DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL SERVICES
AND LEADERSHIP STUDIES
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY
SUMMER 2009
Teaching Secondary Students with Adaptive Learning Needs
Course Number: SSLS 780
Instructor: Margaret Bebb Neil
Phone: 620-249-2305
I.
Credit Hours: 3
Time: Tues. 5:00-7:50 pm
Place: Hughes Hall #222
E-Mail: mneil@usd250.org
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is a graduate methods course designed to provide the trainee
with knowledge and skills in special education teaching for
secondary students identified with mild disabilities.
II.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
This course is designed to provide students with practices and
methods for teaching students with disabilities in secondary
schools. School experiences for students in secondary schools are
very different from those of students in elementary grades. As
such, this course is designed to evaluate programs for secondary
students with disabilities and provide instructional strategies
developmentally appropriate for these students.
III.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be
able to:
A. Define/discuss characteristics of both the adolescent
with/without adaptive learning needs—brain/moral/social
development
B. Define/discuss effective behavior management for secondary
students with special needs
C. Define/discuss effective teaching strategies for secondary
students with special needs—brain hemisphericity, multiple
intelligence, learning styles
D. Define/discuss effective reading, writing, math instruction for
students with special needs
E. Become familiar with state standards, assessment procedures,
frequency of assessment, and modifications for assessments
for secondary students
F. Discuss content BEYOND the standards: study skills, social
skills/character education, career education, community
service, exploratory education, health/wellness education
G. Discuss strategies for working with general education
professionals and paraprofessionals
H. Discuss services provided BEYOND the educational
framework i.e., mental health facilities, counseling, Big
Brother Big Sister, YMCA, Youth Friends, etc.
I. Define/discuss MTSS/RTI
J. Define/discuss transition
K. Discuss post-secondary education opportunities for students
with special needs
IV.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
V.
Attendance
Class participation
Transition Project
Multigenre Project
Standards Based Lesson Plans
Other
COURSE EVALUATION
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
59% and below = F
Please communicate with me in person, the phone, or best yet, my e-mail.
In case of bad weather, I will cancel the class through PSU offices and the
announcement will be on the PSU webpage.
Please be professional in your attendance and being on time. Please put cell
phones on off/vibrate. Only communicate on phones in case of emergency.
Laptops are welcome. Please be prepared for topics of discussion. Let’s all
be prepared to learn new things and share our present knowledge with
others. Review the university catalog for the policy on academic dishonesty.