Maximising Independence in Special Education
Hey there, teacher friends! I can confidently know what I’m doing each and every day in my classroom. I am prepared and ready to tackle anything with a skip in my step. How you may ask? Through maximising over time my own independence. You see I used to look at everyone else in my teaching circle of friends. I know… silly really. But I knew I could do everything and more my students needed, and yet through my own personal touch and independently could rely on myself in making decisions! In allowing my classroom the best it can possibly be! As teachers, how can we help our students maximise their own independence? Let’s dive in… Maximising Students Independence in Special Education As educators, one of our primary goals is to help our students become more independent learners. For students with special needs, this can be an especially challenging task. However, with the right strategies and support, we can help our students develop the skills and confidence they need to become more independent. Here are some key strategies to consider: Set Clear Goals and Expectations Setting clear goals and expectations can help students understand what is expected of them and provide a sense of structure and direction. Work with each student to identify their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement. Create achievable goals and work together to create a plan to achieve them. Celebrate successes along the way to build confidence and motivation. Encourage Self-Advocacy Encouraging students to advocate for themselves is an important step towards independence. Teach students to ask for help when needed, express their opinions and ideas, and take responsibility for their own learning. This can help them develop problem-solving skills, improve communication skills, and become more confident and independent learners. Foster Independence in Daily Activities Daily activities such as getting dressed, preparing meals, and completing chores can provide opportunities for students to practise independence skills. Consider providing students with step-by-step instructions or visual aids to help them complete these activities independently. Gradually increase the complexity of the activities as students become more proficient. Have a look at our maths bundles for addition. These are differentiated for most learners and allow students to have real life access to store prices – through visual learning methods. Click here to view menu maths products Use Technology to Support Independence Assistive technology can help students with disabilities become more independent. There are many tools available such as text-to-speech software, speech recognition software, and apps designed to help with time management, organisation, and study skills. Work with each student to identify the tools that will be most helpful for them and provide training and support to ensure they can use them effectively. Looking for More Resources? If you want to learn more about how to support students in developing vocational skills and maximising their independence, check out my Vocational resources available on my online store. Here is the link Or perhaps save some teacher cash and get some great priced bundles – which includes resources such as vocational metalanguage, job exploration activities, and workplace readiness training materials. click here for the link Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. So, what are your favourite teacher resources that promote independence in the classroom? Let us know in the comments below! And if you’re looking for some amazing teaching resources to support your special education students, check out our website for some great ideas! Let’s help our students grow and maximise their own independence! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. ___________________________________________________ ⭐️Join our free resource library (aka The Studio) to get exclusive FREE content for your classroom! ✏️ Here, in the Studio you’ll get awesome, helpful teaching resources for your class, from Daily Morning Warm Up activities, easy printing classroom tasks, games and more!!! It’s all free, and exclusive to email subscribers. Download to your heart’s content! ___________________________________________________ Shoot me an email or Instagram message if you have a suggestion for something you would like to see in the library Studio. We’re thrilled to have you!
Tailoring Morning Routine for Sped Ed Students
Hey there, teacher friends Mornings can be a challenging time for students with special needs, who may need extra time and support to get ready for their day. A well-structured morning routine can help students start their day off on the right foot, setting them up for success in the classroom. With a tailored classroom morning routine, students know what is expected of them, and develop skills for independence early in the day. Come and join us on this blog post, where we will be looking at handy tips for tailoring your morning routine in meeting the needs for your special ed students. Start with a visual schedule Many special ed students benefit from having a clear visual schedule of what their morning routine will look like. This can help them understand what they need to do and in what order, reducing anxiety and confusion. In my classroom, I adopted a method where we use pictures and symbols ????️ to represent each task per lesson and have a digital time of when that task will start and end. This allows all students to visually see the morning – and if we need to make changes, we can easily do so with the magnetic whiteboard. One student also helps me set this up in the morning each different day and writes the date at the top of the board. This promotes self-advocacy and independence within our classroom. 2️⃣ Build in time for sensory needs Some students with special needs may have sensory needs that require extra time and attention in the morning. This could include activities like deep pressure, movement, or sensory input. It’s important to plan ahead for these needs and include them in the morning routine, such as by incorporating a sensory break or providing sensory items for your students. These could include items like fidget toys, weighted blankets, or noise-cancelling headphones. By addressing your students’ sensory needs, you can help them feel more comfortable and ready to learn. 3️⃣ Offer choices Giving students with special needs choices can help them feel more in control and engaged in the morning routine. Offer choices around tasks like what activity out of 1️⃣, 2️⃣ or 3️⃣ will you choose next? what activity to do during a sensory break? Keep the choices simple and clear, and offer visual support if needed. We like to implement a choice board for students and have symbols and images next to each one. In our brain breaks we only allow the choice of three things on our choice board. This is not to overwhelm our students with the change of choice. 1️⃣ Might be to create a drawing at your table, 2️⃣ Sit in the bean bag and read a short story or 3️⃣ Might be to get the sensory item trolley and use some kinetic sand between your fingers. See the choices are various in ability – and the three allows not too much overwhelm with choice. Another great way to do this is simply write the choices on the board. 1️⃣,2️⃣,3️⃣ and give allocated time to each choice. ⏰ 4️⃣ Use positive reinforcement Positive reinforcement can be a powerful tool for encouraging desired behaviours in special ed students. Consider using a token system or other reward system to reinforce positive behaviours during the morning routine, such as working independently or completing a task on time. We like to use Class Dojo for our classroom points system. If you are wanting more information on this, please read our “5 x Simple Tips for Preparing Your Special Education Classroom for this Back to School Season” blog. 5️⃣ Incorporate a daily warm-up resource Daily warm-up resources are a great way to get students with special needs engaged and focused at the start of the day. We always use a daily warm-up resource in our classroom, it is a perfect time of day to use this with your students. If you are looking for easy, and engaging morning work, you will love my done-for-you morning work for each day of the school year mega bundle! It has Differentiated levelled activities across a range of curriculums and key learning areas. Fantastic for special needs students warming up for the day and tailoring to their own specific needs. It also features a daily Emotional check-in to help identify student emotions in the morning. Helping the student in a visual method. ⭐️I bind these all together and use these structured Warm Ups in my High School Special Education class Daily, they would also be appropriate for early and adult learners. Click the links to check them out! By tailoring your morning routine to meet the needs of special ed students, you can help them start their day off on the right foot and set them up for success in the classroom. With a visual schedule, sensory breaks, choices, positive reinforcement, and a daily warm-up resource, you can create a morning routine that supports the unique needs of each student. So why not try our daily warm-up resource today and see the positive impact it can have on your students’ mornings. Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. So, what are your favourite Morning routines to use in the classroom? Let’s make successful morning routine for all of our special education students! __________________________________________________ ⭐️Join our free resource library (aka The Studio) to get exclusive FREE content for your classroom! ✏️ Here, in the Studio you’ll get awesome, helpful teaching resources for your class, from Daily Morning Warm Up activities, easy printing classroom tasks, games and more!!! It’s all free, and exclusive to email subscribers. Download to your heart’s content! ___________________________________________________ Shoot me an email or Instagram message if you have a suggestion for something you would like to see in the library Studio We’re thrilled to have you!
Differentiation ideas for Special Education Classrooms
Hey there, teacher friends! Question? Have you ever tried to fit a square peg into a round hole? It doesn’t work, does it? The same goes for teaching – we can’t expect every student to fit into the same mould. That’s why differentiating instruction is crucial, especially for our students with special needs. As a special education teacher, I’ve discovered that every student has their own unique needs and learning style. What works for one student might not work for another. That’s why I want to share some ideas for differentiation that have worked in my classroom. Whether you’re a special education teacher or not, these strategies can be adapted to fit the needs of any student. My hope is that you’ll find some inspiration and ideas that you can use in your own classroom. Understanding.. Did you know what it actually means to differentiate instruction? It means tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. There are various methods of differentiation – as teachers, we can differentiate content, process, products, or the learning environment, using ongoing assessment and flexible grouping for our students’ particular needs. As a special education teacher, it’s not just a role but a duty to provide support and accommodations for the students we teach. This is crucial to their success. We all as teachers, even in a mainstream setting, understand that by laying foundations of differentiation in the classroom, everyone has the opportunity to engage with the learning. Whether you’re a special education teacher or not, differentiation is key to ensuring that every student has the chance to learn and succeed in their own way. Here are some differentiation strategies that have worked in my special education classroom. Strategies for Differentiating Instruction Backwards mapping – Let’s talk about the technique of “backwards mapping”! This approach is really great for art projects in particular. This process allows students to visually see what they are trying to achieve. For instance, I might show them a painting I created, and then we as a class would break down the techniques in how to achieve this. This backward mapping approach visually shows students what is expected of them and gives them the opportunity to see the finished product before starting their own. This technique makes the project more achievable and manageable for students, as they have a clear understanding of the steps they need to take to achieve their desired outcome ????. And the best part? Backwards mapping can be applied to other subject areas, too! Modified Assignments – Assessments are an essential part of learning in school, but they don’t have to be one-size-fits-all! Special education students have unique learning needs that may require modifications to assessments to better suit them. For example, writing a big essay might not work for some students, but adjusting the assessment format to a multiple-choice answer page could still show what the student has learned and help the teacher understand what may need to be revised. Modifying assessments can also include adjustments to the structure of the assessment, such as providing more time ⏰, simplified instructions, or using a different mode of communication. Additionally, the content of the assessment itself may be modified to better align with the student’s abilities, such as by reducing the reading level or providing additional visual aids. These modifications help ensure that all students, including those with special needs, have a fair and equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities. Multi-sensory Approaches Let’s take a moment to talk about the amazing benefits of multisensory approaches in the classroom! Multisensory approaches are teaching techniques that engage multiple senses to enhance student learning. By involving different senses, such as sight, sound, touch, and movement, your students can better understand, as it is characterised to their personal sensory stimuli. Teaching isn’t just about speaking at the front of the class and hoping students will absorb the information. With multisensory techniques, we can engage our students’ senses and create a more immersive learning experience. In my own classroom, I love using differentiated learning task cards to incorporate multisensory techniques. By giving students the option to choose multiple choice answers, write their own responses, or even use manipulatives like counters or pegs, I can cater to a variety of learning styles in one activity. It’s a win-win for everyone! Click here if you would like to find out more about our Task Box Bundles for differentiated learning. Individual learning plans Individual learning plans (ILPs) are individualised educational plans designed to meet the unique needs, strengths, and interests of each student. A ILP is a written document that outlines specific learning goals, strategies, and accommodations tailored to a student’s learning style and needs. It can include information such as academic strengths and weaknesses, learning preferences, and social/emotional needs. The goal of a ILP is to help students take ownership of their learning and develop skills that will enable them to achieve their academic and personal goals. ILP’s outline the main differentiation points of each student and address the focused goals in how they will be performed. I find ILP’s to be almost like the road maps into how we are going to get there for optimal learning environments for our students. The ILP is an ever changing – document that changes as the students’ needs and situations change. It Is not a ‘set and forget’ system, rather a fluid source of information. Small group instruction Small group instruction is an awesome teaching method that involves working with a small group of students, usually between 2-6. By keeping the group small, teachers can provide more individualised and targeted instruction, which can help students to better understand the material. This approach is great because it allows the teacher to spend more 1:1 time with students, compared to a whole class of 30-40 where things can easily get overlooked. We love doing small group instruction Daily Warm up sessions with either myself or our Student Learning Support Officer (SLSO) at a large U-shaped table, as it
5 prompts for your Class
Hey there, teacher friends! I recently went to an Autism Workshop Day and I was really intrigued. I found myself opposed to this new and trending statement in the autism world…. “Fade your prompts”…. Some people really believe that fading your prompts will help our students become more independent and by eliminating support will develop their own skill sets. While this might be a great goal for some students. I believe each student is different and neurodiverse. Remember not one size fits all. If you use prompts, can students still be independent? Can they have a self awareness of their own strategies that work for them? I believe so. Who here has their clothes lined up at night for the next day? or has a shopping list ready to go before they go to the shops? or even has a planner to plan out your day? I do…. These are Prompts. I also believe even if you are neurotypical. Prompts are always around you…. So why are we taking these away from our special students? Why do we need to cancel or phase out something if it works? 90% of people in the world rely on prompts. In saying this, I don’t believe you need to fade your prompts. You CAN use them in your classroom, if it works for your students, don’t feel obligated to phase out. We love using prompts in our own classroom. So here are some great ways prompts can be used as tools in your classroom in helping your students be more successful in developing their own skills and abilities. Visual prompts These prompts use pictures, images, or videos to help students understand the task or activity. For example, a visual prompt for a maths problem could be a picture of an object to help students understand and see a maths problem. It gives them greater understanding by visually illustrating the question or task. We love using our bulletin board – life skills shop tasks in class. They are sooooo visual in learning simple addition and calculating prices of items. We have real life bulletin board images with prices (various shops created each month) and display on our classroom whiteboard. This gives life skills to our classroom and has students order from a real classroom shop! Click here to find out more about this visual bulletin board bundle, using visuals prompts. Verbal prompts These prompts use spoken or written instructions to guide students through a task or activity. For example, a verbal prompt for a reading activity could be “sound out the word slowly and look for the vowel sound.” A written instructional prompt could be reading then answering a written task card question in their booklets for a subject area. Gestural prompts These prompts use hand gestures or physical cues to support students in completing a task or activity. For example, a gestural prompt for a movement activity could be a hand signal that indicates the direction of movement. We like to try and learn different Auslan signs in our classroom for helping with communication Partial prompts These prompts provide some initial guidance or support to help students get started on a task or activity. For example, a partial prompt for a writing activity could be providing the first sentence or phrase of the assignment. This allows the students to start and then they have the confidence to complete the rest of the task. Time-based prompts These prompts use time limits or deadlines to encourage students to complete a task or activity within a certain time frame. For example, a time-based prompt for a cleaning activity could be “you have five minutes to pack away your desk activity.” We are big fans of goo, Bubble, countdown clocks and sand timers in our classroom. Overall, prompts in a special education class are designed to be accessible and supportive for students with diverse learning needs and abilities. I don’t feel you must fade your prompts- especially if they are working for your students’ particular needs. Teachers can use a combination of these prompts to provide individualised support to each student and help them achieve their full potential. What are your favourite prompts to use in the classroom? Should we fade them out entirely? I would love to know! Connect with us on Instagram! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. ___________________________________________________ ⭐️Join our free resource library (aka The Studio) to get exclusive FREE content for your classroom! ✏️ Here, in the Studio you’ll get awesome, helpful teaching resources for your class, from Daily Morning Warm Up activities, easy printing classroom tasks, games and more!!! It’s all free, and exclusive to email subscribers. Download to your heart’s content! ___________________________________________________ Shoot me an email or Instagram message if you have a suggestion for something you would like to see in the library Studio We’re thrilled to have you!
5 Essential Life Skills
Hey there, teacher friends! As teachers, we are often guided into what we should be teaching based upon our students’ diverse needs. However, we also need to address the hidden life skills curriculum. While academic skills are certainly important, it is also essential for special educators to focus on teaching life skills that will help their students thrive in all areas of life. In this blog post, we’ll explore five essential life skills that special educators should teach. From communication and social skills to money management and self-care, these skills are critical for your students’ long-term success. So, if you’re ready to help your students develop the skills they need to excel in all areas of life, let’s dive in. Communication Skills Communication is a fantastic skill to start with, as effective communication is key to success in all areas of life! Special educators can work with their students to help them express themselves clearly, listen actively, and understand non-verbal cues. By teaching strategies for dealing with conflict and navigating social situations, students can feel more confident in their interactions with peers and adults. Classroom conversations and social stories are great methods for building communication skills and preparing students for school and beyond. These skills will not only help them in the classroom but also on the playground and throughout their lives. Time management ⏰ Good time management skills are essential for success in school and beyond! The great thing about time management is that it’s a life skill that will always be relevant, no matter where your students go in life. Special educators can help their students learn how to set goals, prioritise tasks, and manage their time effectively. Using tools such as timers, schedules, and task lists, students can learn how to better understand how long things take to complete and allocate time for different activities. In addition, educators can teach strategies for staying focused and avoiding distractions, which are key components of effective time management. These skills will not only benefit students in school but also in their future career paths. Self-advocacy Students with special needs may face unique challenges and barriers in their daily lives, but it’s important for them to develop the skills to advocate for themselves and their needs. Special educators can help their students learn how to speak up for themselves, ask for help when needed, and access resources and support. By empowering them with self-advocacy skills, students can become more independent and confident in their abilities. Additionally, it’s important to showcase successful stories of people who are on the spectrum and have achieved great things in their chosen fields. By highlighting their illustrated abilities and self-advocacy skills, we can inspire students to dream big and follow their passions. In our classroom, we use the “Autism Awareness” unit, which features eight famous people with autism who have achieved amazing things and self-advocated for the life they wanted to create. By sharing these stories through illustrated books, social stories, and YouTube videos, we hope to inspire and encourage our students to believe in themselves and their abilities. Problem-solving Life is full of challenges, and for students with special needs, those challenges can feel even more daunting. But as teachers, we have the power to help and support our students in meaningful ways. By teaching our students crucial problem-solving skills, we can empower them to overcome obstacles and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them. In our classroom, we encourage students to identify and tackle problems both academically and socially. Through collaborative brainstorming sessions, we help our students develop critical thinking, decision-making, and creativity skills. By evaluating the effectiveness of different strategies and reflecting on what worked and what didn’t, our students can become more confident problem-solvers and develop resilience for the challenges they may face in the future. Independent living skills s special educators, our ultimate goal is to help our students become as independent as possible. We can achieve this by teaching them a range of practical life skills, such as cooking, cleaning, managing money, and navigating transportation. In our classroom, we’ve created a daily morning warm-up that focuses on vocational and independent life skills. We cover everything from calendar skills, maths ➕, and literacy, to transportation, time-telling ⏰, and wages. In our classroom we have created a yearly daily morning warm up, attributed to vocational / independent life skills. Focusing on calendar skills, maths, literacy, transportation, telling time, wages and pay. This is a unit created in fostering essential life skills, for students in understanding various career paths. Click here to find out more about Vocational Skills resources We can even go further and teach them strategies for staying safe and healthy, such as self-care and first aid. In our classroom, we love using task cards to help our students practise these important skills. By equipping our students with these essential life skills, we can empower them to be more independent, confident, and successful in school and beyond! So why not try adopting these 5 key life skills in your own classroom. Click here to find out more about Life Skill Task Boxes What are your favourite life skills to teach your students? Let’s connect on Instagram and share our ideas! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. ___________________________________________________ ⭐️Join our free resource library (aka The Studio) to get exclusive FREE content for your classroom! ✏️ Here, in the Studio you’ll get awesome, helpful teaching resources for your class, from Daily Morning Warm Up activities, easy printing classroom tasks, games and more!!! It’s all free, and exclusive to email subscribers. Download to your heart’s content! ___________________________________________________ Shoot me an email or Instagram message if you have a suggestion for something you would like to see in the library Studio We’re thrilled to have you!
Students and summer engagement!
Hey there, teacher friends! Keeping Students Engaged Over the Summer, It’s definitely a hard topic! As the school year comes to a close and summer break approaches, teachers may worry about their students losing the momentum they have built up during the academic year. However, with the right approach, teachers can help ensure that their students stay engaged and motivated throughout the summer. In this post, we’ll discuss some strategies teachers can use to keep students engaged during the summer period of school. Exciting Community Outings and Learning Opportunities There are many ways to keep students engaged over the summer while incorporating community outings and learning opportunities. Visiting a local museum, participating in a community service project, taking a nature walk, attending a farmer’s market, touring a local landmark, or attending a cultural festival are all great options. These activities can provide students with opportunities to learn, however sometimes this is not always possible. I have created a task card set for class to learn about different community places this summer period. This is great for helping special education students learn about important places in their community, whilst still being in a classroom environment. Encourage Summer Reading Reading is a great way for students to stay engaged and learning during the summer months. Encourage your students to read for pleasure by providing them with a list of recommended books, hosting a book club, or creating a summer reading challenge. You could also ask students to keep a reading journal where they record what they read and reflect on what they learned. Create a Summer Writing Project Another way to keep students engaged over the summer is to create a writing project. This could be anything from a daily journal to a research project on a topic of their choosing. Encourage students to share their work with their classmates or even create a class blog or social media page where everyone can share their writing. Set Up Online Learning Opportunities Online learning opportunities can provide a great way for students to stay engaged during the summer. Consider setting up a class website or blog where students can access learning materials, participate in online discussions, or complete quizzes and assignments. You could also provide links to educational websites like TedEd or use your class Dojo messaging to its full advantage. Outdoor Activities Take science experiments outside, study the local ecosystem by collecting samples of soil, water, and plant life, or observe the behavior of insects and birds. Plant a school garden and learn about plant life cycles, soil composition, and gardening techniques. Take physical education classes outside, including team sports, yoga, or fitness activities. Take art and music classes outside, with outdoor drawing or painting sessions or outdoor music performances. These outdoor activities can provide a fun and engaging learning experience for students while also taking advantage of the natural environment, and help students develop a sense of curiosity, creativity, and appreciation for the outdoors. Click on the link to find out more about this visual Community Task Card Bundle Bulletin Board Shops We love using our bulletin board – life skills shop tasks in class. ????️ They are sooooo visual in learning simple addition and calculating prices of items. We have real life bulletin board images with prices (various shops created each month) and display them on our classroom whiteboard. This gives life skills to our classroom and has students order from a real classroom shop! ???? A great activity for this summer! Click on the link to find out more about this visual Summer bulletin board Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
Special education Back to School Prep!
Hey there, teacher friends! You are relaxed, sipping on a cold beverage and enjoying your well-earned holiday break ☀️. Then suddenly you glance at the calendar? It’s BACK TO SCHOOL. How on earth did these holidays go by so quickly? That chilled holiday vibe seems to become a distant memory… Then your inner teacher’s voice kicks in. We got this! It will be exciting meeting your new students and preparing your classroom will be fun! So let’s prepare together. I want to help, I’ve got you covered with 5 simple tips any Special Education teacher can use in their classroom this back to school season. Organise your back to school supplies First things first, I absolutely ❤️ a back-to-school sale! Who doesn’t love a vibrant teacher planner, some chiselled whiteboard markers, and Velcro dots. Let’s chat about organisation – we all know how important structure and order can be for our students, right? So, let’s make sure our classroom is set up to meet their needs! First things first, we want to make sure everything is clean, in good condition, and easy to find. One way to achieve this is by implementing a storage system that works for you and your students. In my classroom, I use labelled tins for easy visual access, and a rainbow tote tray to help me group materials into categories based on subject, activity, or student need. A Classroom trolley is a great idea too. Have you seen our trolley? It’s parked right by our teacher desk and is jam-packed with all sorts of awesome supplies and resources for our students! We especially love using it to store our sensory items, so that our students can easily find and access them whenever they need a little sensory support. Pick a communication method for students and families As we gear up for the new school year, it’s important to think about how we’re going to keep in touch with our students’ families. Luckily, there are lots of options to choose from – you could send home a printed newsletter, or even a weekly PDF via email! If you do decide to go the printed newsletter route, now is the perfect time to create your template so that you can easily update it each week. But if you’re interested in exploring more high-tech options, there are tons of apps out there that make it super easy to exchange messages, share documents and upcoming events with students and families. We’re big fans of SeeSaw, Class DoJo, and Remind – they’ll save you time and make it simple for parents to get in touch with you. Speaking of Class DoJo, we absolutely love using it in our classroom! Not only does it help us stay connected with parents, but it also gets our students involved in the topics and organisation of the class using their own unique QR code. Plus, it has a really fun creative feature – in our class, we’re all about Pokémon! We’ve designed avatar profiles based on our students’ interests, and each student starts with a Pokémon ball and gradually evolves into their favourite Pokémon as they achieve certain levels or accomplishments in class. I know it’s cool, right? (If you’re interested, we can definitely share more details about this in another blog post – just let us know!) Review and update IEP’s Get to know your students! Before the school year begins, take the time to review each student’s Individualised Education Program (IEP). This superhero-worthy document identifies their unique strengths, challenges, and goals. Use this information to develop a plan to support each student’s growth and collaborate with families and other professionals to ensure their success. By embracing your students’ superpowers, you’ll be ready to help them soar at school this year! Create a positive classroom culture Get to know your students on a personal level! This is the glue that holds a classroom together. Special education teaching is all about building relationships, and one of the best ways to do that is by getting to know your students. Ask them about their hobbies, what they did over the weekend, or what their favourite TV show is. Listen to their responses and show genuine interest in what they have to say. By doing this, you’ll create a positive and welcoming classroom environment that values each student’s unique experiences and interests. Have engaging morning work! We all know how important it is to start the day off on the right foot, and having an awesome morning routine can make all the difference in creating a positive classroom culture. By setting up a consistent and engaging routine, you can help your students kick start their day with enthusiasm and energy. Why not try a life skills based morning work, that also has an individual emotional check. If you are looking for easy, and engaging morning work, you will love my done-for-you morning work for each day of the school year mega bundle! Click here to find out more about Daily Morning Warm Ups It has Differentiated levelled activities across a range of curriculums and key learning areas. Fantastic for special needs students warming up for the day and tailoring to their own specific needs. It also features a daily Emotional check-in to help identify student emotions in the morning. Helping the student in a visual method. ⭐️I bind these all together and use these structured Warm Ups in my High School Special Education class Daily, they would also be appropriate for early and adult learners. These Daily Morning Work Warm Up Levels are a must for any Special Education classroom! Super Easy No prep, great for any busy Special Education Teacher ❤️ Or if you want to try out my morning warm ups – you can definitely access this freebie! you can download within our members only area on our webpage. Here is the link to help you Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to
Student Independence
Hey there, teacher friends! In this post let’s talk all about student independence. Why is it soooooooo important? Promoting student independence is a crucial component of any special education classroom. For every student, developing independence is not only important for daily living skills, but also for academic success and their long-term quality of life. By fostering independence, teachers and caregivers help students gain confidence, self-awareness, and self-advocacy skills. This can lead to increased engagement in learning, improved social skills, and greater success in transitioning to post-secondary education or employment. So how can we implement and help as teachers? Set Clear Goals and Expectations Setting clear goals and expectations can help students understand what is expected of them and provide a sense of structure and direction. Work with each student to identify their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement. Create achievable goals and work together to create a plan to achieve them. Celebrate successes along the way to build confidence and motivation. Build Self-Determination Skills Self-determination skills are essential for students with disabilities to become independent and successful adults. Teach and reinforce these skills throughout the day and provide opportunities for students to practice them. This includes problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and self-advocacy. By building self-determination skills, students can take charge of their own learning and become more confident and independent learners. Encourage Community Participation Community participation can help students develop social skills, build relationships, and gain real-world experience. Provide opportunities for students to participate in community events, volunteer work, and job shadowing. This can help them build a sense of purpose and prepare them for post-secondary education and employment. By participating in the community, students can develop a stronger sense of self and become more independent members of society. Emphasise Strengths-Based Approaches A strengths-based approach focuses on students’ abilities and interests rather than their deficits. Identify and build upon each student’s strengths, interests, and talents. This can increase their engagement and motivation in learning and help them develop a positive self-image. By emphasizing strengths-based approaches, students can become more confident and independent learners. Lastly, check out my Vocational Bundle available on my online store (insert link here). The bundle includes resources such as vocational assessments, job exploration activities, and workplace readiness training materials. If you want to learn more about how to support students with special needs in developing vocational skills and maximising their independence, this bundle is a great resource. Click here for Vocational Resources for your classroom Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.
Organise using Task Boxes
Hey there, teacher friends! Have you heard of task boxes? I’m assuming you have seen them somewhere…These nifty little tools are a fantastic way to help you in your Special Education classroom! I mean seriously, who knew that these simple tiny colourful boxes can cause a huge wave of awesomeness for any teacher. They come in a variety of colours and sizes, and I can first handedly admit their super powers or effectiveness. So grab your favourite cup of teacher fuel, ☕ and let’s dive into the world of task boxes! Classroom organisation Classroom organisation can often be a massive task in itself when trying to set up for particular materials and plan for the diverse learning needs in a variety of settings. That’s where task boxes come in! These little guys are like personal assistants, helping you improve productivity, organisation and efficiency in your classroom. Once upon a time in our classroom, we used to have a major problem finding all our dice for Maths tasks… We were constantly saying “Where the heck did I put that?” and “I haven’t seen that in a blue moon..”! Not anymore! We use task boxes! They are all labelled and sooooo easy to find and the best part about it, students can access them now easily too. We have an order and a plan for our learning 🙂 Our classroom is structured in an orderly way. We have a system for our learning and supplies. Incorporating for Differentiated instruction As teachers understand that differentiated instruction is like the secret sauce that makes learning stick. It’s about creating an environment where every student receives the support they need to learn and grow. And when it comes to bringing this approach to life, task boxes are the way to go! Task boxes are like magic treasure chests that can be filled with all sorts of goodies to cater to every kind of learner. Maybe you could try placing their colourful visual aids inside, or fill them with engaging hands-on projects, how about thought-provoking task cards, or even smaller resources that are labelled for a particular student’s sensory needs. Task Boxes are made for individualised differentiated learning. Cross Curricular Learning Task boxes are also great for creating cross curricular learning opportunities. In a special education setting as many teachers know and understand, we often have to multi-task and teach in multiple different methods and ways. This is where task boxes can become so handy! Let’s imagine I wanted to teach a history lesson based upon ‘Ancient Egypt’. One box may be dedicated to physically touching things from the past or a box with supplies to create a mummification process. This would be great for my kinesthetic learners or STEM learning. Another box I might set up could be, ordering dates in chronological order and doing a writing task. This would be a great task for my reader/writer and mathematics groups. Whilst another task box could contain a visual hieroglyphic secret message. In which my students have to decode to get an answer or recreate their own hieroglyphs. Great for art/design based learning. See how we are all studying history in this lesson, yet we are covering different methods and cross curricular learning opportunities for our students… Task boxes, yep, task boxes. Classroom Centre Stations Classroom centres are always a regular go-to in our classroom. Centre activities give our class multiple learning opportunities yet still allow us as teachers to target very specific goals for each of our students. This is again where… drum roll please ‘Task Boxes’ can come in handy! For example, in our High School Special Education class – I might have one student that really needs to work on their times tables as part of his IEP goals. Another student in my class may need to spend some more time on maths tasks in simple mathematical equations as part of her goal this year. And one student may need to have extra fast finishing work once they have completed what I have arranged for them…. By creating task boxes centre stations, allow me to simultaneously – provide various learning opportunities in different areas to what individual students need. These boxes can deliver multiple different key learning areas to students at one time! It can also help students become more independent and empowered in their own learning experiences. Life Skill Learning – Task Cards Do you want to know what’s really exciting in the world of task boxes? TASK CARDS! Yes, I said it, task cards – they fit right inside a plastic task box perfectly! Some of you may be wondering though, what exactly is a task card? Well, task cards are small cards that provide instructions or questions related to a specific skill or topic. They’re versatile and can be used to teach a wide range of life skills for Special Ed students. Life skills task cards cover a range of skills, from basic hygiene and safety to more complex skills like cooking and money management. By using task cards, we can help our students become more independent and confident in their daily lives. So why not add a little fun to your classroom and start using life skills task cards? I include task cards in many of my lessons. If you’re pressed for time, I’ve even made a mega bundle life skill set for special education teachers. Check it out! Click here for Task Card Resources for your classroom This Bundle is full of Differentiated activities (120+ Cards per each set). Including the following 24 TASK BOX SETS!!! ⭐Workplace Signs ⭐Road Signs ⭐Abbreviations ⭐Fractions Pizza ⭐Beach Safety ⭐Sorting Recycling ⭐Laundry Skills ⭐Community Places ⭐Next Dollar Up ⭐Emergencies ⭐MAB Blocks ⭐Calendar Skills ⭐Email Skills ⭐Kitchen Appliances and Utensils ⭐Cleaning and Supplies ⭐Do I Have Enough Money? ⭐Measuring Cups ⭐What To Wear?⭐Etiquette Skills ⭐Community Helpers⭐Travel Skills ⭐Food Storage ⭐Directional and Positional ⭐Nutritional Eating⭐Email Skills What is your favourite way to use task boxes in your classroom? I would love to know! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both
Directed Drawing is amazing!
Hey there, teacher friends! Let’s chat about some awesome drawing activities! Have you heard of directed drawing? It’s a super fun and engaging activity that’s been gaining popularity among educators and parents in recent years, and for good reason! It’s amazing for learners of all ages and abilities! In this blog post, we’re going to dive into the fantastic benefits of directed drawing. From improving fine motor skills and attention to detail to boosting creativity and confidence, there are so many reasons why directed drawing is an amazing activity for learners. So buckle up and get ready to see the world of directed drawing! What is directed drawing? First things first, let’s define what directed drawing is… Directed drawing is a step-by-step guided drawing activity that helps children (and adults!) to learn how to draw while improving their fine motor skills, attention to detail, and following directions. It’s an excellent activity that can be done individually or in groups, and it’s perfect for both kids and adults. We love directed drawing in our class, as it can be easily differentiated for many different learning types and can connect with a multitude of skills ♥️. It Helps with Visual-Spatial Skills Directed drawing is a fantastic way to improve learners’ visual-spatial skills! These skills are essential for a wide range of activities, from reading and writing to mathematics. By recognizing shapes, sizes, and spatial relationships, learners can better understand how things fit together. One of the best things about directed drawing is that it takes out the guesswork of creating artwork, which can be overwhelming for some learners. Instead, learners can follow specific steps and templates to create their own unique masterpieces, allowing for both structure and independent creativity. So not only are they improving their visual-spatial skills, but also their imagination and independent thinking! It Encourages Creativity While directed drawing follows specific steps, it doesn’t mean that learners can’t be creative. In fact, directed drawing can encourage creativity and imagination because learners are free to use their own colour choices and make the drawings their own. Students are also allowed to take it further if they wish with the overall elements of the drawing and push it to a more personal drawing inline with their own creativity! It Boosts Confidence Drawing can be intimidating for some learners, but directed drawing can help them gain confidence in their abilities. Since the steps are broken down into manageable pieces, learners can see their progress and feel a sense of accomplishment as they complete each step. In our special education class it is really important students feel the win. Thus with directed drawing all students get to experience success and are able to finish the drawing tasks at hand. It Develops Fine Motor Skills Drawing requires fine motor skills, and directed drawing can help learners develop these skills. By holding a pencil, colouring, and tracing lines, learners are practising hand-eye coordination and fine motor control. It’s Engaging and Fun Directed drawing is an engaging and fun activity that can keep learners focused and entertained for extended periods. And since it’s an enjoyable activity, learners are more likely to stick with it and see improvements over time. It can also be theed based, directly linking to students special interest and things they are interested in. It can be easily Differentiated Directed drawing is an amazing activity that can be easily differentiated to meet the needs of learners of all abilities. By providing step-by-step instructions, learners who struggle with fine motor skills or attention to detail can still participate and create a beautiful piece of drawing. Additionally, learners who need an extra challenge can be given more complex templates or encouraged to add their own unique touches to their artwork. This allows for differentiation without creating separate activities, making it a great option for busy educators who want to cater to the needs of all their learners. Click here for the link for directed drawing resources We really love creating directed drawings in our special education class and additionally will incorporate literacy activities with our drawings. We also love to make them theme based for different holidays and seasons of the year. If you’re interested in incorporating directed drawing into your classroom or home, why not check out our product Directed Drawing Tasks Sets. Our sets includes step-by-step instructions and templates for various drawings powerpoints and worksheets, making it easy for you to get started. Click here for the link for directed drawing resources Directed drawing is an amazing activity that can benefit many different learners. ???? Whether you’re looking to improve visual-spatial skills, boost creativity, develop fine motor skills, gain confidence, simply have fun, or need differentiation, directed drawing is a great option. So grab some pencils, paper, and get ready to draw! Thank You! ❤️ Thanks for hanging out with us! We hope you found this post helpful to both you and your special students. Be sure to check us out when it comes to special education teaching resources and ideas, The Special Education Studio is where it’s at. Visit our website and socials for helpful tips, resources, and personalised support.