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Simply Special Ed

Resource Downloads & Teaching Advice

Academics Blog Simple Classroom

3 Ways to Target Basic Skills in Special Education

Do you teach basic skills?

How to target basic skills in special education

A lot of our students need direct instruction for basic skills. Even for older students- sometimes these skills are lost along the way, no longer touched on (we need to remember to practice even the basics!), or just plain never taught (think: lots of teacher changes, school changes, and IEPs being passed around). It’s our job to assess our students on these skills, directly teach them, then offer different modes of practice so they can master and generalize these skills that will get them further in life!

basic skills flip books for special education

So if you are just starting out, you may be thinking… what basic skills do you focus on?

Here is my list:

+ Colors

+ Emotions

+ Body Parts

+ Clothes

+ Numbers 1-12

+ 1:1 Correspondence

+ Uppercase Letters

+ Lowercase Letters

When I get a new student, I assess these skills ( using flash cards, real objects, the ABLLS assessment, and in the natural environment throughout the day.

When I am writing an IEP, I assess these skills (same ways as above) even if it’s not an eval year. I MAKE SURE these skills are ON THE IEP if they are not generalizing them with a variety of people in a variety of settings.

Why? They need these skills as a base for EVERYTHING else! 

 

What basic skills do you target in your special education classroom. Autism teachers love to use dry erase for direct instruction

How do I target these skills?

Utilize materials all around you.

With younger students or those who benefit from manipulatives… using concrete materials is a great basic start to work on these skills. You can find puzzles, small toys, blocks, erasers, etc. at the target dollar section, Amazon, and dollar store to target all of these skills. I love setting up some clear bins with manipulatives so they are easy to grab for practice. Manipulatives are also a great way to elicit more language which is a win win!

basic skills file folders

File folders.

Everyone knows I love file folders. They are SO easy to pull for practice and use the pieces for direct instruction. They can be used in small group and independent work. They can be used in a task box system or for 1:1 work. They are so versatile and work for just about everyone.

dry erase flip books

Flip Books.

The flip books you see in this post are my new favorite way to target basic skills. (Sometimes I’ve had enough with the lamination) They can be used with a dry erase independently, or students can point to answer when working 1:1.

color flip book for special education

Is this important for older students?

Yes! We want everyone to be able to identify parts of their body at the doctor and the color sweater they want for Christmas. These are basic things in life that give our students more power and more of a voice. For older students, just make sure the materials you choose are age appropriate, (which is why I always use Smarty Symbols!)

 

Click the photo to grab the resource to target basic skills!

File folders for basic skills for special education

Flip books for basic skills for special education

  Pin this info for later! 

3 ways to target basic skills in special education

Basic skills are one of my favorite things to teach- I hope you can use some of this information and strategy to start implementing more basic skills generalization and learning in your classroom- our students need it!

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Hi amazing teachers!
I'm Alyssa Shanahan -- a former Elementary Special Ed & Life Skills teacher. My classroom focus was always to keep things simple, increase communication, and build independence. Simply Special Ed's goal is to help teachers and students reach their full potential in and out of the classroom!

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