New Section Spotlight: Special Needs

abcteach is proud to offer a new category to our member site, dedicated to enhancing the lives of special needs individuals. The following is a personal note from specialist Jane Quinn, introducing herself, an exercise example, and welcoming you to take part in the future development of her section.

Jane writes:
I’d like to introduce myself and invite you to explore our new “Special Needs” category. I’ve been teaching moderate cognitively impaired and autistic spectrum students for over 30 years, to every age group, and found the greatest area of need to be secondary students and adults. Therefore this is where I have started (adding material to the site), but I have also included a few things for your primary students. Over the next few months, I will be adding lots of transition material and ideas, along with creating exercises from your requests.

To get you started, here is a “real class” home management teaching strategy:

• • After choosing a Home Management Skills Checklist (included on the abcteach member site), assemble the students in front of a chalk or white board.
• • Introduce the topic (i.e. “Setting the Table”) and ask “Does anyone do this job at home?”
• • Then request the student to tell/show everything they can about “Setting the Table.” Write these on the board, placing them in the order they hold on the checklist.
• • When the students have exhausted their ideas, fill in any missing steps. Next, read the list to the class and ask if anyone can think of things we missed.
• • The students copy the steps (either in writing or on the computer) and place in a Home Management binder or folder.
• • Each student is given the opportunity to practice the steps a couple of times in the classroom kitchen.
• • Homework for the week is to practice these skills at home.
• • Work on these skills 2 – 3 times, and add additional exercises each week.
• • At the end of the year, each student now has a personal binder with a complete series of “Home Management Skills.”

I look forward to supporting your teaching roles, as well as enhancing your student’s learning network! If you have any suggestions, requests or comments, please let me know (I love a challenge!). My goal is to provide the ideas and materials necessary to assist young adults in leading the most independent and productive lives possible.

Posted by Jane Quinn, abcteach team