Strategies for Students with Diverse Needs

1. Strategies for Students with Diverse Needs Working as a collaborative team Presenters: Kendra Nesbitt & Chris Janzen Oct 2013

2. Agenda Introductions Diverse Needs Defined NESD Philosophy - Learning Difficulties - Strategies Coffee Break Collegial Conversations Sharing Parking Lot - Questions

3. Introductions • Find someone from a different school, but similar grades (Elem, Middle, HS) • Share something about yourself that is NOT work related • Be prepared to introduce your partner to the group and share what you learned about them

4. Diverse Needs What does working with students with “Diverse Needs” mean to you?

5. Ministry of Education Needs-Based Service Delivery Model (2011) • needs are more important for programming and essential supports than categorical labels of disabilities • students receive appropriate services, not just the services for which they qualify • students have different needs that can change over time • individualized, flexible and responsive supports to meet their needs and enhance the growth of their strengths and abilities • a comprehensive evaluation of the needs of students and their families, identification of their concerns, coordination of supports that efficiently use resources

6. Three key principles 1. Inclusionary beliefs Differentiated Instruction (DI), Parent/caregiver engagement, Fostering independence, Assistive technology 2. Interprofessional collaboration Qualified staffing, Inservice training, School team collaboration, Engagement of agencies 3. Intervention planning Response to Intervention (RTI), Referral process, Inclusion and Intervention Plans (IIP), Transition planning, Service coordination

7. NESD - Inclusion • Inclusion is a value system where all students are entitled to equitable access to learning,achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their education. • Inclusion is more than physical location. It incorporates basic values that promote participation, friendship and interaction. • Inclusion involves bringing the support services to the child rather than moving the child to the services.

8. Learning Disabilities What are they? What are some different types? • Dylexia • Dyscalculia • Dysgraphia • Auditory and Visual Processing • Nonverbal

9. General Strategies • Provide structure and clearly stated expectation • Encourage self-monitoring, proofreading, self-correction • Allow students to tape classroom lectures/discussions • Allow assignments to be printed, typed, scribed • Provide access to read-along notes or texts • Provide access to computer, spell-checker, and calculator • Set up a buddy system

10. Reading Strategies • Record text selections that the student can understand but may not be able to read • Use visual aids to present or reinforce concepts from the reading selections • Use cooperative learning, group projects, or peer tutoring • Provide summaries of reading assignments • Underline key concepts in social studies, science, or other texts

11. Spelling Strategies • Limit the number of spelling words required • Select words that are required for success in other courses of study • Help students develop a personalized spelling dictionary • Allow opportunity for self-correcting errors • Advise student to use a spellchecker on the computer

12. Writing Strategies • Emphasize proper posture • Teach students how to hold a pencil and place the paper properly. If they are using a special pencil or gripping tool, make sure that the hand is positioned correctly • Guide the student through the formation of letters, provide them with model letters (or small cue card), or have them write on a chalkboard

13. Mathematics Strategies • Focus on understanding and using patterns • Focus on using mathematical properties • Focus on using manipulatives or models • Focus on using thinking or remembering skills • Focus on using the calculator • Focus on constructing a book of definitions and examples

14. Behavioural Strategies Prevent escalation of acting-out behaviours • Example • Defuse the situation • withdraw from the conflict; ignore the challenge; • always offer a choice • shift responsibility • make use of humour, make eye contact • be aware of the tone, volume and cadence of your voice; use a calm approach, keep the volume down. • be aware of body language; that is, don’t encroach on a student’s personal space or take an aggressive stance.

15. Behavioural Strategies cont’d Behaviour contracts • written statements between a teacher and a student and sometimes include and aide, the principal, and a parent • should only be used when the student has a desire to change his or her behaviour and all involved in the contract are willing to cooperate

16. Behaviour Strategies cont’d Token or point systems • the student receives a token or point each time he or she performs the target behaviour and the tokens are exchanged for an agreed upon reward

17. Attention Deficits • Important to know that students with attention difficulties are not wilfully inattentive • Handout

18. Coffee Break

19. What I do...

20. Collegial Conversations Communication (please refrain from using names)

21. Collegial Conversations • What’s working? • How does it happen? • What could be better? • What would you like to see?

22. Top Ten ideas for Communication

23. Collegial Conversations How do you work with your students? (please respect confidentiality and avoid using student names)

24. Top Ten Ideas for Working with Students

25. Parking Lot and Questions

26. Resources http://studentservices.nesd.ca/resources/ea-presentations http://education.gov.sk.ca/Actualizing-a-Needs-Based-Model-to-Support-Student-Achievement http://education.gov.sk.ca/Creating-Opportunities