Many people assume that special education teachers refer children for special education testing. This is an incorrect assumption. For the most part, special education teachers work only with those students who have been assigned to them. In fact, in some school districts, special education teachers are prohibited from working with any student who has not specifically been assigned to the special education program or to them directly. In a world filled with lawsuits, it is understandable that school districts feel the need to protect themselves from litigation, but if those people who are trained to work with and identify special needs are not recommending testing, who is?

Typically, the first person to notice a possible learning problem is going to be the person that spends the most time with the student in a learning environment, the classroom teacher. While a classroom teacher is not specifically trained with how to best help all special education students, he or she has been trained in education and childhood norms. If a teacher notices a child who is struggling academically, or who is displaying behaviors indicative of a learning disability, he or she would notify the special education department and request and evaluation. Some school districts require all of the child’s teachers to come to a consensus on this need, and for parents to then be notified and consent before testing may commence.

Parents may also request testing. Although most parents do not know what is or is not normal in the learning process, they may feel something is not quite right and address it with the student’s teachers or the special education staff directly. If the child is in private therapy for speech, learning, or emotional problem, the therapist may also make the request on the parent’s behalf.

You may be wondering if a special education teacher ever has anything to do with diagnosing a learning disability, and the answer is, yes. Many schools now have a full inclusion policy. This means that all special education students are taught in mainstream classrooms instead of being pulled into a special classroom as they have been in past years. In an inclusion classroom, special education teachers will often co-teach on specific days. While they do focus on students that have been assigned to them, it is an opportunity for special education teachers to observe the general student population and look for students who may need to be tested. They can then consult with the classroom teacher and decide if testing is required. Another way special education teachers become involved is when the teachers or parents will consult them to gather information and to schedule testing. The special education teacher would also consult with the doctor or therapist who performed the testing to interpret the results and determine what, if any, services the child may be eligible for.

Have you ever recommended a child for special education testing and if so what was your role in the life of that child?

Who Recommends a Child for Special Education Testing? is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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Parents, students, and those who are new to the field of education are not always familiar with the various plans available to students with special needs. The most commonly recognized plan is an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); however, there are actually several different options that allow children to receive the help they need to be successful in school.

One type of plan that is gaining popularity is the 504 plan. This refers to a section in the Rehabilitation Act that states that a person can’t be excluded from any federally funded activity or program because of a disability. The disability can be physical, mental, emotional, or due to a variety of other factors such as a learning disability, communicable disease, injury, illness, or chronic condition. An individualized 504 plan allows the school, parents, and student to detail exactly what accommodations the student needs in order to perform at the same level as their peers.

This may sound quite familiar to an IEP plan, but there are some major differences. First, an IEP plan is primarily concerned with educational services, whereas a 504 plan usually offers a wider variety of accommodations such as wheelchair accessibility, allergen free areas, assistive devices for note taking, or home instruction. Also, the guidelines for who is eligible for an IEP are much more rigid than those that govern eligibility for a 504 plan.

One student I am familiar with had severe allergies and asthma that compromised her ability to do certain things. While she was not a candidate for an IEP, her parents and doctors did want to make sure the staff was aware of how to treat her and that exceptions would be made for her condition. Her 504 included the requirement that all staff be trained to respond with an EpiPen in case she should come into contact with certain bees or peanuts. In addition, her PE requirement was not the same as other students, because her allergies and asthma made it very difficult for her to participate in the standard PE activities. Instead, she was allowed to remain in the library and was given academic tasks that related to physical education; she only participated in activities that were held within the gymnasium.

As you can see, a 504 allows for a wide variety of accommodations for a child – much broader than those offered by an IEP. Not all special needs children have learning disabilities, although those children do receive the majority of attention in the discussion of special needs. The 504 allows parents to address virtually any medical condition that may be holding their child back from achieving their full academic potential. In the case above, prior to being able to submit an alternate form of work, the student had been failing PE because she had refused to do the activities. With the alternate evaluation methods she was able to accomplish the tasks assigned to her and pass her class.

What types of accommodations have you seen placed in a 504? Have you found it necessary to educate parents about this option or do many seek out a 504 plan?

What is a 504 Plan? is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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Autism has received a great deal of press over the past few years in the media. Before that, although the condition existed, it was undiagnosed and under diagnosed. Additionally, because a medical cause had not been found, many people thought it was not a “real” condition. Recent breakthroughs and extensive media coverage have begun to change the minds of people everywhere, and new resources are becoming available for those children and adults who suffer from autism, in any of its many forms.

One of the newer forms of therapy that has been quiet effective is music therapy. This may seem counterintuitive, because music in and of itself does not necessarily teach communication skills, something many autistic children have difficulty with. But upon closer examination, it is easy to see how music does in fact help.

First, music does involve communication. It is a nonverbal form of communication, which makes it perfect for children or adults who have trouble communicating verbally. Because music is – or at least can be – nonverbal, it is less threatening to children who are overwhelmed with verbal communication. As they become more comfortable with the medium, they can use musical games to enable them to interact with others more freely. This interaction can eventually help the child become more comfortable in social interactions.

Another music therapy strategy that is used encourages eye contact. Sustained eye contact is something with which many autistic children have difficulty. By playing music that requires some participation, such as clapping hands or shaking an instrument, children must watch the person leading the exercise. This teaches them to look for nonverbal clues such as a nodding head and can help them be more comfortable with sustained eye contact.

All of this sounds great in theory, but how well does it work in practice? It depends on how it is administered. A trained music therapist is the most qualified person to begin implementing a musical therapy regime. Their training includes a wide variety of classes in music, psychology, special education, and anatomy. Without that specific training, it can be difficult to achieve positive results with music. While I am not trained as a musical therapist, I have had the pleasure of working with some.

One of the first cases that I observed was that of Brian. When I saw him and his parents, he was around four years old and almost completely nonverbal. After a few months with one of our music therapists, he would look at people when spoken to and was able to communicate on a limited basis with his family and people with whom he was familiar. This was an amazing turnaround and much more rapid than any I had seen with traditional therapy. After this, I was more than willing to recommend music therapy as a complementary therapy choice for autistic children.

What results have you witnessed in autistic children who have been exposed to music therapy?

Music Therapy for Autistic Children is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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Social networking has become popular for people of all ages. Children, teens, young adults, middle aged adults, and even grandparents have all headed for the computer in an effort to connect and reconnect with the people they know. It is no surprise, then, that teachers are beginning to view social networking sites as a great way to stay in touch with students, parents, and other teachers.

Of course, it is important for special education teachers, or any teacher for that matter, to remember that student privacy must not be infringed upon. This means no student or parent names should be used; however, this does not overly limit the usefulness of social networking for a special education teacher.

Blogs

Blogs are a great way to make sure students, parents, and other teachers know what is going on. A blog is probably the best way to begin using other social networking sites, as it allows for the dissemination of more information. Assignments can be posted daily. If the special education teacher has the specific instructions for a class project, she can type them into the blog so the parents and students can access it at any time. Special activities, test dates, and general information can also be posted. Once the blog is in place, it is time to begin using the social networking sites to get exposure to the greatest number of people.

Facebook and MySpace

While there are numerous other sites like Facebook and MySpace, these two are the most popular with the target audience, students and parents. Short bites of information can be put onto these sites and will automatically be delivered to your contact’s feed. This means they will see updates as you post them instead of having to check the blog or Web page for updates. If the short bits of information are not enough, teachers can simply put the title of the blog post and link in their status for their fans or friends to read.

Twitter

Twitter is becoming more and more popular. Several applications will automatically update a Twitter account with blog posts, and then Twitter can also be set up to automatically post to a Facebook status as well. The number of characters for this is extremely limited, so a short title and link are best.

Using technology, especially the new social networking sites, is a great way to help students stay engaged in their education. It is a medium that most students enjoy and are already using to communicate with their friends and family. It allows parents to see what is going on each day and to help keep their children on track. It also allows for a greater opportunity for students and parents to connect with teachers and make sure they understand the tasks they have been assigned.

How do you use technology and social networking in your classroom?

Social Networking in a Special Education Environment is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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One of the things that teachers must do, to varying degrees depending on the student population, is encourage cultural awareness and acceptance. Small towns and big cities are both apt to have children from a variety of cultures within a single classroom. When students have a learning disability or have limited proficiency with English, they are often evaluated and assigned a special education teacher to help them meet their educational needs. As a special education teacher, there are several things that can be done to within both inclusion classrooms and special education classrooms. Some of the best ways to include a variety of cultures into any type of classroom is through fun activities.

Food

Exploring cultures through food is always popular. Depending on school policy, each child can bring a favorite dish made by parents, or teachers can bring popular dishes in if food sharing isn’t allowed. Finger foods or foods that can be enjoyed in small servings are an excellent choice. Some popular choices include Thai spring rolls, Greek baklava, Venezuelan arepas, Brazilian cheese bread, or any popular food from a student’s country of origin. Be sure to include some classic American favorites such as pizza, corndog bites, or apple turnovers. This helps expose all students to foods from the individual cultures represented in the classroom, and ensures that everyone will have at least one thing they know they like to snack on.

Books

Books are great way to introduce new cultures, especially with younger classrooms. Fairy tales from different cultures can be read, with similarities to more familiar stories pointed out. This may require a bit of planning, as it can be difficult to locate fairy tales or other children’s books from other countries that are printed in English, so it may be necessary to visit a large county library and have them use the interlibrary loan system which would allow them to pull resources from libraries from around the country. If that doesn’t work, there are many beautifully illustrated books that talk about differences in culture, race, and beliefs. Regardless of the book chosen, have the children enjoy a story day. Read the story aloud and plan craft and reflection activities based on the themes covered.

Holidays

Many American children mistakenly believe that holidays are the same all over the world. In part, this is often due to the fact that America is such a large country, and the customs so similar from one area to another, that their entire world does indeed seem to celebrate everything the same. However, many countries have holidays that could be incorporated into an American classroom. As all children enjoy a reason to celebrate, it can be something fun to look forward to that is based on the cultures of new students. When new students join the classroom, ask about special holidays from their home and put them on the class calendar. Planning special activities for those holidays provides a fun and educational experience for the whole class.

Regardless of what methods are used to introduce cultural awareness to students, it is important that all students realize that differences are fun and interesting, rather than something to make fun of. How do you introduce various cultures into the classroom or school?

Cultural Awareness in Special Education is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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I have many friends in the field of education, specifically special education. I have a special place in my heart for children, as many mothers do, and find myself enthralled by the different ways educators reach out to students with special needs. Children with emotional problems, who I have worked with directly, especially seem to benefit from time with an arts teacher.

By arts, I don’t just mean art such as painting; I also mean music teachers, dance teachers, and any other teacher that helps students express themselves in a nonverbal manner.

Some of the students that have had the most gains in behavioral and academic achievements have been those with autism and attention deficit disorder or other related conditions. Others, including students who have emotional problems and even some learning disabilities, seem to thrive in an arts environment.

These children are often withdrawn, and many do not want to participate in group activities in an academic class because they fear giving the wrong answer and being ridiculed, or perhaps they aren’t able to contribute to the conversation as quickly as other students and simply give up trying to become engaged in the daily activities. Arts classes give students the time they need to express themselves in a less competitive environment.

In an art class, for example, a student who has trouble communicating his feelings and desires verbally is able to express them through finger paints, chalks, or even clay. These tactile experiences also have the added benefit of being calming exercises. Special education teachers, art therapists, and child psychologists can all learn to interpret the feeling behind the artwork a child creates. The size and placement of objects are insights into what the child is experiencing in his or her environment.

A music class that gives individuals a chance to learn a specific instrument is a great way to involve a solitary child in a group activity. While the child is learning to play his instrument on his own, he will gain confidence in his ability to accomplish school tasks. Additionally, once the part or instrument has been learned, he will actively be engaged in a school activity.

While a majority of the benefits of having a special education student involved in some form of artistic expression within the school may seem like emotional or psychological benefits, there are academic benefits as well. Students who learn to enjoy school have an easier time learning, no matter what their disability. Dreading school and having nothing to look forward to on a daily basis is unquestionably detrimental to the child’s educational experience. Learning to follow directions in the art or music class can help children become accustomed and more willing to follow directions in their academic classes. Building positive peer relationships in the art classes can make students more comfortable engaging in classroom conversations, which will make them more likely to ask for help or clarification, something many special education students are reluctant to do.

Art should be a part of all special education curriculums. Whether a professional art teacher does this, an art therapist, or a special education teacher who is willing to incorporate time for the arts is irrelevant as long as the children are given a way to express themselves.

How will you integrate art into your special education classes?

The Arts in Special Education is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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An inclusive classroom is one of the placement options for a student with a learning disability. This is the least restrictive form of education for special needs students and it allows the student to be included in a typical classroom environment with his or her peers.

There are two roles a special education teacher may play in an inclusive classroom — permanent or temporary co-teaching. One of my good friends, Sarah, has taught in both types of classrooms over the years, and she found that she prefers the temporary co-teaching model. However, that is her personal preference and not an educational recommendation for other teachers.

Permanent Co-Teaching

While not Sarah’s favorite, permanent co-teaching offers students many advantages. In a permanent co-teaching arrangement, there is a content teacher, someone who specializes in a specific subject like history, and a special education teacher. The teachers share in the planning, implementing, and grading of lessons. This is great for all the students, not just those that fall under the special education umbrella. The one-on-one teacher to student time is increased because there is literally an extra teacher in the classroom. With an average classroom size of 20 to 30, each teacher could focus her attention on only 10 to 15 students. For a special needs student, this additional individualized contact is invaluable.

This type of co-teaching actually has a number of names. The way this model works is a content area teacher is in the classroom all the time. The special education teacher comes in and co-teaches one to three times a week. Sarah enjoyed this method because it allowed her to serve the most students during the day. She was able to go in on assigned days and help her students individually with tests, projects, or concepts. Some days she would help the entire class with hands on projects or activities that she and the content area teacher had previously devised. Sarah was more comfortable with these types of kinesthetic projects than the content area teacher was, and both enjoyed having Sarah participate on these days.

All students are able to benefit by having more face time with their teachers. Co-teaching gives each child that opportunity. For special needs children, this may mean help with reading a paragraph, learning a new language, or solving mathematical problems. Co-teaching brings special education’s best practices, which are really best for all children, into normal classrooms where they can benefit all students.

Which type of co-teaching environment would you prefer to work in?

A Special Education Teacher’s Role in an Inclusive Classroom is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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Most students with special needs perform best in a structured, predictable environment. This can pose a distinct challenge to the substitute teacher of a special education class. Here are some tips for interim or substitute special education teachers to ease stress levels, gain student trust, and motivate special education students toward a productive and fulfilling day.

Be Prepared

Children in general easily pick up on the stress levels of others. I’ve seen this in my own children, as I’m sure others have, too. In order to ease student apprehension, every substitute teacher should have a survival bag ready for any class you may be asked to teach.

Your survival bag should include flash cards, conversation starters, “getting to know you” games, stories, an easy craft project, and complete lesson plans to use in the event that a plan was not left for you by the regular teacher. When you are completely prepared, your students will notice your confidence level and feel more at ease.

Be Positive

Special education students can often be difficult to work with, especially since they may have formed a strong attachment to their regular teacher. An overall lack of motivation and low self esteem can cause these students to resist efforts to engage them in the learning experience. Constant affirmation and a positive attitude are vital keys to bringing students with special needs out of their shell.

Try to assess the abilities and potential behavior issues of each student right away by spending the first portion of the class period learning names and a little bit about each student.

Be sure to verbally praise all efforts of the students. Constant positive reinforcement is an important element in any teaching environment.

Keep that positive attitude, even when things go wrong. Substitute teaching for a special education class will be a challenge, but with a positive and motivating approach, the day will be rewarding for the educator as well as the students.

Keep Control of Your Class

All children, including special education students, require the feeling of safety that comes with rules and consequences. Be sure to have a definite do’s and don’ts list to go over with your students at the beginning of the day. By doing this, you will be able to stop the class activities as necessary to reinforce or redirect unacceptable behavior by referring to the do’s and don’ts you have already established with the class.

Have Fun

Teaching and learning should be a fun experience. If you find that you are losing the attention of the students, don’t be afraid to switch gears. Students can learn just as much through a puppet show as they can from being read a story. The more animated and upbeat you are and the more you appeal to all of your student’s senses, the more apt you are to engage your class in the learning process.

Don’t forget to thank your students at the end of the day and remind them what a privilege it was to spend the day with them. Also leave notes for the regular teacher explaining what the class learned that day and what problems or exciting experiences you had with individual students.

By leaving on a positive and upbeat note, you will be fondly remembered by the students. This will set you up for future success the next time you are asked to substitute for the same class.

How Can Substitute Special Education Teachers Motivate Special Education Students? is a post from: Sunbelt Staffing

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