Special Education with Care
MVA Special Education Department Update
December 2020
We hope you have a great winter break with your children and family. We look forward to continuing to work together as a team to provide your students with the best educational experiences here at Mission Vista Academy. Have a wonderful restful winter break!
In This Issue
- Did You Know: Holiday Challenges;
- Feature Teachers: Meet your Education Specialists/Case Managers;
- Academic Resources: Cornell Notes;
- Behavior Bits: Three Playful Ways to Work on Listening and Following Directions;
- Sensory Corner: Understanding Sensory Processing Issues;
- Caught On The Net: Helpful Websites and Apps
- Transition Services Corner: Transition Newsletter
DID YOU KNOW
Holiday Challenges
Navigating the holidays can be hard for many kids with learning and attention issues. Kids often face demands during holidays that they might not normally face. Family gatherings. Long meals. Interactions with different people in new situations.
These demands don’t only make holidays stressful. They can also behavior issues. One way to avoid problem behavior is to help your child identify holiday challenges and brainstorm strategies ahead of time.
This downloadable worksheet can help your child do just that. It includes a checklist of common holiday challenges. Your child can go through the list and mark off ones that apply—or come up with additional ones. If your child is young, you can work on it together.
The worksheet also includes strategy charts. Have your child fill out one for each challenge marked on the checklist. These charts have three sections: My Challenge, What Usually Happens, and What I Can Do Instead. (See the bottom of the worksheet for an example.)
You may have to help your child come up with strategies. For ideas, explore tips to help with: gift exchanges, social situations, food allergies and sensitivities, restrictive clothing, cabin fever, understanding and participating in holiday traditions.
Thinking through challenges (while also recalling holiday successes from the past) is a great way for your child to build self-awareness. And planning strategies in advance can help your child feel more in control when holiday challenges come up.
FEATURE TEACHERS
My name is Ranae Sena and I teach Specialized Academic Instruction in the subject area of Decoding for students in grades 3rd through 5th. We are enthusiastic readers and use the Wilson Reading System Program. During decoding classes, we tap out sounds, divide syllables, use virtual letter tiles to build and read words. We also work hard to read and spell words, sentences, and reading passages. Students are able to participate verbally, in written form, and with the use of manipulatives. It is wonderful to hear students encouraging and motivating their fellow peers. Watching students learn and become independent readers is amazing!
My name is Gina Perry and I have the pleasure of working with the Tk-2 Team teaching SAI Math. We work on counting, adding and subtracting with pictures/manipulative, place value, and regrouping. All of my students are fun to work with and I enjoy watching them learn and have fun with math.
My name is Tara Lavaglio and I have the pleasure of teaching SAI in the area of reading comprehension to our 6th-10th grade students! To encourage more active camera use and social interaction between my students, we started simple dress up themes that have been wildly successful and SO much fun! While you might find me starting the class off with a silly “teacher joke”, we then get straight to business working on reading strategies that can be applied across all reading settings. In addition to practicing the weekly skill in Google classroom, I love to make my lessons engaging and interactive with ample opportunities for active participation through a variety of games, polls, collaborative pinboards and videos. My teaching hours are my favorite hours of my week!
My name is Stephan Davis, and I am a Specialized Academic Instruction Teacher for students with moderate to severe disabilities in grades 6-10. Though we work in all academic areas, my primary focus is on Math, English, and Life Skills. I use a variety of curriculums depending on the needs of my students, but the one I use the most is Unique. During my sessions I do my best to make learning fun by using positive reinforcement. I believe that motivation is the key to most things in life, including learning. I teach students what they will need to know now and in the future, and feel so encouraged when they show understanding of something we have been striving toward. Working for Mission Vista Academy is awesome; I get to work with the best students, parents, and staff. The journey with MVA has been amazing for the last 3 years; I will continue to do my best for my students here at MVA now and in the future. Thank you, I am honored to be chosen as one of the featured teachers for the month of December.
ACADEMIC RESOURCES
Note Taking Strategy - Cornell Notes
Cornell note-taking is a method of note-taking arranged in a way that allows your student to take notes in a quick and organized way. The method can be used in lecture or while reading a chapter from a textbook by writing keywords, main ideas, and summarizing what has been learned.
Students with auditory processing challenges have difficulties with recording notes during lectures or lessons such as writing fast enough to keep up with the pace, paying continues attention, making sense out of their notes after class, and deciding what was important to record during the lecture. Many of these note taking difficulties often result in notes with either partial or incomplete lecture points. Implementation of Cornell note-taking addresses all these issues by creating a note-taking style that is quick, clear, and structured.
In addition, guided notes allow for different mediums in which to teach the information, rather than hear and record. They provide a means to increase student learning and understanding of content through the use of multiple modalities; auditory, visual, and tactile (Jimenez, 2012). Students can draw pictures, fill in the blanks, write summaries of activities they engaged in or form questions they think the content is geared for answering.
How to introduce your student to a note taking technique:
1. Introduction
The first step is to introduce the new format of note taking. Introducing a visual as you explain the process to your student will help make your descriptions and explanations much more clear. Explain to your student that he/she will write key facts such as definitions, important dates, and people, formulas, etc. in the right-hand column (which is the largest space). In the left-hand column, students will create questions they think the information in the right column answers as well as, define the main idea of the lecture. The bottom section is where the student will write a summary, in their own words, of what the lecture was about.
2. Modeling
As you read the information you can discuss with the student where the main ideas, keywords, and questions should go. This will give insight to the student about the decisions that help determine how to condense the main ideas into a few sentences. As the lecture takes place, you should point out a particular sentence or a critical fact that your student should write in the prepared space.
3. Guided instruction
As you read the information you can have a think-aloud about selected keywords and paraphrase the main ideas from the first paragraph of a text. Then have your student look ahead and think-aloud about keywords and the main idea for the second paragraph.
4. Independent Practice
Once your student needs less support have them work on their own notes. For additional support, you can provide your student with the template with keywords or partially filled in notes until they are comfortable taking notes on their own.
You can provide the following visuals to your student for independent work:
BEHAVIOR BITS
Three Playful Ways to Work on Listening and Following Directions
Certain learning and attention issues can make it hard for kids to understand and follow directions. In those situations, kids aren’t really ignoring what they’re being told to do. Their challenges are keeping them from doing it. It can be challenging when your child isn’t following directions or paying attention. But sorting out the reasons behind your child’s behavior will help you understand more about how to help.
Besides picture schedules and other prompts, there are many FUN ways that you can work on your child’s listening skills. The following recommendations can be used with preschoolers through school age - just adjust the difficulty level to match your child’s ability level and then slowly increase the difficulty as they build their skills.
Simon Says
This game is all about having to listen and follow directions. Here are some recommendations on how to make this game fun and motivating for your child:
- Rather than “Simon says” you could change the name to a more motivating character. Does your child love superheroes? Play “Spiderman Says!” Does your child love princesses? Play “Cinderella Says!” If it’s around the holidays, you can do “The Scarecrow Says,” “The Mummy Says,” “Turkey Says,” “The Snowman Says,” “Santa Says” etc. Be creative! You can even have the person who is “it” dress up as the character. This will not only give your child the opportunity to listen and follow directions but it will also give him the opportunity to give directions to others!
- Only give directions your child can understand. Start simple. Jump. Turn around. Blink your eyes. Once he can follow simple one-step directives, start to make them a little harder with two items of information like jump two times or turn around three times. You can then add three-part directives like Jump three times then turn around. And so on. If your child is struggling, step back a bit.
- When starting out you may want to give the directions and then show him what you want him to do. For example, tell him “Jump” and then physically jump. This will give him a visual. This is helpful as you start to increase the complexity of the directions.
Red Light, Green Light
Another classic childhood game. Here are some tips for using this game to work on your child’s listening skills:
- Once your child gets the hang of the concepts of green-means-go and red-means-stop, add in another color “light” to the mix! For example, Purple Light means you jump like a bunny!
- A tip to help him/her understand the directions at first: Make signs with the colors you will use in the game with pictures of the motor movements on them. So if you did purple-is-hop-like-a-bunny you can make a round purple “light” and put a picture of a bunny on it as a visual reminder. Then slowly take the signs away and have your child play JUST by listening.
Obstacle Courses
Children usually LOVE them and they combine gross motor learning with language learning (providing a multi-sensory learning experience). Here are a few recommendations on using them to target listening skills:
- Again, start SIMPLE. Set up maybe only a 3-5 part course at first and then increase it as your child’s skills develop.
- To target listening, you can two things. First, you can give him directions on exactly how to go through the obstacle course. This works best if at least a couple of different steps can be manipulated differently. For example, one step could be a small table. But does he go under, over, or around the table? He will have to listen to find out! You could set up a station with blocks and tell him he needs to build a 5 block tower. Maybe a step with a hula hoop that he could either jump in or actually try to hula.
Try these educational games with your students and let us know what you think!
SENSORY CORNER
Understanding Sensory Processing Issues
What are sensory processing issues? The term refers to difficulties managing information that comes in through the senses. These issues, sometimes called sensory processing disorder or sensory integration disorder, can have a big impact on learning and on everyday life.
Sensory processing issues are difficulties with organizing and responding to information that comes in through the senses. Kids with these issues may be oversensitive to sensory input, undersensitive, or both.
There are two types of sensory processing challenges, and many kids experience a mix of the two. One is oversensitivity (hypersensitivity). This leads to sensory avoiding—kids avoid sensory input because it’s too overwhelming. The other is undersensitivity (hyposensitivity). This causes kids to be sensory seeking—they look for more sensory stimulation. Some kids may be both sensory avoiding and sensory seeking. They may be oversensitive to some sensations, and undersensitive to others. A child’s reactions can also change from one day to the next, or even throughout the day, depending on the environment or situation.
6 Ways to Help Your Child Cope With Visual Sensitivity
Tone things down
Bright colors and “visual clutter” can overwhelm some kids. Help your child keep her room neat and keep distracting posters and knick-knacks to a minimum.
Ease up on eye contact
Some kids with sensory processing issues find it hard or distracting to make eye contact. It might make it hard for her to concentrate on what you’re saying. Try telling her she doesn’t need to look directly at you, but she does need to listen and show that she’s heard you. If seeing what you’re doing is important, ask her to look in your direction.
Address safety concerns
Some kids with sensory processing issues have trouble visualizing where their body is in relation to other objects. They may even have a tendency to bump into things or trip over them. Decorating in simple, contrasting colors can help. You can also use colored tape to highlight doorframes and other potential trouble spots.
Modify lighting
For kids who find bright lights painful or upsetting, dimmer lighting can be soothing. Consider using colored light bulbs or compact fluorescent lamps—the light is softer. You can also invest in a flexible multi-head floor lamp. You or your child can adjust the positions of the bulbs for her comfort.
Reduce glare
If your child is oversensitive to sunlight, there are a few things you can do to limit her exposure. Get your child sunglasses to keep in the car or in her backpack. Try moving her desk away from direct sunlight. You can also invest in portable shades that can be suction-cupped to car or windows.
Make things brighter
Some kids are undersensitive and need more visual input. Try using color systems to help her organize her belongings so it’s easier to find them. Provide bright lighting for her room and homework space.
CAUGHT ON THE NET
Helpful Websites and APPs
ModMath
ModMath is the first free math iPad app to help kids with dysgraphia. Students use the touchscreen and keypad to set up and solve math problems without ever picking up a pencil. In addition to basic math problems, Mod Math handles complex algebraic equations—from multiplication and long division to variables and quadratic equations.
MindMeister
MindMeister is a digital graphic organizer. It’s a helpful organization tool, as kids can use it to organize ideas with visual mind maps, diagrams, and pictures. It also helps with taking notes, outlining the main ideas in a book or getting started writing an essay. The tool comes with several built-in templates. Kids can create their own diagrams from scratch, too. The free version of MindMeister lets kids work on three projects at a time.
Idle Human
In IDLE HUMAN we give you the unique chance to discover and create the various parts of a human right from the first cell!
Discover the amazing sequence in which a human body unravels, starting from the very first bones to every organ leading to the nerves and muscles then, finally, a complete human body!