Paraeducator Handouts

paraeducator Workshop Collaboration Overview Collaborative Teams Collaborative Skills Practiced by Are Important because they… Effective Team Members: • facilitate communication among • Criticism is geared toward ideas, members not individuals • utilize the various skills of members • Several opinions are integrated • help members solve challenges in a single position • encourage members to ―pull‖ in the • When probing for additional same direction information questions are posed in • promote group ownership of student a positive manner goals • Actions are built on team member‘s • contribute to a sense of individual and ideas or conclusions group accomplishment • Ideas are expressed from others‘ • promote positive outcomes for perspectives children and their families • reduce errors based on individual judgment Characteristics/Skills of • maximize use of scarce resources Effective Collaborative Team Members… • they are flexible (especially when faced with internal or environmental stressors) • they are able to obtain gratification from a wide variety of sources • they are active, participatory, and productive “Teamwork is the ability to • they accept, respect, and appreciate work together toward a common vision. differences in others The ability to direct individual • they are willing learners accomplishments toward • they are competent in their own field organizational objectives. • they are willing to share It is the fuel that allows common people responsibilities, accolades, failures, to attain uncommon results.” etc. Additional resources can also be found on Jen Farr’s ONC BOCES website: http://www.oncboces.org/webpages/jfarr. Click Workshops > Click Paraeducators

CLASSROOM ROLES A clear understanding of each team member‘s role, coupled with ongoing communication, is vital to effective collaboration. The following chart provides guidance on each team member‘s role and the areas of communication involved. Paraeducator Areas of Teacher Role Role Communication Instruction  Plan all instruction,  Work with small groups  Teachers provide specific including small group of students on specific content and guidance about activities tasks, including review curriculum, students, and  Provide instruction in or re-teaching of instructional materials whole-class settings. content  Paraeducators note student  Work with one student progress and give feedback at a time to provide to teachers intensive instruction or remediation on a concept or skill Curriculum &  Develop all lesson plans  Provide assistance in  Mutual review of lesson plan Lesson Plan and instructional development of components prior to class Development materials1 classroom activities,  Teachers provide guidance  Ensure alignment with retrieval of materials, about specific instructional standards, student and coordination of methods needs, and IEPs activities Classroom  Develop and guide class-  Assist with the  Teachers provide guidance Management wide management plans implementation of about specific behavior for behavior and class-wide and management strategies & classroom structures individual behavior student characteristics  Develop and monitor management plans  Paraeducators note student individual behavior  Monitor hallways, study progress & activities and give management plans hall, & other activities feedback to teachers outside normal class Accommodations  Determine (with IEP  Guided by teacher and  Teachers guide & Modifications team) proper IEP, provide paraeducators in the use of accommodations for appropriate specific adaptations and students with disabilities accommodations to ensure that paraeducators  Incorporate material (enlarged print, are aware of IEP goals and accommodations into all taking notes, reading adaptations lesson plans material aloud)  Paraeducators provide  Develop modified feedback about student materials progress and success of adaptations Assessment  Determine, create, and  Assist in the  Teacher provides guidance administer appropriate administration of about the content and formal and informal assessments implementation of all assessments  Implement assessments  Determine modifications accommodations for  Paraeducator provides and accommodations to assessment feedback about student be used for formal  Collect anecdotal progress assessments student information on  Mutual conversations about  Use assessment results a regular basis anecdotal information and to inform future planning informal student data and curriculum collection development Pickett (1999) Resource: www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/documents/Tchr-ParaCollaboration

paraeducator Workshop Inclusive Education Characteristics of Inclusion Together • All students are welcome in general education. The we are general education classroom (with support) is the first option considered regardless of disability type or better!! severity. • Students are educated in classes where the percentage of those with and without disabilities is proportional to those percentages in the general Benefits of Inclusion for population. • Shared educational experiences take place in Children with Disabilities settings predominantly frequented by people without disabilities. • Realistic preparation for adult life • Students are educated with peers in the same age • Presence of appropriate role models groupings available to those without disability labels. • Opportunities to learn in natural settings • Students with varying characteristics and abilities • Raised expectations and increased participate in shared educational experiences challenges while pursuing individually appropriate learning • Equal opportunities outcomes with necessary supports and • Possibilities for diverse friendships accommodations. • Educational experiences are designed to enhance individually determined life outcomes for students, striving for a balance between academic/functional Benefits of Inclusion for and social/personal aspects of schooling. • Students usually receive support from typical “Typical Children” supports (classroom teacher, other students, etc.) as well as specialized supports (therapists, special • Increased acceptance of and respect education teachers, and paraprofessionals). for human diversity • Access to curricular modifications and instructional supports that meet their individual needs • New skill acquisition • Increased variety of settings and "The true essence of inclusion is opportunities for learning and success • Possibilities for diverse friendships. based on the premise that all individuals with disabilities have Benefits of Inclusion for a right to be included in naturally Teachers and Staff occurring settings and activities • A decreased sense of isolation with their neighborhood peers, • More opportunities to reflect • Shared responsibility siblings, and friends" • Opportunities to model accepting (Erwin, 1993, p. 1) attitudes toward diversity • Opportunities to learn and model how to cope with change Linda Rammler (1992), modified by Kirker-Stewart (1997)

The problems with paras Michael Giancgreco‘s research in 1997 showed that there are many problems that can arise related to ‗para proximity‘. These are: “Interference with ownership and responsibility by general educators”. Because of the intensity of the relationship between the child and para, teachers may become dependent upon them for more than they should. Dr. Riggs gives the example of a third grade teacher who doesn‘t know the student, had only one course in special education, and doesn‘t understand the disability, but here comes the para that knows him, and has worked with him successfully. The teacher is relieved that she will not now have to worry about this child. In fact, Dr. Riggs has seen situations where the teacher rarely speaks directly to the child, but instead directs her comments to the para. Dr. Riggs emphasizes the difference, ―That is not inclusion. That is ‗I‘m letting him sit in my classroom‘.‖ “Separation from classmates”. This is especially true if there are medical or behavioral needs, because the job is perceived to involve sitting close enough to that child so that nothing disrupts learning. Paras may in fact be afraid to leave the side of a student because something dangerous could happen. Unfortunately, they can sometimes look like a ‗mother figure‘, and what kid wants to have mom come to school with them? It can result in resentment and an uncooperative attitude from the student with special needs as well as creating a barrier between him/her and peers. “Dependence on adults”. Prompt dependence is a real concern. Especially if the para has no training in ‗prompt fading‘, there is a tendency to always be telling the student what to do next, which does not foster independence. “Impact on peer interactions”. Peers can sometimes find it hard to initiate a conversation, even if their own verbal skills are intact. So like the teacher described above, they may find themselves asking the para questions, or looking to her for interpretation. “Limitations on receiving competent instruction”. ―There is talk, a lot of it, about paraeducators not having enough training to work with the intense needy kids that you are currently working with. If the teacher is not supporting you, helping you, guiding you, working with lesson plans, working closely with you then you are left, without a formal teaching certificate in most cases, to teach the most intensely needy kids in the district. It doesn‘t mean that you‘re incompetent. What it means is you‘ve been given the kid that nobody knows how to deal with, and you haven‘t necessarily had the training.‖ “Loss of personal control”. When the para steps in and makes decisions for the child they work with, the child will not learn how to do this on their own. This can even become a problem with sexual abuse for socially-challenged children, because they become dependent on adults to make their choices for them, assume all adults are helpful, don‘t understand the limits and boundaries, and may follow the directions of ANY adult. We teach them to ‗do as their told,‘ and that is not always a good lesson. “Loss of gender identity”. There are, unfortunately, gym locker room issues when a male student has a female paraprofessional. In extreme cases, boys have been asked to change in the girls‘ locker room, or play on the girls‘ team. The resulting loss of self-esteem could be devastating. “Interference with instruction of other students”. Sometimes paras unintentionally draw attention to their child over others, for instance, insisting that their child answer the teacher‘s question to the class. Even though they may have the best of intentions in trying to make their child appear included and capable, this might only draw attention to the fact that they are a ‗special needs‘ student. Dr. Riggs says that paras can remind teachers - as gently as they can – that they are not there to make sure the student never fails. In fact, all kids should have goals involving independence, but no one can succeed at independence if they are never allowed to fail or struggle or to make some wrong choices. Independence is so important to adulthood, and every child has to learn some things through trying and failing sometimes. If the child never fails at school, he/she will be unlikely to know how to handle it outside of school. Full article is available at: http://www.ct-asrc.org/docs/paraprof.pdf

paraeducator Workshop Digging into the Characteristics of Youth with Various Disabilities General Suggestions for Working with Students with Disabilities • Remember that all students, including those with disabilities, are unique and have individual abilities and areas of need. • Avoid stereotypes in forming expectations about what a student with a disability can or cannot do. • Allow students with disabilities to take risks. Make sure safety is considered, but be careful about overprotecting a student. • If you don‘t understand what a student with a ...FORGET - ME - NOT... disability has said, ask him to repeat it or use an augmentative approach (e.g. writing, gesturing). Our problems are many and varied. • Always treat a student with a disability in an age- Our struggles are always uphill. appropriate way (don‘t baby a student or engage in activities that are not common with his or her I'm speaking for hundreds of children. peers). So listen a while if you will. • Don‘t patronize a student with a disability by praising him or her when he/she has not I want understanding - not pity. earned it. I wish you could treat me the same. • When speaking about a student with a disability, You wouldn't ignore other children. always put the student first, and the disability second. For example, say ―Mary, a blind student At least you would ask them their name. I work with…‖ I know I can't answer to tell you. • Introduce a student with a disability the same way My face may seem empty and dead. you would any other student. Don‘t refer to the disability and please use his or her name. My body is twisted - but I am alive. • Be a role model for other students and adults by And there are thoughts in my head. showing respectful behavior towards the students you work with who have disabilities. I will not be shut out from the world. • Don‘t mention a student‘s disability if it does not I'm a child and it is my right. have relevance to the point you are trying to I'm not an object of pity - to be hidden make. • Talk directly to a student with a disability, not to away out of sight. his wheelchair or interpreter, for example. My parents see me through eyes of love, and not as others do. They see the things I can achieve and I wish that you would too. This penny is a As I ask you to forget-me-not, reminder that you that I beg you to hear my plea… If I could speak - I would ask you… you are a priceless part To please look closer - and see me... of your students’ lives. Thank you for making a difference! By Elizabeth A. Chase Contributed to Our-Kids by Peta, Jul 15, 1996

I.D.E.A.s Definitions of Various Disabilities There are 14 specific primary terms included in IDEA under the lead definition of "child with a disability." These federal terms and definitions guide how States define disability and who is eligible for a free appropriate public education under special education law. The definitions of these specific terms from the IDEA regulations are shown beneath each term listed below. Note, in order to fully meet the definition (and eligibility for special education and related services) as a "child with a disability," a child's educational performance must be adversely affected due to the disability. 1. Autism... ...means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engaging in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term autism does not apply if the child‘s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in #5 below. A child who shows the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the criteria above are satisfied. 2. Deaf-Blindness... ...means concomitant [simultaneous] hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness. 3. Deafness... ...means a hearing impairment so severe that a child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. 4. Developmental Delay... ...for children from birth to age three (under IDEA Part C) and children from ages three through nine (under IDEA Part B), the term developmental delay, as defined by each State, means a delay in one or more of the following areas: physical development; cognitive development; communication; social or emotional development; or adaptive [behavioral] development.

I.D.E.A.s Definitions of Various Disabilities, Continued 5. Emotional Disturbance... ...means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance: (a) An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors. (b) An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers. (c) Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances. (d) A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression. (e) A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance. 6. Hearing Impairment... ...means an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance but is not included under the definition of "deafness.― 7. Mental Retardation... ...means significantly sub average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently [at the same time] with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. (Note: Mental Retardation is the term found in the law since passage of the original legislation in 1975. In 2008, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) (formerly the American Association on Mental Retardation, AAMR) and members of the community recommended use of the term Intellectual Disability. For changes in language to be made in the regulations, Congress must first change it in the legislation. Until such action occurs, we provide the existing language from IDEA.) 8. Multiple Disabilities... ...means concomitant [simultaneous] impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in a special education program solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness. 9. Orthopedic Impairment... ...means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by a congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease (e.g., poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures).

I.D.E.A.s Definitions of Various Disabilities, Continued 10. Other Health Impairment... ...means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that— (a) is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome; and (b) adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. 11. Specific Learning Disability... ...means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of mental retardation; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. 12. Speech or Language Impairment... ...means a communication disorder such as stuttering, impaired articulation, a language impairment, or a voice impairment that adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. 13. Traumatic Brain Injury... ...means an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma. 14. Visual Impairment Including Blindness... ...means an impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a child‘s educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness. Considering the Meaning of "Adversely Affects" You may have noticed that the phrase "adversely affects educational performance" appears in most of the disability definitions. This does not mean, however, that a child must be failing in school to receive special education and related services. According to IDEA, states must make a free appropriate public education available to "any individual child with a disability who needs special education and related services, even if the child has not failed or been retained in a course or grade, and is advancing from grade to grade." [§300.101(c)(1)]

Disability:________________________________________ Researched by:___________________________________ Characteristics of Students Miscellaneous with the Disability _______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ Create an Acrostic Poem ______________________________ ______________________________ _____ - ____________________ ______________________________ __________________________ ______________________________ _____ - ____________________ ______________________________ __________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ _____ - ____________________ ______________________________ __________________________ ______________________________ _____ - ____________________ ______________________________ __________________________ How the Disability may Affect _____ - ____________________ Learning and Inclusion __________________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________ _______________________ _____ - ____________________ _______________________ __________________________

paraeducator Workshop Roles and Responsibilities Roles and Responsibilities vary, Facilitative Characteristics of but could include… Paraeducator Role: Implementation of Teacher Plans: • implementation of teacher- • allows for additional learning opportunities for students planned instruction • allows the students additional chances to practice with • supervision of students immediate adult feedback, such as: • clerical and general duties • correcting students as they occur • behavioral and social support • giving students encouragement on academic and • supporting individual student behavioral goals needs • facilitates teacher-developed instruction for a small group or students or individual students • provides individual review time for students “Everybody can • provides additional support for monitoring and evaluating student progress be great… • allows for safety of students • provides opportunities for social support of students because anybody can serve. Clerical and General Duties Role: • frees up the teacher from clerical tasks You don’t have to • allows the teacher additional time to assess plan, and teach students and work with parents and other team members have a college • provides greater reliability of data (given multiple adult degree to serve. observations of student progress) • provides additional role models to support and reinforce You don’t have to students‘ behavioral goals make your • allows for individual attention and support of students subject and verb Supporting Individual Students Needs Role: • allows teacher additional time to assess studentsd agree to serve. • allows teacher additional time to plan and teach You only need a • allows for increased student learning opportunities • provides individual attention to students heart full of grace. • provides assistance with student‘s personal care and their A soul generated unique mobility and sensory needs • allows for additional learning environments (e.g., community by love.” settings) Martin Luther King, Jr. Quote

When you are reading aloud…. • Strategy 1: Think about the story. "When I read the story, I stop at various points. My students and I then discuss what's happening and what we think will happen next." • Strategy 2: Map the characters. "As we read the story, we continually refer back to what we already know about the characters and add new information. The children make predictions based on this information." • Strategy 3: Map the story. The story map includes information about the characters, setting, problem, main events, and resolution. More information at: http://cuip.uchicago.edu/wit/2000/teams/onceupon/readaloudstrategies.html • Think Aloud: (Clark, 1984; Meichenbaum, 1985) Using this strategy, the teacher models aloud for students the thinking process used when reading or writing. After reading and thinking aloud or while writing in front of the students, the teacher leads a discussion about how certain conclusions were reached about what was read or about how something was written. When students are reading aloud…. • Echo Reading: This strategy in which a lead reader reads aloud a section of text, and a second reader's voice follows right after (or "echoes") that which was first read. • Guided Reading: Students work in small groups with the teacher reading a text the teacher has selected for them. This text should be at the group's instructional level, that is, the students will be able to read it with 90%-94% accuracy. Students learn to self-monitor their own reading behaviors and use appropriate strategies to fully decode and comprehend text. • Retelling: An emerging reader is invited to retell a story in his/her own words in order to demonstrate the student's comprehension in relation to the plot, setting, characters, and any underlying inferences. The retelling may be followed by questions to elicit further understanding. • Shared Reading: (Holdaway, 1979) An interactive strategy in which students read a text with the help of a teacher. It provides a non-threatening learning environment in which risk-taking, mistakes, and approximations are seen as a normal part of learning, not signs of failure. The purpose is for students to become independent in reading texts that would otherwise be difficult. • Round-Robin Reading – when students take turns reading a passage aloud…there is some controversy regarding comprehension and good fluency modeling…use sparingly, for review. • Whip Reading – a fast round-robin…not good for comprehension, but good for repeating directions or quick reviews. • Popcorn Reading Activity – Stage One: Ask students to read the selection silently, underlining lines, passages, and ideas they think are important to the selection. – Stage Two: Ask for volunteers to read from the story, beginning and dropping out when they feel like it. The teacher calls on no one, but offers extra credit for readers. – Stage Three: Ask students to read, popcorn style, their favorite lines, passages, and ideas. Lines can be repeated over and over again, by the same (or different) people. – Note: This may be done with fiction or nonfiction. With fiction, students begin to hear ―found poetry‖. With nonfiction, students hear important ideas and interesting facts repeated.

A Roles and Responsibilities of Paraeducators Please take time to answer each question: YES, NO, or I DON’T KNOW 1. There are no legal limits to the duties of paraeducators. ____________ 2. It is important to have a clear idea of your roles and responsibilities. ____________ 3. A teacher's responsibilities include assessing a student's level of performance and planning for instruction. ____________ 4. Only a teacher is permitted to carry out activities which implement the goals and objectives of the IEP. ____________ 5. A teacher does not need to communicate the needs of students to the paraeducator because it is the paraeducator's job to determine what the needs are. ____________ 6. Paraeducators with little or no training and experience may be assigned fewer responsibilities. ____________ 7. Paraeducator duties must remain consistent from one classroom to the next regardless of which teacher is supervising them. ____________ 8. A paraeducator may not assist individual students in performing activities, even if they have been initiated by a teacher. ____________ 9. Paraeducators may supervise the hallway between classes. ____________ 10. It is legal for paraeducators to score objective tests and maintain records for teachers. ____________ 11. Paraeducators may help organize field trips. ____________ 12. The paraeducator may assist in preparing instructional materials. ____________ 13. A paraeducator may read aloud to children or listen while children read to them. ____________ 14. It is OK for a paraeducator to be totally responsible for instruction in a classroom as long as it contains fewer than eight students. ____________ 15. A paraeducator may assign grades to students as long as she/he has worked with those students. ____________ 16. It is legal for a paraeducator to assume full responsibility for supervising the playground or lunchroom. ____________ 17. A paraeducator may not act as a substitute teacher unless she/he has the proper certification and is hired as a substitute. ____________ 18. Teachers should establish the discipline policies in the classroom. ____________ 19. Paraeducators may NOT decide which educational activities and materials to use with children. ____________ http://para.unl.edu/legacy/index.php

A Item Correct Answer 1 TRUE 2 FALSE 3 TRUE 4 FALSE 5 FALSE 6 TRUE 7 FALSE 8 FALSE 9 TRUE 10 TRUE 11 TRUE 12 TRUE 13 TRUE 14 FALSE 15 FALSE 16 TRUE 17 TRUE 18 TRUE 19 TRUE http://para.unl.edu/legacy/index.php

C Organization and Management of the Classroom Please take time to answer each question: YES, NO, or I DON’T KNOW (or select A, B, C, D, E if appropriate) 1.It is important to keep the goals of the classroom in mind when organizing the classroom environment. _______________ 2.Management of the classroom is easier when individualized learning and flexible schedules are used. _______________ 3.The classroom should be arranged so that the teacher or paraeducator can monitor all students at all times. _______________ 4.The paraeducator may assist in preparing and maintaining classroom stations. ______________ 5.It is not necessary to post rules/procedures for learning activities. _______________ 6.If you notice a student doing a problem incorrectly on a practice worksheet, you should help them correct the errors immediately. _______________ 7.Students benefit when regular routines are used to initiate and end classroom activities. _______________ 8.Students need to be specifically taught routine classroom procedures. _______________ 9.Rules should be designed to help catch students being good. _______________ 10.The organization of the classroom contributes to the amount that students learn. _______________ http://para.unl.edu/legacy/index.php

C Organization and Management of the Classroom Please take time to answer each question: YES, NO, or I DON’T KNOW (or select A, B, C, D, E if appropriate) 11. When the teacher is presenting a lesson to the entire group, which arrangement contributes to efficient learning? A) All students facing the teacher. B) Students seated in groups around tables. C) Students desks arranged in a number of small circles. D) Students at individual learning centers. E) I don't know. 12. Because students with learning difficulties need to maximize learning time, teachers need to: A) Speed up instruction. B) Prioritize skills and adjust schedules. C) Expect all students to learn at the same pace. D) Wait to make sure all students finish before going on to new tasks. E) I don't know. 13. Paraeducators may increase the amount of instructional time in the classroom by making sure the class starts on time. _______________ 14. Classroom schedules should be kept flexible and if interruptions occur it is acceptable to adjust core areas of learning. _______________ 15. Preparing materials right before instruction time allows for flexibility and creativity. _______________ 16. It is important to recognize and reward students who are using their time constructively. _______________ 17. Working in small groups is a waste of time for the paraeducator. _______________ 18. One goal for the paraeducator would be to encourage students to work together cooperatively. _______________ 19. Most students know how to work in groups so it is not necessary to teach cooperative learning skills. _______________ 20. If a student is not participating in a group it is usually acceptable to just let him/her observe. _______________ http://para.unl.edu/legacy/index.php

C Item Correct Answer 1 TRUE 2 FALSE 3 TRUE 4 TRUE 5 FALSE 6 TRUE 7 TRUE 8 TRUE 9 TRUE 10 TRUE 11 TRUE 12 FALSE 13 TRUE 14 FALSE 15 FALSE 16 TRUE 17 FALSE 18 TRUE 19 FALSE 20 FALSE

paraeducator Workshop Implementation of Teacher-planned Instruction Know Your Students A Few Good Teaching Methods that can Good instruction begins by knowing your students’ characteristics and be used when students are struggling: learning styles across a variety of dimensions: Usually students with disabilities respond well to typical teaching methods like modeling and demonstrating, holding • Cognitive (e.g., categorization and class discussions, practicing, guided discovery, conducting memorization skills experiments, taking field trips, offering participatory activities, • Physical (e.g. consistent motor using instructional technology, employing question-asking control) strategies, handling manipulatives, using educational games • Sensory (e.g. can orient toward and play, demonstrating positive and negative examples, giving sounds, tactile recognition) corrective feedback, and assigning individual or small-group • Social/Emotional (e.g. projects. Challenges arise when students are not progressing temperament, social interactions) adequately . The following instructional strategies could then • Motivational be used to augment instruction and should be recommended to • Interactional the paraprofessional by the supervising teacher: • Creative • Task Analysis – breaking a skill down into its component parts to help students learn the skill (example: teaching a student to tie shoelaces) Observing and Measuring Behaviors • Chaining – steps are taught step by step until each step is mastered A key element in making an observations (example: teaching a child to dress him/herself) consistent is the definition of the exact • Errorless Learning – guiding a student through a task by using behaviors being observed. The accuracy sufficient prompts so that the student successfully finished the task of the observation is improved if the as quickly as quickly as possible while making as few errors as behaviors being observed are defined so possible (example: teaching a child to cross the street or ride a bike) that they are observable and measurable. • Cue Redundancy – exaggerating the relevant dimension of a cue to help a child discriminate between it and other cues (example: Observable Behavior teaching a child to read a clock face A behavior which can be noted through one • Shaping – you simply reinforce increasingly proficient of the senses (seen, heard, tasted, smelled, approximations of the target skill; shaping is a developmental or felt). Observable behaviors are usually process that starts at student‘s current level, moving forward at described by action words such as touching, his/her pace (example: teaching a child how to compose/write a walking, saying, or writing. These do not story) include feelings or intentions which are • Prompts and Cues – include physical (full or partial) guidance, inferred from other behaviors. modeling, verbal directions, questions, reminders, encouragement, Measurable Behavior and visual cues (example: teaching a child handwriting skills) In order to be measurable a behavior must first be observable. In addition, an observer • Time Delay – the pairing of two cues simultaneously must be able to clearly determine whether (zero delay), one cue to which you know the the behavior is occurring, count the student will respond correctly and another occurrences of the behavior and/or time the cue to which you would like the student to duration of the behavior. Behaviors which respond (example: teaching a child to say have a discrete beginning and ending are thank you in response to receiving something) the easiest to measure.

Sample Instructional Teacher Paraeducator Responsibilities Selecting students to participant in X tutoring Selecting instructional objectives X Designing a tutoring plan X Selecting appropriate instructional X materials Modeling instructional procedures to be X used Designing record keeping procedures X Gathering instructional materials X X Determining a location for tutoring X Scheduling time for tutoring X Selecting appropriate reinforcers X Supervising a tutoring session X Giving informal tests & checking X X progress Recording student performance during X X tutoring Reinforcing student independence X X Charting student behavior X X Reading to students< X X Taping materials for students X X Determining follow-up activities X Evaluating the tutoring session X X Evaluating the student's performance X http://para.unl.edu/legacy/index.php

The purpose of this handout is to examine strategies for encouraging students to display positive behaviors. As a paraeducator, it is necessary to meet with the supervising teacher to discuss and decide what behaviors are desired. Paraeducators often assist supervising teachers in the classroom by working with small groups or one-on-one with students. The following lesson discusses techniques that may be used to increase students' positive behavior. Guidelines for Effective Praise One of the most powerful strategies is providing praise for appropriate behavior. Although the planning of how and when to use praise rests with the teacher, this is a strategy that either the teacher or paraeducator may implement. 1. Define the appropriate behavior while giving praise.Praise should be specific for the positive behavior that the student displays. This means any comments about behavior should focus on what the student did right. The praise should include exactly what part of the student's behavior is acceptable. This serves to clearly communicate to the student what was good. The probability of any misunderstanding of what behavior meets with approval is lessened. 2. Praise should be given immediately.The sooner an approving comment is made about appropriate behavior, the more likely the student will repeat the desired behavior. 3. The statements used as praise should vary.Individual statements that one uses should be varied. When student's hear the same praise statement used over and over, it looses it's value for the student. 4. Praise should not be given continuously or without reason.If praise is given too frequently or without stating what the student is doing that is "good", then praise looses its value to the student. 5. Be sincere with your praise.Students will notice if you do not mean what you say. Nonverbal cues like facial expressions and posture will alert the students that your praise is not sincere. The praise will not be effective if the student perceives that it is not sincere. Smiles communicate that the praise given is genuine. 6. Be consistent when praising the target.It is important to be consistent with the behaviors that you praise. Students learn more quickly when they are always praised for desirable behaviors. Consistency between paraeducators and teachers is important in order to avoid confusion about behavioral expectations. 7. Praise should be developmentally appropriate.Statements to younger or developmentally delayed students should be in language that is at their level so they clearly understand what behavior is seen as appropriate. However, if older students perceive they are being "talked down to", it is likely that the praise will be discounted. Why Praise Works • Praise is readily available as reinforcement for positive behaviors. • Praise can be administered immediately after the desired behavior. • Praise can be used over and over again if praise statements are varied. • Praise may be used in combination with other strategies to increase behaviors. • Praise can be tailored to a variety of behaviors by being specific about the activity. • Praise works if the relationship between the student and the person giving the praise is a positive relationship. http://para.unl.edu/legacy/Behavior/lesson3.php “I praise loudly, I blame softly” Catherine the Great

Students spend a majority of the school day working in groups. It is important for paraeducators to have some useful strategies for successfully managing behavior of students during these times. Developing a set of strategies helps you respond quickly if and when problems do arise. Included on this handout are several useful methods which can be used to manage behavior while students are in groups. These involve short, routine measures that redirect off-task behavior, don't disrupt instruction and refocus attention on the classroom teacher or paraeducator. The strategies are most effective at the beginning stages of misbehavior and with minor problems. The strategies should be used in conjunction with established classroom rules and procedures. Planned Ignoring - Sometimes the most effective way to deal with student misbehavior is to ignore it. Pointers for When to Ignore Behavior: • When the inappropriate behavior is unintentional or not likely to reoccur. • When the goal of a misbehavior is to gain teacher or paraeducator attention. • When you want a behavior to decrease. • Do not intervene when there is nothing you can do. Pointers for When to Intervene: Your goal is to • When there is physical danger or harm to yourself, others or the child. be low key. • When a student disrupts the classroom. • When there are violations of classroom rules or school policy. Try not to • When there is interference with learning. disrupt full • When the inappropriate behavior will spread to other students. class instruction. Low-key Intervention Strategies: • Providing cues to Students - Remember that look your mother would give you when you were young? She didn't have to say even a word but it would immediately stop you in your tracks? It's simply a way to let the student know that you want their attention, or you're aware of the behavior, and that you want it changed. These cues can also be used to reinforce positive behavior patterns as well (i.e., reminders to continue the quality of interaction during an activity). These techniques may be non-verbal, including eye contact, physical gestures (i.e., raising your hand in silence), tapping or snapping of your fingers, coughing or clearing your throat, facial expressions (i.e., smile), or body postures (i.e., tilting your head). One caution, avoid doing things that may embarrass students. • Proximity Control - Simply moving around the classroom can assist students in staying on task because of your "proximity" to them. This works well because the students know you're aware of what's going on, and allows the classroom teacher to continue without interrupting the lesson or the flow of the activity. As a caution, it's important not to reinforce the inappropriate behavior or call attention to the student. • Increase Student Motivation – try one or more of the following: – Relate the material to their life experience/s, in other words, make it relevant to them personally, thereby stimulating their interest. – Demonstrate an active interest in that child. – Demonstrate an active interest in the child's work or the activity. – Use lots of praise both verbally and nonverbally. • Helping Students through Tough Spots - As a paraeducator, you can be most helpful in getting the student back on task by: – Doing (or solving) the problem with the student. – Reviewing the directions. – Providing another example or demonstrating. – Supplying them the correct answer as a model. http://para.unl.edu/legacy/Behavior/lesson3.php

Teach students the following affirmative cheers and gestures to encourage and highlight the great things happening in your classroom. We all appreciate encouragement that is given in a positive and energetic way! • Kiss Your Brain: kiss your fingers and touch them to your forehead • Micro-Wave: wave your pinky fingers in the air • Standing Ovation: while standing, raise your arms above your head and make the letter "O" • Sitting Ovation: from your seat, raise your arms above your head and make the letter "O" • Silent Hurrah: shake hands and fingers in the air over your head • Clam Clap: fingers to thumbs in the shape of a clam • High-Five: put one hand in the air with open fingers • Thumbs-Up: put your thums-up high in the air • Ketchup Bottle: bang one hand open flat against the closed fist of the other hand as you would do if ketchup was stuck • Golf Gallery Clap: a soft clap with the fingers of one hand clapping against palm of the other hand • Round of Applause: clapping around in a circle from one side over the head to the other side Pat on the Back • Give Yourself a Hug • Seal of Approval: hand clapping in front of you while you make seal noises • Yes! Yes!: reach up with fist and then pull each arm in close to body right first, then left, then both together • Excellent! - Air Guitar • Uh Huh! Uh Huh!: dance like an Egyptian • W O W: three fingers, mouth in O shape, and three fingers to spell out WOW • Elvis Presley: in a southern voice, say "thank you, thank you very much" • Deer in the Headlight: hands up and shocked face • Mirror: make a square with fingers, fix hair, looking good point fingers at you • Polish your Halo: rub hand around above head as if polishing your halo • Power Whoosh: clap three times and whoosh (throw) power to speaker • Fish Out of Water: one hand flat and the other hand slaps back and forth on the other hand like a fish out of water would flip around • Top Dog: the old Arsenio Hall cheer • Drum Roll: rapidly tap your fingers on the desk • Round of Applause: clap in a circular motion • Awesome Cheer: bowing as to a god • Silent Hurrah • Yes: reach up with fist and then pull each arm in close to body right first, then left, then both together • Excellent: the Wayne's World air guitar • The Lawn Sprinkler • Keep It UP!

Paraeducator Handouts

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Paraeducator Handouts — Document Transcript

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