literacy concepts for intellectually disabled students christine le claire julie amoroso
TRANSCRIPT
Christine Le ClaireJulie Amoroso
Until Rosa’s Law was signed by President
Obama in October 2010, IDEA (Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act) used the term “mental retardation” instead of “intellectual disability.”
Intellectual disability is defined as “significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning, existing
concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance.”
Intellectual disability is a disability characterized by significant limitations both in intellectual functioning
(reasoning, learning, problem solving) and in adaptive behavior, which covers a range of everyday social and practical skills. This disability originates before the age
of 18.
The IQ Test is a major tool in measuring intellectual
functioning, which is the mental capacity
for learning, reasoning, and
problem solving. A test score of about 70- to a high of 75-
indicates a limitation in intellectual functioning.
Use simple, short, uncomplicated sentences to ensure maximum understanding
Repeat instructions and directions frequently
Keep distractions and transitions to a minimum
Reinforce positive behavior
Help the student to develop appropriate social skills to support friend and peer relationships
Provide encouraging, supportive learning environments that will capitalize on student success and self esteem
Use appropriate program interventions in all areas where necessary to maximize success
Use alternative instructional strategies and alternative assessment methods
Teach one concept or activity component at a time
Assist with coping strategies
Ensure that your routines and rules are consistent. Keep
conversations as normal as possible to maximize inclusion with peers
Teach one step at a time to help support memorization and
sequencing
Teach students in small groups, or one-on-one if possible
Always provide multiple opportunities to practice skills in a
number of different settings
Use physical and verbal prompting to guide correct responses, and provide specific verbal praise to
reinforce these responses
Functional sight-word instruction using time delay:
• Sight word instruction is defined as a whole word approach through which students learn to automatically recognize
important, high frequency words without decoding.
Also referred to as functional reading, we teach certain sight words with the intent that the student will be able to use the
skills to function as independently as possible in their environment and in the community.
Sight word instruction does not give the students strategies to identify words that are not in their sight word vocabulary therefore they are limited to only the words that they have
been taught.
Time delay is a method of systematic instruction used for discrete skills such as learning sight words, stamping a name, pointing to a
picture to answer a comprehension question or number recognition.
Comprehension
Fluency
Alhor, Jill. "Research-Based Techniques for Teaching Early Reading Skills to Students with Intellectual Disabilities." Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities 44.3 (2009): 356-366. WilsonWeb. Web. 21 Nov 2011. http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com.cwplib.proxy.liu.edu/hww/results/getResults.jhtml?_DARGS=/hww/results/results_common.jhtml.35>.
Alhor, Dr. Jill. "Maximizing Literacy Outcomes for." Institute for Evidence Based Education. Department of Teaching and Learning, 07/12/2010. Web. 21 Nov 2011. <http://smu.edu/education/evidencebasededucation/Library/Maximizing Literacy Outcomes.pdf>.
Cooper-Duffy, Karena. "Teaching Literacy to Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities." Teaching Exceptional Children. 42.3 (2010): 30-39. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yJbYyLUAq6k=&tabid=2384&mid=9027>.
Schreiner, Erin. "Intervention Strategies for Mentally Handicapped Students." EHow Family. EHow Family, n.d. Web. 21 Nov 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/way_5848027_intervention-strategies-mentally-handicapped-students.html
Scruggs, April. "Effective Reading Strategies for Students with Significant Cog_scruggs.htmnitive Disabilities."2008. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. http://www.cehs.wright.edu/~prenick/Winter_Spring_08_Edition/webpages/april
"FAQ on Intellectual Disability." American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2011. Web. 21 Nov 2011. <http://www.aamr.org/content_104.cfm>.
"Intellectual Disability." NICHCY. National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/intellectual "Intervention Strategies for Mentally Handicapped Students." eHow Family. eHow, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/way_5848027_intervention-strategies-mentally-handicapped-students.html
“Mild Intellectual Disability.” About.com.". New York Times Company, 2011. Web. 21 Nov 2011. <http://specialed.about.com/od/handlingallbehaviortypes/a/MID.htm>.
"Mental Retardation." Project IDEAL Informing & Designing Education For All Learners. Project Ideal, n.d. Web. 21 Nov 2011. http://www.projectidealonline.org/mentalRetardation.php.
"Mental Retardation." Project IDEAL - Informing and Designing Education For All Learners. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://www.projectidealonline.org/mentalRetardation.php>.
"Mild Intellectual Disability, MID/ Mild Mental Retardation." About.Com/Special Education. About.Com, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. <http://specialed.about.com/od/handlingallbehaviortypes/a/MID.htm>.
"NICHCY Disability Fact Sheet 8." National Dissmenation Center for Children with Disabilities , . Intellectual Disability. N.p., 2009. Web. 21 Nov 2011. <http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/intellectual
"Reading and Students with Mental Retardation." PARA. Partnership for Accesible Reading Assessments, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. http://www.readingassessment.info/resources/publications/mentalretardation.htm.
“The Arc”. The Arc - For People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, n.d. Web. 23 Nov 2011. http://www.thearc.org/>.