State University of New York
School of Education
Fall 2009
SPED 526 – LEARNING DISABLILITES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-Mail:
Suzanne M. Lachman, MS, CAS
AB-230A
(607) 642-8745 (W); (607) 642-8744 (H)
(607) 777-2727 (leave message)
slachman@nvcs.stier.org
Class Times:
Wed. 4:40-7:10 PM
Meeting Place: TBA
Office Hours:
Wed. 7:10-8:30 PM
By appointment please
Course Perspective:
This course is primarily designed to meet the instructional demands placed on secondary level special education
teachers of students identified as learning disabled. The course will provide course participants with effective
planning and teaching routines to help them address the diverse learning needs of students. Approaches such as
learning routines, strategies and differentiated classroom-based activities will be explored. The main goals for
course participants is to know and understand differences amongst learners, to develop skills for inclusive
teaching, to begin to think in new ways about instruction in academically diverse classrooms and to plan and
teach in ways that respond to diverse learning needs. Course participants will be expected to apply these
approaches over an extended period of time with appropriate students and to document these activities in terms
of what was done with the students and share the products with other classmates.
This course will also address related topics such as teaching effective study and social skills, self-determination
skills and transition to work and post-secondary education. Teachers working at the secondary level have only a
few years in which to move their students from the usual protected and dependent status of “special education
student” to a level of independence wherein they can take full responsibility for their continuing education in
whatever employment or post-secondary situation they choose. Emphasis will be placed on ways of presenting
instruction to enable the student to take greater responsibility for their learning through the use of planning and
organizational skills.
Parallel to the pragmatic issues of what to teach, how to teach it, and how to influence content area teachers to
do the same, the course will examine several biographies of individuals with learning disabilities in order to
learn from the perspective of the student with disabilities how they view their world. In today’s age, we have
come to understand that teachers have much to learn from their students.
Foundational issues such as theories of learning disabilities, characteristics as well as definitional and diagnostic
issues will be considered as these topics are appropriate to planning and managing a secondary level special
education environment, but primarily within the context of what to do about managing content and instruction.
This course will also address practical issues such as the involvement of the CSE and the development of the
IEP. The roles that the special education and general education teachers play in this process will be explored.
Additionally, this course will also address and incorporate some elements of assistive technology such as the
use of computer software to help students with significant disabilities in literacy. Continued developments in
this area promise to enhance independence for students and adults with disabilities.
Behavior management continues to be problematic at a secondary level for some students classified as learning
disabled. This course takes the position that the best intervention for challenging behavior is curriculum and
pedagogical approaches that meet and satisfy the instructional needs of the student. Behavior management per
se is addressed in great detail in another course (SPED 521). However, teaching social and general academic
skills to improve competence in school and employment settings is certainly an important intervention to
prevent challenging behavior.
Finally, the course will include material related to collaboration with other teachers, paraprofessionals and
parents. While there is a specific course (SPED 562) devoted to this important topic, some particular aspects of
collaboration including the co-teaching model will be addressed.
Instructional Strategies:
The instructor anticipates that class meetings will typically consist of discussions of assigned readings, lectures,
modeling and role-playing, and practice in instructional planning and procedures. Small group cooperative
exercises will be implemented wherever appropriate.
Since the focus of this course is on instruction and applications, participants should currently be
employed in school situations where they can teach learning strategies and develop units of content and
lesson plans for use with classes of secondary level students.
Grading Scheme:
Class participants will create and implement a Unit Organizer using content appropriate to any course taught at
any grade level 7-12. They will present and explain this to the class. This should cover a unit of study of
between five and fifteen days, and should align with at least one state and local learning standard. This project
will be 30% of the grade.
Class participants will create and implement either a differentiated instructional activity/lesson or learning
strategy that has been covered in class for any content area appropriate to grades 7-12. They will then present
and explain what they did to the class. This project will be 30% of the grade.
Class participants will complete one examination on selected readings and lecture material to most likely be
done in a “take-home” format. This will count for 40% of the grade.
All students are expected to participate in class discussions and activities. The instructor reserves the right to
adjust final grades on the basis of attendance and participation in class.
Classroom Environment:
The faculty and staff in the School of Education are committed to serving all enrolled students. Our intention is
to create an intellectually stimulating, safe and respectful class atmosphere. In return, we expect that each of
you will honor and respect the opinions and feelings of others.
Accommodations:
If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please notify the instructor by the
second week of class. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities
at 777-2868. Their office is LH-B51. This office makes formal recommendations regarding necessary and
appropriate accommodations based on specifically diagnosed disabilities. Information regarding disabilities is
treated in a confidential manner.
Academic Honesty:
It is the expectation that all students assume the responsibility to maintain and foster a condition and an
atmosphere of academic integrity for the academic work they submit. This requires that all classroom,
laboratory, and written work for which a person claims credit are in fact that person’s own work. Please refer to
the annual university Student Handbook publication that includes detailed information on academic integrity.
Students are in violation of academic honesty if they incorporate into their written or oral reports any
unacknowledged published or unpublished or oral material form the work of another (plagiarism); or if they
use, request, or give unauthorized assistance in any academic work (cheating).” (SEHD Academic Honesty
Policies) Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated in this class. Incidents of either will result in a failing
grade for the assignment in question. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating,
please be sure to ask the instructor.
http://sehd.binghamton.edu/students/currentstudents/academichonesty.htm
Blackboard:
Course handouts will be posted on Blackboard (BB). You can e-mail classmates and discuss course readings
and class topics there. (You need a BU ID to access BB & online library journals. You may print 100 pgs/wk
free in any campus computer pod).
Required Texts: (in bookstore)
Bender, W.H. (2008). Differentiating Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilitites. Thousand
Oaks: Corwin Press.
Lenz, B.K., Deschler, D.D. & Kissam, B.R. (2004). Teaching Content to All: Evidence-Based Inclusive
Practices in Middle and Secondary Schools. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Ellis, E.S. (1998). The Framing Routine. Lawrence: Edge Enterprise.
Lenz, B.K. (1994). The Unit Organizer Routine: Lawrence: Edge Enterprise.
SPED 526
Tentative Class Schedule
Fall 2009
Sept. 2
Introduction to the Course and Each Other
Self-determination/Teacher & Student Efficacy
Article reading & discussion (handed out in class)
Sept. 9
Student Diversity/SMARTER Planning
Literacy/Literature Circles
Lenz Text Chap.1-4
Sept. 16
Unit Planning
Lenz Text Chap. 7
Lenz Text – Unit Organizer Routine
Sept. 23
Lesson Planning/Framing/Universal Design
Lenz Text Chap. 8
Ellis Text – The Framing Routine
Bender Text Chap. 2
Sept. 30
Classroom Issues/Researched-Based Practices/
Course Planning
Lenz Text Chap. 5-6
Oct. 7
Student Presentations – Unit Organizers (Project #1)
Oct. 14
Learning Strategies/Graphic Organizers
Teaching Content in an Academically Diverse Class
Lenz Text Chap. 9-10
Bender Text Chap. 1
Oct. 21
Differentiating Instruction
Bender Text Chap. 3-5
Oct. 28
CT Model & Co-Teaching
Handouts and
Article (on Blackboard)
Nov. 4
IEP & CSE Issues/Transition Planning
Handouts (on Blackboard)
Nov. 18
Student Presentations – Differentiated Lesson or Learning Strategy (Project #2)
Dec. 2
Life Stories
Guest Speakers – Co-Teaching
Dec. 9
Technology as a Tool/Pass out Final Exam
Dec. 16
Course Closure/Collect Final Exam
Handouts (on Blackboard)