Exceptional Padlet (Team 3)

Joya Daniels, Jennifer Jones, and Julie Welch 

MTE/512: Teaching the Exceptional Learner

Ms. Jody Leeds

            The state standard that I am addressing will be Florida S.C.5.E.5.3- Distinguish among the following objects of the Solar System -- Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets -- and identify Earth's position in it. The disability that I will be looking at is Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

            Autism is a developmental disability. It covers a wide range of symptoms, but it mainly affects a child’s social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior. Some of the social skills include: 

Some communication skills include: 

Some learning characteristics include: 

·         Narrow Focus. Children with autism may be able to focus acutely on details but may lack the ability to pull back and see the big picture. ...

·         Language Development Issues. ...

·         Poor Nonverbal Skills. ...

·         Narrow Interests. ...

·         Attention Issues.

The first objective is for students who do not have exceptionalities. Their objective is to Distinguish among the following objects of the Solar System -- Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets -- and identify Earth's position in it. The second objective for students with exceptionalities will be to distinguish among the following objects of the Solar System- sun, planets and moons and identify the Earth’s position in it. 

Georgia State Standard: MGSE2.OA.2-Fluenly add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By the end of Grade 2 know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers ("Georgia Standards of Excellence", 2009).

Consideration: students with learning disabilities often have a hard time memorizing math problem that does not work for their style of learning. To help students with learning disability, is to create modifications to teach addition and subtraction. Giving SLD students a wide range of strategies such as manipulatives, touch math points (dot method), or online math resource games. 

Strand: Mathematics: Adding and Subtracting with 20

Disability Category: Specific Learning Disability (SLD): Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Auditory processing disorder, Nonverbal learning disability ("The 13 Disability Categories Under Idea", 2014).

            Characteristics: Attention Disorders, Poor Motor Abilities, Oral Language Difficulties, Mathematic Difficulties, Reading Difficulties ("Specific Learning Disabilities", 2014). 

            Cognitive Needs: activities with minimal physical activity, flexible assignments, organizational skills, use braille work assignments.

            Communication Needs: Speak slowly and clearly, make sure the classroom is clear of extra noises, need time to process question/thoughts, supplement language with pictures ("Communication Strategies for All Classrooms: Focusing On English Language Learners And Students With Learning Disabilities", 2007).

            General Objective: The student will learn to add and subtract with 20 fluently. The student will be able to use mental strategies or manipulative to master this lesson. 

            Adapted Objective for a Student with Learning Disability: The student will solve an addition or subtraction problem by using manipulatives (blocks, tiles, cubes, popsicle sticks, beads, and cereal, among other items) or touch math points (breaking the numbers down 1-3, 4-6, 7-10) (Teaching Addition to Students with Special Needs, 2016)

            Justification for Adaptation: With this adaptation, SLD students have the chance to learn math (adding/subtraction) easier with tools and games to help grasp the task through a different method of learning ("Guide for Help with Addition And Subtraction For Elementary Students", 2011).

The state standard that I will be examining for the state of South Carolina will be 3.NSBT.1 Use place value understanding to round whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.  This standard is for 3rd grade.  The strand for this standard associated is number and number sense.  The disability will be an intellectual disability, Downs Syndrome.    

            Downs Syndrome is an intellectual disability that occurs when a child has an extra chromosome.  The extra chromosome affects how the body and brain develop in the child.  A person with Down Syndrome may have lower intelligence.  Persons with down syndrome typically have low muscle tone, a slant to their eyes, smaller or petite in size.  Some of the other issues that are present in people with Down Syndrome is anxiety and little social skills.  Many children that have Down Syndrome can have speech delays as well as motor skill delays.  It is common for children with Down Syndrome to have mental health concerns as well as behavior concerns. 

            The first objective is for students without exceptionalities.  Students will be able to understand place value when rounding numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.  The second objective is for students with exceptionalities to be able to understand pace value when rounding numbers to the nearest 10 or 100.

Communication Strategies for All Classrooms: Focusing on English Language Learners and Students with Learning Disabilities (2007). http://www.ldonline.org/article/19260/

Georgia Standards of Excellence (2009). https://www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Documents/Grade-K-5-Mathematics-Standards.pdf

Guide for Help with Addition and Subtraction for Elementary Students(2011). https://www.brighthubeducation.com/homework-math-help/124769-addition-and-subtraction-help-for-elementary-students/#:~:text=%20Guide%20for%20Help%20with%20Addition%20and%20Subtraction,about%20math%20is...%204%20References. %20%20More

Specific Learning Disabilities (2014). http://specificlearningdisabilites.weebly.com/characteristics-of-sld.html

The 13 disability categories under IDEA (2014). https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/special-education-basics/conditions-covered-under-idea