Re: skill acquisition and Inclusion

[Guest guest]

> I could go on but you get the picture.<BR>

> <BR>

> Sara<BR>

I definitely agree. had the mainstreaming for PE, and the teacher stood

back and just watched. Like how does that help him learn to play with his

peers? I am so glad at times that I do homeschool. I just found a GREAT book

on Ebay, but I lost the bid. I'm going to buy it from Amazon. It's called

Social Skills Activities for Special Kids, and has about 140 lessons on how to

teach social skills to kids. Can't wait.

Wife to Dewight

Mom to , 10 years, Down Syndrome, PDD-NOS, and celiac disease

And , 19 months and strong-willed

Both homeschooled

See my poems on Themestream:

http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/author/view_author_info.gsp?auth_id=97650

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[Guest guest]

I still believe that skill acquisition can happen in inclusion IF the child

responds well to the inclusive environment. It all comes down to what

motivates the student.

While it is true that Andy uses a separate bathroom to learn and practice

his toiletting skills, that would be true whether he was in a special ed

classroom or an inclusive one: he won't go when other squirly, noisey

people are in there. He can handle adults b/c they're typically all

business (their own) and don't make loud noises. But it wouldn't matter if

it was the normal noises of kids with or without disabilities. It's just

one of his sensory things.

I am convinced that Andy's communication skills..and even his attempts at

vocalizations...have been much more successful than they would have been in

a self-contained classroom. His friends have been very good about learning

to be good communication parthers. They all know how to communicate with

him and actually follow through. They bring the symbols when others forget.

They wait for his processing time when adults become impatient. Most

importantly, they *respond* to his every intention immediately--something

Andy wouldn't do for another kid in the class, therefore I assume it

wouldn't happen for him. Thus, he is bombarded with reaction to his

communication...and it has grown enoromously.

Andy is difficult to get to do things unless others are doing them too. He

won't sit at the computer alone with a bunch of adults, but he enjoys and

observes his friends. He likes to watch to learn...and then when he takes a

stab at it, he is subtle and shy...but his friends see it and praise him

when he is done.

I see opportunities to teach even basic skills within the 5th grade

classroom---if the staff is creative enough. He rolls the die for games, he

hands out papers, he copies papers, he carries books to the library to

return them, he chooses the colors for costumes and other parts of

simulations. For this to be successful, of course, he needs pre-teaching so

that he understands what is coming. This has been our downfall.

No, he will not be the same as his friends. But he can work on many of

those very basic skills--even buying things--as a part of his day with his

friends. Most of all, he is animated and interested; something he was NOT

in a self-contained setting.

Inclusion's not perfect, but a self-contained environment isn't either. It

really does come down to priorities and the needs of the student. We have

next to no meltdowns or aggressive behaviors when he is supported and

interested in his school life. And...he has no one to learn new ones from

by watching their meltdowns. While there are definite weaknesses, there

area also definite positives to each situation.

But most of all, it comes down to good teaching, good support and an

genuine concern for the individual child.

Joan

[Guest guest]

> While it is true that Andy uses a separate bathroom to learn and practice

> his toiletting skills, that would be true whether he was in a special ed

> classroom or an inclusive one:

lol, nathan uses one in hte nurse's office mostly now , not because of the

noise, but he figured out that he can sit in there and now one will bother

him on the toilet,lol, the aid is a female had to shew all the boys out etc,

laughing cause " he is still in there " saying he has to go popoo when its

been a godd 20 or more min. the little stinker. shawna.

Re: skill acquisition and Inclusion

> I still believe that skill acquisition can happen in inclusion IF the

child

> responds well to the inclusive environment. It all comes down to what

> motivates the student.

>

he won't go when other squirly, noisey

> people are in there. He can handle adults b/c they're typically all

> business (their own) and don't make loud noises. But it wouldn't matter if

> it was the normal noises of kids with or without disabilities. It's just

> one of his sensory things.

>

> I am convinced that Andy's communication skills..and even his attempts at

> vocalizations...have been much more successful than they would have been

in

> a self-contained classroom. His friends have been very good about learning

> to be good communication parthers. They all know how to communicate with

> him and actually follow through. They bring the symbols when others

forget.

> They wait for his processing time when adults become impatient. Most

> importantly, they *respond* to his every intention immediately--something

> Andy wouldn't do for another kid in the class, therefore I assume it

> wouldn't happen for him. Thus, he is bombarded with reaction to his

> communication...and it has grown enoromously.

>

> Andy is difficult to get to do things unless others are doing them too. He

> won't sit at the computer alone with a bunch of adults, but he enjoys and

> observes his friends. He likes to watch to learn...and then when he takes

a

> stab at it, he is subtle and shy...but his friends see it and praise him

> when he is done.

>

> I see opportunities to teach even basic skills within the 5th grade

> classroom---if the staff is creative enough. He rolls the die for games,

he

> hands out papers, he copies papers, he carries books to the library to

> return them, he chooses the colors for costumes and other parts of

> simulations. For this to be successful, of course, he needs pre-teaching

so

> that he understands what is coming. This has been our downfall.

>

> No, he will not be the same as his friends. But he can work on many of

> those very basic skills--even buying things--as a part of his day with his

> friends. Most of all, he is animated and interested; something he was NOT

> in a self-contained setting.

>

> Inclusion's not perfect, but a self-contained environment isn't either. It

> really does come down to priorities and the needs of the student. We have

> next to no meltdowns or aggressive behaviors when he is supported and

> interested in his school life. And...he has no one to learn new ones from

> by watching their meltdowns. While there are definite weaknesses, there

> area also definite positives to each situation.

>

> But most of all, it comes down to good teaching, good support and an

> genuine concern for the individual child.

>

> Joan

>

>

>

>