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You've set up your classroom. You know your kids and curriculum. You have the basics down.

New Teacher Survival Guide: Classroom Management

Everything is running smoothly, except...

There's one student who disrupts your class on a regular basis. One student who doesn't respond to the expectations of the classroom.

The whole situation may have you feeling frustrated and discouraged.

Stop right there.

The first thing you need to realize is that this is not about you.

As personal as some students can seem to make it, your first task is to change your own perspective. Children who misbehave or adolescents who act out are almost always expressing an emotion or a problem that's just beneath the surface. The key to improving their behavior is to figure out what function that action serves and then address the root of the problem.

So, where do you start?

Collect Data

Whether the behavior is calling out, fidgeting, fighting, being destructive, disrespectful speech, or refusal to work, you won't know whether the behavior is improving if you don't have a baseline for where it started. Depending on frequency, a few days of tallies and times may give you enough to move forward.
Be Observant

Note what happens before and after the student's behavior. Look for triggers and rewards. These could be environmental, situational, or behavioral.

Ask a trusted colleague to observe and tell you what they see.

Tracking Behavior with a Number Line
Try Using Video to Gather Data

Watching a video of your class can be enlightening and allows you to see things you might miss in real time.
Examine the Context

Look for the ways you or others in the classroom may be escalating the student's reactions or reinforcing unwanted behaviors. Check out this chart for more specifics on gathering this type of information.

Consider the student's culture, family background, and school history.

If the student has an individualized education program (IEP), speak with your colleagues in special education before implementing any strategy.

Design A Plan Of Action

Once you understand the problem, meet with the student privately. Wait until you can do this calmly and without accusations.

Explain explicitly the behavior that you want to see, as well as the actions that are disruptive.

Emphasize that how the student behaves is his/her choice.

Along with the student, and if possible the parents, create a plan. Simple rewards and punishments may work with young children in the short term, but are seldom effective over time. Instead, consider what specific behavioral response needs to change and how best to instruct and encourage that change.

Prepare for failure and have a contingency plan that includes when and how to remove a child from a situation if needed. Similarly, plan for incremental success and what response would be most effective for encouraging further improvement. Keep your principal informed of all aspects of your program.

Remember that fair is not treating every student the same. Fair is meeting the needs of every child. How you deal with each child's behavior should be determined by what that child needs.

Children of Trauma

Much has been written about children of trauma, but here are a few blog posts to get you started and provide some background:

For students who have experienced mild trauma, empathy and consistency can go a long way. For those with severe traumatic experiences, three key factors are calm, routine, and forgiveness.

Use a calm, low-emotion tone of voice whether you are giving simple directions, explaining what a student did wrong, or praising him/her. Kids with a low arousal threshold do best with a neutral tone.

Establish a routine in your classroom with consistent expectations.

Alert students when the schedule or expectations are going to change.

Remember that you may have no way of personally understanding what that child has gone through. This may not change your experience in the moment the misbehavior is occurring, but it may help you say hello with a smile the next day.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Although autism was once a low-incidence disability, its prevalence has risen dramatically over the years. Students with autism can have widely varying behavior, ability, and sensitivities. The scope of this blog post cannot encompass all you need to know. However, here are a few tips to get you started when interacting with autistic students:

Very simply, some issues associated with autism can be the result of sensory overload.

Permit your student to take breaks when needed.

Provide a schedule for the day. Lower functioning students or those unable to read may need a picture or object schedule. Students who can read will do well with a written schedule. Autistic students will often accept the unexpected as long as it is filled in on his or her schedule.
Resources
It's Not What They Will Do, It's What They Won't Do

At some point in your teaching career, you'll run into a student who refuses to work outright or who does little or nothing throughout the day. Students with ADD, autism, or depression and students of trauma can all fit into this category at times. But there are other students who experience none of these issues, but fail to participate or cooperate for other reasons.

My Teacher Look: Getting Back on Track

After ruling out all of the possibilities above, as well as hunger and lack of sleep, I was at a loss for how to help one of my students. Finally, I found this blog post, which identifies motivation as a critical element in managing student behavior. Some students are primarily motivated to exercise power over what they do. My program for the student in my classroom became one that let him know that he had the choice to work or not to work, but if he chose not to participate or complete assignments, he also chose not to participate in anything fun until the tasks were completed. When he was ready to work, we welcomed him back.

Every student is unique and there's no one strategy that will work every time. Dealing with behavior issues can feel frustrating and isolating for teachers because they're varied, complex, and impacted by a number of social, psychological, and physiological factors.

Remember, you're not alone. And don't be afraid to reach out for support when you need it!

If you're looking for more resources on classroom management, check out Teaching Channel's Class Culture and New Teacher Survival Guide Deep Dives, and explore this blog post to find strategies that will work for you. You can also take a peek at the Back to School Starter Packs that are chock full of resources, including handy checklists to keep track of your progress.

What behavior challenges have you experienced in your classroom? What strategies have you found to be successful? Please share your experiences in the comments below.
____________________________________________________________ Margaret Shafer teaches third grade at Jefferson Elementary School in Morton Unit School District 709. She has a background in special education and is passionate about meeting the needs of all students. She volunteers and sometimes writes for Edutopia. Connect with Margaret on Twitter: @Mshafer3g.

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What to Do for the Most Challenging Students in Your Class

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Enjoy your first three pieces of content for free. Subscribe for unlimited access. Have questions about subscribing? Click Here to learn more. You've set up your classroom. You know your kids and curriculum. You have the basics down. New Teacher Survival Guide: Classroom Management Everything is running smoothly, except...

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We have over 25 activities we have used with our students in our classrooms. These activities help students develop conceptual understanding of many basic mathematics and prealgebra concepts. You can read more about the philosophy behind these activities and their unique features on the Manipulative Mathematics page.

Teacher training videos giving guidance on the use of all the Manipulative Mathematics activities can be viewed at this link: Manipulative Mathematics Teacher Training Videos.

We are happy to share our activities with you! The activities, listed below, are grouped into packets - within each packet the activities focus on a common concept and/or use a common manipulative. The packets include an instructor page, student worksheet, and extra practice problems for each activity. You may download the packets from the links listed below.

Manipulative Mathematics Activities:

The Number Line Part 1 - Counting Numbers and Whole Numbers

The Number Line Part 2 - Integers

The Number Line Part 3 - Fractions

2. The Game of Twenty-four is a fun way to have students practice basic number facts, the order of operations, and correct algebraic notation.
Activity in this packet:

3. The concepts of multiples, factors, and prime numbers are explored through the use of hundreds charts in the Multiples and Primes Packet .
Activities in this packet:

4. In the Signed Numbers Packet students use two-color counters to model addition and subtraction of integers.
Activities in this packet:

Addition of Signed Numbers

Subtraction of Signed Numbers

5. The Visualizing Fractions Packet helps students understand the basic properties of fractions. Students practice modeling and naming proper fractions, improper fractions, and mixed numbers, find fractions equivalent to one, and model equivalent fractions. They learn to connect the visual models with the abstract concepts of fractions.
Activities in this packet:

Model Fractions

Fractions Equivalent to One

Model Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers

Model Equivalent Fractions

6. With Multiplying and Dividing Fractions Packet students will model fraction multiplication and division. They will see why we use a reciprocal when dividing fractions but not when multiplying them.
Activities in this packet:

Model Fraction Multiplication

Model Fraction Division

Model Fraction Addition

Model Fraction Subtraction

Model Finding the Least Common Denominator

Model Multiplication and Factoring

Square Numbers

Subtraction Property of Equality

Division Property of Equality

Visualizing Area and Perimeter

Measuring Area and Perimeter

Exploring Slopes of Lines

Slope of a Line Between Two Points

Manipulative Mathematics links:
Manipulative Mathematics Overview
Teacher Training Videos
Links to Virtual Manipulatives

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Foundations of Algebra - Manipulative Mathematics - Manipulative Mathematics Packets | Foundations of Algebra

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We have over 25 activities we have used with our students in our classrooms. These activities help students develop conceptual understanding of many basic mathematics and prealgebra concepts. You can read more about the philosophy behind these activities and their unique features on the Manipulative Mathematics page.

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IEP at a Glance - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. A free printable IEP at a glance / IEP snapshot for special education students. Share with general ed teachers, special teachers, substitutes, administrators, and more. To be used by teachers or parents.

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Alternate Curricula as a Barrier to Inclusive Ed

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Support MCIE

Announcements

Are you looking for resources related to inclusive education? Contact Audry Gagnon at: assistant@mcie.org!

You can also support MCIE by using this link whenever you shop on Amazon.com. We receive a small portion of what you spend, at no cost to you!
MCIE Amazon Link

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Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education

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Are you looking for resources related to inclusive education? Contact Audry Gagnon at: assistant@mcie.org! You can also support MCIE by using this link whenever you shop on Amazon.com. We receive a small portion of what you spend, at no cost to you! MCIE Amazon Link

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Think Inclusive | The Official Blog of MCIE

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As the official blog of MCIE, we exist to build bridges between families, educators, and people with disabilities to advocate for inclusive education. We do this by publishing content from disabled advocates, parents of children with disabilities, and educators who are "all-in" for inclusion.

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Support for Implementation

The resources found on this site were developed by the ERLC, a member of Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC), as a result of grants from Alberta Education, to support implementation.

Engaging All Learners | Copyright © 2021
Terms of Use | Contact Us

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Literacy for All: In conversation with Dr. Caroline Musselwhite

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The resources found on this site were developed by the ERLC, a member of Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC), as a result of grants from Alberta Education, to support implementation. Engaging All Learners | Copyright © 2021 Terms of Use | Contact Us

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Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities

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Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities

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Literacy Instruction for
Students with Significant Disabilities

Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver from Children With Disabilities: Reading and Writing the Four Blocks Way " We do not believe that a different curriculum is required in order for children with disabilities to succeed in learning to read and write. We have learned, however, that teachers must attend consciously and thoughtfully to the significant learning differences of children with disabilities in order to make good instruction accessible to these students."
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Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities offers information, research-based instructional approaches, and effective instructional and learning strategies to support school leaders, teachers, and other specialists working to better meet the literacy and communication needs of students with significant disabilities, including students with:

moderate to severe cognitive disabilities

complex communication needs

multiple disabilities including deaf/blindness and/or physical access challenges

The Four Blocks Literacy Framework is a comprehensive approach to teaching literacy developed originally Dr. Patricia Cunningham and Dr. Dorothy Hall and then adapted by Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver for students with disabilities. The Four Blocks include Guided & Shared Reading, Writing, Self-Selected Reading and Working With Words.

Using the Four Blocks framework, Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities is built on the work of Dr. Karen Erickson, Dr. David Koppenhaver, and Dr. Caroline Musselwhite and the many sessions and workshops they have provided across the province of Alberta:

Karen Erickson, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, Professor in the Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and the Yoder Distinguished Professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research addresses literacy assessment and instruction for students of all ages who struggle with reading including those with significant disabilities. Karen is co-developer of the Tar Heel Reader online library of accessible books for beginning readers, as well as several other assistive and learning technologies.

Visit the Center for Literacy and Disabilities
http://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds

David Koppenhaver, Ph.D., Professor and Reading Program Graduate Director, Reading Education and Special Education Department, Appalachian State University. David holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). He is the former director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies and has worked for the past 25 years with preschool and school-aged children who have a wide variety of literacy learning difficulties. He currently teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in reading methods, special education, and instructional technology.

Visit Dave's Literacy & Disability Blog http://www.litdis.com

Dr. Caroline Musselwhite is an assistive technology specialist with more than 35 years of experience working with children and adolescents with significant disabilities in a variety of settings. Dr. Musselwhite has written a number of textbooks and "how-to" books on a range of topics, and has also authored many books and software programs for youth with disabilities. She has presented thousands of workshops throughout North and South America, Australia, Europe, and Africa, and is a founding member and Fellow of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Visit http://aacgirls.blogspot.ca and http://www.aacintervention.com.

Support for Implementation

The resources found on this site were developed by the ERLC, a member of Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC), as a result of grants from Alberta Education, to support implementation.

Learning for All | Copyright © 2016
Terms of Use | Contact Us

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Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities

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Literacy Instruction for Students with Significant Disabilities Karen Erickson and David Koppenhaver from Children With Disabilities: Reading and Writing the Four Blocks Way " We do not believe that a different curriculum is required in order for children with disabilities to succeed in learning to read and write.

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Includes information on shared reading, chart writing, alphabet activities, remnant books, partner assisted scanning, switch mounts, and downloadable templates for PowerPoint ABC books.

Top Tools from the Trenches!!!

The deaf-blind model demonstration classrooms have been working hard to foster meaningful literacy and communication instruction to students with the most significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness. If you are just getting started or just need some ideas, this is a short list of the tools teachers use regularly. Some of these tools are very simple-it doesn't all have to be fancy or expensive!

Predictable Chart Writing

Predictable Chart Writing is a shared, group writing activity that results in a classroom book. Engaging in writing is typically a challenging and often abandoned activity for students with significant disabilities. This writing activity has been adapted for students who are unable to speak and unable to hold a pencil. It has been modified from the activities described in Predictable Chart Writing, by Williams, Carson & Dellosa.

Emergent Literacy Goals

Students who are just getting started with literacy may engage in activities in a random and inconsistent manner. This poses serious challenges to educators who are trying to write meaningful IEP goals. This list of sample emergent literacy goals have been designed for students with the most significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness. The goals address communication, shared reading, self-selected reading, self-selected writing, and sound awareness.

Partner Assisted Scanning

Partner assisted scanning is a way for communication "partners" to "assist" students by listing or "scanning" through possible choices. This is a quick strategy to use when a communication device is not available or does not have the needed vocabulary. This short handout offers simple tips for implementing partner assisted scanning.

Describes how to make remnant books-an ideal way for students with significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness, to record their experiences. Made out of little brag books, remnant books can contain most anything that is important to the student, such as tactuals, (i.e. locks of hair from haircut, balloon scrap from parade, or a shell from the beach), pictures/print items (movie ticket stubs, part of menu, napkins with logos), textures, and scents. Students can use these to choose topics for communication or writing.

Successful switch use starts with having the switch consistently in the proper position throughout the day. Commercially available mounting equipment is often used to position switches, however, this equipment may not always be available. Loc-Line can be a great alternative to these commercially available mounts. Loc-Line is a type of re-positionable plastic tubing. It's cheap, easy to get and easy to use!!

PowerPoint Book Templates

When making your own PowerPoint book, a template can be a helpful time saver. The templates below are for creating ABC books and personal books for students with significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness. The templates have high contrast backgrounds and some have finger spellings. (The finger spelling photos come from Pics4Learning.com. They are free!). The templates have also been setup so that there is an auditory click and some movement when students turn the pages in the book. In all of the downloadable templates, the pages and the text boxes have already been made. Teachers, therapists and/or parents can spend time adding pictures and text, rather then the technical aspects of starting from scratch.

The flip chart easel is used along with the alphabet flip chart for self-selected writing activities. The easel allows for the partner in partner-assisted scanning to have their hands free to point to the letters as well as write the letters the student chooses on their page. It also allows the student to have the alphabet flip chart at eye level as they focus on the letters being scanned. The easel can also be used with the communication flip chart for other partner assisted scanning activities. The easel has been designed by Julie Brickhouse, a teacher on the Deaf-Blind Model Classroom Project in North Carolina.

Tactual Book Directions

Emergent Literacy Interaction Inventory

Students' success and engagement in emergent writing is highly dependent on the quality of this interaction. This inventory has the key elements that adults need to do in order for their students to learn how to write using an alternative pencil. The inventory can be used to train teachers, teaching assistants, parents, administrators, literacy coaches, OTRs, SLPs, PTs and after school caregivers. This inventory has been specifically designed for students with significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness.

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Includes information on shared reading, chart writing, alphabet activities, remnant books, partner assisted scanning, switch mounts, and downloadable templates for PowerPoint ABC books. Top Tools from the Trenches!!! The deaf-blind model demonstration classrooms have been working hard to foster meaningful literacy and communication instruction to students with the most significant disabilities, including deaf-blindness.

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Research Support for Inclusive Education

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Research Support for Inclusive Education