Inclusive Practices- Paraeducator Support Model

1. www.laspdg.org Inclusive Practices-Paraeducator Support Model Presented by Kathy Kilgore

2. Considerations • This webinar is being recorded and will be available for viewing at www.laspdg.org • If you need to ask a question, please use the Chat Pod on your screen

3. Roll Call • At this time, EVERYONE please use your chat pod (if you haven’t already) and type your first and last name as well as the district/LEA you are representing

4. People First Language “People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is.” Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf

5. Series of 6 Webinars • Overview of Inclusive Practices  • Co-teaching Support Model  • Consultant Support Model  • Paraeducator Support Model • Scheduling for Inclusive Practice • Logistical Issues • Grading • IEPs • Planning

6. Inclusive Practices….. • …academic and behavior supports and strategies provided to students with disabilities in general education settings.

7. Collaborative Support Models for Inclusive Practices Co-teaching Support Model Consultant Support Model Paraeducator Support Model

8. Co-teaching Support Model • As defined by Friend and Cook (2010)… • Co-teaching is a service delivery option for providing special education or related services to students with disabilities or other special needs while they remain in their general education classes. • Two or more professionals jointly deliver meaningful instruction to a diverse, blended group of students in a single physical space.

9. Consultant Support Model Support and assistance by a special education teacher to a general education teacher(s) (outside of the classroom). Consultation provided so that the general education teacher is able to meet the support needs of SWD.

10. Paraeducator Support Model • Para supporting SWD in general education settings under direction of general education teacher • Role is to facilitate successful inclusion of SWD in general education • Tasks are determined by support needs of students in both academics and behavior

11. Inclusive Support Paras… • Different than special education paras assigned to special education classes • Different than child specific paras • Paras assigned to general education classes with SWD • Inclusive support paras not assigned to co-taught classes • Primary beneficiary of paras’ supports is SWD but other students may benefit

12. Support Categories Routine, general school/classroom supports Direct instructional supports

13. Routine, general school/classroom supports… • Essential tasks that apply to a wide variety of situations • Environmental or external supports • More supplemental than core • Enable students to learn without being directly related to learning • Visual, organizational, time management tasks • Supportive of educational environment

14. Examples…. • Grading papers • Checking folders • Dispensing medicine • Helping with hygiene • Supervising students • Organizing classroom/materials • Helping with bulletin boards • Monitoring learning stations • Assisting students with physical needs • Helping students keep track of personal items • Accompanying students • Organizing/supervising field trips

15. Direct instructional supports… • Related to curriculum and implementation of curriculum standards • Directly affect student learning • Help students be more engaged

16. Examples…. • Tutoring students/providing feedback • Facilitating lesson delivery • Using questioning strategies • Explaining/clarifying • Collecting data • Designing accommodations • Coaching/supporting • Rereading/repeating/re-explaining • Implementing behavior systems • Administering assessments • Working one on one or small group • Working with substitutes • Assisting with specific tasks • Supporting ESL • Preparing/adapting materials • Modeling/teaching social skills • Supervising peer tutors

18. Let’s take a poll…. Are there some other specific tasks or activities in which a paraeducator may may engage in order to help ensure the support needs of students with disabilities are met? • Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

19. Confidentiality • Never discuss students, staff members, or confidential school issues outside of school • Student problems should not be shared with other staff members unless they are directly involved with the student • Avoid sharing information about student’s progress with parents unless authorized by supervising teacher

20. Communication/Teambuilding • Communication and working as a team are essential • Communication begins with respect • Emphasis on People First Language • Critical part of collaborative partnerships

21. Effective Communication…. • Active Listening • Personal Space • Voice

22. Active Listening…. • Paying attention to what is said • Improves quality of communication interactions • Conveys openness, non-judgmental attitude and willingness

23. Personal Space…. • Important to honor personal space of others • General rule of thumb – one arm’s length (but varies with person and situation) • Invading another’s personal space inhibits positive relationships, increases anxiety and reduces productivity

24. Voice tone and volume… • Tone – convey respect • Volume – appropriate for distance/situation • Cadence – good rate and rhythm

25. Not what you say, but how you say it! I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent. I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent. I didn’t say Lucy was incompetent.

26. “Well, aren’t you the smart one today.”

27. Effectively communicating Working well together Students benefitting Positive Student Outcomes

28. Effective utilization of paraeducator… • Clearly articulated expectations • Required tasks • Professional development needs • Evaluation system • Communication schedule • Disagreement procedures

29. Initial meeting with para, the teacher should…. • Teacher’s instructional delivery approach • Teaching methods • Para expectations • Para’s unique skills/talents • Classroom schedule/routines • Learner specific information • Para should meet with sped teacher

30. At initial meeting, para should ask about…. • Records and data collection • Communication protocol • Responses to parents • Discipline procedures • PD opportunities • Person(s) in authority • Evaluation procedures • Absent teacher • Time management

31. Let’s take a poll…. Are there some other expectations that the teacher should outline for the para? Or, if you have had such a meeting with a para, how did it go? • Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

32. Instruction • How instruction is planned and delivered is critical • Teachers should design multiple-sized lessons • Paras are in a pivotal position to assist in ensuring multiple-sized lessons • Para supports makes a different in student learning • Instructional support is primary function of para in inclusive classroom

33. Some examples…. • Employing questioning strategies • Explaining/clarifiying concepts • Guiding the ‘thinking’ process • Helping make meaningful connections

34. Schedules…. • Para schedule is required • Schedule based on student support needs • Para should remain in class for entire period

35. Examples of Assistance… • Involved in the lesson planning process • Assist in data collection • Teacher identifies type of data • Collected in non-judgmental manner • Collected on both academic and behavior progress • Assist in managing student behaviors • Collect behavior data • Deliver reinforcers

36. Co-teaching approaches • Parallel • Station • Teaming • Alternative • One Teach/One Assist (better utilized with para) • One Teach/One Observe (better utilized with para)

37. Examples…. • Modified parallel approach • Teacher teaches one group, para reviews with other group • Groups switch • Modified station approach • Teacher teaches each group that rotates through, para reviews with each group, independent group works independently

38. Let’s take a poll…. Do you think a para could be used to effectively assist the general education teacher in delivering a lesson using either a modified parallel or station approach and not just the 1 teach/1 assist or the 1 teach/1 observe approach? Why or why not? • Use your chat pod to type in a brief response

39. Primary focus… • Assisting general education teacher in delivering a multiple sized lesson that meets needs of all students in class • Primary beneficiary of support are SWD, but other students also may benefit Paras are integral part of the core instructional program and have significant impact on students!!

40. www.laspdg.org The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

41. Additional Webinars in this Series • February 27 @ 10:00 am: Scheduling • April 17 @ 10:00 am: Logistics

42. Questions? Please use your chat pod if you have questions related to this presentation (if time permits, we will answer them, if not, please email questions to contacts below) • After this webinar, you may email any content-related questions to Kathy Kilgore kkilgore@slc-gno.org • You may email any grant-related questions to Melanie Lemoine lemoinem@lsu.edu

43. We want your feedback! • At this time we will launch the brief survey to complete regarding this webinar • If the survey does not appear on your screen, you can go directly to it at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/kkpara • After you have completed the webinar, you may exit the webinar