Special Needs – Teacher Resources

10 Revolutionary iPad Apps to Help Autistic Children Teachers and doctors are using iPads as a tool to reach out to children with Autism or Asperger Syndrome and the results are remarkably great. Autistic children are showing tremendous improvement after playing fun-filled exercises on iPad which is less stressful and more fun for both the teachers and the students. Below is the list of 10 best iPad applications to give Autism a voice. Photo Credit: Kelly Nikolaisen Those who don’t know, Autism is a lifelong disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to other people and the world around them. Those affected typically display major impairments in three areas: social interaction, communication and behavior (restricted interests and repetitive behaviors). 1 in 160 children have autism in some form, making it twice as common as cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, childhood deafness or blindness and ten times more common than childhood leukemia.

EducationCity in the Classroom Genuine learning is all about making connections. When children complete activities that they can relate to their everyday world – that’s when learning happens. EducationCity’s interactive activities appeal to elementary learners and their fascination with the world around them. Bring lessons to life in the classroom with EducationCity!

Teaching the Teachers: At a Glance With 46 states and the District of Columbia climbing on board, the looming Common Core State Standards are shaping up to be one of the largest educational reforms in recent history. The academic benchmarks for math and English Language Arts represent a retreat from the traditional rote, fact-based style of instruction toward teaching that fosters critical thinking and problem solving among students. But research shows that teaching for critical thought isn’t widespread in our classrooms (Nystrand and Gamoran, 1991; Nystrand et al., 1999; Kane and Stainger, 2012). Meeting the demands of the Common Core means teaching teachers new approaches to instruction; in other words, reform demands effective professional development. Recent education reforms have urged teachers to foster collaboration, debate and reflection among students, in order to develop cognitive processes like those called for in the new standards. Effective Professional Development

Education for individuals with Down syndrome - An overview Sue Buckley and Gillian Bird This module reviews the development of educational provision for children with Down syndrome. It details the research examining the outcomes from special and inclusive schools, and the factors relating to these outcomes.

10 Free iPad Apps For Children With Special Needs - Cool Gizmo Toys I’ve decided today, instead of reviewing a single app in depth, to give you guys a list of 10 Free iPad Apps for Children With Special Needs. I hope that you find a couple of applications that are perfect for your unique child, and that he enjoys using these apps just as much as you enjoy watching him learn and grow! If you like this post, please check out my recent article on the top 10 AAC apps under $30! Teaching Children With Developmental Disabilities: Classroom Ideas When working with children with developmental disabilities, teachers can accomplish a great deal by managing the learning environment proactively to prevent behavior problems and promote learning. But identified students may also experience behavior or learning problems because they lack key skills (e.g., capacity to interact with other children in socially appropriate ways). Children with developmental disabilities should therefore have explicit skills-training in deficit areas as a central component in their curriculum.

Why Professional Development for Teachers is Critical Why Professional Development for Teachers is Critical Teacher development has moved beyond simple in-service workshops and has expanded into a more robust system of continuing education. In order to advance in their careers, teachers should seek out professional development opportunities which are ongoing and aligned with standards and assessments. Photo illustration by Tiero.

What Is Down Syndrome? In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genetic material is stored in genes. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.