Inclusive Practices-Paraeducator Support

Model

Presented by Kathy Kilgore

www.laspdg.org

Considerations

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Roll Call

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People First Language

Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf

“People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.”

Series of 6 Webinars

1. Overview of Inclusive Practices 2. Co-teaching Support Model 3. Consultant Support Model 4. Paraeducator Support Model5. Scheduling for Inclusive Practice 6. Logistical Issues

Grading IEPs Planning

Inclusive Practices…..

• …academic and behavior supports and strategies provided to students with disabilities in general education settings.

Collaborative Support Models for Inclusive Practices

Co-teaching Support Model Consultant Support Model

Paraeducator Support Model

Co-teaching Support Model

As defined by Friend and Cook (2010)…Co-teaching is a service delivery option for

providing special education or related services to students with disabilities or other special needs while they remain in their general education classes.

Two or more professionals jointly deliver meaningful instruction to a diverse, blended group of students in a single physical space.

Consultant Support ModelSupport and assistance by a special education

teacher to a general education teacher(s) (outside of the classroom).

Consultation provided so that the general education teacher is able to meet the support needs of SWD.

Paraeducator Support Model

• Para supporting SWD in general education settings under direction of general education teacher

• Role is to facilitate successful inclusion of SWD in general education

• Tasks are determined by support needs of students in both academics and behavior

Inclusive Support Paras…

• Different than special education paras assigned to special education classes

• Different than child specific paras• Paras assigned to general education classes with

SWD • Inclusive support paras not assigned to co-

taught classes• Primary beneficiary of paras’ supports is SWD

but other students may benefit

Support Categories

Routine, general school/classroom supports

Direct instructional supports

Routine, general school/classroom supports…

• Essential tasks that apply to a wide variety of situations

• Environmental or external supports• More supplemental than core• Enable students to learn without being

directly related to learning• Visual, organizational, time management tasks• Supportive of educational environment

Examples….• Grading papers• Checking folders• Dispensing medicine• Helping with hygiene• Supervising students• Organizing

classroom/materials• Helping with bulletin

boards

• Monitoring learning stations

• Assisting students with physical needs

• Helping students keep track of personal items

• Accompanying students• Organizing/supervising

field trips

Direct instructional supports…

• Related to curriculum and implementation of curriculum standards

• Directly affect student learning• Help students be more engaged

Examples….

• Tutoring students/providing feedback

• Facilitating lesson delivery• Using questioning strategies• Explaining/clarifying• Collecting data• Designing accommodations• Coaching/supporting• Rereading/repeating/re-

explaining• Implementing behavior

systems

• Administering assessments• Working one on one or

small group• Working with substitutes• Assisting with specific tasks• Supporting ESL• Preparing/adapting

materials• Modeling/teaching social

skills• Supervising peer tutors

The Teacher… While the Para….

Plans lessons, arrangements, stations and activities

Assists in implementing plan

Determines lesson objectives Carries out activities to meet lesson objectives

Teaches lesson Reinforces and supervises practice of skills

Observes behavior, plans and implements behavior strategies

Observes behavior, assists in collecting data and helps implement behavior plans

Designs informal assessments and administers and scores formal and informal tests

Administers informal tests

Meets with parents and initiates conferences

Participates in conferences when appropriate

Let’s take a poll….

Are there some other specific tasks or activities in which a paraeducator may may engage in order to help ensure the support needs of students with disabilities are met?

• Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

Confidentiality

• Never discuss students, staff members, or confidential school issues outside of school

• Student problems should not be shared with other staff members unless they are directly involved with the student

• Avoid sharing information about student’s progress with parents unless authorized by supervising teacher

Communication/Teambuilding

• Communication and working as a team are essential

• Communication begins with respect• Emphasis on People First Language• Critical part of collaborative partnerships

Effective Communication….

• Active Listening

• Personal Space

• Voice

Active Listening….

• Paying attention to what is said• Improves quality of communication

interactions• Conveys openness, non-judgmental

attitude and willingness

Personal Space….

• Important to honor personal space of others

• General rule of thumb – one arm’s length (but varies with person and situation)

• Invading another’s personal space inhibits positive relationships, increases anxiety and reduces productivity

Voice tone and volume…

• Tone – convey respect• Volume – appropriate for

distance/situation• Cadence – good rate and rhythm

Not what you say, but how you say it!

I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent.

I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent.

I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent.

“Well, aren’t you the smart one today.”

Effectively communicating

Working well together

Students benefitting

Positive Student Outcomes

Effective utilization of paraeducator…

• Clearly articulated expectations–Required tasks–Professional development needs–Evaluation system–Communication schedule–Disagreement procedures

Initial meeting with para, the teacher should….

• Teacher’s instructional delivery approach• Teaching methods• Para expectations • Para’s unique skills/talents• Classroom schedule/routines• Learner specific information

• Para should meet with sped teacher

At initial meeting, para should ask about….

• Records and data collection• Communication protocol• Responses to parents• Discipline procedures• PD opportunities• Person(s) in authority• Evaluation procedures• Absent teacher• Time management

Let’s take a poll….

Are there some other expectations that the teacher should outline for the para? Or, if you have had such a meeting with a para, how did it go?

• Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

Instruction• How instruction is planned and delivered is

critical• Teachers should design multiple-sized lessons• Paras are in a pivotal position to assist in

ensuring multiple-sized lessons• Para supports makes a different in student

learning• Instructional support is primary function of para

in inclusive classroom

Some examples….

• Employing questioning strategies

• Explaining/clarifiying concepts

• Guiding the ‘thinking’ process

• Helping make meaningful connections

Schedules….

• Para schedule is required• Schedule based on student support

needs• Para should remain in class for entire

period

Examples of Assistance…• Involved in the lesson planning process• Assist in data collection–Teacher identifies type of data –Collected in non-judgmental manner–Collected on both academic and behavior

progress• Assist in managing student behaviors–Collect behavior data–Deliver reinforcers

Co-teaching approaches

• Parallel• Station• Teaming• Alternative• One Teach/One Assist (better utilized with

para)• One Teach/One Observe (better utilized

with para)

Examples….

• Modified parallel approach– Teacher teaches one group, para reviews with

other group–Groups switch

• Modified station approach– Teacher teaches each group that rotates

through, para reviews with each group, independent group works independently

Let’s take a poll….

Do you think a para could be used to effectively assist the general education teacher in delivering a lesson using either a modified parallel or station approach and not just the 1 teach/1 assist or the 1 teach/1 observe approach? Why or why not?

• Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

Primary focus…• Assisting general education teacher in

delivering a multiple sized lesson that meets needs of all students in class

• Primary beneficiary of support are SWD, but other students also may benefit

Paras are integral part of the core instructional program and have significant impact on

students!!

The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

www.laspdg.org

Additional Webinars in this Series

• February 27 @ 10:00 am: Scheduling• April 17 @ 10:00 am: Logistics

Questions?Please use your chat pod if you have questions

related to this presentation (if time permits, we will answer them, if not, please email questions to contacts below)

After this webinar, you may email any content-related questions to Kathy Kilgore kkilgore@slc-gno.org

You may email any grant-related questions to Melanie Lemoine lemoinem@lsu.edu

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