Evidence based practices for students with severe disabilities
Instructional strategies for students with multiple disabilities
Multiple disabilities in your classroom: 10 tips for teachers
Severe and education of individuals with multiple disabilities
Strategies for inclusion of children with multiple disabilities including deaf-blindness
Students who are blind or visually impaired with multiple disabilities
Students with multiple disabilities
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 6.8% of children younger than 18 years in the United States have a diagnosed eye and vision condition and 3% of children younger than 18 years are blind and visually impaired. Visual disability is one of the most prevalent disabilities disabilities among children.
According to IDEA’s definition, visual impairment is defined s including blindness means an impairment in vision that even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The World Health Organization (WHO), classifies visual impairment as occurring when an eye condition affects the visual system and one or more of its vision includes both partial sight and blindness
The World Health Organization uses the following classification based on visual acuity in the better eye:
The causes of childhood blindness or visual impairment is often caused by Vitamin A deficiency which is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. Other causes include genetics, diabetes, injury and infections such as congenital rubella syndrome and chickenpox before birth.
Cortical Visual Impairment in children is attributed to brain dysfunction rather than issues with the eyes. Causes included hypoxia, traumatic brain injury, neonatal hypoglycemia, infections and cardiac arrest.
References
Today marks the 50th anniversary of celebrating Earth Day. Earth Day was the response to an environment in crisis including oil spills, smog and rivers that were heavily polluted. It is a way to help protect and restore our planet.
I created a lesson plan on creating an organic smoothie as a way to contribute in protecting the earth. Organic farming promotes an ecological balance by reducing pollution, conserving water and reducing soil erosion.
The lesson plan works on the following skills:
Lesson: Make an Organic Smoothie
Smoothie- Mystic Mango Smoothie
Time: 15-20 Minutes
Materials:
Introduction:
The instructor will explain to the group the activity to help the environment by using items that are healthy and does not require anything to be recycled.
The instructor will give assignments to the group and allow individuals an opportunity to understand.
Step 1: The instructor will first make sure all individuals wash their hands.
Step 2: The instructor will pick up the mango and ask, “What type of fruit is this.” The instructor will then ask the group “What color is the mango?”
Step 3: The instructor will instructor the group to cut the mango in small pieces. Provide hand over hand assistance for those requiring extra assistance.
Step 4: Once completed, the instructor will ask individuals to place the mango in the blender.
Step 5: The instructor will have members of the group to measure the orange juice. The instructor will say, “where is ½ on the cup?” Once answered correctly, the instructor will instruct the individual to pour into the measuring cup.
Step 6: The instructor will say to the individual “good job, now pour into the blender.”
Step 7: The instructor will ask the group to point to the honey. The instructor will ask the individual to show 2 tablespoons on the measuring spoons.
Step 8: The instructor will ask the individual to measure 2 tablespoons of honey and to pour into the blender. Provide hand over hand if necessary.
Step 9: The instructor will ask the group to point to the lime juice. The instructor will then ask the group” show me 1 tablespoon on the measuring spoon.”
Step 9: The instructor will tell the group to pour into the blender.
Step 10: The instructor will ask the group to point to ½ cup on the measuring cup. Once pointed correctly, the instructor will have the individuals pick up the organic yogurt and put ½ in the cup
Step 11: With assistance, the individuals will wash out the organic spinach. The instructor should first place the spinach in a cup.
Step 12: With assistance or as needed, the instructor will have the individuals turn on the water.
Step 13: The instructor will ask the group to take a handful of organic spinach and place in the blender.
Step 14: Once all the items are placed in the blender, the instructor will someone from the group to hit the blended on the button blender.
Step 15: The instructor will allow 3-4 minutes for the smoothing to blend. Once completed, the instructor will ask an individual to hit the stop button.
Step 16. The instructor will ask an individual to place the cups on the table
Step 17. The instructor will continue with the activity until a smoothie has been made enough for everyone.
Step 17: The instructor will ask an individual to pour into each cup.
Did you know that the Easter bunny and Easter eggs dates back to the 18th century in the United States when Protestant German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area brought the European folklore of the Easter bunny giving gifts of colored eggs to “good children” before Easter.
This activity is both a coloring and tracing activity focusing on strengthening fine motor skills of children and adults. Green was the color chosen since it is a spring color and also helps to reinforce colors. Any shade of green will work in the color and additional colors should be added as well allowing for individual creativity.
Once completed the bunny can also be cut out and pasted on construction paper.
The following are upcoming special needs and developmental disability conferences and seminars for the year. The conferences include annual meetings, specialty conferences and professional development courses. Click on the highlighted title to get further information.
27th Annual Florida Statewide Card Autism Conference
Date: January 17-19, 2020
Location: Orlando, Fl.
Annual Autism conference for families, educators, professionals and autistic adults.
ICADD International Conference on Autism and Developmental Disorders
Date: January 30-31, 2020
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
CASP The Council of Autism Service Providers Annual Conference
Date: January 13-14, 2020
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
7th Annual Conference on Depression, Anxiety and Stress Management
Date: January 20-21, 2020
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Autism Spectrum Disorder Across the Life Span
Date: January 11, 2020
Location: Boston, MA
DADD 21st International Conference on Autism, Intellectual Disability and Developmental Disabilities
Date: January 22, 2020
Location: Sarasota, FL
Future Horizon
An Evening with Temple Grandin
Date: January 28, 2020
Location: Atlanta, GA
Features Renown Dr. Temple Grandin who will give insight backed by research evidence and own experience.
Council for Exceptional Children
February 5-8, 2020
Portland, Oregon
DFW Autism Conference
Date: February 6-7, 2020
Location: Hurst, TX
Autism Conference and Training
Date: February 7-8, 2020
Location: Vancouver, BC
Special Needs Planning Symposium
Date: February 7-9, 2020
Location: Napa, CA
Future Horizon
An Evening with Temple Grandin
Date: February 11, 2020
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Features Renown Dr. Temple Grandin who will give insights backed by research evidence and own experience.
Future Horizon
An Evening with Temple GrandinDate: Lubbock, TX
Location: February 17, 2020
Features Renown Dr. Temple Grandin who will give insight backed by research evidence and own experience.
Learning Disabilities Association 57th Annual International Conference
Date: February 17-20, 2020
Location: Orlando, FL
National Autistic Society- Autism Professional Conference
Date: February 27-28, 2020
Location: Birmingham, London
19th Annual Alabama Autism Conference
Date: February 28, 2020
Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
2nd European Autism Congress
Date: February 28-29
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Professional Development and Parent Seminars
Date: March 5, 2020
Location: Albany, New York
Autism Conference and Training
Date: March 5-6, 2020
Location: Edmonton, AB
Southern Maine Autism Conference
Date: March 7, 2020 8am- 4pm
Location: South Portland, ME
2020 Autism Matters Conference
Date: March 20, 2020
Location: Orange Beach, AL
Autism Through the Life Span
Date: March 21, 2020 8:45-4:30
Location: Li Ka Shing Conference Center
291 Campus Drive, Stanford University
Autism Society National Conference
2020 Disability Policy Seminar
Date: March 23-25, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
11th Annual Honestly Autism Day
Date: March 28, 2020
Location: Hunt Valley, MD
Autism Conference and Training
Date: April 2-3, 2020
Location: Ottawa, ON
Nebraska ASD Network State Conference
Date: April 2-3, 2020
Location: Lincoln, NE
Autism Conference and Training
Date: April 16-17, 2020
Location: Halifax, NS
International Conference on Physical Disability Treatments and Therapies
Date: April 23-23, 2020
Location, New York, NY
Autism Converge Autism Summit 2020
Date: April 23-25, 2020
Location: Greenville, SC
Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin 31st Annual Conference
Date: April 30- May 2, 2020
Location: Wisconsin Dells, WI
International Society for Autism Research
Date: May 6-9, 2020
Location: Seattle, Washington
Autism Conference and Expo Georgia
Date: May 13-14, 2019
Location: Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Date: 1-4, 2020
Location: Pittsburg, PA
Autism Research Conference
Date: June 4
Location: New York, NY
National Autism Conference
Milestones Autism Resources
Date: June 11-12, 2020
Location: Cleveland, OH
European Academy of Childhood Disabilities
Date: June 17-20, 2020
Location: Poznan, Poland
48th Annual National Down Syndrome Congress Convention
Date: June 25-28, 2020
Location: June 25-28, 2020
National Association of QDIP’s Annual Conference
Date: August 4-7
Location: New Orleans, Lousiana
American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Annual Meeting
Date: September 22-26, 2020
New Orleans, Louisiana
Autism New Jersey Annual Conference
Date: October 15-16, 2020
Location: Atlantic City, N.J.
Council for Learning Disabilities
Date: October 15-16
Location: Richmond, VA
Annual 32nd International Conference on ADHD
Date: November 5-7
Location: Dallas, Texas
2020 CPISRA Conference on Physical Activity and Health for People with Cerebral Palsy or Acquired Brain Injury
Date: December 4-6, 2020
Location: Sydney, Australia
Source: KQED News
It was a Friday morning in early May, just before Mother’s Day, when a group of preschool teachers settled onto oversized pillows and colorful beanbags for a conversation that would lead to tears, frustration and — eventually — a sense of clarity on a delicate matter involving a child.
Karen Massingille, a preschool behavioral health therapist, sat on a tiny child’s chair, looking at the nine women seated around her in a cozy, carpeted corner of the sunlit room.
She took a few deliberate breaths, then started to speak.
“It’s Mother’s Day,” she said. “Anybody have any plans?” Click here to read the rest of the story.
Working in the special needs profession often leaves little room for self-care and developing a healthy lifestyle including exercising, which why it is vital that you take the initiative and create an exercise plan that will work well for you.
Exercise is essential for your health and well-being for many reasons. For one, it helps to prevent disease. By moving one’s body daily, we reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. A second reason is that it helps us control our weight. As we get older, we tend to slow down which causes us to burn fewer calories. Working in a profession which can take an emotional and mental toll, causes one to just want to go home and relax. However, exercising less and burning fewer calories can lead to obesity.
There are many benefits to exercising
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One of the ways to improve fine motor skills is helping children and adults develop cutting skills also help with pre-writing skills and pencil control. Below are resources that will help in developing and teaching scissor skills.
2 years- snips with scissors
2.5 years- Cuts across a 6-inch piece of paper
3.5 years- Cuts along a 6-inch line
4.5 years- Cuts out a circle
6-7 years- Cuts a variety of shapes and pictures.
5 easy ways to introduce scissor skills
How to teach a child to use scissors
Scissor cutting skills: Why they are important
Teaching kids how to use scissors
Teaching preschoolers to use scissors
The importance of teaching your child how to use scissors
Tips for teaching scissor cutting skills
10-page scissor skills packet (Mama’s Learning Corner)- geared towards preschoolers and kindergartners.
12 free shapes and cutting page (www.mpmideas.com)- geared towards preschool aged children
Construction truck scissor cutting practice sheets (MO & MH)- Kids will practice cutting lines.
Cut, copy and glue for spring (Your Therapy Source)- Free 3-page packet in black and white. Includes a butterfly, ice cream cone and a snail.
Free cutting and coloring pack (Tot Schooling)- Cutting pack features straight, diagonal, curved and zig zag lines.
House scissor practice (Teaching Station)- Download free worksheets. Includes shapes of circles, squares, triangles, and rectangulars.
Printable preschool cutting busy box (Fun with Mama)- post includes ways to teach kids how to use scissors and develop cutting skills
Rocket scissor practice (Teaching Station)- Kids will practice cutting and pasting shapes to make a rocket.
Snake spiral worksheet (www.education.com)- Kids can both color and cut out the spiral design.
Trolls, hair-cutting (Tot Schooling Net)- Several different levels of difficulties.
I’ve been thinking a lot these past few weeks about standards-based instruction. I’ve been working on a presentation to help teachers teach based on the standards. Most (if not all) states require standards-based instruction be identified in the IEP. In addition, we evaluate our students based on the grade-level standards, even the students taking the alternate assessment. So, how do we keep what we teach relevant to the lives of most of our students? How do we make our teaching meaningful and functional for students who are not college bound. For those students who will need significant support after school, how do we help them use science and social studies information daily? Click here to read the rest of the story
