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Education and Training Careers| Career Cluster/Industry Video Series

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Accreditation/Rule 10 & School Improvement Adult Education and GED® Afterschool Programs AQuESTT Coordinated Student Support Services Early Childhood Education English Learner Programs Expanded Learning Opportunities Family and Community Engagement Federal Programs Migrant Education Program Multicultural/Diversity NDE STEM Nebraska eBooks Nebraska Math and Science Partnerships Nebraska Milken Educators Nebraska Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (NPBIS) Nebraska Teacher of the Year Nutrition Services Poverty and Limited English Private Postsecondary Career Schools (PPCS) and Veterans Education Response to Intervention (RtI) School Safety Special Education Teach In Nebraska 21st Century Community Learning Centers Work Based Learning Vocational Rehabilitation

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Explore Work - Future planning for teens with disabilities

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Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

We also now offer Teacher Account Subscriptions which will enable you to monitor and track the progress of a group of students you may be working with to complete Explore-Work training activities. Find out more about Teacher Accounts.

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Welcome! If you are a teen who has a disability, you have choices and things to do to prepare for life after high school and becoming an adult. Just like every teen, this is a time of transition. You are preparing to be an adult, get a job, and become more independent.

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Before we play the game, let's go over needs and wants one more time.

A need is something you or your family must have in order to live safe, healthy lives. You need clothes, food, shelter, medicine and transportation.

A want is something that you or your family enjoys. You can wait to buy the things you want, because you do not need them to survive.

Let's think about some of these situations. Are they wants, or needs? Pick the best answer.

1. You bought tickets to see your favorite band. Is this a want or need?

2. You buy a bus pass so that you can get to work in the morning. Is this a want or need?

3. You go to the store and buy fruit, milk and bread. Is this a want or need?

4. You and your friends go out to dinner and then you see a movie. Is this a want or need?

5. You go to the doctor to get an x-ray because you fell and hurt your arm. Is this a want or need?

6. You bought a new TV at the store; it's bigger than your old TV. Is this a want or need?

When you are going to buy something, it is important to ask yourself, "Is this a need or a want?" When you buy things that you want, before you buy things that you want it is easier to save money.

Do you think you know the difference between needs and wants? Drag the items you need into the highlighted box.

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Before we play the game, let's go over needs and wants one more time. A need is something you or your family must have in order to live safe, healthy lives. You need clothes, food, shelter, medicine and transportation. A want is something that you or your family enjoys.

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A need is something that you have to have. A want is something you would like to have.

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11 Needs vs Wants Budget Worksheets (And Teaching Help)

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Needs vs. wants worksheets can help students recognize examples from real life. Ultimately, this helps with budgeting & spending priorities.

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11 Needs vs Wants Budget Worksheets (And Teaching Help)

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Banking simulator for classrooms! Teaches students to manage money through simulation controlled by teacher.

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bankaroo

THE VIRTUAL BANK FOR KIDS

Bankaroo is a virtual bank for kids, where you can teach them about the value of money in a safe environment.

Kids will learn how to budget, save up for goals and spend responsibly using our cool easy-to-use app and website.

"A really useful way to keep track of kids pocket money and spending."

"Excellent for piggy-banking. We and our kids love this app. It works well and gives the kids a sense of how to set goals and save. Developer is responsive and active, which is a huge plus."

"Best kids bank out there & Super responsive help if you have a problem AWESOME customer service. Very responsive developer. BEST kids bank app by far (and I researched/tested this extensively, even paying for one lousy one)."

MOBILE APPS

You can use Bankaroo for FREE on any device.
Just log-in to Bankaroo from any browser while online.

Download Bankaroo native apps for iOS, Android and Kindle phones, and tablets.
Get offline functionality, faster image upload and notifications.

Bankaroo PLUS (formerly, bankaroo gold) is an enhanced edition where kids can manage separate accounts for checking, savings, and charity. As well as, transfer funds between family members.

Bankaroo Student is a FREE app for students using the Bankaroo in their schools.

What services does Bankaroo offer?

There are 4 editions of Bankaroo.

Bankaroo online - a free online (web and mobile-web) service

Bankaroo - the Bankaroo mobile app, offering account syncing across devices and some offline capabilities

Bankaroo Plus - an enhanced service where kids can manage separate accounts for checking, savings, and charity, has the ability to transfer funds between family members

Bankaroo for Schools - a special edition for teachers who like to use Bankaroo in their class, includes an online portal for teachers and a mobile app for students

How old should my kids be to use Bankaroo?

Bankaroo is designed for kids with basic reading skills. Most of our members are 5-14 years old.

Does Bankaroo work offline?

Yes, but... The web and mobile-web version do not work when you are offline. The mobile app does work and allows you to view and perform some tasks, such as setting new goals.

Some actions are available only when you are online, like using funds. This is because the Bankaroo system needs to verify the account has enough funds to be able to allocate them toward a goal, payment or transfer, and that is possible only then the user is online.

How can I help Bankaroo?

We would love to get your help.

Email us support@bankaroo.com with any question, idea or comment. We love to improve based on feedback

Give Bankaroo a positive review in the App stores

Share Bankaroo with your family, friends, schools and community

Like us on Facebook

How can I get support?

We would love to hear from you and hear how can we help you and improve Bankaroo. Please use the contact form con contact us, or email support@bankaroo.com.

Why do I need to register with my email?

Parents are required to register using their email to allow account and information verification per the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). You can opt in to weekly account updates and other Bankaroo news. Bankaroo DOES NOT require kids' email address, real names or mobile numbers.

What currencies does Bankaroo support?

Bankaroo is a virtual bank and as such it can support any currency. When you create the account you can select from the following list:

In case you do not see the currency you need, please let us know and we would be happy to add it. Contact support@bankaroo.com.

ABOUT US

Bankaroo started as a family project to help children learn how to manage their saving.
Dani came up with the idea when he was 11 years old and helped with the design testing and marketing.
Dad helped with the technology, and mom helped with the rest.
Bankaroo is used and trusted by thousands of families, teachers and schools across the world.

DANI

Co-founder

Dani started bankaroo at the age of 11 when he could not find an app that could help kids tracking their money. Dani is An honors student, drummer, and a Black Belt Karate instructor.

ETAY

Co-founder

A proud father and entrepreneur at heart. Helping companies and nonprofit organizations to build software and scale. Always trying to work on things that would benefit the world.

COMMUNITY

YOU ARE AWESOME!

Bankaroo started as a family project in 2011. The bankaroo community grew to be 120,000+ members strong and spread across 100 countries around the globe.

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bankaroo :: virtual bank for kids - bankaroo :: virtual bank for kids

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THE VIRTUAL BANK FOR KIDS Bankaroo is a virtual bank for kids, where you can teach them about the value of money in a safe environment. Kids will learn how to budget, save up for goals and spend responsibly using our cool easy-to-use app and website.

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Credit and debit cards are a confusing subject that we don't learn about in school. It makes sense then that there's so much confusion surrounding the subject.

But understanding debit and credit cards, their differences, pros, cons, and how to use them is a necessary skill. As a teenager, it's important to start learning about debit and credit, so you're prepared to appropriately use them as an adult.

Instead of using physical cash to make purchases, you can use your debit card thats linked to a bank account to pay for things and even make online purchases.

How to get a debit card as a teenager

So once you turn 13, you'll be able to open a checking account and get a debit card so you can make online payments, transfer money, avoid the hassle of using cash, and benefit from the additional security provided by the FDIC.

This essentially means your money will be much more secure if you keep it in a bank account -- connected to your debit card -- than keeping it in cash where it could be lost or stolen.

Having a debit card as a teenager before having a credit card will help you understand how card payments work and help you get used to spending intangible money.

You see, the psychology of spending money with credit and debit cards is very different from physical cash.

"It's easy to convince yourself, without even knowing it, that you're not spending "real" money when you charge on your credit card. And technically, that's correct. "In fact, you're not really spending money - you're borrowing money," writes author and certified public accountant Michele Cagan in her book, "Debt 101." "You know that you'll have to pay the bill eventually, but the promise of small minimum payments can make purchases seem like bargains." Unless you pay back the purchase immediately, you won't feel the pain of the bill for basically a month" -- Nerdwallet

By getting used to spending money on a debit card, it will be easier to use credit cards appropriately as an adult because you'll have had time to adjust to the psychology of credit cards.

Debit vs. credit cards

Debit and credit cards are often confused because they look similar, as well as have similar names and functions, but they are actually very different.

The simplest way of putting it is that when you spend money on a debit card, you are spending your own money. If you don't have enough money in your checkings account to make a purchase, then you won't be allowed to.

In contrast, when you spend money on a credit card, you're not spending your own money; you're borrowing the money from a lender. If you don't immediately have enough money to make a purchase, you can still make the purchase and will have until the end of the month to pay for it.

This is the crucial difference between debit and credit cards to understand.

All though having credit cards and a good credit score is important, credit cards can be dangerous. When you use a credit card, you are taking out short-term debt that you'll ideally pay off by the end of the month. But if you don't pay back your debt on time because you forgot, or overspent, you'll have to pay it back with significant interest.

According to creditcards.com , as of June, the average annual interest rate was a crippling 16.14%. At such a high interest rate, credit card debt can quickly snowball into a crushing amount of debt.

For example, if you had a $10,000 debt, you would have to pay off $1,600 every year in interest just for the debt not to increase. This makes it incredibly difficult to pay off credit card debt.

If the main difference between debit and credit cards is that credit card purchases borrow money, and credit card debt can be a significant problem, why bother using credit cards at all? Well, there are two big reasons, rewards and credit scores.

Not all credit cards are created equal. Some credit cards have cashback, discounts, and rewards points to try and incentivize you to use their credit card over a competitor's.

Although you shouldn't be spending money just to get these rewards, having even just a small reward for your purchases can add up to a significant amount.

The other, bigger reason that credit cards are important is that how you use them determines your credit score.

Credit scores have a significant effect on your financial stability, so it's crucial to understand, even as a teenager, so you're prepared to make good decisions as an adult.

"A credit score is a three-digit number, typically between 300 and 850, designed to represent your credit risk, or the likelihood you will pay your bills on time. Credit scores are calculated using information in your credit reports, including your payment history, the amount of debt you have, and the length of your credit history. Higher scores mean you have demonstrated responsible credit behavior in the past, which may make potential lenders and creditors more confident when evaluating a request for credit" - .

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Credit vs. Debit: A Guide for Teenagers - Teen Finance Today

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Credit and debit cards are a confusing subject that we don't learn about in school. It makes sense then that there's so much confusion surrounding the subject. But understanding debit and credit cards, their differences, pros, cons, and how to use them is a necessary skill.

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Tools to teach students about money, getting a job, banking, etc.

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Biz Kid$ is a national financial education initiative based on an Emmy Award-winning public television series about kids, money, and business. The series includes 65 episodes and reaches one million viewers per episode. Using a clever blend of entertainment and education, each Biz Kid$ episode show…

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PSA- Credit Card Debt among Young Adults

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Credit cards, student loans, mortgages, car loans, personal loans: Most Americans have a combination of these sources of debt. And despite their best intentions, Americans are digging themselves deeper into a hole each year.

The average American now has about $38,000 in personal debt, excluding home mortgages. That's up $1,000 from a year ago, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2018 Planning & Progress Study, which also reports that "fewer people said they carry 'no debt' this year compared to 2017 (23 percent vs. 27 percent)."

"Despite recognizing that debt is dangerous waters, Americans are jumping in with both feet and struggling to stay afloat," says Emily Holbrook, director of planning for Northwestern Mutual.

Credit cards and mortgages tied as the leading source of debt, followed by student loans and car loans, according to the survey. The findings are based on a survey of over 2,000 U.S. adults, including an oversampling of more than 600 millennials.

For those ages 18 to 24, it's no surprise that student loans are the highest source of debt (28 percent), followed by credit card balances.

At least experts consider student loans to be "good debt," because they are typically low cost and may have tax advantages. Meanwhile, credit card debt is almost always "bad debt," because it has much higher interest rates.

When it comes to student loans, don't take out more, in total, than you believe you will make with your first year's salary, Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, a financial advisor, board chair and president of the Charles Schwab Foundation, tells CNBC Make It. So if you think you're going to earn $50,000 right out of college, you shouldn't have more than $50,000 in student loans.

Among older millennials, credit card balances are the leading source of debt, making up a fourth of what average older millennials owe. Student debt accounts for about 16 percent, while mortgages make up just 3 percent, according to Northwestern Mutual.

"As you grow older, your expenses increase. The additional pressures that come onto the pocketbook only grow, and your disposable income shrinks in a lot of cases, even if your salary is growing," Holbrook tells CNBC Make It.

For those ages 35 to 49, home mortgages are the No. 1 source of debt: They account for about 32 percent of the members of this age group typically owe, the survey finds. Credit card debt is the No. 2 source, while car loans and education debt tie for around 7 percent each.

This era in your life is crunch time, says Kevin O'Leary, personal finance author and co-host of ABC's "Shark Tank." People should aim to have all of their debt paid off - from mortgages to student loans to credit card debt - by age 45, he tells CNBC Make It.

"The reason I say 45 is the turning point, or in your 40s, is because think about a career: Most careers start in early 20s and end in the mid-60s," O'Leary says. "So, when you're 45 years old, the game is more than half over, and you better be out of debt, because you're going to use the rest of the innings in that game to accrue capital."

Those who are age 50 or older have the second-lowest amount of debt, which is good news. And similar to Gen-Xers, the top three sources are, in order: mortgages, credit card bills and car loans.

But while they have less debt than millennials and Gen-Xers, many boomers don't have a lot of savings, despite being close to retirement. A third of baby boomers have less than $25,000 put away for their golden years, according to Northwestern Mutual, meaning they could end up working longer than they planned.
Don't miss: Why a 33-year-old turned to a risky loan when his baby's premature birth left him broke

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Here's how much debt Americans have at every age

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Credit cards, student loans, mortgages, car loans, personal loans: Most Americans have a combination of these sources of debt. And despite their best intentions, Americans are digging themselves deeper into a hole each year. The average American now has about $38,000 in personal debt, excluding home mortgages.

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Young Americans owe $1 trillion of debt.

Yes, with a "T."

Here's what you need to know.
$1 trillion of debt
Recent data from the New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel and Equifax shows that Americans 18-29 years old owe $1.05 trillion in debt. The debt is comprised mostly of student loans, but also includes auto loans, credit card debt, mortgage debt and other forms of consumer credit. The last time this age group owed more than $1 trillion in debt was the fourth quarter of 2007, near the time of the 2008 financial crisis.

How does this debt level compare with other age groups? Here's a breakdown:
Debt Outstanding By Age Group
30-39 years old: $2.9 trillion

40-49 years old: $3.4 trillion

50-59 years old: $3.2 trillion

60-69 years old: $2.0 trillion

70+ years old: $1.0 trillion

Strikingly, debt outstanding for young Americans is the almost the same as Americans age 70 or older. While Americans age 40-49 have the highest amount of consumer debt, those age 60-69 still owe $2.0 trillion.
Why so much debt?
The first question is what's driving so much debt? The highest proportion is student loan debt, which according to the latest student loan debt statistics, is $1.5 trillion and impacts more than 44 million borrowers. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has called student loan debt a "crisis" and recent research suggests that 40% of borrowers may default on their student loans by 2023.

The second highest component is mortgage debt, although new originations for mortgage debt for 18-29 year-olds have dropped by about 50% compared with pre-recession highs. While total mortgage debt only increased about 3%, student loan debt has grown more than 100% over the past 10 years. One reason is that young people saddled with student loan debt are waiting longer to buy a home, or opting not to buy a home at all.

Student loan debt, in aggregate, is now second to mortgage debt in terms of total debt outstanding. That means that student loan debt outstanding is higher than both auto loans and credit card debt.
Not all debt is bad
It's important to remember that not all debt is bad.

Borrowing debt, in many cases, can work in your favor.

For example, if you borrow student loan debt to earn a college or advanced degree that leads to a higher paying job, and you repay that debt, then you benefit from the power of leverage. Similarly, if you borrow a mortgage to buy a home and sell the home for a profit, borrowing debt works in your favor.

This is different than borrowing student loan debt and falling behind on payments, or not earning enough income to support student loan payments. Therefore, the delinquency and default trends is one data point to watch. The inability to repay debt, particularly in recessionary periods, is one important indicator. For example, 11.4% of student loan debt outstanding is currently delinquent - meaning it has not been paid for at least 90 days.
Top Ways To Pay Off Debt
Here are some proactive measures for you to consider to pay off debt:

1. Refinance student loans

2. Consolidate credit card debt

3. Improve your credit score (access to lower interest rates)

4. Increase income (this will reduce your debt-income ratio)

... Read More

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Young Americans owe $1 trillion of debt. Yes, with a "T." Here's what you need to know. $1 trillion of debt Recent data from the New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel and Equifax shows that Americans 18-29 years old owe $1.05 trillion in debt.

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The famed patriot Patrick Henry proclaimed "Give me liberty ... or give me death!" at America's founding.

Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic economic jolt, the country's motto has changed to "Forget financial liberty ... give me debt!"

American household debt hit a record $14.6 trillion in the spring of 2021, according to the Federal Reserve. If you had to write that check it would read $14,600,000,000,000.

Lucky for you, that debt is shared by about 340 million people. But who are the most likely to get into debt?

More importantly, who are the ones most likely to get out of debt?

It's all a matter of age, income, ethnicity, family type and education level. Demographics don't strictly determine one's debt, but understanding such statistics is important.

It can motivate you to go against the numbers and find financial liberty. Here's a look at the recent history and major demographics of debt.

The Pandemic Impact on Debt

The less your income, the easier it is to pile up debt. That obvious lesson hit home in 2020.

The unemployment rate went from 3.5% pre-COVID to a peak of 14.8% in April 2020-the highest level since 1948.

The total U.S. consumer debt balance grew $800 billion, according to Experian. That was an increase of 6% over 2019, the highest annual growth jump in over a decade.

Student loan debt increased the most (12%), followed by mortgage debt (7%) and personal loan debt (6%).

But credit card debt dropped $73 billion, a 9% decrease from 2019 and the first annual drop in eight years.

A November 2020 Experian survey showed that 66% of consumers were spending the same or less during the pandemic than they had in 2019. About 33% of those surveyed said they put more in savings in 2020 than they did in the last year.

Average American Debt by Age

You've probably heard the saying "You have to spend money to make money." Economists debate that, but there's little doubt that people spend more when they're making more.

The average American has $90,460 in debt, according to a 2021 CNBC report. That included all types of consumer debt products, from credit cards to personal loans, mortgages and student debt.
The average amount of debt by generation in 2020:

Gen Z (ages 18 to 23): $16,043

Millennials (ages 24 to 39): $87,448

Gen X (ages 40 to 55): $140,643

Baby boomers (ages 56 to 74): $97,290

Silent generation (ages 75 and above): $41,281

Debt and Education

The more educated you are, the more debt you have. That's because higher education leads to higher income, and higher income leads to higher spending.

People with college degrees carry an average of $8,200 in credit card debt. Those who attended college but did not graduate carry $4,700. High school graduates only carry an average of $4,600, according to data from the Federal Reserve, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Experian.

A person's education level directly affects their earning potential.
Here are 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics on average annual income by education level:

Less than a high school diploma - $30,784

High school education - $38,792

Attended some college - $43,316

Two-year college degree - $46,124

Bachelor's degree - $64,896

Master's degree - $77,844

Doctorate degree - $97,916

Though it's not always the case, if you're smart enough to get a college education you're probably smart enough to stay out of unmanageable debt.

Average Debt to Income Ratios

Debt to income ratio is a key indicator of financial health. It's determined by taking you monthly expenditures and dividing that number by your monthly income.

For instance, if your bills amount to $5,000 a month and you make $7,500 a month, your DTI is 66%. It also means you are dire need of financial overhaul.

The maximum DTI you can have to qualify for a mortgage is usually 43%. Most financial advisors recommend keeping your DTI at 30% or lower.

Overall, DTIs have risen over the years. A 2018 Federal Reserve report showed a slow but steady rise from 1980s, then a sharp increase during the housing boom of the early 2000s.

It dropped with financial crisis of 2008, which indicated many households cut consumption or defaulted on loans.

The median household income hit $79,900 in the first quarter of 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That's almost $35,000 more than it was in 2000.

But the typical American household now carries an average debt of $145,000. The median debt was only $50,971 in 2000.

Year-to-year DTI statistics are hard to come by, but given the rise of debt versus the rise in income, it's apparent that Americans in all demographic groups have higher debt-to-income ratios.

Debt and Family Type

Research shows that singles have more friends and certainly more free time than married couples, but being married decreases the chances you'll stay in debt.

The median income for general population households was $90,500 in 2020, according to a C+R Research report. The median income for singles was $72,300.

A 2017 study of 2,000 people by TD Ameritrade found that 43% of married couples considered themselves financially secure compared to 29% of singles.

When it comes to savings, a Consumer Services report found that the average single person in the 35-44 age group with no children had $3,693 in savings. A married couple with no children in that demographic had $10,399 in savings.

Debt and Income

The wealthier you are, the more likely you will carry debt. Of course, the wealthier you are, the easier it is to erase that debt.

Americans in the top 10% by income have a median of $222,200 in debt, whereas those in the bottom 25% have less than $20,900.

When it comes to home ownership, smaller income means less chance of even qualifying for loan debt. Credit card qualification is less stringent, but the basic rule still applies.

People in the highest 10% of annual income had an average credit card debt of $12,600, according to a 2021 ValuePenguin analysis of Census and Federal Reserve reports.
The average debt based on income scale:
Debt and Minorities

Minorities in general earn less than whites, though that doesn't necessarily translate to more debt because they have less to spend and are less likely to qualify for higher-dollar loans.

The average credit card balance for white families was $6,940 in 2021, according to the Value Penguin study. For Black families it was $3,940, and for Hispanics it was $5,510.

From 2000 to 2019, the median household income of Blacks went from $45,442 to $46,073, according to the Economic Policy Institute. For Hispanics, it increased from $47,841 to $56,113. For Asians, it jumped from $80,000 to $98,174

According to a 2019 Federal Reserve report, the median net worth for white families was $188,200. For Blacks families, it was $24,100, and for Hispanics it was $36,100.

Student loan debt disproportionately affects minorities. Blacks have an average $52,000 in student loan debt in 2021, according to studies compiled by Educationdata.org. About 40% of Black graduates have student loan debt from graduate school, while 22% of white college graduates have graduate school debt.

About 60% of Asian bachelor's degree holders have educational loan debt. That figure increases to 67% for Hispanic and Latino student borrowers, and 70% for white borrowers.

Four years after graduation, 48% of Black students owe an average of 12.5% more than they borrowed. After that same period, 83% of White students owe 12% less than they borrowed.

Debt and Gender

Women have made huge economic gains over the decades, but most will have more debt than men. In 2021, women earn 82 cents for every dollar earned by men, according to crowdsourced data compiled by PayScale.

The median salary for men was about 18% higher than for women. That's a 1% improvement from 2020 and an 8% improvement from 2015.

Experts cite a variety of reasons for the gender gap - discrimination, career choices, maternity and others. Whatever the cause, the end result is that women have less money.

One problem is many start their career in deeper financial holes. Women hold 58% of all student loan debt, according to the National Center for Education Studies.

It takes them an average of 2 years longer to pay off those loans. Borrowers who identify as LGBTQ have an average of $16,000 more in student loan debt than those who do not.

Women over 65 also lag when it comes to retirement income and savings. Their median household retirement income was $47,244, according to a 2020 survey by the National Institute for Retirement Security.

That was 83% of what their male counterparts, who live in households with a median retirement income of $57,144, including Social Security, pensions, investment income and earnings.

Student Loan Debt

Paying for college has turned into a long-term burden for millions of Americans. The total bill as of March 2021 was $1.7 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. That was more than double what it was a decade earlier.

Not surprisingly, the 18-to-29 age group accounted for 34% of that debt, according to the Department of Education. But the highest average belonged to 35-year-olds who took out loans. Their average outstanding balance was $42,600.

A report from The Brookings Institution showed that the 6% borrowers owed more than $100,000 in student loan debt, including 2% that owed more than $200,000. That six-figure club accounted for one-third of all student loan debt.

As for the best investment for that money, a Lending Tree survey tracked the "earnings to debt" ratio of degrees. The study divided the average student loan disbursement for 64 majors by their closest-matching job's early career wage.

The majors with the highest earning-to-debt ratio were Physical Sciences, Computer Engineering, General Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Computer Science.

The degrees that provided the lowest immediate bang for the buck were Law, Pharmacy and Education. Early career wages are middling in those fields, but can increase appreciably over time.

Whatever the degree, getting a sheepskin generally increases a student's earning prospects. People who obtain a degree make an average of 71% more money than peers with only high school diplomas, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Federal student loans were granted forbearance in 2020 due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Though a firm loan-forgiveness plan was not in place, advocacy groups are pushing the Biden Administration to cancel roughly $1 trillion in student debt, up to $50,000 per person.

That would help alleviate one category of U.S. debt, though that money would still have to be paid by somebody.

So for all the studies and programs and vagaries of spending vs. earning in the U.S., one thing is certain. America's debt train is going to keep chugging along.

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Consumer Debt Statistics & Demographics in America

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The famed patriot Patrick Henry proclaimed "Give me liberty ... or give me death!" at America's founding. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic economic jolt, the country's motto has changed to "Forget financial liberty ... give me debt!" American household debt hit a record $14.6 trillion in the spring of 2021, according to the Federal Reserve.

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Establishing credit and learning to use it wisely when you are a teenager can make the transition to adulthood much easier. As a parent, there are a few things you can do to help your teen build a positive credit history.

Add your teen as an authorized user to your account.

One way parents may choose to help their teen build a credit history is by adding him or her to their existing credit card accounts as an authorized user. As an authorized user, the teen has permission to use the credit card to make purchases, but they are not responsible for the debt. As the primary account holder, you would still be responsible for the debt.

Adding your teen as an authorized user gives you a chance to show them how to be responsible with credit while helping them build a credit history. When the bill arrives, you can use it as a teachable moment to discuss the monthly statement and the implications of not paying the bill in full.

While many credit card companies do report authorized user accounts to Experian, some may not. If you are adding someone to your account as an authorized user to help them begin establishing credit, you should contact the credit card provider first to make sure they report authorized user accounts to the credit reporting companies.

Cosign for a loan or credit card account.

A teenager who is just starting out may not qualify for a loan or a credit card on their own and may need a cosigner.

One common example where parents may be asked to cosign is for student loans. Cosigning for your teen can be a great way to help them begin building their credit history; however, you should be aware of the risks involved with doing so.

When you cosign on an account for someone, you are agreeing to be equally responsible for the debt and for making sure all payments are made on time. As a cosigner, you are contractually obligated to repay the debt if the teenager fails to pay.

Keep in mind that the account will appear on both your credit report as well as the credit report of the individual you are cosigning for, and the amount of the debt will be taken into consideration when you apply for credit in the future.

Helping your teen learn the importance of good credit now will provide them the tools to manage their own accounts and achieve greater financial success in the future.

Check out the scope to hear answers to all the questions asked.

Do you have questions about credit?

Join our live video chat every Tuesday and Thursday at 3:00 p.m. ET on Periscope. Rod Griffin, Director of Public Education at Experian, is available to answer your questions live.
Scoped on: 5/08/2018

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What's the Best Way to Build Credit for Teenagers? - Experian

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Establishing credit and learning to use it wisely when you are a teenager can make the transition to adulthood much easier. As a parent, there are a few things you can do to help your teen build a positive credit history.

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Pros, Cons and the Risks

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Give your teens a solid financial foundation by showing these basic budgeting skills.

For many teenagers, living on their own at college is a major reality check. While 71% of teens feel confident in their money-managing skills, many lack practical experience. Teach your child how to make sound financial decisions without your help. Here are three important lessons in money management for teens.

Lesson 1: Creating a budget

Help teens understand where their money is going with a basic budget.

Track spending. Before deciding how to allocate expenses, teens should track where their money goes for a few weeks. Include items they might not pay for now but will in the future, such as clothing, entertainment or extracurricular activities.

Do the math. Help your teen come up with an income total for each month, including allowance, gifts or after-school jobs. Then budget necessary expenses first. If there's a shortfall, discuss ways to cut discretionary spending or increase income.

Lesson 2: Saving money

Make setting aside income second nature for your teen.

Be consistent. Teens should strive to put the same percentage of their income each month toward savings goals. This will help make savings a habit.

Watch it grow. Once your teen is saving consistently each month, open a savings account and explain how compound interest can increase savings.

Lesson 3: Building credit

Teach your teen the benefits and risks of buying on credit.

Use responsibly. By carrying a balance from month to month, your teen could pay hundreds of dollars in compound interest charges. Discourage teens from charging purchases they can't really afford.
Explain how sales that appear to be a good deal at the store may be good if the amount is paid in full. But if the original amount and interest continue to accrue it will be much more than the original sale item(s) and you may regret those deals.

To get your teen started on the path to building a strong credit foundation, teens can be added as authorized users to your accounts.

Certain credit card companies will allow you to set a spending limit for authorized users, others will not. So before handing over the plastic to your teen, make sure they understand the ramifications of using credit responsibly.

Set the expectation with your teen that they will be responsible for paying their charges each month.

If your teen is older, 18 or 19, there are credit cards that cater specifically to that age group. These cards tend to start with smaller limits.

Scores matter. Explain how to build a good credit history by avoiding late payments and keeping card balances low. Good credit will help your teen years down the road when securing a car or home loan.

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Money management for teens - State Farm®

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Give your teens a solid financial foundation by showing these basic budgeting skills. For many teenagers, living on their own at college is a major reality check. While 71% of teens feel confident in their money-managing skills, many lack practical experience. Teach your child how to make sound financial decisions without your help.

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Free curriculum that includes worksheets, reading materials, videos and more.

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.

Introduction Materials

Soft Skill #1: Communication

The activities in this section will not only help participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take - and they can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.

Soft Skill #2: Enthusiasm & Attitude

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of enthusiasm and a positive attitude in the workplace. Participants will hear strategies for turning negative thinking into positive thinking and displaying and discussing enthusiasm during an interview and on the job.

Soft Skill #3: Teamwork

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of teamwork to workplace success and the specific role each individual on a team may play. Participants will learn about positive teamwork behavior and discover how their own conduct can impact others on a team.

Soft Skill #4: Networking

The activities in this section focus on the process of networking and its relevance and importance to career development. Participants will learn about taking initiative and overcoming fear, informational interviewing, as well as potential guidelines to consider when using social networks, texting, and email for networking purposes.

Soft Skill #5: Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

The activities in this section focus on learning how to solve problems in a variety of ways in the workplace. Participants will hear about how to properly tell the difference among criticism, praise, and feedback and reacting appropriately. The section will also review strategies for making ethical decisions, solving problems on a team with others, and learning how to take into account others' perceptions when assessing actions or statements in the workplace.

Soft Skill #6: Professionalism

The activities in this section focus on each of the five individual soft skills presented in this publication (communication, enthusiasm/attitude, teamwork, networking, and problem solving/critical thinking), but in a broader framework. This is because professionalism, is not one skill but the blending and integration of a variety of skills.

Additional Materials

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments.

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Welcome to 10 Tips On Budgeting For Teens!

Budgeting Tips

Throughout my life, I've made huge mistakes when it comes to budgeting. My most recent one was spending $100 a month on fast food for me and my friends. That may or may not sound ridiculous to you, but it sounds ridiculous to me. Last semester, my 3 friends and I would go out to eat every day. We'd take turns paying for everyone. All of a sudden I had racked up $100 spent on food in just 20 school days. Whereas instead, I could've bought lunch at school or brought a lunch and used my parent's money. So essentially, I wasted $100 a month, or $500 in a semester simply by going out to eat everyday. It was a major budgeting mistake. Fortunately, in my case, I had enough money to spend on all of my other expenses. However, in many teens' cases, they don't have the money to do that or don't have a clue on how to budget at all. So this guide is for you! Here are 10 Budgeting Tips for Teens!

1. Estimate Your Monthly Income

The first step to budgeting is to calculate your monthly income. Add up all streams of revenue that you have and calculate a monthly average (be conservative). Use this number as a guide to how much you should spend each month. Obviously, your spending should never exceed your income.

2. 30/30/40 Rule

As a teen, the typical thing to do is to blow all of your money on trivial items or on junk food. Don't worry, I've been there. However, there's a better way of budgeting your money. It's called the 50/30/20 rule. I'm sure you've heard of it, but just in case you haven't, experts suggest that you spend 50% of your money on your needs, 30% on your wants, and 20% on your savings. This is a good rule of thumb for most people, however, it does apply a little differently to teens. Most teens don't need to spend 50% of their money on their needs. Their parents pay for most of their expenses for them.

The biggest necessary expenses for teens come in the form of car payments, insurance payments, and phone payments. However, teens tend to spend most of their money on their wants like food, clothes, and accessories. Teens luck out on not having to pay for rent/mortgage, student loans, groceries, and other expenses that are covered by their parents. Though, there are exceptions out there.

Because of teens' different styles of spending, I suggest a 30/30/40 rule.

30% Needs: phone, car, insurance, groceries, other bills

30% Wants: clothes, fast food/junk food, electronics, accessories

40% Savings: savings account, emergency fund, college savings, retirement savings, investing

Now it's important to note that I do understand there are exceptions out there. Sometimes, your needs may be way higher than 30% of your income and there's not much you can do about that. If that's the case, lower your wants as much as you can, and take the rest out of what you would put in savings.

My Spending

Last month, I made considerably more than my regular income; however, my needs and wants stayed the same. As a result, I ended up spending 15% on needs, 16% on wants, and 69% on savings. I am lucky to have low need-based expenses, but I'm still proud that I took the extra money I made and saved it. On a more regular basis I usually spend 22% on needs, 20% on wants, and 58% on savings.

Don't have an income? Start a business that makes money while you sleep!

3. Come Up with Spending Categories

Once you have your estimates for what you should be spending on your needs, wants, and savings each month, come up with some spending categories on things that you regularly spend money on (clothes, food, gas, gifts, bills, etc.) Take some time to think about how much of your income you want to set aside for each one of these spending categories (Ex. $40/month for clothes).

The important thing to imagine when budgeting is that each spending category fund that you have is its own separate bank account. You never want to spend more than what is inside that account. For example, if you have $200 in your clothes fund, you shouldn't go and spend $80 on shoes and $140 on some new pairs of jeans, because that would equal $220. Just because you have $4000 in your bank account, doesn't mean that you have $4000 in your clothes bank account (spending fund).

If you happen to not spend all of the amount in that category, then simply just carry it over into the next month and start to grow your funds! The whole point of budgeting is to restrict the amount that you spend to the amount that you allocate for that category. Just think about how much you have to spend on a category, and don't go over that unless it's absolutely necessary. If you follow that one simple rule you'll be saving money in no time.

Example of Spending Categories

4. Track All Expenses

A huge part of budgeting is tracking all of your expenses. This way, you know exactly how you are spending every dollar that you have. Every time you spend money, even if it's only $1, record it. I recommend HoneyMoney. It's a great online tool that you can use to track your expenses and financial progress. Start your free trial here.

At the end of the month, add up all of your expenses and input that into your budgeting spreadsheet (See Tip #7).

Tip: When tracking your expenses, always round up to the next nearest dollar. But, don't throw away your spare change, hang on to it and keep it in a jar. This way, when you cash in your spare change, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find you had an extra $100 sitting around.

5. Build Emergency Fund/Savings Account

Experts suggest having at least 6 months' worth of income in a savings account/ emergency fund. This money would be used in case of emergencies such as losing your job, needing car repairs, or paying for expensive medical bills. If you made $500 a month then you should have $3000 in an emergency fund account ($500 x 6). If you're saving 40% of your income like I suggest then you would be depositing $200 a month into savings. It would only take 15 months to reach the point where you have enough in your savings/emergency fund. However, once you reach the point where you have 6 months worth of income, don't stop! Keep growing that amount as high as you can! You'll need it eventually.

When you're saving, think about having multiple imaginary savings accounts inside your savings account. If each month you set aside $30 for car-related expenses, but don't spend all of that money each month, just start to total up the amount of money you have in that fund. Eventually, you'll have hundreds of dollars saved specifically for any car repairs or maintenance that you may need. You can do that for your car, college savings, emergency fund, and so much more. Maybe your savings account says $10,000, but really $4000 is for emergencies, $3000 is for college, $2000 is for car expenses, and $1,000 is for spending.

6. Treat Savings Like an Expense

You need to treat saving like an expense. If you make $500 a month then plan to put $200 in savings every month. Consider making automatic payments either from your bank account or directly from your employer to either your savings account, emergency fund, or college savings account. This way you never are tempted with the extra money in your account, because the money is safely deposited into a non-spending account. However, if a surprise payment comes up, it's okay to not put in the regular amount into your savings, or withdraw from your savings. Just don't use that as an excuse to spend more on your wants.

I make automatic payments every month of about 40% of my income directly to my college savings account.

Read more about putting savings in emergency funds, college accounts, investments and retirement account here.

7. Keep Track of Your Finances Monthly

The key to budgeting is keeping track of your finances monthly. I have a budgeting spreadsheet that I use. There's also a fantastic budgeting spreadsheet that you can get here from Frugal Fanatic that offers some amazing features.

Monthly Budgeting Templates

Annual Income and Expense Reports

Graph and Percentage Reports for your income and expenses

It's so important to track your finances every month to see how much you're spending on all of your expenses. I'd recommend uploading your expenses from your expense tracker as well as inputting your income to fully track where all of your money is going.

8. Keep Track of Total Assets

I'd also recommend keeping track of your total assets. Every few months, take some time to add up all of your assets. This includes bank accounts, digital payment app accounts, investment accounts, college savings accounts, stocks, cash, and spare change. Add all of this up and get a rough idea of how much total money you have. If you do this consistently enough, hopefully, you'll see progress as you continue to work towards financial freedom!

9. Have an End Goal When Budgeting Your Money

With all of this, it's important to think of your end goal. Maybe for you, it's saving for a vacation, paying off student loans, or not being so stressed every month. For me, my end goal is saving for college. Right now, all of my work is going towards paying for college. Read more on how to pay for college here. Walking out of college debt-free is a huge goal of mine, and that's what I think about when I have to make financial sacrifices.

But also, think about things that you want to buy, such as a new phone. Suppose it costs $500. You can incorporate saving for your phone into your budget. Try saving $50 a month for a few months. Once you're ready to buy it, put your down payment on it of $200. Then make monthly payments of $25 for the next year to pay it off. Add this into your budget to spend more wisely!

10. Make Budgeting Fun

This might sound crazy to you, but make budgeting fun! Treat it like a game where you are trying to save as much money as possible while watching your savings accounts grow exponentially. When you make this fun, you'll start to take huge steps towards financial freedom for the rest of your life.

Want more budgeting tips? Get this eBook on amazon that has 200 more tips for saving money here.

The Takeaway

That's it! I hope you enjoyed those budgeting tips for teens! Now you should have all the skills you need to succeed at budgeting your money! Best of luck!

Check out more content for:

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10 Tips On Budgeting For Teens in 2021 - Teen Financial Freedom

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Welcome to 10 Tips On Budgeting For Teens! Throughout my life, I've made huge mistakes when it comes to budgeting. My most recent one was spending $100 a month on fast food for me and my friends. That may or may not sound ridiculous to you, but it sounds ridiculous to me.

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This is a lesson in paying bills and check writing. Prior to this lesson, students should have a basic understanding of check writing and using a checkbook or check register. See our other lessons for check writing for basic check writing lessons.

For this lesson, the student will need:

Paying Bills Worksheet (see below)

Checks for Check Writing

Pen (always use a pen for writing a check), calculator (optional), envelopes (optional), scissors (optional)

Worksheet:

Choose either a basic worksheet or create your own custom paying bills worksheet. On each worksheet, there will be several bills for the student to pay. First enter the beginning balance, which is given, as the beginning balance of the checkbook register. Next, (optional) the student must finish the calculations on the bill including sub-total, taxes, and total. Next, students should write a check to each company listed on the bills. Finally, they should update their checkbook with the transaction.

TIP: For an easier version of this worksheet, choose a custom worksheet, and uncheck the box for "student must do calculation." To make it even easier, don't do the checkbook part of the exercise.

An answer sheet may be created with the bill calculations and the ending checkbook balance. Answers will be printed on a separate page.

Other Lesson Options:

Students may cut out the checks, and staple them to the bills sheet. Or, keep the sample checks uncut, and simply write the checks on the sheet.

For a more realistic scenario, include envelopes with the exercise. Have the students cut out the checks and the bills. When complete, place the bill and the check in an envelope.

Have students bring in copies of bills from home. Make copies of the bills (first, mark out any personal information) and use these bills for practice using our sample checks and check register.

OTHER TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:

Besides paying bills by mail, how else may you pay your bills? (in person, or electronically though your checking account).

Bills will have a due date. Why is it important to pay by the due date? (extra service charges, risk of loosing service).

What are some common monthly bills? (electric bill, gas bill, telephone bill, cable bill, water bill, medical bills)

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Paying Bills Lesson Plan, Teaching Debt Worksheet

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This is a lesson in paying bills and check writing. Prior to this lesson, students should have a basic understanding of check writing and using a checkbook or check register. See our other lessons for check writing for basic check writing lessons.

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Kid's budget worksheets are a great way to help teach kids how to budget. I round up the best monthly budget printables for kids.

One of the best ways to begin teaching kids how to budget? Is to have them use a kid's budget worksheet.

You see, seeing the numbers on a piece of paper, in black and white, changes people. I've seen it with adults over the years. The ones that swear they are spending less and that they earn enough income to support their lifestyle, but then can't understand why they come up short at the end of each month.

Once they actually write out the numbers - the income, the spending, etc. - the reality of their finances almost smacks them over the head. It's an "aha" moment that all of us have when we sit down and crunch what's really happening.

It happens to me, too!

For kids, budget worksheets are even MORE important because they haven't had enough experience to even attempt to "mind budget". You know, where you just wing it each month, check in a few times on your checking account, and figure everything will work itself out?

Kids learning how to budget need to get in the habit of writing everything out. Then, they can see patterns, get up-close-and-personal with the reality of what they earn versus what they want to buy, and make better financial decisions.

I'm excited to put together a roundup of awesome youth budget worksheets and even sample budget templates for teenagers and kids - it's one step closer to teaching your child how to manage their money.

And that's what we're all about, here!

Kid's Budget Worksheets

One of the most important money management skills for kids to learn? Is how to budget.

Look through these kid's budget worksheets, and pick one or two to try out with your child.

This can also open up great money conversations to have with your child (here's how to talk to your kids about money, in case you wanted some help with that).

You can download a free budget worksheet for kids that includes some other pointers to help show them what financial responsibility - even at their age - looks like.

I like how this sheet shows what "savings" are:

Total (weekly) income - Total (weekly) expenses = Weekly Savings

That drives the point home that a) it's a good idea to have something left over before your next "payday", and b) saving money is as simple as that. Just not spending more than you earn.

Here's a very simple, one-page, BLANK monthly budget printable for kids.

Teaching kids to save money? I like how this person's monthly budgeting worksheet for kids corresponds with save-spend-share jars. It's a way for your child to actually track their money, even if they're using jars instead of a bank account.

4. Money Prodigy's Kids Cash Envelopes

If you use a cash envelope system yourself for budgeting, then you might want to teach the same system to your kids.

You're in luck - I've created a free set of money envelopes for kids, and you can snag them, here.

Kids can use these to budget for a specific category of spending, like clothes, and can track how much they've spent and what they have left on the outside of the envelope. They're also great to use for when they go to make a store transaction.

Psst: you'll definitely want to check out my article on teaching kids about money.

Carrie Elle's got a set of cash envelopes for kids, too! Here you go.

Here's another Save, Spend, Share Printable for kids. And here's ideas for charities kids can donate to (their "share" category in this printable) where $12 or less makes a big difference.

Youth Budget Templates - Budgeting Worksheets for Students

I've got a few more youth budget templates that can be used for either kids OR teenagers (even college students can benefit).

We're changing things up with this children's budget worksheet, which allows you to teach your child to budget just three categories. Could be a great way to start, especially if your kid is still saving money in mason jars.

This could go really well with piggy banks that are set up for three categories, share, spend, and save, such as the following:

Moonjar classic piggy bank: This award-winning savings jar allows kids to divvy up their money between saving, spending, and sharing. A Family Guidebook and Passbook are included, and the individual compartments can be taken out, or kept together in one bundle. (HINT: this is a great piggy bank for bills).

Smart Piggy Trio Bank: This is a set of three boxes with magnetic closures that cover your kid(dos)' money needs for spending, saving, and sharing. Boxes can be stored together, or taken out as separate components. Also comes with a simple kid's money guide.

Money Savvy Pig: I love how transparent the four chambers are with this piggy, one each for: save, spend, donate, and invest. It also comes with stickers to decorate each of the four categories with.

Does your child buy gifts for their siblings, friends...parents?

Try out Queen of Free's Christmas Gift Budget Template - could be a great way to introduce the idea of budgeting to your child.

3. Penney Lane's Christmas Budget Worksheet

Again, here's another great, blank, Christmas budget worksheet that would work well for a child who wants to budget for Christmas presents this year.

Sample Budget Template for Teenagers

In order for your teen to fill out a budget, they need to figure out how much they earn (either through a job, through allowance/chore commissions, or through a combination for both).

They also need to know their expenses, specifically if you've handed them over any money responsibilities (or things they need to pay for).

Before I share with you some sample budget templates for teenagers, let's talk about nailing down income information for your teen (you'll want to check out my resource guide on allowance for kids to figure out that part of the equation, if your teen doesn't have a job yet).

Do you know what the average teenager earns? That's a first good step in helping your teen create a budget (or, in managing their expectations of what they can reasonably expect to spend and save when they score that first teen job).

Current federal minimum wage: $7.25/hour. Remember that if a state has a higher minimum wage than the federal one, that is the one that is in effect. 18 states currently have a higher minimum wage than the federally set one.

Average Hourly Wage for Teens: $10.03/hour. Wow was this number difficult to track down. I eventually ended up calling the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who confirmed that they do not break this number down by demographics.

Average Salary for Teens (16-19): $460/week. This is for full-time wage and salary earners.

Alright, now that you've got a bit of guidance to help your teen fill out their current or future budget, let's look at sample budget templates for teens.

1. MoneyandStuff.info's Sample Budget Template for Teenagers

Here's a sample monthly budget for teens.

Psst: does your teen not have a job? Click on MoneyandStuff.info's sample budget template for kids, which shows an allowance example instead of a job example.

You'll want to use these kid's budget worksheets within your allowance system. Don't worry if "system" sounds like a pipe dream compared to how you're giving an allowance right now. I've got you covered with my free One-Page Allowance Plan.

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13 Kid's Budget Worksheets (Plus Sample Budget Template for Teenagers)

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One of the best ways to begin teaching kids how to budget? Is to have them use a kid's budget worksheet. You see, seeing the numbers on a piece of paper, in black and white, changes people. I've seen it with adults over the years.

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Finances and Services for People with Disabilities

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Finances and Services for People with Disabilities

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Help with Medical Bills
Medicaid and CHIP (Health Care for Children)

What help is available?

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides help with paying medical costs for children of families who cannot afford health insurance or don't get it through their work. Learn more about eligibility and how to sign up for Medicaid and CHIP.

Social Security and Medicare

What help is available?

Local Social Security Administration (SSA) offices help those on Social Security and Medicare find help. People over 65, people with disabilities under 65, and people with end-stage kidney disease are eligible for Medicare. Learn more about how to apply for Medicare.

Medicaid for Adults

What help is available?

You may qualify for Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with limited income from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Am I eligible?

Each state has different rules about eligibility and applying for Medicaid for adults. Learn more about eligibility.

How do I apply?

Each state has different application requirements for Medicaid for adults. Call your state Medicaid program to see if you qualify and to learn how to apply.

Health Insurance Through the Health Insurance Marketplace

What help is available?

HealthCare.gov helps you find insurance options, compare care, learn about preventive services, and more. If your employer does not offer insurance, you are self-employed, or you prefer to purchase your own insurance, you and your family can get health, dental, and vision insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Am I eligible?

Everyone is eligible for health insurance through the Marketplace. You may also qualify for subsidies to help pay your premiums. 2019 Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2018, to December 15, 2018. If you've experienced certain life changes, like loss of a job or childbirth, you may be eligible to make changes to your health insurance in a Special Enrollment Period.

How do I apply?

How you apply for a plan in the Health Insurance Marketplace depends on what plan you choose. Learn more about applying.

How do I complain or where do I call for extra help?

Visit the Health Insurance Marketplace's top questions section for additional help with finding or applying for health care. To file a complaint, call 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).

Is there anything else I need to know?

If you need more help getting or paying for medical care, try these resources:

If you are uninsured or underinsured and must seek emergency medical treatment:

Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), you're guaranteed access to an emergency medical evaluation, even if you can't pay. The act requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding and that provide emergency services to evaluate anyone who comes to their emergency room and requests treatment. If the evaluation confirms that you have an emergency medical condition, including active labor, they are then required to provide stabilizing treatment for you regardless of your ability to pay.

Housing Resources for People with Disabilities
A variety of federal, state, and local housing programs can help you find and afford a place to live, modify an existing home for disabilities, or help you develop skills to live independently.

Each program has its own eligibility rules and application process.

Rental Housing

Homeownership

Independent Living Skills

State and local independent living centers can help you develop skills to live on your own with a disability.

Contact your state to find out how its department of human services or disability office may be able to assist with modifications, housing counseling, locating rental housing, and independent living skills.

How do I complain?

You may require things like ramps, grab bars, or service animals. It is illegal for housing providers to deny someone housing because of a disability or refuse to make reasonable accommodations for a tenant with a disability. Learn more about disability rights in housing and how to file a complaint if you feel that you've been a victim of housing discrimination.

Get Help Modifying Your Vehicle for Disabilities
If you're thinking of adapting your vehicle for your disability, these tips on modifying or buying a vehicle can help.

Get Financial Help Buying a Vehicle or Modifying It for Disabilities

Start by contacting your state vocational rehabilitation agency. The agency can point you to state grant and loan programs that may help cover costs. You can also look into other ways to pay. Depending on your situation and where you live, these can include:

If you're a service member or veteran with a disability, you may qualify for help from the Department of Veterans Affairs to help pay for vehicle modifications.

Find and Get Help Paying for a Driver Rehabilitation Specialist

A driver rehabilitation specialist (DRS) will identify the best vehicle modifications for you. They'll give you advice on buying an adapted vehicle. To find a qualified DRS in your area, check with your local rehabilitation center.

Get Help Paying for an Evaluation

You may be able to find sources to cover part or the entire cost of your DRS evaluation.

Check with your:

Find a Qualified Mobility Dealer

Your DRS or rehabilitation agency can help you locate a qualified mobility equipment dealer to:

Get Training for Your Vehicle's New Disability Equipment

Your DRS can provide hands-on training in using your new equipment, which may be complex. Your vocational rehabilitation agency or workers' compensation may pay for the training.

Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals
Service animals are trained to complete work and tasks for the specific, individual needs of people with disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), dogs may qualify as service animals. In some cases, the ADA also recognizes miniature horses as service animals. Emotional support animals serve as companions to people with disabilities but do not typically perform specific tasks or duties. They are not considered service animals under the ADA, but some state and local governments permit people to take them into public places.

If you are thinking about getting a service animal, first contact your medical provider. Find out if your disability is covered under the ADA and whether you need a service animal. Your doctor can help provide medical documentation and find a training program. You can also explore a list of service animal programs online, but make sure to research each organization's background and qualifications carefully.

What Does a Service Animal Do?

Common tasks include:

Guiding a person who is blind

Alerting someone who is deaf

Aiding and protecting a person who is having a seizure

Alerting a person with diabetes of high or low blood sugar

Assisting someone in a wheelchair

Calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack

Your Rights with Service and Emotional Support Animals

General - According to the ADA, state and local governments, businesses, and nonprofits that serve the public must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities where the public is typically allowed to go. Under certain state and local government laws, you may bring emotional support animals into public places. Learn what questions a business is legally allowed to ask about service animals, the rules for dealing with service animals and their handlers, and more.

Housing - The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to permit or reasonably accommodate the use of service animals and emotional support animals by people with disabilities. Find out the housing requirements related to service and emotional support animals.

Travel - The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) allows people with disabilities to travel with a service animal or emotional support animal. You may need documentation to travel with an emotional support animal or service animal for a mental disability.

Learn About Service and Emotional Support Animals for Veterans

The VA provides guide dogs for blind or visually impaired veterans. It also offers service dogs for veterans with other disabilities. Benefits include veterinary care and equipment through VA Prosthetics and Sensory Aids. Learn more about guide and service dogs for veterans.

Currently, the VA does not provide service dogs for veterans with mental disorders, such as PTSD. However, research is underway to see if dogs can help treat PTSD and its symptoms. Get information on service dogs, emotional support dogs, and issues related to PTSD.

ABLE Savings Accounts for People with Disabilities
If you have a significant disability, you may be eligible to open a tax-free Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings account. It can help you pay for education, housing, health, and other qualified disability expenses.

Who Is Eligible for an ABLE Account?

To be the designated beneficiary (owner) of the account, you must be blind or have a medical disability which occurred before the age of 26.

You may open only one ABLE account.

You don't have to open an account in the state where you live. ABLE accounts are not currently available in every state. However, you can open one in any state with an active ABLE program. Find out which state has the best program for you.

Contributing Funds Toward an ABLE Account

Find out who can contribute to or benefit from an ABLE account. Or, learn about how recently enacted tax laws and regulations apply to ABLE Savings accounts.

The maximum annual contribution limit for your account is $15,000.

You can exclude taxes on earnings and distributions (withdrawals) from the account. These deductions can help you pay for qualified disability expenses.

Keep in mind, the new tax law has made several changes to ABLE accounts:

If you work, you can contribute your compensation toward your account along with the $15,000 limit. But, this additional contribution cannot be above the income poverty line for a one-person household.

You may claim the Saver's Credit for your contributions to your ABLE account.

Families can transfer or rollover funds from a 529 plan to an ABLE account. The account can benefit the account holder or another family member. This counts toward the $15,000 annual contribution limit.

More Important ABLE Account Information

Find out more important things to know about ABLE accounts, including:

Where you can open an ABLE account

Who can contribute to your account

Examples of qualified disability expenses

How other federal programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid, can affect your account.

Tax Help for People with Disabilities
If you have a disability, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) offers resources to help you with your taxes:

Organizations that Provide Help for People with Disabilities
The following organizations provide services and information to people with disabilities:

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency that makes recommendations to the president and Congress to improve the quality of life for Americans with disabilities and their families. The NCD works to empower individuals with disabilities and to promote equal opportunity

The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) provides legally based advocacy services for people with disabilities in the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) provides training and information to parents of disabled children and to people who work with them.

The U.S. Department of Education has a list of State Special Education agencies to find educational resources and programs for people with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity offers resources and answers questions about the housing rights of people with disabilities, and the responsibilities of housing providers and building and design professionals according to the federal law.

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) administers a free loan service of recorded and Braille books and magazines, music scores in Braille and large print, plus specially designed playback equipment. Service is also extended to eligible American citizens residing abroad. While NLS administers the program, direct service is provided through a national network of cooperating libraries.

National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) is a resource center that works to help people with disabilities get healthier by participating more in all types of physical and social activities. NCHPAD also trains service providers to make their programs more inclusive.

Special Olympics is a global organization that changes lives by promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion among people with and without intellectual disabilities through year-round sports, health, education and community building held around the world.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) removes barriers, creates solutions, and expands possibilities so people with vision loss can achieve their full potential.

Telecommunications Relay Services

Telecommunications relay services for people with hearing or speaking disabilities link telephone conversations between individuals who use standard voice telephones and those who use the text telephones (TTYs). Calls can be made from either type of telephone to the other type through the relay service.

Local Relay Services

States provide relay services for local and long distance calls. Consult your local telephone directory or list from the FCC for information on the use, fees (if any), services, and dialing instructions for your area.

Federal Relay Service

The Federal Relay Service (FRS) is a program of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). It provides access to TTY users to conduct official business nationwide with and within the federal government. The toll-free number is 1-800-377-8642. For more information on relay communications or to obtain a brochure on using the FRS, please call toll-free 1-800-877-0996.

Other Telephone Services

If you use a TTY, you can receive operator and directory assistance for calls by calling toll-free 1-800-855-1155. Check the introductory pages of your local telephone directory for additional TTY services.

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Financial Assistance and Support Services for People with Disabilities | USAGov

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Help with Medical Bills What help is available? Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides help with paying medical costs for children of families who cannot afford health insurance or don't get it through their work. Learn more about eligibility and how to sign up for Medicaid and CHIP.

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Study: Parents still paying adult children's bills

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Updated (8/13/19): We added a section of our website to highlight our most popular games. Be sure to check out NGPF's Arcade! We also revamped our Semester Course this summer and crossed the 20,000 teacher account milestone. Today, NGPF's personal finance curriculum is used by middle and high school, college and non-profit educators in all 50 states.
Update (January 2019)
Our STAX investing game has garnered over 120,000 game plays since its launch in November. Students make 20 years of investing decisions in 20 minutes...learning about the importance of having an investing strategy and index funds along the way.
Update (April 2018):
Check out our new OnlineBank Sim [Extended Version] and Online Bank Sim [Short Version added October 2018] which will teach your students how to manage their bank account in this digital age! Move beyond writing a check to teaching about online bill pay and setting up account notifications.
Update (December 2017):
Here are three of our most popular interactives:

Payback - a new simulation that we launched to help students master their money decisions during their college years. Perfect for your seniors before they head off to community college or a 4-year program.

Here's our worksheet with reflection questions for this game

Teachers tell us that students are skipping lunch periods, talking to their parents for the first time about paying for college and deeply engaging with this game.

Spent - you can tell your students they need an emergency fund or you can have them play Spent in which the live the life of someone living paycheck to paycheck.

What if You Played the Lottery? - What are your chances of winning the Powerball? What are the potential financial pitfalls you could run into? Play this fun interactive to find out!

Also, be sure to check out our expanded Interactive Library which now has over 40 games with worksheets.

----------------------

Andrew, Jessica and I had a great time with educators this weekend in National Harbor for the JumpStart conference. Thanks for your wonderful feedback and ideas!

One of the educators I met asked me about simulations, so....on my flight back on Saturday night somewhere over Chicago, I scoured our blog and created this Interactive Library that will engage your students. These simulations put students in the driver's seat to answer such questions as:

Enjoy!

______________

Update: Fast forward a year later and now we have over 40 simulations in our Interactive Library ...be sure to check it out!
Click here to sign up, it only takes a moment and you will receive one email each morning that will include the Question of the Day or a FinCap Friday, and other timely and engaging resources.
About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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students i check college game update interactive sure account educators investing online questions time added popular games ngpfs years decisions

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Updated: Looking For A Simulation? Here Are Ten Games Your Students Will Love! - Blog

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Updated (8/13/19): We added a section of our website to highlight our most popular games. Be sure to check out NGPF's Arcade! We also revamped our Semester Course this summer and crossed the 20,000 teacher account milestone. Today, NGPF's personal finance curriculum is used by middle and high school, college and non-profit educators in all 50 states.

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Can you manage your money for three months? There are bills to pay, food and travel to budget for, plus loads of fun things to spend your money on. Get it right and your happiness will soar, but spend too much and you'll have a financial headache!

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Budget Game | Online Money Game for Students | MoneySense

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Learn online with this budgeting game for students - pay your bills, budget for your travel and food, and get to the end of the month without going bankrupt.

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When your teen turns 16, you may want to see if he or she has a credit report. This move is mostly a precaution. If there are any mistakes or fraudulent accounts listed on your teen's credit file, you'll have plenty of time to make corrections before your student applies for college financial aid or tries to rent an apartment.

There are three possible outcomes when you check your teen's credit history. You may find that:

Your teen has a legitimate credit file
Even if your teen has never taken out a loan or owned a financial product, it's still possible that they have a credit file. How? If you listed your teen as an authorized user or joint account holder on a credit card, for instance, that could trigger a credit report in your teen's name. This is a legitimate reason for your teen to have a credit history. Simply make sure the information listed on the credit report is accurate.

Your teen has no credit history
Relax. You don't have to do anything else right now. Your teen can build a healthy credit history in the future by paying rent and utilities on time or opening a credit card account once they have a reliable income.

Your teen has a credit file due to fraud
Your student could have accounts listed on a credit history if they have fallen victim to identity theft. This could mean someone opened credit cards, loans, and other debts in your son or daughter's name and didn't pay them off. If this is the case, it will require some work on your part to clean up the mess.

Keep in mind that there's no designated age for officially establishing a credit file, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFB). In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you check a very young child's credit file if you suspect someone has used his or her information fraudulently.

You may also want to look at the report with your child as a teaching moment for how to review their report in the future.

How to request copies of your teen's files

As a parent or legal guardian, you have a right to see copies of your teen's credit files. But to gain access to the report, you'll need to provide the credit reporting agencies with proof of your identity and your relationship to your student. This can be a bit of a hassle, but it's an important safeguard.

According to the FTC, you may need to provide copies of:

Your student's birth certificate, with parent names listed

Your student's official Social Security card

Your government-issued identification card, such as your driver's license

Documents proving that you're the legal guardian, if you're not a parent

Proof of your address, such as a utility bill

As a legal guardian, you can request a free copy of your child's credit report by completing the request form on annualcreditreport.com. This will help you access one free credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It's up to you if you'd like to request one credit file at a time or all three at once.

What to do if you spot problems

If you see mistakes on your student's credit report (wrong address or name spelling, for example), follow each agency's instructions for correcting them. The same holds true if you see financial accounts on your student's report that you know aren't theirs. If that's the case, you may also want to put a fraud alert on your son or daughter's three credit files and even consider freezing their credit.

Although the process can be time-consuming and a bit unnerving, you're better off finding and fixing credit problems now. Once your teen is in college, their financial picture gets more complicated.

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How and why to check credit scores for your teens - CollegeSTEPS

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When your teen turns 16, you may want to see if he or she has a credit report. This move is mostly a precaution. If there are any mistakes or fraudulent accounts listed on your teen's credit file, you'll have plenty of time to make corrections before your student applies for college financial aid or tries to rent an apartment.

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How you handle money says a lot about you. Credit reporting companies track your payment history and supply this information to credit card companies, banks, and other lenders. They use the information to determine if they should loan you more money. When you turn 18, you are completely responsible for what turns up in your credit report.

A credit report contains all your personal information, previous addresses, social security number, current and previous employers, and estimated income. It contains detailed information about each credit card account you own: the type of account, the balance you owe, and your payment history. Your credit report also includes information on any loans you have - like student loans for college - or if you ever declared bankruptcy. It is this history that credit reporting agencies use to assign you a credit score. This score determines the interest rate you will pay on any future loans.

It is a good thing to know what your credit report says. Check it once a year! Go to the Federal Trade Commission web site for information on getting a free credit report.

Credit reports and employment

After age 18, when you apply for a job, a background check often includes a check of your credit report. The three major credit-reporting agencies provide a modified version of the credit report called an "employment report." An "employment report" is not a complete report. However, it includes information about your credit-payment history and other money habits. Current or potential employers might draw conclusions about you based on this information.

Unfortunately, a bad credit report can work against you in your search for employment. Employers often use your credit history to judge your level of responsibility. If you are not reliable in paying your bills, then they question if you will be a reliable employee.

In addition to your payment history, an employment report typically includes information about your former addresses and previous employers. Employers can use this as one way to verify the accuracy of information you provide on an application or resume.

Building a credit history

Building a solid credit history is important. How do you do that? By getting and using a credit card wisely. A good credit history will help you get a good rate for a car loan and eventually a mortgage. Those with good credit pay less for loans.

The three most common mistakes

Not using a credit card wisely. Controlling when you use a credit card and when you pay cash are the keys to good money management.

Being disorganized about paying your bills. Frequently or regularly paying your bills late will quickly damage your credit score. Setting up automatic payments from your checking account for your cell phone bill and other monthly bills can make paying on time easier.

Paying only the minimum payment on your credit cards. You do NOT have to carry a balance on a credit card to build a credit history. Paying the full balance on time will build a good history. Unexpected expenses do happen, and you may have to carry a small balance from time to time. But don't fall into the trap of paying only the minimum payment for an extended time. The longer you take to pay off your debt, the more it will cost you. Check out I Paid How Much?

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How you handle money says a lot about you. Credit reporting companies track your payment history and supply this information to credit card companies, banks, and other lenders. They use the information to determine if they should loan you more money. When you turn 18, you are completely responsible for what turns up in your credit report.

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Money Matters for Teens: Build and Use Credit Wisely Workshop - 4/19/2021

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Credit Cards 101: What is a Credit Card? Easy Peasy Finance for Kids and Beginners

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What Five Factors Determine My FICO® Score? | Experian Credit 101 Express

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Equifax | Credit Bureau | Check Your Credit Report & Credit Score

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Get your credit report and Equifax credit score plus identity protection tools with daily monitoring and alerts today!

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Your credit report is an important part of your financial life that can determine whether you can get credit, how good or bad the terms are, and how much it costs you to borrow. Learn how to get your free credit report - and why it's a good idea.

Table of Contents

A credit report is a summary of your personal credit history. Your credit report includes your identifying information - like your address and date of birth - and information about your credit history - like how you pay your bills or if you filed for bankruptcy. Three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) collect and update this information. Most national department store and bank credit card accounts are included in your file, along with loans, but not all creditors report information to credit bureaus.

The information in your credit report can affect your buying power. It can also affect your chance to get a job, rent or buy a place to live, and buy insurance. Credit bureaus sell the information in your report to businesses that use it to decide whether to loan you money, give you credit, offer you insurance, or rent you a home. Some employers use credit reports in hiring decisions. The strength of your credit history also affects how much you will have to pay to borrow money.

The credit bureaus must:

make sure that the information they collect about you is accurate

give you a free copy of your report once every 12 months

give you a chance to fix any mistakes

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a federal law, requires this.

Why should I get a copy of my report?

Getting your credit report can help protect your credit history from mistakes, errors, or signs of identity theft.

Check to be sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Consider doing this at least once a year. Be sure to check before you apply for credit, a loan, insurance, or a job. If you find mistakes on your credit report, contact the credit bureaus and the business that supplied the information to get the mistakes removed from your report.

Check to help spot identity theft. Mistakes on your credit report might be a sign of identity theft. Once identity thieves steal your personal information - information like, your name, date of birth, address, credit card or bank account, Social Security, or medical insurance account numbers - they can drain your bank account, run up charges on your credit cards, get new credit cards in your name, open a phone, cable, or other utility account in your name, steal your tax refund, use your health insurance to get medical care, or pretend to be you if they are arrested.

Identity theft can damage your credit with unpaid bills and past due accounts. If you think someone might be misusing your personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get a personalized recovery plan.

How do I order my free annual credit reports?

The three national credit bureaus have a centralized website, toll-free telephone number, and mailing address so you can order your free annual reports in one place. Do not contact the three national credit bureaus individually. These are the only ways to order your free credit reports:

Annual Credit Report Request Service

P.O. Box 105281

Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

Only one website - AnnualCreditReport.com - is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law.

Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit report every 12 months. Through the pandemic, everyone in the U.S. can get a free credit report each week from all three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Also, everyone in the U.S. can get six free credit reports per year through 2026 by visiting the Equifax website or by calling 1-866-349-5191. That's in addition to the one free Equifax report (plus your Experian and TransUnion reports) you can get at AnnualCreditReport.com.

Under federal law, you're entitled to a free report if a company denies your application for credit, insurance, or employment. That's known as an adverse action. You must ask for your report within 60 days of getting notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the credit bureau, and you can request your free report from them.

you're out of work and plan to look for a job within 60 days

you're on public assistance, like welfare

your report is inaccurate because of identity theft or another fraud

you have a fraud alert in your credit file

Outside of these free reports, a credit bureau may charge you a reasonable amount for another copy of your report within a 12-month period.

To keep your account and information secure, the credit bureaus have a process to verify your identity. Be prepared to give your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. If you've moved in the last two years, you may have to give your previous address. They'll ask you some questions that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment. You must answer these questions for each credit bureau, even if you're asking for your credit reports from each credit bureau at the same time. Each credit bureau may ask you for different information because the information each has in your file may come from different sources.

Depending on how you ordered it, you can get it right away or within 15 days.

It may take longer to get your report if the credit bureau needs more information to verify your identity.

Yes, your free annual credit report are available in Braille, large print or audio format. It takes about three weeks to get your credit reports in these formats. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, access the AnnualCreditReport.com TDD service: call 7-1-1 and refer the Relay Operator to 1-800-821-7232. If you are visually impaired, you can ask for your free annual credit reports in Braille, large print, or audio formats.

You can order free reports at the same time, or you can stagger your requests throughout the year. Some financial advisors say staggering your requests during a 12-month period may be a good way to keep an eye on the accuracy and completeness of the information in your reports. Because each credit bureau gets its information from different sources, the information in your report from one credit bureau may not reflect all, or the same, information in your reports from the other two credit bureaus.

Yes, if you don't qualify for a free report a credit bureau may charge you a reasonable amount for a copy of your report. To buy a copy of your report, contact:

But before you buy, always check to see if you can get a copy for free from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Federal law says who can get your credit report. If you're applying for a loan, credit card, insurance, car lease, or an apartment, those businesses can order a copy of your report, which helps in making credit decisions. A current or prospective employer can get a copy of your credit report - but only if you agree to it in writing.

You might see companies and sites offering free credit reports, but there's only one authorized place to get the free annual credit report you're entitled to by law: AnnualCreditReport.com. These sites pretend to be associated with AnnualCreditReport.com or claim to offer free credit reports, free credit scores, or free credit monitoring. They also use terms like "free report" in their names. They might even have URLs that misspell - on purpose - AnnualCreditReport.com in the hope that you'll mistype the name of the official site. If you visit one of these imposter sites, you might wind up on other sites that want to sell you something or collect - and then sell or misuse - your personal information. AnnualCreditReport.com and the credit bureaus will not email you asking for your Social Security number or account information. If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from AnnualCreditReport.com or any of the credit bureaus, don't reply or click on any link in the message. It's probably a scam.

If you see a scam, fraud, or bad business practices, tell the FTC. Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FTC's website that makes it easy for you to report.

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Your credit report is an important part of your financial life that can determine whether you can get credit, how good or bad the terms are, and how much it costs you to borrow. Learn how to get your free credit report - and why it's a good idea.

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Career Exploration Soft Skills Slide Show Presentation for Digital and Print

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Soft skills are also known as social skills, people skills, career skills, human skills, and employability skills and are essential for students to prepare for the workplace and employment. Many students lack good communication skills. Let’s change that! This slide show presentation teaches importan…

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TPT - Soft Skills Assessments/Worksheets

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TPT - Soft Skills Assessments/Worksheets

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Job Skills For Special Education Worksheets & Teaching Resources | TpT

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Browse job skills for special education resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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What Are Soft Skills and How to Develop Them

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.

Introduction Materials

Soft Skill #1: Communication

The activities in this section will not only help participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take - and they can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.

Soft Skill #2: Enthusiasm & Attitude

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of enthusiasm and a positive attitude in the workplace. Participants will hear strategies for turning negative thinking into positive thinking and displaying and discussing enthusiasm during an interview and on the job.

Soft Skill #3: Teamwork

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of teamwork to workplace success and the specific role each individual on a team may play. Participants will learn about positive teamwork behavior and discover how their own conduct can impact others on a team.

Soft Skill #4: Networking

The activities in this section focus on the process of networking and its relevance and importance to career development. Participants will learn about taking initiative and overcoming fear, informational interviewing, as well as potential guidelines to consider when using social networks, texting, and email for networking purposes.

Soft Skill #5: Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

The activities in this section focus on learning how to solve problems in a variety of ways in the workplace. Participants will hear about how to properly tell the difference among criticism, praise, and feedback and reacting appropriately. The section will also review strategies for making ethical decisions, solving problems on a team with others, and learning how to take into account others' perceptions when assessing actions or statements in the workplace.

Soft Skill #6: Professionalism

The activities in this section focus on each of the five individual soft skills presented in this publication (communication, enthusiasm/attitude, teamwork, networking, and problem solving/critical thinking), but in a broader framework. This is because professionalism, is not one skill but the blending and integration of a variety of skills.

Additional Materials

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments.

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Today, teachers throughout the United States are focusing more on prepping their students for their future careers.

Some teachers do this by creating a life skills curriculum. Others make a soft skills curriculum. Sometimes, they made a career skills or employability skills curriculum.

Surprisingly, all of these teachers mean the same thing - they just have different ways of saying it!

That means some wires got crossed somewhere.

"Life skills" is also used by special education teachers. "Soft skills" may refer to college readiness. Sometimes "career skills" aren't meant for a career at all - they just help students get through a job interview.

So what do all of these mean? Are life skills the same concepts as career skills? Do soft skills and employability skills overlap?

To answer those questions, we'll take a look at all four of these skills categories and what makes them unique.

Now, let's take a look at each category of skills separately to really dive into what they mean.

What Are Life Skills?

"Life skills" refers to a set of fundamental abilities that someone needs to get through modern, everyday living.

Most often, life skills are taught in special education courses.

The most popular life skills are ones that most adults take for granted:

How to dress yourself

How to brush your teeth

How to tie your shoes

How to have a conversation

Unfortunately, these skills aren't easy to teach. Despite the fact that functioning members of society can perform any of these skills at a moment's notice, teaching them to someone else - especially someone with a learning disability or other mental obstacle - is extraordinarily difficult.

To make matters worse, there are practically zero options for special education instructors to help with teaching life skills.

Unless a teacher has a colleague who's willing to help, they're on their own.

This is one of the big reasons why you hear about special education teachers "burning out." It's not about a teacher's ability to empathize with her students - it's about the challenge and repetition of teaching these life skills.

(Let's be honest - the poor paycheck doesn't help either.)

For these reasons, it's important to remember that the phrase "life skills" is distinct from the other terms in this blog.

Life skills might include some foundational principles of the other skills - like how to shake someone's hand - but they focus on someone's day-to-day living.

In that respect, "life skills" describes a set of teaching challenges that are fundamentally different from the other terms on this list.

What Are Soft Skills?

"Soft skills" are workplace abilities that someone can use in any career. They're called "soft" because they're not skills that define someone's work, like programming or repairing a car engine.

Instead, soft skills apply to everyone from an entry-level employee all the way to the CEO.

Some popular soft skills include:

Written communication

Verbal communication

Professionalism

Time management

These skills are ones that no one really "masters." In fact, they're often subjective with few tried-and-true methods to evaluate whether someone is actually good at them.

Most of the time, you can tell someone has a good grasp of soft skills when you experience it. That could come as early as reading someone's cover letter on their job application.

It could also come as late as the first time they run a meeting in your office.

Regardless, almost everyone has opportunities to improve their soft skills over time through practice.

When students learn about them in the workplace, they have a leg up over everyone else in their age range.

The worst scenario for soft skills is that students don't experience them until after they've started their careers.

What Are Employability Skills?

The term "employability skills" refers to the abilities someone needs to find a job, apply to it, interview for it, and start working.

Sometimes, teachers talk about employability skills in terms of soft skills or career skills, which makes this concept a little murky.

Employability skills education often includes:

Finding a job posting

Writing a resume

Completing an interview

Networking

These four skills are crucial to starting a career in any capacity. Whether a student ends up being an engineer or a journalist, they need to know these skills (and more).

The idea is that these skills will pay throughout a student's life. These skills will help students start a career of course, but they'll also help students choose the direction of their career in the future.

They may spend four years at their first job. Then, they may find a better opportunity because they've learned, practiced, and honed their employability skills.

That system can repeat frequently in someone's life as it's becoming more common for employees to seek opportunities at other companies instead of internal promotion.

With that in mind, employability skills empower students for the rest of their lives.

What Are Career Skills?

"Career skills" are abilities that keep someone successful in a job or company, especially as a person gets promoted.

Depending on who you ask, a career skills curriculum may mean teaching more or fewer skills than a soft skills curriculum.

But most of the time, career skills cover the abilities someone needs to succeed in a position, including:

Professionalism

Networking

Time management

Leadership

That's why career skills, employability skills, and soft skills overlap so much. Some teachers may say that interviewing techniques are a part of soft skills, while others insist that they're only related to career skills.

Specifically, career skills all relate to the workplace and how students can perform within it. A lot of these skills rely on behavior, as opposed to quantifiable skills, which makes them difficult to experience for students.

Many teachers take this opportunity to have students role-play together. That may take the form of a mock job interview, a fake meeting, or some other well-known part of experiencing a career.

The more students can practice, the more they can prepare for these events in their professional lives.

Granted, students may not use these skills for years.

While career skills are popular curriculum topics for middle school or even elementary school students, high school students will probably get the most value from learning them since they're going to start their careers sooner than other grade levels.

You can always make the case that it's never too early to teach behavioral skills, especially professionalism.

So there's just one last question to answer - how do you start teaching these skills when you're responsible for them?

Start Teaching Soft, Career, & Employability Skills Today

Do you want to start teaching these skills to your students?

Unfortunately, there's not much out there for life skills.

But for soft skills, career skills, and employability skills, we have you covered!

CareerCenter21 is a cutting-edge digital curriculum system that helps you do everything from setting up a class to calculating a final grade.

It comes with a huge library of career readiness activities, and the handy features - like automatic grading - are hand-crafted to make your life easier.

Stop spending hours on lesson plans that you'll just have to change later. You deserve better!

Watch this quick demo video of CareerCenter21 to see if it's a good fit for your classroom!

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Life Skills vs. Soft Skills vs. Career Skills vs. Employability Skills - What Are the Differences?

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Today, teachers throughout the United States are focusing more on prepping their students for their future careers. Some teachers do this by creating a life skills curriculum. Others make a soft skills curriculum. Sometimes, they made a career skills or employability skills curriculum.

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The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

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Special education is designed to prepare students for life beyond the classroom setting. The teaching of vocational skills is intended to set up the student for success after secondary education. Through vocational skills training, students will learn how to prepare for a job, find a job, apply for a job and excel at a job.

Pre-Vocational Skills for Students with Disabilities

From as early as elementary school, a special needs student is preparing for future employment by learning pre-vocational skills. These job-readiness skills help students to focus on the tasks at hand, use their time to their benefit, interact with fellow students and faculty and follow directions.

Pre-vocational skills for students with disabilities include:

Time management

Problem solving

Critical thinking

Personal hygiene and appearance

Responsibility and integrity

Attitude and demeanor

Vocational Skills for Students

By the time the student has reached his final years of high school, he should have established a good set of vocational skills. Vocational skills examples include:

Work readiness

Interview and job search skills

Social and communication skills

Task analysis

Career choice

Safety

Beyond Vocational Skills

Once a person with special needs or disabilities is hired, she will be trained for the position, or she will train in a vocational school to excel in a chosen career field. Before someone slips the application into the mail or across the desk or counter, she should have been working on the personal skills that will make her an ideal candidate for the job she hopes to snag.

Vocational skills for special needs students can vary depending on what industry they hope to enter. Any position that requires the employee to interact with the public or clients will expect the employee to dress accordingly and present herself in a helpful, pleasant and informative manner. The more a special needs student can practice personal skills, such as greeting strangers appropriately and maintaining eye contact, the greater her chances of being hired.

Industries to Consider

Students with disabilities can offer a valued set of skills in a wide variety of industries, from retail to clerical. After students with special needs graduate from high school or reach the age to legally work, they should consider which industry they would prefer. If they have a penchant for fashion and folding, a retail job may be a perfect fit. Someone who is adept at arranging and sorting may find a clerical position to be highly rewarding.

Retail Skills for Employment

Retail industry jobs may require the employee to button shirts, fold towels or large items, match and sort bundles of clothing and arrange them by size. A vocational skill a special needs student can hone before applying is to learn the jargon of the industry and to practice basic requirements of the position, such as buttoning, hanging and arranging clothing.

Clerical Position Readiness

Vocational skills for clerical positions include stuffing and sealing envelopes, stapling and sorting packets of papers, folding paper neatly into halves and thirds, filing by a numerical and alphabetical system, labeling envelopes and preparing them for the mail.

Food Service Fundamentals

The food service industry requires its employees to sort, fold and bag napkins and utensils, be able to count out change, set a table or tray and arrange boxing or bagging materials among other food service tasks.

Jobs in the Grocery Industry

Students set on working in the grocery retail industry should be prepared to sort hard and soft items into different bags, separate cold and hot products, stock the shelves, open and tear down boxes and clean up wet and dry spills. This can be a physically challenging job involving a lot of lifting and standing.

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Special education is designed to prepare students for life beyond the classroom setting. The teaching of vocational skills is intended to set up the student for success after secondary education. Through vocational skills training, students will learn how to prepare for a job, find a job, apply for a job and excel at a job.

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Disabilities can be an important part of a young person's identity and can contribute to their life in many ways. These identities shape how young people with disabilities foster their strengths, interests, and diverse perspectives on the world around them.

At the same time, youth with physical, mental, intellectual, and/or sensory disabilities often face environmental and attitudinal barriers to access and fully participate in home, school, work, and social activities. An attitudinal barrier can be an unconscious bias, or unintentional preference, for someone who does not have a disability - even if the person with a disability is fully qualified for a position. As a result, some youth need additional supports to successfully navigate these barriers and achieve career and life goals consistent with their desires and talents. The following sections highlight some of these challenges and resources that can help service providers, educators, parents, and anyone working with youth embrace and promote disability inclusion.

Of the 62 million children in the United States who are under age 15, almost 10 percent have a disability. Among children aged 6 to 14, more than 1 in 10 children have a disability, and more than 1 in 20 children in this age group have a severe disability. It is also important to note the prevalence of youth with disabilities in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, which are covered in the section on special populations.

Resources

Guideposts for Success
This research-based policy and practice framework, developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), delineates what all youth, including those with disabilities, need to transition successfully and these findings can be used to support the development of an inclusive service delivery strategy.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This website from the U.S. Department of Education provides detailed information and resources on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); including the IDEA statute and regulations, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) policy documents, letters, and memos. Resources for youth, families, educators, service providers, and other key stakeholder groups are provided with information on children ages birth to 2, and 3 to 21.

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD)
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and disconnected youth.

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) Information and Resources on Youth in Transition
ODEP, a federal agency that promotes policies and coordinates with employers and all levels of government to increase workplace success for people with disabilities, has an array of information and resources for youth in transition navigating the road to employment. Resources are designed for youth, families, youth service professionals, and policymakers.

Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers
These Centers perform a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them, including working with families of young people with disabilities, helping parents participate effectively in their children's education and development, and partnering with professionals and policy makers to improve outcomes for all youth with disabilities.

Understand your abilities and disabilities. Play to your strengths. (PDF, 28 pages)
This resource shares responses from young people with disabilities to discussion questions around labels, assumptions, strengths, impairments, and other topics. These vignettes provide the foundation for taking self-determined actions as well as offer insight into what it is like to live with a disability in a way that parents may not be exposed to.

References

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Disabilities can be an important part of a young person's identity and can contribute to their life in many ways. These identities shape how young people with disabilities foster their strengths, interests, and diverse perspectives on the world around them.

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IEP Goals for Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination

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IEP Goals for Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination

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Self-Advocacy IEP Goals

We do so much for our kids, and we mean well. But time marches on whether we want it to or not. We have to prepare our kids for independence and life on their own. As scary a thought as that is sometimes. Every person, not just IEP students, should have self advocacy goals.

The best thing we can do for our kids is to maximize their independence and self advocacy. As parents, we can't live forever...or follow them around forever.

What is self advocacy? A child or student who has sufficient self-advocacy and self-determination skills should be able to exhibit the following skills.

Self Advocacy Skills List

Choice-making

Decision-making

Problem-solving

Goal setting and attainment

Self-regulation

Self-advocacy

Self-awareness

Asking for Help or Assistance when needed

Self-efficacy

What is Self Advocacy?

This is how Google defines Self Determination:

"the process by which a person controls their own life."
Google

I can only imagine how exhausting and disheartening and deflating it must be to be some of our kids. People always talking about you, your faults, your disabilities, your shortcomings, your negative behaviors. Telling you what you need to do.

And how often do we let them participate in the process? A child should participate in their IEP process from the earliest age possible that it is appropriate.

What is Self Determination?
" the process by which a person controls their own life. "
Self-determination is often talked about at transition time, but not much outside of that. What a huge mistake! When our kids leave the school system or leave the home, they don't miraculously develop the ability to self-advocate. This is something that should be worked on and weaved in everything. There is a list of skills in bullet-points at the beginning of this post.

It's also essential that you and your child have a vision and that it is the same vision and that they have participated in developing the vision. If you don't know where you are going, how do you know what to advocate for? Check out the free IEP Vision Statement workbook for future planning below.

Both parents and educators can be intimidated by adding goals like these because they seem to be challenging to measure. Or at least that is the perception. It can be quite simple to measure, just add a quantity. I have a formula chart at the end of the post.

Self Advocacy and Behavior

If a child has a behavior plan as part of their IEP, then it is absolutely necessary that they have self-advocacy goals.

A student cannot stay on a behavior plan forever, or have adults intervening and removing your antecedents when they can. A student needs to be able to self-identify their antecedents, predict them and have an action plan of acceptable coping skills.

But do not shy away from doing these types of goals because you are afraid they are not measurable. For example:

Given the school lunch menu, I will select between the two options available that day in 4 out of 5 trials.

If I have five elective class options, I will select one class per semester for my schedule.

Given a challenging situation to solve, I will define the problem and come up with at least two possible solutions to the problem in four out of five trials.

Self Advocacy IEP Goals

1. Co-lead annual review and help develop IEP goals.

2. Communicate academic strategies or compensation skills that work best for him/her.

3. Demonstrate appropriate skills in asking for a curriculum modification and will negotiate the modification with some adult cuing.

4. Student will demonstrate appropriate skills in asking for help at appropriate times.

5. Demonstrate appropriate skills in asking for modification independently.

6. Student demonstrates skills that they know when or how to ask for help.

7. Demonstrate a knowledge of community resources.

8. Student can communicate an understanding of the goals on the IEP. (read over with them and discuss)

9. Demonstrate an understanding of what a learning disability (or other condition if appropriate) is and able to communicate to others how he/she learns best.

10. Demonstrate an understanding of what their learning disability is and communicate to others what he/she needs to learn successfully.

11. Describe personal strengths accurately

12. Evaluate the effectiveness of their learning strategies and make modifications as needed.

13. Assess the effectiveness of learning strategies and make appropriate modifications

14. Evaluate the effectiveness of learning strategies and make modifications as needed.

15. Explain the kind of help needed for a situation. (set the stage for weekly situations)

16. Identify a strategy for approaching a learning task (self-monitoring skills will not be in place at this time).

17. Communicate/Identify academic strategies or compensation skills that work best for him/her.

18. Identify one or two curriculum modifications (I need to have more time to complete work, I need to have directions written on the board)

19. Explain and communicate one or two environmental needs (I need to sit in the front of the class, I need a quiet place to work)

20. Identify one or two learning strategies that they use.

21. Student can identify specific curriculum modifications that are in the IEP and why they are needed (My listening skills are not as strong, so I will need a note taker)

22. Identify specific environmental modifications and to tell why they are needed.

23. Lead annual IEP meetings to help develop goals. (YES! I do know of some kids who do this! It can be done!)

24. Can demonstrate skills that they can communicate how and when to ask for help in the classroom.

25. Learn the appropriate skills for negotiating a curriculum modification and will practice these skills in a structured setting.

26. List possible antecedents to their own behaviors ("I get upset when.....") and list possible acceptable alternatives to their negative behavior.

27. Make decisions between two or more choices.

28. Initiate or participate in goal setting conferences and help to set own goals.

29. Participate in school meetings (parent/teacher conference or annual review) and advocate for self with the support of parent and teachers.

30. Self identifies that they need assistance and know who is appropriate to ask for help and ask for help.

31. Share with the classroom teacher that the IEP is a legal document and what kinds of information can be found on the IEP.

32. Share work and accept help from an adult (this is a good one for ODD)

Self Advocacy Goals for High School Students

1. Student will demonstrate knowledge of student strengths, areas of need, personal learning style and their applications in daily school, community life and career options.

2. Develop an understanding and verbalize what supports they need to be a good employee (address EF skills, etc).

3. Explain an understanding of Rehabilitation Act 504 (for students attending college)

4. Given five elective class options, student will select one class per semester for schedule.

5. Participate in the development of a post-secondary plan.

How to Measure Self Advocacy Goals

Use the IEP Goal Formula below to make an IEP goal measurable.

Self Advocacy Examples

Self-Advocacy-for-Students

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35 Self Advocacy IEP Goals | Self Determination | PDF | Examples

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We do so much for our kids, and we mean well. But time marches on whether we want it to or not. We have to prepare our kids for independence and life on their own. As scary a thought as that is sometimes. Every person, not just IEP students, should have self advocacy goals.

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IEP&Me is the first IEP management platform that is made for the entire special education team: special educators, general educators, parents, AND students with disabilities. Unlike other special education platforms, IEP&Me fosters true, easy collaboration across the entire special education team, including students and parents. IEP&Me teaches students to be their own best advocates and builds a foundation of trust in the IEP process, leading to better relationships with families and committed, happy educators for their schools.

Our Mission

IEP&Me ensures every student can achieve academically regardless of their disability by providing an online platform that seeks to empower students to take control of their learning through an individualized learning and advocacy plan. IEP&Me supports students, teachers and families throughout the special education process, seeking to create transparency, clarity, and ease so that students can be lifelong learners and valuable members of society.
Learn More about our Mission

Who are we?

IEP&Me was founded in 2019 to address the issue of self-awareness and self-advocacy for students with special education services and close the gap between general education and special education within schools. We are teachers, students, and advocates.
Learn more about us

Special Education

Special Education needs a revolution. Nearly 13% of the student population has an IEP. Students with IEPs are nearly 27% less likely to graduate from High School than their neurotypical peers.
Learn more about Special Education

Our Products

IEP&Me creates the first ever online, personalized learning curriculum that teaches students about their disabilities and how to be their own best advocate.

The IEP&Me software platform revolutionizes special education for students, families, and school staff and uplifts the entire process and experience.

SELF-Determination Curriculum

Teaching students about their rights, disability, and how to advocate for themselves in a school or workplace environment.

software platform

Ensuring that students are engaged in updating their IEP each year, allowing parents to access their child's IEP, and creating clarity and ease in providing services as educators.

professional development

Teaching teachers and school leaders the ins-and-outs of disabilities and special education. Supporting schools in revolutionizing their student support.

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IEP&Me is the first IEP management platform that is made for the entire special education team: special educators, general educators, parents, AND students with disabilities. Unlike other special education platforms, IEP&Me fosters true, easy collaboration across the entire special education team, including students and parents.

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Cindy Lumpkin, Special Education Teacher

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2 Tips to Develop SELF ADVOCACY In Students With Learning Disabilities!

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Nebraska Youth Leadership Council (NYLC)

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10 Difficult Skills that Pay Off Forever

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10 Difficult Skills that Pay Off Forever

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10 Difficult Skills that Pay Off Forever

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Soft skills are defined as the skills that enables an individual to engage and interact effectively with others, obtain acceptance, build consensus and provide assistance, leadership and direction.

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Soft skills are defined as the skills that enables an individual to engage and interact effectively with others, obtain acceptance, build consensus and provide assistance, leadership and direction.

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The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media.

These communication skills will help you get hired, land promotions, and be a success throughout your career.

Top 10 Communication Skills

Want to stand out from the competition? These are some of the top communication skills that recruiters and hiring managers want to see in your resume and cover letter. Highlight these skills and demonstrate them during job interviews, and you'll make a solid first impression. Continue to develop these skills once you're hired, and you'll impress your boss, teammates, and clients.

1. Listening

Being a good listener is one of the best ways to be a good communicator. No one likes communicating with someone who cares only about putting in her two cents and does not take the time to listen to the other person. If you're not a good listener, it's going to be hard to comprehend what you're being asked to do.

Take the time to practice active listening. Active listening involves paying close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding ("So, what you're saying is..."). Through active listening, you can better understand what the other person is trying to say, and can respond appropriately.

2. Nonverbal Communication

Your body language, eye contact, hand gestures, and tone of voice all color the message you are trying to convey.

Note

Eye contact is also important; you want to look the person in the eye to demonstrate that you are focused on them and the conversation. (However, be sure not to stare at the person, which can make him or her uncomfortable.)

Also, pay attention to other people's nonverbal signals while you are talking. Often, nonverbal cues convey how a person is really feeling. For example, if the person is not looking you in the eye, he or she might be uncomfortable or hiding the truth.

3. Clarity and Concision

Good verbal communication means saying just enough-don't talk too much or too little. Try to convey your message in as few words as possible. Say what you want clearly and directly, whether you're speaking to someone in person, on the phone, or via email. If you ramble on, your listener will either tune you out or will be unsure of exactly what you want.

Note

4. Friendliness

Through a friendly tone, a personal question, or simply a smile, you will encourage your co-workers to engage in open and honest communication with you. It's important to be polite in all your workplace communications.

This is important in both face-to-face and written communication. When you can, personalize your emails to co-workers and/or employees - a quick "I hope you all had a good weekend" at the start of an email can personalize a message and make the recipient feel more appreciated.

5. Confidence

It is important to be confident in your interactions with others. Confidence shows your co-workers that you believe in what you're saying and will follow through.

Exuding confidence can be as simple as making eye contact or using a firm but friendly tone. Avoid making statements sound like questions. Of course, be careful not to sound arrogant or aggressive. Be sure you are always listening to and empathizing with the other person.

Using phrases as simple as "I understand where you are coming from" demonstrate that you have been listening to the other person and respect their opinions. Active listening can help you tune in to what your conversational partner is thinking and feeling, which will, in turn, make it easier to display empathy.

Note

7. Open-Mindedness

A good communicator should enter into any conversation with a flexible, open mind. Be open to listening to and understanding the other person's point of view, rather than simply getting your message across.

By being willing to enter into a dialogue, even with people with whom you disagree, you will be able to have more honest, productive conversations.

People will be more open to communicating with you if you convey respect for them and their ideas. Simple actions like using a person's name, making eye contact, and actively listening when a person speaks will make the person feel appreciated. On the phone, avoid distractions and stay focused on the conversation.

Convey respect through email by taking the time to edit your message. If you send a sloppily written, confusing email, the recipient will think that you do not respect her enough to think through your communication with her.

Being able to give and receive feedback appropriately is an important communication skill. Managers and supervisors should continuously look for ways to provide employees with constructive feedback, be it through email, phone calls, or weekly status updates.

Note

Similarly, you should be able to accept and even encourage feedback from others. Listen to the feedback you are given, ask clarifying questions if you are unsure of the issue, and make efforts to implement the feedback.

10. Picking the Right Medium

An important communication skill is to simply know what form of communication to use. For example, some serious conversations (layoffs, resignation, changes in salary, etc.) are almost always best done in person.

You should also think about the person with whom you wish to speak. If they are a very busy person (such as your boss, perhaps), you might want to convey your message through email. People will appreciate your thoughtful means of communication and will be more likely to respond positively to you.

How to Make Your Skills Stand Out

1. Match your skills to the job. Analyze the job listing, paying special attention to the hard and soft skills that are highlighted in the job description. Then, personalize your resume and cover letter to match their requirements.

2. Familiarize yourself with other in-demand skills. Soft skills like communication may not get a direct nod in a job description, but they're still highly desired by hiring managers.

3. Use job interviews to your advantage. Job interviews provide an opportunity to show the hiring manager that you have the verbal communication skills necessary to succeed in a job, rather than just telling them that you do. Prepare for your interview, practice beforehand, and don't be afraid to pause before answering their questions - or to ask for clarification if you need it.

4. Don't stop when you get the job. Want to make a lasting impression on your colleagues after you're hired? Use your communication skills at work. Whether it's participating in a company meeting or talking with a client, you'll have many opportunities to show how well you communicate.

Key Takeaways

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These Are the Communication Skills Employers Look for in Employees

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The ability to communicate effectively with superiors, colleagues, and staff is essential, no matter what industry you work in. Workers in the digital age must know how to effectively convey and receive messages in person as well as via phone, email, and social media.

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We've known for some time that students with emotional or developmental challenges often need to have training in "soft skills", but new research from Michigan State University has shown how such efforts pay off, especially to help these students enter and stay in the work force.

Connie Sung, an associate professor in the Office of Rehabilitation and Disability Studies in MSU's Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education, who has studied the issue, says that while schools are aware of this need the effort has to be well structured and deliberate.

"Teaching these students appropriate soft skills and ways to navigate the social demands in the workplace and school are crucial and actually an important key to success," Sung says.

She notes that her research has shown that 90% of job losses, for instance, by students on the autism spectrum (ASD) occur because they lack fundamental social and emotional learning skills, such as collaboration or communications. Often she says, schools focus on getting these students to relate to classmates or teachers, but not generally function in the broader world.

She says her research has shown that young people fail in jobs - or even in some school settings - because of "the lack of soft skills rather than hard skills".

Amanda Bennett, a developmental behavior pediatrician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, described it this way.

"All children need to be able to understand facial expressions and recognize social cues in other people, look them in the eye, and be able to follow classroom rules. For kids with special needs, however, these lessons may not come easily," she told MetroKids.

"When interacting socially comes naturally for people, we don't pay much attention to it," she says. "But your ability to regulate an interaction with another person - having that back and forth conversation in a successful way; reading someone's social cues and recognizing whether they agree with what you're saying or doing; being able to recognize when someone is being friendly or a bully - these are all really important in childhood and in life."

Sung and her colleagues at MSU have developed a program called The Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training program, or ASSET which has been used primarily by students in college and high school and entering the work force, but increasingly is gaining interest among K-12 schools.

Sung's research proves the training helps considerably. Her research shows that with eight weeks of ASSET training, young adults with ASD showed significant improvements in social cognition, social function and social confidence.

Sung also found that the participants' confidence increased significantly while levels of anxiety and depression decreased.

"ASSET gives students a toolbox that boosts their confidence and significantly increases their chances of success," Sung said. "They learn to focus on what they are good at, which helps their overall psychological wellness. These people have been underserved and neglected when it comes to training and support so I'm glad we're finally working to help them."

She says a number of school districts have shown an interest in the ASSET program and believes it is part of a broader effort to consider the needs for new kinds of social skill development among special ed students.

Robert Brooks, who speaks on resilience and motivation among students is concerned that they too often struggle because they don't have various social skills, but particularly the ability to push through difficulty. He described the problem in detail in the publication LD-online

"In essence, they have developed "learned helplessness" and they entertain little, if any, hope for future success. Students with this mindset hear exhortations to 'try harder' as accusatory and judgmental remarks, hardening them from accepting any assistance we may offer. I would contend that if we are to succeed with these students, we must first consider techniques for changing their self-defeating negative mindset."

Others have supported Sung's conclusion about social skills. there is an increasing number of reports on how to address the issue, including, recently, these seven strategies from author and researcher and author Rick Lavoie. Research last year showed that these students do better if they are grouped by their abilities rather than by their disability type.
Written by Jim Paterson, Education World Contributing Writer Jim Paterson is a writer, contributing to a variety of national publications, most recently specializing in education. During a break from writing for a period, he was the head of a school counseling department. (www.otherperplexity.com)
Copyright© 2019 Education World

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Super Soft Skill Training For Students With Disabilities

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We've known for some time that students with emotional or developmental challenges often need to have training in "soft skills", but new research from Michigan State University has shown how such efforts pay off, especially to help these students enter and stay in the work force.

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What is active listening, and why is it important for your career? Active listening is the process by which an individual secures information from another individual or group.

It involves paying attention to the conversation, not interrupting, and taking the time to understand what the speaker is discussing. The "active" element involves taking steps to draw out details that might not otherwise be shared.

Note

Active listening is a helpful skill for any worker to develop. It helps you truly understand what people are saying in conversations and meetings (and not just what you want to hear, or think you hear).

Active listening is a particularly useful tool to use during job interviews, since it can help you build positive rapport with your interviewer.

What Is Active Listening?

Like critical thinking and problem-solving skills, active listening is a soft skill that's held in high regard by employers. When interviewing for jobs, using active listening techniques can show the interviewer how your interpersonal skills can draw people out.

Active listening redirects your focus from what is going on inside of your head to the needs of your prospective employer or interviewer. This technique can help reduce your nervousness during an interview.

By placing your focus, through active listening, squarely upon the interviewer, you prove that you:

Are interested in the organization's challenges and successes

Are ready to help them solve work issues

Are a team player, as opposed to being nothing more than a self-absorbed job candidate.

It's important to not interrupt, or worse, try to answer the question before you know what the interviewer is asking.

Note

Examples of Active Listening Techniques

There are plenty of active listening techniques that will improve the impression you can make at a job interview.

Active listening techniques include:

Building trust and establishing rapport

Demonstrating concern

Paraphrasing to show understanding

Using nonverbal cues that show understanding such as nodding, eye contact, and leaning forward

Brief verbal affirmations like "I see," "I know," "Sure," "Thank you," or "I understand"

Asking open-ended questions

Asking specific questions to seek clarification

Waiting to disclose your opinion

Disclosing similar experiences to show understanding

By employing these active listening techniques, you will impress your interviewer as a thoughtful, analytical, and highly desirable candidate for the position. Think about possible situations that may occur during an interview and come up with strategies to allow you to listen actively.

Examples of Active Listening Responses

It's often easier to learn by reading examples. Here are some examples of statements and questions employed with active listening:

Building trust and establishing rapport: "Tell me what I can do to help." "I was really impressed to read on your website how you donate 5% of each sale to charity."

Demonstrating concern: "I'm eager to help; I know you're going through some tough challenges." "I know how hard a corporate restructuring can be. How is staff morale at this point?"

Paraphrasing: "So, you're saying that the uncertainty about who will be your new supervisor is creating stress for you." "So, you think that we need to build up our social media marketing efforts."

Brief verbal affirmation: "I understand that you'd like more frequent feedback about your performance." "Thank you. I appreciate your time in speaking to me."

Asking open-ended questions: "I can see that John's criticism was very upsetting to you. Which aspect of his critique was most disturbing?" "It's clear that the current situation is intolerable for you. What changes would you like to see?"

Asking specific questions: "How long do you expect your hiring process to last?" "What is your average rate of staff turnover?"

Waiting to disclose your opinion: "Tell me more about your proposal to reorganize the department." "Can you please provide some history for me regarding your relationship with your former business partner?"

Disclosing similar situations: "I was also conflicted about returning to work after the birth of my son." "I had the responsibility of terminating some of my personnel, due to downsizing, over the last two years. Even if it's necessary, it never gets easier."

Active Listening Skills

Validation

Emotional Intelligence

Problem Sensitivity

Courtesy

Professionalism

Nonverbal Communication

Transparency

Integrity

Humility

Proactivity

Accepting Constructive Criticism

Creating and Managing Expectations

Confidence

Empathy

Compassion

Understanding

Observation

Attention to Detail

Vocal Tone

Sensitivity to Religious and Ethnic Diversity

Self-Awareness

Situational Awareness

Interpretation

Identify and Manage Emotions

Understanding Hidden Needs of Others

Body Language

Facilitating Group Discussion

Reaching Consensus

Collaboration

Key Takeaways

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Active Listening Definition, Skills, and Examples

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What is active listening, and why is it important for your career? Active listening is the process by which an individual secures information from another individual or group. It involves paying attention to the conversation, not interrupting, and taking the time to understand what the speaker is discussing.

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Are you getting ready for a job interview? Here's how to make an interviewer feel dubious about your candidacy: slump in your seat, avoid eye contact, and crack your knuckles before answering tough questions.

Appearance counts during interviews-not only how you dress, but also how you carry yourself. Even if your responses to questions are flawless, the wrong body language can send the wrong signal and sour how you're perceived.

Follow these recommendations for men and women to project poise and confidence-not jitters and arrogance-during your next job interview.

Before the Interview

Put on your confidence even before the interview commences. In the waiting area, have good posture while standing and sitting. Keep your back straight, and your chin parallel to the ground. While you may not have met your interviewer at this point, it's still possible that the receptionist or potential future co-workers are observing you.

When you sit down to wait, place your briefcase or purse to the left side of your chair-that will reduce awkwardness when you have to shake the interviewer's hand and grab your personal items.

During the Interview

While first impressions do count for a lot, it's during your conversation that interviewers will have an extended time to take you in. Your answers to questions are important, as is your stance while listening and responding. Keep these body language tips in mind:

Posture and Sitting Style

First and foremost: No slumping. Keep your back straight. Lean forward slightly to indicate interest. Do not recline back into the chair fully; this can make you seem bored or disengaged.

Avoid crossing your arms or placing items in your lap; these habits indicate defensiveness, nerves, and a need for self-protection when what you'd ideally convey during an interview is confidence.

Avoid Crossing Your Legs

Most experts recommend against crossed legs. With a long interview, you might need to re-cross them because your leg is falling asleep. This could come across as fidgeting.

Try Not to Appear Restless

Speaking of fidgeting, if you're a nail-biter, knuckle-cracker, hair-twirler, or leg-tapper, don't allow these habits to make an appearance during the interview. All will appear unprofessional and convey nerves. Plus, most of these actions are generally considered impolite.

Use Your Hands

Do you naturally talk with your hands? Go ahead and let them move during the interview. Stopping your natural gestures may lead to an awkward appearance. Just make sure your motions don't become so enthusiastic that they distract from your words.

Make Eye Contact

It's important to make eye contact during your interview, but don't mistake that for a directive to make constant eye contact. That can be disconcerting and considered aggressive.

At the same time, avoiding eye contact entirely comes across as untrustworthy and distant-it could make it seem like your answers are dishonest. Balance it out: Aim to make eye contact as you listen and respond to questions, but allow it to break occasionally, and let your eyes wander.

Practice Your Body Language

You should practice your body language as much as you rehearse your answers to common interview questions. Natural tendencies tend to take over when you're nervous, so you have to learn to consciously overcome them.

Practice with friends or an interview coach to ensure you're fully aware and in control of your body when the time comes for the interview.

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Body Language Tips for Your Next Job Interview

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Are you getting ready for a job interview? Here's how to make an interviewer feel dubious about your candidacy: slump in your seat, avoid eye contact, and crack your knuckles before answering tough questions. Appearance counts during interviews-not only how you dress, but also how you carry yourself.

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Almost every job requires workers to use verbal communication skills. That's why verbal skills are highly ranked on the candidate evaluation checklists used by many job interviewers.

The stronger your communication skills, the better your chances of getting hired regardless of the job for which you're applying. You'll do better during the interview, as well as on the job.

What Are Verbal Communication Skills?

Effective verbal communication skills include more than just talking. Verbal communication encompasses both how you deliver messages and how you receive them. Communication is a soft skill, and it's one that is important to every employer.

Employees who can interpret messages and act appropriately on the information that they receive have a better chance of excelling on the job.

Verbal Communication Skills in the Workplace

What constitutes effective verbal communication on the job depends on the relationships between communication partners and the work context:

Verbal communication in a work setting takes place between many different individuals and groups such as co-workers, bosses and subordinates, employees, customers, clients, teachers and students, and speakers and their audiences.

Verbal communication occurs in many different contexts including training sessions, presentations, group meetings, performance appraisals, one-on-one discussions, interviews, disciplinary sessions, sales pitches, and consulting engagements.

Examples of Verbal Communication Skills

Here are some examples of effective workplace verbal communication skills employed in different workplace contexts.

Verbal Communications for Supervisors: The best supervisors don't merely tell their subordinates what to do and expect them to listen. Instead, they employ active listening skills to understand employee needs and perspectives, engage in verbal negotiation to address and defuse issues, and capitalize upon opportunities to praise individual and team achievement.

Advising others regarding an appropriate course of action

Assertiveness

Conveying feedback in a constructive manner emphasizing specific, changeable behaviors

Disciplining employees in a direct and respectful manner

Giving credit to others

Recognizing and countering objections

Showing an interest in others, asking about and recognizing their feelings

Speaking calmly even when you're stressed

Terminating staff

Training others to carry out a task or role

Using affirmative sounds and words like "uh-huh," "got you," "I understand," "for sure," "I see," and "yes" to demonstrate understanding

Using self-disclosure to encourage sharing

Verbal Communications for Team Members: Open and constant lines of communication are vital to team success, particularly when completing quality- and deadline-critical projects. One of the most important team-building skills, strong verbal communications help to ensure that issues will be spotted and resolved in formative stages, averting costly escalation.

Conveying messages concisely

Encouraging reluctant group members to share input

Explaining a difficult situation without getting angry

Explaining that you need assistance

Paraphrasing to show understanding

Posing probing questions to elicit more detail about specific issues

Receiving criticism without defensiveness

Refraining from speaking too often or interrupting others

Requesting feedback

Stating your needs, wants, or feelings without criticizing or blaming

Verbal Communications with Clients: If a large part of your work involves one-on-one communications with customers, it's helpful to have a "gift of gab" - particularly if you are a sales professional. Keep in mind, though, that your conversations need to be focused upon identifying and addressing your clients' needs; using your verbal talents to encourage consultative dialogues will ensure positive client relations.

Anticipating the concerns of others

Asking for clarification

Asking open-ended questions to stimulate dialogue

Calming an agitated customer by recognizing and responding to their complaints

Emphasizing benefits of a product, service, or proposal to persuade an individual or group

Noticing non-verbal cues and responding verbally to verify confusion, defuse anger, etc.

Verbal Communications for Presenters: Public speaking is a talent that is honed both through practice and through formal training. Speaking articulately and persuasively to a live audience involves:

Enunciating each word you speak clearly

Introducing the focus of a topic at the beginning of a presentation or interaction

Planning communications prior to delivery

Projecting your voice to fill the room

Providing concrete examples to illustrate points

Restating important points towards the end of a talk

Selecting language appropriate to the audience

Speaking at a moderate pace, not too fast or too slowly

Speaking confidently but with modesty

Summarizing key points made by other speakers

Supporting statements with facts and evidence

Tailoring messages to different audiences

Telling stories to capture an audience

Using humor to engage an audience

Tips to Improve Your Verbal Communications

Even if you are a shy introvert who prefers to work independently, there are ways to improve your verbal communication skills so that you can more easily cultivate rapport with others.

Practice makes perfect, and so take the time to actively practice these communications skills for workplace success: active listening, clarity and conciseness, confidence, empathy, friendliness, open-mindedness, giving and soliciting feedback, confidence, respectfulness, and non-verbal (body language, tone of voice, eye contact) communication.

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List of Verbal Communication Skills Employers Seek

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Almost every job requires workers to use verbal communication skills. That's why verbal skills are highly ranked on the candidate evaluation checklists used by many job interviewers. The stronger your communication skills, the better your chances of getting hired regardless of the job for which you're applying.

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What are interpersonal skills, and why are they important in the workplace? Interpersonal skills, also known as people skills, soft skills, or emotional intelligence, are related to the way you communicate and interact with others.

When employers are hiring, interpersonal skills are one of the top criteria used to evaluate candidates. They are also important skills that will help you promoted and be successful in the workplace. Regardless of the type of job you have, it's important to be able to get along well with coworkers, managers, customers, and vendors.

Note

What Are Interpersonal Skills?

Interpersonal skills are sometimes called employability skills. The word "employability" is a tip-off about the importance of interpersonal skills: they're so crucial that hiring managers really don't want to hire candidates without them.

Many careers require consistent, if not constant, interaction with other people. This is true even for jobs that would seem to favor introverted personalities and independent work styles. For example, even if you're a software engineer, writer, or statistician, you still need to be able to communicate and collaborate with your team.

Note

Even if you excel at the technical aspects of your job, employers won't want to hire you if it seems like you'd be a disaster to work with.

Types of Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills include verbal and nonverbal communication, the ability to handle conflict, teamwork, empathy, listening, and a positive attitude. Being flexible and positive, able to listen, and communicating well are important criteria for success at work.

Communication

One of the most important interpersonal skills in any job is communication. Whether you work in IT, customer service, construction, or any other industry, you will need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with others both verbally and in writing. Some jobs also require skills in effective public speaking.

Conflict Management

Whether you are a manager or an employee, you will likely need to resolve conflicts at some point in your job. This might involve solving an issue between two staff members, between yourself and a colleague, or between a client and your company. You will need to be able to listen fairly to both sides and use creative problem-solving to arrive at a solution.

Part of being a good manager, employee, or colleague is the ability to understand and show empathy to others. If a customer or colleague calls with a complaint, for example, you will need to listen thoughtfully to the person's concerns and express compassion for their issue. Empathy is an important skill that will help you get along with everyone in the workplace.

Leadership

Even if you are not a manager, it is important to have some leadership experience and ability. Leadership requires being able to motivate and encourage others and help a team achieve success.

Listening is a skill that goes hand in hand with good communication. While you need to be able to express your own ideas, you also need to thoughtfully listen to the ideas of others. This will help your clients, employers, colleagues, and employees feel respected and valued.

Negotiation

Negotiation is an important skill for many positions. Depending on the specific job, it might involve creating formal agreements (or contracts) between clients or helping colleagues solve a problem and determine a solution. To be a good negotiator, you must be able to listen to others, use creative problem solving, and arrive at an outcome that satisfies everyone.

Positive Attitude

Employers want to hire employees who make the office a brighter place. They want people with a friendly, positive demeanor. This doesn't mean you have to be the most social person in the office, but you must be willing to develop some sort of a positive rapport with your colleagues.

Even if your job involves a lot of independent work, you still need to be able to collaborate with others. Teamwork involves several of the skills already mentioned: you need to be able to listen to others, communicate your own goals, motivate your team, and resolve any conflicts that may arise.

In-Demand Interpersonal Skills to Highlight

Preparing for a job interview, working on a promotion, or customizing your resume or cover letter? These are some of the most sought-after interpersonal skills. Look for ways to weave some of these keywords into your application materials or conversation.

Showcase Your Interpersonal Skills

Match your qualifications to the job. Review the job description and make a list of the characteristics the employer is looking for. Then match your qualifications to the job by making connections between their requirements and your skills and abilities.

List your skills in your resume, particularly if your resume features a summary at the top or if your work history section is formatted with paragraphs rather than bullet points. This way you're showing what you accomplished rather than what you did.

Example

Example

Add relevant interpersonal skills to your cover letter. Include similar examples of how you used your interpersonal skills at work in your cover letter. Remember to focus on what you accomplished by using these skills.

Share your skills during the interview. Be prepared to answer interview questions about your interpersonal skills. Like in your cover letter and resume, provide an anecdote about a time you demonstrated a particular skill in the workplace and how you used that skill to add value to the company.

Use your interpersonal skills to impress. Remember, actions speak louder than words, so you'll want to be sure that you successfully embody any traits you claim to have when you're interacting with your interviewer. For example, if you emphasize how your friendly demeanor has brought you success in the workplace, make sure you appear warm and approachable during the interview.

How to Make Your Skills Stand Out

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Top Interpersonal Skills That Employers Value

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Top interpersonal skills that employers look for in candidates for employment, examples of each type of skill, and how to show employers you have them.

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Beautifully designed 10-page workbook on problem-solving, conflict resolution with family & friends. A great resource to discuss conflict resolution steps, communication skills, and perspective-taking. Comes with scenarios to discuss and/or act out for role-play activity. Social-Emotional. Learning resource. Amazing resource for school counselors, school psychologists can work for individual 1 on 1 settings or small group settings for discussion. Teachers and administrators can also benefit from this resource! Great for middle schoolers, but can be adjusted to work with upper elementary or younger high school students. Very colorful, works well for virtual learning as well! ENJOY!

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Problem Solving skills communication SEL workbook

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Beautifully designed 10-page workbook on problem-solving, conflict resolution with family & friends. A great resource to discuss conflict resolution steps, communication skills, and perspective-taking. Comes with scenarios to discuss and/or act out for role-play activity. Social-Emotional. Learning resource. Amazing resource for school counselors, school psychologists can work for individual 1 on 1 settings or small group settings for discussion.

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Imagine a childhood without play dates or birthday parties, sleepovers or school dances. Doesn't sound like much of a childhood, does it? Well, for children with disabilities-developmental and otherwise-it is, more often than not, the norm.

Having grown up with cerebral palsy, I know what it feels like to be "different." Even within my own family I felt like an outcast. My brother could do no wrong. My little sister had the looks and the brains. But I was just the disabled kid. I didn't have the opportunities that my siblings had. I had no friends, no social experiences.

During my school years, I was a target for bullies; ridiculed for the way I talked, the way I walked, and even the way I dressed. On top of that, I had no support system. Sure, I had my fair share of sympathetic teachers, but on the whole, there were no systems in place to help me. I graduated at the bottom of my class and struggled as a young adult to find meaning and purpose in my life. Unfortunately, my story is no different from that of most students with developmental disabilities.

I got lucky when I connected with people from the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council, or MDDC, who helped me find an identity and purpose. It was a long and often painful road, but I am a better and happier person having gone down it. What I learned was this: The skills that were most important for me to grow didn't come from a textbook or a classroom; they came through developing what professionals today refer to as "soft skills" or social skills.

I have seen firsthand the importance of teaching self-awareness and social communication to students. Youngsters and teenagers without disabilities learn these skills through peer interaction and social opportunities. Skills such as making and keeping friends, being a good listener, being a team player, and being assertive rather than aggressive are what contribute to future success as an adult. But for people with disabilities, most school environments provide little to no opportunity to develop these skills.

Fortunately, I gained a support system through the MDDC and learned new advocacy skills that helped me stand up for myself. In 2000-01, I received a Gopen Fellowship, which provides mentoring and financial support for someone with a developmental disability, or a family member, to work in the disability-advocacy field to empower others like me to be agents of change. As a fellow, I developed the leadership course I now teach at MDDC.

My leadership series at MDDC provides an interactive learning environment that focuses on the person, teaching individuals about themselves, their strengths, and their abilities. We introduce different ways that people communicate, the way our body language speaks to people, and how attitudes and feelings influence our behavior toward others. We teach students how to work together, how to dress for success, and how to be part of a team. Ultimately, the program works to improve a person's self-esteem, increase confidence to try new things, and develop the soft skills needed to succeed.

I struggled to get where I am today, and it pains me to see that young people are still struggling decades later. Understanding who you are as a person and how to make a good impression on others is necessary for success in life.

School is tough-and it's even worse for children with disabilities, who are too often alienated from their peers and made easy targets for bullies. By sticking up for children with disabilities and fostering inclusive environments in our schools, we can dispel the indifference that shelters bullying.

As a society, we must invest time and effort to develop and expand support systems and training programs similar to those at MDDC for students and young adults transitioning out of the education system. Focusing on soft skills will enhance opportunities for students and young adults with disabilities to improve their social skills, increase their self-confidence, and lead more productive lives.

No one should feel left out.

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Social Skills Are Critical for Those With Disabilities (Opinion)

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Imagine a childhood without play dates or birthday parties, sleepovers or school dances. Doesn't sound like much of a childhood, does it? Well, for children with disabilities-developmental and otherwise-it is, more often than not, the norm. Having grown up with cerebral palsy, I know what it feels like to be "different."

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A student's Interest Inventory is used to look at their likes and dislikes, favorite activities and personal qualities to match interests to different types of careers and community options. This data assists students to develop self-knowledge and relate interests to the world of work, community and independent living. Interest inventories are often the first step in the development of meaningful postsecondary goals.

We encourage you to use Interest Inventories as well as transition assessments from other sources to gather and organize information about your students in order to prepare them for a seamless transition from school to adult life.

Author: U.S. Department of Labor

The O*NET Interest Profiler is a tool designed to assess an individual's vocational interests. The web-based version of the tool features 60 items which measure six types of Holland occupational interests: Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C), collectively called RIASEC. Students discover the type of work activities and occupations they may find engaging and relate to their interests.

Source: Cleveland County Schools, NC

The Student Dream Sheet is a questionnaire that asks students 15 basic questions about interests and preferences for future employment, training/education and independent living to assist teams with secondary transition planning.

Author: Shasta Twenty-first Century Career Connections

The Career Interest Inventory Pictorial Version helps students relate interests and abilities to career choices. This interest inventory is based on the six types of Holland occupational interests: Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C), collectively called RIASEC. The pictures help students identify the career areas they find interesting and might want to explore.

Author: Truity

The Photo Career Quiz is an online interest inventory that uses photographs of people in realistic environments both at work and leisure to identify career interests. Users are given 30 pairs of pictures and identify the most appealing image in each pair. The primary area of career interest is identified and sample careers in that area are provided.

Author: Dr. Mary Askew

The RIASEC Inventory is a 4-page assessment that uses John Holland's RIASEC coding system of Realistic (R), Investigative (I), Artistic (A), Social (S), Enterprising (E), and Conventional (C) and O*NET job titles to identify career areas of interest. Students read a list of 72 activities and identify whether they like or dislike each. Scores are separated into six interest areas: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional and identify the top areas of interest for the student.

Author: Robert Brady

The Picture Interest Career Survey (PICS) is a tool for individuals with limited reading ability or special needs to explore their career interests and find a job that fits. This updated 3rd Edition of PICS uses current pictures of people at work rather than text-based items to help individuals identify their occupational interests.

Authors: Katherine O. Synatschk & Ralph L. Becker

The Reading-Free Vocational Interest Inventory is a nonverbal measure of vocational interests of users from Grade 5 through adult. This inventory uses illustrations of individuals engaged in different occupations to measure the vocational likes and dislikes of students who have intellectual disabilities or learning disabilities, are struggling readers, or anyone who prefers a pictorial display. No reading or writing is required. The online scoring feature generates a personalized, in-depth, printable Interpretive report with links to O*NET information about jobs and training by Career Cluster.

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A student's Interest Inventory is used to look at their likes and dislikes, favorite activities and personal qualities to match interests to different types of careers and community options. This data assists students to develop self-knowledge and relate interests to the world of work, community and independent living.

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Detailed descriptions of the world-of-work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, developers, researchers, and more. Individuals can find, search, or browse across 900+ occupations based on their goals and needs. Comprehensive reports include occupation requirements, worker characteristics, and available training, education, and job opportunities.

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The Comprehensive High School Transition Survey definitely lives up to its name!

It is a great resource to use with your students. It asks a wide variety of questions that help students think about all the components of living, learning and working. This survey helps to document what the student's current preferences are in regards to these areas.

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Comprehensive High School Transition Survey

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The Comprehensive High School Transition Survey definitely lives up to its name! It is a great resource to use with your students. It asks a wide variety of questions that help students think about all the components of living, learning and working. This survey helps to document what the student's current preferences are in regards...

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Symbol Supported Transition Survey/Interview for IEPs

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Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better

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Special Education Teacher interview questions

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We gatherered the commonly asked special education teacher interview questions to find the best hire for this role. You can also download them in a pdf.

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Special Education Teacher interview questions

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If you're looking for a job and have a disability, you might consider working for the federal government.

Advantages of Government Jobs for People with Disabilities

The federal government:

You can also apply for jobs through the competitive hiring process.

Finding and Applying for Federal Jobs

You can search and apply online for most jobs at USAJOBS.gov.

Apply for a Job Through an Agency

Contact the agency's Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC) for help.

College Students and Recent Graduates with Disabilities

Find summer jobs, internships, and permanent positions through the Workforce Recruitment Program.

Veterans with Disabilities

Special hiring authorities let agencies appoint vets with service-connected disabilities to jobs.
Discrimination and Harassment at Your Job
If you are experiencing discrimination or harassment at your employer, first inform your manager or the human resources department. If neither help, use these government resources.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

Protections Included Under the Law

These laws protect employees and job applicants against:

Discrimination, harassment, and unfair treatment in the workplace by anyone because of:

Being denied reasonable workplace accommodations for a disability or religious beliefs

Retaliation because they:

How to File an Employment Discrimination Complaint

To file a complaint, contact your EEOC field office.

Many state and local governments have anti-discrimination laws. These laws may offer extra protection beyond federal law.

Some state laws:

Apply to businesses with only five or six employees

Prohibit discrimination based on whether you're married or have children

Have different deadlines for filing a charge

Have different standards for deciding whether you're covered

Many state laws have more protections for nursing mothers than federal law requires. State labor offices enforce these laws.

Filing a Lawsuit

If you're a victim of job discrimination or harassment, you can file a lawsuit. If the discrimination violates federal law, you must first file a charge with the EEOC. (This does not apply to cases of unequal pay between men and women.)

You may decide to sue if the EEOC cannot help you. In either case, look for an attorney who specializes in employment law. You can check with:

Not All Employers Are Subject to EEOC Laws

Only employers with a certain number of employees are subject to EEOC laws. The number of employees changes depending on the type of employer and the kind of discrimination alleged.

Businesses, state, and local governments must follow most EEOC laws if they have 15 or more employees.

Federal agencies must follow all EEOC laws, no matter how many employees they have.

Laws that the EEOC Enforces

Federal employment discrimination laws include:

What is Harassment?

Harassment is unwelcome conduct based on:

It can include:

Sexual harassment may include:

Unwelcome sexual advances

Requests for sexual favors

Other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature

Offensive remarks about a person's sex

Harassment becomes illegal when:

Protection from Retaliation

EEOC laws protect employees and job applicants from retaliation. For example, it's unlawful to punish people for:

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Jobs and Education for People with Disabilities | USAGov

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Learn about employment resources on how to find a government job and prepare for a job interview. You can also find information on employment laws and how to file a workplace harassment or discrimination complaint. Also, search educational programs for students with disabilities.

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I'm excited to introduce this week's guest blogger: Fiona from Sped Adulting aka to talk all about vocational skills!

Maybe you are distance learning or you are returning to school. Many of our students that have off-campus work experience are not going to be able to participate effectively. There are alternatives to practice vocational skills that students can work on in the meantime.

FOLLOWING A SCHEDULE

Your students are probably already doing this! You can make it more work or vocational skills related, or even create checklists with tasks to complete. This is a great way to practice reading time. Making sure the student is attending to an activity early or on time, as well as completing tasks before moving onto the next. Here are some activities to work on schedules:

CHORES & CLASSROOM JOBS

The first thing you should do is make sure your students are working on chores or classroom jobs. Many of the chores we have at home are great vocational skills. This is one alternative to work experience that can easily be practiced in the home or classroom setting. Not only are students practicing motor skills, but also following # step directions. If you are assigning these tasks for students to do at home, make sure to provide parents with the visuals and materials to successfully support their child in doing so at home!

Pair this activity with the life skills homework choice board FREEBIE

Students can pick a different vocational skill to focus on each day! Some of these levels of difficulty may differ from student to student, depending on where their areas of strength are. This is a great way for students to find which skills they are good at or enjoy doing (or maybe do not enjoy doing).

FILLING OUT TIMESHEETS

Next, whether your student is completing chores or classroom jobs, they can practice filling out a timesheet. This way they learn to track the time they've spent doing their job. Which also makes for an age-appropriate reward system and building vocational skills!

Filling out timesheets will practice several different skills in the areas of reading, math, vocation, and life skills. Students should understand exactly what clocking in and clocking out really means.

FILLING OUT JOB APPLICATIONS

Then, there are tons of job applications you can find with a quick Google Search to print. You can also create a Google Form customized to each students' level, whether it's just their personal information, all the way to writing work history, and references. Here are printable and digital differentiated/simplified sets of job applications for your students to practice with:

VIRTUAL JOB ACTIVITY

Community-Based Instruction (CBI) activities mimic a vocational experience of working at the grocery store. This can help students work on several basic consumer money math, stocking, time management and other job skills before applying them. Try the FREEBIE Virtual Grocery Store Job Activity here. Yes, these are also included in vocational skills.

VIRTUAL JOB SHADOWING

There are tons of "A day in the life of..." or Job Shadow videos on many different careers that you can find on YouTube.com. If you ask someone to film their day on their job, that could be awesome as well!

EXPLORE PREFERENCES

Set your students up for a successful career by finding out what your students' preferences are. Here are interest questions with visuals/real images that get students thinking about the skills they have or the skills they need to get their dream job. These types of activities are also great for informal assessment for transition plans.

HOST A CAREER DAY

Find volunteers to come share information about what their career is. Ask what skills they need for their job, what they love about their job, and so on. This can easily be set up over video conferencing and the classroom! Applicable vocational skills!

VOCATIONAL SKILLS WORK TASKS

Work task boxes are always a great way to work on foundational skills when you are short on time and money. Finally, we all know you are a busy teacher and work tasks help build skills.

Instagram | TeachersPayTeachers | Facebook | Boom Learning Library | Pinterest | Youtube

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Working on Vocational Skills in Special Education

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I'm excited to introduce this week's guest blogger: Fiona from Sped Adulting aka to talk all about vocational skills! Maybe you are distance learning or you are returning to school. Many of our students that have off-campus work experience are not going to be able to participate effectively.

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Job Interview Skills Special Education Worksheets & Teaching Resources | TpT

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Browse job interview skills special education resources on Teachers Pay Teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources.

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Interviewing Tips for Applicants with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

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Consultants’ Corner: Volume 10, Issue 01

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As well as skills specific to the job you're going for, employers are also looking for general job skills. These are sometimes called 'employability skills' or 'soft skills'. These types of skills will make you stand out.

Even if you don't think you have any job skills, you have these employability skills if you're:

dependable

easy to get along with

open to learning new things.

These skills might not be listed in the position description, but they are common skills needed to do most jobs. It's good to think about these skills when you're preparing for a job interview.

Different people define these skills in different ways, but generally they can be broken down into these eight categories:

communication

teamwork

problem solving

initiative and enterprise

planning and organising

self-management

learning

technology.

1. Communication

Depending on the job, communication means being clear about what you mean and what you want to achieve when you talk or write. It involves listening and being able to understand where someone else is coming from.

Communication skills also include non-verbal communication, such as the body language you use.

Examples of ways that you can develop or improve your communication skills include:

writing assignments and reports as part of your studies

blogging or using social media

making oral presentations as part of your class work

working in customer service (face-to-face or on the phone)

getting involved in a local club

being aware of how you hold your body.

2. Teamwork

Teamwork means being able to get along with the people you work with. It involves working together to achieve a shared goal.

Examples of ways that you can develop or improve your teamwork skills include:

3. Problem solving

Problem solving means finding solutions when you're faced with difficulties or setbacks. It involves being able to use a logical process to figure things out.

Examples of ways you can develop or improve your problem-solving skills include:

4. Initiative and enterprise

Initiative and enterprise mean looking for things that need to be done and doing them without being asked. This can also involve thinking creatively to make improvements to the way things are done.

Examples of ways you can develop or improve your initiative and enterprise skills include:

approaching organisations and businesses about work placements or internships

setting up a fundraiser in your community

making or proposing changes to the way a group you belong to does things

doing things around the house without being asked.

5. Planning and organising

Planning and organising mean working out what you need to do, and how you'll do it. Planning and organising involve things like developing project timelines and meeting deadlines.

Examples of ways you can develop or improve your planning and organising skills include:

6. Self-management

Self-management means:

being able to do your job without someone having to check up on you all the time

staying on top of your own deadlines

delegating tasks to other people to make sure things get done on time.

Examples of ways that you can develop or improve your self-management skills include:

7. Learning

Learning is about wanting to understand new things and picking them up quickly. It also involves taking on new tasks and being able to adapt to change.

Examples of ways to develop or improve your learning skills include:

8. Technology

Technology skills mean being able to use a computer for word processing, using spreadsheets and sending email, or knowing how to use office equipment like a photocopier.

They also involve using social media, working with design or video editing software or knowing programming languages. Other technology skills relate to hardware, like knowing how to use EFTPOS, a cash register, a camera or a recording studio.

Examples of ways to develop or improve your technology skills include:

doing a short course or online course

asking for extra training at work

finding out what technology is used in the job you want and how it's used

making a list of all the technology you're already using in your day-to-day life.

Highlighting your skills

Now that you've identified the employability skills you have, and ways you can improve them, you need to highlight them in your job applications.

To find out more about applying for jobs, visit our Applying for a job section.

To find out how to highlight your skills in a job interview, visit our job interviews section.

Links

Monash University Careers -Developing Your Skills
Advice on employability skills, including video interview with Monash graduates about how they got their skills.

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Employability Skills | Job Skills | Youth Central

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As well as skills specific to the job you're going for, employers are also looking for general job skills. These are sometimes called 'employability skills' or 'soft skills'. These types of skills will make you stand out.

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Vocational Skills at Home: Job Etiquette

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Urban Ministries of Durham serves over 6000 people every year who struggle with poverty and homelessness. Spent is an interactive game created by McKinney that challenges you to manage your money, raise a child and make it through the month getting paid minimum wage after a stretch of unemployment.

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50/30/20 budget calculator

Our 50/30/20 calculator divides your take-home income into suggested spending in three categories: 50% of net pay for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and debt repayment.

Find out how this budgeting approach applies to your money.

Savings and debt repayment

$0

Do you know your "want" categories?

Become a NerdWallet member to track your monthly spending trends, including how much you're allocating to needs and wants.

The 50/30/20 rule is a popular budgeting method that splits your monthly income among three main categories. Here's how it breaks down:

Monthly after-tax income

Necessities are the expenses you can't avoid. This portion of your budget should cover required costs such as:

Before you build a budget

NerdWallet breaks down your spending and shows you ways to save.

Distinguishing between needs and wants isn't always easy and can vary from one budget to another. Generally, though, wants are the extras that aren't essential to living and working. They're often for fun and may include:

20% of your income: savings and debt

How, exactly, to use this part of your budget depends on your situation, but it will likely include:

A smart view of your financial health

Get a quick read on how you're set up to meet expenses and money goals.

Get more help with monthly budget planning

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This calculator uses the 50/30/20 budget to suggest how much of your monthly income to allocate to needs, wants and savings.

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Equipping young people with key financial knowledge now can help set them up with good money habits into adulthood. The activities on this page allow you to develop these skills in a variety of ways, whether you're looking for something quick, something independent or a full length, curriculum-linked lesson plan:

Teaching resources:

Financial survival skills: Lesson plan and presentation slides -full lesson plan for use with a group of students in the classroom

Fraud and scams: Interactive worksheet - interactive worksheet activity for independent learning whether remote or in class

Fraud and scams online lesson film - interactive film for remote or in class learning

Lesson plan

(90 to 150 minutes)

This lesson plan is designed to help students manage different aspects of finances safely, successfully and independently, including credit cards, debt, current accounts, renting, insurance and fraud. Students will learn about the best questions to ask when considering rental accommodation and consider the pros and cons of different types of insurance. Additionally, the lesson includes a focus on credit scores and the factors that affect them, as well as tips for improving and keeping credit scores healthy.
How can you use this to improve your students understanding of bank accounts and banking?
It focuses on supporting students to better understand both current accounts and credit cards. The activities include an interactive tool to compare and contrast common features of different types of bank account, along with reasons to choose between these. The lesson also provides further explanation and examples of paper and online statements.
Lesson learning outcomes
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Understand how to choose a current account and use of credit cards

Identify what to consider when renting accommodation

Recognise factors that go into a credit score

Understand some of the most common types of fraud, scams and identity theft

Interactive worksheet

(15 minutes)
Please note that students below the age of 14 cannot sign up for their own LifeSkills account. Any independent tasks must be printed or downloaded and provided digitally for them to complete as they are currently hosted on educator pages.
The Fraud and scams interactive worksheet contains some of the themes from the full lesson plan and will help students develop the skills needed around the different types of fraud and become more familiar with common scams. The worksheet can be printed or completed digitally, so can be used flexibly to build your students understanding of fraud. Which? scams alert service also provide examples on the latest scams doing the rounds. You might choose to assign this worksheet:

As homework following the Financial survival skills lesson

For independent study

For remote learning

Alongside the below online lesson film

Online lesson film

(10 minutes)

LifeSkills has partnered with education charities The Talent Foundry and Business in the Community to create online lessons that can be watched anywhere.

In this one, hear Kamal talk through a range of the scenarios in the Fraud and scams worksheet above (students can also watch the film without using the worksheet). This online lesson film will help young people learn how to identify different types of fraud as well as help them feel confident in recognising fraud, helping them avoid falling for these traps. You can use it in the classroom or through a remote learning channel.

Further support for developing financial capability in your students

Follow these activities with further money skills lessons for this age group, which cover 'Finances in the world of work', 'Budgeting' and 'Financial planning for the long term'. Why not build financial capability as a focus in your students' curriculum? Refer to our Content guide to find out how the LifeSkills lesson plan can be used in Maths and PSHE lessons.

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Lesson plan on banking services | Barclays LifeSkills

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Equipping young people with key financial knowledge now can help set them up with good money habits into adulthood.

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social communication life and social skills

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Social Communication Life and Social Skills

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Browse educational resources created by Social Communication Life and Social Skills in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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social communication life and social skills

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Social Communication Life and Social Skills

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Browse educational resources created by Social Communication Life and Social Skills in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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United States - Illinois - Chicago

Ask A Love for Special Learning a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible. Please Login to ask your question.

I have taught special education for 12 years and have developed curriculum for a self-contained junior/senior level consumer math class. Most of the materials I have created are differentiated for two levels (or can easily adapted on the fly for students) to meet my students wide range of abilities and needs. I'm currently in a life skills transition program for 18-22 yr old young adult students and will expand my store to include materials that I have developed.

The skill I work to teach my students is to be independent problem solvers. I have created my lessons and shaped my teaching methods to encourage students to use their resources (materials from class) and their peers to get their questions answered. When developing my lesson materials I try to keep everything simple with minimal text directions and low level vocabulary with corresponding and supportive pictures. It is so important that students can easily navigate the resources to find their answer in order to feel independent and successful.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Yet to be added

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Bachelor of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education from Bradley University Masters of Advanced Special Education (LBS II) with certifications in Multiple Disabilities and Assistive Technology from the University of Illinois at Chicago 30 graduate hours in Assistive Technology

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

To learn more about me and my teaching adventures visit- www.aloveforspeciallearning.com Instagram: @aloveforspeciallearning

English Language Arts, Reading, Specialty, Math, Applied Math, Arts & Music, Special Education, Life Skills, Library Skills, Cooking, Writing, Oral Communication, Reading Strategies, Informational Text

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United States - Illinois - Chicago Ask A Love for Special Learning a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible. Please Login to ask your question. I have taught special education for 12 years and have developed curriculum for a self-contained junior/senior level consumer math class.

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Browse over 450 educational resources created by Breezy Special Ed in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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I am a Special Education teacher with almost 20 years of classroom and leadership experience teaching students with autism. Currently, I teach an amazing group of 1st and 2nd grade students in a self-contained classroom, specializing in autism strategies and techniques. After a brief stint as a General Education teacher, I had the opportunity to teach students with autism and did an about face. Asking my principal if I could change positions, she agreed, and I have been in this position ever since. I learn something new every single day from my kids and am proud to have been able to help them reach their learning potential.

Being a Special Education teacher, many of the activities that I create must meet the students needs, as well as our Math and Reading curriculum aligning to Common Core Standards. I feel that it is so important to create activities that help my students learn, as well as master their IEP goals. I am known for waking up at 2:00 A.M. and working on activities for my kids! It's so very rewarding to watch their darling little faces light up with enthusiasm. I may not get enough sleep, but my kiddos reactions are priceless. :)

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Department Chairperson 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 Autism Endorsement 2010

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

*Graduated from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. *Currently teach in an Autism Cluster classroom in a South Florida elementary school.

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

English Language Arts, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Math, Arithmetic, Basic Operations, Fractions, Measurement, Numbers, Science, Anatomy, Earth Sciences, Social Studies - History, Elections - Voting, U.S. History, Arts & Music, Music, Special Education, EFL - ESL - ELD, Career and Technical Education, Health, Life Skills, Classroom Management, School Counseling, Character Education, Word Problems, Study Skills, General Science, Problem Solving, Short Stories, Writing, Oral Communication, Child Care, Reading Strategies, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Autumn, Mental Math, Physical Therapy, Halloween, Speech Therapy, Winter, The New Year, Valentine's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Black History Month, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, Place Value, Products For TpT Sellers, Tools for Common Core, Earth Day, For All Subjects, Summer, Informational Text, Occupational Therapy, Handwriting, Vocational Education, Early Intervention, School Psychology, End of Year, Phonics, Classroom Community

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I am a Special Education teacher with almost 20 years of classroom and leadership experience teaching students with autism. Currently, I teach an amazing group of 1st and 2nd grade students in a self-contained classroom, specializing in autism strategies and techniques.

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Browse over 1,030 educational resources created by Life Skills Creations in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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I have worked in moderate/severe special education aide for 5 years in different grade levels from kindergarten to adult transition, as well as in a general education and inclusive setting. My rewarding experiences as an aide motivated me to become a teacher, and I am currently teaching moderate/severe High School/Adult Transition at a non-public inclusive school.

It is my mission to help students develop the skills necessary to be independent adults and life-long learners! Off-campus real life experiences are among the most beneficial teaching tools in special education, but I believe a well crafted lesson and supplemental materials are necessary to help teach & front load the students about the journeys they are going to embark on.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

The most rewarding moments are not those that I witness in the classroom, but when a parent tells me that their child has transferred that knowledge in the home & community setting. :)

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

I graduated with my BA in Marketing from Cal State Fullerton and received my Moderate/Severe Education Specialist credential from National University, where I also received my Masters in education.

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

I have a rescue dog named Maisy who loves to cuddle, and I enjoy doing any type of creative crafts/projects & drawing. I am a passionate hockey fan and I also enjoy playing ice & roller hockey.

English Language Arts, Reading, Vocabulary, Specialty, Math, Basic Operations, Fractions, Geometry, Graphing, Measurement, Numbers, Other (Math), Science, Social Studies - History, World Language, Arts & Music, Other (Arts), Music, Vocal Music, Special Education, Career and Technical Education, Health, Other (Specialty), Finance, Nutritional Sciences, Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, Other, Canadian History, Geography, Other (ELA), Life Skills, Critical Thinking, For All Subject Areas, Classroom Management, Business, School Counseling, Word Problems, Instructional Technology, Library Skills, Problem Solving, Cooking, Basic Reading, Basic Math, Employment, Writing, Writing, Holidays/Seasonal, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Halloween, Speech Therapy, For All Subjects, American Sign Language, Vocational Education

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I have worked in moderate/severe special education aide for 5 years in different grade levels from kindergarten to adult transition, as well as in a general education and inclusive setting. My rewarding experiences as an aide motivated me to become a teacher, and I am currently teaching moderate/severe High School/Adult Transition at a non-public inclusive school.

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Currently I am sixth grade inclusion teacher working with students with autism, specific learning disabilities, and cognitive disabilities. I've also served a k-6 mild interventions teacher working with children with autism. As an employee of a special education co-op, I consult with general education and special education teachers to observe challenging students, provide visuals, and offer necessary support to students with autism. Previously, I was a kindergarten teacher for seven years in both Indiana and Wisconsin. I served as a developmental therapist in early intervention for infants through three-year-olds where I provided in home therapy for infants and toddlers with special needs.

I enjoy hands-on, fun learning. My experience has taught me that students learn best when being active, singing, and cooperating in team building activities. Managing challenging student behavior is my specialty and I've been called, "The queen of behavior management" by administrator.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Who's Who Among Elementary Teachers; Distinguished Teacher Award, Mary E. White of Indiana State University; Graduated with honors, summa cum laude; Recipient of Indiana State University Academic Scholarship

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

I have a bachelor's and master's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Indiana State University. I am licensed to teach kindergarten through sixth grade in both the general education and special education setting. I am trained in TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped CHildren), STAR (Strategies for Teaching based on Autism Research), PECS (Picture Exchange Communication), TRIBES (Character Education Model) and CLASS (Character Education Model).

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

My educational passions includes early childhood, autism, active learning, visuals, and behavior management for all children.

English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Writing-Expository, Reading, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Math, Basic Operations, Numbers, Science, Basic Principles, Special Education, Health, Other (Specialty), Other (ELA), Life Skills, For All Subject Areas, Classroom Management, Professional Development, School Counseling, Character Education, General Science, Problem Solving, Writing, Child Care, Reading Strategies, Writing-Essays, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Poetry, Mental Math, Halloween, Speech Therapy, Winter, Valentine's Day, Spring, For All Subjects, Summer, Occupational Therapy, Handwriting, Vocational Education, Early Intervention, School Psychology, Classroom Community

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Currently I am sixth grade inclusion teacher working with students with autism, specific learning disabilities, and cognitive disabilities. I've also served a k-6 mild interventions teacher working with children with autism. As an employee of a special education co-op, I consult with general education and special education teachers to observe challenging students, provide visuals, and offer necessary support to students with autism.

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Susan began her teaching career in the inner-city of Los Angeles, working in both elementary classrooms and as an adjunct professor at Cal State Domiguez Hills in the teacher education department. Since the birth of her three children (all of whom have disabilities) Susan has worked as a volunteer or paid consultant in both her kids' and numerous classroom all over Southern California. In this capacity, Susan has been able to develop and test curriculum for every grade level.

We have always had a soft spot in our hearts for special needs kids--whether those kids have disabilities, language acquisition challenges, or simply think differently than mainstream kids--our goal has been to help them achieve and thrive in a learning environment. To do so, we try to speak their language. Sometimes that's short, sweet, direct language as in Transition 2 Life and Daily Living Skills. Sometimes that's through movement, music and play as in Singing my Sounds.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Learning Magazine's 2007 Teacher's Choice Award for "Mother Goose Brain Boost" available through Creative Teaching Press. 2010, 2011 Writer's Digest Awards 2009, 2005 North Coast Forum Writing Awards 2015 San Diego Book Awards - Finalist Phi Cappa Phi Honor Society Teacher's Writing Workshop Fellowship, UCLA, 1985

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Master of Arts, Education/Curriculum Development, CSU, Dominguez Hills Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, CSU, Northridge California Clear Teaching Credential, CSU, Northridge

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Alone, and with her husband, Steven, Susan has written scores of educational materials over the last twenty-five years. Steven and Susan have three grown children, all of whom have disabilities and who have traveled through the special education system. Susan has followed each child through their educations, developing and testing curricula with each grade as the kids grew. This real world approach has allowed her to create projects that are relevant, realistic and engaging. Susan has written extensively for both trade and educational sources for over twenty years. Her work has appeared in Spirituality & Health, Teachers of Vision, Sasee, Skirt!, San Diego Family Magazine and more. Susan's young adult novel, The Edge of Brilliance, is available on Amazon. The story follows fifteen-year-old Amy's struggles with mental illness and the hero that emerges from that struggle. A teaching guide for the book will be sold on this site. Susan also is a regular blogger on HealthyPlace.com where she talks about parenting mentally ill children.

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Susan began her teaching career in the inner-city of Los Angeles, working in both elementary classrooms and as an adjunct professor at Cal State Domiguez Hills in the teacher education department. Since the birth of her three children (all of whom have disabilities) Susan has worked as a volunteer or paid consultant in both her kids' and numerous classroom all over Southern California.

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With nearly 20 years in education servicing students with severe and profound disabilities, the makers at Noodle Nook know how to make it all work in the classroom- and they're sharing their materials with you!

Structured Learning with scaffolding and individualized outcomes helps students successfully move through the materials.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Featured creator for the Literacy Education Program used in the State of Texas for students with Low-Incidence Disabilities. Repeated featured presenter at Integration of Technology for Students with Disabilities Conference

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

M. Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology with a history of working in Curriculum and Instruction.

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Please visit my blog at www.NoodleNook.Net where I spend countless hours writing and creating materials to support teachers and students.

English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Reading, Vocabulary, Specialty, Math, Algebra, Arithmetic, Basic Operations, Geometry, Measurement, Numbers, Other (Math), Science, Social Studies - History, Civics, Computer Science - Technology, Special Education, Health, Other (Specialty), Social Work, Geography, Life Skills, Critical Thinking, For All Subject Areas, Literature, Classroom Management, Character Education, Family Consumer Sciences, Word Problems, Library Skills, Problem Solving, Basic Math, Employment, Short Stories, Writing, Oral Communication, Reading Strategies, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Mental Math, Halloween, Speech Therapy, Black History Month, Vocational Education, Women's History Month

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With nearly 20 years in education servicing students with severe and profound disabilities, the makers at Noodle Nook know how to make it all work in the classroom- and they're sharing their materials with you! Structured Learning with scaffolding and individualized outcomes helps students successfully move through the materials.

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I am an Education Specialist with over 18 years experience in teaching a Special Day Class (the last four years in a juvenile detention facility) for students from 8th - 12th grade. I am the ELD lead at our school and have won many awards over the years. I design core curriculum lesson plans that are fun and interactive for all grade levels. I am currently working on a program that is going to change the way that incarcerated youth are taught. I have trained many student teachers to go on and be successful Special Education Teachers. I am currently designing a group of lesson plans for Transition and Career Education. I film my students presenting various lesson plan activities. The students love being filmed while they're singing, dancing and just celebrating the learning experience!

I'm the Ellis Island of our school! Presenting lessons that are fun and easily grasped (from easy to hard) by my students (who range in cognitive abilities from 24 months to College level). A couple of my specialties are: theme teaching and behavior modification. The clip art in my rotating quote is provided by the super talented: A Sketchy Guy https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/A-Sketchy-Guy. (Check out his great stuff!) A special heartfelt "thank you" to Jadyn Thone for her amazing (and lightening fast) work on this rotating quote). Check out her store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Jadyn-Thone

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

Special Education Teacher of the Year, Horizon PAU. Special Education Teacher of Year, Los Angeles County Office of Education.

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

BA in English Literature/Psychology Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Education Specialist Moderate/Severe CLAD Certification Master Teacher for Cal State LA (Moderate/Severe)

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

I love antiquing, hiking and helping shelter animals. I also want (one day) to teach in the Alaskan Bush!

English Language Arts, Reading, Grammar, Spelling, Vocabulary, Specialty, Math, Algebra, Arithmetic, Fractions, Geometry, Graphing, Measurement, Numbers, Science, Astronomy, Basic Principles, Biology, Earth Sciences, Social Studies - History, U.S. History, Arts & Music, Visual Arts, Music, Physical Education, Special Education, EFL - ESL - ELD, Career and Technical Education, Health, Other (Specialty), Life Skills, For All Subject Areas, Literature, Classroom Management, School Counseling, Character Education, Word Problems, General Science, Physical Science, Problem Solving, Algebra 2, Employment, Short Stories, Writing, Child Care, Writing-Essays, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas/ Chanukah/ Kwanzaa, Poetry, Halloween, Winter, The New Year, Valentine's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents' Day, Black History Month, St. Patrick's Day, Spring, Earth Day, For All Subjects, Summer, Informational Text, Occupational Therapy, Vocational Education, School Psychology, End of Year, Close Reading

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I am an Education Specialist with over 18 years experience in teaching a Special Day Class (the last four years in a juvenile detention facility) for students from 8th - 12th grade. I am the ELD lead at our school and have won many awards over the years.

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Browse over 10 educational resources created by Vanessa Evans in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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Browse over 40 educational resources created by Caffeine Before Chaos in the official Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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United States - Wisconsin - Beloit

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada

Ask Sharon Loucks a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible. Please Login to ask your question.

I have taught Special Education, Reading and regular education classes from kindergarten to high school. I am presently teaching high school special education and strategic literacy in the same school district I started in 38 years ago.

Whatever works best with the students I am teaching.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

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MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

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ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

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English Language Arts, Balanced Literacy, Reading, Specialty, Special Education, Life Skills, For All Subject Areas, Literature, Study Skills, Reading Strategies, Informational Text

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United States - Wisconsin - Beloit "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada Ask Sharon Loucks a question. They will receive an automated email and will return to answer you as soon as possible. Please Login to ask your question.

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Welcome! I am a Transition Specialist with over 13 years of experience in the Special Education field. I focus on creating materials for BUSY teachers who want easy, low to no prep lessons and activities. All of my products are great for distance learning & are Google Classroom compatible. Most of my products can be reset and used weekly, biweekly, or as needed!

I currently teach a self-contained classroom for 18-22 year old students with moderate to severe needs. Teaching life skills and vocational skills to students as they prepare to transition into adulthood is a joy! I hope that my curriculum can serve people across all ability and age ranges.

HONORS/AWARDS/SHINING TEACHER MOMENT

I cofounded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, teaching neurodiverse adults the communication, social, and musical skills necessary to play in rock bands together (https://www.muse-foundation.org).

MY OWN EDUCATIONAL HISTORY

Master's in Special Education, ABA Certificate, Transition Endorsement

ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

I enjoy creating activities & lessons that students can repeat frequently in order to hone their skills! While there is a place for "one and done" lessons, I don't rely on them in my classroom. My classes are social based and I encourage students to participate during class like they are having a conversation with me. I always include built in "checking for understanding" questions, new vocab, preview, review, class practice, models & then individual practice throughout my lessons.

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Welcome! I am a Transition Specialist with over 13 years of experience in the Special Education field. I focus on creating materials for BUSY teachers who want easy, low to no prep lessons and activities. All of my products are great for distance learning & are Google Classroom compatible.

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Find a recipe or make your own picture recipes!

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Accessible Chef - Accessible Cooking for Budding Chefs

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Visual recipes make use of task analysis, which is an evidence-based approach for breaking down a complex task into manageable steps. Each task is separated into discrete skills, and individuals can learn to complete skills in a specific order to learn new tasks.