Our blog has been designed to keep our educators, parents and clinicians up-to-date on trending topics in special education.
In every classroom, a teacher must determine the ways in which students will engage in learning from a list of instructional methodologies. The phrases instructional methodology, teaching method, instructional method all describe how a teacher is delivering instruction to help students meet the lesson objective. There are a variety of evidence-based methods from which to choose, and expert teachers often use a combination to best support the wide range of student needs and strengths in their classroom. Read on to learn about three of them!
It’s no secret that technology plays a large role in all aspects of our lives today. When we wake up, the first thing that many of us do is immediately reach for our cell phones. We check the weather, our email, and social media long before we hop out of bed to start the day. This is no different when it comes to how we are incorporating technology in the workplace, or for students, during the school day. In classrooms across the world, technology has revolutionized traditional teaching methods, creating new avenues for learning and enhancing the educational experience for both students and educators alike.
Data drives a multitude, if not all, decisions in special education. When examining the cycle of instruction, the beginning and the end starts with a form of assessment and data collection. Data allows us to track student progress, identify skills that need additional support or reteaching, and fine tune what students need in their learning programs to be successful. Without data, information crucial to determining current levels of performance may be missing or incomplete, thus, leading to ineffective individualized plans. Whether a teacher or an administrator, the ongoing collection and analysis of student data provides the most current picture of a student's skills as well as a baseline to demonstrate growth over time. Through the use of data, education teams will be able to make educational decisions that effectively meet the needs of the students.
Entering the field of special education is a rewarding journey filled with challenges and triumphs. As a special education teacher, you are stepping into a role that requires patience, creativity, and a deep commitment to helping every student thrive. In this blog, we’ll navigate essential tips that will help you navigate this dynamic and fulfilling profession.
Understanding how to set up and manage a classroom is an essential tool in every teacher’s toolkit. There are certain classroom management strategies that are based in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and have been successful in a wide variety of teaching environments. This blog post will outline teaching techniques that support learning by helping students understand expectations and manage their behaviors.
Have you ever felt like your classroom is working against you? You have spent time, energy, and - let’s face it - money to create lessons that are engaging and meet the needs of your students. When those lessons don’t go according to plan, one of the factors that can impact the success of instruction is the Physical Environment.
The environment we create in our classrooms sets the stage and affects students’ ability to learn and retain information. Making adjustments, even small ones, to a classroom environment at any time of the year can feel like a daunting task. However, these changes have the potential to set a new tone for your classroom and will lead to higher rates of learning for all students. Let's examine several ways a classroom environment can be adjusted to best meet the needs of the students within it.
To ensure SDI is implemented in the classroom, legally binding IEPs, or Individualized Education Programs, play a critical role. SDI outlines the specific goals, objectives, and accommodations for each student receiving special education services. In this blog, we’ll unpack the role of specially designed instruction in special education and why it’s beneficial for students with moderate to severe disabilities.
Students with moderate to severe disabilities are significantly more likely to struggle with postschool life, including finding employment, community involvement, postsecondary education, and independent living. As we know, students have a finite amount of time in the public education system to prepare for adulthood, and it is vital that their education incorporates functional academics. In this blog, we’ll explore what functional academics entail and how functional academics can be incorporated in instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities.
Teaching in a self-contained classroom this year? Or maybe you’ve been teaching in a self-contained setting for years and are looking for some tips to help you restructure? Either or - you’ve come to the right place! Structuring your self-contained classroom can take quite a bit of planning and organization to make sure that a supportive and engaging learning environment is the result. While students with low incidence disabilities in your classroom may have similar academic needs, each student still requires personalized instruction - which can make striking a balance between overall classroom structure and maintaining individual needs challenging. In this blog, we’ll provide you with different measures you can take to build a classroom environment that enhances instructional time, strengthens independence, promotes positive behaviors and maximizes student outcomes!
