Sometimes the only difference between an OK session with your student and a GREAT session with your student is the reinforcer you use. I recently assessed some elementary students on their reading skills who struggle with an emotional disability. During the first session, I just brought my assessment materials and used lots of positive comments and encouragement. The sessions went just ok for some students, but it was a bit […]
Read moreDecodable Books. Something that there is NOT enough of! We have started doing Fundations in our school district that has been FANTASTIC. This Phonics and Word Study Tier 1 Reading has an Orton-Gillingham approach that involves a systematic, cumulative, mulit-sensory approach to teaching reading. It plays fair with students! Students are doing better in this program during a pandemic on a 4-day a week in-person schedule than they did in […]
Read moreThe staff in one of our buildings was asked to do a few bus rides with students from some of our poorer neighborhoods in an effort to make some relationship connections. I decided to participate in this effort. On my very first ride, I sat with two young students who were in 1st and 2nd grade. I noticed that they both had on nail polish, so I decided to engage […]
Read moreWhy is it that we all tend to grab on to negative things that are said to us or negative things that we say to ourselves? It’s hard to understand why negative seems to dominate the positive unless specific action takes place. So frustrating! Perhaps this is why motivational speakers are in such high demand! If it was easy and natural, we would do it all the time ourselves! Right? […]
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19
Jan
2021
A Medley of Reinforcers You Won’t Want to Miss!
Don’t you just love when someone gives you a whole slew of ideas that are so fun and practical that you can’t decide which one to try first? I thought it was time to combine some of my favorite reinforcers/visual reminders and share them with you all at once! This is just for you! Take a look! For those of you who are my faithful longtime followers, this is just […]
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10
Jan
2021
The Best Little DATA TRACKER You’ll Ever Find!
No matter what changes in the world of special education, there is one thing that never changes….keeping track of data!!! UGH! It’s such a chore and not fun, so can you imagine that I’ve discovered something that can make it fun? I must send a shout out to Holly Foltz, one of our teachers who works with our students on the autism spectrum! I stopped by her school to talk […]
Read moreHappy New Year! I welcome 2021 with open arms and all kinds of excitement for his new year! I hope you have weathered this storm and are looking forward to getting the classroom back to normal as soon as possible! I feel that I don’t see visual supports for writing as often as I see other kinds of things. Do you agree? When I saw the ideas and strategies provided […]
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07
Dec
2020
The Best Strategy to Teach A Multi-Step Task!
Independence is one of the top goals we have for our students with special needs. How do you do that when sometimes the task has several steps? You need to build confidence one step at a time. Here’s the way I can relate to this concept. I’m OK with technology, but I’m not a tech wiz. I learn what I need, but I don’t spend hours playing around with technology […]
Read moreI LOVE children’s books! So much so that I took a course on children’s literature AFTER college! Who does that? I love great content, clever twists, beautiful illustrations and the way good books can inspire and influence children! Speaking of wonderful children’s books, I’ve got a treat for you today. Check out this wonderful author and one of her most recent books! Take a look! Please stay safe. You take […]
Read moreIf you have ever tried to teach idioms to students on the autism spectrum by teaching them the definition for what the idiom means, then you know it often fails. Students need not only explicit instruction when learning something difficult, they also need the opportunity to practice the new skill in context so it makes sense. Just like we don’t just teach reading by only teaching students to decode words, […]
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