Tag: learning

Effective Behavior Management Tips for Special Ed Teachers

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Are you tired of spending your day as a teacher constantly battling disruptive student behaviors! Well, you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll provide you with some handy ideas for behavior management in your Special Ed Classroom!

As educators we understand the importance of creating an inclusive and positive learning environment for our students, particularly those with Special Needs. So with this logical flow of ideas, lets dive in and explore some creative and effective strategies for Behavior Management you can use.

1. Token Rewards

Token Rewards – A powerful method of strengthening new skills, the tokens are a way of reinforcing positive behavior and rewarding students for completing tasks, they then trade the tokens for desired activities or items they choose beforehand.

QUICK TIP – I use this board when I start teaching the Token Reward strategy, its a classroom resource that I can adapt with motivator choices that’s adapted for individual needs.

2. Critical Communication Cards

Critical Communication Cards – To teach new skills such as requesting “break please”, “help” and “wait” self -management strategies.

QUICK TIP – I place them on the edge of tables to remind students on their choices.

3. Self Regulation Tools

Self regulation tools – I’ve made tools individually accessible for my students to use in a handy little booklet.

QUICK TIP – I bind then as a book and keep them on hand for self management, each one tailored to individual needs that help them to self-regulate.

4. First and Then Strategies

First and Then – By using this strategy my students know what they must complete before having what they want, it also provides structure in their behaviour support plans.

QUICK TIP – If my students are finding it difficult to stay on track, I use the first and then strategy to remind them of what they are working for before they can get the item or activity they want.

5. Calm Down Corner

Calm Down Area – Sort out a corner of the room with a beanbag on the floor and a little book shelf for privacy, I kept it very plain and simple with just the calm down tools on hand… WOW it looks great, and my kids love it! Next I wanted to gave my kids a chance to take a break before things got to tricky, so I made these colourful break cards and purchased a sand timer.

QUICK TIP – Have a visual choice board ready with pictures of nice, peaceful activities that would help to distract from upset and some visual calm down tools to practice.

6. Classroom Posters

Posters – Visual Support reminders to Teach essential emotional regulation techniques and set them up in calm areas, display class rules and social skills posters in easy to see areas.

QUICK TIP – Print and display posters around the classroom or in a calm down area, use them to remind students of your classroom behavior expectations.

Find more Resources see below

Reward Systems

Self Regulation

Bundles

All TPT Resources

Visual Behavior Support Folder – Token Rewards Tools, schedules, First & Then,

Visual Supports: Token Reward System/First & Then – Strategies for Special Ed

Classroom Behavior Management Strategies: First, Next and Then Tools

Token Reward folder: Visual support tools with “first & then” Behavior Strategy

First, Next and Then table Schedule Templates with Visual Supports

First Then boards and Help cards: Autism visual supports

Visual Supports:”First, next, then” with Token Rewards Systems

Using Errorless Resources to build new skills

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Have you ever heard of errorless learning? if not, your not alone! When I first came across this approach I was skeptical. How can learning take place without errors? But when I delved deeper I discovered that errorless learning activities can be a valuable resource in Special Ed Classrooms.

Imagine tasks that don’t have a wrong answer and only successful completion, sounds like a dream, but its a reality for many students.

In this article we will explore the concepts of errorless learning and its benefits for students with Special needs. We will also look at the different skills that can be developed though these activities and the types of tasks that can be used.

Learning Objectives

These type of tasks not only improve student task routines and promote independent completion as well as teaching them to work from left to right. but also helps to build their confidence and fine motor skills. Students can practice using their pincer grip to manipulate the visuals to give the answers.

Skills

Recognise items

Fine motor grip

Build independent work skills

learn to work left to right

Gain confidence and work independently

Folder Games

These Errorless folder games can be seasonal or linked to topics and basic learning skills for independent stations

Adapted Books

Errorless adapted books can be applied to almost any subject and enable students to join in with stories and reading skills.

Task Cards

Errorless Task cards can be taught at independent stations and in fine motor skill sessions.

Schedule Templates for Preschool Special Education Classrooms

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You can now enjoy a more structured day for your special needs preschooler with these printable schedule templates! An easy-to-use guide will help you create individualized, fun learning experiences tailored to your child’s specific needs and capabilities.

This quick rundown will provide you with a few tips and strategies to help you create the perfect routine for your little learner.

Here are some quick tips and printable resources for setting up and getting started!

1. START SIMPLE – Make visuals for just meaningful times of the day eg, morning work, break, lunch etc,  this will help your young learner to recognise and correspond each picture with each of the activities.

2. BUY A LAMINATOR – Your laminator will become your friend! If you want all your hard work to last, laminate all mounts and visuals because they are going to go through a tough time!

3. WALL MOUNT  – Mount on a wall, the schedule must be low enough for your student to access and take away finished symbols.

4. USE A FINISHED BOX – Attach a finished box at the end or side of the schedule to drop the finished visuals in before starting a new activity. 

5. TRY A FILE FOLDER – A portable schedule can be used in a file folder in the same way as a wall mounted one. I find these easier with older children to check into the activities and more efficient in busy classrooms. Pop their name on it and keep all their individual support visuals in one place. 

6. MODLE AND PRACTICE – Always model, practice and remind your busy student at the beginning of each activity to, “check in”, or “check your schedule“.   Make a plan to pull back on all prompting until they begin to use this system independently!

Ask yourself questions to find the right types of schedule to fit the learners needs.

  1. Are your students able to pull off visuals when finished or can they tick a box?
  2. Do they need visuals?
  3. Can they read or write out the schedule?
  4. Can they tell the time and follow the order of the day?

For more resources visit my TPT Store!

Editable Visual Schedules

Editable Schedules for Classroom Management

Reward Chart Systems for Behavior Management|schedule|Token Economy|First & Then

Daily Planner Binder – Back to School for Kindergarten & Special Education

Engaging Students: A Guide to Creating Interactive Adapted Books for kids

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“Are you struggling to keep your special education students engaged in pre-reading material? Look no further! In this post, we will guide you through creating interactive adapted books that will effortlessly engage your students and make reading fun and exciting.”

Not only will these adapted books provide a fun and interactive pre-reading experience for your students, but they will also meet the specific needs and abilities of each individual student. By incorporating visual aids, manipulatives, and other interactive elements, these books will enhance comprehension and build a love for learning. Follow along as we break down the steps to creating your own adapted books.

Incorporating Interactive Elements for Enhanced Learning

An adapted book can be simplified for young learners and kids in Special Education to access. The main objectives of these type of adapted books is to comment on what they see on the page, identify the visual to answer the “I can see” question, learn story vocabulary and answer “who”questions about the animal characters in the story.

  • So attaching detachable visuals will enable the learner to answer questions.
  • Having a selection of visuals to choose from will establish a correspondence check for accuracy.
  • Using a comprehensive accompanied book with visuals will check understanding.
  • Vocabulary check cards can help with naming the corresponding characters, items or animals.
  • The Benefits of these Interactive Adapted Books
  1. Using interactive resources can help your young learners and non verbal students access popular stories and their characters, practice story sequencing skills, increasing motivation and interest, promote independence, and enhancing comprehension.
  2. Learners are able to practice receptive and expressive language skills, Vocabulary, sequencing and Math and Literacy.

Fun & Engaging Life Skills Activities for Special Education Classrooms

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Discover how our functional life skills resources in special education can help your child master their emotions and thrive in everyday life. Our interactive books, worksheets and activities are designed to build essential emotional recognition and management skills for a brighter, more confident future.

Equip your special learners with the tools to understand and express their emotions with our collection of functional life skills

Check out these amazing interactive books that make learning about facial expressions and emotions a blast! Students use attachable visuals to answer questions and complete tasks, perfect for independent work or more focused activities. Dive into a world where emotions come alive!

Learning about one’s own feelings and emotions can be daunting, particularly for young people with special needs. Our comprehensive guide to recognizing emotions and developing functional life skills is tailored explicitly for learners in special education, providing invaluable tools and techniques to foster understanding and independence.

For more resources visit my Store