Adapted books are an amazing tool in the special education classroom! These books help increase student engagement and develop comprehension. Keep reading to find out how to create and use these learning tools! What are Adapted Books? Adapted books are books that are modified to make them more accessible to students with disabilities. They can include enhancements such as visual supports, tactile elements, and matching components. These books are engaging for students because they have ... continue reading...
Search Results for: simple comprehension
First Week in Self-Contained
The first week of school can be many things- exciting, overwhelming, and a whirlwind. This is especially true in a self-contained setting. Read on to find out some simple and effective activities and strategies to use for the first week of school. Learn students' interests It may sound obvious, but the first week is a great time to start getting to know your students. Of course, it will take longer than a week to build those relationships! Before jumping into the curriculum, time should ... continue reading...
20 No-Stress Lessons for ESY This Summer
Planning for Extended School Year (ESY) can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re trying to keep things simple, engaging, and aligned with IEP goals. You want your students to keep making progress... but you also want summer to feel like summer! That’s why I’ve rounded up 20 low-prep, high-engagement ESY lessons and activities that are perfect for the self-contained special education classroom. Whether you're teaching for one week or the whole summer, these ideas are fun, functional, and ... continue reading...
ChatGPT Prompts Every Special Education Teacher Should Try
If you’re a special education teacher, chances are your to-do list is never-ending. From lesson planning to IEP writing, family communication to creating differentiated resources—you do it all. What if you had a little extra help behind the scenes? That’s where ChatGPT comes in. ChatGPT is an AI-powered tool that can save you hours of planning and help you create engaging, personalized content for your students. Whether you’re teaching in a self-contained classroom or supporting students ... continue reading...
Make ESY Easy – Enjoy Your Summer While I Take Care of the Plans! 🌞
As summer approaches, many special education teachers find themselves gearing up for Extended School Year (ESY) services. While ESY can be an important time to maintain skills, it doesn’t have to feel like another huge task on your to-do list. In fact, it can be an opportunity to create engaging, meaningful lessons for your students without overwhelming yourself. If you’re feeling the pressure of ESY planning, don’t worry—I’ve got your back! Here’s how you can make ESY easy, fun, and ... continue reading...
What Is TeachTown enCORE?
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to find a curriculum that truly meets the needs of your students with moderate to severe disabilities—while still aligning with the core academic standards—you’re not alone. That’s why I’m so excited to share a deeper look at TeachTown’s enCORE curriculum: a comprehensive, research-based program designed to give ALL students access to meaningful learning. In this post, I’m breaking down what makes enCORE so unique, how it supports both teachers and ... continue reading...
OT Tips for Winter Crafts
Who doesn't love a good seasonal craft?! As a school-based occupational therapist (OT), I LOVE a good craft. Simply Special Ed has so many adorable, easy-to-use and super engaging visual crafts that I love to use. They are especially engaging and motivating for my students in self-contained classrooms. I love how easy they are to adapt/differentiate based on student's strengths and needs. This blog is designed to help you work smarter, not harder while you and your students enjoy some fun ... continue reading...
How to target goals using Valentine’s Day Read Alouds
Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, so much so, that I chose it as the day for my upcoming wedding! Valentine's Day in the classroom can be chaotic with all of the candy and activities, but can also be tons of fun for the students. Using read alouds based on holidays is always an engaging way to facilitate learning and target student goals. Read on to find out ways you can do this! Use them as comprehension activities If any of your students have comprehension goals, using read ... continue reading...
5 Valentine’s Day Activities to Support IEP Goals
I absolutely love celebrating holidays with my special education students! Seasonal changes in the classroom help keep things fresh for me and my students. It also helps me teach them about real-world scenarios. Luckily, there are a ton of fun ways to incorporate Valentine cheer while still focusing on students' IEP goals. Keep reading for five fun ways to celebrate the season AND practice skills! Reading Goals Comprehension and being able to retell a story are common reading goals for ... continue reading...
Winter Book Companions
It's winter, which means it's time to snuggle up with a good book! In my Junior High Life Skills class, I utilize Book Companions for ELA and Reading! Whether it is in small groups or 1:1 instruction, book companions help my students to have meaningful engagement with the text. I think I might love them even more than they do! Check out these Winter Book Companions from Simply Special Ed! Hello Winter! The Winter Book Companions are a great addition to your December lesson ... continue reading...
High School OT Goals & How to Target Them
High school is a pivotal time for students; especially those with unique needs. It is the time we transition plan for students. Where will the student end up after high school? Some people are in the mindset that related services [like occupational therapy] should be faded out by this time. However, for many, developing functional fine motor skills is essential for achieving independence and success in the transitioning planning process. This goes for any student, regardless of where they ... continue reading...
Schedule Tour for an Intermediate Elementary Class
Welcome to my classroom! I teach a self-contained class for students with multiple disabilities. I work at a public intermediate school, which is grades 3 - 5, and this year I have three students in each grade level. Let me tell you a little bit about our schedule and how the day goes! Arrival and Morning Work Students start arriving at school around 8:10. My classroom paraprofessionals meet the students at their buses, while I wait outside to greet students and help with hallway ... continue reading...
Our High School Self-Contained Schedule
My classroom is self-contained for all academic subjects and what we call “Activities of Daily Living.” Although I teach Life Skills, I still incorporate all academic subjects alongside our self-care, occupational tasks, and vocational skills. Every subject, any time of the day, can be an opportunity to increase independence and communication skills; it doesn’t have to be specifically written into your schedule. Look for those teachable moments! Building Our Schedule With seven students ... continue reading...
Circle Time in a Limited Verbal Classroom
In circle time, students gather to participate in a guided discussion or activity. It is common in preschool or lower-grade classrooms, but some upper-grade classrooms also utilize it. Circle time is often used to develop the social, emotional, and communication skills to help young students succeed in school. However, circle time may present unique challenges when you have a limited verbal classroom. In this blog post, I share five tips on navigating these challenges and effectively running ... continue reading...
The Best Writing Curriculum for Special Ed Classrooms
In special education classrooms, fostering writing skills can be a difficult task due to the many different abilities and learning styles among students. Visual differentiated writing journals offer a powerful solution by providing visual support and scaffolding to meet the diverse needs of learners, while allowing them to still work on the same prompt (making planning easy for you!). In this blog post, we'll explore the benefits of visual differentiated writing journals and highlight some of ... continue reading...
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