1. Approaches for Promoting Self-Determination
Time Allotment:
30 seconds
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
This slide transitions from the “what” and “why” self-determination is important to the “how” can we teach self-determination to students.
Approaches for Promoting Self-Determination

2. Four Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
Use student-driven IEP and transition planning.
Directly teaching skills or enhancing knowledge
Embedding instruction into the general curriculum
Use Person-Centered Planning
Career
Leisure
Time Allotment:
1 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“There are several approaches teachers can take when trying to promote SD in students. The four approaches here have been found to have an evidence base for successfully increasing self-determination skill: (1) using student-driven IEP and transition planning, (2) Directly teaching skills or enhancing knowledge, (3) embedding instruction into the general curriculum, and (4) using person-centered planning. Each of those approaches are described in more detail in the next several slides.”
Residential

3. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
1. Student-driven IEP and transition planning
Making sure the student attends and is PREPARED for participating in their IEP meetings
Important step in transferring decision- making power to students
Teaching students about the IEP and its use in guiding their future
Remember that ALL students are capable of participating
Time Allotment:
3 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Generally teachers are taking the first step and inviting students, but typically the student is a passive participant and is not integral to the development of the plan. Teachers need to take it further and develop the plan with the students AHEAD of time and facilitate them leading the meeting.
Examples of this could look like: students starting the meeting, reading through the document, discussing progress, asking for feedback and reviewing new goals. It may look like students starting the meeting, reviewing strengths, interests, and reviewing goals. It could also look like students starting the meeting and reviewing goals. Students of all ability levels can participate with the right amount of pre-meeting instruction and meeting facilitation from the teacher.”
It may be helpful to refer back to the self-determination components listed on slides 11&12. Let’s do that now.
Ask participants: How might a student-led IEPs incorporate:
self-awareness? discussing strengths, limitations, interests
goal-setting (discussing new goals),
self-regulation (discussing a self-monitoring strategy that was/will be used for a goal)
self-advocacy (discussing needed accommodations). ,.

4. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
2. Directly teaching skills or enhancing knowledge
Self-management (self-monitoring, self- recording, self-graphing, …)
Choice-making
Problem-solving
Time Allotment:
5 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
The next approach is direct teaching, such as self-management strategies (e.g., self-monitoring, self-recording, self-graphing), choice-making, and problem-solving. How would you or do you teach these skills?
Directly teaching these skills can be as simple as having a “problem of the day” as a writing warm-up, or explicitly teaching what goals are and how to set them.”

5. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
3. Embedding instruction into the general curriculum
Examples:
Literature Circles
IEP Template
Go 4 It…Now!
Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI)
Time Allotment:
1 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
A third approach is embedding instruction into the general curriculum is also an approach for promoting SD in students. Several instructional strategies already have a research-based, such as Literature Circles, the IEP Template, Go 4 It…Now!, and the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI). Each of these strategies will be discussed in the next few slides.”

6. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
3a. Embedding in Curriculum:
Literature Circles Description and Practice
In small groups, students read the same book and prepare for the literature circle discussions by assuming different group roles and completing assignment sheets that prepare them for their role in the discussion.
Self-determination components addressed: problem-solving and decision-making
ELA skills addressed: reading comprehension, oral communication
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“ Blum, Lipsett, & Yocom (2002) conducted a study using Literature Circles with 8th and 9th grade students with disabilities. These students showed improvement in their perceptions of their reading skills and were able to contribute to discussions in their literature circles. Problem-solving and decision-making were the SD components addressed in this study. Additionally, reading comprehension and oral communication were English Language Arts skills that were addressed.”

7. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
3 b. Embedding in Curriculum: IEP Template
IEP awareness, career exploration and students interviewing parents and teachers
Direct instruction and modeling to complete an IEP Template that includes vision statement; present level of performance; goals and objectives; measurement criteria and procedures; and services and accommodations
Self-determination components addressed: goal- setting and self-awareness
ELA skills addressed: research skills, writing for a variety of purposes, sentence writing
Time Allotment:
5 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Another strategy that can be embedded into the general curriculum is the IEP Template. Konrad & Test (2004) conducted a study using the IEP Template with 7th grade students with learning disabilities or mild mental retardation. These students showed improvement in their abilities to complete the IEP Template. The SD components addressed in this study were goal-setting and self- awareness.
“How can the IEP Template be used in the classroom? The first step is IEP awareness instruction (What is an IEP and why do I have one?). Then students to participated in career exploration using on-line career interest inventories, and the on- line Occupational Outlook Handbook. Students take an active role by interviewing their parents and teachers as part of the process. Teachers would provide direct instruction and modeling of how to complete the Template. The template includes a vision statement, present level of performance, goals and objectives, measurement criteria and procedures, and services and accommodations. So, in essence, students are learning how to write many components of their own IEPs.”
The English Language Arts skills addressed were research skills, writing for a variety of purposes, and sentence writing.
Given these language arts skills, there is added potential with this approach to connect the activity to the Common Core.

8. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
3c. Embedding in Curriculum:
GO 4 IT…NOW!
Uses a mnemonic device to help students write 6-sentence goal paragraphs
Can be applied to other types of paragraph writing
Self-determination components addressed: goal-setting, self- awareness, and self-regulation
ELA skills addressed: writing for a variety of purposes, paragraph writing
Goals
Objectives
4 (4 objectives)
Identify
Timeline
Name your topic.
Order your steps.
Wrap it up and restate topic.
Time Allotment:
3 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“The GO 4 IT…NOW strategy uses a mnemonic device that you see here in the blue box to help students write 6-sentence goal paragraphs. This mnemonic can be applied to other types of paragraph writing as well.”
The Go 4 It…Now! Strategy is another way to embed SD instruction into the general curriculum. Konrad, Trela, & Test (2004) conducted a study using the Go 4 It…Now! Strategy with high-school students with cognitive and physical disabilities. The participants showed improvement in their abilities write IEP goal paragraphs and other types of expository paragraphs. The SD components addressed in this study were goal-setting, self-awareness, and self-regulation. Additionally, the ELA skills addressed were writing for a variety of purposes, and paragraph writing.

9. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
3d. Embedding in Curriculum:
Self-Directed Learning Model of Instruction
Mithaug, Wehmeyer, Agran, Martin, & Palmer, (1998).
Three phases:
Phase 1: Set a Goal
Phase 2: Take Action
Phase 3: Adjust Goal or Plan
Used for setting academic and behavior goals
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Another instructional strategy could be the Self-Directed Learning Model of Instruction which teaches goal setting within the context of a general education class. It was created by Mithaug and colleagues (1998) and is comprised of three phases: Phase 1: Set a Goal, Phase 2: Take Action, Phase 3: Adjust Goal or Plan. It has been used for setting academic AND behavior goals.”

10. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
4. Person-Centered Planning
A facilitated process designed to plan and develop supports to meet the specific desires of the focal person.
First, a group (or circle) of individuals is identified by the student and family who have an interest in funding or providing supports for the student.
Second, the group meets at a place convenient for all members (often a home or restaurant) to develop a plan.
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Person-centered planning is a fourth strategy for promoting SD in students. It is a facilitated process designed to plan and develop supports to meet the specific desires of the focal person. First, a group (or circle) of individuals is identified by the student and family who have an interest in funding or providing supports for the student. Second, the group meets at a place convenient for all members (often a home or restaurant) to develop a plan.

11. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
4. Person Centered Planning
Some Types of PCP
Whole-Life Planning (Timmons & Whitney-Thomas, 1998)
Personal Futures Planning (Miner & Bates, 1997)
McGill Action Planning System (Vandercook, York, & Forest, 1989).
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Some types of PCP are: Whole-Life Planning, Personal Futures Planning, and McGill Action Planning System.”

12. Approaches for Promoting SD in Students
McGill Action Planning System (MAPS)
What is the individual’s history?
What is your dream for the future?
What is your nightmare?
Who is the individual?
What are the individual’s strengths, gifts, and abilities?
What are the individual’s needs?
What would the individual’s ideal day at school look like?
What must be done to make it happen?
Time Allotment:
3 minutes
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
For those familiar with RENEW, RENEW is based on this system.
The MAPS asks 8 major questions:
What is the individual’s history?
What is your dream for the future?
What is your nightmare?
Who is the individual?
What are the individual’s strengths, gifts, and abilities?
What are the individual’s needs?
What would the individual’s ideal day at school look like?
What must be done to make it happen?

13. 5 minutes
Facilitators, help your group discuss these questions and capture their feedback on an activity sheet.
What self-determination teaching or assessment practices are used in your department?
What practices are used schoolwide?
Are the outcomes of practices being documented as transition assessment?
ACTIVITY 2

14. Published Research-based Curricula in Self-Determination
Time Allotment:
less than 1 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“A few examples of research-based curricula to directly teach self-determination skills will be presented. Please remember NSTTAC does not endorse any of these products. There are more curricula available.”
All but NEXT STEP has links to the internet (under the last heading “for further information”, if you have access, you may want to click on the link and show the audience the website).
Published Research-based Curricula in Self-Determination

15. Next S.T.E.P. (Student Transition & Educational Planning)
Population:
All levels of disability
Ages 14 through 21
Purpose:
Helps students learn how to take charge of their own transition planning process
Helps students assume responsibility for important life decisions with support from teachers and parents
Materials:
16 lessons with fully developed lesson plans
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
Optional to show: Next S.T.E.P curricula
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Next STEP is an evidence-based curriculum for all students with disabilities between the ages of 14 and 21. NEXT S.T.E.P. is a curriculum that teaches high school students how to begin planning for their lives after they leave school. "S.T.E.P." is an acronym for "Student Transition and Educational Planning.“ It teaches student:
How to…
become motivated to engage in transition planning.
do self-evaluation of important skills that will make the transition go well.
choose goals in four important areas including: Personal Life, Jobs, Education, and Living On Your Own.
take a leadership role in their own personal transition planning meeting.
follow through on choices and keep track of progress on their goals.
The NEXT S.T.E.P. curriculum includes:
a detailed Instructor's manual
entertaining and instructive video vignettes
guidelines for involving parents, family members, and other support persons in the student's transition planning process.
program information brochures briefly describing the NEXT S.T.E.P. curriculum.
Teachers Talking to Teachers, a manual of teacher recommendations concerning how to use the curriculum.
CONTINUED ON NEXT SLIDE

16. Next S.T.E.P. , continued (Student Transition & Educational Planning)
Content:
Unit 1: Getting to Know Myself
Unit 2: Self-Evaluation
Unit 3: Setting and Achieving Goals
Unit 4: Sharing Your Goals and Accomplishments
For further information:
Available through ProEd
$215.00
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
Optional to show: Next S.T.E.P curricula
Facilitator’s Notes:
“The NEXT S.T.E.P. curriculum contains 16 fully developed lessons and is organized into four major sections:
Introductory material explaining the concepts underlying transition planning along with beginning efforts in self-exploration.
Student self-evaluation.
Student involvement in setting and achieving goals.
Students sharing their goals and accomplishments at a culminating event.
As students work through the lessons, the goal is for students to become increasingly responsible for developing and implementing their own transition plans.”

17. Whose Future Is It Anyway
Whose Future Is It Anyway? A Student-Directed Transition Planning Process
Purpose: Prepare students for their IEP meetings and gain self-determination skills
Population: students with mild to moderate cognitive disabilities
Materials:
Coach's Guide
outlines lessons
how to teach lessons
the roles of the students and teachers
expected outcomes
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Whose Future Is It Anyway? Is an evidence-based curriculum for students with mild, moderate, and significant cognitive disabilities. The curriculum emphasizes student preferences, needs, and interests. It provides opportunities for students with disabilities to explore issues of self-awareness and acquire problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and small-group communication skills. The outcome of this process is that students learn how to be meaningfully involved in their transition planning process. It includes 6 sections (as presented on next slide) and each section has a different subject that teaches students to take control of the transition planning process and lead IEP meetings. It includes a coach’s guide that outlines each lesson, how to teach each lesson, and roles students and teachers play.”
CONTINUED ON NEXT SLIDE

18. Whose Future Is It Anyway?, cont.
Content Sections include:
Getting to know you; Making Decisions; How to Get What You Need; Goals, Objectives and the Future ; Communicating; Thank You, Honorable Chairperson -
Select “Transition Education Materials”
FREE!!!!
Time Allotment:
4 minutes
Materials:
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Here is a break down of the content within each section. Feel free to visit the Zarrow Center website link above for more information.”

19. ME! Lessons Purpose: Teaching Self-Advocacy and Self-Awareness
Unit overviews, Common Core State Standards, and lesson plans are included in one file
Select “Transition Education Materials”
FREE!!!!
Time Allotment:
2 minutes
Materials:
Facilitator’s Notes:
The ME! Lesson Plans are also available at this same site. Content sections that address similar areas, but in an analysis by the Parent Information Center of content of these two, Whose Future is it Anyway, and ME! Lessons, was that Whose Future is most appropriate for students with intellectual disabilities, while the ME! Lessons are more appropriate for a higher cognitive functioning level, specifically for at-risk youth.

20. Next Steps NH Student Training
Adapted from ME!
Empowering Youth: It’s all about you!
It’s your IEP…it’s your life!
Taking it to the next step; pulling it all together.
2 minutes
See handout
Parent Information Center, one of the partners on the Next Steps project, has developed a series of lessons for students, adapted from this curriculum.

21. FIND Evidence-based practices (EBP) in Self-Determination
Time Allotment:
less than 1 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
“Now we’re going to take a look at NSTTAC’s website, so you have an idea of links to the evidence-base of practices they have vetted, as well as some lesson plan starters.
FIND Evidence-based practices (EBP) in Self-Determination

22. Where to Find ‘EBPs’ and more…
National Technical Assistance Center on Transition transitionta.org/
Effective Practices
Lesson Plans
Zarrow Center
Assessments and lessons

23. Where to Find ‘EBPs’ and more…
Youthhood
Dynamic, curriculum-based tool that can help young adults plan for life after high school.
Interactive and personalized
Directed to young adults
I am Determined!
Direct instruction, models, and skill practice
Pepnet
For deaf or hard of hearing students, ages 14 through adult.
Changes coming January 1, 2017
Take your knowledge and/or practices beyond Introductory

24. What does teaching self-determination skills look like?
Meet Parker Bryant
Time Allotment:
5 minutes
Materials:
None
Background Information:
This is an example of a student leading their own IEP meeting and the PowerPoint was designed by the student. Parker expresses his interests, skills, and future goals.
Facilitator’s Notes:
“This is an example of a student expressing their interests, skills, and future goals. Parker Bryant is a student that does not really like to talk or give speeches so this is his way of having input in accessing his progress towards goals and setting future goals.”
Click on the “Welcome to my IEP meeting” slide and you will be able to play the example of the student’s PowerPoint by clicking through and discussing each part as you feel necessary.
Has anyone ever held or been in a meeting that had that level of student involvement in sharing aobut himself? How was that?

25. Ideas for Implementation
Include discussions of self-determination skills in IEP and other student meetings
Select a basic SD assessment tool and pilot with selected group of students
Pilot Student Led IEPs
Use self-determination practices in a specific class
Time Allotment:
2 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
So, where to go with all this?

26. Ideas for Implementation
Add self-determination transition services and annual goals to IEPs
Provide the Next Steps NH Courses in a train-the-trainer format for sustainability
Offer the Next Steps NH courses as:
A mini-ELO, single or group
A mini-course
8th grade orientation
workshops
Time Allotment:
minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:
Prompt the group to discuss :

27. Activity 3 Part 3: Goals and Action Plans
Consider your discussions in Activities 1 & 2. What is your goal for increasing and improving self-determination practices in your school
15 minutes
With you facilitator, develop 1-2 goals for increasing self-determination practices or activities.
Then, decide on action steps you can achieve by June 2016.
If you have time, consider Results. How will you know if you’ve helped students build self-determination skills or knowledge?
Activity 3

28. Next Steps NH Transition Resource Portal
Today’s training and materials will be available at:
Time Allotment:
0.5 minute
Materials:
None
Facilitator’s Notes:

29. Thank You!
The contents of this presentation were developed under a grant from the US
Department of Education, H323A However, those contents do not
necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you
should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer,
Corinne Weidenthal.
This product is public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part
is granted. While permission to reprint is not necessary, the citation should be: NH State Personnel Development Grant – Next Steps NH ( ). New Hampshire Department of Education, Concord.
Further questions. discussion?
Post-test
This should be the final presentation slide.