Presented By: Alison Schofield IngeniousEd.

HOT TIPS to help you become an EXPERT when working with Children with Special Needs

Autism

syndrome

handicapped Disabilit

y

Behavioural Disorder

Aggressiv

e!!

Mental Retardation

Physically

Impaired

Person / Individual

Person-Centered Approach to Service

Physical

HealthFamily

School/Work

Recreation

Social/Emotion

al

Home

“What is important to this individual?”

Communi-cation

Realistic & Functional

Realistic (Level of Functioning)Profound – IQ less than 20 (mulitple disabilities)

Severe – IQ between 20-34 (minimal skills)

Moderate – IQ between 35-49 (life skills & basic academic skills)

Mild – IQ between 50 – 69 (educable, independence)

Borderline – IQ between 70-79 (routine work, low coping skills)

Below Average – IQ between 80 – 89

Functional (useful/meaningful)

• Stimulation• Basic Needs/Care

• Basic Skills/Social/ Independence

• Vocational/Life Skills

• Academic Skills/ Social/Independence

• Academic/Hands-on Vocations/Coping Skills

Case Studies…

Charlie is in Yr. 3. He has cerebral palsy which affects his ability to walk. He is in a wheelchair. He has daily physiotherapy for weak muscles. His IQ is “normal”.

Lulu is in KG1. She has Down Syndrome with moderate cognitive delays. She likes other children and coming to nursery but she is not yet meeting her motor and communication mile-stones.

Rashid is in Yr. 6 and is diagnosed with autism. He is 3 years behind in academic skills and has great difficulty socializing. He sometimes makes “buzzing” noises in class.

Sara is just entering high school in Grade 9. She is diagnosed with mild cognitive delays which makes her 4-5 years behind her peers in academic and social skills. She is now entering a new building with new teachers, routines and unfamiliar people.

Ask Yourself These Questions to Develop an Individual Programme:

1. “What is Realistic?”2. “What is ‘Normal/Normative’?”3. “What is ‘Functional’?”4. “What Goals are most important

right now?”5. “How will I Assess/monitor

Progress?”

Least Restrictive/Least Intrusive Approach

At all times, we respect the person’s dignity, personal space and ability to make their own decisions

• Use “Graduated Prompting” (verbal, gestural, physical, hand-over-hand)• Provide adequate processing time after instructions• Have a clear behavioural policy in place to ensure professional practices when

working with individuals with special needs or behavioural challenges

Setting Specific Goals

A “Goal” should be: 1) Realistic 2) Achievable 3) Measurable… and must take into consideration what the person already knows (baseline skill)

What the Person can Do…

Under which conditions…

With what degree of accuracy…

Currently, John eats with his hands but can use a spoon when given verbal reminders.GOAL: John will feed himself using a fork or spoon, independently, 60% of the time.

Currently, Shamma can independently write 2 letters to represent her name.GOAL:Shamma will write her full name tracing dotted letters, 90% of the time.

So What about ‘Inclusion’?

‘Inclusion’ means that we believe every child is entitled to participation in schooling and other activities with their typically-developing peers.

Providing the RIGHT Support

• IEP (goals)• Modified

curriculum• Circle of

Friends “buddies”

• “Partial Participation”

• Alternative Programme

Managing Behaviours

One of the biggest obstacles to inclusion is challenging behaviour.

In trying to develop a plan for managing challenging behaviours, always try to understand the “underlying cause” first. All behaviours stem one of the 4 causes:

• Attention• Escape/Avoidance• Tangible (ie: trying to get item)• Sensory

“A-B-C” Analysis” (Functional Analysis):

Date & Time: Antecedent Behaviour Consequence Notes:June 2, 2:05 am Playing in sand with

Rashid and Tom; Tom was playing with the toy truck

John screamed and hit Tom. Grabbed truck.

Timeout, asked to apologize to Tom which he did.

June 3, 8:30 am John arrived late; mother said there were problems at home with siblings.

John threw toys on the floor during circle time.

Timeout, asked to pick them up. Refused, asked again and then staff helped him to follow through.

In order to develop a plan of action for eliminating misbehaviours, you must first observe and analyze the A-B-C’s for a minimum of 2 weeks. Then you will begin to see patterns.

Things You Never Knew About Raising/Teaching

Multi-Lingual Children That Can “Make” or “Break” Them

Presented By:Francesca McGearyIngeniousEd.

Quick TestSherblaine • Short e vowel sound + long a vowel sound• e • ay, ai, a-e • Sherblayne, sherblaine, sherblane

Flegstine • Short e vowel sound + long i vowel sound• e • i-e, y-e

Stromth• short o vowel sound • constonant cluster mth

English Phonics

English

language relies

heavily on

phonics.

Mastery of English

phonics can make or

break the EAL child.

Most important

singular skill for EAL child is

to mastery

phonics 26 letters in English but 44 phonemes

Mastery of

phonemes

directly

relevant to

mastery of

reading and

writing.

Strong Phonics program in nursery and KG important. Teach phonics in

meaningful way

It is easy to label EAL childrenas ‘dyslexic’…

ArabicEl Espanol

FrancaisDeutsch

Italiano

“Student D”

•Grade 4•Spanish MT•Schooled In Spanish until last year•In ESL one year.•Can speak and write in Spanish to just below grade level

•This child in only 1 year has moved up 3 grade levels. Why?

“Student A”•Grade 6•Arabic MT•Schooled in Arabic/English since KG.•weak MT can speak in Arabic but cannot write well in Arabic

•Student has maintained same level of writing skills for past 3 years with little progress. Why?

*Bilingual Brain Activity by Pablo Jaime Sainz 2010 @ La Prensa San Diego

Mono-lingual versus Multilingual Learners

As well as different brain

activity!!!

First Language Acquisition Timeframe

Second Language

Acquisition Timeframe

1. “We only speak in English now because he goes to an English school”

2. “English is becoming the world language so our mother-tongue is not important anymore”

3. “Bilingual/EAL children seem to speak English fluently, so they must be able to read and write at the same level.”

4. “My child has been educated in English since they were in KG so they aren’t an EAL student.”

5. “I’ve taught it so they must have got it.”

Popular Misconceptions:

6. “It’s easier for young children to learn a language.”

7. “If a bilingual/EAL child has difficulties learning English, drop the other one”…

8. “Bilingual children start school behind their mother tongue peers and never catch up. “

How to Build “Play” into EVERY Experience At Home and School

Presented By: Alison Schofield IngeniousEd.

“We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything, than when we are at play.”  ― Charles Schaefer

P.E.W.I.T.

Problem-Solving (challenge)

Interaction!

TimeWorking Memory

Embedded Context

*First Steps, STEPS PD

10 Engaging Ways to get Children Interested in Summer Learning

1. Travel expert /blog

about places visited on

holiday.

www.wordpress.com

2. Reading for fun!Magazines, newspapers, current events, online. Take them to bookstores and read to them.

3. Enjoy a family novel

4. Allow children to

explore their passion

and interests. Time

to focus. Research.

Create own website.

www.weebly.com

5. Math and Literacy Skills:www.commonsensemedia.orgGreat apps and gamesAge bands

6. Typing Skills-

Dance mat BBC

7. Readinga-z.com reading x3 per week.

8. Volunteering

in the work place

9. Art: Be Creative: practical application, math skills, social interaction

10. Learn programming skills: www.scratch.mit.eduVideos, games, animations to

share worldwide

11. Ted.com For older children

12. Make your own book

www.Lulu.com Join local cultural

events /activities ‘The Archive’ children’s book binding classes.

“Ask The GURU”

Q & A Session