Room 106

What is “functional literacy?” If we look at where we want students with complex needs to be by adulthood, what skills do we need to focus on in Kindergarten? How about all the years in between? Students with complex needs will use literacy to learn about their world, to entertain themselves and to direct their care. This session addresses High Leverage Practices in instruction including #11 Identifying learning goals, #12 Systematically designing instruction, #13 Adapting curriculum, #15 Scaffolding supports, and #16 Using explicit instruction. A focus on backwards planning for literacy from graduation to Kindergarten will be addressed. 1) Identify and prioritize long and short term literacy goals.2) Recognize the need to make strategic decisions about content coverage.3) Explore strategies to make instruction explicit.

Provide general information regarding the education rights of students with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 on graduation requirements and transition services. 1) Acquire knowledge of federal and state legal requirements regarding transition and graduation of students with disabilities_x000D_ 2) Acquire knowledge of dispute resolution options for students with disabilities_x000D_ 3) Learn where to find and how to use self-advocacy resources relating to these topics

Teachers have been exposed to many educational learning activities and games, however many times they are difficult to access for students who are not reading and writing independently. Students with disabilities benefit from the opportunities these tools provide, but teachers must have the knowledge to tailor them to meet the needs of their students. This presentation will provide an overview of popular tools and demonstrate how the activities can be created so that students are provided with the support they need to enjoy participating. 1. Participants will have an understanding of popular educational technology tools known to increase student engagement (such as Kahoot, Pear Deck, Google Slides, and EdPuzzle)._x000D_ 2. Participants will understand how to utilize these educational technology tools with students who are not reading and writing independently. _x000D_ 3. Participants will be able to access resources to create learning activities for the students they serve.