The curriculum notes it is important to reflect on whether the physical environment is accessible to children with disabilities. However, it provides limited guidance on how to make the environment accessible. For example, the Curriculum Guidebook offers some strategies to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with specific disabilities (e.g., providing tactile materials, using thumbs up or down in place of "yes" or "no"). However, the curriculum lacks overall guidance on how to ensure the physical environment is accessible to all children (e.g., universal design principles) and specific examples of how to adapt learning materials embedded throughout the curriculum activities and interest centers.

Moderate Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: World of Wonders provides embedded guidance throughout the curriculum materials to support the development of children with disabilities, suspected delays, and other special needs. The "Adaptations for Children with Special Needs" text boxes provide support for children with varying special needs (e.g., language delays, physical, vision impairments, the autism spectrum). However, the same specific strategies are repeated across the units for everyday classroom experiences (e.g., circle time, learning song movements). Adaptations are not tailored to specific activities within the different domains, but provide general guidance (e.g., quiet praise for appropriate behavior, modeling turn-taking).

Learning Environment: The curriculum provides guidance to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities, suspected delays, and other special needs. The Welcome to Wonders of the World guide discusses the importance of facilitating learning opportunities to ensure children with disabilities can access the learning experiences. In addition, the "Adaptations for Children with Special Needs" text boxes provide examples of modifications for learning materials to meet individual needs (e.g., visual reminders, Velcro to stabilize puzzle pieces). Similar to the teaching practices, suggestions for adaptations to the learning environment are general and not specific to the learning experiences presented throughout the curriculum.

Moderate Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The curriculum provides guidance on how to embed teaching practices and other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities or other special needs. Each unit includes several "Make It Easier!" prompts that provide guidance on how to differentiate instruction and scaffold learning for children who have special needs. In addition to general classroom suggestions (e.g., provide extra scaffolding, adjust motor activities, and utilize visual supports), Adaptations for Children with Special Needs also provides strategies throughout the daily routine to support children with specific disabilities or needs. This includes suggestions for adapting circle times, center time, and other parts of the day for children with cognitive delays, language delays, and children on the autism spectrum, as well as for children who have motor delays and sensory needs.

Moderate Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The Guiding Documents provide general guidance for children with disabilities or other special needs (e.g., using physical gestures, providing sentence frames). In the units, the curriculum offers some teaching strategies, such as modeling and using small groups to support children's learning. The curriculum lacks systematic guidance on how to embed intentional teaching practices and other interventions in the daily routines and activities to support the development and learning of children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs.

Full Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: The curriculum provides guidance on how to embed teaching practices and other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. Each Teacher Guide offers "Differentiation" and "Differentiation: Inclusion" callout boxes that describe ways to individualize instruction and scaffold learning for children who have special needs. Some examples include guidance such as, if a child has difficulty holding or manipulating a marker or pencil, offer hand-over-hand assistance, or if children are language-delayed, ask simple, specific questions to help them tell about themselves.

Learning Environment: InvestiGator PreK 2018 provides specific guidance that is embedded throughout many of the curriculum materials to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. The Research and Professional Guide gives a few examples of modifications to the physical environment, while the "Differentiation" and "Differentiation: Inclusion" callout boxes in the Teaching Guides include specific suggestions for how teachers may need to add or modify learning materials to meet individual children's needs.

Moderate Evidence

Teaching Practices and Interventions: Some of the materials in the Just for Threes 2018 curriculum (also included as part of the InvestiGator PreK curriculum) provide guidance on how to embed teaching practices and other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. The Let's Investigate Teacher Guide includes "Differentiation" and "Differentiation: Inclusion" callout boxes that describe ways to individualize instruction and scaffold learning for children who have special needs. For example, it suggests that if a child has difficulty holding or manipulating a marker or pencil, offer hand-over-hand assistance; or if children are language-delayed, ask simple, specific questions to help them tell about themselves. In addition, the Outdoor Creative Play and Learning Cards offer inclusion prompts for each activity. However, lessons in the Just for Threes 2018 Teacher Guide (e.g., Marvelous Me! unit, Extension Activities) do not provide teaching practices and other interventions to support children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other disabilities.

Learning Environment: Just for Threes 2018 provides specific guidance in some of the curriculum materials to ensure the physical environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs. The Research and Professional Guide gives a few examples of modifications to the physical environment. The "Differentiation" and "Differentiation: Inclusion" callout boxes in the Let's Investigate Teacher Guide include specific suggestions for how teachers may need to add or modify learning materials to meet individual children's needs. However, the activities within the Just for Threes 2018 Teacher Guide and Social and Emotional Development Kit lack guidance to ensure that the physical learning environment and learning materials are accessible to children with disabilities, suspected delays, or other special needs.

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Individualization for Children with Disabilities, Suspected Delays, or Other Special Needs | ECLKC

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◀ Back to Criteria Criterion 13 Minimal Evidence Teaching Practices and Interventions: The curriculum provides minimal guidance on how to embed teaching practices and other interventions in daily routines and activities to support the learning of children with disabilities or other special needs.

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https://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber

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6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use With Your Students

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Support every student by breaking learning up into chunks and providing a concrete structure for each.

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Disproportionate Identification of Students of Color in Special Education

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Disproportionate Identification of Students of Color in Special Education

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Children of color, especially boys, may be either overidentified or underidentified disproportionately.  It further discusses that black children may be identified as being delayed instead of correctly identified with dyslexia or ADHD.

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Disproportionate Identification of Students of Color in Special Education – Learning Disabilities Association of America

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In Dec. 2016, the United States Department of Education (USDOE) finalized guidance and regulations to address racial and ethnic disparities in special education eligibility, placement, and school discipline and the commonly accepted fact that “…children of color with disabilities are overrepresented within the special education population” (King, 2016).

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https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/iep.html

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What's an IEP?

Students who need extra help and support in school may be eligible for special education services in the form of anindividualized education program (IEP). This program is offered free of charge to families of kids in public schools and outlines the goals and any support services that may be needed for a child to succeed in school.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that parents and guardians of students with disabilities or special health care needs are important members of their child's education team. They should work with educators to develop a plan that helps kids succeed in school.

Understanding how to get and use these services will help your child be as successful as possible in school.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services need an IEP. While there are many reasons that students could be eligible, some common conditions include:

How Are Services Offered?

In most cases, the services and goals outlined in an IEP can be offered in a general school environment. This can be done in the regular classroom (for example, a reading teacher helps a small group of children who need extra help while the other kids in the class work with the regular teacher.) The small group serves students with similar needs who are brought together for help.

Every effort is made to help kids learn alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. But sometimes the level of support needed can't be met in a general classroom, so students are educated in a specialized learning classroom that is more appropriate for their needs. These classes have fewer students per teacher and allow for more one-on-one instruction. The teacher usually has training in helping kids with special educational needs. Students spend most of their day in a small group classroom and join the regular classes whenever possible - for example lunch, gym, or the arts.

What's the Referral and Evaluation Process?

The referral process begins when a teacher, parent, or doctor is concerned that a child may be having trouble in the classroom, and the teacher notifies the school counselor or psychologist.

The first step is to gather specific information about the student's progress or academic problems. This may be done through:

a conference with parents

a conference with the student

watching the student in class to assess performance (attention, behavior, work completion, tests, classwork, homework, etc.)

This information helps school officials decide the best next step. Sometimes new classroom strategies are all that's needed to help a child become more successful. If this doesn't work, the child will get an educational assessment, which can find a specific learning disability or other health impairment.

Note: The presence of a disability doesn't automatically guarantee a child will get services. To be eligible, the disability must affect how the child does at school. To decide on a child's eligibility, a team of professionals will consider their observations, as well as how the child does on standardized tests and daily work such as tests, quizzes, classwork, and homework.

Who's On the Team?

As a guardian, you can decide whether to have your child assessed. If you choose to do so, you'll be asked to sign a permission form that will detail who is involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests might include measures of specific school skills, such as reading and math or developmental skills, like speech and language.

The professionals on the evaluation team can include:

When the team finishes the assessment, a comprehensive evaluation report is developed. This report includes an educational classification and outlines the skills and support the child will need.

You can review this report before an IEP is developed. If there is something that you don't agree with, work together with the team to come up with a plan that best meets your child's needs.

How Is an IEP Developed?

The next step is an IEP meeting with you and the team to decide what will go into the IEP. A regular teacher should also attend this meeting to offer suggestions for how the plan can help your child progress through the standard education curriculum.

At the meeting, the team will discuss your child's educational needs - as described in the evaluation report - and develop specific, measurable short-term and yearly goals for each of those needs. You can take an active role in developing the goals and determining which skills or areas will receive the most attention.

The cover page of the IEP outlines the support services your child will get and how often they will be provided (for example, occupational therapy twice a week). Support services might include:

Services might also include transportation, test help or modifications, participation in special programs, and the inclusion of transition planning beginning at age 14.

If the team recommends several services, the amount of time they take in the child's school schedule can seem overwhelming. To ease that load, a professional may talk with your child's teacher to come up with strategies that help but won't offer hands-on instruction. For example, an occupational therapist may suggest accommodations for a child with fine-motor problems that affect handwriting, and the classroom teacher would incorporate these suggestions into the handwriting lessons taught to the entire class.

Other services can be delivered right in the classroom, so the child's day isn't interrupted by therapy. The child who has trouble with handwriting might work one-on-one with an occupational therapist while everyone else practices their handwriting skills. When deciding how and where services are offered, the child's comfort and dignity should be a top priority.

Your child's IEP should be reviewed annually to update goals and make sure your child is getting the support that's needed. However, IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis. If you think your child needs more, fewer, or different services, you can request a meeting and bring the team together to discuss your concerns.

What Are My Legal Rights?

Guidelines (sometimes called procedural safeguards) outline your rights as a parent to control what happens to your child throughout the IEP process. For example, timelines ensure that the development of an IEP moves from referral to providing services as quickly as possible. When your child is referred, ask about this timeline and get a copy of your parents' rights.

The parents' rights also describe how you can proceed if you disagree with any part of the evaluation report or the IEP - mediation and hearings are some options. You can get information about low-cost or free legal representation from the school district or through early intervention programs.

Attorneys and paid advocates familiar with the IEP process will provide representation if you need it. You also may invite anyone who knows or works with your child whose input you feel would be helpful to join the IEP team. Federally supported programs in each state support parent-to-parent information and training activities for parents of children with special needs. The Parent Training and Information Projects conduct workshops, publish newsletters, and answer questions by phone or by mail about parent-to-parent activities.

What Else Should I Know?

Parents have the right to choose where their kids will be educated. This choice includes public or private elementary schools and secondary schools, including religious schools. It also includes charter schools and home schools.

But parents should know that the rights of children with disabilities who are placed in private elementary schools and secondary schools are not the same as children with disabilities who are enrolled in public schools.

Two major differences that parents, teachers, school staff, private school representatives, and kids need to know about are:

1. Children with disabilities who are placed by their parents in private schools may not get the same services they would get in a public school.

2. Not all kids with disabilities placed by their parents in private schools will get services.

The IEP process is complex, but it's also an effective way to address how your child learns. If you have concerns, be sure to ask about the evaluation findings or the goals recommended by your child's IEP team. You know your child best and should play a central role in creating a learning plan tailored to their specific needs.

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individuals with disabilities education act

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Some kids may be eligible for individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge. Understanding how to access these services can help you be an effective advocate for your child.

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This resource is useful for understanding progress monitoring on IEP goals.

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How to Monitor Progress on IEP Goals with Real Examples! (2020 Special Education Parent Workshop)

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This article talks about ways to involve families in creating an IEP for their child.

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Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

An individualized education program (IEP) serves as a blueprint for special education services. Its creation should be a collaborative process, serving the student as a living document, its implementation requiring a constant and collaborative conversation between all stakeholders. The input and involvement of the student's family prior to the annual IEP meeting is critical to this process.

Laying the Groundwork

It is important to create an open and ongoing line of communication with families (such as parents and primary caregivers) early in the school year so they can ask questions, provide information about the child, take part in classroom activities, share stories both of success and challenges at home, and discuss thoughts on the IEP's progress. This data will be invaluable to a teacher as a tool for guiding instructional and programmatic decisions.

Daily journals, reciprocated notes in students' agendas, phone calls (about both the positives and the concerns), establishing a reliable email chain, invitations to participate in classroom activities, and the use of teacher-created classroom websites are all examples of effective communication.

Establishing a written communication system, such as notes in a student agenda book and those just discussed, keeps parents and caregivers informed of the child's progress while providing them the opportunity to express concerns or compliments. Implementing the IEP, conducting IEP-related pre-meetings, and writing the IEP will be easier for the team who have been working together with the parents throughout the school year.

Teachers can also use phone conferencing with parents to increase participation. First, teachers must establish clear rules and expectations. Parents should know that because of their teaching loads, school activities, busy prep periods, teacher duties, or school meetings, teachers cannot respond to all calls immediately. Simultaneously, teachers must recognize the importance of promptly returning phone calls. This strategy will help to build trust.

Inviting families to take part in classroom activities is another good way to build rapport. Opportunities to serve as volunteers for classroom parties, guest readers, activity chaperones, or classroom aides allow families to become active participants in the educational process.

Teachers can create a variety of ways for students' families to gain access technologically. With the click of a computer mouse, they can access classroom events, activities, assignments, and homework expectations. Teacher websites are extremely useful because they allow teachers to communicate with all families at once rather than individually with each parent.

The exchange of student artifacts between parents and teachers is an efficient way to communicate student progress while also guiding and justifying the IEP team's placement and programmatic decisions. This could include sending home photocopies of student work so that parents can keep track of their child's progress. Using shared folders (such as those found on Google Drive) allows stakeholders to share work, notes, and other information that can improve the educational experience of the student.

Preparing for the Annual IEP Meeting

Stakeholders can meet in pre-meetings as a prelude to prepare for the annual meeting. Online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangout allow for document sharing. Team members can easily display student work or data gathered to show why specific decisions will be discussed at an upcoming IEP meeting. The artifact-sharing practice will be more effective than simply sending progress reports as outlined in the IEP's Measurable Annual Goals section because it will be ongoing rather than sporadic.

Before the annual IEP meeting, the teacher should provide the parents with a draft IEP and give them ample time to read and review it. A pre-conference meeting can help by providing parents time to go over the draft IEP, answer questions, and clarify anything that needs to be clarified.

Helping Parents Write Their Portion of an IEP

It's common practice to send a form home for parents to complete that summarizes their perspectives on the effectiveness of their child's educational program. While this practice satisfies the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated parental involvement requirement, it frequently yields minimal insights and does little to instill a sense of empowerment in the parent.

Instead, a teacher can assist families in writing their portion. Together, they can collaborate to write this section of the IEP, ensuring that any concerns and suggestions are summarized. The parents can then clearly communicate their input to the team during the IEP team meeting.

Conducting the Annual IEP Meeting

Teachers can do things during the annual meeting to increase involvement and participation in the IEP meeting. The IEP meeting seating arrangement can help to set the tone for collaboration. Parents, students, and advocates frequently sit on one side of the conference table while school district professionals sit on the other. This creates an us-versus-them atmosphere. Simply by arranging the seating so that the two entities are not seated across from each other, the intimidating nature of the conference room setting can be reduced.

The special education teacher should actively seek stakeholders' input and make certain that everyone is on the same page throughout the meeting. A collaborative IEP meeting should never consist of the teacher simply reading the document to the team and asking for signatures. Stakeholders should view it as a conversation rather than a presentation. At the end of the meeting, the team should spend some time summarizing the child's IEP plan, focusing on goals, services, and specially designed instructional strategies.

Simply thanking parents for their input and participation, followed by a promise of continued collaboration throughout the IEP's life span, will empower them even more. Familial stakeholders must believe that the IEP meeting is not a onetime event and that the IEP is a living document in which they play an important role.

Finally, following the meeting, the teacher should contact the family for a follow-up. Many IEP team meetings are packed with data, information, and planning. Allowing the parents a week to review the meeting and the IEP document allows them to process everything. A follow-up call, email, or meeting will emphasize the open, ongoing nature of communication, allow them to ask additional questions that may not have been raised during the meeting, and restate the meeting outcomes.

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Maximizing Parental Involvement in Developing the IEP

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Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

An individualized education program (IEP) serves as a blueprint for special education services. Its creation should be a collaborative process, serving the student as a living document, its implementation requiring a constant and collaborative conversation between all stakeholders. The input and involvement of the student's family prior to the annual IEP meeting is critical to this process.

Laying the Groundwork

It is important to create an open and ongoing line of communication with families (such as parents and primary caregivers) early in the school year so they can ask questions, provide information about the child, take part in classroom activities, share stories both of success and challenges at home, and discuss thoughts on the IEP's progress. This data will be invaluable to a teacher as a tool for guiding instructional and programmatic decisions.

Daily journals, reciprocated notes in students' agendas, phone calls (about both the positives and the concerns), establishing a reliable email chain, invitations to participate in classroom activities, and the use of teacher-created classroom websites are all examples of effective communication.

Establishing a written communication system, such as notes in a student agenda book and those just discussed, keeps parents and caregivers informed of the child's progress while providing them the opportunity to express concerns or compliments. Implementing the IEP, conducting IEP-related pre-meetings, and writing the IEP will be easier for the team who have been working together with the parents throughout the school year.

Teachers can also use phone conferencing with parents to increase participation. First, teachers must establish clear rules and expectations. Parents should know that because of their teaching loads, school activities, busy prep periods, teacher duties, or school meetings, teachers cannot respond to all calls immediately. Simultaneously, teachers must recognize the importance of promptly returning phone calls. This strategy will help to build trust.

Inviting families to take part in classroom activities is another good way to build rapport. Opportunities to serve as volunteers for classroom parties, guest readers, activity chaperones, or classroom aides allow families to become active participants in the educational process.

Teachers can create a variety of ways for students' families to gain access technologically. With the click of a computer mouse, they can access classroom events, activities, assignments, and homework expectations. Teacher websites are extremely useful because they allow teachers to communicate with all families at once rather than individually with each parent.

The exchange of student artifacts between parents and teachers is an efficient way to communicate student progress while also guiding and justifying the IEP team's placement and programmatic decisions. This could include sending home photocopies of student work so that parents can keep track of their child's progress. Using shared folders (such as those found on Google Drive) allows stakeholders to share work, notes, and other information that can improve the educational experience of the student.

Preparing for the Annual IEP Meeting

Stakeholders can meet in pre-meetings as a prelude to prepare for the annual meeting. Online meeting platforms such as Zoom and Google Hangout allow for document sharing. Team members can easily display student work or data gathered to show why specific decisions will be discussed at an upcoming IEP meeting. The artifact-sharing practice will be more effective than simply sending progress reports as outlined in the IEP's Measurable Annual Goals section because it will be ongoing rather than sporadic.

Before the annual IEP meeting, the teacher should provide the parents with a draft IEP and give them ample time to read and review it. A pre-conference meeting can help by providing parents time to go over the draft IEP, answer questions, and clarify anything that needs to be clarified.

Helping Parents Write Their Portion of an IEP

It's common practice to send a form home for parents to complete that summarizes their perspectives on the effectiveness of their child's educational program. While this practice satisfies the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated parental involvement requirement, it frequently yields minimal insights and does little to instill a sense of empowerment in the parent.

Instead, a teacher can assist families in writing their portion. Together, they can collaborate to write this section of the IEP, ensuring that any concerns and suggestions are summarized. The parents can then clearly communicate their input to the team during the IEP team meeting.

Conducting the Annual IEP Meeting

Teachers can do things during the annual meeting to increase involvement and participation in the IEP meeting. The IEP meeting seating arrangement can help to set the tone for collaboration. Parents, students, and advocates frequently sit on one side of the conference table while school district professionals sit on the other. This creates an us-versus-them atmosphere. Simply by arranging the seating so that the two entities are not seated across from each other, the intimidating nature of the conference room setting can be reduced.

The special education teacher should actively seek stakeholders' input and make certain that everyone is on the same page throughout the meeting. A collaborative IEP meeting should never consist of the teacher simply reading the document to the team and asking for signatures. Stakeholders should view it as a conversation rather than a presentation. At the end of the meeting, the team should spend some time summarizing the child's IEP plan, focusing on goals, services, and specially designed instructional strategies.

Simply thanking parents for their input and participation, followed by a promise of continued collaboration throughout the IEP's life span, will empower them even more. Familial stakeholders must believe that the IEP meeting is not a onetime event and that the IEP is a living document in which they play an important role.

Finally, following the meeting, the teacher should contact the family for a follow-up. Many IEP team meetings are packed with data, information, and planning. Allowing the parents a week to review the meeting and the IEP document allows them to process everything. A follow-up call, email, or meeting will emphasize the open, ongoing nature of communication, allow them to ask additional questions that may not have been raised during the meeting, and restate the meeting outcomes.

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Maximizing Parental Involvement in Developing the IEP

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Collaborating with parents and caregivers throughout the school year can make the individualized education program meeting more valuable.

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The video I am sharing is a mock IEP meeting between family and professionals. I wanted to share this video because it really went step by step of what occurs in an IEP meeting. As someone who has never been in an IEP meeting, that is something that does scare me and I would love to have more experience with. This video helps provide information of what to expect and how to respond to family concerns and perhaps even refusal for certain services or recommendations.

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Transition from Early Intervention to Preschool:  Model IEP Meeting

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Helping Teachers Use Progress Monitoring

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Understanding, Developing, and Writing Effective IEPs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators

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Understanding, Developing, and Writing Effective IEPs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators [Pierangelo, Roger, Giuliani, George A.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Understanding, Developing, and Writing Effective IEPs: A Step-by-Step Guide for Educators

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Tuesday's Child | Behavior Management Experts in Chicago

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This evidence-based program helps families address behavioral issues in young children. We use an individualized approach to address each family's specific situation. Read more TC Scholars is a high-quality preschool, with more support and structure than most preschools. We give children the extra social and behavioral support they need to be successful.

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Individualized Education Programs Tips for teacher ( Sandra Molano)

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Individualized Education Programs Tips for teacher ( Sandra Molano)

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Students who require extra help and support might be eligible for special services that provide individualized education programs (IEPs) in public schools, free of charge to families. Understanding your role in educating a student with an IEP will benefit both you and the student.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes teachers of students with special needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the students succeed in school. The IEP describes the goals set for a student for the school year, and any special support needed to help reach those goals.

The IDEA requires states to provide free appropriate public education to students who are eligible for special education from ages 3 to 21, in the "least restrictive" environment. This means that kids with disabilities should learn alongside their classmates who don't have disabilities as much as possible.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services require an IEP. Students could be eligible for many reasons, such as if they have:

Students might have a learning disability if they are consistently unable to meet standards that are normal for their age range. Some common signs of a learning disability can include:

trouble mastering tasks or applying academic skills to other tasks

trouble with communication and language processing, as well as expressive and receptive language

a lot of frustration with school and homework

having strong general knowledge, but not being able to read (dyslexia), write (dysgraphia), or do math (dyscalculia) at that level

needing ongoing, step-by-step guidance for tasks

poor grades despite a lot of effort

poor memory of spoken or written material

not being able to remember problem-solving steps if they don't understand the tasks or the logic behind them

not being able to remember skills and facts over time

How Are Services Delivered?

Usually, the services outlined in an IEP can be provided in regular education classrooms. In other cases, they might be given in separate classrooms or even separate schools, depending on the students' needs. Some students may have an IEP for one subject area only, while others may have one for all academic subjects and for social skills instruction.

Students with IEPs can participate in all subject areas, especially classes like science, social studies, art, music, library, gym, and health. It is critical for regular classroom teachers to read students' IEPs and be familiar with the services and monitoring required by the plan.

Services can also be provided in a separate supported environment within the school. In this setting, groups of students with similar needs are together for small-group instruction. A certified special education teacher is the instructor and other school personnel (aides or support teachers) help with teaching.

Students who need intense intervention, though, may be taught in a special school environment. These schools have fewer students per teacher, allowing for more individualized attention. Teachers in these schools usually have specific training in helping students with special educational needs.

How Are Students Evaluated?

The referral process generally begins when a teacher, parent, or doctor is concerned that a child may be having trouble in the classroom.

The first step is to gather specific data regarding the student's progress or academic problems. This may be done through:

a conference with parents

a conference with the student

observations of the student

analysis of the student's performance (attention, behavior, work completion, tests, classwork, homework, etc.)

This information helps teachers and school personnel decide on the next step. Strategies specific to the student could be used to help them be more successful in school prior to any formal testing. If this doesn't work, the child can receive an educational assessment, which could identify a specific learning disability or other health problem.

Note: The presence of a disability doesn't automatically guarantee a child will get services. To be eligible, the disability must affect how the child does at school.

To decide on eligibility, a team of professionals will consider their observations, as well as how the child does on standardized tests and daily work such as tests, quizzes, classwork, and homework.

Who's on the Team?

The professionals on the evaluation team can include:

classroom teachers

occupational therapist

physical therapist

psychologist

special educator

speech therapist

vision or hearing specialist

others, depending on the child's specific needs

If more testing is needed, parents will be asked to sign a permission form that details who is involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests might include measures of specific school skills, such as reading or math, as well as more general developmental skills, such as speech and language.

After the team members finish their assessments, a comprehensive evaluation report is developed. It includes an educational classification and outlines the skills and support the child will need.

The parents can review the report before the IEP is developed. If they disagree with it, they will have the chance to work with the school to come up with a plan that best meets the child's needs.

How Is the IEP Developed?

The next step is an IEP meeting, during which the team and parents decide what will go into the plan. Also, a regular classroom teacher should attend to offer suggestions about how the plan can help the child's progress in the standard education curriculum and how it can be used in a regular classroom setting, if that's appropriate.

At the meeting, the team will discuss a student's educational needs - as described in the evaluation report - and develop specific, measurable short-term and annual goals for each of those needs.

What Does the IEP Include?

The cover page of the IEP outlines the related services and supports students will get and how often they will be provided. These can include many different things; for example, transportation; speech-language pathology and audiology services; psychological services; physical therapy and occupational therapy; recreation, including therapeutic recreation; social work services; and medical services (for diagnostic and evaluation purposes only).

If the team recommends several services, the amount of time they take in the child's school schedule can seem overwhelming. To ease that load, a professional may talk with a child's teacher to come up with ways to help but won't offer hands-on instruction. For example, an occupational therapist may suggest accommodations for a child with fine-motor problems that affect handwriting, and the classroom teacher would incorporate these into the handwriting lessons taught to the entire class.

Other services can be delivered right in the classroom, so the child's day isn't interrupted by therapy. The child who has trouble with handwriting might work one-on-one with an occupational therapist while everyone else practices their handwriting skills. When deciding how and where services are offered, the child's comfort and dignity should be a top priority.

If a child has academic needs and is working below grade level, services may be offered outside the regular education classroom. Students might get small-group instruction in a particular subject area (usually language arts or math) by a special education teacher along with other students who have similar needs.

How Often Should the IEP Be Updated?

The IEP should be reviewed annually to update the goals and ensure the levels of service meet the student's needs. During the school year, progress monitoring is done often to make sure the student is achieving goals set in the IEP. IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis.

Specific timelines ensure that the development of an IEP moves from referral to providing services as quickly as possible. Be sure to ask about this timeframe and stay informed.

If parents disagree with any part of the evaluation report or the IEP, mediation and hearings are options.

It is important for teachers to understand the IEP process and their role in delivering instruction to students who have an IEP. Any questions related to an IEP can be directed to the team or the case manager assigned to a student.

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Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): Tips for Teachers

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IEPs make teachers of students with special needs responsible for planning, implementing, and monitoring educational plans to help the students succeed in school. This article is for educators.

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In order to continue enjoying our site, we ask that you confirm your identity as a human. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

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Know

Communicating with others can be both simple and complex at the same time. Have you ever been surprised that someone misunderstood a message you thought you had communicated quite clearly?

Communication between school-age program staff members and families occurs during daily hellos and goodbyes, as well as in more formal activities such as family meetings. All of these opportunities require you to be aware of many of the family's characteristics, including tone, choice of words, and nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and body language. When you are aware of these characteristics, you can better communicate in ways that are most supportive and respectful of families. Families will be eager to know how their school-age child is doing, and you can support comfortable communication by offering encouraging responses and asking for clarification if something is not understood.

Importance of Communicating with Families

Communication is key to creating family partnerships. Family members must feel comfortable asking questions, seeking information, and raising concerns about their child's care, well-being and development. It is good to be friendly, professional and helpful when working with family members. A relationship between a staff member and a family member should remain professional and always revolve around the child.

Communication is unique in school-age programs because of the limited interactions between staff members and family. Some children may arrive or depart your program by school bus, bike, or on foot. This means you might not always have the opportunity to speak directly to a family member each day. To ensure that communication needs between yourself and the families are met, you will need to be creative in your communication methods.

Ways of Communicating With Families

Each program will have a variety of communication methods, both informal and formal. Depending on the situation or information being shared, you will need to determine which method is most appropriate. If you are unsure, always check with your trainer, coach, or supervisor.

Informal Communication Methods

Some examples of informal communication methods include:

Family information boards: Family information boards provide information for family members that is posted in a central location. Boards may contain schedules, menus, upcoming events and general program news. This can also be a good spot to post parenting resources.

Daily conversations: Daily conversations involve informal communication with a child's family member to discuss daily events, how the child is doing, and if the family member has any questions, concerns or requests.

Newsletters: A physical or digital newsletter that informs families of the program's news and events. This would be a way to share a project that children have worked on or tell families about an upcoming talent show.

Phone calls: A phone call to a family member informing them of a minor incident or injury, or to seek specific information.

E-mails: An e-mail to a family member informing them of a minor incident (i.e., a torn backpack or a missing permission slip) or to seek specific information. Check with your program's e-mail policy.

These informal methods of communication are appropriate to use when there is general information of which all family members should be aware, such as the schedule, policies, or upcoming events. Phone calls or e-mails may be used to inform families of situations involving their child (such as an overdue permission slip). Whenever possible, interactions between staff and family members should occur daily. This is the first way to keep lines of communication open at your program. Informal communication methods should not be used to discuss major incidents, behavior issues, or developmental concerns.

Formal Communication Methods

Some examples of formal communication methods include:

Individual Conferences: Conferences should be used to discuss child achievement, behavior issues, developmental concerns, or other major situations. Phone or virtual conferences may also be used if a family member is on deployment or otherwise unavailable. Be sure to check your program's procedures for conferences and consult a trainer, coach, or supervisor with any questions.

Program-Wide Family Meetings: A group meeting may be used to discuss a particular situation, concern or issue within a program. This would mostly likely occur with multiple families and would be lead by the program's director. A formal group meeting would have a leader and a planned agenda. Check with a trainer, coach, or supervisor to learn your program's policy on group meetings.

Formal communication methods should be planned with the purpose of providing specific and important information. Schedule formal meetings at times that work best for families. Do not spring difficult information upon families at inconvenient times, such as during pick-up. When discussing a child's behavior issues or other concerns you may have, it is important to remain positive, respectful, and helpful. You are there to explain your concern and provide assistance and resources to the family whenever possible.

The following are tips on how to effectively communicate with families during formal meetings:

Be prepared and organized

Have specific examples, documentation and photographs available.

Parents are busy, being organized helps keep the meeting on track and makes it worthwhile and meaningful.

Try to anticipate questions parents may have and bring the appropriate resources.

Use the "Sandwich Approach"

When sharing difficult information with parents, it is best to "sandwich" it between two pieces of positive information about their child.

Be supportive

Be an active listener.

Express that you are on a team with the goal being the child's success.

Stay calm

Don't engage in arguments.

If there is a disagreement, move on and discuss the situation with your supervisor afterwards.

Leave the meeting open-ended

Let family members know that you are always available.

Make sure family members have a variety of ways to contact you such as in person, by phone, or by e-mail.

If the situation is ongoing, such as a behavior problem, set up a conference in the future to check the child's progress.

The family conference is a great way to strengthen the family partnership. It gives family members personal attention and allows them to freely discuss their child's development, progress, difficulties or successes. A positive family conference will create a bond between you and the family members, which may make the family feel comfortable in discussing their child in the future.

If appropriate, invite the child to be a part of the conference. Sometimes, having the child present will give you a better understanding of the family dynamic. It will also make the child feel responsible for their own actions and give them more ownership over the situation.

Finding the "Right" Time to Communicate with Families

Although communication with families should be ongoing throughout the year, you should understand the appropriate times for certain conversations with families. For example, imagine you are having discipline problems with a child. You might feel it is appropriate to discuss this at pick-up time with the family. This approach, however, almost guarantees that the parent will shut down the conversation. He or she is tired and unprepared for the discussion. You should plan ahead for difficult conversations: how will this conversation be planned? Where and when is it best to occur? Who will be involved? When you need to discuss serious issues with families, a formal discussion should be scheduled with your trainer, lead, or supervisor. This will maximize the likelihood that all parties will be satisfied with the outcome. Parent will feel respected and able to prepare in an environment that focuses on outcomes and collaboration. This kind of outcome cannot occur at the end of the day during pick up. See the handout, Sharing Concerns with Families, for additional ideas and resources.

Creative Communication Methods

School-age programs offer unique communication challenges. As children grow, the need for communication between families and staff members changes. Unlike care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, once children enter school, the communication between staff and family members becomes less frequent and often only happens when there is a problem. Part of your role is to bridge the gap between staff and families in school-age programs by using a combination of traditional communication methods and also creative, outside the box methods. Here are some examples of creative communication methods:

Communication journals:
A physical journal or online journal that allows family members to share information or photographs of their home life, such as a vacation or deployment experience. These journals can be shared among family members to help create a bond between families or passed back and forth between staff and families to share or seek information.

Online discussion groups:
Use an online forum to allow communication between yourself and families. This should be used for group information only, not information specific to one child. You should also check with your trainer, coach, or supervisor for any regulations regarding internet use.

Blogs:
Using an online blog to communicate the program's activities with families is a fun way to share photos, activity plans and other information. Again, check with your coach, trainer, or supervisor for any regulations regarding internet use.

See

Watch the following videos about communicating with family members in a school-age program. In this first video, you will hear a parent and a staff member talk about communication. The second video illustrates the importance of communicating about the care of children and youth and suggests methods to do so. In the final video, you will hear from a training and curriculum specialist on creative communication.

Video not available
Staff members describing a variety of ways they share information with families.

Video not available
A staff member discusses sharing information with families and a specific situation that helped a child become successful.

Video not available
Communication in school-age programs can be difficult because of the program's structure. A staff member discusses creative ways to communicate.

Do

Familiarizing yourself with a variety of communication methods will set you up for success. Remember to always be available for families to offer support, guidance, information or just to lend an ear.

Create a welcoming environment for family members by being kind, respectful and professional at all times.

Communicate with families each day through informal and, when necessary, formal methods.

Plan opportunities for family partnerships throughout the year.

Get creative when it comes to communicating. Don't let a family slip through the cracks just because you don't see them every day.

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Promoting Family Engagement: Communicating With Families

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Communicating with others can be both simple and complex at the same time. Have you ever been surprised that someone misunderstood a message you thought you had communicated quite clearly? Communication between school-age program staff members and families occurs during daily hellos and goodbyes, as well as in more formal activities such as family meetings.

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1. Article: "Family-Centered Care for Children With Developmental Disabilities: Moving From Conceptual Models to Effective Practice" by Barry S. Solomon and Alan W. Schreiber (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4067034/) - This article discusses the importance of family-centered care for children with disabilities, and provides recommendations for healthcare providers and educators to implement effective practices.

2. Video: "Engaging Families in Early Childhood Education" by Harvard Graduate School of Education (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7rT1-1Rcm8) - This video explores the benefits of family engagement in early childhood education and provides strategies for educators to build positive relationships with families and involve them in their child's learning.

3. Article: "Collaboration Between Early Childhood Educators and Families of Children with Disabilities" by Abigail H. Gewirtz and Beth A. Houskamp (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10882-017-9553-2) - This article examines the importance of collaboration between educators and families of children with disabilities, and provides recommendations for building effective partnerships.

4. Video: "Family Engagement in Early Childhood Education: A Shared Responsibility" by Head Start (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zwbd5pNaww) - This video highlights the importance of family engagement in early childhood education and provides examples of effective family engagement practices.

I hope these resources are helpful in further exploring the importance of family-centered practices in supporting young children with disabilities and their families.

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I chose this article because my school district has been focusing on Culturally Responsive Teaching as a district wide goal.  I have been on a Culturally Responsive Teaching committee and have worked to implement strategies with other teachers.  This article was helpful in explaining what Culturally Responsive Teaching is and what strategies to use within the general education classroom.

L.Kochan

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Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

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Five Essential Strategies to Embrace Culturally Responsive Teaching

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The following practices provide five essential strategies for how educators can make their learning environments more culturally responsive.

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https://www.acesaba.com/aba/autism-diagnosis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=autism-diagnosis

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Why Do We Experience Denial?

Denial plays an important psychological role. It is a mechanism that buffers intense emotions, such as fear, sadness, and anger. It allows us time to process information and feelings and grow stronger until we can deal with them.

These are common thoughts of denial of an autism diagnosis:

We are scared

There will be no future

He'll grow out of it

What did I do wrong?

We can't afford this

I can't handle this

This is just a phase

This isn't what I planned

There isn't anyone with autism in my family

I don't have time

Other people will judge or stare at my child

The Upside of Acceptance

Once a parent comes to terms with the diagnosis, the entire family benefits:

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Autism Diagnosis: When Denial Helps, and When it Doesn't | ACES Autism

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Why Do We Experience Denial? Denial plays an important psychological role. It is a mechanism that buffers intense emotions, such as fear, sadness, and anger. It allows us time to process information and feelings and grow stronger until we can deal with them.

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Building relationships with families of children with special needs.

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Building relationships with families of children with special needs.

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This article is about how important it is to build relationships with the families of the children in your program, especially those with special needs.

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Building Relationships with Families of Children with Special Needs

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Download the article, Building Relationships Article. Article - Building Relationships

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Five Ways to Collaborate With Families of Students with Disabilities

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Five Ways to Collaborate With Families of Students with Disabilities From the Marshall Memo #435
“Families’ involvement in their children’s education stands o…

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Currently, our programs are in 10 shelters and community-based sites in Chicago!

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I wanted to share this Ted Talk by Megan Olivia Hall because she explains the importance of having communication with parents and the impact it can have on students overall. She discusses the opportunity gap and how a simple phone call to parents about their child can help close this gap.

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Building relationships between parents and teachers: Megan Olivia Hall at TEDxBurnsvilleED

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Some early childhood teachers may feel overwhelmed
and unprepared to have a child with special needs in their
care. However, it is imperative that they learn about the special education process so they can support families in the
myriad decisions they will face about their child’s education.

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I chose this article, What Parents Have to Teach us About Their Dual Language, because it pertains to getting to know your families, which is valuable to establishing relationships between families and educators. It gives some questions to ask families. The answers can be used to inform practice and create a classroom environment where dual language learners are supported. I think this article relates to both the family engagement and cultural awareness themes in chapter 2 of our reading.

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What Parents Have to Teach Us About Their Dual Language Children

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My children, 5-year-old Marie and 4-year-old Marc, speak English to each other. I think it's because they speak it at school. At home we speak Italian and sometimes Spanish. My husband speaks only Spanish to the children and makes them answer him in Spanish.

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Although this is more of a promotion for the program itself, I felt the parents in the video did a great job talking about the experience they have had with an early childhood aged child with special needs in a program, their feelings of having a child with special needs and celebrations.

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Parents of Special Needs Children Come Together to Support Free Program | UCLA Intervention Program

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CECE Early Childhood Videos at Eastern CT State U.

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Building Positive Relationships with Young Children (supporting social emotional development)

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https://www.yahoo.com/news/japanese-american-author-calls-scholastic-225425563.html

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This article is about how to create a welcoming space for children with disabilities. It gives ideas about how to modify your lesson plans and environment.

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Person-First Vs. Identity-First Language for Discussing Disabilities

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Person-First Vs. Identity-First Language for Discussing Disabilities

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There are two schools of thought regarding the most respectful and appropriate way to refer to disabled people. These ideas, described as person-first and identity-first, both evolved from self-advocacy movements within the disabled community.

The "person-first" approach started in Sweden and came out of the need to gain a voice within the general community, particularly during the process of deinstitutionalization during the 1970s. The "identity-first" movement is more recent and originated with the Deaf community. Identity-first language draws from the idea that neither disability nor neurodiversity is separable from a person's way of experiencing and interacting with the world. The choice of language depends, in part, on the individual person's age, their preferences, and their specific disability.

Some organizations and governmental groups advocate for the use of person-first language. A good example is the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) which is written in person-first language. But this doesn't negate the importance of those disabled voices for whom identity-first language is preferred. Ahead, learn the difference between the two types of language, when each is appropriate, and how to know which to use in conversation in your own life.

What Is Person-First Language?

Person-first language is phrasing that puts the person ahead of the disability. It can be used in a sentence in the following ways:

"John is a student with learning disabilities who enjoys playing basketball."

"Jameel is a person with autism who has a talent for writing software."

"Fatima is a teen with epilepsy who won an award for her art."

Person-first language is not new. It was first developed in Sweden in the 1970s as part of the People First movement. People First was a self-advocacy movement, created in response to a parents' group with the motto "We Speak for Them," and included disabled adults who wanted to speak for themselves.

The organization soon expanded to Canada and the United States. Some of the most important events associated with People First were conferences at which self-advocates were-for the first time-given opportunities to speak for themselves, share ideas, and make connections with one another.

Before the 1970s, most people with significant disabilities were institutionalized. During the 70s, however, the deinstitutionalization movement saw individuals with a wide range of disabilities join the general community. The process, however, was made more difficult because of stigma and harmful stereotypes, says Kathie Snow, author and creator of the Disability Is Natural website. "These people had been pushed out of society," Snow adds. "People used the term 'wrong' to describe disabilities. People were deemed worthy or unworthy of living based on their labels, and this helped to fuel the eugenics movement."

Since the 1990s, person-first language has been encouraged in most settings as a "respectful" way to refer to people with disabilities. For example, The People First Respectful Language Modernization Act of 2006 was enacted by the Council of the District of Columba on July 11, 2006 to "require the use of respectful language when referring to people with disabilities in all new and revised District laws, regulations, rules, and publications and all internet publications."

What Is Identity-First Language?

Identity-first language uses the name of a disability as an adjective, rather than using the phrase "a person with." Below are some examples:

Eleanor, a blind woman, is a member of the homeowners association.

George is a Deaf man who leads his company in sales.

My autistic son enjoys playing video games.

Identity-first language is used most often by neurodiverse self-advocates and by members of the Deaf community. Bela Gaytan, instructional designer and DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility) advocate, explains, "For some time, identity-first language was shunned by many in the disability community. Many people felt that it implied that they were their disability before anything else. However, there's been a surge lately in people using identity-first language. It's been reclaimed as a source of pride and power."

Cathy Wassell, CEO of Autistic Girls Network Charity in the UK, is neurodivergent and explains, "I'm firmly in the identity-first camp." She cites studies which found that autistic people, in particular, prefer identity first language. "Autism isn't a handbag; you can't pick it up or put it down," Wassell adds. "It's a part of you, how you experience the world, how you react to things."

Many people discover their autistic identity as adults; for some, the discovery comes as a result of a child's diagnosis. For this group of people, self-identification as autistic can open up new horizons. "For their whole lives, these adults might have believed themselves to be broken neurotypical people-but in fact, they have a different neurotype," Wassell explains. "It's important in terms of validation: I'm not a broken neurotypical person, I'm autistic."

Choosing Between Identity-First and Person-First Language

Language is always changing, and no group of people is ever a monolith. There are, however, a few general rules to follow when it comes to discussing disabilities.

As Gaytan puts it, "When addressing another person directly, always ensure you are using the language that they prefer. If you don't know what they prefer, it's okay to ask. As a rule of thumb, you're safer to use person-first language over identity-first language, as some people still may take offense to have their disabilities before their personal information."

When you are writing or speaking about disabled people other than yourself or your own self-advocacy group, check to see whether the organization or community has a style guide that includes direction on language. If they do, you can simply follow it.

If you are not sure which option to use because you're not speaking directly to a disabled person or writing for a publication, you will need to make a choice on your own. As a rule, non-disabled people are accustomed to hearing person-first language, and it's thought to be a safer choice for a general audience. Certain groups of disabled self-advocates, however, in particular the Deaf, blind, and autistic communities, are very definite about preferring identity-first language.

A Word From Verywell

On any given topic, language is always a moving target. The "correct" terms of ten years ago can become the insults of today, and people may not always keep up with changing terminology. It's always best, when speaking with any individual, to ask how they preferred to be addressed or described. And ideally, it's best to inform yourself about the preferences of a particular group. But no matter how careful you are, it's impossible to get it right 100% of the time. The best thing you can do is be open minded and willing to listen, understand, and make adjustments wherever you can.

Additional Reading

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Talking About Disabilities: Person-First or Identity-First Language?

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Learn about person-first language, a form of linguistic etiquette for talking to and about people with disabilities.

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On Diversity: Access Ain’t Inclusion | Anthony Jack | TEDxCambridge

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How Teachers Serve as Advocates for Students with Disabilities - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Are you concerned with the legal and ethical issues surrounding teacher advocacy for students with disabilities? This lesson will discuss these...

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I chose the article below because it focused on person-first terminology.  The family was surprised to learn that their child had Down syndrome at his birth.  While they were shocked by the diagnosis, the family chose to see the child first rather than the diagnosis.  They are true advocates and allowed his diagnosis to raise more awareness.  Micah’s mom now creates videos for all families that have faced the same diagnosis to share that their feelings are valid and the journey will be long but celebrate the child and what the child will accomplish!

L. Kochan

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An Illinois mom is opening up about the moment she found out her son had Down syndrome, a pivotal turning point that she said has brought more purpose and joy to her life and family.

For Kati Martinez of Aurora, Illinois, she's planning on celebrating March 21 with her son, Micah, who has an extra Trisomy 21 chromosome.

She didn't learn he had Down syndrome until after she gave birth to him on Oct. 21, 2019, and she decided to share the personal moment she and her husband, Abe Martinez, discovered Micah's diagnosis in an effort to raise more awareness.

Courtesy of Kati Martinez

Martinez, 29, shared a video clip inside the hospital operating room on Instagram and TikTok that shows her husband breaking the news to her.

"My first reaction was, 'What? Like, there's no way because nothing was out of the ordinary. They would have probably seen that in ultrasounds,'" Martinez recalled in an interview with "Good Morning America."

"He noticed, because Micah, he was so swollen, because from birth -- the features of Down syndrome are more accentuated, like the almond-shaped eyes, the no nose bridge, they have a neck fold -- so things like that were just kind of more accentuated, and Abe noticed right away."

A Down syndrome diagnosis may sound devastating or scary for some at first, but after the initial shock, Martinez said she felt calm.

"The nurse kind of nodded and confirmed that she also agreed that he looked like he had Down syndrome. And then I was just kind of quiet just waiting for them to bring me him, and Abe was quiet as well. And then when he came over, he was just like, I don't even know the words that he said, but I just remember telling him, 'He's gonna be fine. It's gonna be OK,'" Martinez continued.

Courtesy of Kati Martinez

Martinez, a former special education teacher, is now a Down syndrome advocate. "I think when I became Micah's mom, I became an advocate," she reflected.

"I just chose to share those clips because I thought it was helpful and I thought there's a lot of people probably going through the same thing that we did," Martinez explained.

"And in that video, I just said, 'Your feelings are valid,' because I don't know if it could really be shown in like a 30-second clip, but we had an array of emotions. It was like, surprise, confusion, happiness, peace, but you know, like sadness for him also, because we knew he had a long journey ahead of him."

But despite the lifelong journey ahead for Micah, Martinez said she and her husband are excited for their son, who is also now an older brother to 8-month-old Mackenzie.

Courtesy of Kati Martinez

"His outlook looks great. We expect him to do everything that our daughter would do. Like, we are not gonna treat him differently," Martinez said. "We're definitely not going to ignore that he has Down syndrome, and we're going to celebrate that, but we expect the same things from him that we would expect from Mackenzie. We expect him to go to school and to learn, to do his best and we expect him to go to college and to get a career and to work for a living."

Micah, now 2, is active and energetic, despite having hypotonia, or low muscle tone, according to his mom. "He's a ball of fire. He has a lot of energy. He definitely keeps me on my toes," Martinez said. "He loves when we dance and sing, and he loves when we read books to him. He says hi to everyone in the grocery store. So he's very social."

"Micah brings so much blessing to our life. He's an integral part of our family. We absolutely love him," she added.

Courtesy of Kati Martinez

While sharing Micah's and their family's experience has been fulfilling and positive for her, Martinez said she believes more awareness is needed surrounding Down syndrome.

"We don't get offended by any of [the negative comments] because we understand there's always going to be people out there that are going to say what they say. And they come from a place of like anger and hate, and so my goal is to spread positivity," Martinez said.

"Normally I wouldn't respond to hate comments, but when it's directed toward a people group and my child, I feel like I need to speak up and say something. So I do say something but in a positive light," she added.

"He is more alike than different and up until recently, [people with Down syndrome] haven't had the same opportunities that everyone else do."

Courtesy of Kati Martinez

"They have so much more ahead of them, and they have so much more that they can do because of the rights now for them. So I think, just moving forward, we're just going to get better and we're going to see more people with Down syndrome be more independent, driving, going to work, that kind of thing, things that you maybe wouldn't have thought earlier."

Martinez said she's still learning herself as she follows Micah along his unique journey.

"I underestimate Micah on accident all the time," she said. "The other day, I bought him a puzzle and I brought it home, and I was second-guessing it because I'm like this puzzle is too complicated for him. And I just kind of had it out, and I emptied out all the puzzle pieces, and he just knew where they went, and he put them all in, and I didn't even have to teach him that, and I was like, I've been holding back.

"I think society, we have held a lot of people back with Down syndrome because we haven't given them the opportunity to have an education, to learn how to drive and to have a relationship, get married, and they can do all these things, and we definitely think, 'I don't think so because they have Down syndrome.' And that's really not the case."

Martinez added that she has a special message for her son and anyone touched by Down syndrome.

"Micah. I wouldn't change you for the world. But for you, I will change the world," she said. "And today we celebrate you. We celebrate every person with Down syndrome."

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Mom behind viral Down syndrome video shares powerful message

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An Illinois mom is opening up about the moment she found out her son had Down syndrome, a pivotal turning point that she said has brought more purpose and joy to her life and family. For Kati Martinez of Aurora, Illinois, she's planning on celebrating March 21 with her son, Micah, who has an extra Trisomy 21 chromosome.

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co-teaching collab between SPED and GEN ED teachers

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co-teaching collab between SPED and GEN ED teachers

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This article reminded me of some of the challenges educators face in providing an inclusive, and supportive learning environment for children with disabilities. It provides strategies to help with these barriers.

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Ramos, T. M. (2022, March 8). Challenges for teachers in special-needs-inclusive classrooms. We Have Kids. Retrieved April 16, 2023, from https://wehavekids.com/education/Top-Challenges-Teacher-Face-in-Special-Needs-Inclusive-Classrooms