Teacher Assistant Professional

Development DaySupporting Students in Inclusive Environments

Melissa Lyford

October 20, 2014

Common Board ConfigurationDate:10/20/2014

Bell Ringer: Circle Map-What is inclusion?

Essential Question: Why is inclusive education for all students?

Common Language: Inclusion, “Person First”

Objective:•Define Inclusion.•Identify “Person First” language.•Discuss responsibilities of the paraprofessional for supporting students in inclusive settings.

Agenda: Gradual Release

I DO Define Inclusion, introduce “person first” language and share strategies

WE DO Discuss Inclusive Practices

YOU DO Complete circle map, “person first” comparison chart, identify strategies to implement with SWD

Summarizing Activity: Shaping Up before shipping out

Next Steps: Practice using “people first” language; implement strategies learned, with students

Learning Goals: To understand inclusive education and why it is important for students with disabilities.

Lake County Schools

Vision Statement

• A dynamic, progressive and collaborative learning community embracing change and diversity where every student will graduate with the skills needed to succeed in postsecondary education and the workplace.

 

Mission Statement

• The mission of the Lake County Schools is to provide every student with individual opportunities to excel.

• Lake County Schools is committed to excellence in all curricular opportunities and instructional best practices. This focus area addresses closing the achievement gap, increased graduation rate, decreased dropout rate, increase in Level 3 and above scores on the FCAT, achieving an increase in the number of students enrolled in advanced placement and dual enrollment opportunities and implementing the best practices in instructional methodology.

21st Century Skills Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving2. Collaboration and Leadership3. Agility and Adaptability4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism5. Effective Oral and Written Communication6. Accessing and Analyzing Information7. Curiosity and Imagination

Bell Ringer

Inclusion Circle Map

What is Inclusion?• Inclusion is the practice of educating all students together—

students with and students without disabilities—regardless of their abilities or readiness.

• It is more than placing students with disabilities in a room with their peers without disabilities.

• With true inclusion, students with disabilities can access the general education curriculum, classrooms and typical school activities.

• Students are not segregated from their peers, rather they can receive services in the general education setting.

Florida Inclusion Network

Inclusion is…• All students learning together regardless of labels

• An atmosphere that promotes a sense of belonging and acceptance

• Collaborative, integrated services by education teams

• Supports and adaptations in the general education setting

• Highly effective, research-based instruction and assessment

Inclusion is NOT…• Expecting all students to do the same thing, at

the same time, in the same way

• Dumping students into general education without supports for students and teachers

• Educators working in isolation

• Students always grouped by ability

• Watering down curricula

Benefits of InclusionStudents with disabilities

• Improve social and communication skills

• Increase academic achievement

• Participate in more school activities

• Foster the development of relationships

Students without disabilities

• Learn more from the strategies used to support students with disabilities

• Learn to understand, value, and advocate for people who have disabilities

Benefits of Inclusion

Educators will…

• Become more skilled in teaching ALL students

• Learn to share responsibilities for educating ALL students

Rethinking Students

• Begin with strengths

• Everyone learns differently

• Presume competence

• Use age-appropriate language

• Person-first language

Rethinking Students

• Read the two descriptions of Shawntell

• Share your thoughts about the two descriptions with your table group

• Share with the whole group

“Person First” Language

Say:• People with disabilities

• Paul has a cognitive disability.

• Uses a wheel chair

• Communicates with a voice output device

• Beth has Autism.

• Gail has a learning disability.

• Ben receives special education services.

• The student who is blind.

Instead of:• The handicapped or disabled

• He’s mentally handicapped.

• Is confined to a wheelchair

• Is nonverbal

• Beth is autistic.

• Gail is learning disabled.

• Ben is in special education.

• The blind student

Rethinking Students

• Keeping in mind our discussions, write a one sentence description of a student with whom you work.

• Do not use the students actual name.

Supporting Students

• Socially

•Academically

Providing Supports

• Take two minutes and on the sticky notes provided, write down ways that you support students academically and socially.

• When time is up, assign one person from your group to put the sticky notes on the chart

Providing Social Supports

• Foster friendships

• Don’t be Velcro

• Hide in full view

Naturally Supporting Students

• Do not sit or place a chair meant for an adult next to a student

• Do not remove student

• Encourage peer support

• Encourage independence and interdependence

• Fade your cues

Turn and Talk: What are some ways you naturally support students in their classroom?

Six Ways to Facilitate Relationships

• Highlight similarities among students

• Help students invite each other to socialize

• Provide your students responsibilities that are interactive and collaborative

• Help other students understand

• Get out of the way!

Providing Academic SupportsThe teacher develops

the plan.

The teacher models the instructional strategy for me.

The teacher assigns me a role in instruction.

I carry out my instructional role.

The teacher gives me feedback.

I give the teacher feedback about

student performance.

Cycle of support (From Doyle, M.B. [2008]. The paraprofessionals guide to the inclusive classroom: Working as a team [3rd ed., p. 58]. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.; adapted with permission.

Providing Academic Supports

• Focus on strengths

• Ask the student

• Keep high expectations

• Break tasks into smaller steps

• Extend time on tasks

• Present limited amount of information on a page

• Offer support, do not just give it

• Use a soft voice

Providing Academic Supports

• Make things concrete

• Teach organizational skills to everyone

• Change the materials

• Use a timer

• Preteach

• Peer support

• Use Movement

Inclusion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Alt2DssYc

Reflection Activity

Shaping Up

References• Causton-Theoharis, J. (2009). The paraprofessionals

handbook for effective support in inclusive classrooms. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.

• Florida Inclusion Network: www.floridainclusionnetwork.com

• Snow, Kathie (2001). To ensure inclusion, freedom and respect for all, it’s time to embrace people first language. Retrieved October 10, 2013 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl09.pdf

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