Ability awareness 3

What is Ability Awareness By: Christa Kondziola

Learning Objectives ★ What is ability awareness? ★ Distinguish between the two special education plans and what they do and how they help the students? ★ Identify at least 3 accommodations teachers can provide students with disabilities to provide for an equal education. ★ Explain why some students may need extra time on some assignments/exams. ★ Identify some strategies teachers can use to help students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. ★ Identify two strategies that are used specifically for gifted/talented students.

Ability Awareness - Ability Awareness are instructors, coaches, teachers, friends and other people focusing on what people CAN do, instead of the activities they CAN’T do. - Tyler, just like his classmates is a normal kid who tried out for school plays, played percussion, did scouts and karate. It was because of the people in the activities who saw the abilities he was able to do, that he was able to participate like any normal student. Even though he was struggling with cerebral palsy and non-verbal learning, he was able to do all the things he did because of those teachers and coaches and administrators that believed in him and saw him for his ABILITIES and not DISABILITIES.

Up Close - Teachers took a look at what Tyler was able to accomplish instead of what he wasn’t. They saw Tyler as a normal high school student and wanted to help him succeed with just a few extra accommodations. Because of this, he has now accomplished being apart of…. - The band and playing percussion. - Getting a role in a school play - Learning Karate - Becoming a scout - Because of all the amazing things Tyler was able to accomplish, he now motivates others in the same boat as him by sharing his journey. - Teachers are also becoming more familiar with how they can help special needs children in a school setting, but still allow for them to do normal activities, like Tyler.

Accomodations - An IEP(individualized education plan) will be made discussing what the student’s goals are. - A 504 plan will be made discussing the accommodations that will be used to reach those goals, such as: - Tape Recorder - Peanut-free lunch - Wheelchair ramp - Blood sugar monitoring - Extra time on exams - Assistants in reading questions on the exams

The Importance - Embracing ability awareness can include having a more welcoming school environment for the PAUSE WAWshNlhtyauDanidtsgReaiuntrEaetiFsmgsLewpoEshomCpreetoTraeksnetetrnnat?ogteleigsmihebsirsathncaoettawtbheielciitraypnaruwimsaearertyonehseslp? students. 1. - Students with disabilities are require to have 2. access to an equal education, compared to those who don’t have disabilities. - Students of a different culture who live in a household, where english is not their first language, may require extra time on assignments and also someone who specifically knows their language well.

Embracing Ability - Becoming aware of student’s abilities rather Awareness than what they can’t do, can help teach a diverse set of students. - For example, one high school math teacher had to learn how to teach adolescents who had ASD(Autism Spectrum Disorder). This teacher now knows that she can post a class agenda on the board everyday and knows that if class is disrupted it may disturb or bother those with ASD. - Also having a better understanding of where students are coming from and what their needs are can help prepare you for any situation that may arise while in the classroom.

Voices from the - It is important that at the beginning of the year, Classroom each teacher identifies each students strengths and room for improvements. - You can do this by having your students take a quiz that isn’t for any credit. - Next identify what motivates them. - Do this by having them take a survey to learn their interests. - Finally assign creative projects for students to show their understanding of the topic and their intelligence and ability for the creativity. - Some examples include creating a playlist of songs to go with a scene from the book and having them write why they chose it. - Or having them act out their favorite scene in a group with costumes and props.

Programs for the - Gifted/talented students make up about 6.7% of Gifted the total enrollment worldwide. (Approximately about 3.2 million students total). 2p.1a. ueudsDsaueeWeccsdchaacoiatrnnimitobdpdonerodotRtehahvseateiidatoftilinnwnsesigobeccgedptaisipffnttfleesbadruneeistmdnetotuad?sddfteWoernar?htttesahgtweimeitsh. - Acceleration: can let gifted students learn at a pace that is best suited for them. - Enrichment lets gifted students learn the curriculum in greater depth and have new opportunities arise and develops their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Our Final Word After reading this chapter, you should have a better understanding of what ability awareness actually is. We shouldn’t judge a student’s ability by how they appear to be, just like we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. After watching the video about Tyler, we were able to learn that even in a wheelchair, students with special needs can still participate in school activities just as great and deserves to have an equal education. During this chapter, we also evaluated some of the ways we can accommodate to those with special needs, or who may be gifted. An IEP is to have a set of goals down on a piece of paper for each student that needs an IEP and a 504 plan is to have all the accommodations written down. There are also two strategies to help gifted students to be able to accelerate a little faster, so they can also learn at their pace. This is called acceleration and enrichment.

Your Final Word ★ After reading, what other questions would you might have about ability awareness? ★ Would you go the extra mile, knowing that it would help a student tremendously reach their goals? ★ What strategies could you use to help someone like Tyler?

Key Terms - Ability awareness(3) - IEP(5) - 504 Plan(5) - ASD(7) - Acceleration(9) - Enrichment(9)

Helpful Resources - Ability Awareness Program - To give people who are not disabled an inside look to what it feels like to be disabled. - https://www.selpa1cac.org/programs/abilit y-a… - Ability Awareness - Teach student’s what disabled people have to struggle with on a daily basis. - https://sites.google.com/a/pleasantonpta. org/snc/Ability-Awareness