In This Issue:

How To Adapt the Classroom Environment

&

How To Supervise Paraprofessionals in your Classroom

General Positive Environment Adaptations

When positioning the student in the classroom consider the following:

_____seat at front/back of room.
_____seat away from noises (e.g., lights, street, hall, computers).
_____use carrel/screens.
_____seat with back to window.
_____locate student near teacher.
_____change lighting (light on desk, back to window).

Depending on the student’s needs, options for seating at the desk might include:

_____a wheelchair accessible desk,
_____lap top desk,
_____lip on side of desk,
_____flip-up-top desk,
_____tilt-top desk,
_____use large table instead of desk,
_____stand at desk rather than sit,
_____use box to support feet.

General organization options include:

_____a “Lazy Susan” to organize the desk
_____drawers beside desk
_____bookends/bookholders to hold books on the desk,
_____soup cans for pencils or tie a pencil to the desk
_____attach a pencil to the student with an extension key ring
_____attach assignment list to the desk
_____place a timetable on the desk, possibly in a book
_____reduce excess materials on the desk
_____color code class or work folders

Adapting Curriculum Presentation

Pre-organizing

_____Highlight key points in the textbook. Student reads just these points.
_____Have the student arrive 10 minutes early to go over the day plan.
_____Provide support to preview materials before the lesson.
_____Give a structured overview at the beginning of the lesson.
_____Prepare summary of important information with blanks for the student to fill in while listening.
_____Photocopy information ahead of time.

Giving Instructions

_____Repeat and simplify instructions.
_____Have a peer repeat the instructions.
_____Write oral instructions down and always keep in one place.
_____Ask the student to repeat directions to strengthen understanding.
_____Complete the first example with the student. .
_____Tape record instructions to be available as needed.

Other Suggestions

_____Adapt your pace.
_____Use both auditory and visual presentation.
_____Use hand signals or signs to augment oral information.
_____Stand close to the student.
_____Speak clearly, loudly or quietly depending on the effectiveness for the student.
_____Change tone of voice to cue student and sustain attention.
_____Break information into steps and monitor comprehension at small stages.
_____Use concrete examples.
_____Videotape lesson for later review.
_____Use multi-sensory examples
_____Use different color chalk/pens for emphasis or coding.
_____Use overhead projector and keep each overhead for later review.
_____Involve student in the presentation (e.g., concept mapping, brainstorming).
_____Allow extra time to complete tasks and tests.

Adapting Page Set-Up and Devices Used in the Curriculum-Checklist

Adapted page set-Up

_____Line indicators
_____Sections on paper (draw lines, fold)
_____Different types of paper (e.g., graph, paper with mid-lines, raised line paper)
_____Provide more white space to put answers
_____Highlight or color code (directions, key words, topic sentences)
_____Cover parts of worksheets
_____Put less information on a page
_____Use high contrast colors

Adapted devices

_____Chalk holders
_____Adapted scissors
_____Built-up pencils, pencil grips
_____Bingo marker
_____Highlighters
_____Erasable pens
_____Number line, alphabet line affixed to desk
_____Date stamp, number stamps
_____Stencils
_____No carbon required paper (NCR)
_____Spell checker (electronic)
_____Word processing on computer

Adapting Evaluation Strategies in the Curriculum-Checklist

Keep evaluation strategies simple

_____Evaluate on IEP progress
_____Set small goals
_____Keep work samples-portfolio assessment
_____Do spot checks

Vary strategies

_____Set up self-evaluation (What have you learned?)
_____Observe demonstrated knowledge-tests
_____Use video
_____Use individualized criteria
_____Set up peer-evaluation
_____Use objective observer

Tests

_____Use a scribe
_____Conduct an oral test
_____Read test questions
_____Permit the use of calculators
_____Use picture drawing
_____Use take-home test
_____Permit open-book test
_____Use concept maps, webbing
_____Remove time limit
_____Provide more space to record
_____Conduct test in a quiet room
_____Enlarge print

Adapt presentations

Provide students with advance organizers of key scientific concepts.
Demonstrate or model new concepts.

Adapt the pace of activities

Allow the student more time to complete assignments
Provide shorter but more frequent assignments

Alternate mode for materials

Dictate to a scribe
Tape record
Draw pictures
Cut pictures from magazines
Build models
Use the computer
Enlarge/shrink materials
Use overlays/acetate on text pages
Cut and paste
Use manipulatives
Use a calculator

Adapt materials

Use large print activity sheets.
Use overlays on text pages to reduce the quantity of print that is visible.
Highlight key points on the activity sheet.
Line indicators
Sections on paper (draw lines, fold)
Different types of paper (e.g., graph, paper with mid-lines, raised line paper)
Provide more white space to put answers
Highlight or color code (directions, key words, topic sentences)
Cover parts of worksheets
Put less information on a page
Use high contrast colors

Adapt assistance

Use peers or volunteers to assist students with special needs.
Use students with special needs to assist younger students in learning science.
Use teacher assistants to work with small groups of students, as well as with an identified student with special needs.
Use consultants and support teachers for problem solving and to assist in developing strategies for science instruction.

Adapt assessment

Allow various ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of scientific concepts such as performing experiments, creating displays and models, and tape recording observations.
Adapt assessment tools such as paper and pencil tests to include options such as oral tests, open-book tests, and tests with no time limit.
Keep work samples on NCR paper.
Use computer programs that provide opportunities for scientific practice and recording results.
Provide opportunities for extension and practice
Require small amounts of work to be completed at a given time.
Simplify the way questions are worded to match the students’ level of understanding.

To top

Supervision is one of those words that by definition and common use is assumed to be consistent and constant. Yet when actually put into practice, supervision strategies differ greatly from one program to another. Most classroom teachers have experienced supervision in the form of an administrator sitting through a pre-arranged observation, providing written and verbal feedback, and then returning at a later date to repeat the process. Many other educational professionals have experienced supervisory practices that have included coaching, instructional dialogues, and even instructional modeling. The educators who mentor or supervise paraprofessionals share invaluable knowledge and skills and build an effective partnership with shared power, clear mutual expectations, and open communication.

To clarify the basis for selecting material for this manual, it is important to share some thoughts and general assumptions about supervision. In fact, the first element of effective supervision is to be aware of personal beliefs, philosophy, and attitudes about supervision and share them with the paraprofessionals supervised.

1. Not everyone wants, or needs, to be supervised in the same way. There is no single right way to supervise. Your supervision practices should be flexible enough to match your paraprofessional’s need for oversight and guidance.

2. Supervision is an on-going process, not a product. This means that supervision is proactive rather than reactive. Reactive supervision works to neutralize or repair a problem. In proactive supervision, interactions are based on goal setting, understanding the uniqueness of each person’s roles and responsibilities, and an analysis of each individual’s effectiveness, competencies, and style.

3. Supervision, when effective, results in change. As the process evolves, changes will occur in the development of additional skills and competencies for both the paraprofessional and the educator-supervisor. Be prepared to accept the dynamic nature of supervision by expecting and preparing for new responsibilities to shift from the educator to the paraprofessional. It is important to acknowledge the personal growth experienced by the educator-supervisor and paraprofessional.

4. Supervision is a relationship-centered process. Effective supervision and constructive feedback require frequent interactions over an extended period of time. As all teachers know, 180 days can either seem to go by quickly or last forever depending on how each day flows. Expanded duties, coupled with less direct instructional time, make it pertinent that the educational professional and paraprofessional trust and respect each other and the job that each one is doing.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TEACHER –SUPERVISOR*

As an educator-supervisor of a paraprofessional you will be expected to:

Orient the paraprofessional to the school
Train the paraprofessional to use instructional and management approaches
Schedule and plan the assignments for the paraprofessional’s day
Communicate regularly with the paraprofessional
Delegate tasks and direct their implementation
Provide skill development opportunities
Provide feedback of the paraprofessional’s job performance.

* Supervision expectations may vary based on the disciplines and applicable state requirements shall be followed (e.g. nursing).

OVERVIEW OF A SUPERVISION PLAN

The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (1998) recommended the following as a minimal set of guidelines for direct supervision of paraprofessionals:

? The first 10 hours in which the paraprofessional has direct contact with a student should be observed and supervised by the teacher.

? After that initial period, at least 10 percent of the supportive instructional sessions conducted by the paraprofessional should be supervised to ensure continuity of instruction and program. Using these guidelines the teacher is also able to guarantee contact with the child involved as well as direct interaction with the paraprofessional.

? There must be on-going communication on at least a weekly basis between the teacher and the paraprofessional during which data pertaining to the student’s progress are reviewed.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVESUPERVISION

1. Inadequate feedback is provided to the paraprofessional. Feedback which is subjective rather than objective or which is provided infrequently can be considered inadequate.

2. The paraprofessional’s lack of commitment. Lack of commitment to the program or to the educator will undermine the program and increase frustration in carrying out one’s role as educator-supervisor.

3. The educator’s or paraprofessional’s attitudes about supervision are negative.For instance, if one or the other believes that supervision is solely for the purpose of evaluation, the relationship will become more reactive than proactive.

4. Inter-role conflict can occur when there is a belief that each individual’s role, although different, is equal. Such a belief demonstrates that there is a poor understanding of roles and responsibilities. In addition, conflict will arise when one individual has a strong interest in maintaining the status quo and rejects a process that will lead to change in the form of growth and improvement. An individual who views change as a personal loss may view supervision as a threat.

5. The organizational structure of the school may not support effective supervision. In schools where the climate does not encourage change, there will be little or no time set aside for team planning and feedback. Rather than rewarding the efforts of the team to work as a unit toward change, the organization may present barriers in the form of time constraints, negative feedback, or increasingly burdensome student loads.

We hope that you found this issue of NASET’sWorking with Paraprofessionals in Your School to be a very practical and helpful publication. NASET thanks the Virginia Department of Education for the use of information from research gathered through the Virginia Department of Education, Division of Special Education and Student Services.

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