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...
Search Results for: simple comprehension
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...
3 Ways I Do Ability Awareness in Elementary School
As a special education teacher, I always consider ways to increase ability awareness at my school so that my students with special needs can be better understood and accepted in the school community. In this blog post, I share three ways I do ability awareness in elementary school. Download a Free Book Companion to teach inclusion here! 1. Student Meet & Greet At the onset of every school year, as I prepare inclusion schedules for my students with special needs, I do a mini-lesson ... continue reading...
March Cooking In The Classroom
March Visual Recipes Who doesn’t like to celebrate a holiday with cooking in the classroom? The Simply Special Ed Cooking bundle includes recipes for a Leprechaun Shake, English Muffin Pizza, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Shamrock Mix. There is something for everyone! Each recipe will include a visual recipe, tools and ingredient list, sequencing page, survey and ingredients worksheet. I found the worksheets and included material perfect for every level of student. Each recipe is easy to use ... continue reading...
10 Language Opportunities in Everyday Routines
Language opportunities are EVERYWHERE! They are hidden in everyday routines and can be taken advantage of easily. Here are 10 ideas of hidden language opportunities in everyday routines! 1. Car Time People spend so much time in the car on the way to school, on the way home, running errands, and more. Pointing out what you see outside, like colors, textures, how fast or slow cars are, and other details, are great ways to expand on your child's language. Instead of focusing on reviewing the ... continue reading...
Love Monster Book Companion
What is a Book Companion? This Love Monster and the Last Chocolate book companion provides resources that connect a read-aloud to essential reading skills. If you’ve ever struggled, like I have, with how to turn a fun read-aloud into a lesson that reinforces comprehension then this is exactly what you need! Sequencing, following directions, cutting, gluing, and working on reading skills are included in this week-long lesson. This is such a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in your ... continue reading...
Using Adapted Books for Speech and Language
Adapted books are my favorite material to pull for my speech and language sessions because they are simple and SO incredibly versatile! Keeping my adapted book pile stocked ensures that I have no-prep materials ready to go. Wondering how you can use adapted books in your speech and language sessions? Keep reading for ideas on how to incorporate these amazing materials into your routines! AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION (AAC) Many of my students who use AAC to communicate ... continue reading...
Winter Fine Motor Ideas from an OT
Winter Fine Motor Centers Even if you don't own the Simply Special Ed Winter Fine Motor Centers [although I highly recommend them!], the ideas for fine motor practice are still great! My favorites include: To learn more about how to implement these centers specifically, check out this blog! December Adaptive Crafts Crafts are a great way to work on fine motor skills! They are motivating for students, and make great gifts to bring home for family members. Check out my ... continue reading...
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