What’s Special about SPED Resources?

Special education is a term that covers a large range of student abilities and disabilities. Most special education teachers work with students with mild to moderate disabilities, which allow the students to learn alongside "regular" students in inclusive classrooms. The teachers and aides that work with students with special needs generally modify the existing curriculum in order to meet the student's individual needs. These students may require additional time when completing tasks, as well as adaptations in the way the content is delivered and how work is completed.

Other special education teachers work with students with severe disabilities that may include emotional, mental, and/or physical disabilities. While students with severe disabilities sometimes attend their local public schools, others may attend schools that specifically cater to educating students with acute disabilities. Typically, these schools focus on life skills in addition to academics, and work to prepare their students to perhaps live independently or in a group setting upon graduation.

Regardless of the school setting, students with cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities require individualized programs of instruction that are tailored to their specific needs. It’s not uncommon for a single classroom to count students with dyslexia, autism, ADD/ADHD, cognitive impairments, and other disabilities among the "regular" students. While some teaching methods and accommodations may overlap for some of these students with disabilities, others will require their own sets of modifications and teaching methods and materials. The differentiated instruction and materials is absolutely necessary, but it does present a challenge and a significant amount of work for classroom teachers, especially those who lack teaching aides or special education support personnel. See Peggy's column for ideas on addressing students with special needs in your classroom.

Below are three special education resources for various grade/ability levels that are designed for use in the inclusive classroom. All week long we’ll be featuring many additional special education lesson plans and activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages for students with both mild and severe disabilities, so be sure to check those pages often.

Let’s Talk!!
Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies
Grade: K-1
This hands-on, inquiry-based unit combines language and social studies skills in order to encourage communication between verbal and non-verbal students. Students in early elementary classes are paired with students who are non-verbal and multi- handicapped and challenged to explore ways to communicate with and learn things about each other. This lesson can be a great win-win for both verbal and non-verbal students in terms of bridging gaps, practicing creative ways of social interaction, and helping to foster sensitivity, empathy, and respect. This lesson could also be used in schools looking to integrate character education lessons into the curriculum. This lesson is offered by ALEX, a project of the Alabama Learning Exchange. This education portal provides lesson plans, education-related podcasts, best practices, and Alabama professional development activities. Lessons are aligned to Alabama Content Standards.

Don’t Take It Literally
Grade: 6 Special Ed
Subjects: English Language Arts
This unit on idioms is aimed at special education students. The students will create classroom books to illustrate and learn common sayings and phrases. Additionally, the students will create puppets, write a script, and act out familiar idioms. I particularly like the hands-on nature of this unit, which could also be used effectively with ELL students. This lesson was produced by the Core Knowledge Foundation, an independent non-profit organization that develops curricula, publishes educational books and materials, and provides professional development for educators.

Giving Voice to Students Through "This I Believe" Podcasts
Subjects: English Language Arts
Grade: 9-12
The "This I Believe" series is "a national media project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives." In this lesson, students participate by writing and recording their own essays. Students first complete a series of activities designed to get them thinking and writing about their experiences. They then write, read, and record their essays for a class blog. The final activity has students comment on each other’s work. Designed specifically for disabled students, the lesson also includes suggestions for use in inclusive classrooms. This lesson is a product of ReadWriteThink, which presents free peer-reviewed resources in reading and language arts instruction. Lessons are aligned to NCTE/IRA Content Standards.