Observations of a Special Education Class (K-2nd class)
Teacher: Perla Magin Title: Special Education Teacher
District: Los Angeles Unified School District
Disabilities served in the classroom: Autism and mild mental retardation
Languages spoken by students: English, Spanish, Tamil and Persian
Cultures represented in the classroom: African American, Caucasian-Asian, Persian, East Indian and Hispanic
1. How does the teacher reinforce good behavior in the classroom?
a. Provides specific verbal praise to the students such as "You did a great job. You wrote all your sentences correctly";
b. Offers students the option to engage in their favorite activity such as going to the computer or reading a book;
d. Rewards students by allowing them to pick a toy from the "toy store" that they can take home; and
e. Utilizes gestures such as "high fives," cheers and applause to celebrate the students' specific achievements.
2. List five specific ways in which the pupils with mild/moderate disabilities learn.
a. Utilizes visual organizers such as picture communication cards;
b. Utilizes manipulatives such as counters and any other objects that can be for counting, as in the case of arithmetic;
c. Utilizes kinesthetic activity such as role playing to explain new vocabulary words in context;
d. Requires sensory stimulation and modulation such as the use of materials for tactile stimulation and weighted vests to calm the students down; and
e. Requires one-on-one and occasional hand-over-hand assistance.
3. Describe how the classroom setting is designed to assist in the learning process for the pupil with mild/moderate disabilities.
Because these students are easily distracted by external stimuli, the teacher plays background classical music softly in the background to help the students focus on their work. At the same time, to help students perform their individual work without distraction, individu...