Suzy Dees Bloomington Public Schools District 87

 For this activity, as Suzy reads a statement, stand if the statement applies to you. If you stand, please be prepared to share with the group  Why is this a good

 Identify some key components of Autism  Identify the 4 “Habits of Mind” to consider with students on the spectrum (and ALL kids)  Describe how inclusion will benefit all students in my classroom  Participate in group discussions surrounding the topic of including students with autism in classrooms  Recognize specific tools/supports I can use immediately to assist in including kids on the spectrum (and ALL kids)  Identify how we, can help facilitate legitimate academic and social success for our students on the spectrum in all settings

 Carly’s Voice Carly’s Voice  us/blog/119-meet-carly-fleischmann us/blog/119-meet-carly-fleischmann

 Autism is a complex developmental disability that impacts the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction and communication skills.

 How can we stretch our thinkng regarding strategies for integrating students?

Statement: The student will write for five different audiences Adaptations: The student will independently write an

Statement: The student will be able to explain the causes of the Civil War Adaptation: The student will identify a cause of the Civil War

Statement: The student will know that the Earth is a planet. Adaptation: Given a picture of all of the planets, the student will identify the Earth.

 Focusing on Relationships  Evaluating Curriculum and Instruction  Tapping into Interests  Teaching New Skills  Offering Safe Spaces and Breaks

 Common Causes of challenging behavior in students with Autism include:  Curriculum that is dull and lacks variety  Curriculum that is not age appropriate  Instruction is a poor match for learning style  Not enough opportunities for conversation, communication and choice making  Not enough social interaction (too much 1:1)  Not enough fun or joy in the day

 Activity Schedules  First/Then Boards  Choice Menus  Written Words

 Visual cues  Social stories – stable ones that can be laminated and used over and over and over and “on the fly” ones  Visual schedule (see next few slides)  Gestures  Timers  First______ then____________  High tech and low tech work equally well

Courtesy of Courtesy of Visual Schedules

 For especially challenging transitions at school, an “First/Then” mini schedule can be used FIRST THEN

 Build relationships through activities ◦ Role Play ◦ Social Secrets ◦ Friendship-Focused Individualized Education Program Goals ◦ Lunch Bunch (as seen in the video)

 Duet teaching  One Teach/One Assist  Parallel Teaching

 Successful strategies for including students: ◦ Using technology ◦ First day/first week of school? ◦ In Specials/lunch/recess ◦ Creative/effective use of staff ◦ Communication between adults ◦ School culture

Thumb up = This IS inclusion Thumb down = This is NOT inclusion

Statement: Inclusion is real estate (meaning, it is enough for a student to simply BE in the gen ed classroom) Problems: It is more than an extra chair in the room; a student needs to be an interregnal part of the class, feel welcome from the very beginning, and have a clear purpose for the integration. When the student is not engaged with the content, it is not OK to simply let him color or NOT engage with the content. What can we do to ensure engagement with the content? Rewrite: Inclusion is more than just real estate.

Statement: Inclusion ensures all students have the same learning targets. Problems: Students are included for all different types of reasons. Targets may need to be modified to address the needs of the student. Rewrite: In an inclusion classroom, all students have clear learning targets, but the targets may be modified.

 Statement: Successful inclusion depends on frequent communication and planning among staff.  Problems: None

 Statement: Inclusion is only possible when class sizes are manageable.  Problems: There is always room for one more. Find a way, make a way—over, under, around, or through. Presume competency. Remember the Habits of mind.  Rewrite: Inclusion can benefit all students regardless of class size and manpower.

 Trust me, you need to subscribe to Paula’s blog and her differentiation site    Suzy’s wiki  examples examples  you MUST explore this one!

 Power Point from Michigan on Visual supports Power Point from Michigan on Visual supports   /FrontPage /FrontPage   visual-schedule-classroom-autism-ASD/ visual-schedule-classroom-autism-ASD/   ual-supports-for-autism-classroom.html ual-supports-for-autism-classroom.html

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