General Special Education

This page is geared toward providing ideas and strategies to help children in Special Education in inclusive and specialized settings. These ideas and strategies are organized according to grade level. 

Click on the grade level to find ideas for a variety of strategies designed for children with special needs. 

Please keep in mind that you might consider interventions at lower grade levels for lower functioning individuals.

Click on the "Submit Your Ideas" icon to share your own successful strategies.

Title of Intervention: Accommodating Children with Visual Impairments In The Classroom 

Intervention: Students who are visually impaired learn academic skills in much the same was as their sighted peers but may learn to read and write more slowly. The degree of visual impairments dictates the amount of adjustment students require for all types of learning in the classroom.  Vision is the major channel for acquiring information both in the classroom nd and in the real world. Students with visual impairments msut substitute or supplement with auditory information and with what they can read. Therefore, the following are strategies to plan and modify instruction: 
#1 Seat students where they can best see and hear 
#2 Carefully build both real and vicarious experiences for each lesson 
#3 Present auditory cues for each visual task 
#4 Present auditory and oral stimulus/response patterns to limit visual strain 
#5 Provide extensive training in word and concept meanings 
#6 Specifically teach listening skills and emphasize them in other lessons 
 
Choate, J. S. (1997). Successful Inclusive Teaching: Proven ways to detect and correct special needs. Boston: Allyn and Bacon 

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Preschool 

Title of Intervention: Bathroom Bears 

Materials: Posterboard, 10 cut-out bears from different colored construction paper, 10 pair of underwear to match each bear, and velcro for each bear and each pair of underwear 

Intervention: First, have the ten bears laminated and mounted on a sheet of posterboard that has the student's name and "bathroom bears." Each bear has a piece of velcro attached so that each time that particular student uses the bathroom independently he/she gets to put underwear on his/her bear. When the student has underwear on all of the bears he/she can choose from a variety of reinforcers (stickers, pencils, etc.) Post each student's sheet of bears either in the classroom or in the bathroom. You can also integrate color recognition, sorting, counting, etc. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/-mandel/index.html#anchor581196

Category: Special Education 

Age or Grade:ANY 

Title of Intervention: Working Effectively with Parents 

Intervention: According to Virginia Satir,  there are 4 roles family members play.  Here are several ways to deal with these various types of parents. 
 

1.  The Placator (tries to make everyone happy) - Keep them focused on the present situation, ask them to be specific, keep them from talking too much 

2.  The Blamer ( blames others in the family or at school) - Challenge all generalizations such as "all" or "everyone".  Ask them specific questions such as " when", "where", and "why". 

3.  The Computer ( uneffected by the emotional ups and downs, avoids interaction) - Ask him or her what he/she thinks.  Encourage them to make "I" statements. 

4.  The Distractor ( disrupts the meeting) - If he/she answers a question with a question, inform him/her of that behavior.  Sit next to the person. 

5.  General advice giving ideas to parents - (Academic) Organize the child's study time.  Monitor the child's study time.  Keep study aids available at home. Talk about school  (Behavior Advice)Set as few rules as possible; then stick to them.  Listen to the child.  talk to the child.  Maintain the generation gap: be the parent.  Tell the child that he/she is special. 

Reference: Maurer, Special Educator's Discipline handbook, Center for Applied Research in Education

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Words I Know 

Materials: Magazines, scissors, glue, and construction paper 

Intervention: Even at such a young age, learning disabled students already feel like they are different because they can't read. This activity is a great motivator. Even non readers know a few simple words or environmental print. 
1. Have the students cut words they know out of magazines or find them in other places. 
2. After they have glued the words on paper labeled "Words I Know" they realize they can read more words than they knew. 
3. Students can keep adding to their paper the more words that they learn. These could also be made into a dictionary book format and used for student's writings. Such a simple activity really has a positive effect on student's self-esteem. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/-mandel/index.html#anchor581196

Submitted by: Jayne 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Strategies for Increasing Language Production 

Materials: none 

Intervention: 1. Expect students to speak occasionally in incomplete sentences because this is normal for discourse. 
2. Regardless of the effectiveness of a student's communication, convey that the message is important. React first to the content of a student's message because it is most important in the communication process, and then correct the syntax error. 
3. When attempting to expand a young child's utterances, provide one or two additional words to the child's spontaneious utterance for the child to repeat rather than impose adult structures that are difficult to imitate. Explain that the reason for the expansion of the utterance is not to correct what the youngster is saying but to give a more complex way of expressing thought. 
4.Teach language in various natural settings (e.g. classroom, cafeteria, and playgound) rather than only in isolated groups. Also teach language skills in connection with other curriculum content. 
5. Act as a good language model, and ask students to imitate what they hear. Imitation is frequently a good measure of language skills because students tend to imitate only forms they know and not necessarily what they hear. 
6.Use activities such as role playing and charades to improve a student's use of language in different contexts and to enhance the ability to recognize the importance of nonverbal skills such as eye contact, facial expressions, and gestures. 
7. Teach generalization of language skills through three phases: an orientation phase in which the student becomes aware of the different contexts applicable, an activation phase in which practice is provided in a variety of situations, and a maintenance phase in which periodic probes are conducted to ensure profiiency is maintained. 

Reference: Mercer, Mercer. Teaching Students with Learning Problems. 5th edition.Prentice Hall.1998.

  Submitted by: Stephanie 

Title of Intervention: Using Sequence Words To Write "Picnic" Paragraphs 

Materials: red and white checked tablecloth, paper ants, paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, and graphic organizer 

Intervention: Before class: Create a graphic organizer with the following story starter: "My ______ and I went on a picnic.  We ate so much food! Then, continue it as follows:  The first thing we ate was _____________. Next, we had __________. (and so on using various clue words). Hand out and explain the graphic organizer to students. Reinforce that this is prewriting and complete sentences are not required or expected (teaches writing process). Have students fill out their graphic organizers using as much detail as possible. While they do this, it is a great context for teaching students to apply phonics knowledge to writing. When organizers are completed, proved direct instruction in what a paragraph is supposed to look like.  Then let them continue with the writing process: rough draft, editing and revising, and final copy. Display on a bulletin board with the tablecloth, ants, plates, napkins, and plastic forks as the background. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/-mandel/index.html#anchor581196

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Spelling Houses 

Materials: Cardboard  and gray paper 

Intervention: Construct three small houses from a cardboard boxes.  Label each with a sign such as:  Maria's Playhouse, Jay's Ranch House, and The Gingerbread House.  Cut out large pieces of gray  paper to represent stones.  Print words from a spelling lesson on these stones, and place them a few feet apart leading to each house.  Place the children in three groups.  Have one child start at the opposite end of the room and walk to the house by stepping lightly on each stone and naming and spelling the word as he/she does so.  If the child cannot recognize a word, another child continues.  Keep a record of the child's progress to the house in an envelope.  After all students reach their goal, substitute new stones. 

Reference: Miller, W.  (1993).  Complete Reading Disabilities Handbook.  Simon & Schuster.

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Writing Spelling Words with Resistance 

Materials: Clay and a pencil or stylus 

Intervention: Have children roll out a large flat square of clay and then write spelling words into the clay using a stylus or pencil. 

Reference: Miller, W.  (1993).  Complete Reading Disabilities Handbook.  Simon & Schuster.

Submitted by: Stephanie 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Get a Clue...Give a Clue 

Materials: Papers with words or pictures on them 

Intervention: This strategy helps special education students with oral communication skills and cooperation. 

1. Have all students stand in a long line. 
2. Tape a word or picture on the back of each student. 
3. The students are to find out what word or picture is posted on their backs by asking other students. However, the answere can only be yes or no responses. No gestures can be used. Students must work together to solve the problem. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/-mandel/index.html#anchor581196

Submitted by: Leah 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Continent to City 

Materials: 4 pieces of different colored paper per student. 9 x 12-color 1-label with name of continent; 5 x 9-color 2-label with name of country; 3 x 5-color 3-label with name of state; 1 1/2 x 3-color 4-label with name of city; glue; pencils 

Intervention: This helps special education students because it provides a visual representation rather than an abstract image.  Glue color 1 on color 2 and color 2 on color 3 and so on...until project is complete. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/~mandel/index.html#anchor581196 

Link Description: Teachers Helping Teachers

Submitted by: Leah 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Kindergarten-Grade 2 

Title of Intervention: Words I Know 

Materials: magazines, scissors, glue, construction paper 

Intervention: 1. Have students cut words they knoew out of magazines or find them other places.(environmental print such as Mc Donalds, Burger King) 
2. After they have glued the words on paper labeled "Words I Know" they realize they can read more words than they knew. 
3. Students can keep adding to their paper the more words that they learn.  These could also be made into a dictionary book format and used for student's writings. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/~mandel/index.html#anchor581196 

Link Description: Teachers Helping Teachers

Submitted by: Leah 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 3-Grade 5 

Title of Intervention: Using Sequence Words to Write "Picnic" Paragraphs 

Materials: red and white checked tablecloth, paper ants, paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, graphic organizer 

Intervention: 1. Before hand: create a graphic organizer with the following story starter: "My____and I went on a picnic.  We ate so much food! Then continue it as follows:  The first thing we ate was.....Next, we had....(and so on). 
2. Hand out and explain the graphic organizer to students.  Reinforce that this is prewriting and complete sentences are not required or expected. 
3. Have students fill out their graphic organizers using as much detail as possible.  While they do this, it is great context for teaching them to apply phonics knowledge to writing. 
4. When organizers are completed, provide direct instruction in what a paragraph is supposed to look like.  Then let them continue with the writing process: rough draft, editing, revising, final copy. 
5. Display. 

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/~mandel/index.html#anchor581196 

Link Description: Teachers Helping Teachers

Title of Intervention: Get a Clue....Give a Clue

Materials: papers with words or pictures on them

Intervention: This lesson helps the students with oral communication skills and cooperation.
1. Have all students stand in line.
2. Tape a word or picture on the back of each student.
3. The students are to find out what word or picture is posted on their backs by asking other students.  However, the answers can only be yes or no responses.  No gestures can be used.  Students must work together to solve the problem.

Link Address: www.pacificnet.net/~mandel/index.html#anchor581196

Link Description: Teachers Helping Teachers

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Scrambled Spelling Words 

Intervention: You can have learning-handicapped children try to unscramble spelling words.  However, before they attempt to do this, they should be familiar with the words.  Otherwise, it may be very difficult for them. 

Reference: Miller, W.  (1993).  Complete Reading Disabilities Handbook.  Simon & Schuster.

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Round-Robin Spelling Words 

Intervention: Have one child say a word he/she remembers and spell it; have the next child repeat that word and add one of his/her own; have the third child repeat both and add another, etc.  Continue until one child misses a word and then begin again.  Write the missed words on the chalkboard. 

Reference: Miller, H.  (1993).  Complete Reading Disabilities Handbook.  Simon & Schuster.

Submitted by: Eva 
Category: Special Education 
Age or Grade: Grade 6-Grade 8 

Title of Intervention: Find the Words 

Intervention: Write a long word on the chalkboard.  Have the children try to make a list of as many different words as they can find in the long word.  Here is an example:  extraordinary = extra, din, ordinary, or, etc. 

Reference: Miller, W.  (1993).  Complete Reading Disabilities Handbook.  Simon & Schuster.

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