Website Review- Abbey Gardiner by

Websites 1-5

gardinam01 — 2024-08-31 16:47:37 UTC

Hearing Impairments
Visual Impairments
Speech/Language Impairments
Certification
Inclusive Classrooms

2. Visual Impairments

gardinam01 — 2024-09-01 21:41:47 UTC

There are various ways teachers can help a student with visual impairments learn in their classroom. For those with visual impairments, enlarged text, speaking when entering or leaving the room, adjusted lighting, use descriptive words, use auditory or tactile signals to replace visual signals, use verbal direction, read Powerpoints or information, use large print, audio, digital, or Braille when possible, etc. There are also programs such as join.me which allows the student to see what is on the teacher's computer. Other assistive programs include Access Adobe, American Printing House for the Blind, and L&H Kurzweil 3000. This information is useful for schools and teachers, but should be individualized based on the specific student's needs (National Science Teaching Association, n.d.).

1. Hearing Impairments

gardinam01 — 2024-09-01 21:43:53 UTC

There are multiple ways a teacher can make the classroom more inclusive for students with hearing loss. The teacher may pause during lessons, repeat information, talk slowly and clearly, use visuals, pair the student with a peer note-taker, and keep proximity in mind. In addition, the acoustics of the classroom can be adjusted by closing the door, place tennis balls on chair legs, place the student away from sources of noise, add carpets, and using an FM system. An FM system includes a microphone for the teacher and a receiver for the student. The information found on this website may be useful for both schools and teachers, and the tips can be included in either an IEP or 504 plan (Children wiith hearing loss, 2021).

4. Certification

gardinam01 — 2024-09-01 21:46:12 UTC

As of September 28, 2022 New York State implemented the Students with Disabilities (all grades) certificate. For birth through age 3 there is a separate certification. For teaching students with disabilities for all grades, there are 13 general pedagogical core requirements, 13 program-specific pedagogical core requirements, and various field experiences that must be completed in order to qualify for certification. For those with prior teaching experience, such as one year of teaching with a certificate, the clinical experience will not be required. (New York State Education Department, n.d.). This would be a useful tool for individuals pursuing special education to see what they can expect from their education experience.

3. Speech and Language Impairment

gardinam01 — 2024-09-01 21:51:59 UTC

A student with a speech disorder may have issues with articulation, fluency, and/or voice . A student with a language disorder may have trouble with all forms of communication. If a student has a speech or language impairment, the teacher can move the child closer, be sure the child understands the assignment, allow extra time, allow the child to complete written assignments in place of oral ones, use technology, be patient, and celebrate differences in the classroom. Celebrating differences in the classroom can help the student feel accepted. These students may have a an IEP or 504 plan and may receive speech-language therapy during the school week. This resource would be useful in a school and as a teacher. There are simple solutions that would greatly help the student learn more effectively (Hirsch, 2021).

5. Inclusive Classrooms

gardinam01 — 2024-09-01 22:29:50 UTC

Inclusive classrooms incorporate various techniques based on the needs of the specific students in the class. Classrooms may use academic supports such as tutoring or behavioral supports. In addition, respect for diversity helps the student feel welcome. These conversations will occur in the classroom and at the institutional level. Another aspect that makes classrooms inclusive is allowing the student to remain in the room with their peers for instruction. A factor that may be considered with this is the ability to maximize resources since they are not being doubled with separating the students with disabilities (Stetson & Associates, Inc.). This resource provided a simple summary of multiple techniques that could be useful for schools and teachers.

Websites 6-10

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:09:03 UTC

Autism
ADHD
Educational Games
Co-Teaching
IEP/Goal Development

ADHD

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:14:26 UTC

Children with ADHD may display inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. A diagnosis may be made when their behavior is extreme, lasts longer than six months, and their symptoms are causing issues in at least two settings. Sometimes is can be difficult to determine if the student has ADHD or is just younger than the other students in the class. Those with inattentive symptoms may be easily distracted, have difficulty following directions, doesn't seem to be listening, has trouble organizing tasks, etc. Children with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms may fidget, have trouble staying in their seat, trouble being quiet, blurts out answers, etc. It is important to remember that even if a child is displaying these behaviors, they may not have ADHD so it should not be assumed without a formal diagnosis. In the classroom, teachers may use a daily behavior card with goals and reinforcements to promote positive behavior (Child Mind Institute, 2023).

Autism

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:20:57 UTC

Autism Spectrum Disorder includes a range of challenges, and no two individuals with ASD are the same. As a teacher, reviewing the student's IEP or 504 plan is required. From the document, teachers can discover what accommodations the child will receive, and these documents cannot be changed without the appropriate procedures. There will be a team associated with the students to promote success, and the student can be referred to as "our " student to this team. Another necessity is seeking the necessary information or training that may assist in working with the student. Through the trainings, the teacher may learn that students with Autism may have sensory issues. Making changes to the classroom lighting, smell, or sounds may be a negative experience for the student. Other classroom techniques include being flexible, sticking to schedules, and providing structure as much as possible (Autism Speaks, n.d.).

Educational Games

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:29:00 UTC

There are countless options for online educational games for a variety of age groups. For younger children, PBS kids provides many options for different topics such as ABCs, reading, math, science, social studies, art, routines, sharing, emotions, etc. This variety was one of the main reasons I was drawn to PBS kids. Not only can students play academic or educational games, but they can also learn social-emotional skills which are also very important. In addition to the multiple subjects of games, there are also themes which could be beneficial for students that have certain interests, such as dinosaurs.

Co-Teaching

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:29:49 UTC

Students with disabilities may benefit from a co-teaching approach, and it helps them stay in general education. There are six approaches to co-teaching that all contribute to an individualized instruction for students. One teach, one observe allows for a detailed observation of the students for the desired information. Another option is one teach, one assist is when one teacher does the instruction and the other assists students as needed to allow instruction to continue. Next, parallel teaching is when the students are split into groups but the same information is taught by each teacher at the same time. For station teaching, each teacher has set content that they will cover in their group before sending the students to the next station to learn the other teacher's material. Alternative teaching still includes groups, but one teacher will take the majority of the students and the other will have a small group to provide extra attention. Finally, team teaching or tag teaching is when both deliver the same material at the same time (SERC, 2004).

IEP/Goal Development

gardinam01 — 2024-09-14 13:30:39 UTC

Developing an IEP document is a process that involves parents and school staff, and each person brings their own set of information and abilities to contribute to the meeting. Depending on the child's age, they may also attend the meeting, which allows for autonomy. An IEP meeting will discuss special considerations such as communication needs, need for assistive technology, behavior, etc. The IEP will have current levels of academic performance, goals, how progress will be measured, services they will receive, accommodations, etc. The annual goal is one of the most difficult aspects of the IEP document development. Goals should be positive and describe a skill that can be measured. It should include the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the goal. Progress on the goals will be discussed at the next meeting (Theresa Rebhorn, 2023).

Websites 11-15

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 16:39:45 UTC

Assistive Technology
Identifying Gifted Students
Accommodations
Daily Report Cards
Inclusive Physical Education

Assistive Technology

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 16:55:29 UTC

There are various forms of assistive technology that can be used with a range of disabilities. Common examples include audio recorders, closed captioning, color overlays and line readers, flexible furniture, graphic organizers, pencil grips, personal listening devices, special keyboards, speech-to-text software, and text-to-speech software. Students who may be eligible for assistive technology include those with an IEP or 504 plan. The purpose of assistive technology is to allow students to be productive and have an equal learning environment. The use of assistive technology requires staff training to be able to help students, incorporating the use of the technology into lesson planning, and being prepared for inevitable technical difficulties. Many of the examples of assistive technology can be used for both online and physical schooling (School of Education, 2020).

Identifying Gifted Students

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 17:12:13 UTC

Each gifted student must be evaluated individually to assess their giftedness as not all gifted students are the same. With gifted students it is important to remember giftedness is dynamic, is represented through diverse groups, may be shown within a specific interest, and that early identification improves the likelihood gifts will develop into talents. To identify giftedness, districts will typically follow a process of identification phase, nomination and screening phase, and placement phase. To screen for giftedness, various tools should be used to account for bias. Tests for IQ, nomination forms, student records, teacher observations and ratings, portfolios and performances, and student educational profiles or case studies can all be options to consider when identifying giftedness. These show that there are both formal and informal perspectives to assess giftedness (National Association for Gifted Children, n.d.).

Accommodations

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 17:58:34 UTC

There are various accommodations that students may receive that can be grouped into four categories. First, presentation accommodations are used by students who struggle with the way information is presented. These students may use books and materials with larger text, visual cues, audiobooks, and closed captioning. Next, response accommodations such as speech-to-test software or a digital recorder can be used by students with a barrier related to the way they are required to respond. This allows them to still complete assignments, just in a different format. For students who have trouble with the characteristics of the setting, they may receive setting accommodations. These can be preferential seating or testing in a different location with more appropriate noise or lighting. Finally, students may have issues with the timing and scheduling of the instruction. Timing and schedule accommodations include extended time, frequent breaks, and shorter testing sessions (IRIS Center, n.d.).

Daily Report Cards

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 18:23:13 UTC

Daily Report Card is an intervention that provides students with clear expectations, goals for success, and motivation to succeed. A DRC improves behavior with clarity of expectations, feedback based on performance, motivators, relationships, and flexibility. Not only does a DRC promote positive behavior, but also positive communication between the teacher and the family. There is a website for a Daily Report Card Online, which is an interactive online tool to help schools develop and implement a DRC. The DRCO has multiple features such as professional development access, progress monitoring, a guided set-up process, standardized target behaviors, real-time data collection, informed decision making with data and goals, and data visualization in graphs that can be shared at team meetings or with parents (DRCO, n.d.).

Inclusive Physical Education

gardinam01 — 2024-10-26 18:44:05 UTC

Children should get 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Schools must provide inclusive physical education and physical activity for students with disabilities. To have inclusive physical education, students with disabilities should be included in regular physical education classes. There should be changes to teaching strategies, equipment, environments, and assessments to meet the needs of each individual student. Teachers should support students with disabilities if they wish to participate in extracurricular physical activities. Finally, teachers of inclusive physical education encourage students with disabilities to have the same experiences as their peers without a disability. The ADA, Section 504, and IDEA are all relevant to the inclusion of students with disabilities in physical education (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022).

Websites 16-20

gardinam01 — 2024-11-15 23:25:52 UTC

Dyslexia
Reading Interventions for Learning Disabilities
Special Education for Multilingual Learners
Communication Disorders in Schools
Social Stories

Dyslexia

gardinam01 — 2024-11-16 00:40:43 UTC

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that is characterized by trouble recognizing language sounds and how they relate to written language. These students typically struggle with reading, writing, and spelling. They may also have trouble with rabidly saying responses to what they see. Dyslexia can impact the student's ability to do well in all subjects. Not only does dyslexia affect school performance, but it also has social and emotional impacts. It can cause them to feel less intelligent than their peers, have lower self-esteem, and misbehave due to frustration. To teach students with dyslexia, teachers can provide opportunities for multisensory learning, sand writing, blending boards, arm tapping, assistive technology, pocket spellcheckers, line readers, digital scanning pens, and accommodations. The student's IEP should always be followed. These strategies can help students with dyslexia thrive in the classroom (American School of Education, 2023).

Reading Interventions

gardinam01 — 2024-11-16 02:40:21 UTC

When working with students with learning disabilities, there are some strategies that may be beneficial to improving literacy skills. To improve word recognition skills, direct instruction will be a good method. The reading program should use sequencing, segmentation, and advanced organizers. To improve reading comprehension, students with learning disabilities seem to benefit from the combination of direct strategy and strategy instruction. Directed response/questioning, control difficulty of processing demands of task, elaboration, modeling of steps, group instruction, and strategy cues are all methods for reading comprehension. Parents can use these guidelines to evaluate their child's reading program. If the parent feels the reading program is not adequate to meet their child's needs, they can schedule a meeting with the IEP team to go over solutions (Stanberry & Swanson, n.d.).

Bilingual Special Education

gardinam01 — 2024-11-16 02:55:04 UTC

There are various issues and considerations when working with bilingual students in special education. Examples include prioritizing the special education needs of the student rather than incorporating all needs of the student into their education, communicating with families, and finding teachers that are qualified to work with bilingual students with disabilities. Often, there is a priority on the IDEA and special education needs of the student rather than the bilingual education services. Typically, students are encouraged to use English and are therefore not given the opportunity to explore their bilingual identity. In addition, when working with the families of students with disabilities, there should be appropriate translation services. It should not be expected that families speak English, whether it be in the IEP meeting or at home. Finally, there are not many programs that train teachers to work with bilingual special education students. Special education and general education teachers may both need to seek additional training, but this is not always easy (Najarro, 2024).

Speech and Language Disorders

gardinam01 — 2024-11-16 03:07:47 UTC

There are different types of speech and language disorders that fit into the four categories of articulation, fluency, voice, and language. Articulation involves issues with how the child pronounces sounds, fluency involves the flow of speech that is disrupted by various issues, voice involves an abnormal pitch, resonance, or volume, and language involves issues expressing needs, ideas, information, and understanding. If there are noticeable issues with a child's speech or language, the first step should be checking their hearing. If hearing is not the issue, the child may have a speech or language impairment. There are many children that qualify as having a speech/language impairment. In schools, speech-language pathology services can benefit the child and may last for multiple years. Teachers can learn about these impairments, emphasize strengths, know the IEP, provide accommodations, consult as needed, seek materials or resources to help address the needs of the children, and communicate with parents (Center for Parent Information and Resources, n.d.).

Social Stories

gardinam01 — 2024-11-16 20:25:09 UTC

Social stories are a useful tool when working with students with autism. Social stories can be written if one cannot be found for a certain situation. Examples include personal space, hitting, turn-taking, making friends, stealing, potty training, anxiety, and transitions. When writing a social story it must have a specific goal, be well-researched, be descriptive, and use positive language. They should also use one or a combination of perspective, descriptive, directive, control, affirmative, cooperative, and/or partial sentences. Social stories are beneficial for children with autism because they teach social norms, social skills, social interactions, and reduce empathy. Comic strip conversations can also be used. These are simple illustrations that show people having a conversation, which is a good method if the child prefers visuals and can make it more enjoyable (Tobik, 2024).