SCHOOLS, K-12 Last minute reading on important topics. Since summer isn't quite over yet, teachers may find these resources worth squeezing in before it's time to go back to school. Resource for lesson plans. Teachers can browse an array of lesson plans and related resources from high performing teachers. You also can share your resources with this site.
http://betterlesson.org/ Grading and students with disabilities. Grading is a complex topic that involves philosophical, pedagogical, and pragmatic issues for all students, and especially for those with disabilities. This introduction to grading will give teachers the research base, teacher tools, and case studies. http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=assessment§ion=grading/main Neuroscience and special education. A new policy analysis from Project Forum at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education discusses how findings from neuroscience are being applied to special education, describes outcomes from the research bridging the two fields, and discusses how institutions of higher education are creating interdisciplinary links between the two. The analysis also profiles three programs currently serving children with disabilities that base their curriculum in part on findings from the field of neuroscience.
http://www.projectforum.org/user.cfm?publicationid=455&from=index Free technology for teachers. Who can resist? http://www.freetech4teachers.com NEA's back to school guide. NEA editors have compiled a list of NEA's best articles and resources to help new and veteran teachers get ready for the fall semester.
http://www.nea.org/firstdays Changing the way it's done: When general and special educators collaborate. Research shows that collaboration between general and special educators benefits the quality of instruction and supports for students with disabilities. Here are several resources that give the "why" and "how-to" of collaboration. Just in time, too, for the new school year! Co-teaching. Co-teaching is a method for delivering instruction that draws on the strengths and expertise of multiple educators. This module introduces the many faces of co-teaching relationships, exemplars and non-exemplars of successful co-teaching strategies, approaches for developing co-teaching skills, and opportunities to co-plan lessons. "Academy 1" focuses on general and special educators working together. From the Equity Alliance at ASU. http://www.equityallianceatasu.org/ea/pl Supporting the collective practice of teachers. It's not just the individual skill of a teacher that raises student outcomes; rather, teachers become better at their craft when they have the space to collaborate with and learn from one another.
http://www.annenberginstitute.org/Commentary/ Introduction to cooperative teaching. This intro describes the basics of cooperative teaching, where and when it's used, the research base as to its effectiveness and benefits, and case studies. It will also connect teachers with easy-to-use tools to promote their own collaborations with colleagues. http://www.specialconnections.ku.edu/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=collaboration§ion=coteaching/main Collaboration between general and special education: Making it work. http://www.ncset.org/publications/viewdesc.asp?id=1097 NEA's diversity toolkit. This online toolkit provides an introduction to the multiple facets of diversity. Chapters include: class and income, cultural competence for educators, English language learners, gender, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, and social justice. http://www.nea.org/tools/diversity-toolkit.html How to increase student learning time. Here's an interesting suite of resources from the Doing What Works initiative. It features elementary schools, increased learning time programs, partnerships, and schools with extended learning day initiatives that successfully implement research-based practices connected to increasing learning time. At the link below, practitioners can learn about the research base for schools and programs seeking to increase student learning time, see how these practices are implemented in schools, and access professional development tools and planning templates to Do What Works.
http://dww.ed.gov/Increased-Learning-Time/topic/?T_ID=29 Youth, families, and educators: Get ready for the change ahead -- Adulthood! Youth with disabilities need to plan ahead for their transition from high school. The law mandates it, in fact! Connect with a wealth of "how-to" information in NICHCY's Transition Suite of nine individual webpages. http://nichcy.org/schoolage/transitionadult/ Plan ahead to get assistive technology in college. Is your youth with learning disabilities planning to go to college? Does he or she use assistive technology (AT)? If so, get a jump start on college success by scoping out universities' AT policies and offerings and understanding their rights and responsibilities. http://www.ncld.org/college-aamp-work/post-high-school-options/transitioning-to-college ____________________________________________________________ | 
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