Post on 14-Feb-2016
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INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS REACHING AND TEACHING ALL STUDENTS
KELLY CARMODY- DAWN HANSEN- PENNY SYLVESTER
WHAT ARE INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS?
WHY ARE LIFE SKILLS IMPORTANT TO
TEACH?
National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center's Evidence Based Predictors state that the following factors are important to the future success of students with disabilities:
• Career Awareness• Community Experience• Inclusion• Diploma• Occupational Choice• Paid Work Experience• Self Advocacy/Self
Determination
• Parent Involvement • Self care • Social skills • Student support • Program of student
Exploration
Why?
-Direct instruction of life skills necessary
Daily living skills Social/Personal skills Occupational guidance and preparation
-General Education increases post-school outcomes
Rationale
LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT
KNOW THE STUDENTASSESSMENTS:
Formal Assessment These are published tests that result in scores that compare
students to othersInformal Assessments
observing the student as he/she participates in various academic and work experiences, talking with the student about likes and dislikes, and setting up experiences that will allow the student to try something that he/she thinks may be of interest provides a wealth of informal data.
Interest InventoriesSituational Assessment
perform an assessment in an actual environment, doing real work tasks.Environmental Assessment
valuating an environment and then matching a student’s skills and interests to that environment and the job tasks
required, provides an excellent ` means for gathering useful information.
Job/Vocational Assessments
CREATE A LIFE SKILLS PORTFOLIO
WHERE WILL IT HAPPEN?
THE PROBLEMHow do we teach students that are in the
general education setting life skills?
Infusion techniques
Recommended Procedures for Infusing Life Skills Content
1. Familiarity with the comprehensive set of knowledge and skills needed in adulthood (i.e. life skills)
2. Identification of places in the existing curriculum that can be associated with real-life topics.
3. Planning life skills infusion activities.
4. Actual instruction of life skills during ongoing lessons.
Step oneFamiliarity with the comprehensive set of knowledge and skills needed in adulthood
Home living
Money management
Transportation
Laws Community involvement
Personal hygiene/safety
Recreation/leisure
Interpersonal relationships
Self advocacy/self determination
Job seeking
Education planning
Sex education
Step 2
Identification of places in the existing curriculum that can be associated with real-life topics.
Infusion Example Content Referent Life Skill Topic Adult Domain
Light Jobs that require special lighting
Employment/Education
Paints name jobs, other than a painter, that use paint on a regular basis
Employment
Flashlight Identify safety reasons for having a working flashlight
Home and family
Flashlight Describe appropriate storage for a flashlight
Home and family
Vision Identify ways in which you can protect your vision
Physical/emotional health
Louisiana: A Study in Diversity – class assignment
Step 3 Planning life skills infusion activities
Step 4: Actual Instruction of Life Skills During Ongoing Lessons
“Time for a real world check!”
It’s time for a life skill link!
Life Skills Infusion Planning GuideNote: this planning guide is recommended for us e when identifying content in existing curricular materials that can be linked to life skills topics. Instructional Unit: ___________ Materials:___________________Content Possible Life Skills Topic Notes
Using peers to teach/model independent living skills
WHY?
Peers have easy access to:
General education
Social situations
Community involvement
Academically and Behaviorally
Classroom, hallway, cafeteria, gym, after school activities and extra curricular activities
volunteering, work experience, and service learning
how to find students ?
oAsk other school personnel
oAsk the student with the disabilities if there are particular peers in their classes
oMake classroom observations oAsk for volunteers oPost announcements on a bulletin boardoMake announcements at assembliesoAsk student organizations
Screening a Peer Buddy
oTeacher Recommendations
oWritten Applications
o Interview Student
oHave student observe student with disabilities
Here are some steps:
1. Identify your students in need and their goals. 2. Identify periods/times of day that you need mentors3. Set up a reward/incentive program for your peers. 4. Pick students. 5. Send home permission slips or notices. 6. Set up training. 7. Schedule your mentors8. Use sign-in sheets. 9. Keep track of your students and their volunteering time. 10. Bring in new mentors, or give your mentors a break every
so often to keep them fresh!
Where to use peers: In School Out of School
PREPARING THE PEER ORIENTATION o Have peer observe student o Give them time to get acquainted o Set expectationso Peer buddy roles o People first languageo Student information (binder)o Confidentiality o Effective instructional strategieso Interaction activitieso Suggests for activitieso Addressing challenging behavioro Emergency procedures
What can peers do to assist?
SOCIAL SKILLS Students know better than anyone which social behaviors are
acceptable among students at their school.
SOCIAL SKILLS
oExtending conversational turns oModeling appropriate social skills oReinforcing communication attempts oRedirecting inappropriate conversational topicsoMaking initial introductions
oExtending interactions outside of the classroom
oEncouraging their peer to interact socially
SOCIAL SKILLS INSTRUCTION CHECKLIST
SOCIAL STORIES/VIDEO MODELING
Sansosti & Powell-Smith (2008)
FACT
Research shows that peers can be quite adept at supporting their classmates and that a number of academic and social benefits are available to participating students with and without disabilities (see Carter, Cushing, Clark, & Kennedy, 2005; Cushing & Kennedy, 1997; Kennedy & Itkonen, 1994; Shukla, Kennedy, & Cushing, 1998, 1999). Academically, peer support arrangements offer some distinct advantages over individually assigned paraprofessional support.
ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE Materials• Modify the assignment length• Break the assignments in smaller tasks• Provide an advance organizer of the activity or assignment • Highlight important words and concepts• Help the student use tape record, computer or calculator• Ask the teacher to provide an alternate assignment • Assist the student with using a personal organizer • Make sure the student has the right materials and is in the
right place
ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE Learning Environment
Remove anything that may distract the studentMake sure the student as a clear view of the teacher and boardHelp the student organize his or her materials help the student keep a clear desk Show the student how to use a checklist to stay organized
Extracurricular activities Extracurricular activities are program which fulfill two basic conditions: 1) They are structured in a way where these is a
mission or goal 2) They are not part of the regular curricular
program
Extra curricular activities Why are extra curricular activities important? oYouth who participate in extra curricular activities have
better grades (Marsh, 1992) oHave high test scores (Gerber 1996) oHave high educational attainment (Hanks & Eckland,
1976)oAttend school more regularly (Mahoney & Cairns, 1997) o Have high self-concepts (Marsh, 1992) oLess likely to drop out of school (Mahoney & Cains,
1997)
FACT§ 300.107Nonacademic services-IDEAThe State must ensure the following:(a) Each public agency must take steps, including the provision of
supplementary aids and services determined appropriate and necessary by the child's IEP Team, to provide nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities in the manner necessary to afford children with disabilities an equal opportunity for participation in those services and activities.
(b) Nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities may include counseling services, athletics, transportation, health services, recreational activities, special interest groups or clubs sponsored by the public agency, referrals to agencies that provide assistance to individuals with disabilities, and employment of students, including both employment by the public agency and assistance in making outside employment available
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
WHERE TO BEGIN? oIdentify potential activitiesoDetermine activity requirementsoAddress Logistical issuesoIdentify peer buddies oDetermine support needs oDetermine peer buddy responsibilities oCollaborate with Stuff oAddress Potential Challenges
COMMUNITY BASED INSTRUCTION
Visiting public library to do researchGoing on school field tripsTravel to nursing home for a service learning project
SERVICE LEARNING
The National Secondary Transition Secondary Assistance Center clearly identifies service learning as one possibility in fulfilling the work experience, transition standards and quality indicator. Service learning can be incorporated into the general education curriculum for the benefit of all students. Service learning provides work experience in addition to other skills for students with disabilities who may not have opportunity in their academic schedule for paid work experience.
How to plan a meaningful service learning project?
Component 1
Investigation: Teachers and students investigate the community problems that they might potentially address. Investigation typically involves some sort of research and mapping activity.
Component 2
Planning and Preparation: Teachers, students, and community members plan the learning and service activities, and address the administrative issues needed for a successful project.
Component 3
Action (Implementing the Service Activity): The "heart" of the project: engaging in the meaningful service experience that will help your students develop important knowledge, skills, and attitudes, and will benefit the community.
Component 4
Reflection: Activities that help students understand the service-learning experience and to think about its meaning and connection to them, their society, and what they have learned in school; and
Component 5
Demonstration/Celebration: The final experience when students, community participants and others publicly share what they have learned, celebrate the results of the service project, and look ahead to the future.
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