Special Education and Learning Differences

Our next post is from Lisa from Suffolk, VA, a middle school/high school Special Education teacher. Her strategy is to teach conflict resolution skills with differentiated instruction so each student can learn the skill according to how they learn best.

Her strategy: a Conflict Resolution Menu.

“The students have been learning a unit on how to deal appropriately with conflict. Proper problem solving skills and techniques to all types of possible conflicts they may come across. Since all students learn differently, I created a unit assessment that was Differentiated Instructional (DI) focused. This menu has 3 appetizer activites, 3 entree activities, and 3 dessert activities to choose from. Each student may choose the activities they feel most comfortable doing to demonstrate mastery.”

Learning Objectives:

“The students will demonstrate their knowledge on conflict resolution and problem solving techniques that they can carry with them into adulthood. These skills will help them handle peer conflicts, issues with teachers, and even frustration that may occur from academics. Being able to properly identify a conflict and the appropriate way to handle that conflict is a skill that will help them be successful in school as well as in life.”

Materials:

Conflict resolution lesson, art supplies, conflict resolution menu, problem solving scale, PowerPoint (student choice)

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This post is brought to you by We Are Teachers partnership with PCI Education’s Grant Asks: http://www.weareteachers.com/ideas/partnerask/teachingidea?app= 17846&grantId=75

This post comes from Jennifer in Lima, New York. She is a 1st-2nd grade teacher in Special Education, and her strategy is to help reluctant readers and writers get excited about doing just that: reading and writing!

Her project: Language Experience Stories. 

 “Students who are not yet excited about reading or who are hesitant to write need a hook. So we made them the characters in the story. I surveyed the children regarding things they like to do. They chose swimming. We created a list of things they did when swimming. I then brought in a blow up swimming pool and other items (floaties, pool toys). We then took pictures of them in the (empty) pool using the item or pretending to swim. From the pictures they wrote their sentences for their stories.”

Learning Objectives:

“Students learned to plan out a story, write their own sentences and then read their story to others. Their confidence grew and they were very proud of their accomplishments. When writing students used a promethean board rather than paper and pencil to make it different for them. Here they were more willing to stretch out the words and were more willing to stay on task.

“The children who created these stories were not enthusiastic about reading or writing prior to writing these stories. During the process they became more involved and excited. Once the story was complete and in their hands they loved it! Not only were they authors who could read their story, they were in the story! They wanted a copy to keep in their classroom and one to have at home. Parents also shared how proud their children were when they brought these stories home.”

Materials:

“With this story it was chart paper, a blow up pool, pool toys, floaties, camera, and a promethean board. Computer and printer were used to create and print the book. With other language experience stories the materials were different depending on the topic that they chose.”

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Brought to you by We Are Teachers partnership with PCI Education’s Teacher Grant Asks: http://www.weareteachers.com/ideas/partnerask/teachingidea?app=16609&grantId=75

Our second post in this series is from Matthew in Carteret, NJ. He teaches 7th and 8th graders.

His idea: Fireside Chats.

Students learning about the Great Depression had the opportunity to step into the shoes of President Roosevelt and create their own fireside chat radio broadcast based on the events of the 1930′s. Students learn the material in the classroom and then record an audio broadcast using the software program Audacity. The tasks involved are research, writing a script, and performing the broadcast. The project has different modalities so that each student in the group can shine in his/her own way.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to understand the impact that the events of the Great Depression had on America. They will also be able to relate the information they have learned to today’s economy. Students will enhance their research, writing and technology skills throughout the process of the project.

As well, this project was a collaboration between the students’ social studies and language arts classes. It took place in a variety of settings in our 8th grade. Both in-class support students and self-contained students had the opportunity to create their own group broadcast. The students learned tangible skills while also learning the important characteristics of teamwork.

Materials:

Audacity, an opensource audio recording program. Microsoft word, to type the script. Microphones to record the broadcast. EBSCO and Grollier online for research.

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This post is brought to you by We Are Teachers partnership with PCI Education’s Teacher Grant Asks:  http://www.weareteachers.com/ideas/partnerask/teachingidea?app=16996&grantId=75

PCI Education collaborated with We Are Teachers offering a microgrant to teachers by asking, “Have you ever taught a lesson that really resonated with a special needs student?”

PCI had fabulous responses to our question and we are excited to share with you real ideas from real teachers that work! These teaching techniques will be posted weekly as “Real Teachers-Real Strategies.” Subscribe now to receive these ideas in your inbox for teaching students with special needs.

Our first post is from Cathy in Irving, Texas.

Her strategy: Re-read and Chart It!  

 I have students re-read the first few pages of a book and we time how many words read in a minute (with the number read listed on the sides of the page.) We subtract any words missed and then chart it on a graph that they keep track of. They do this every day and their wcpm grows and the chart goes up. They are excited to come in and do this activity all on their own each day. When they read their wcpm reading goal, we start on the next page of the book.

Learning Objectives:

Success and independence in reading!

Materials:

Leveled readers, timer, folder, chart/graph paper and a colored pencil to chart with.

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We Are Teachers in partnership with PCI Education’s Teacher Grant Asks: http://www.weareteachers.com/ideas/partnerask/teachingidea?app=16857&grantId=75

Lately, I find myself realizing at all sorts of odd times just how having a son with special needs has affected our whole family. Tucking my 8-year-old daughter into bed last night, she asked how her 6-year-old brother was and I said, “Awesome. He’s still in his pajamas and settling down.” My daughter responded, “Yay! No stripping tonight,” as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say.

Last week, a kind grocery store cashier asked me how things were going with the baby. I did a double take, but then found myself just smiling and saying “Fine” when she held up the Gerber rice cereal box. I’m long past the point of trying to explain that I still serve baby cereal to my son for breakfast because it is one of the few foods he will eat.

Some time after the diagnosis, you begin to realize that things in your family will forever be different from “normal.” I’m not convinced there is a normal anymore, but I guarantee we aren’t it. And yet, every time my son gives me a kiss and flashes that winning smile, I know how deeply blessed we are to have him in our lives.

As an educator and a writer, being a parent of a student with special needs has changed my perspective on many things. Most importantly, I’ve realized how much I appreciate the educators who accept the oddities of our family without judgment and who go out of their way to make life and communication a little easier. Most parents can ask their children how school went that day or who they are having trouble with at school. When your child is nonverbal, that question goes unanswered unless your child is fluent in another form of communication.

When creating curriculum for students who are nonverbal, thinking about how we can better help teachers communicate with parents is essential. That’s why I was so passionate about making sure we included the School-Home Connections Book in Environmental Print Series. This reproducible book with take-home activities provides a short summary of every one of the 160 lessons in the curriculum, allowing parents to get a sense of what their children are learning. It also includes short reinforcement activities parents can do at home to help generalize the learning.

Lately, we’ve heard from our customers that, to facilitate parent communication even more, they need the School-Home Connections and parent letters in Spanish. And thanks to one of our wonderful editors who is bilingual, we are making that happen. Downloadable PDFs of the parent letters for PCI Reading Program and Environmental Print Series, along with the School-Home Connections Book from Environmental Print Series, are available now on our website.

From this parent to all of you working with students with special needs, many, many thanks for your expertise, caring, and understanding.

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Prior to her career with PCI Education, she was a national reading consultant and a seventh grade reading teacher. In 1999, she was named Teacher of the Year for San Antonio ISD and won the Trinity Prize for Teaching. Haney earned a BA with honors and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Trinity University in San Antonio. She has additional graduate reading hours from University of Texas San Antonio.