Week in Review - November 4, 2022


 

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

November 4, 2022                 Vol 18 Issue #44


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Dear NASET Members and Guests,

Welcome to NASET's WEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASET to read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles that have happened this week in the field of special education. We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

 

WHATS NEW AT NASET

NASET’s Autism Spectrum Disorder Series 

Pre-service Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Including Students with ASD in General Education

 

 

This issue of NASET’s Autism Spectrum Disorder series comes from the Fall, 2022 edition of JAASEP. It was written by Mary A. Houser, Ed.D., Tara S. Guerriero, Ph.D., David L. Bolton, Ph.D., and Esther Smidt, Ph.D. The purpose of this study was to examine special education and general education pre-service teachers’ attitudes toward including PK-12 students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the general education classroom from an academic perspective. This study surveyed 160 undergraduate pre-service teachers (special education and general education) from a mid-size, northeastern state university’s teacher preparation programs using an adapted version of the Attitudes Toward Inclusive Education Scale (ATIES). Significant differences were found in pre-service teachers’ attitudes when examining the impact of the academic level of the PK-12 student with ASD, the academic program of study (e.g. special education vs. general education), and the level of undergraduate progress (i.e. year in undergraduate career).  

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NASET ADVOCACY - Board Certification for Advocacy in Special Education (BCASE)


Nation’s Report Card: Massive Drop in Math Scores, Slide in Reading Linked to COVID Disruption

Two and a half years after the pandemic arrived, it’s clearer than ever that COVID’s disruption had punishing consequences for millions of students.  Students in fourth and eighth grade saw unprecedented declines in math and significant dips in reading achievement between 2019 and 2022, according to the results of national exams given last school year and released Monday. The declines were broad-based — affecting students in every state and every region of the country. “The results point out and confirm that this is a pretty massive hit to student achievement in our country,” said Scott Marion, a testing expert and member of the board that oversees the tests. Read More

 

Special Education Underfunded in Wisconsin, Experts Say

A recent study by the Education Law Center found that all Wisconsin school districts are underfunded in special education programs by more than $1 billion. In Emily Keim’s classroom at Holmen High School, children learn how to communicate. Keim has been a special education teacher for 11 years. “Everybody has the right to access education,” Keim said. Students in Keim’s classroom are non-verbal, but with the help of assistive technology, Keim says “they can have a voice and they can communicate with anybody, not just teachers and close family and friends.” Read More

Physical Activity in Children with ADHD Reduces Parental Stress

Physical activity has positive impacts on parental stress among parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to study findings published in Disability and Health Journal. Children (N=43) with ADHD and their parents were recruited from Shenzhen Children’s Hospital in China between August and September 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 12-week physical activity program (n=22; mean age, 8.51±1.54 years; 73% boys; body mass index [BMI], 16.98±3.50 kg/m2) or a waitlist (n=21; mean age, 9.09±1.27 years; 82% boys; BMI, 16.63±2.98 kg/m2). The physical activity intervention comprised 3 hour-long sessions per week. The sessions were intended to maximize the continuous level of moderate-to-vigorous activity with a target heart rate of 64% to 93% and teach different forms of motor skills. The primary outcomes were changes to quality of life measured using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and parental stress measured using the 15-item Parenting Stress Index–Short Form. Read More

Clinical Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder Mostly Consistent with, without Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

Clinical diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without the reference standard Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) are consistent in 90.0 percent of cases, according to a study published online Oct. 17 in JAMA Pediatrics. William Barbaresi, M.D., from Boston Children's Hospital, and colleagues examined consistency between clinical diagnosis and diagnosis incorporating the ADOS in a prospective study conducted between May 2019 and February 2020. Developmental-behavioral pediatricians (DBPs) made a diagnosis based on clinical assessment; the ADOS was administered and then a DBP made a second diagnosis (index diagnosis and reference standard diagnosis). A total of 349 children completed the study. The researchers found that index diagnoses and reference standard diagnoses were consistent for 314 children (90 percent) and changed for 35 children. The most sensitive and specific predictor of diagnostic consistency was clinician diagnostic certainty (area under curve, 0.860). No child or clinician factors improved prediction of diagnostic consistency based solely on clinician diagnostic certainty at the time of index diagnosis in a multilevel logistic regression. Read More

 


 


Health Benefits of Biofeedback Therapy

Biofeedback is a treatment technique that uses non-invasive bio-monitoring sensors attached to the body to measure body functions, providing essential feedback or information that helps address certain health concerns (via Healthline). According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it's similar to the old idea of controlling the body with the mind, which has fueled most Eastern philosophies, like yoga and meditation. However, as a modernized version, biofeedback therapy uses multiple scientific instruments to diagnose and reveal the level of control you may have in real-time. There are three types of biofeedback: electromyography (EMG), thermal, and neurofeedback or electroencephalography (EEG), as per Medical News Today. Each method measures different indicators. EMG measures muscle tension, thermal biofeedback measures body temperature changes, and EEG centers around brain waves. The procedure and sessions required are based on your specific medical condition. Sessions usually last no more than one hour, and some people may see positive effects after eight to 10 sessions. However, people with conditions, like high blood pressure, might require 20 sessions. You might also be given additional relaxation activities to perform at home for five to 10 minutes daily. Read More

 

E-Rate Survey Points to Early Signs of the Homework Gap Closing

More than three-quarters (78%) of school and library E-rate applicants agree or strongly agree that insufficient internet access at home is a significant problem in their community, according to the 12th annual E-rate survey released Thursday by Funds For Learning. That’s an 8 percentage point drop from the previous year, leading to speculation that the homework gap may be starting to close. The survey also found an overwhelming 98% of schools and libraries want network security included in the E-rate program, which the Federal Communications Commission oversees. The program — now in its 25th year — provides significant discounts for school internet connections and telecommunications infrastructure, although not for cybersecurity support. E-rate applicants are “requesting funds for these networks, but they’re unable to secure them the way they need to in order to make them reliable,” said John Harrington, CEO of Funds For Learning, a consulting firm that supports schools and libraries in navigating the E-rate funding process. Read More

 

The Psychological Toll of High-Stakes Testing

One problem with standardized tests: We don’t fully understand what they measure. On the face of it, they are designed to provide an objective appraisal of knowledge, or perhaps even of inherent intelligence.  But a recent study by Brian Galla, a psychology professor at the University of Pittsburgh, with Angela Duckworth and colleagues concluded that high school grades are actually more predictive of college graduation than standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. That’s because standardized tests have a major blind spot, the researchers asserted: The exams fail to capture the “soft skills” that reflect a student’s ability to develop good study habits, take academic risks, and persist through challenges, for example. High school grades, on the other hand, appear to do a better job mapping the area where resilience and knowledge meet. Arguably, that’s the place where potential is translated into real achievement. Read More

 

Teaching Children with Autism Critical Thinking Skills

What is so important about teaching children with autism critical thinking skills? These skills are important to everyday decisions and obstacles an individual may face, there are many neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals that have a hard time with these skills. This article is going to outline abstract and conceptual thinking skills development, practice, and use in the school setting and at home. I plan on including ways that both parents and teachers will best be able to encourage and build these skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It may take some creativity and thinking outside the box when interacting and teaching these skills. It is important to remember and take note of the differences and potential difficulties that your child may have when taking these ideas into consideration. As always, these are merely the tip of the iceberg and may not work for everybody. That is why the ability of parents and educators to think outside the box and use their own critical thinking skills when figuring out what will work best for the child. Read More

 

These 7 Pandemic-Era Lessons Can Inform School Emergency Planning

When the COVID-19 pandemic caught school systems nationwide off guard, educators and students alike were forced to pivot to a new remote learning reality as mass shutdowns and social distancing measures kept schools closed for in-person learning. “Most people didn’t have a plan for COVID, so they developed one on the fly,” said Amy McLaughlin, program director for cybersecurity for the Consortium for School Networking. “In a disaster, you have to focus on the top priorities, because you can’t do all the things you normally do.” Now that schools have been there, however, what lessons can they adapt for future disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, water crises and blizzards? Experts recommend these seven best practices. Read More

 

 



TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

NASET'S TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK WILL RETURN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2022


States Opting Out of a Federal Program that Tracks Teen Behavior as Youth Mental Health Worsens

As the COVID-19 pandemic worsened a mental health crisis among America’s young people, a small group of states quietly withdrew from the nation’s largest public effort to track concerning behaviors in high school students. Colorado, Florida, and Idaho will not participate in a key part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior surveys that reach more than 80,000 students. Over the past 30 years, the state-level surveys, conducted anonymously during each odd-numbered year, have helped elucidate the mental health stressors and safety risks for high school students. Each state has its own rationale for opting out, but their withdrawal — when suicides and feelings of hopelessness are up — has caught the attention of school psychologists and federal and state health officials. Read More

 

 

‘Gag Orders’ Will Hurt Education, Teacher Group Warns

A group of award-winning teachers is countering opposition to instruction about racism and diverse identities, with a report to be released Monday afternoon that advocates for “honest” education that affirms students’ different attributes, backgrounds and experiences. The paper, which is the inaugural work of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year’s Voices for Honest Education Fellowship, emphasizes that when educators draw on students’ background knowledge and connect learning to students’ lives, students show greater motivation and engagement. That, in turn, can lead to better school attendance, test results and graduation rates, according to Voices for Honest Education. The recent rise in state and local policies that limit student voices, punish educators, ban books and shrink opportunities for honest discourse will have detrimental impacts on education, including barriers for the recruitment and retention of teachers, according to the paper. “These educational gag orders were proposed as cynical tactics calculated for political gain, ignoring the harm to our children, our communities, and our nation,” the report said. Read More

 

In New Jersey, Special Ed Children’s Parents Report that Their Children are in General Ed Classes without Support

 During the October 20, 2022, Board of Education Meeting’s (BOE) public comments section, parents called in to ask when their children who require special accommodations will have a special education teacher in their general education class. Vanessa Flyer of South Orange stated, “My son who is in kindergarten has an IEP [Individualized Education Plan] and is in an inclusion classroom but still does not have a special education teacher.” She told the BOE that five of the 17 students in the classroom have IEPs. She described her son’s situation, “My son, who is autistic, struggles with sensory processing and auditory processing disorder. He needs frequent breaks out of the classroom, which helps him regulate and he needs to be monitored closely for signs of becoming overwhelmed, otherwise he has meltdowns.” Flyer explained that when the classroom is overwhelming, her son becomes frustrated and anxious, making him spiral into a meltdown in which he becomes unaware of his surroundings. He hits, screams, kicks and may run away. Read More

 

 



Idaho Districts Say They Hired Underqualified Staff in Face of Teacher Shortage. Now What?

The number of open teacher positions in schools across Idaho dropped significantly when compared with the end of last school year, but some districts have had to resort to alternative methods to get their schools fully staffed. School districts reported desperately hiring underqualified staffers for positions that were difficult to fill – including those in special education and math – through alternative certifications or emergency provisional certificates. Emergency provisional certificates allow districts that must fill positions to receive a one-year certification for a person who doesn’t have the requirements needed. The Idaho Association of School Administrators sent out a survey in September and found the state had 134 vacant certified staff positions among the 87 school districts responding. When the association conducted a similar survey in May, 89 school districts reported more than 700 vacancies. That was in part due to more than 450 retirements. The State Board of Education discussed the survey in a meeting Thursday. Comments from the districts that filled out the survey, which were included in board documents, said many of the recently hired educators had little to no teaching experience. Read More

 

 

Horse Therapy Makes Sense for Children with Disabilities

Four children with physical and developmental disabilities graduated Thursday night, Oct. 20, from Ride With Pride, a free equine-assisted therapy program run by Easterseals Rehabilitation Center in Wheeling. Easterseals medical director Dr. Ellen Kitts teamed with certified therapeutic riding instructor Lorie Ulman to teach participants proper horseback-riding posture and commands with the goal of improving strength, coordination, confidence and communication skills. The children and more than a dozen volunteers came from throughout the tri-state every Thursday evening for five weeks to participate. The children practiced techniques such as standing up in the stirrups (two-point), and played games, such as Park the Pony, a sort of musical chairs on horseback.

At the graduation ceremony, Kitts noted each child’s gains and presented them with gold medals and unicorn-emblazoned T-shirts. Afterward, pizza, Capri Suns and cake were served. Read More

 

What Does it Feel Like to Have High-Functioning Adult ADHD?

When thinking of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), many people picture the disorder in children. Although some individuals are diagnosed with ADHD when they are children, the disorder can persist into adulthood. Approximately 2.5% of adults live with the disorder, and it's suspected that more adults with ADHD have never been diagnosed, according to Healthline. Females with ADHD are more likely to go undiagnosed, due to the misconception that ADHD is a "male disorder," and the fact that symptoms in females often present differently, ADDitude shares. Because people might be struggling with the disorder yet are undiagnosed, it's critical to acknowledge the symptoms of ADHD in adults. Adult men with ADHD may feel shame over problems related to their career, as they can have difficulty getting along with others (per ADDitude). In addition, they may have trouble managing their anger and rage, or problems with expressing their emotions. Read More

 

Allowing Kids to be Who They Really are: Parents Open School for Students on Autism Spectrum

When Josh and Maegan Cahoon set a goal, all their energy goes into the project. Recently, they started their own school, from the ground up. Total time from initial idea to opening day – just seven months. Maverick Learning Center, which opened in September in the Hilltop area, serves children on the autism spectrum. Currently the school is accepting students for grades kindergarten to fifth grade, with plans to expand to middle school and high school grades. The Cahoons have three children: Gavin, Jax and Maverick. Finding the right school was a problem for Maverick. Read More

 



JOB POSTINGS

Special Education Teacher- Multiple Positions - STRIVE Prep is a Denver-based community of public charter schools that challenges every student to strive for college and thrive throughout life by helping them to discover and develop the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to succeed in college and beyond. We encourage you to read our 2021 Impact Report and learn more about what a career at STRIVE Prep is like here. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Resource Teacher - Galapagos is looking for driven educators who truly believe in the ability of all children to succeed at the highest levels. Our staff works incredibly hard to deliver rigorous, individualized, data-driven and explicit instruction to our scholars. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] Reading Intervention Specialist - Like all DREAM employees, the Intervention Specialist should demonstrate a strong commitment to the mission and values of DREAM and should have substantial expertise in all areas of responsibility. Candidates must also value DREAM's comprehensive approach to education and desire to make a lasting impact in underserved communities as part of a growing organization. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] ELL Intervention Teacher - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the ELL Intervention Teacher will be responsible for designing and leading ELL instruction, and collaborating with school staff to provide English language support. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes for all students, and eager to apply their vision for rigorous, whole-child education in a growing, collaborative school community. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education/Transition Teacher - Do you want to play an integral role in a dynamic organization? We are looking for a Special Education/Transition Teacher who wants to assist our organization. The right candidate will enjoy learning new tasks and taking on a variety of responsibilities while working in an up-beat, nonprofit environment. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teachers $50/hr -Maxim Healthcare Staffing is looking to hire a Special Education Teacher provide quality services to special education students, kindergarten through grade 12, through a commitment to team participation in planning and implementation of student programs including special instruction, tutorial assistance and consultation with general education staff. To learn more- Click here

* Teacher of the Deaf/Special Educator - Early Intervention - The Early Intervention preschool classroom teacher is a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, though candidates with Early Childhood Special Education certification will be considered, who works with students ages three to five in a classroom setting and is responsible for planning and leading all aspects of the daily learning environment. To learn more- Click here

* Teacher - Virtual - Interested in teaching online courses? You can work full time or part time for supplemental income. Set your own hours, work from your own home, and earn your equivalent teaching salary or more! To learn more- Click here

* School Principal - We strive to give our clients support, resources, and the ability to heal through the work of animal-assisted therapy and nature-based learning all while developing the skills and confidence to grow into independent young adults. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher, Learning Disabilities - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher, Multiple Disabilities ES/MS/HS - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher Preschool - Provides and is accountable for the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom or assigned instructional setting. Supports FCPS mission to "inspire, enable, and empower students to meet high academic standards, lead ethical lives, and demonstrate responsible citizenship." To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher-(Elementary, Middle, or High School) - The EC Teacher plans and provides for appropriate learning experiences for students with disabilities in a variety of educational settings. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education - Elementary Teacher - Career opportunities where you can choose your path. From coaching to administration, there are many options to grow your career, while pursuing your interests and passions. We are hiring immediately for a full-time Special Education - Elementary Teacher. Come grow your career with the Clark County School District! To learn more- Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

People who lack the clarity, courage, or determination to follow their own dreams will often find ways to discourage yours. Live your truth and don’t EVER stop! 

Steve Maraboli

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