This document provides tips and strategies for working with children who have special needs. It discusses using a person-centered approach that focuses on what is important to the individual. It also covers developing realistic and functional goals based on a person's level of functioning. The document discusses case studies as examples and provides questions to consider when developing individualized programs. It emphasizes using the least restrictive approaches and setting specific, measurable goals. The document also addresses managing behaviors, developing multilingual children, and ways to incorporate play into learning experiences.

1. Presented By:
Alison Schofield
IngeniousEd.
HOT TIPS to help you become an
EXPERT when working with
Children with Special Needs

3. Person / Individual

4. Person-Centered Approach to Service
Physical
Health Family School/
Work
Recreation
Social/
Emotional
Home
“What is important to this
individual?”
Communi-
cation

5. Realistic & Functional
Realistic (Level of Functioning)
Profound – IQ less than 20 (mulitple disabilities)
Severe – IQ between 20-34 (minimal skills)
Moderate – IQ between 35-49 (life skills & basic
academic skills)
Mild – IQ between 50 – 69 (educable, independence)
Borderline – IQ between 70-79 (routine work, low
coping skills)
Below Average – IQ between 80 – 89
Functional
(useful/meaningful)
• Stimulation
• Basic Needs/Care
• Basic Skills/Social/
Independence
• Vocational/Life Skills
• Academic Skills/
Social/Independence
• Academic/Hands-on
Vocations/Coping Skills

6. Case Studies…
Charlie is in Yr. 3. He has
cerebral palsy which affects
his ability to walk. He is in a
wheelchair. He has daily
physiotherapy for weak
muscles. His IQ is “normal”.
Lulu is in KG1. She has
Down Syndrome with
moderate cognitive delays.
She likes other children and
coming to nursery but she is
not yet meeting her motor
and communication mile-
stones.
Rashid is in Yr. 6 and is diagnosed
with autism. He is 3 years behind in
academic skills and has great
difficulty socializing. He sometimes
makes “buzzing” noises in class.
Sara is just entering high school in
Grade 9. She is diagnosed with mild
cognitive delays which makes her 4-5
years behind her peers in academic
and social skills. She is now entering
a new building with new
teachers, routines and unfamiliar
people.

7. Ask Yourself These Questions to
Develop an Individual Programme:
1. “What is Realistic?”
2. “What is „Normal/Normative‟?”
3. “What is „Functional‟?”
4. “What Goals are most important right now?”
5. “How will I Assess/monitor Progress?”

8. Least Restrictive/Least Intrusive
Approach
At all times, we respect the person’s dignity, personal
space and ability to make their own decisions
• Use “Graduated Prompting” (verbal, gestural, physical, hand-over-hand)
• Provide adequate processing time after instructions
• Have a clear behavioural policy in place to ensure professional practices when
working with individuals with special needs or behavioural challenges

9. Setting Specific Goals
A “Goal” should be: 1) Realistic 2) Achievable 3) Measurable
… and must take into consideration what the person already knows (baseline
skill)
What the Person can
Do…
Under which
conditions…
With what degree of
accuracy…
Currently, John eats with his hands but can use a spoon when given verbal
reminders.
GOAL:
John will feed himself using a fork or spoon, independently, 60% of the time.
Currently, Shamma can independently write 2 letters to represent her name.
GOAL:
Shamma will write her full name tracing dotted letters, 90% of the time.

10. So What about „Inclusion‟?
‘Inclusion’ means that we believe every child is entitled to participation in
schooling and other activities with their typically-developing peers.
Providing the
RIGHT Support
• IEP (goals)
• Modified
curriculum
• Circle of
Friends
“buddies”
• “Partial
Participation”
• Alternative
Programme

11. Managing Behaviours
One of the biggest obstacles to inclusion is challenging behaviour.
In trying to develop a plan for managing challenging behaviours, always try
to understand the “underlying cause” first. All behaviours stem one of the 4
causes:
• Attention
• Escape/Avoidance
• Tangible (ie: trying to get item)
• Sensory

12. “A-B-C” Analysis” (Functional Analysis):
Date & Time: Antecedent Behaviour Consequence Notes:
June 2, 2:05 am Playing in sand with
Rashid and Tom; Tom
was playing with the
toy truck
John screamed and
hit Tom. Grabbed
truck.
Timeout, asked to
apologize to Tom
which he did.
June 3, 8:30 am John arrived late;
mother said there
were problems at
home with siblings.
John threw toys on
the floor during circle
time.
Timeout, asked to
pick them up.
Refused, asked again
and then staff helped
him to follow
through.
In order to develop a plan of action for eliminating misbehaviours,
you must first observe and analyze the A-B-C’s for a minimum of 2
weeks. Then you will begin to see patterns.

13. Things You Never Knew About
Raising/Teaching
Multi-Lingual Children That Can
“Make” or “Break” Them
Presented By:
Francesca McGeary
IngeniousEd.

14. Quick Test
Sherblaine
• Short e vowel sound + long a vowel sound
• e
• ay, ai, a-e
• Sherblayne, sherblaine, sherblane
Flegstine
• Short e vowel sound + long i vowel sound
• e
• i-e, y-e
Stromth
• short o vowel sound
• constonant cluster mth

15. English Phonics
Teach phonics in
meaningful way

16. It is easy to label EAL children
as „dyslexic‟…

17. “Student D”
•Grade 4
•Spanish MT
•Schooled In
Spanish until last
year
•In ESL one year.
•Can speak and
write in Spanish
to just below
grade level
•This child in only
1 year has moved
up 3 grade levels.
Why?

18. “Student A”
•Grade 6
•Arabic MT
•Schooled in
Arabic/English
since KG.
•weak MT can
speak in Arabic
but cannot write
well in Arabic
•Student has
maintained
same level of
writing skills for
past 3 years with
little progress.
Why?

19. *Bilingual Brain Activity by Pablo Jaime Sainz 2010 @ La Prensa San Diego
Mono-lingual versus Multilingual
Learners

21. 1. “We only speak in English now because he goes to an English school”
2. “English is becoming the world language so our mother-tongue is not
important anymore”
3. “Bilingual/EAL children seem to speak English fluently, so they must be
able to read and write at the same level.”
4. “My child has been educated in English since they were in KG so they
aren’t an EAL student.”
5. “I’ve taught it so they must have got it.”
Popular Misconceptions:

22. 6. “It’s easier for young children to learn a language.”
7. “If a bilingual/EAL child has difficulties learning English, drop the other one”…
8. “Bilingual children start school behind their mother tongue peers and never
catch up. “

23. How to Build “Play” into EVERY
Experience At Home and School
Presented By:
Alison Schofield
IngeniousEd.
―

24. P.E.W.I.T.
Problem-
Solving
(challenge)
Interaction!
TimeWorking
Memory
Embedded
Context
*First Steps, STEPS PD

25. 10 Engaging Ways to get Children
Interested in Summer Learning

26. 7. Readinga-z.com
reading x3 per
week.
9. Art: Be Creative: practical
application, math
skills, social interaction
10. Learn programming skills:
www.scratch.mit.edu
Videos, games, animations to
share worldwide
11. Ted.com
For older children
12. Make your own
book
www.Lulu.com
Join local cultural
events /activities
‘The Archive’
children’s book
binding classes.

27. “Ask The GURU”
Q & A Session