6 Steps to Developing a Special Education Curriculum (2023)

"If a child cannot learn as we teach it, perhaps we should teach it as it learns." ~ Ignatius Estrada

Every student deserves a chance to learn, and one of the most important things that has happened in education is the recognition by school leaders, teachers and parents that not all students learn the same way. When a student has challenges that stand in the way of learning, it is the job of school districts to remove the obstacles and give that student what he or she needs.

At Alludo, we understand that exceptional students need exceptional education. With that in mind, here's what you need to know about special and inclusive education and six steps to help you develop one.Special Education Curriculumplano.

Index

1. What is special education?
2. Special Education vs. Inclusive Education
3. What is Special Education Curriculum Adaptation?
4. What challenges do teachers face when adapting special education curricula?
   1. Creating activities that engage all students
   2. Balancing different IEPs
   3. Integrate special education sessions with daily activities
   4. lack of resources
5. 6 steps to developing a special education plan
6. take from allud

What is special education?

Before we detail the steps required to create a special education curriculum, let's define what special education is. AccordinglyUnited States Department of Education, Special education is defined like this”

Special education means specially designed classes, free to parents, to meet the special needs of a child with a disability, including:

(i) teaching in the classroom, at home, in hospitals and institutions and in other settings; It is

(ii) Physical Education.

The definition goes on to say that special education includes speech therapy services or other related services when they qualify as special education by state standards, including travel training and vocational training.

It is important to note that while special education can cover a wide range of classes and services, there is no one-size-fits-all definition because every child is unique.

Any special education curriculum must be tailored to the needs of each student and use information about their abilities. The US Department of Education says children should learn in the least restrictive environment, or LRE. In most cases, this means that children who need special education need to be placed in the same classrooms as their peers, but some children may need a different approach.

Students who qualify for special education must have an Individualized Education Program, or IEP. The IEP provides individualized instruction and the resources a student needs to learn and is made available to families at no cost. Children with IEPs work with experts to help them overcome their challenges and tap into their strengths, and family members play a key role in deciding what each child needs to be successful in the classroom.

Special Education vs. Inclusive Education

Another term you may have heard when it comes to students with disabilities is inclusive education, so let's define it.

Inclusive education is education that emphasizes universal education for all students. It places students with disabilities (SWDs) in age-appropriate classrooms with their peers (non-SWDs) and takes the approach that students with disabilities are just as capable as other students and learn best in a classroom setting.

There wasNumerous studiesdemonstrating the pedagogical benefits for SWDs and non-SWDs of learning in an inclusive classroom. SWDs made progress in literacy, math, and social studies. Non-SWDs also saw gains in reading and math. One theory is that inclusive learning inspires teachers to experiment with new teaching techniques and strategies, including peer review and support for non-SWDs.

The main difference between special education and inclusive education is that inclusive education places all students in the same classroom, with exceptions only for occupational or speech therapy. Both are to be distinguished from integrated teaching, which takes place in the same classroom and can employ both general and special education teachers.

In addition to test scores, learning in an inclusive classroom can increase SWDs' self-esteem, give them more confidence that they can learn, and provide social opportunities they may not have if they were studying in a classroom separate from special education . While special education takes a student-centred approach, inclusive education takes an “education for all” approach.

What is Special Education Curriculum Adaptation?

Special education curriculum adaptation involves changing a general education curriculum to make it suitable for students with disabilities. In other words, the same material can be studied, but curriculum adaptation does not expect students with disabilities to achieve the same learning outcomes as other students. Any adjustments to the curriculum must be noted in the student's IEP.

before eightWays teachers can adapt curriculaServe students with disabilities:

1. Customize the environment.Teachers can use cooperative groupings or place students in different areas of the classroom to make teaching the customized curriculum easier.
2. Customize the presentation.Teachers can demonstrate or use different models to illustrate concepts to students with IEPs. Alternatively, they can provide students with resources that describe key concepts.
3. Change the tempo.Students with IEPs sometimes take more time than other students to complete assignments. There are two ways to shorten assignments or give students more time to complete them.
4. Alternate mode for materials.Some students with IEPs may need adjustments in the way they create materials. Some examples might be allowing students to dictate answers, using a computer, or cutting and pasting pictures.
5. Adjust the materials.Teachers may also need to adjust the materials they use in class to accommodate students with IEPs. Some examples could be large printable worksheets, overlays, or worksheets with more white space for student answers.
6. adjust rating.Student evaluations must also consider students with IEP. Teachers may allow students to demonstrate their understanding of a concept through an oral or open-book test, or by using computer programs that students can use to practice and record their results.
7. replacement resume.Some students may not be able to follow the same general curriculum as the rest of the class. In this case, teachers cansubstitute an alternate resumematch the student's abilities.
8. Communicate with students.Any adjustment to the curriculum must involve careful and specific communication with students. Teachers should be clear and concise when explaining each lesson and what is expected of students, remembering that SWDs may require more time to respond and simplified explanations of the lessons.

Note that not all of these customizations are required for all students.

What challenges do teachers face when adapting special education curricula?

Every educator teaching students with disabilities faces challenges. Here are four of the most common.

Creating activities that engage all students

Activities in any inclusive classroom must be designed to involve all students. Teachers should therefore be careful to address issues that may prevent students from participating or communicating. At the same time, they should look for and integrate adaptive devices and communication tools for students with IEPs.

Balancing different IEPs

As the name suggests, IEPs are individualized. Because each IEP is unique, teachers in inclusive classrooms must learn to balance multiple IEPs for the students they have with the needs of the class as a whole.

Integrate special education sessions with daily activities

Planning daily activities in an inclusive classroom can be challenging when students with disabilities need to leave the classroom to attend therapy sessions. As sessions can take place at different times of the day, planning activities requires attention to detail and flexibility.

lack of resources

One of the biggest challenges teachers face in inclusive classrooms is the lack of resources, particularly the lack of special education teachers and teacher assistants. Any district wishing to adapt curricula for students with special needs must be careful to provide teachers with the necessary resources and support to accommodate all students in the classroom.

6 steps to developing a special education plan

Now let's look at the six steps required to develop aSpecial Education Plan.

1. Consult IEPs and other data to determine students' academic level.The first step in creating a special education plan is to review teacher ratings, student test scores, IEPs, and other data to ensure you understand where students are learning and what they need to be successful.
2. Keep county and state standards in mind.Next, you must determine whether you want to use class standards or academic standards when designing your plan. For example, a student might be in 6th grade (grade level) while pursuing 2nd grade (academic level) skills.
3. Identify skills to develop with students.After reviewing the IEPs and district and state standards, the next step is to determine what skills are appropriate for students. Specific skills and topics can be referenced in the standards and you can use these as a guide to extracting skills to include in your curriculum.
4. Integrate supplementary materials to enhance your existing resume.Sometimes a packaged curriculum contains all the necessary materials, but this is not always the case for teachers in an inclusive classroom. Once you have determined what skills you want to teach, look for supplemental materials to help students learn. You can ask other teachers what materials they have found helpful. You may also want to explore online markets such asTeachers pay teachers.
5. Adapt the lesson plan to the needs of the students on an ongoing basis.Any educator who teaches students with disabilities learns over time. In fact, they can learn as much from their students as the students learn from them! Because of this, it is important to be flexible and adjust lesson plans as you learn.
6. Integrate your own teaching experiences.Finally, don't be afraid to incorporate your own teaching experiences into developing and adapting your curriculum. Even teachers who are relatively new to the profession can have real-world experiences that can guide them in designing lessons and activities to suit their students.

Because a special education curriculum must address each student's IEPs and needs, the most important thing you can do is remain open and flexible, and understand that your plans may need to adjust over time.

take from allud

Alludo specializes in providing teachers with dynamic professional learning that helps them better connect with their students. This includes special education, which is why we include many special education topics and activities in theI refer to the catalog of contents. The lessons we select can help teachers understand the purpose of special education, different learning abilities, and how to integrate adaptive tools and technology into the classroom.

We are here to support school districts, administrators and educators. We believe that any district that wants to do a good job of housing students with disabilities can benefit from equipping their teachers to create effective special education curricula. It's an opportunity to encourage teachers to use their professional experience to meet students' needs and save time and stress in the classroom.

We also believe that any educator who has students with IEPs in the classroom can benefit from open communication and collaboration with other teachers. OurAlludo-Message-Boardsare designed to encourage collaboration and can be beneficial for both teachers and students

Empower teachers in your district to develop special education curriculum plans

School districts can provide the best and most inclusive education for students with disabilities by allowing teachers to bring their expertise and passion to the development of special education curriculum plans. To do this, it is important to equip educators with the knowledge and resources needed to serve students wherever they are.

Experience personalized learning for educators of all levels with a free trial of Alludo's professional development platform. You will like:

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