The first part in a two-part methods course sequence that prepares prospective teachers for special education teaching at K-12 school level. Developmentally appropriate content, strategies, and methods of instruction will be discussed with emphasis on the implementation in the internship placement. Seminars meet weekly throughout the semester. This course also requires a full-time, semester-long placement in an educational setting appropriate for the intended general special education area. Students work toward mastery of attitudes, techniques, and professional practices for successful teaching. A college supervisor and a field-based professional provide supervision. Candidates document the hours of work in the schools, including referral, observations, teaching, assessment, remediation, aiding with transition issues, IEP development and implementation, consultation, collaboration, and designing and implementing behavioral programs. This course addresses specific N.H. state standards for certification in the area of general special education.
Prerequisites
Acceptance in the General Special Education Conversion program, completion of previous general special education coursework, acceptance into internship, and approval of TECP director
- Understand the functions of schools, school systems, and other agencies and their relationships to general and special education.
- Describe the similarities and differences in human development of students with and without disabilities within and across cognitive, social, emotional, and physical areas and the impact and educational implications of the disability
- Understand learning differences and use the diverse range of students’ approaches to learning and the range of modifications and accommodations that can be used to support learning; demonstrate the understanding of students with disabilities within the broader context of their families, cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic classes, languages, communities, and peer and social groups; understand a student’s learning differences in the development of the IEP and transition needs and how information processing skills can impact student learning.
- Design learning environments to meet student’s needs based on abilities and disabilities.
- Understand legal policies and ethical principles of assessment related to the special education process.
- Use instructional planning and strategies, to co-teach and plan for plan instruction appropriate for students with special needs.
- Understand the effect of language development on academic and social development.
- Demonstrate educational practice within the code of ethics, including confidentiality and other standards of the profession.
- Understand the federal law, state law, local policies, and the New Hampshire Standards for the Education and apply that to assessment, IEP development, and instructional practice.
- Collaborate with families, school personnel, agencies, and community members in culturally responsive ways to facilitate access for students with disabilities in a variety of settings.
- Understand curriculum planning and assessment.
