Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Doris Reynierson - Journal 1 - Refine

REFINE
As a special education teacher to mid-functioning children in the autism spectrum, I use many adapted and modified strategies to teach my students to read and write.  I rely on visuals and repetitive strategies to support reading and writing as these are the strategies found most successful in autistic children.  I use assessment, daily journals, labeling, name charts, play centers, read aloud, shared reading, wall charts, word recognition,  alphabet books, big books, holiday books, teacher made books, books related to themes. I use technology to maintain engagement, simplified and supplemental materials for individual instruction, and choral and class reading to create a reading and writing community in the classroom.  I will refine my instruction by leveling student reading and writing development to make better decisions when implementing individual student modifications to optimize reading and writing growth opportunities.  Maintaining student portfolios with check lists of development and planning scaffold will ensure individual student need is addressed. This practice will fine tune my teaching skills when called upon to teach English Language Learners as well. Another practice I will refine is home to school activities that promote parent involvement.  In any learning environment, general, special, or ESOL, parent involvement is directly related to student success.  Research shows the greater the parental involvement, in terms of communication and educational input for their children, the higher grades, test scores, graduations rates, better school attendance, increased motivation, and better self-esteem, and in this case, increased literacy development. Home/school partnerships help all students succeed in school and later in life.  

1 comment:

  1. Doris, do you have any ideas for home to school activities? I'd love to get the parents more involved with "homework", but I'm not sure they will actually participate!

    ReplyDelete