First, Discover Their Strengths

Methodologies for Identifying Talents, Virtues, Abilities, Interests, Intelligences, and

Capacities in Students with Special Needs

Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.

www.institute4learning.com

Confederation of Oregon School Administrators

Seaside, Oregon

June 19, 2013

Strength-Based Assessment in Special Education

• Research Studies on Strengths• Formal Assessment Tools• Informal Assessment Approaches• New Special Education Job

Description: Strengths Specialist

Neurodiversity Strengths ChecklistPersonal Strengths

___ Enjoys working independently

___ Has a good sense of his/her personal strengths and

weaknesses

___ Learns from past mistakes

___ Has persistence in carrying out assignments or activities

___ Is courageous in dealing with adversity and/or the

unknown

___ Keeps a personal diary or journal

___ Has a good sense of humor

___ Possesses a sense of responsibility

___ Has strong opinions about controversial topics

___ Marches to the beat of a different drummer

___ Handles stressful events well (e.g. is resilient)

___ Has good character (e.g. honesty, integrity, fairness)

___ Has the ability to set realistic goals for him/herself

___ Has a sense of confidence or high self-esteem

___ Has good self-discipline

___ Has personal ambitions in life

___ Displays good common sense

___ Possesses personal vitality, vigor, or energy

Communication Strengths

___ Explains ideas or concepts well to others

___ Asks good questions

___ Is a good storyteller

___ Is a good joke teller

___ Has good listening skills

___ Handles verbal feedback (especially negative feedback) well

___ Has good articulation ability

___ Is able to effectively use non-verbal cues to communicate

with others

___ Is persuasive in getting someone to do something

___ Has good assertive skills without being pushy

Emotional Strengths

____ Is emotionally sensitive to perceiving the world around

him/her

____ Has an optimistic attitude toward life

____ Can tell how he/she is feeling at any given moment

____ Can easily pick up on the emotional state of another person

____ Is able to handle strong internal feelings in a

constructive manner

____ Receives gut feelings about things

From: Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. "Reproduced with permission. Learn more about ASCD at www.ascd.org."

Neurodiversity Strengths ChecklistSocial Strengths

___ Has leadership ability___ Has a good sense of empathy for others___ Enjoys socializing with others___ Is good at helping others___ Is kind or affectionate towards others___ Has at least one good friend___ Prefers working with others___ Likes to play board games and/or card games with others___ Has skill in refereeing disputes conflicts between classmates___ Is polite and has good manners___ Is able to work out his/her own conflicts with others___ Works well in groups___ Volunteers his/her time in some worthy cause___ Belongs to at least one club or social group (e.g. Scouts.)___ Has a good relationship with at least one family member___ Is friendly to others___ Is good at sharing with others___ Follows class rules___ Has a good relationship with at least one teacher in the school___ Has good personal hygiene___ Trusts others without being taken in___ Is liked by his peers

Cognitive Strengths

___ Has good organizational skills___ Has good study skills___ Is able to use cognitive strategies (e.g. self-talk) in solving problems___ Is able to pay close attention to details___ Has a good short-term and/or long-term memory___ Is able to think ahead___ Is able to become totally absorbed in an activity___ Can easily divide his attention between two or more activities

Cultural Strengths

___ Has traveled to other countries___ Speaks more than one language___ Is tolerant of others who have cultural, ethnic, or racial differences___ Has pride in his/her own cultural, ethnic, or racial background___ Likes to find out about historical events around the world___ Enjoys learning about different cultural traditions

From: Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. "Reproduced with permission. Learn more about ASCD at www.ascd.org."

Neurodiversity Strengths Checklist

Literacy Strengths

___ Enjoys reading books___ Has good reading comprehension___ Enjoys doing word puzzles or playing word games___ Is a good writer in one or more genres (e.g. poetry, stories, reports, letters)___ Is a good speller___ Has a large vocabulary___ Enjoys listening to audio books or to someone telling a story or reading out loud

Logical Strengths

___ Does well in science class___ Can estimate things easily___ Enjoys working with numbers and/or statistics___ Is good at solving math problems___ Has a chemistry set or other science kit that he/she works with at home___ Has an interest in astronomy, chemistry, physics, or biology___ Enjoys logical or number games or puzzles like Rubik’s cube or Sudoku___ Can easily calculate numbers in his/her head

Visual-Spatial Strengths

___ Has an aptitude for fixing machines___ Likes to create three-dimensional structures with building materials___ Is good at doing jigsaw puzzles or other visual puzzles___ Is able to read maps well___ Reports being able to visualize images clearly___ Gets information more easily through pictures than words___ Is sensitive to the visual world around him/her

Physical Strengths

___ Has a good sense of balance___ Learns material best when moving around___ Likes to ride his/her bike, skateboard, and/or other self-powered personal vehicle___ Is good at playing team sports like baseball, soccer, basketball, or football___ Is good at playing individual sports like tennis, swimming, gymnastics, or golf___ Is in good physical health___ Likes to dance___ Is physically strong___ Is a fast runner or has other athletic abilities___ Likes to exercise (e.g. weights, aerobics, jogging, treadmill)___ Has good physical endurance___ Has good physical flexibility

From: Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. "Reproduced with permission. Learn more about ASCD at www.ascd.org."

Neurodiversity Strengths ChecklistDexterity Strengths

___ Has a hobby building model cars, planes, ships or other similar projects___ Displays good handwriting___ Likes to juggle or do magic tricks___ Enjoys hand crafts like knitting, crocheting, embroidery, or needlepoint___ Likes to make things with his/her hands___ Has good tactile ability___ Enjoys arts and crafts like origami, collage, and/or paper maché ___ Enjoys woodworking, carpentry, carving, and/or metal work____Has good eye-hand coordination

Nature Strengths

___ Has good rapport with animals___ Is good at taking care of plants in the classroom or at home___ Is sensitive to weather patterns___ Takes care of a pet at home or at school___ Is concerned about the welfare of the planet (e.g. is ecologically-minded)___ Likes to go hiking and/or camping in nature___ Enjoys studying nature (e.g. insects, plants, birds, rocks, and/or animals)___ Likes to hunt or fish___ Has a good sense of direction

Musical Strengths

___ Is sensitive to the rhythms of music___ Enjoys playing a musical instrument___ Knows the music and lyrics of many songs___ Has a particular interest in one or more musical genres (e.g. rock, classical, jazz) ___ Enjoys listening to music___ Has a good sense of hearing auditory acuity___ Has a good sense of pitch___ Has a good singing voice___ Makes up his/her own tunes or melodies with or without/lyrics

High Tech Strengths

___ Likes to spend time using a computer, tablet, or smart phone___ Has a facility for playing video games___ Likes to surf the Internet___ Knows how to set up audio-visual or computer equipment___ Likes to text on the phone___ Enjoys social networking (e.g. blog, website, Facebook)___ Enjoys using a still camera or video camera to record events or express him/herself___ Has several his/her own favorite movies or TV shows that he/she likes to talk about____Understands at least one computer language

From: Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. "Reproduced with permission. Learn more about ASCD at www.ascd.org."

Neurodiversity Strengths Checklist

Creative Strengths

___ Expresses him/herself dramatically___ Has a good imagination___ Enjoys doodling, drawing, and/or painting___ Likes to act in plays and skits___ Works well with clay or other forms of sculpture___ Demonstrates creativity in one or more school assignments___ Possesses a love of beautiful things___ Has ideas for futuristic or fantastic projects___ Comes up with ideas that nobody else has thought of

Spiritual Strengths

___ Enjoys meditation, yoga, or some other form of contemplation___ Asks big life questions (e.g. what is the purpose of life?)___ Has a deep sense of wisdom___ Participates in religious or other spiritual events___ Has a philosophical attitude toward life___ Has a strong faith in something higher than him/herself

Miscellaneous Strengths

___ Likes collecting things (e.g. stamps, coins, buttons)___ Loves to cook___ Has a love of learning new things___ Is a good test taker___ Possesses a good memory for nighttime dreams___ Is curious about the world around him/her___ Has a good sense of time___ Manages money well___ Has good fashion sense in the clothes he/she wears___ Has good entrepreneurial skills (e.g. has started own business) started his/her own business

Other Strengths (write in other strengths not mentioned elsewhere in checklist):

From: Thomas Armstrong, Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012. "Reproduced with permission. Learn more about ASCD at www.ascd.org."

Identifying Strengths in Students

• Observation

• Documentation

• Cumulative Files

• Colleagues

• Parents

• Students

Strengths Specialist in Special Education: Competencies

• Research in strengths of neurodiverse students (M.Ed. Thesis or Ph.D. dissertation)

• Familiarity with strength-based literature• Familiarity with literature on strengths in

special education populations• Competence in using a range of formal

strength-based assessment tools• Competence in using a variety of informal

strength-based assessment approaches.

Strengths Specialist in Special Education: Responsibilities

• Design a strength-based protocol of formal and informal assessments (individualized)

• Assess strengths in existing and entering special education populations

• Develop curriculum strategies for each neurodiverse student based on his/her strengths

• Consult/Co-teach with regular class teacher on using strength-based strategies with neurodiverse students

• Conduct professional development programs with staff on strength-based learning and neurodiversity

References p. 1• Armstrong, Thomas. “Describing Strengths in Children Identified as ‘Learning Disabled’ Using

Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences as an Organizing Framework,” Ph.D. Dissertation, (San Francisco, CA, California Institute of Integral Studies), Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 1987, 48(08A).

• Armstrong, Thomas. Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom, 3rd ed. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2009.

• Armstrong, Thomas. Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life. Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 2012..

• Armstrong, Thomas. ‘’Appreciating Special Education Students’ Diversity,’’ Education Week, February 5, 2013. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2013/02/06/20armstrong.h32.html

• Black, Jenn. ‘’Digital Transition Portfolios for Secondary Students with Disabilities,’’ Intervention in School and Clinic, v46 n2 p118-124 Nov 2010.

• Chan, David W. ‘’Intellectual Styles of Exceptional Learners,’’ in Zhang, Li Fang et al. (eds). Handbook of Intellectual Styles. New York: Springer, 2012

• Dykens, Elizabeth, M. (2006). “Toward a Positive Psychology of Mental Retardation,” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol. 76, No. 2, pp. 185-193.

• Epstein, Michael H. ‘’Strength Based Assessment,’’ [Power Point] 21st Annual RTC Conference, Tampa, Florida, February 2008. http://rtckids.fmhi.usf.edu/rtcconference/handouts/pdf/21/Workshop%2005/Epstein.pdf.

• Gallup Youth Development Specialists. StrengthsExplorer For Ages 10 to 14: From Gallup, the Creators of StrengthsFinder .

References p. 2• Khatena, Joe, and E. Paul Torrence. Khatena-Torrance Creative Perception Inventory, New York:

Scholastic Testing Service, 1998. http://ststesting.com/ngifted.html• Lenhoff, Howard et al. ‘’Williams Syndrome and the Brain’’ Scientific American, December 1997,

pp. 68-73. • Mottron, Laurent. (2011, November 3). ‘’The Power of Autism,’’ Nature, Vol. 479, p. 33. • Proulx-Schirduan, Victoria, C. Branton Shearer, and Karen I. Case. MIndful Education for ADHD

Students: Differentiating Curriculum and Instruction Using Multiple Intelligences. New York: Teachers College Press, 2008.

• Sanders, Christa A. ‘’Strengths Based Interventions for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Implications for School Counselors,’’ Master’s Thesis, Adler Graduate School, May, 2010.

• Shah, Amitta, and Uta Frith, (1993). “Why Do Autistic Individuals Show Superior Performance on the Block Design Task?” Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 34, No. 8: 1351-1364.

• Simeonova, D. I. et al. ‘’Creativity in familial bipolar disorder.,’’ Journal of Psychiatric Research, November, 2005, Vol. 39, no. 6, pp. 623–631.

• Stone, Suki, and Dixon Hearne. ‘’Multiple Intelligences and Underachievement: Lessons From Individuals with Learning Disabilities,’’ Journal of Learning Disabilities, August/September 1995 vol. 28 no. 7 439-448.

• Tarver, Sara G. et al. “Figural and Verbal Creativity in Learning Disabled and Nondisabled Children,’” Learning Disability Quarterly, Vol. 3 No., 3, Summer, 1980.

• Torrence, E. Paul. Torrence Test of Creative Thinking. Scholastic Testing Service. http://ststesting.com/ngifted.html

• Yoshimoto, Ron. ‘’Celebrating Strengths and Talents of Children with Dyslexia: An Educational Model,’’ Ld-online. 2000, http://www.ldonline.org/article/5863/

Contact Information

• Email: thomas@institute4learning.com• Website: www.institute4learning.com• Blog: http://institute4learning.com/blog/• Twitter: @Dr_Armstrong