Special Needs Education: How to Help Your Child Succeed

With the different study programs that have been adapted to suit various students, a case where a teacher has to combine different learning programs in teaching a disabled student has to formulate strategies and set aside the various considerations to observe in ensuring that they achieve the objective. This is because students with moderate cognitive disability require more attention during learning since, unlike normal students, they take longer to grasp concepts. For this reason, it is important for teachers of students with disability to modify their approaches so as to ensure that they are able to help them overcome their learning disability. When looking at the general education classroom conditions, students with special needs are incorporated into normal school curriculum which incorporates teaching strategies such as assigning individual studies to the special needs students, adjust lessons so as to ensure that they suit the needs of these students by relaying multiple contents in reading and writing, engaging the use of various materials when teaching such as the use of videos and objects (Friend & Bursuck, 2002). The Common Core State Standard is designed in a way that ensures that students learn skills and acquire knowledge regardless of their disabilities by applying strategies such as providing texts to test comprehension, stating assumptions and providing definitions, and using several examples in Math to ensure that the content is grasped. Individualized Education Program (IEP) allows students to tackle different levels individually instead as a combination due to their diverse learning abilities and special needs. The strategies applied focus more on the strengths and weaknesses of the individual students and is target-based by applying short and long-term targets which have to be achieved. It also constitutes of a study plan and applies the use of home assignments to help a student achieve a specified time period. Dual obligation of IEP is to enable teachers to plan and present lessons to small groups of students. 

When focusing on a special needs student who has a combination of all these classrooms, the special needs teacher is required to set aside strategies and considerations that will address the learning process of the student. The considerations put in place include the issues that the student faces when reading, writing and working out mathematical sums, focusing on the amount of work they assign to such a student, the amount of time that is allocated to focus on the specific needs of the student and on the method used to deliver instructions and interventions by the teacher (CEC, 2013). The strategies to be set aside include allocating lesson plans that incorporate the use of different forms of teaching such as the use of videos and art, the issuing of daily assignments and assessments to monitor the progress of the student and relaying multiple contents to enhance comprehension of texts. Repeated reading can also be employed to improve oral skills such as fluency and reading performance (Marie, 2015). 

When planning instructions that involves the combination of general education classroom, CCSS and the dual obligation of IEP for a student with mild to severe disabilities, the challenges that may arise include difficulty in implementing a similar way of teaching such a student. This is because the intensity of the disability lowers the ability of the student to grasp what is being taught. CCSS requires that lessons include intense reading and understanding while IEP requires that the teacher assign students. There may not be enough time to study much while allocating individual time for the student. This may thus make it difficult for the student to have a clear understanding of what is being taught thus the main objective of learning is not achieved (Friend & Bursuck, 2002). 

The equal opportunity provided to ensure that students can access the grade-appropriate Core Curriculum enables students to access Free Appropriate Public Education since children with disabilities are mandated to receive special education and other services for special needs students to enable them acquire education and skills for future self-development. This is enabled by the support services that are provided to ensure that learning is beneficial. 

Mini-Lesson Plan 

This plan is designed to enable a few students with learning disabilities understand how to read a comprehension and be able to analyze it without much difficulty. The objective of this plan is to indeed prove that “disability is not inability” by enabling these group of four dedicated students overcome their learning challenges. The desired results is a boost in the younglings self-esteem and confidence and an overall improvement in their comprehension and learning abilities making them enjoy learning as much as any other fifth grader out there. 

The KWL (know, want and learn) approach will be used to teach the students on comprehension and writing. This strategy involves: 

K: What the students already know. 

W: What the students want to know by the end of the class. 

L: What the students want to learn. 

It is designed such that it can be used by students in all grade levels. It aims at enabling students to use this strategy when reading in order to understand what they have read and learnt during the class. In addition to the KWL approach, the teacher will use a scaffolding strategy and use toys for further illustration and in order to better the understanding of the student who is good at pictorial presentation. This approach may be tested on a 10 to 15 minute class. 

The teacher explains to the students that it is not unusual for them not to understand a text the first time they read it. She asks each of them to give an example or examples of the few times they have tried to understand a written text and it proved challenging and this should be done for the first 5 minutes. This is to help with their fluency and enable them to gradually develop it through the discussions in class ( Smith et al., 2015 ). She then explains to them the new KWL strategy they are going to try out during the lesson. She asks the students to discuss in pairs what they already know about comprehensions then share their views with the rest of the class and this should take 3 minutes. After the discussion, each of them will give an account of what they really want to know about reading comprehensions by the end of the class and this will also require 3 minutes. These discussions aim at improving the students’ speech and auditoria. More so, they are able to gain a confidence boost due to the gradually developing fluency and clarity of speech. True to the adage practice makes perfect. The discussion also acts as a way of actively engaging the students in their studies to ensure that they remain focused on the lesson at hand. 

Being done with the discussions, the teacher will then read a short piece of text preferably three lines at a slow pace then ask each of the students to repeat what she has just read and use at most 2 minutes (Common Core, 2012). This is to gauge how much the student can absorb and be able to repeat it if asked to so. In case there is no response from any of the students she reduces the text to two lines then one line if still there is no response. If the student still cannot reread a line of the text then the teacher moves down to word by word level. (Texas Education Agency, 2015). At this point the teacher introduces the idea of scaffolding where she asks the students questions based on the text and gauge their responses in order to note their understanding. (Texas Education Agency, 2015). 

An example of scaffolding is shown below: 

( The teacher reads a small bit of text and draws a few diagrams on the board in order to illustrate what the text is about .) 

Teacher: What is this story about? 

Student 1: I think it is about a cat and mouse. 

Student 2: No the teacher has drawn a lion on the board so it is about a lion. 

( The teacher then goes ahead to read the text again and explains to the students what the story is about) 

Teacher: What did you learn about the cat and mouse from the story? 

Student 3: ( Uses the toys the teacher brought to class to illustrate what he understood based on the pictures on the text then tries to verbalize his opinion.) The cat eats the mouse. 

Student 4: The mouse runs away from the cat. 

This way the teacher is able to gauge their different levels of understanding. She then uses the toys to further illustrate the story and ensure that everyone in class has understood. 

After scaffolding and illustrations the teacher then incorporates the last bit of the KWL strategy. She asks the students what they have learnt from the short session of comprehension reading. This she asks them to discuss in pairs then she asks each of them to share with the class what the other person said. The students are then asked to find a text of their own choosing and read aloud then explain what the text is about (Common Core, 2012). Students can apply the mini-lesson when doing short reading since it will enable them to easily recall the content they read. From now on, the teacher will be able to use different methods while teaching to capture the attention of the students such as the use of toys in class for graphic demonstration. The use of a software program in place of these toys also play a major role in enhancing understanding of the lesson at hand. By the end of 10 minutes, the students should leave the class having understood the content that was being taught. 

Assignment 3 

1.Lesson Title, Duration	Reading a passage  60 minutes
2.Number of students	5
3.Student disability, impact and learning characteristics	Tom who is eight years old has dysarthria. He is shy when it comes to reading aloud in class due to stammering. He is slow in reading but if given the chance to read aloud he reads loudly and clearly. He will participate in reading aloud the text.  Sanchez is nine years old and is from Colombia. He is not yet able to pronounce English words and cannot form clear sentences. He will participate in reading the passage as a way of helping him learn how to pronounce simple English words.
4.Grade level	Grade 3
5.Instructional Content focus	Instructional content will focus on improving reading and understanding of text in children with mild disabilities
6.Connection	The students are to explain how specific aspect of the text’s illustration have contributed to what is conveyed by the words in the text.
7.Instructional setting and arrangement of environment	This is a grade 3 classroom with the students sitting around a table and the teacher’s desk at the front. There are five children in the class with one student having dysarthria, one foreign student, two students with down’s syndrome and one student with Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD). The class is colorful and the children prefer to have treats before they start the lesson. They also love treats when they answer questions correctly.  The classroom has windows on the left side and is in a quiet serene environment free from minor distractions.
8.IEP Goal with measurable criteria and direct link to lesson	The IEP Goal for the lesson is to improve reading comprehension of the student.  Given 3 rd grade reading material, the children should be able to fluently read and comprehend the material and should be able to summarize and record at least two thirds of the material in his/her own words in a clear manner by June of this year.
9.Common Core State Standards Alignment	The major lesson objective is to improve the reading comprehension skills of the students. This is in line with the Common Core State Standards for 3 rd grade students that requires them to read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry independently and proficiently (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2017)  The students are also supposed to ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
10.Lesson objective	The lesson objective is to improve reading comprehension by allowing the children to read and understand the text given. This will help improve their ability to read and understand the text as well as the ability to write down what they have understood. In line with the Common Core Standards it will improve their proficiency in the English language.
11. Assessment	The students will be required to summarize in their own words what the text given is about. The paper will be marked out of five marks at the end of the lesson
12.Accomodations or modifications	Several accommodations have to be made for the students. The children with Down-syndrome need to be allocated more time to read the text. Repetition of the text is also important for these children in order for them to understand it. Encouraging the children to read the text may also be beneficial. When it comes to writing the summary these children may require writing slopes as well as colorful pens and pencils based on the way they learnt how to write. They may also use touchscreens if available.  The children with ADD need to be encouraged to read by use of a guide finger that underlines words as they read them. In writing, these children should be given enough time to write. They may also be assessed verbally whereby they talk as I write what they say. Computers should also be available as a way of writing the summary instead of using paper  For Sanchez who can’t clearly articulate English, he should be allowed to read the text in both his native language and English as a way of transcribing the information and helping him understand. He can also be allowed to write in whichever language he understands best and the teacher will do further translation. Like the rest he should also be given enough time to write his summary.  For Tom, with dysarthria, he is fine with writing. His problem lies in clearly articulating the words. He will be allowed to read the passage slowly so as to be able to articulate the words. He has no problem with writing therefore he does not require any accommodations.
13.Instructional strategies	Instructional strategies that will be employed include:  Whole Language and Literature-Based Reading Programs  This instructional strategy involves the use of whole language. The procedure is centered on involving students in lots of reading and writing, creating an environment that accepts and encourages risk-taking and maintaining a focus and meaning (Candace S. Bos, 1988) .  Strategies for comprehension are to be taught within the text. The teacher is to discuss the content with the students in literature circles. The teacher listens to what the students highlight as interesting or challenging and then gauges what has been understood or not. The teacher is also supposed to consider some follow up activities to gauge how much the pupils have understood.  This instructional strategy is highly child centered and should be advantageous to children with disabilities. It also provides time to teach literacy strategies during reading and writing  Peer assisted learning strategies  This is a supplemental peer-tutoring program that allows students to become tutors to their fellow students. Students work in groups during reading sessions. It is student centered with the teacher only coming in for any necessary guidance.  This strategy has been shown to have exceptional effects on reading fluency and comprehension of students with disabilities (National Center for Educational Evaluation and Regional Assistance, 2012)
14. Student management- Checks for understanding and schedule of reinforcement	Understanding may be checked by focused observation on the student’s body language.  Asking of questions is also an important way of ensuring that the students are understanding the text that they have just read.
15.Flow of lesson plan and instruction	At the beginning of the lesson: the students should start reading the passage  At 30 minutes: all the students should have finished reading. An explanation to the text is given by the teacher and questions are asked and answered by both the teacher and student  At 45 minutes: the students are given time to write a summary of what they have understood. The teacher may help them those that need alternative means of writing.  At 55 minutes: the summary is collected and marked out of five marks and taken back to the students. The teacher explains their mistakes to them.  Sweet treats may be given to those who have done well in the summary.  At 60 minutes: the lesson ends.
16. Example of data collection form and data analysis and decision rules	The data collected would be in the form of scores attained by the students from the test and would be analyzed to see whether they are concordant with the IEP goals set at the beginning of the lecture
17. Critical analysis: Reflection/Assessment	If most of the student scores matches or is above the pass threshold, it signifies that the lesson objectives have been achieved. It would be an indicator of adequate understanding of the text as well as good reading skills. Future instructional plans will therefore focus on refining reading comprehension skills  If the students do not meet the assessment objectives, then it would imply the need for further practice of reading and comprehension skills.
18. Critical Self-Assessment	Self-assessment must be done. Analysis of whether the goals of the lesson have been achieved, whether there was enough student support and whether the evaluations were formative and summative are required.  A look at whether the lesson goals were in line with the intentions from the beginning to the end is also important. The teacher should also look at whether there are better ways of improving the learning process for the students.
19. Peer-reviewed sources	References  (2012, June ). Retrieved from National Center for Educational Evaluation and Regional Assistance: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_pals_060512.pdf  Candace S. Bos, S. V. (1988). Strategies for teaching students with learning and behavior problems. Allyn and Bacon.  Common Core State Standards Initiative . (2017). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/3/

References  

Common Core Standards Initiative. (2012). Common Core Standards Initiative . Retrieved from http://www.corestandads.org/ 

Marie, Kristinx. (2015). Chapter 8- Assessing and Teaching Reading: Fluency and Comprehension. Quizlet. Retrieved from https://quizlet.com/15741899/chapter-8-assessing-and-teaching-reading-fluency-and-comprehension-flash-cards 

Special Educator Professional Preparation. (2013). Tiered Intervention Systems. Council for Exceptional Children . Retrieved from http://www.cec.sped.org/Special-Ed-Topics/Specialty-Areas/Tiered-Intervention-Systems 

Texas Education Agency. (2015). Fourth- to Fifth-Grade Text-Based Intervention with Self-Regulation. Texas Center for Learning Disabilities . Retrieved from https://www.texasldcenter.org 

Friend, M., & Bursuck, W. D. (2002).  Including students with special needs: A practical guide for classroom teachers . Allyn & Bacon, A Pearson Education Company, 75 Arlington Street, Boston, MA 02116. 

Smith, T. E., Polloway, E. A., Patton, J. R., Dowdy, C. A., & Doughty, T. T. (2015).  Teaching students with special needs in inclusive settings . Pearson.