BSE Bulletin for Educators
January 2023
As students begin to engage in workplace learning, teachers need a variety of tools to support targeted skill development. Breaking tasks into smaller steps and arranging them into chunks a student can master (Task Analysis) is one tool to support this learning process.
- The key to effective task analysis is to start off with enough detail so the student/employee learns each small part of the job task correctly and in the right order.
- Steps are then combined or collapsed as the student/employee learns them. This can be accomplished by using specific task analysis forms, checklists, a job duty notebook, or electronic software such those used with an iPad or tablet.
- Task analysis is an effective practice for identifying job duties and expectation, potential barriers, supports and accommodations, and help develop timelines to ensure student success!
- Data collection from task analysis can be a great addition to transition assessment information to be included in the present levels of the student's IEP.
See the task analysis example and the data collection form and consider how you may be able to use them in your own practice.
From CAST
A "snowball fight" is an activity where students review information by writing it on a small slip of paper, crumpling it up, and throwing it across the room. They then pick up another “snowball” and discuss it with a small group.
Materials:
- Small slips of paper
- Pens/pencils/markers
Instructions:
- ASK: Ask students a question. For example, “What is one thing you remember about the circulatory system from last week’s class?”
- WRITE: Students answer the question on a small slip of paper
- CRUMPLE: They crumple up their paper into a tight ball. The crumpled-up paper is now their snowball.
- THROW: Students throw crumpled up snowballs back and forth until you say STOP (approximately 20-30 seconds)!
- FIND: Then, they find a snowball somewhere around them (they may need to look on the floor, under tables, etc.).
- GROUP UP: Once everyone has found a snowball, have them get into groups of 3-5.
- DISCUSS: In groups, students will open their snowballs, and discuss the answers as a group. Do you agree? Disagree? What questions are still lingering? What information is missing?
- REPEAT (Optional): You can have students repeat steps 4-7 again, forming different groups.
A Sensory Room is used to facilitate self-regulation, self-organization, relaxation and sensory awareness in order to integrate the student back into the classroom prepared to learn.
The Sensory Room allows students to achieve an optimal level of arousal to be able to attend to classroom activities. Use of the Sensory Room by students addresses the primary senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing, vestibular, proprioception and oral motor/taste.
Mercer Elementary School hosts a dynamic and active student body with special needs ranging from physical, emotional, and behavioral areas.
Are you a special education teacher of students with low incidence disabilities who receive instruction aligned to essential elements and who are eligible for the alternate assessment?
If so, consider these asynchronous learning opportunities:
- View the recently recorded one-hour webinar provided by members of the PASA DLM Project Management Team, University of Kansas. In addition, the project team also traveled to Pennsylvania to provide an expanded two-hour, in-person presentation at the 2022 HELIX Conference. To access both recordings and presentation materials, go to the PASA DLM Resource Hub - Trainings and Professional Development (google.com).
- Register for Charting the Course 2022-2023: Teaching Content to Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities. This three-hour, Act 48 Schoology Course on essential elements, PASA DLM resources, and instructional decision-making is offered by PaTTAN.
Bureau of Special Education Paraprofessional Credential of Competency: Entry Level Training Series
We are excited to release updates to the Pennsylvania Credential of Competency for paraprofessionals through the most up-to-date seven modules developed using the core competencies addressing the corresponding role of paraprofessionals.
The modules were developed using the four aspects (collaboration, assessment, social/emotional/behavioral, and instruction) of the High-Leverage Practices for special educators developed by CEC in partnership with the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center.
Registration is Open!
APR Master Class Learning Community for SLPs - Using Data to Drive Practices
January 26 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Networking Attendees have had great things to say about the opportunities that they have participated in within the 2022-2023 academic year. Here are just a few…
- “It is valuable to learn from other practitioners in the field. Systems-level change is difficult and feels insurmountable; however, knowing it is possible and gaining hope, ideas, and momentum from fellow school psychologists is inspiring.”
- “I appreciated the opportunity to hear from several different experts in the field on topics like MTSS, RTI, literacy, math, writing, SLD, etc. It was very informative and helpful.”
- “Please keep doing these! This was AMAZING! Thank you!!!”
Make it a new year’s resolution to attend a networking opportunity to connect and learn alongside colleagues across the state. To learn more about these opportunities and others like them, visit the APR Repository.
PaTTAN has developed a set of short, animated videos that highlight different members of the IEP team. The purpose of these videos is to support students who are learning about the IEP process, as teachers are supporting students to become the leads of their IEPS.
The videos give a quick description of the role of the team member, why a student may need that person on the team, and the expertise and role that the person can fulfill for the team. They are youth, family, and professional friendly!
To date, individual videos have been released for: Behavior Specialist, Educational Audiologist, Educational Interpreter, Family Member, Intervener, General Education Teacher, Reading Specialist, Physical Therapist, Speech Language Pathologist, Paraprofessional, Occupational Therapist, Local Education Agency Representative, School Nurse, and School Psychologist - with more to come.
This has been a collaboration with the Post School Outcomes Student Led IEP project, Family Engagement, and Secondary Transition with input from the corresponding initiatives representing the various IEP team members.
Stay up-to-date on the latest happenings related to secondary transition.
Be sure to pass along the information to others who could benefit from these important details. This newsletter is developed by the Pennsylvania Community on Transition.
Join the mailing list by emailing pasecondarytransition@gmail.com
Episode 11: Keystones of Improvement: A Pennsylvania SSIP Story, Part 1
Stop us if you’ve heard this one: A state wishes to increase its graduation rates, decrease its drop-out rates. That’s what happened in Pennsylvania, where Dr. Laura Moran and Barbara Mozina applied lessons learned to the second iteration of their state’s SSIP.
In the first episode of this two-part A Date with Data, host Amy Bitterman hears all about it, including their efforts to establish an online “early warning” data platform, develop protocols for creating and sustaining data teams, and move districts beyond being “data rich and information poor.” You’ll be the richer, too, for tuning in.
Link: Keystones of Improvement: A Pennsylvania SSIP Story, Part 1 | IDC - IDEA Data Center
If you have not visited the APR Repository recently, you will want to see the new pages and postings.
- On the Home page, find possible staffing solutions that you may not have yet considered.
- The Retaining page continues to advertise for those who are seeking a mentor. It is not too late to participate for this academic year. You can also find a link to the Mentor Resource Repository where you can view suggested topics and their resources.
- The Steering Committee page has been revised to reflect the workgroup priorities in addition to listing the steering committee members working on each.
- Spend some time on the Hear Their Stories page to learn the stories and advice from PA educators, family members, and conference presenters. Add your story to these short and motivating clips at the 2023 PDE Conference again this year.
- Be sure to visit the Developing Future Special Educators page to find out what opportunities the 46 grantees are engaging in with their students to attract them to the field of special education. More detailed information will be linked to this page soon.
The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education, and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.