Life Skills: Practical Strategies that Work for Students with Severe Cognitive/Developmental Disorders, Autism, CP, & Syndromes

Day One: The Calgary Educators' Conference

Presented by Kathy Morris, M.Ed.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019  |  Calgary, ab

Date & Location

Students labeled as having moderate to significant cognitive/developmental disabilities may appear to have such challenging deficits that their educational needs are perceived as far exceeding their abilities. Their needs may appear so basic (e.g., simple communication skills, appropriate manipulation of objects, delayed cognitive abilities) that teaching these students in typical classrooms that are highly academic seems improbable or, at the least, impractical. Yet these are the very students who can benefit considerably from the learning opportunities that typically occur in general education classrooms (Downing and Eichinger, 2006). Special educators, no matter how highly motivated or skilled, cannot provide the ongoing stimulation in self-contained classrooms. This interactive, informative workshop targets those students who may have been “relegated” to a LIFE Skills program for the rest of their school career. Instead, a system is presented so that the critical components necessary for success for learning are created in a general education setting. The participants will leave with many “keys” for reaching their students‘ potential.

Who Should Attend

Education and Clinical Professionals: K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors/Psychologists, Learning Assistance/ Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers. All other professionals who support students including but not limited to: Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Clinical Counsellors, Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Addiction Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Probation Officers, Police Officers, and Early Childhood Educators.

Parents, Caregiver, Foster Parents, Grandparents, and Extended Family raising a child.

Agenda

Learning Objectives

1. Identify individual educational objectives that could be successfully met in the general education classroom
2. Describe how to determine individual abilities and how to support students
3. Demonstrate the ability to implement instructional supports starting with the most challenging inclusive strategies for middle school and high school students
4. Identify critical program components at the middle school and high school levels
5. Describe how to analyze a learning environment to accommodate students with severe and multiple impairments
6. Describe how to implement strategies in an elementary school setting
7. Create multi-level instruction which can be provided in the general education setting that incorporates provincial standards
8. Determine in a systematic way which individual educational goals can be met in a general education classroom or may need to be implemented in a more restrictive environment.

Your Presenter

Kathy Morris, M.Ed.

Kathy Morris, M.Ed., has been a speech therapist, teacher for self-contained programs (including students with autism, severe behavioural difficulties, and cerebral palsy), resource teacher and first grade teacher. She was also a diagnostician/supervisor for all grade levels. She was a LIFE Skills/autism/ behaviour/assistive technology consultant at a Texas education service center before leaving to start her own business in 1999. Her business, igivuWings, has reached families and educators throughout the world,. Kathy has had over 42 years of experience working with children and adolescents with severe behavioural difficulties.

Registration & Fees