Special Populations Academy

Check out the archived presentations from Illinois community colleges at the Special Populations Academy on May 23. Adult Education might find these presentations helpful. Make sure to work closely with your Disabilities Office if you are housed at a community college.

https://icsps.illinoisstate.edu/2018/02/special-populations-academy/

Disability Employment Initiative - Round V Workshop

These two one-day workshops will be held to share the strategies employed and lessons learned by pilots sites engaged in the Disability Employment Initiative – Round 5. Local Workforce Innovation Areas and their partners, including special education providers, DRS, secondary and postsecondary education entities are encouraged to attend. Specific topics that will be addressed include the formation and use of Integrated Resource Teams, the development of process maps that identify partner roles in providing services to clients, and the Individual Career Development Plan – a career plan that meets the legal requirements of an Individualized Education Program Transition Plan for individuals with disabilities. Speakers from DEI V pilot sites, as well as national experts, will share their experiences and recommendations to address the needs of individuals with disabilities in gaining employment.

To register https://secure.touchnet.com/C20868_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=1487&SINGLESTORE=true

Incorporating hands-on learning and technology into the same lesson

Thanks to Monica Waller of Lewis and Clark Community College for sharing the following lesson idea!

Recently I allowed students to use their cell phones to research paper airplanes and research the physics behind airplanes. Students were asked to build three distinctly different paper airplanes. Many do not know how to build them. I allowed them to use their phones to find instructions on building them. Since I have rarely allowed cell phone usage, they loved this. We did a scientific method exercise asking which plane will go the farthest and recorded the data. Afterwards, we discussed all aspect of the experiment and reported our results. The students were asked how does the plane fly? They researched using their phones and we discussed. Cell phones seem to be a worthwhile tool to use in a smaller classroom and one where all students have access to a phone or computer. 

Navigating Learning Disabilities and the Cost for Treatment

Here is a link to a resource you may want to check out. It covers assistance for children with learning disabilities, but I decided to share. Lots of good stats you may want to use when educating those in your adult ed program. I also know you may have a child for whom you are advocating. Hope you find it useful. If you have a favorite informative site, please share so others can have access to it as well.

https://www.thesimpledollar.com/navigating-learning-disabilities-and-the-cost-for-treatment/

Happy Friday!

Become a Special Learning Needs Specialist

If you are an Illinois Adult Education instructor and have recently become a Standards Proficient instructor or are considering completing this training, please check out continuing on the professional pathways to become a Special Learning Needs Specialist. 

Listed below are listed the requirements for SLN Specialist. If you have already completed the Institute, you are very close to meeting all the SLN Specialist requirements! Feel free to contact Sarah Goldammer at sgoldam@siue.edu if you have questions or would like to talk through this process.

• Institute to Credential Special Learning Needs Resource Specialists
• Application of CCR Innovations with a Special Learning Needs emphasis in analyzing resources to maximize teaching materials and revising a resource and curriculum to meet learning needs of students (part of Institute)
• Technology Resources for Special Learning Needs in the Adult Education Classroom
• Testing Accommodations and the GED®
• Sign up for SLN Blog
• Presenting an Effective Training Presentation

I hope you will continue the training for SLN Specialist and serve your program and students in this capacity.

Developing Students' Metacognition in the Classroom

Thanks to Raylynn Stokes from South Suburban Community College for sharing the following:

To help my students develop their metacognitive skills, I give them an opportunity to practice recognizing what they don't understand to better comprehend their problems. Learning Journals of what they learned for the day, what was hard, and what was easiest for them is a great way to go back and review where they are having problems. I also try to make sure they show their thinking and their work on tests so they will really think and not guess.