BREAKING THROUGH THE BARRIERS:

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BREAKING THROUGH THE BARRIERS

• A Special Educators Guide Navigating the
  Illinois State Board of Education Learning
  Standards for Students Diagnosed with Autism
  Spectrum Disorders

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Presenters

• Gwendolyn B. Murphy
• Director of Therapeutic Schools
• Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago
• Nicole L. Davenport
• School Administrator Autism Therapeutic School
• Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago

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Presentation Overview

• Rationale
• Description of Guide
• Next Steps

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Rationale

• Personal Experiences
• ISBE Requirements
• Special Educator Challenges

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Description of Guide

• English/Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Science

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Description of Guide
Fine Motor Gross Motor Independent
Functioning Communication Social
Emotional Community Vocational
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Description of Guide

• State Goal
• Illinois Learning Standards
• Curriculum (Adapted)
• Suggested Materials/Activities

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• STATE GOAL 1 READ WITH UNDERSTANDING AND
  FLUENCY.
• Illinois Learning Standard 1A Apply word
  analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend
  selections.
• Curriculum (Adapted)
• Participate in activities requiring students to
  demonstrate left-to-right correspondence.
• Participate in activities requiring basic sight
  word recognition or phonics.
• Participate in letter recognition activities.
• Participate in activities requiring name
  recognition.
• Participate in activities requiring
  choice-making.
• Participate in activities requiring students to
  follow 1-step directions.
• Suggested Materials/Activities
• Picture cards
• Storybooks
• Magazines
• Authentic photos
• First, Then work strip

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• STATE GOAL 6 DEMONSTRATE AND APPLY KNOWLEDGE
  AND
• SENSE OF NUMBERS, INCLUDING NUMERATION AND
• OPERATIONS (ADDITION, SUBTRACTION,
  MULTIPLICATION,
• DIVISION), PATTERNS, RATIOS AND PROPORTIONS.
• Illinois Learning Standard 6A Demonstrate
  knowledge and use of numbers and their
• representations in a broad range of theoretical
  and practical settings.
• Curriculum (Adapted)
• Introduce number recognition.
• Introduce 11 correspondence.
• Introduce rote counting.
• Suggested Materials/Activities
• Flash cards
• Multi-sensory materials such as sand, shaving
  cream etc.
• Manipulatives
• Items within the classroom environment which
  reinforce number recognition, such as a
• clock or phone

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• STATE GOAL 12 UNDERSTAND THE FUNDAMENTAL
  CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES
• AND INTERCONNECTIONS OF THE LIFE, PHYSICAL AND
• EARTH/SPACESCIENCES.
• Illinois Learning Standard 12A Know and apply
  concepts that explain how living things function,
• adapt and change.
• Curriculum (adapted)
• Participate in activities involving the concepts
  of reality and make-believe.
• Introduce activities requiring students to sort
  or categorize items by attribute (i.e., plants,
  animals,
• living, non-living, etc.)
• Introduce activities requiring students to
  identify body parts.
• Introduce activities requiring students to
  identify/construct patterns.
• Introduce activities requiring students to
  identify the four seasons.
• Suggested Materials/Activities
• Storybooks
• Picture cards
• Weather cards/charts

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• STATE GOAL 14 UNDERSTAND POLITICAL SYSTEMS,
  WITH AN
• EMPHASIS ON THE UNITED STATES.
• Illinois Learning Standard 14A Understand and
  explain basic principles of the
• United States government.
• Curriculum (Adapted)
• Utilize incidental moments throughout daily
  schedule in which to refer students
• attention to classroom rules.
• Incorporate opportunities within the daily
  schedule for students to self-monitor
• behavior.
• Introduce classroom/individual behavior plan with
  consistency.
• Introduce the concept of turn taking.
• Suggested Materials/Activities
• Picture cards
• Posted classroom rules appropriate to the
  cognitive functioning level of the
• students
• Classroom/individual behavior program

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Next Steps

• High School Course
• Descriptions/Credits
• Transition Plan Development
• Career Paths

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CONTACT INFORMATION

• Gwendolyn B. Murphy
• Director of Therapeutic Schools
• Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago
• wmurphy_at_eastersealschicago.org
• Nicole L. Davenport
• School Administrator Autism Therapeutic School
• Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago
• ndavenport_at_eastersealschicago.org