Chapter 13/14

Question 1

Strategies to improve social interactions

Answer 1

Use social stories to teach appropriate interactions and behaviours and catch and nurture good examples
Teach acceptance of differences to all student sin the class
Teach the concept of personal space
Provide students with constructive reasons to speak to each other or to move around the classroom
Teach skills related to making and keeping friends
Use a ‘circle of friends’ strategy or a buddy system to lend support
Help students learn to read nonverbal cues and to take another person’s point of view

Question 2

Transitional needsfrom preschool to primary

Answer 2

Four variables that predict success in moving from preschool to school settings are:  
academic readiness skills-focus on emergent literacy skills that advance the process of learning to read, write, or calculate
social skills-children must be able to function in a group
responsive to instructional style-familiarity with basic terms and phrases of the language of instruction in their future school
responsiveness to the structure of the school environment-transportation, longer hours, increased expectations, more independence, larger class size

Question 3

Transitional needs: curricular considerations

Answer 3

Career education and life skills can be integrated into existing subject areas without introducing a new subject
Encourage positive long term outcomes for all students
Augmentation-career education-oriented materials are used to supplement the existing curriculum
Infusion-relevant career education topics are infused into the lessons laid out in the existing curriculum
Integrated curriculum-unit approach-relevant content on a topic is drawn together from various academic areas

Question 4

Transitional needs: transition to middle school and community-based instruction

Answer 4

Students need to be taught an organized approach to their work, time management and study skills, note-taking strategies, homework strategies, and the ability to use lockers

Common problems in applying academic learning to life outside the classroom can be addressed by community-based instruction: field trips, speakers, etc.

Question 5

Practices that support inclusive education

Answer 5

Multilevel instruction-different kinds of learning within the same curriculum
Co-operative learning-heterogeneous grouping of students
Activity-based learning-prepares students to learn in community settings, produces actual work products
Mastery learning-sufficient opportunity to gain mastery in what the student needs to learn
Technology-computers, assistive devices
Peer support and tutoring programs-some students learn by teaching others

Question 6

Co-operative learning

Answer 6

Involves students in group-learning activities in which recognition and reinforcement are based on group, rather than individual performance
Peer tutoring-classwide (CWPT) in teams or in pairs, (PALS) reciprocal-students reverse roles
Co-operative projects
Jigsaw technique
Student team achievement divisions-studying for a test; involves team rewards, individual accountability, equal opportunities for success

Question 7

Adaptations and accommodations for elementary students with exceptionalities

Answer 7

Enhancing content learning through listening-selective attention (focus) and sustained attention
Adapting oral presentations
Facilitating note taking
Adapting reading tasks enhancing written responses
Promoting following instructions and completing assignments
Adapting the classroom environment-time and physical arrangement
Developing effective homework programs-leads to increased school achievement
Developing responsive grading practices-fair is not the same, many students may need adaptations

Question 8

Roles of Personnel:General Education Teachers

Answer 8

assume responsibility for students with exceptionalities in their classes or subject areas
expand their instructional activities
manage the classroom environment
provide instruction at an appropriate level and pace
use an appropriate curriculum
evaluate students’ success
modify instruction as appropriate,
attend inter-disciplinary team meetings
ensure students are able to participate and to achieve some degree of success

Question 9

Roles of Personnel:Special Education teacher

Answer 9

Collaborate with general educators in a major supportive role
Prepare students for the challenges that occur daily in the general education environment, content classes, exams,
Equip them for future challenges in independent living and employment
Counselling students for daily crises (a peer support program) and teaching them to self-advocate and learn how to learn and to understand their exceptionality and their limitations and abilities

Question 10

Strategies to ensure students’ success in secondary classrooms

Answer 10

Adjust timetable to assist student to succeed
Provide a support block to teach learning strategies
Offer different ways to complete a course: on-line, block or modularized, correspondence
Highlight ‘big picture’ concepts in student’s textbook to lessen required reading
Provide audio text of novels and plays, provide class notes prior to class for student to review, provide detailed study notes, alter assessment

Question 11

Accommodations for testing

Answer 11

Use alternative assessment practices (weight assessments to favour students’ strengths and skills, use portfolios)
Help students focus on tests (take breaks, use alternate settings, shorter quizzes, vary length of time for test and time of day)
Teach test-taking skills and key test taking vocabulary, provide a study guide, practice tests, reduce number of choices on multiple choice questions, have a variety of question types, allow calculators, ‘cheat sheets’, word banks, etc.
Simplify language and format of tests, use symbols, vary the way the test is given, reduce amount of writing