tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73475362358622807832024-03-17T05:25:35.786-04:00Adventures in the ATC A blog about my experiences teaching students with Autism.Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-56550291062863670642017-10-02T12:25:00.001-04:002017-10-02T12:25:34.844-04:00Getting Started With Core WordsHi Everyone! I hope you all had a great start to the new school year! I can't believe how fast September flew by! It's a new year and that means trying new things with my students! I have used the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) for years in my classroom with success, however, my students always seem to get stuck on making sentences that start with "I want" Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-3653359600823413322017-09-01T13:47:00.001-04:002017-09-01T13:48:41.670-04:00Monitoring Progress Through Data CollectionWhen teaching students who are on alternative curriculums such as the HELP, it is important to track and monitor their progress. The most effective way to do this is by collecting data.Data should drive all the decisions we make. Data is used to determine if a goal is mastered, when to switch or add new targets or when to change teaching procedures to make greater progress. This information is Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-80005512264178799052017-08-28T18:50:00.001-04:002017-08-28T18:50:19.619-04:00The First Two WeeksToday is the day I start setting up my classroom for the new school year! It's a bittersweet day for me as it signals the end of my summer days of relaxation and rest, but the beginning of a new adventure with my littles! Today I am setting up my classroom furniture and all of the visual supports. Then I will start prepping for the first two weeks. I have been teaching in Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-31092908381719404212017-06-22T19:11:00.000-04:002017-06-22T19:17:05.820-04:00Build Your Students' Communication Skills - All Day LongCommunication deficits are one of the core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
People with ASD can be slow to begin talking, or may not learn to talk at all; others may learn
to produce words and sentences but have difficulty using them effectively to accomplish social
interactive goals. Because communication
is so important, everyone who works with the student has to know how to Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-18233502987143932912017-06-09T12:35:00.000-04:002017-06-09T19:01:39.654-04:00Classroom Organization Tips To Make Your Day Run Smoothly
Does anyone else delude themselves with thinking that this will happen? LOL! In all seriousness though, having your classroom well organized does make the day run more smoothly. When your teaching materials are organized and everyone knows where everything is, it increases engagement in your students and you or you assistants don't waste any instructional Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-37815327589810158062017-05-13T14:15:00.002-04:002017-05-13T21:57:25.887-04:00Running DTT in GroupsA few weeks ago, a reader asked if it was possible to conduct discrete trial training in pairs or small groups. Well, the answer is YES! One of the myths about DTT is that it has to be conducted one-on-one and I think that this causes a lot of teachers to avoid using it as they don't have the staff to provide one-on-one DTT sessions throughout the day. I am fortunate in my Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-14942053294332674202017-05-08T18:39:00.003-04:002017-05-08T18:39:49.461-04:00Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! To show my appreciation for all of you, I have teamed up with some great SPED sellers to host a giveaway! One person will win an Erin Condren Planner and $130 Gift Card to TPT!!! Good luck and thanks for all you do!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-37624380135222454572017-04-26T22:08:00.001-04:002017-04-27T16:23:50.768-04:00Tech Tips for iPadsFor special education teachers around the world, iPads open up a world of possibilities. I have been using iPads with my students for 5 years now and am still learning about of all the features on them! I love using iPads with my students because of the number of wonderful tools built into the system. The accessibility options are perfect for a special education Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-81829654464782973402017-03-31T17:21:00.000-04:002017-03-31T17:21:08.154-04:00Cheap No Prep Work Tasks!Happy Friday everyone! It's my day to post on the We Teach SPED page and since it's Friday, I thought I'd keep it light and simple! I have been seeing lots of awesome posts on work task systems and ideas lately and wanted to share some of my favourite cheap and quick no prep, well almost no prep tasks.
Paint Chip Tasks
Tell me I am not the only teacher who goes to Home Depot Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-40845459453414496132017-03-22T19:40:00.002-04:002017-03-22T19:40:52.224-04:00Independent Work Systems: Which One Is Right For Your Classroom?The desire for, and movement towards independence, is a typical developmental milestone for children. The feeling of accomplishment and competence is meaningful and motivating to children as they begin to complete tasks with minimal adult prompting or guidance. The goal of independence is a priority for all children, yet when working with children with ASD, independence is the key to successful Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-16970271584765015422017-03-05T18:29:00.002-05:002017-03-05T18:29:19.797-05:00Build Independence in Your Students Across the Day
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
<![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]>
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
JA
X-NONE
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>
Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-87807335333058640712017-02-19T07:00:00.000-05:002017-02-19T18:08:03.786-05:00Reading Comprehension & Autism: Where to Start?Literacy is one of the most important skills we teach as SPED teachers. Reading is fundamental for further learning in all other skill areas. Yet, teaching literacy skills to students who have autism can be very challenging. Because autism affects language, this can have a strong effect on reading comprehension. But this is not to say that reading and autism are mutually Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-9835235470218847282017-02-03T18:49:00.000-05:002017-02-03T18:49:39.786-05:00Set Up A Stellar DTT Station in Your ClassroomDiscrete trial training, or DTT, is an integral part of my classroom. As one of the major teaching practices of Applied Behaviour Analysis, we teach most new skills through DTT. Discrete Trial Training (DTT) is a method of teaching in simplified and structured steps. Instead of teaching an entire skill in one go, the skill is broken down and “built-up” using discrete trials that Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-61390822921358860652016-08-31T08:56:00.000-04:002016-09-03T11:56:18.166-04:00Morning Meetings in the Primary SPED ClassroomHi Everyone! I am excited to be a part of the Back to School blog hop hosted by The Autism Vault. There are lots of great post and prizes to be won! Make sure you make your way through the entire hop for your chance to gather some great freebies and great prizes!
I start everyday in my classroom with our morning meeting. It brings everyone in the class together and INicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-50779279774129695992016-08-19T18:16:00.000-04:002016-08-19T18:16:00.209-04:00Friday Inspiration File
Happy Friday! It's my day to post on the We Teach SPED page and since it's Friday, I thought I would choose a topic that doesn't require much brain power! Today I want to share with you my 5 favourite fidgets that you can make with little money and materials!
1. Binder Ring Bead Fidget
This one is so simple to make and you most likely already have the supplies in Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-6355339963728899702016-08-03T18:30:00.000-04:002016-08-03T19:06:26.340-04:005 To Do's To Make BTS Simple!Hi Everyone! It's my day to post on the We Teach SPED page and I have some tips to help you make going back to school simple!
1) Get to Know Your Students
This first step is crucial in setting up your classroom for the year. If you don't know anything about your students or their abilities, how are you going to make a schedule or plan lessons for themNicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-58921543473571264092016-07-29T11:26:00.002-04:002016-07-29T11:27:44.909-04:00Friday Inspiration FileHi Everyone! We are in the middle of our summer break here in Ontario, but that hasn't stopped me from shopping for school supplies! If you follow me in Instagram, you will have seen some photos of the awesome things I have found lately. If you don't follow me on Instagram, what are you waiting for?! You can follow me @adventuresintheatc! For today's inspiration, I Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-1103088846247759862016-07-25T09:46:00.000-04:002016-07-25T09:47:34.854-04:00ABA: The Building Blocks of Teaching
If you teach Special Education, or have ever had a student with Autism in your class, then you most likely have heard the term ABA. But do you really know what ABA is? In my position, I train and consult to a lot of EAs and teachers and it surprises me how little they really know about ABA. I mean, after all, ABA is one of the most effective teaching methods for students Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-54938507857947512792016-07-22T14:11:00.000-04:002016-07-22T14:11:27.123-04:00Friday Favourites!
With summer vacation in full swing, I have had lots of time to reflect. Time to reflect on my teaching, my classroom, my blog and my TPT store. I have neglected my poor little blog this past school year, but I am determined to change that starting now. I am committing to myself, and to you, to write a blog post at least once a week. In order to achieve this goal and not Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-60579084664355511712016-05-19T06:30:00.000-04:002016-05-19T18:57:29.084-04:00Cool Resources for the SPED Classroom
The end of the school year is fast approaching, and if you are like me, you may be already thinking of what you would like to do differently next year. And if you have a classroom budget provided by your school board, you may also have money that you need to spend before the end of the school year. If this is your situation, then you may want to consider adding these to your Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-82609261548030625102016-05-18T08:30:00.000-04:002016-05-18T16:55:27.567-04:00Work Basket Wednesday
It's been a long time since I've written a post about independent work tasks, but I wanted to get one in before the end of the school year. At this time of year, I am starting to realize how many pieces are missing from games and center tasks wonder where they all go. I swear my classroom is like the Bermuda Triangle! One minute all the pieces are all there, then next some Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-46451789595607819772016-05-13T22:09:00.000-04:002016-05-13T22:10:05.369-04:00Summer Countdown Blog Hop
Teaching in a self-contained classroom, I use recess time with my students to teach them how to play games and sports and interact with peers. This is a natural time of the day for them to engage in these activities and it is the time of the day when we have access to neurotypical peers. But towards the end of the year, my students want to stay outside longer and with this Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-24858231417620606422016-05-03T19:04:00.005-04:002016-05-03T19:05:53.943-04:00Help Your Students Avoid the Sumer SlideIt's hard to believe that the school year is almost over! Here in Ontario, we have two months left, but I know some of you only have a few weeks. Summer can be bittersweet for some of our students. While they get to relax, play, and spend more time with their families, they are also out of their normal routines and may not be engaged in activities as they are when they are in Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-80934713127984064532016-03-13T12:14:00.001-04:002016-03-13T12:14:20.439-04:00#SPEDDollar Deals - Today Only!Just a quick post to let you know about the SPED TPT sale happening today only! A bunch of your favourite SPED teachers and SLPs have teamed up to offer you great resources at only $1 each! Take advantage and stock up now!
Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7347536235862280783.post-5613581847832143962016-03-03T13:57:00.000-05:002016-03-03T14:02:05.372-05:005 Ways to Incorporate Sensory Play into Teaching
Let's face it, life is messy! At some point, and in my case, many times throughout the day our hands get dirty. Whether this is from painting, gluing, writing, or cooking our hands will come into contact with some material that gives us sensory input. Some love this feeling, while others loathe it. Personally, I love the feeling of kneading bread dough. Nicole Legerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03085246450116081557noreply@blogger.com0