Like many genetic disorders, TSD is concentrated in specific communities. It is a fatal disorder that causes a lipid, or fatty substance, to build up in the brain. Tay-Sachs Disease (TSD) is a fatal genetic disorder that causes a lipid, or fatty substance (GM2-ganglioside), to build up in the brain. It is one of several … Read more
The usefulness of IQ testing for identifying learning disabilities is hotly debated. And with changes in the law, issues like cost and ethics are also being discussed. When reading specialists meet with small groups of students under the new Response to Intervention model, they collect information about how the student responds to instructional strategies and … Read more
Practical Techniques for Teaching Students with ASD Helpful strategies that create better opportunities for learners with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to get the most out of your lessons. It may sometimes seem as if pupils with autism or Asperger’s Syndrome live in their own world, one that is remote from other learners. It is easier … Read more
Classroom Strategies for Idioms to Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome Why is something easy ‘a piece of cake’? Understand why idioms are a minefield for these very literal-minded learners. Includes three teaching activities. An idiom is any phrase that has a non-literal meaning. For example, To kick the bucket most commonly means ‘to die’. Anyone who … Read more
Making Sense of Special Education’s Favorite Buzzword Inclusion is fast becoming a common buzzword in special education circles, but just what does it mean? For students, teachers, and parents, it means change is in the air. Let’s face it: above all else, children want to be included. In education, included means participating with other students … Read more
Helping Teachers Better Handle Reading Problems Dyslexic students can thrive in the classroom with the right help. This article will give teachers the simple tips they need to help their dyslexic students succeed. When you have a child that is dyslexic, the school can often be a challenge. Many classroom teachers have not had formal … Read more
Make Math Concepts Easier to Understand Manipulatives help special education students by providing a concrete representation of abstract math concepts. Special education students always struggle to understand ideas that are too abstract, thus Math class is particularly challenging. Some students might be able to understand many math concepts by listening to a teacher’s explanation on … Read more
Understanding and Using Modeling, an Excellent Teaching Tool Social skills are difficult to impart to many students with autism or Aspergers. The social story has become an excellent new tool for teaching those valuable skills. One of the central educational issues for autistic students (both in the classroom and at home) is a deficit of … Read more
Inclusion and Hearing Loss More students with hearing loss are instructed in the “regular” classroom each year. Here are some strategies for instructing a student who is deaf or hard of hearing. When working with hearing-impaired students in the classroom, use these tips for successful instruction. Have the student sit with his or her better … Read more
Developing Foundational Number Skills Using Cards, Dice, and Objects Fun and playful ways to increase your child’s enthusiasm for, and ability with, math. These games will soon become favorites as your child quickly learns math facts. Until a child knows what quantity the number 6 represents, or that the number 4 also means 4 countable … Read more