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10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom
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10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom



March 2014 | 232 pages | Corwin

Your blueprint for building structure, consistency, and accountability year-round!

Often teachers of all experience levels struggle to effectively manage special education classrooms. In this must-have guide, Rohrer and Sampson provide a solid, workable action plan to ensure measurable success for even your most challenging student.

 Discover a variety of research-based instructional strategies to:

  • Support all students, including those with autism and severe learning disabilities
  • Organize your classroom, materials, and staff and student schedules for optimal teaching and learning
  • Execute well-planned standards-based lessons, annual IEP’s, PLAALP’s, behavioral interventions, and visual supports
  • Develop communication and social skills within a language-rich environment
  • Foster parent communication and staff collaboration

Packed with real-world examples, free tools to use and share, a list of resources and a helpful glossary, this dynamic resource will inspire you, develop your teacher toolbox, and ensure your students are on the path to achievement!

10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom offers practical and easy-to-use ideas for organizing your physical classroom space, materials, student and staff schedules. Readers will also receive well thought out strategies that will definitely aid in the ultimate end result—student success!”
—Avis Canty, Special Education Teacher
Tanglewood Middle School, Greenville, SC

“The path to success for students with autism and intellectual disabilities starts here, when their teachers implement the essential critical components outlined in this book.”
—Renee Bernhardt, Learning Support for Special Education and RTI
Cherokee County School District, Canton, GA


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
Introduction
 
1. Physical Arrangement of the Classroom
Rationale

 
Benefits of a Well-Designed Classroom

 
Well-Defined Areas Clarify Student Expectations

 
The 10-Minute Rule

 
Arranging Your Classroom

 
Required Areas

 
Home Base

 
Group Instruction Area

 
Teacher Work Area

 
Transition Area

 
Student Schedule Area

 
Work Station

 
Technology Area

 
Additional Areas

 
Arts and Crafts, Eating, and Cooking Areas

 
Personal Hygiene

 
Sensory Area

 
Recreation and Leisure Activity Area

 
Getting Started

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
2. Organization of Materials
Rationale

 
Organizing Classroom Materials

 
What supplies will you need?

 
What stays and what goes?

 
Where will materials be located?

 
Group by academic subject

 
Group by frequency of use

 
Safety considerations

 
Organizing Student’s Materials

 
Summary

 
Real Life Applications

 
 
3. Schedules
Rationale

 
The Three Types of Schedules

 
Building a Foundation for Your Schedules

 
Daily Classroom Schedule

 
Creating Your Classroom Schedule

 
Posting the Classroom Schedule

 
Using the Daily Classroom Schedule

 
Staff Assignment Schedule

 
Individual Student Schedules

 
The Importance of Symbolic Communication Forms

 
Creating Student Schedules

 
Student Schedule Formats and Locations

 
Teaching Students to Use Schedules

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
4. Visual Strategies
Rationale

 
What Are Visual Strategies?

 
The Importance and Benefits of Visual Strategies

 
Creating Visual Strategies

 
Consider the Student's Communication Level

 
Using Visual Strategies

 
As Reminders

 
Schedules

 
Calendars

 
Behavioral Cues

 
Communication Supports

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Expectations

 
 
5. Behavioral Strategies
Rationale

 
Determing the Need for Behavioral Inteventions

 
Conducting a Functional Behavior Assessment

 
Define the Behavior

 
Gather Information About the Behavior

 
Review Records

 
Conduct Interviews

 
Collect Baseline Data

 
Look for Patterns of Behavior

 
Make a Hypothesis about the Function of the Behavior

 
Identifying Behavioral Goals and Objectives

 
Developing a Behavioral Intevention Plan

 
Defining Consequences

 
Meaningful Reinforcers

 
Edibles as Reinforcers

 
Nonedibles as Reinforcers

 
Punishment

 
Strategies to Change Behavior

 
Implementing the Behavioral Intervention Plan

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
6. Goals, Objectives, and Lesson Plans
Rationale

 
Legal Foundation

 
Annual Goals and Objectives

 
Develop a Present Level of Academic Achievement

 
The Need for Data Collection

 
Methods for Collecting Data

 
Special Factors and the Individualized Education Program

 
Write the Annual Goals and Objectives

 
Lesson Plans

 
Lesson Plan Elements

 
Monitoring Student Progress: Your Grading System

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
7. Instructional Strategies
Rationale

 
Instructional Considerations

 
Age-Appropriate Materials and Activities

 
Variety Increases Interest

 
Sensory Needs

 
Instructional Methods and Strategies

 
Direct Instruction

 
Applied Behavior Analysis

 
Grouping Students

 
Social Stories

 
Having a Substitute Teacher

 
Work Stations

 
Station Rotation

 
Community-Based Instruction

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
8. Communication Systems and Strategies
Rationale

 
The Speech and Language Pathologist

 
Communication Throughout the Day

 
Teaching Social Skills

 
The Use of Schedules and Communication

 
Communication and Assistive Technology

 
Communication and Behavior

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
9. Communication with Parents
Rationale

 
Setting Up a System for Parent Communication

 
Student-Generated Daily Communication to Parents

 
Keeping Communication Meaningful and Helpful

 
Documentation

 
Parental Involvement

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
10. Related Services and Other School Staff
Rationale

 
Important Information About Related Services

 
Related Services Defined

 
Who Qualifies for Related Services?

 
Direct Versus Indirect Services

 
Service Delivery Models

 
Other School Staff

 
Summary

 
Real-Life Applications

 
 
Putting It All Together
 
Resources
 
Glossary and Acronym Guide
 
Forms
 
Index

"10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom is a must have resource for experienced as well as new special education teachers as well as school administration. The book offers easy to use and practical ideas for organizing your physical classroom space, materials, student and staff schedules. Readers will also receive well thought out strategies that will definitely aid in the ultimate end result; student success!"

Avis Canty, Special Education Teacher
Tanglewood Middle School, Greenville, SC

"Finally, the book that should be consulted when new ESE classrooms are created!  This book provides the blueprint to setting up a successful self-contained classroom for both beginning teachers and experienced teachers."

Karen Kozy-Landress, Speech/Language Pathologist
MILA Elementary School, Merritt Island, FL

"The path to success for students with autism and intellectual disabilities starts here, when their teachers implement the essential critical components outlined in 10 Critical Components for Success in the Special Education Classroom."

Renee Bernhardt, Learning Support for Special Education and RTI
Cherokee County School District, Canton, GA
Key features
  • Sets the stage for each student to achieve, increase positive behaviors, establish effective communication with parents, and enhance teacher effectiveness for all students.
  • Each chapter contains numerous educational best practices around the component discussed.
  • The practices, ideas, and suggestions also benefit students in resource and inclusion settings.

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