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Exceptional Child Training has PD Modules that may be assigned to you

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Vector Training, Special Education Edition Training

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We know that it takes a team of dedicated adults with the right resources and knowledge to help EVERY child with special needs succeed.That's why we're pleased to offer the Exceptional Child online professional development courses to everyone who supports students with exceptionalities.

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Wayne RESA provides training on how to bill for Medicaid. This is for paraprofessionals that provide personal care services to students. Check with your supervising teacher to find out if the students you support are eligible for Medicaid.

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Explicit Instruction Online Series — The Magic Is in the INSTRUCTION, Part 1 - April 2020

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Explicit Instruction Online Series — The Magic Is in the INSTRUCTION, Part 2

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MDE - Supports for Students with Disabilities

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MDE - Supports for Students with Disabilities

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Supports for Students with Disabilities

Many offices, agencies, and organizations outside of the Office of Special Education (OSE) work with families and schools to support students with disabilities.

Academic Supports

Alternate Assessment

MI-Access: Michigan's Alternate Assessment System
MI-Access is designed for students who have, or function as if they have a significant cognitive impairment. MI-Access satisfies the federal requirement that all students with disabilities be assessed at the state level.

MI-Access is managed through the MDE Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability.

Assistive Technology

Autism

Behavior Supports

Blind/Visual Impairment

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

Early Childhood Education Services

Early On ® Michigan (Birth to 3)
Early On Michigan offers early intervention services for infants and toddlers birth to three years of age (and their families) with developmental delay(s) and/or disabilities.

Mediation

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

Michigan's MTSS Technical Assistance Center
The MiMTSS Technical Assistance Center works on behalf of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to provide a continuum of technical assistance to intermediate school districts (ISDs), districts, and schools in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework.

Parent Supports

Transition Services

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MDE - Supports for Students with Disabilities

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Many offices, agencies, and organizations outside of the Office of Special Education (OSE) work with families and schools to support students with disabilities. MI-Access: Michigan's Alternate Assessment System MI-Access is designed for students who have, or function as if they have a significant cognitive impairment.

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As special education teachers, we often need to give directions and help our students learn how to respond appropriately to complete a task. For example, how to use glue sponges or how to button a sweater.

We can start with the lowest level of prompting, or there are times when a behavior needs to be managed immediately, and we choose a higher level prompt. Essentially, we instruct students to work through tasks by adding supportive prompts and cue into the child's instruction.

With varying levels of student abilities, we need to be prepared as the teacher to not only provide the appropriate level of prompting, but to also have a plan for eventually eliminating or fading the prompt. The plan for prompt fading needs to begin at the start, and should be a meaningful part of every prompt decision.

As the teacher, you should also teach your paraprofessionals the importance of prompt hierarchy and prompt fading. It is imperative that everyone is on the same page.

When it comes to teaching your paraprofessionals, it is best to start at the very beginning.

A prompt is anything that is done after the initial directions are provided. As educators, we are trying to encourage self-regulation and independence in our students.

It's important to remember, too, that not all prompting is "bad". Every person needs prompting to learn new skills. And often times, a behavior is exhibited because a child does not understand how to complete a task or action we are asking the child to perform. Prompting can be used to teach those new skills, with the goal of the student eventually achieving mastery without prompting (i.e., independence).

Too much prompting can lead to what is known as "prompt dependency", and we special education teachers see is frequently. For example, a student always needs a prompt to start an activity or skill, even if the child has already gained mastery. One idea to counteract this behavior is by giving the student an opportunity to try the task without the prompts, then start with the least invasive prompts whenever possible.

Prompting should, also, be used in conjunction with positive reinforcement. Focus on the positive statements to encourage the correct behavior. Then you, or your paraprofessional, can add in minimal prompting as needed to shape the behavior when necessary.

NOTE * The end result of everything we teach a child is for the child to be independent.

So we're talking about prompting like we already know the leveling and how it works and what it looks like. However that may not always be the case. Let's look at the prompt hierarchy.

Don't forget to grab your FREE prompt hierarchy handout. It would be an excellent addition to a paraprofessional binder or your substitute plans.

In reference to how the hierarchy is presented, you will see the most invasive prompts listed first and the least invasive prompts near the end of the list.

Full physical prompting is for students who need full support to learn the action or activity. This prompting involves the student completing a task with hand-over-hand support from the teacher.

By guiding the hands of the student, we are helping them see how the task should be completed.

At this point, minimal physical supported guidance may be needed. You could hand the book to the student and point him towards the bookshelf where it needs to be put away.

A second example is a gentle motion to move the student's body in the direction of where he needs to walk (i.e., towards the bookshelf to put the book away).

Model Prompting is showing the students how they should act and speak.

For example, you might walk to Ben's desk, pick up a book, put the book away on the shelf, then walk to the carpet area to sit cross-legged with the rest of the class. As the teacher, you can model the behavior.

Another option is to use verbal reinforcement to bring attention to another student modeling the behavior, or even ask a student to demonstrate the task or direction for the classroom.

Gestural prompting indicates the desired behavior with a motion, such as pointing at the activity that you would like them to do. Any type of gesture can be used to show the next direction, task or step of action that needs to be followed by the student.

For example, pointing to the student's homework and then pointing to the "finished assignments" box or folder where the homework needs to be delivered.

Be clear with your language to communicate the action that the student should take. You might tell the learner the correct answer to the question. Often, this direct verbal prompting should include step-by-step verbal prompts in the order that the tasks need to be completed.

For example, "Ben, please put your book away on the shelf and join the rest of the classroom on the carpet."

Use words to help the student understand that something is expected, without telling them the details. For example, you might ask "What's Next?" or "Now What?"

Another example is giving a verbal cue for the correct answer, such as the first sound or letter of the word.

Indirect prompting uses facial expressions or body language to communicate the actions that should be followed.

For example, "the look" ( we all know what look I'm talking about), shrugging your shoulders to indicate a question, asking the student what they should be doing (without using words).

The end goal of everything we do as special education teacher is to have the child achieve independence with a task. This means that the child can perform the task with no prompting.

{ Grab the FREE Prompting Hierarchy Handout in the Resource Library. }

As a teacher, it takes practice to use and fade prompting in the classroom. Don't get discouraged if a student remains at the same level of prompting. Just keep swimming... okay, but really. Practice and learn more about each of these prompting levels so you can integrate the methods seamlessly into your teaching.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

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Prompt Hierarchy + Using Prompting Effectively - Mrs. D's Corner

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As special education teachers, we often need to give directions and help our students learn how to respond appropriately to complete a task. For example, how to use glue sponges or how to button a sweater. We can start with the lowest level of prompting, or there are times when a behavior needs to be managed immediately, and we choose a higher level prompt.

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IRIS has free training modules for many different topics

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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"We initially chose IRIS because of the past experiences and their credible research-based, high-quality modules that align with specific areas of growth and need to support a state-directed corrective action plan in our region."

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The DOH is an organized approach to accommodating or modifying student work to support their engagement in general education. This site has videos and examples of how to do this.

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Differentiated Output Hierarchy - START Project - Grand Valley State University

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10 questions to ask before working with a student

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10 questions to ask before working with a student

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Fading prompts and supports to make students more independent

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CPI - Behavior Management Strategies for Paraprofessionals

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CPI - Behavior Management Strategies for Paraprofessionals

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The role of an educational assistant (or a teacher's aide or paraprofessional) is to watch for potential problems and prevent escalation when possible.

With this in mind, it's important for EAs to develop appropriate skills to manage crisis situations. EAs need the ability to intervene proactively before a crisis occurs.

The following characteristics are important to embody when interacting with students with behavioral challenges:

Honesty

Confidence

Openness, care, and empathy

Humor

By embodying these characteristics, you can work with students to help mold their behavior while helping make sure that their needs are being met.
We find the following strategies useful when intervening appropriately in an escalating situation. A good way to start is building a tool kit of go-to strategies to use when students become agitated. By employing these strategies, you move from reacting to emergency situations to responding to them.

It's important to take into account what students are saying verbally and paraverbally. It's vital to try and really understand what they're asking for. Listen for feelings, not just facts.

To engage in active listening, we must acknowledge that each person has their own truth. When you acknowledge that the other person has experiences that are different than yours, it's easier to find common ground to move forward in behavioral change.

Consider engaging in a Genuine Encounter Moment. You can do this by:

Giving the student total and complete focus

Giving eye contact and having a friendly and open expression on your face

Listening closely

Withholding judgment

Children overwhelmingly are exposed to many more negative comments in a day than positive ones. Some studies show that 90% of comments directed to children are negative or directive. The more you can genuinely engage with your students in an authentic way, the more they feel respected and valued. And this authentic engagement will positively impact their behavior.

2. Set clear limits

Students need to know what they're allowed and not allowed to do. They need to have predictable limits to help them make sense of their world, help them feel secure, and provide them with guidance for acceptable behavior. There are four things to consider when setting limits:

Avoid using fear, intimidation, obligation, and guilt.

Clearly state the specific boundary with a corresponding consequence.

The corresponding consequence should be a logical or natural consequence that results from not following the limit, and it should be enforceable.

Avoid a power struggle.

3. Sidestep power struggles

A power struggle occurs when two people hold different ideas and both are unwilling to compromise. Sometimes the best approach to dealing with power struggles is to avoid them. Instead of trying to force students to do what you want, try using these alternatives:

Establish an agenda for the day.

Find a common interest and build on that interest.

Be friendly. Smile!

Use a one-word direction.

Remember that "No" is a complete sentence.

Provide choice.

Find a win-win. Compromise.

Brainstorm solutions.

4. Meet their physical and emotional needs

It's important to teach students to become self-aware and to engage in self-care. When your students' physical needs are not being met, they have the potential to escalate into aggressive or acting-out behaviors. A handy way to teach children to remember their physical needs is to use the acronym HALT.

H - Hungry. Hunger can be a physical or an emotional need. If the hunger is physical, offer nutritious snacks. If the hunger is emotional, help them name the emotional need they're feeling.

A - Angry. Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. Anger becomes destructive when people express it inappropriately. It's important to name the emotion and to explore what's causing it. Offer solutions like mediating if the student is angry at another person. Physical activity also helps with feelings of anger. Go for a walk. Go to the gym. Do some push-ups.

L - Lonely. Loneliness can occur both in a crowd and by oneself. Students with emotional regulation issues and behavior disorders withdraw into themselves for a variety of reasons. If you notice your student is withdrawn, engage them in conversation. Reach out and engage in active listening. Help the student connect with a peer.

T - Tired. When we're tired, we find it difficult to cope. Problems seem bigger; the world seems more hostile when we're tired. If your student feels tired, encourage them to rest or to take a short nap. If that's not possible, go for a walk around the block or encourage them to take a couple of deep breaths.

5. Daily physical activity

Exercise is an important tool to help students manage both their physical and mental health. Exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good. It promotes neural growth and releases tension. It also allows students to focus on physical activity and interrupt negative thinking. As an added benefit, it improves memory, enhances self-esteem, and improves sleep.

Take your students for a walk through the halls; use the fitness facilities in your school. Even jogging on the spot and doing push-ups and jumping jacks can boost endorphins and reduce tension.

Participate in physical activity with your students. Be a role model for positive behavioral change. Build daily physical activity into the school day. Make moving a lifelong habit.

6. Mindfulness and breathing exercises

Mindful breathing is the process of focusing your attention on your breathing and nothing else. You concentrate on the process of your breath moving in and out of your body. The results of mindfulness are stress relief, decreased blood pressure, and improved sleep. It has been used to help in the treatment of depression, eating disorders, anxiety, and substance abuse.

There are many examples of breathing exercises that can be found on the Internet. Here we offer one strategy to get you started.

Balloon breathing:

Inhale fully. Place your hands on your belly and breathe in slowly through your nose.

Feel your belly fill up as if it's filled with a giant balloon.

Exhale fully. Open your mouth and blow all of the air out of your body.

Let your belly get flat like an empty balloon.

Repeat five times.

7. Catch them being good

Sometimes negative behavior is the only way that students can communicate their needs to you. It may be the only way they know how to get your attention. Instead of reinforcing the negative behavior, try to catch them being good. The goal here is to praise the positive behaviors and neutralize or ignore the negative behaviors.

Photo: monkeybusinessimages/iStock

Steps for catching a student being good:

Identify the negative or disruptive behavior (one or two behaviors).

Identify the times when the negative or disruptive behavior occurs in the classroom.

Identify fixed time intervals through the course of the day in which you will assess to see if your student is engaging in negative behavior.

If, at those fixed intervals, the student is not engaged in the negative behavior, praise them or reward them.

If, at those fixed intervals, the student is engaged in the negative behaviors, ignore the behavior (if at all possible).

Direct your attention to those students who are acting appropriately and give them praise/rewards.

8. Model prosocial skills

Prosocial skills are those behaviors that we engage in that benefit others. These behaviors include cooperation, sharing work, sharing toys, and emotionally supporting others who are in distress.
Students who have behavior disorders often have not developed strong prosocial skills. You can support prosocial skill development by:

Being a positive role model. The more that students see positive adult interactions, the more likely they are to engage in such activities themselves.

Talking through common social situations and providing feedback about appropriate social interaction.

Role-playing. Have students act out social situations and appropriate responses.

Encouraging structured social play between peers. Play is one of the best ways to encourage sharing, cooperation, and helping.

9. Offer choices instead of giving orders

Offering students choices instead of giving an order elicits their cooperation. Choices communicate that their EA/paraprofessional respects them and their opinions. It provides an opportunity for students to build responsibility and be empowered.

Use these guidelines when offering choice to your student:

Provide two positive options.

Be clear and specific.

Make sure that both choices are acceptable and feasible.

When your students are comfortable making choices, modify this choice by using the "First/Then."
You can use First/Then in this way:

Present the student with a work task that needs to be accomplished.

Give the student a choice of two options that they would like to engage in after the work task is completed. It could include:

Computer time

Time in the playground

Coloring/drawing

When the student has completed the work task, allow them to engage in the second "reward" task.

Using First/Then promotes delayed gratification. It enforces the idea that first work has to occur before they are rewarded with a choice task.

10. Alter the volume and cadence of your voice

Often we overlook how we can affect the emotional state of our students. Emotions can be infectious. When we are angry, aggravated, excited, anxious, or nervous, these emotional states can impact the state of escalation of our students.

If you notice that your student is escalating and becoming visibly agitated, try these techniques to control your own emotions:

Lower the volume of your voice and speak more quietly. As you speak more quietly, your student will have to become quieter to hear you.

Alter the cadence of your voice and speak more slowly.

Modulate your tone of voice and be calm and supportive.

Simplify your vocabulary.

Remember that as your student starts to escalate, they're starting to lose rationality. Speaking loudly and quickly will increase their agitation.

We've offered some skills to develop in order to help you respond to escalating behavior. When you're in the presence of an escalated student, the first thing to realize is that you are actively managing the crisis situation. You are controlling your own behavior. You are making decisions that will impact how the situation unfolds.

Remember, the outcome of the situation will be impacted by the strategies that you use to de-escalate the agitated student.

Take a deep breath and calm yourself. Don't react to the situation. Use the strategies described above to respond to it. Use your tool kit to help support your student.

Jennifer Taylor is a long-time behavior learning assistance teacher. Michael Edward and Abu Jabbie are both experienced Educational Assistants. They work in a specialized program that's designed to meet the needs of students who have severe behavior disorders.

Jennifer has extensive experience teaching students with special needs and First Nations students. She has a master's in Education with a focus on School Improvement and Leadership, specifically looking at interventions that improve the school experience for at-risk youth. Jen has been a CPI Certified Instructor since 2007.

Michael has a nursing background and has worked extensively with individuals with mental health disorders. Michael has a bachelor's degree in Health Education from the University of Benin in Nigeria. He has worked in school, institutional, and group home settings. He has been a CPI Certified Instructor since 2015.

Abu Jabbie is a long-time EA who has worked in school, institutional, and group home settings. Abu immigrated as a refugee from Sierra Leone in 2004. He attended the University of Winnipeg and studied Economics. He is trained as a Child and Youth Worker.

Both Michael and Abu are skilled EAs who have the ability to connect with students to build therapeutic relationships.

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10 Behavior Management Strategies for Paraprofessionals

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The role of an educational assistant (or a teacher's aide or paraprofessional) is to watch for potential problems and prevent escalation when possible. With this in mind, it's important for EAs to develop appropriate skills to manage crisis situations. EAs need the ability to intervene proactively before a crisis occurs.

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These Chrome extensions are resources available for all students. Snap&Read is a read-aloud and outlining tool, while Co:Writer is a word prediction software with speech to text capabilities.

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Different behavior interventions to try

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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.