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Introducing The Learning Team to Parents
Slides can be downloaded by visiting Alberta Learning’s Web site at: www.learning.gov.ab.ca. Click on Kindergarten to Grade 12, go to Resources for Parents, click on The Learning Team and scroll down to Also available.
This PowerPoint presentation offers slides that district and school staff can use to introduce The Learning Team to parent groups.
An overview for parents of
THE
Learning
T E A MA handbook for parents of children with special needs
Learning and Teaching Resources BranchSpecial Programs Branch
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The Learning Team Workshop Warm-Up!
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The Learning Team Workshop Agenda
Introduction
Who are children with special needs?
Building the learning team
Meeting children’s diverse learning needs
Supporting social and emotional growth
Planning for transitions
Resolving differences
Keeping informed
Wrap-up
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Parents: Important members of the learning team As parents, you know your child best. You
know your child’s strengths, abilities, needs and challenges.
Your ongoing involvement and support in your child’s education can make a positive and meaningful difference in your child’s success.
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Goal of The Learning Team
To provide information and sample strategies that parents can use to become meaningfully involved in their children’s education
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a
common vision.
~Unknown~
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Special features of the resourceTips
Parent Notebooks
Links to other resources
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Links to other resources
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Chapter 1: Who are Children with Special Needs?
How a child learns Intellect Communication Physical characteristics School behaviour
Key question: How do these characteristics affect a child’s learning and functioning in the classroom?
Characteristics to consider
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Require informed parental consent
Informal classroom assessment
School-based assessment
Specialized assessment
Examples:talking with the
childobservationanalyzing work
samplesinformal reading or
math inventories
Example:screening tests
Examples:psycho-
educational assessments
speech-language assessments
Continuum of assessment
Chapter 1: Who are Children with Special Needs?
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Purposes of assessment
To find out if the child has a special learning need
To identify the child’s strengths and needs
To identify programming and services that will meet the child’s individual needs
Chapter 1: Who are Children with Special Needs?
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Parents’ role in assessment
Sharing medical reports
Reporting recent behaviour changes
Discussing observations about your child’s learning needs
Completing checklists
Providing input after assessment
Chapter 1: Who are Children with Special Needs?
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Participate in decisions
Give consent for specialized assessments
Be informed about programming
Provide information about your child
Discuss your child’s progress
Consult on your child’s IPP
Parents’ role in the learning team
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Know your child’s teachers
Share information
Meet your school principal
Thomas Edison’s response when asked why he had a team of twenty-
one assistants:
“If I could solve all the problems myself, I would.”
Build the learning team
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Teacher assistants
Mentors
Community services
Health-related services
Expand the learning team
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Provide input
Participate in school councils and committees
Volunteer
Be part of the school community
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Understand that communication is key
Invest your time
Give change a chance
Consider what support you need
Keep records
Advocate for your child
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Talk about learning
Find out what your child is learning
Help practise new skills
Recognize accomplishments
Support learning at home
Chapter 2: Building the Learning Team
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Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
“All children can learn, but not all children learn in
the same way, at the same time or at the same rate – learning is an individual
process.”
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Identify needs
Develop annual goals and measurable objectives
Select appropriate accommodations and supports
How to meet children’s diverse learning needs
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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An adapted program keeps the outcomes from the provincial curriculum and adjusts instruction to address the special learning needs of the student.
A modified program has learning outcomes that are significantly different from the provincial program and specifically selected to meet a student’s special learning needs.
Types of programming
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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Each student identified as having special needs must have an individualized program plan (IPP).
IPPs are developed to address the specific learning needs of individual students.
Individualized Program Planning (IPP)
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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A team effort involving the student, parents, teachers and resource personnel
A planning document that helps monitor, record, and evaluate a student’s education programming and progress
A summary of accommodations and modifications
A guide for transition planning
What is an IPP?
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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“The IPP is a ‘game plan’ devised by the ‘team’ in a
huddle. It decides what to do to win.”
~ Dr. Dave Carter ~
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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Types of accommodations
Classroom accommodations
Instructional accommodations
Evaluation and testing accommodations
An accommodation is a change to the regular way a student is expected to learn, complete assignments or participate in the classroom.
Accommodations
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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Sample classroom accommodations:
Enlarging reading materials
Using blocks or number lines for counting
Using word processors or electronic spell checks
Providing different kinds of paper or supplies
Allowing children to stand rather than sit for selected activities
= Adaptations of resources and materials in order to help students learn more successfully
Classroom accommodations
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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= Adjustments to instruction in order to reflect how individual students learn best
Instructional accommodations
Sample instructional accommodations:
Breaking instruction into small steps
Working in partners and small groups
Writing key questions on the board
Showing a sample of a completed assignment
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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= Modifications to classroom assessment in order to create a clear and realistic picture of student growth and achievement
Assessment accommodations
Sample assessment accommodations:
Extended time to complete tasks
Breaks during a test
Use of a reader or a scribe to record answers
Breaking the test into parts
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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“Instruction, rather than setting, is the key to success.
Decisions related to the placement of students are best made on an individual basis in a
manner that maximizes their opportunity to participate fully
in the experience of schooling.”
~ Standards for Special Education (2003) ~ Page1
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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Regular classroom
Resource program
Specialized classes
Different children need different kinds of support.
Placement can include a combination of:
Placement options
Chapter 3: Meeting Children’s Diverse Learning Needs
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Chapter 4: Supporting Social and Emotional Growth
Promote understanding of your child’s special needs
Offer encouragement
Teach decision-making skills
Encourage independence
Build communication skills
Foster friendships
Ideas for supporting children’s social and emotional growth
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Tips
Discuss strengths and needs
Include your child in meetings
Provide opportunities for making plans and choices
Set goals
Self-advocacy = Speaking out and taking positive action to make your situation better
Teach self-advocacy
Chapter 4: Supporting Social and Emotional Growth
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Chapter 5: Planning for Transitions
= Any event that results in changes to relationships, routines, expectations or roles
Transition
Early and systematic planning
Consciously identifying hopes and dreams
Thoroughly exploring a variety of possibilities
Using appropriate strategies to help your child move from one stage to the next
Keys to successful transitions
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Accept that change and challenges are part of life
Plan well in advance of any change
Plan with the future in mind
Encourage and celebrate small successes
Early planning
Chapter 5: Planning for Transitions
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Find out your child’s dreams and hopes for the future
Identify your own wishes and preferences for your child’s future
Develop a family vision for the future
Identifying hopes and dreams
Chapter 5: Planning for Transitions
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Consider what supports your child may need
Ask questions
Reassure and support your child
Bridging from one stage to the next
Chapter 5: Planning for Transitions
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Chapter 6: Resolving Differences
Meet with your child’s teacher
Meet with the school principal
Look for win–win solutions
Voicing concerns at the local level
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Every parent has a right to appeal board decisions
Appeal procedures vary from district to district
Your school principal can provide information about your district appeal process
Voicing concerns at the district level
Chapter 6: Resolving Differences
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If you have completed an appeal at the district level and are still dissatisfied with a board decision you can request a review by the Minister of Learning
The Minister’s decision is in effect for one year
Voicing concerns at the provincial level
Chapter 6: Resolving Differences
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Chapter 7: Keeping Informed
Choose issue to research
Narrow down your questions
Search for information
Carefully consider the reliability of all sources
Researching educational issues may provide you with valuable information to consider when making decisions about your child’s education.
Beginning the search
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People (including teachers and other parents)
Libraries
Print resources
Internet
Television, film and video resources
Where can I find information?
Chapter 7: Keeping Informed
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3 Things you found out
2 Things that you will start right away
1 Question you still have
Wrap-up Activity
How did we do?
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"Coming together is a beginning, staying together
is progress, and working together is success."
~Henry Ford~
