Special Education Articles for Teachers

Learners who have special needs, whether physical, mental, or academic, may have what is called an Individualized Education Program. This program, or plan, is a legal document that entitles the student to specific accommodations, and at times modifications, to certain elements of his education. E...

Through my discussions with parents and fellow teachers, I have found that some people misunderstand the difference between children with learning disabilities and those who suffer from more acute developmental or cognitive impairments. In this article, I intend to define what it means to have a ...

Life skills are essential to living in the real world. Teaching these skills to learners who are in special education classes is not only important, but necessary. Though it may not be easy, there are techniques you can use to teach these important skills: reinforcing already learned skills, mode...

For those of us who have worked with special needs populations, we know first-hand the struggles of helping our learners communicate and progress academically in traditional venues. Over the years, I’ve spent countless hours labeling classrooms with icons, making PECS boards, and taking photograp...

April is Autism Awareness month and Lesson Planet wants to help spread the word about autism and other related developmental disorders. Autism affects one out of every eighty-eight children in the United States alone, and that number is on the rise. According to Autism Speaks, children with autis...

The purpose of this article is to provide a simplistic overview of what the Behaviorist Theory is and the implications behaviorism has on classroom management and teaching choices. I have personally found behaviorism to be a highly effective tool in terms of classroom management. When the class i...

Benefits of ASL for Young Children Traditionally, ASL (American Sign Language) is used as a mode of communication; it is also a beneficial teaching tool that promotes cognitive functioning. For very young children and infants, ASL promotes speech development, provides a mode of communication, an...

History of Sign Language in Education ASL, or American Sign Language, has a long and wonderfully-rich history based on the premise that all individuals have the right and capability to learn equitably. In 1620, Juan Pablo de Bonet published the first book on educating deaf individuals. This book...

What is a Peer Partner? A peer partner is a student who can effectively assist a special-needs or challenged student without pushing, controlling, or dominating them. It is an interpersonal way to encourage classroom community and friendship by creating a symbiotic peer relationship. I am not su...

Having a student with emotional disabilities in your class can be tough. They look like the other students, and can be as academically advanced as the other students, but they may act out in ways the other students may not. This may cause them to become outcasts and want to act out more. Here are...