Shoolman Graduate School of Jewish Education
EDUC 565 High Incidence Special Needs in Jewish Settings
Eydie Balsam
Spring 2014
February 3 – March 14
Contact Information: Eydie Balsam
Phone: 301-525-8456
Email: ebalsam@hebrewcollege.edu
Skype:
Course Description:
Students who have previously taken EDUC 551 (Special Education in Jewish Settings) should not enroll in this module as
there will be significant content overlap.
This module will provide participants with an overview of the most commonly seen disabilities (intellectual and
social/emotional challenges, learning disabilities, non-verbal learning disabilities, AD/HD, and giftedness) and their impact
on learning and teaching. We will examine noteworthy educational practices in Jewish formal and informal educational
settings.
General Information:
Students can register for 1 credit or for non-credit.
Students taking this course for professional development (non-credit) need not complete the assignments (Dream,
Accommodations) but do need to participate in the discussion board, much as you would contribute to class discussions.
Please let me know if you need accommodations for your own special learning needs. Current Hebrew College academic
policies can be found at http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/html/current-policies.htm
Course Accommodations for Disabilities:
Hebrew College is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in programs. Accordingly, if a student has a
documented disability, and as a result, needs a reasonable accommodation to attend, participate or complete course
requirements, then he or she should inform the instructor at the beginning of the course. For further information, see the
Student Handbook at http://hebrewcollege.edu/sites/default/files/student_handbook.pdf.
If you require course accommodations because of a documented disability or an emergency medical condition, please
email your instructor as soon as possible. We are happy to work with you on any issues you have to ensure that you can
participate fully in the class and complete the course requirements. Please do not wait until the assignments are due for a
retroactive accommodation, but discuss the situation with your instructor before you experience difficulty.
Course Structure:
Topics:
Week 1
Week 2
Learning Disabilities (with particular attention to Language Based LD)
What are the different types of Learning Disabilities and how do they impact a students’ learning?
How do we help tailor our teaching to these students’ strengths?
What’s the impact of Language Based LD in a Jewish school?
Non-verbal Learning Disabilities and High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders
What learning issues do students with NLD face and how are they different from students who are on the
high functioning end of the Autism spectrum?
How can we help students with NLD succeed in the classroom?
What are some simple strategies for students on the Autism Spectrum?
Week 3
Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity and Executive Function Disorders
What learning challenges do students with AD/HD and those with Executive Function Disorders face?
How can teachers structure their classrooms to help these students succeed?
Week 4
Behavioral and Cognitive Challenges
What learning issues do students with cognitive or behavior challenges present for a teacher?
How do challenging behaviors present in a Jewish school?
What kinds of programs and strategies help children with either of these challenges learn successfully?
Week 5
Giftedness
What characteristics do these students have that can create challenges for a teacher?
What does “twice exceptional” look like?
How can a teacher address the special learning needs of students who are gifted in a Jewish school?
Each session addresses the presenting issues of children with these learning differences and how they
will most likely manifest in your classroom. We will discuss ways to adapt and modify your classroom
environment and teaching practice to help include and teach children with these learning issues.
Assignments:
Participation in the online discussion board, responding to content based and reflective questions.
I.
Dream with Me
Based on the content covered the first week (units 1-3), what would you like to see created in your school
or congregation to support the inclusion of students with disabilities and their families.
How could your school and/or congregation/independent minyan participate in Jewish Disability
Awareness Month programming? What would it take for your school require to initiate or expand services
for students with special needs (additional support staff? supervision of staff by a special educator,
professional development)? What about the teens in your community/school? What would you need to get
together as stakeholders? Who would take the lead on this project? How could you get the clergy
invested? How would you evaluate if the program was successful?
Submit a 2 -3 page paper by February 17 discussing what program you would propose and how you would
implement a program in your educational setting. Make sure you include how you would evaluate the
effectiveness and success of the program.
II.
Making Accommodations
Choose one of the following two assignments based on what you think will be the most helpful to you:
•
Chart of Learning Characteristics & Teaching Ideas
Create a chart that lists the learning characteristic indicative of three disability diagnostic labels
and match at least two teaching ideas/strategies/environmental changes that you think would help
child so identified meet success in the classroom.
•
Select a topic or unit that you teach and list your enduring questions, goals/specific objectives,
learning activities and assignment(s). For this lesson or unit list at least two accommodations you
would make for each of three types of special needs.
Grades:
Grades will be based on class discussion (20%), Dream with Me (40%) and Accommodations (40%).
Bibliography/References:
Dawson, P. & Guare, R. (2010) Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical to Assessment and Intervention.
nd
(2 ed.) NY: Guilford
Greene, R. (2008). Lost at School: Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling through the Cracks and How We
Can Help Them. NY: Scribner.
th
Heward, W. (2009). Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (9 Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Merrill/Pearson.
Lavoie, R. (2005). It’s So Much Work to Be Your Friend: Helping the Child with Learning Disabilities Find Social Success.
NY: Touchstone. (Also available in Hebrew)
th
Lerner, J. w. Kline, F. (2006). Learning Disabilities and Related Disorders: Characteristics and Teaching Strategies (10
ed.) Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
Meltzer, L. (2010). Promoting Executive Function in the Classroom. NY: Guilford. Shaywitz, S. (2003). Overcoming
Dyslexia. NY: Vintage Books.
Schultz, J. (2012). Nowhere to Hide: Why Students with ADHD and LD Hate School and What We Can Do About It.
Baltimore: Jossey Bass.