EDUC 627: Teaching Students with Cognitive Disabilities
Students enrolled in this course will develop the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions that are required to effectively meet the needs of students who have been identified as having cognitive disabilities. Included in the course content will be information relating to the nature of cognitive disabilities, characteristics of students with cognitive disabilities, and understanding of the environmental, social, and psychobiological factors that relate to students with these disabilities and an understanding of both the educational and the therapeutic needs of students with cognitive disabilities. A practicum is required as part of this course.
2 Credits
Instructor: Armstrong
Spring 2014
2 Credits
Instructor: Armstrong
Spring 2014
adaptive_lesson_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 61 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Artifact Description
The artifact I chose for EDUC 627 Teaching Students with Cognitive Disabilities is a hand washing lesson plan. The assignment was to design a lesson plan that meets the adaptive needs of a student with a cognitive disability. The lesson plan teaches students why, when, and how we wash our hands. It includes a task analysis and data collection sheet to measure progress. This assignment guided me in meeting the class objective of identifying important adaptive and social skills that are important for students with cognitive disabilities to attain and the role it plays in the education of those students.
Professional Growth
Before this course and assignment I did not spend much time on lessons for adaptive needs of students in my classroom. I focused most of my teaching on functional academic skills. Although I worked on adaptive skills throughout the school day, I did not include direct instruction or data collection of these skills.
During this assignment I reflected on the needs of my students. I realized that all of my students are lacking in many adaptive and life skills. I discovered that my students respond well to direct instruction of adaptive skills.
After this assignment I now spend more time in my classroom teaching adaptive skills. I feel comfortable developing lessons to improve my students' independence and life skills. Since this course I have done additional adaptive skills lessons including how to sit at the group table, how to prepare a snack, and how to greet your peers.
Understanding and Application of Standards
CEC Standard 1 Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences: Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 1, Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences, was addressed in this course through understanding how learning differences need to guide instruction as well as modifications and accommodations to the curriculum. I learned that in order to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences I need to know how my students are different and unique. I need to know their strengths and weaknesses and learning styles. When I understand how my students are unique, I can create lessons that are appropriate for them. In my classroom, for example, I teach many life skills and social skills because that is where my students have needs. I also include many visual supports in my classroom because my students have strengths in visual learning.
CEC Standard 3 Curricular Content Knowledge: Beginning special education professionals use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 3, Curricular Content Knowledge, was addressed in this course through learning about modifying curriculum to meet the needs of students in special education. During this class I adapted and modified general education lessons to better fit the academic and functional level of my students. I learned how to create specialized curricula to meet the functional needs of my students for things such as life skills and social skills. I worked with the Common Core standards and needs of my students to develop lessons that were appropriate for them. I understand the need for accommodations and modifications in order to make curriculum appropriate for students with developmental disabilities.
Impact on Student Learning
Because of this class and the lesson plans that were written, my students have increased their adaptive skills. All of the students in my class have increased in their ability to wash their hands. For instance, one student can now wash his hands completely with only the support of a visual schedule. Another student has made progress by not needing an adult to physically help him; he now just needs verbal and visual prompts.
The artifact I chose for EDUC 627 Teaching Students with Cognitive Disabilities is a hand washing lesson plan. The assignment was to design a lesson plan that meets the adaptive needs of a student with a cognitive disability. The lesson plan teaches students why, when, and how we wash our hands. It includes a task analysis and data collection sheet to measure progress. This assignment guided me in meeting the class objective of identifying important adaptive and social skills that are important for students with cognitive disabilities to attain and the role it plays in the education of those students.
Professional Growth
Before this course and assignment I did not spend much time on lessons for adaptive needs of students in my classroom. I focused most of my teaching on functional academic skills. Although I worked on adaptive skills throughout the school day, I did not include direct instruction or data collection of these skills.
During this assignment I reflected on the needs of my students. I realized that all of my students are lacking in many adaptive and life skills. I discovered that my students respond well to direct instruction of adaptive skills.
After this assignment I now spend more time in my classroom teaching adaptive skills. I feel comfortable developing lessons to improve my students' independence and life skills. Since this course I have done additional adaptive skills lessons including how to sit at the group table, how to prepare a snack, and how to greet your peers.
Understanding and Application of Standards
CEC Standard 1 Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences: Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalities may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 1, Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences, was addressed in this course through understanding how learning differences need to guide instruction as well as modifications and accommodations to the curriculum. I learned that in order to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences I need to know how my students are different and unique. I need to know their strengths and weaknesses and learning styles. When I understand how my students are unique, I can create lessons that are appropriate for them. In my classroom, for example, I teach many life skills and social skills because that is where my students have needs. I also include many visual supports in my classroom because my students have strengths in visual learning.
CEC Standard 3 Curricular Content Knowledge: Beginning special education professionals use knowledge of general and specialized curricula to individualize learning for individuals with exceptionalities.
Standard 3, Curricular Content Knowledge, was addressed in this course through learning about modifying curriculum to meet the needs of students in special education. During this class I adapted and modified general education lessons to better fit the academic and functional level of my students. I learned how to create specialized curricula to meet the functional needs of my students for things such as life skills and social skills. I worked with the Common Core standards and needs of my students to develop lessons that were appropriate for them. I understand the need for accommodations and modifications in order to make curriculum appropriate for students with developmental disabilities.
Impact on Student Learning
Because of this class and the lesson plans that were written, my students have increased their adaptive skills. All of the students in my class have increased in their ability to wash their hands. For instance, one student can now wash his hands completely with only the support of a visual schedule. Another student has made progress by not needing an adult to physically help him; he now just needs verbal and visual prompts.