Special Education and Teaching Commons^™

Empower: An Adaptable Writing Intervention, Carly Dinnes

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

EmPOWER is a six-stage writing intervention designed by speech-language pathologists to improve the expository writings of school-aged children with language learning and executive function disabilities. The intervention uses scaffolded instruction to transform struggling students into independent and self-regulating writers by training the students to use a variety of supports (e.g., graphic organizers, checklists) and strategies (e.g., referring back to the writing prompt) throughout the writing process. Many key features of the EmPOWER approach to writing instruction directly support components described in cognitive models of writing, which indicates that EmPOWER is a theory-guided writing intervention that may benefit a wide range …

Sensory Integration Therapy For Students With An Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer Bell

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Children with autism spectrum disorders often struggle socially and emotionally in the classroom setting due to overstimulation. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize research on the effects of Dr. A. Jean Ayre's sensory integration therapy intervention for students with an autism spectrum disorder, specifically as they are applied in the classroom. Ayres was an occupational therapist, educational psychologist, and an advocate for individuals with special needs. Dr. Ayres developed the sensory integration therapy approach, or SIT, in the 1970s, and SIT has since been used by hundreds of occupational therapists around the world. Overall, sensory integration therapy …

The Formative Assessment Process: Influence And Impact, Tawyne A. Gibson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research study investigated how formative data use influences teaching and learning, and what impact the formative process has on student outcomes. The study took place in a first-grade classroom with a group of five students over the course of four weeks. Participants were selected for the study because they scored in the 2nd to 11th percentile rank on the FastBridge Early Reading English assessment. Quantitative data was collected weekly for each of the four weeks using FastBridge Word Segmenting progress monitoring and then compared to baseline data taken before the study. A one-way between subjects ANOVA test was …

Incidental Teaching And Its Impact On Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder., Alexis Lyles, Molly Mccracken

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The title of our research-based inquiry is Incidental Teaching and Its Impact on Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. The purpose and reason for doing this inquiry is to determine if incidental teaching is an applicable evidence-based program for teaching children with Autism Spectrum Disorder appropriate communication skills and social interactions. The main question driving our inquiry is if “incidental teaching is an effective program for helping students with Autism Spectrum Disorder communicate and further develop their language abilities?”. Our hypothesis/assumption regarding this question is that if educators and interventionists use incidental teaching to teach children with Autism Spectrum Disorder appropriate …

'Picture It', Sarah Allwein, Carly Childress, Brooke Baker

Fall Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Individuals who have autism, tend to have trouble fully communicating what it is that they truly need. Furthermore, there are many different varieties of communication technology out there today that are extremely beneficial; however, for some families, not affordable at all. Thus, we have researched the different ways to help a student with autism communicate but at an affordable rate. In the end we have decided on a low-tech picture exchange communication system as our form of intervention in helping an individual clearly express their needs and to better communicate in general. Our hypothesis for the study using the picture …

Eds 705-710 Early Childhood-Childhood Practicum Syllabus, Harriet R. Fayne

Open Educational Resources

EDS 705: Focusing on the selection, adaptation, design, modification, and evaluation of curriculum and instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse young children with special needs. The development of appropriate IFSP and IEP goals, instructional objectives, and lesson plans in relation to the child's levels of functioning and cultural and linguistic background. Also addressing the selection of instructional materials and technologies; individualization and group service delivery; collaborative teaching; training of parents as reinforcers of acquired skills; adaptive and social skill acquisition; and the evaluation of students and programs. Course requires submission of a videotaped lesson for evaluation.

EDS 710: Selection, adaptation, …

Mental Health And Mindfulness In Education, Kelsey Malmanger

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Many students struggle with mental health issues, which can cause intense classroom behaviors, such as, physical aggression, verbal outburst, physical refusals, and elopements. These behaviors are creating stressful learning environments for both teachers and students. Teachers are looking for more strategies to help them manage their classroom and create a positive learning environment. One strategy that has become more present in recent years is mindfulness. This literature review examines research that has been conducted on mindfulness interventions and practices and explores the connection between mindfulness and mental health, as well as, how they both affect classroom behaviors.

Elements Of A Trauma-Informed School, Kimberly Avitt

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This literature review explores the research of what makes a trauma-informed school and what interventions are effective in implementing trauma-informed teaching practices to help students with past traumatic experiences become more success in school. Research documents a large number of students who have experienced trauma and that this trauma has a significant impact on a child’s development, both cognitive and social. Teachers and schools are at the forefront of this problem and ideally suited to address this problem. This literature review revealed key areas to focus when implementing trauma-informed teaching practices. These include relationships, resiliency, and climate and culture.

Physical Activity Breaks Improve Student Learning, Nicole Nielsen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this literature review is to look at how physical activity or movement breaks impact students' academic achievement in the classroom. The literature provides several studies done by different researchers and the positive effects physical activity breaks have on students and their performance and behaviors in the classroom. Teachers are always looking for ways to keep students motivated and focused so they can perform well on tasks and assessments in schools. The literature that was reviewed shows how each of the studies reported positive results for brain and health development as well as increasements in academics for students …

Research-Based Early Literacy Interventions Or Teacher-Created Early Literacy, Sonja Carson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if research-based early literacy interventions are more effective than teacher-created early literacy interventions with special education students on letter identification and letter sound recognition. Before the interventions began the students were given the Foundational Skills Survey in Letter Identification and Letter Sound Recognition by Really Great Reading. This score was the baseline for the reported data. For eight weeks the researcher instructed the students using a research-based reading intervention from Really Great Reading's Countdown focused on letter identification and letter sound recognition. This was done in addition to the general …

Minecrafting Bar Mitzvah: Two Rabbis Negotiating And Cultivating Learner-Driven Inclusion Through New Media., Owen Gottlieb

Articles

In 2013, a boy with special needs used the video game Minecraft to deliver the sermon at his bar mitzvah at a Reform synagogue, an apparently unique ritual phenomenon to this day. Using a narrative inquiry approach, this article examines two rabbis’ negotiations with new media, leading up to, during, and upon reflection after the event. The article explores acceptance, innovation, and validation of new media in religious practice, drawing on Campbell’s (2010) framework for negotiation of new media in religious communities. Clergy biography, philosophy, and institutional context all impact the negotiations with new media. By providing context of a …

Group-Based Training On Trial-Based Functional Analysis, Christina Noel, Thomas Gross, Grant Hacherl, Meaghan Ritchie, Matthew Howerton

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

A functional behavior assessment (FBA) of challenging behavior has been identified as a High-Leverage Practice in the social/emotional/behavior area (HLPs; McLeskey et al., 2017). Despite the importance of FBAs to classroom practices, many FBAs are conducted outside of classroom settings. Evidence suggests that FBAs may be more effective when conducted in a child’s typical classroom setting. A trial-based functional assessment (TBFA) is a variant of an FBA that is conducted by practitioners in a child’s classroom environment. The purpose of this paper is to outline the important components that should be included in a TBFA group training designed for practitioners …

Evaluating Preservice Special Education Candidates’ Comfort Level Implementing High Leverage Practices, Cindy Clemson, Sarah N. Merimee

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Special education teachers are presented with numerous demands within the classroom and must have a specific skill set to adequately address diverse needs. Therefore, 22 high leverage practices (HLPs) for special education teachers were established. This study assessed the impact of a semester of teaching the HLPs, including a final project requirement, on senior teacher candidates’ comfort level implementing the HLPs. Results indicate that the explicit teaching of the HLPs, required project, and practicum led to the students’ increased comfort implementing the HLPs. Additionally, the authors reviewed data gathered and used it to explore their university’s current curriculum to determine …

Effective Instruction For Students With Dyslexia And Related Learning Struggles, Susan Keesey

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

Dyslexia has received increased emphasis with recent legislation requiring universal screening, added dyslexia training in educator preparation programs, and professional development specifically addressing dyslexia. In addition, KY created the Dyslexia Toolkit to inform and support teachers. This article discusses how Structured Literacy and High-Leverage Practices can support learning for students with dyslexia and related reading struggles.

Aplikasi Model Pedagogi Kreativiti Berasaskan Intelektualisme Masyarakat Orang Asli Untuk Peningkatan Kecerdasan Kanak-Kanak Prasekolah, Noor Hanim Harun

Student Works (2020-2029)

Pedagogi kreativiti berasaskan intelektualisme Orang Asli merangkumi proses pengajaran, pembelajaran dan mengajar kreativiti yang mengintergrasi kebitaraaan masyarakat Orang Asli. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mereka bentuk aplikasi model pedagogi kreativiti berasaskan intelektualisme masyarakat Orang Asli untuk peningkatan kecerdasan kanak-kanak prasekolah. Model ini menterjemahkan bagaimana pedagogi kreativiti berasaskan intelektualisme masyarakat Orang Asli untuk peningkatan kecerdasan kanak-kanak prasekolah boleh digunakan untuk meningkatkan kualiti pendidikan, penyampaian kurikulum dan kandungan pengajaran bagi guru yang mengajar kanak-kanak prasekolah Orang Asli. Metodologi kajian menggunakan pendekatan temubual dan Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), yang melibatkan pandangan 12 orang pakar pelbagai bidang berkaitan pendidikan kanak-kanak orang Asli. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan …

Examining The Preparedness Of Educational Diagnosticians In Texas, Mertie Gomez, William H. Blackwell, Corinna Villar Cole, Chase Young

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This study examined the extent to which educational diagnosticians in Texas perceived their certification program prepared them with the professional knowledge recommended by the Council for Exceptional Children’s Advanced Preparation Standards Specialty Set: Special Education Diagnostician Specialist (CEC, 2015). A total of 113 currently practicing educational diagnosticians in Texas responded to a 28-item survey based on the CEC standards for educational diagnosticians. Participants reported being less prepared to meet standards related to collaboration, vocational and assessment measures, behavior assessment measures, and language assessment measures. Diagnosticians working in urban school districts reported lower levels of preparation as compared to those working …

Demystifying Sensory Processing To Promote Effective Interprofessional And Caregiver Collaboration, Janis Leinfuss, Erin O'Hara

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Research shows collaboration and coaching with caregivers and educators positively impacts growth in occupational performance. Better understanding of this additional role that occupational therapy practitioners play; when working with children with sensory processing challenges, is vital to properly advocate for strategies and resources to help them reach their personal trajectory.

This article offers insight into the importance of removing professional jargon to facilitate effective interprofessional collaboration. Specific strategies for making coaching and training sessions for sensory processing content relatable and meaningful to educators and caregivers are also provided.

Penguasaan Kemahiran Manipulatif Sains Murid Menengah Rendah, Nor Amirah Mohamad Nor

Student Works (2020-2029)

Manipulative skills are psychomotor skills that enable students to use and handle science apparatus and substances correctly, handle specimens correctly and carefully, and sketch specimens accurately during scientific investigation. The inability of students to acquire science manipulative skills can affect the acquisition of other skills and scientific knowledge. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the mastery of science manipulative skills of lower secondary students. This is a qualitative study that was conducted over 7 weeks. Participants in this study were selected through purposive sampling technique that involved 10 Form 2 students and two science teachers. The researcher used experimental tasks …

Misconceptions On Chemical Bonding Among Form Four Pupils, Quah Mei Ling

Student Works (2020-2029)

The learning of chemical bonding in chemistry is an abstract concept for all students. The process of learning chemistry can be classified into three levels which are macroscopic, sub-microscopic, and symbolic levels. Students have problems correlating all three levels in learning chemical bonding. During the transition of these three levels, students face difficulties in relating the macroscopic and sub-microscopic levels which lead to misconceptions. Therefore, the purpose of conducting this study was to explore the misconceptions of chemical bonding which includes ionic bonding and covalent bonding among Form Four students. This study aimed to answer two research questions; 1) what …

Penggunaan Boneka Dalam Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran Kemahiran Literasi Di Tabika, Siti Nazriyah Muhammad Nizam

Student Works (2020-2029)

Kajian ini merupakan kajian kes tunggal (single case study) secara kualitatif yang dijalankan bagi mengenalpasti berkaitan dengan penggunaan boneka dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran kemahiran literasi. Kajian ini akan memfokuskan kepada kemahiran literasi kanak-kanak iaitu mendengar, bertutur dan membaca. Tujuan kajian adalah bagi melihat kesan pengajaran guru menggunakan boneka sebagai bahan bantu mengajar dalam kemahiran literasi kanak-kanak. Reka bentuk kajian merupakan kajian kes satu tempat yang dijalankan di tabika KEMAS Kuala Lumpur. Kajian ini melibatkan seorang guru dan seorang pembantu pengurusan murid (PPM) yang dipilih menjadi responden dalam kajian ini. Data kajian diperolehi secara kualitatif dengan menggunakan kaedah pemerhatian, temu bual …