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Professional Standards Common Core

• Models, theories, and philosophies that form the basis for special education practice.
• Laws, policies, and ethical principles regarding behavior management planning and implementation.
• Relationship of special education to the organization and function of educational agencies.
• Rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, and other professionals, and schools related to exceptional learning needs.
• Issues in definition and identification of individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Issues, assurances and due process rights related to assessment, eligibility, and placement within a continuum of services.
• Family systems and the role of families in the educational process.
• Historical points of view and contribution of culturally diverse groups.
• Impact of the dominant culture on shaping schools and the individuals who study and work in them.
• Potential impact of differences in values, languages, and customs that can exist between the home and school.

  Skill:
  Articulate personal philosophy of special education.

Standard 2 - Development and Characteristics of Learners
Knowledge:

• Typical and atypical human growth and development.
• Educational implications of characteristics of various exceptionalities.
• Characteristics and effects of the cultural and environmental milieu of the individual with exceptional learning needs and the family. Family systems and the role of families in supporting development.
• Similarities and differences of individuals with and without exceptional learning needs.
• Similarities and differences among individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Effects of various medications on individuals with exceptional learning needs.

• Effects an exceptional condition(s) can have on an individual's life.
• Impact of learners' academic and social abilities, attitudes, interests, and values on instruction and career development.
• Variations in beliefs, traditions, and values across and within cultures and their effects on relationships among individuals with exceptional learning needs, family, and schooling.
• Cultural perspectives influencing the relationships among families, schools, and communities as related to instruction.
• Differing ways of learning of individuals with exceptional learning needs including those from culturally diverse backgrounds and strategies for addressing these differences.

• Use strategies to facilitate integration into various settings.
• Teach individuals to use self-assessment, problem solving, and other cognitive strategies to meet their needs.
• Select, adapt, and use instructional strategies and materials according to characteristics of the individual with exceptional learning needs.
• Use strategies to facilitate maintenance and generalization of skills across learning environments.
• Use procedures to increase the individual's self-awareness, self-management, self-control, self-reliance, and self-esteem.
• Use strategies that promote successful transitions for individuals with exceptional learning needs.

• Demands of learning environments.
• Basic classroom management theories and strategies for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Effective management of teaching and learning.
• Teacher attitudes and behaviors that influence behavior of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Social skills needed for educational and other environments.
• Strategies for crisis prevention and intervention.
• Strategies for preparing individuals to live harmoniously and productively in a culturally diverse world.
• Ways to create learning environments that allow individuals to retain and appreciate their own and each others' respective language and cultural heritage.
• Ways specific cultures are negatively stereotyped.
• Strategies used by diverse populations to cope with a legacy of former and continuing racism.

• Create a safe, equitable, positive, and supportive learning environment in which diversities are valued.
• Identify realistic expectations for personal and social behavior in various settings.
• Identify supports needed for integration into various program placements.
• Design learning environments that encourage active participation in individual and group activities.
• Modify the learning environment to manage behaviors.
• Use performance data and information from all stakeholders to make or suggest modifications in learning environments.
• Establish and maintain rapport with individuals with and without exceptional learning needs.
• Teach self-advocacy.
• Create an environment that encourages self-advocacy and increased independence.
• Use effective and varied behavior management strategies.
• Use the least intensive behavior management strategy consistent with the needs of the individual with exceptional learning needs.
• Design and manage daily routines.
• Organize, develop, and sustain learning environments that support positive intracultural and intercultural experiences.
• Mediate controversial intercultural issues among students within the learning environment in ways that enhance any culture, group, or person.
• Structure, direct, and support the activities of paraeducators, volunteers, and tutors. Use universal precautions.

• Effects of cultural and linguistic differences on growth and development.
• Characteristics of one's own culture and use of language and the ways in which these can differ from other cultures and uses of languages.
• Ways of behaving and communicating among cultures that can lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
• Augmentative, alternative, and assistive communication strategies.

Skills:

• Use strategies to support and enhance communication skills of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Use communication strategies and resources to facilitate understanding of subject matter for students whose primary language is not the dominant language.

Standard 7 - Instructional Planning Knowledge:

• Theories and research that form the basis of curriculum development and instructional practice.
• Scope and sequences of general and special curricula.
• National, state or provincial, and local curricula standards.
• Technology for planning and managing the teaching and learning environment.
• Roles and responsibilities of the paraeducator related to instruction, intervention, and direct service.

• Identify and prioritize areas of the general curriculum and accommodations for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Develop and implement comprehensive, longitudinal individualized programs in collaboration with team members.
• Involve the individual and family in setting instructional goals and monitoring progress.
• Use functional assessments to develop intervention plans.
• Use task analysis.
• Sequence, implement, and evaluate individualized learning objectives.
• Integrate affective, social, and life skills with academic curricula.
• Develop and select instructional content, resources, and strategies that respond to cultural, linguistic, and gender differences.
• Incorporate and implement instructional and assistive technology into the educational program.
• Prepare lesson plans.
• Prepare and organize materials to implement daily lesson plans.
• Use instructional time effectively.
• Make responsive adjustments to instruction based on continual observations.
• Prepare individuals to exhibit self-enhancing behavior in response to societal attitudes and actions.

• Basic terminology used in assessment.
• Legal provisions and ethical principles regarding assessment of individuals.
• Screening, prereferral, referral, and classification procedures.
• Use and limitations of assessment instruments.
• National, state or provincial, and local accommodations and modifications.

• Gather relevant background information.
• Administer nonbiased formal and informal assessments.
• Use technology to conduct assessments.
• Develop or modify individualized assessment strategies.
• Interpret information from formal and informal assessments.
• Use assessment information in making eligibility, program, and placement decisions for individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds.
• Report assessment results to all stakeholders using effective communication skills.
• Evaluate instruction and monitor progress of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Develop or modify individualized assessment strategies.
• Create and maintain records.

• Personal cultural biases and differences that affect one's teaching.
• Importance of the teacher serving as a model for individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Continuum of lifelong professional development.
• Methods to remain current regarding research-validated practice.

• Practice within the CEC Code of Ethics and other standards of the profession.
• Uphold high standards of competence and integrity and exercise sound judgment in the practice of the profession.
• Act ethically in advocating for appropriate services.
• Conduct professional activities in compliance with applicable laws and policies.
• Demonstrate commitment to developing the highest education and quality-of-life potential of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Demonstrate sensitivity for the culture, language, religion, gender, disability, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation of individuals.
• Practice within one's skill limit and obtain assistance as needed.
• Use verbal, nonverbal, and written language effectively.
• Conduct self-evaluation of instruction.
• Access information on exceptionalities.
• Reflect on one's practice to improve instruction and guide professional growth.
• Engage in professional activities that benefit individuals with exceptional learning needs, their families, and one's colleagues.

• Models and strategies of consultation and collaboration.
• Roles of individuals with exceptional learning needs, families, and school and community personnel in planning of an individualized program.
• Concerns of families of individuals with exceptional learning needs and strategies to help address these concerns.
• Culturally responsive factors that promote effective communication and collaboration with individuals with exceptional learning needs, families, school personnel, and community members.

• Maintain confidential communication about individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Collaborate with families and others in assessment of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Foster respectful and beneficial relationships between families and professionals.
• Assist individuals with exceptional learning needs and their families in becoming active participants in the educational team.
• Plan and conduct collaborative conferences with individuals with exceptional learning needs and their families.
• Collaborate with school personnel and community members in integrating individuals with exceptional learning needs into various settings.
• Use group problem solving skills to develop, implement and evaluate collaborative activities.
• Model techniques and coach others in the use of instructional methods and accommodations.
• Communicate with school personnel about the characteristics and needs of individuals with exceptional learning needs.
• Communicate effectively with families of individuals with exceptional learning needs from diverse backgrounds.
• Observe, evaluate and provide feedback to paraeducators.