Spooktacular October! Ideas for your Special Education Classroom

October is a month full of magic and wonder, and it’s the perfect time to infuse your special education classroom with engaging activities and sensory experiences. In this blog post, we’ll explore a variety of October-themed ideas, including adapted books and sensory adventures, to create a memorable and inclusive learning environment.

1. *Adapted Books for Seasonal Learning:*

Autumn provides a rich backdrop for adapted books that engage and educate our students. Here are some ideas:

Pumpkin Colors Adventure: Have students engage with colors using an adapted book. Incorporate tactile elements like felt or fabric swatches to make it sensory-friendly.

Ghostly Emotions: Use this interactive book featuring friendly ghost characters to help students recognize and understand various emotions using cute ghosts!

2. *Sensory-Rich Pumpkin Exploration:*

Bring the magic of the pumpkin patch into your classroom with sensory-rich pumpkin activities:

Pumpkin Sensory Bins: Fill sensory bins with pumpkin seeds, textured fabric squares, fake fall leaves and mini pumpkins. Encourage students to explore different textures, fostering sensory awareness.

Pumpkin Investigation: Engage in a hands-on exploration of pumpkins. Encourage students to touch, smell, and even taste (Pumpkin Pie!) different parts of a pumpkin to build connections with the season.

You can add Sensory Bin Learning Activities in your bins to incorporate academics with sensory fun as well! Here are 2 that I’ve created to use with my students: October Math Sensory Bin and Fall Alphabet Letter Matching Sensory Bin.

3. *Spooky Sensory Play:*

Halloween-themed sensory play can be a treat for all your students:

Ghostly Goo: Create a sensory station with homemade ghostly slime. Students can enjoy the tactile experience of stretching, squishing, and molding the gooey substance. Add googly eyes for added fun!

Mystery Sensory Bags: Prepare sensory bags with Halloween-themed contents. Fill them with items like plastic spiders, bat shapes, or even edible items like gummy worms for a sensory surprise. Have students reach in and make an inference as to what could be inside!

4. *Adaptive Halloween Art:*

Engage your students in Halloween art projects with adaptations to accommodate different needs:

Adapted Pumpkin Decorating: Provide a variety of adaptive tools for pumpkin decorating, like Velcro stickers or fabric paint for students with fine motor challenges.

Collaborative Halloween Art: Encourage group art projects that promote teamwork. For example, a class mural or a collaborative Halloween banner allows all students to participate and contribute.

October is a time for creativity, sensory exploration, and inclusive learning in special education classrooms. By incorporating adapted books, sensory-rich activities, and adaptive art projects, you can create an unforgettable educational experience that celebrates the magic of the season while catering to the unique needs of your students.

In the world of special education, every season is an opportunity to inspire, engage, and create memories. Happy October!

For a selection of Adapted Books and Sensory Ideas for your special education classroom, visit the Special Education Clubhouse Shop!

Building Strong Relationships Through Predictability in Special Education

In the world of special education, building strong teacher-student relationships is essential for creating a supportive and effective learning environment. One powerful way to achieve this is by introducing predictability into the classroom. In this blog post, we’ll explore the significance of predictability and provide practical tips for special education teachers.

The Power of Predictability: Predictability creates a sense of security and comfort for young learners, particularly those with special needs. Here are some reasons why it’s crucial:

  1. Reduces Anxiety: Predictable routines and structures help reduce anxiety levels in students who may find unexpected changes overwhelming.
  2. Promotes Positive Behavior: When students know what to expect, they are more likely to engage positively in the classroom, leading to a conducive learning environment.
  3. Fosters Independence: Predictability empowers students to become more independent in their daily tasks, boosting their confidence.

Practical Strategies for Predictability:

  1. Structured Daily Routine: Establish a consistent daily routine with clear timeframes for activities like circle time, snack breaks, and learning sessions. Use visual schedules to make the routine visible and understandable.
  2. Visual Cues: Implement visual cues like icons, images, and color-coded labels to communicate instructions and transitions effectively. These visual aids are especially helpful for non-verbal or minimally verbal students.
  3. Personalized Greetings: Greet each student warmly and personally as they enter the classroom. A welcoming environment begins with acknowledging and valuing each student individually. Grab my Morning Greetings choice board.
  4. Interest Surveys: Get to know your students’ interests and preferences through surveys with your students or their parents, or through conversations. Incorporate these into your lessons and activities to make learning more engaging and relatable for your students. High interest activities lead to high engagement, and in turn, a higher rate of learning and remembering the activity.
  5. Open Communication: Create an environment where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions. Active listening and responsiveness build trust.
  6. Positive Reinforcement: Celebrate small and large achievements alike. Positive reinforcement encourages students to continue putting in effort.

In the realm of primary special education, building relationships through predictability is a game-changer. It creates an atmosphere of trust, reduces anxiety, and empowers students to become more independent learners.

Remember, it all starts with predictability, but the positive impact on your students can last a lifetime.

The ULTIMATE Special Education Teacher Binder!

Are you looking for a way to get and stay organized in your special education classroom? 

Look no further! This is the Ultimate Special Education Teacher Binder for Organization! This IEP binder is a great tool for helping to get you organized and keep you organized all year…and for many years to come! This is everything you need to keep all of your special education papers, lesson plans, IEPs, notes, calendar, and so much more…all in one place.

I am ALL about organization. Not only is it important to have your paperwork organized in one place, but it is important for our students to see that we utilize organizational tools as well. I like to have the resources I need in an easily accessible place. This special education binder has dividers that are labeled with everything you’ll need to be organized in your special education classroom. It also has matching tabs for 13 different important areas in a special education classroom. If you haven’t used a special education teacher binder before, then you need to use one! I highly recommend it!

Sections included in the Binder:

  • Binder Covers
  • Binder Tabs
  • IEP at a Glance
  • IEP Meetings
  • Notes
  • IEPs
  • Student Info
  • Substitute Info
  • Parent Contact
  • Accommodations
  • Behavior Plans
  • Extra Info
  • Student Data
  • Lesson Plans
  • Calendars

This low-prep special education teacher binder is just the organizational tool you’ve been waiting for! It will save you a ton of time by having everything you need in one place. I hope it helps keep you as organized as it keeps me! Grab your copy by clicking here: Special Education Teacher Binder

Summer ESY Checklists for Special Education

Summer ESY Checklist

Summer is coming and that means you will have students who will qualify to attend ESY. In the field of special education, ESY stands for Extended School Year and it applies to students who would have a significant regression in one or more of 4 categories if they were not to remain working on their goals during ESY. (ESY post with more info coming soon!)

These summer ESY checklists for special education are designed to help you help your students and prepare for ESY. There are two different checklists included in this resource. One ESY checklist is for the teacher or service provider that is “sending” the student to ESY summer session. The other ESY checklist is for the students’ ESY folders. The checklists contain all of the information you will need to account for with each student who will be attending ESY and make sure that they are prepared to maximize learning.

These special education checklists for ESY summer session are available for FREE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. You can click here to visit my shop and get your copy!

Asking for Help – Independent Functioning Skills

Everyone needs help sometimes and that’s okay. Asking for help can be challenging for our students with special needs. Learning to ask for help is a skill that sometimes needs to be taught. You might have students who need help and don’t ask for help. They may continue to work and get the answers wrong or they may just sit there and look around because they don’t know how to answer the questions. They may even try to avoid or escape the tasks. None of these are solutions to helping your students, but they may not know that. It’s our job, and it’s often an IEP goal for students to learn to ask for help when they need it.

Here’s how I teach students to ask for help. VISUALS! Using a visual reminder helps students become more independent in asking for help when they need it.

I use a two sided card. The green side says “I can work on my own.” The red side says “I need help.” Having these visual reminders encourages students to ask for help and also lets the teacher know when they are able to work independently. The students can either hold up the card showing the side that says they need help OR if your students are becoming more independent at asking (or if you have students who don’t like to look like they’re asking for help) then they can just flip the card and the teacher will see it on red when walking or scanning the room.

If you want these Help Cards for your students, you can click here or on the image above to sign up to get them in your inbox. I hope these help your students as much as they have helped mine!

independent functioning autism help cards

Promoting Autism Acceptance

April is Autism Acceptance Month. Though, acceptance of neurodiversity should be every month.

Here are some ways you can help promote Autism Acceptance in your school:

  1. Go on the morning announcements (or have students go on the morning announcements) and share information about Autism.
  2. Hang posters and facts/myth busters around your campus.
  3. Host a Autism Acceptance walk-a-thon or a Sensory Day.
  4. Have dress up days with different meanings for what students are wearing, all related to Autism Acceptance.
  5. TEACH KINDNESS. I always incorporate kindness in general when I am teaching about and spreading Autism Acceptance. The fact of the matter is that if you are constantly promoting being kind to everyone, regardless of differences, then students learn to accept neurodiversity as well.
  6. Have an Autism Acceptance poster or door contest. Students can share what they know about Autism and/or what they can do to be kind to those with Autism.
  7. Start a peer buddy program where students can sign up to be paired with students with Autism. They spend time together, participate in fun activities, and form meaningful friendships.

Transitioning Back to School After Winter Break

Episode 2 of the Special Education Clubhouse Podcast is now available.

We all know that transitions, large or small, can be difficult for our students with disabilities. That’s why I wrote this podcast. This episode gives reminders of procedures, routines and expectations to refresh with your class when returning from Winter Break, or really any long break off from school.

You can listen to the podcast wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music.

Let me know if you enjoy the episode by leaving a rating or dropping a comment! If there’s any Special Education topics that you’d like to see discussed on future podcast episodes, please email me at specialeducationclubhouse@gmail.com

Podcast Launch

I am so excited to share this big news with you! The Special Education Clubhouse Podcast has officially launched today! It is available wherever you enjoy listening to your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and iHeart Radio. I will be releasing new episodes on Mondays to help give tips, ideas and advice to start your week off right!

The first episode is an introduction podcast that lets you know a little about me and what the Special Education Clubhouse Podcast will be about. I have so many topics planned for you in the weeks to come. If you have anything you’d love to hear on the podcast, please email me at specialeducationclubhouse@gmail.com

What is an IEP (Part 2)

What is an IEP? Part 2
    If you’re reading this post, I hope you’ve read Part 1 of “What is an IEP” and that you’ve found it helpful! In part 2, we’ll look at additional sections of an IEP and discuss what they include.
Supplementary Aides/Accommodations
On this section of the IEP, this is where it is documented that a student can receive (and MUST legally receive) the agreed upon accommodations. Accommodations are provided in a variety of categories: Timing, Scheduling, Setting, Presentation.
  • Timing – Does the student need additional time or breaks; if so, how much? (frequent breaks, time and a half, twice the allotted amount of time, more than twice the allotted amount time, etc.)
  • Scheduling – Does the student test better during certain times of the day?
  • Setting – Does the student require testing in a particular setting or accommodated setting? (Familiar place, familiar person, reduced stimuli)
  • Presentation – Does the student require oral presentation of test directions, prompts, etc.?
Special Considerations
This section of an IEP includes a variety of items that are important to note. This section may vary depending on what IEP system your school district uses.
In my district, the Special Considerations included are:
  • Healthcare Needs – Document medical information in this section.
  • Transportation Needs – If the student is eligible for transportation, you will need to add what types of services they need during transportation and provide rationale for determining the transportation needs (do they need a bus attendant, car seat, seat belt, etc. and document why)
  • Limited English Proficiency Needs – If English is not the first language of the student, this is where you will include this information.
  • Assistive Technology Needs – This may include communication devices or adaptive tools (paper, seating, writing utensils, etc).
  • Communication Needs – Does the student receive speech or language services or have any other needs to address for their communication? This is where we document all needs in this area.
  • Deaf or Hard of Hearing – If a student is deaf or hearing impaired, this area will include information and needs of the student relating to hearing.
  • Blind or Visual Impairment – If a student is blind or visually impaired, this area will include information and needs of the student related to vision.
  • Behavior Needs – This is where we document all needs for behavior, which may include information about any functional behavioral assessments (FBA), Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP/PBIP) or any crisis management information.
Coming up in another post – Part 3 in the “What is an IEP?” series. Stay tuned!
Need a condensed list of acronyms used in special education? Sign up for the mailing list and receive your copy directly in your inbox!

Thanksgiving Social Story

Thanksgiving is a time of being grateful and spending time with family. It can also be a time that may be new or bring uncertain feelings to our students and children with autism or other special needs. They may not know what to expect. Even though you might explain it to them, it can still be difficult for them to understand. Verbal explanations are not always the best way to help our students. Social stories are a fantastic way to help our students learn to navigate through difficult situations before they happen. It’s a way to prepare them for new situations that will help make it more comfortable for them.
I created this Thanksgiving Social Story to explain about Thanksgiving and walk through what it is and the events that happen. It comes in multiple options to choose what works best for your students. There’s a large print (8.5 x 11) in both color and black/white. The black and white versions are great to have students create their own book and color it to suit them, as they are reading and learning. The large print is also great if you are using it on a screen or projecting it. It also comes with two different style 1/2 sheet stories. Both also come in color or in black and white. Lastly, they come in a digital Boom Card version that you can use with Boom Learning and assign the story for your students, that can then take it with them on their tablets.
Thanksgiving Social Story
Thanksgiving Social Story
I hope that you find this Thanksgiving Social Story useful for your children or your students. Social Stories work best when pre-taught prior to the situation. I have a variety of Social Stories available and am constantly creating more as needs arise. If you have a need and you don’t see a Social Story available for that situation in my store, please email me and I’d be happy to create it!
Happy Thanksgiving!