Kick off your CEC 2013 professional development experience – register for one of our full- or half-day preconvention workshops held Wednesday, April 3. Explore important topics in depth and interact with experts. Register for any preconvention workshop and earn CEUs! (.6 CEU for a full-day workshop and .3 CEU for a half-day workshop.)
All CEC 2013 preconvention workshops are full day unless otherwise noted. A separate registration fee is required for preconvention workshops.
**Materials fee added to the registration rate for this workshop.
Half-Day Workshops
WORKSHOP 1: Learning with APPtitude: iPad as UDL Support
Leaders: Alexandra Dunn, Upper Canada District School Board, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and Luis Perez, University of South Florida, Tampa
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) or share with neighbors as class profiling and goal selection act as a catalyst for exploring how apps, accessibility features, and the integration of the iPad with external devices (switches, interactive whiteboards) can provide multiple means of representation, expression and engagement for ALL in collaborative, inclusive learning environments. Accessibility features of iOS 6 along with new apps and class examples will be highlighted. An update on our action research -iPads for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder will be shared. Time will be allotted for audience “Inclusioneers” to share apps, accessibility tips/tricks used for “inclusioneering” of their classrooms for student success.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify how iPads can be used as part of a UDL Toolkit to support academic and social participation for ALL students in collaborative, inclusive learning environments.
- Identify apps, accessibility features and accessories, which support multiple means of representation, expression and engagement.
- Understand how students play a valuable role in providing feedback to app developers to ensure that ALL students can participate.
- Identify how the iPad can work together with external devices (switches, interactive whiteboards) to support ALL students.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels), General Educators (Early Childhood – Middle School), Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Parents/Families, Students, Teacher Educators, Related Service Professionals
WORKSHOP 2: Life Centered Education – CEC’s Newly Revised Life Skills Curriculum & Assessment Web Portal*
Leader: Pat Burch, Farmington, MO
Attend this workshop and learn about the processes and procedures for implementing the assessment and instructional components of the Life Centered Education curriculum, a motivating and effective classroom, home, and community-based curriculum designed to prepare students to function independently and productively.
This in-depth and comprehensive life skills curriculum, aligned with the Common Core State Standards, identifies three critical domains for adult living in the 21st century - daily living skills, self determination and interpersonal skills, and employment skills. It incorporates 94 life skills and competencies, with differentiated lesson plans and objectives for each one.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the components and use of the curriculum.
- Discuss revisions to the curriculum and its implementation.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels), Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators, Parents/Families, Community Agency Providers
WORKSHOP 3: The Paraeducator and Teacher Team: Communication & Team Building – Strategies for Success!
Leader: Kent Gerlach, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
To be successful, the teacher and paraeducator must view themselves as a team and partners in the educational process. This workshop will present an overview of effective teamwork with a focus on paraeducator and teacher teams. Topics will include creating a positive environment, building a foundation for effective communication, role clarification, time management strategies, goal setting, and team leadership. Additional topics will include effective communication and meeting techniques, problem solving, and dealing with different personalities found in a work environment. Strategies to build trust and improved communication will be addressed including ethical guidelines for effective communication, training evaluation and supervision.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Define communication, collaboration, and teamwork.
- Identify communication skills important to working with other team members.
- Explain the importance of problem solving as applies to school-based teams.
- Identify and give examples of the types of strategies used to seek, provide, and clarify information.
- Describe successful meetings and activities that contribute to their success.
- Understand different work styles.
- Learn time management strategies.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels), General Educators (Early Childhood – Middle School), Administrators/Supervisors, Paraeducators
WORKSHOP 4: Classroom Management Strategies that Work
Leader: Gregory J. Benner, University of Tacoma, Washington
In this educator-friendly workshop, attendees will be equipped to do what works to create a healthy and positive classroom learning environment. Attendees will come away with doable strategies to establish the positive classroom culture they envision and to keep it going all year.
Attendees who apply the content of this workshop will experience reduced teacher stress, improved teacher job satisfaction, and more time to teach. Their students will see improved academic engaged time, academic success, and greater social and emotional well-being. Culturally responsive classroom management practices and strategies for differentiating to meet diverse student needs will be emphasized.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Generate an action plan for improving their classroom management approach.
- Identify which strategies need to be strengthened in their classrooms (e.g., overall organizational features, ongoing professional development and coaching, instructional practices, systems for responding to behavior, monitoring behavioral success).
- Understand how to embed the strategies discussed within core, secondary (Tier II), and tertiary (Tier III) positive behavioral intervention and support (PBIS) systems.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels), General Educators (All Levels), Administrators/Supervisors (Special and General Education), School Psychologists, Counselors, Alternative School Teachers, Mental Health Providers
WORKSHOP 5: Program Developer and Program Reviewer Workshops: CEC National Program*
Leaders: Joni Baldwin, University of Dayton, Ohio and Christy Hooser, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
A. Program Developer Workshop: How to Prepare the Program Recognition Reports
B. Program Reviewer Workshop: How to Review CEC Program Recognition Reports (No cost for approved applicants for Program Reviewer Workshop)
5A -- Program Developer Workshop: How to Prepare the Program Recognition Reports
Joni Baldwin, University of Dayton, Ohio
The CEC Program Developer Workshop assists individuals developing CEC Preparation Program Recognition Reports. Participants have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and the consultants and learn the components of a performance-based teacher preparation program. All participants completing the workshop will receive What Every Special Educator Must Know: Ethics Standards and Guidelines, the CEC Program Developer Resource manual, and .6 CEC Continuing education units.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the CEC program recognition report process and cycle.
- Discuss the essential elements of a program report.
- Develop program performance-based assessments.
- Align program assessments with major elements of the CEC Content Standards.
- Collect and analyze program data on their candidates.
- Use data to analyze current program strengths and weaknesses.
- Present aggregated data.
- Develop the program report.
- Identify exemplars of program recognition report components, and tips for high quality program recognition reports.
- Identify resources for further support in developing a program report.
Who Should Attend? Special education college and university personnel interested in learning to develop program reports for the CEC program recognition process.
5B -- Program Reviewer Workshop: How to Review CEC Program Recognition Reports (No cost for approved applicants for Program Reviewer Workshop)
Christy Hooser, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
The CEC Preparation Program Review Report Reviewer Workshop is designed to assist individuals preparing to become a CEC Preparation Program Reviewer. Participants learn to review CEC Preparation Program Recognition Reports on the preparation of special education professionals and to prepare CEC Program Review Reports. Principles for and examples of performance-based program review, strategies for efficiently reviewing reports, and examples and strategies for successfully writing the sections of the CEC Program Recognition Review will be presented and discussed. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with colleagues and the consultant. All participants completing the workshop will receive What Every Special Educator Must Know: Ethics Standards and Guidelines, the CEC Program Developer Resource manual, and .6 CEC Continuing education units.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain the steps and components in reviewing a CEC Preparation Program Recognition Report.
- Assure program assessments align with the major elements of the CEC Content Standards as informed by the appropriate specialty set(s).
- Review special education preparation programs for CEC recognition.
- Determine if the program data demonstrates candidate mastery and if the data informs program improvement.
- Describe how to obtain further support in developing a CEC Program Review Report.
Who Should Attend? Special education college higher education personnel preparing to become a CEC Program Reviewer. Please complete the CEC Program Reviewer application and submit it to prostandards@cec.sped.org prior to the workshop. You will be notified when your application is approved.
WORKSHOP 16: The Highly Engaged Inclusive Classroom: Practical Strategies to Boost Student Achievement and Motivation
Leader: Susan Hentz, Susan Hentz & Associates, Sarasota, FL
In this fast-paced workshop, the presenter will share practical strategies, tools, and ideas for creating a highly engaging classroom where every student is an active learner. Learn successful techniques to motivate your students, maintain their involvement, and improve their achievement. From super-charged warm-up ideas to dynamic exit activities, you'll receive countless tips, tools, and strategies for creating the kind of learning environment that encourages students to listen, participate, and be fully engaged. You will leave with no-cost/low-cost ideas to positively impact students, along with the inspiration to fully engage every learner in your classroom.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Discuss highly effective classroom management strategies to support the diverse needs of all students.
- Incorporate outstanding response tools that guarantee active involvement.
- Implement effective ways to differentiate your instruction to increase success and strengthen achievement of all students by using a variety of flexible grouping.
Who Should Attend? General education teachers, Special education teachers, Staff developers, Learning coaches, Paraeducators, and Administrators.
Half-Day Workshops
WORKSHOP 9: Leading the Co-Teaching Dance: Strategies to Support Outcomes * (9:00am - 12:00pm)
Leaders: Lisa Dieker, University of Central Florida, Orlando and Wendy Murawski, California State University, Northridge
Using the national work of both presenters, this engaging workshop will provide practical strategies for those in leadership roles related to co-teaching: from developing a collaborative culture, to scheduling, to staffing, to the use of technology, to classroom observations, to data collection of outcomes. Be prepared to laugh and learn.
If co-teaching partners lack the co-planning, shared instruction, and differentiated practice that is supposed to be the hallmark of effective co-teaching, it is unlikely that any real change will be seen for students with or without disabilities. Those in positions to support co-teachers need to ensure that co-teachers are engaged in those collaborative activities that distinguish co-teaching from the type of traditional instruction that has not been effective in meeting students’ needs in the past. This workshop will provide practical strategies for those in leadership roles related to co-teaching by presenting them in a clear, engaging, and co-taught format.
Administrators, staff developers, coordinators, teacher leaders, and directors are just a few of the individuals who are frequently asked to support co-teaching. Unfortunately, they have often had little training or experience in co-teaching themselves; it is even less likely that they have had professional development specifically geared toward their role in supporting co-teaching. This presentation will provide concrete strategies based on years of national experience and research, as well as a plethora of resources to take home.
As schools become more inclusive, co-teaching is increasingly used a service delivery option. However, research is clear that individuals who are thrown into co-teaching situations without instruction are likely to resort to essentially relegating the special educator to the role of glorified aide. Without knowledgeable leaders, co-teachers will not be able to support the needs of students with disabilities in the general education classroom. It is truly in the best interests of learners, families, and educators of diverse groups that educational leaders are well-informed as to how to make co-teaching an effective service delivery option for students.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify five key elements to enhance co-teaching effectiveness from a leadership perspective.
- Create two concrete goals for improving the co-teaching practices at their own sites.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels); General Educators (All levels)
WORKSHOP 11: Competition, Privatization, Funding and New Accountability Systems? What Every Educator Needs To Know About the Changes Coming to Special Education Policy (9:00am - 12:00pm)
Leaders: Deborah Ziegler, Council for Exceptional Children, Arlington, VA
Presenters: Lindsay Jones and Kimberly Hymes, Council for Exceptional Children, Arlington, VA
In this broad ranging presentation, CEC’s Policy and Advocacy headquarters team will both analyze special education policies supported by the Administration and Congress over the last 4 years and look ahead to issues that the new Congress is likely to tackle.
Topics will include the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives work on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind - with a special focus on its most controversial provisions – such as differentiated compensation, turnaround models, restraint and seclusion, assessment and accountability, and charter schools. The team will also review ongoing implementation of Race to the Top grants and discuss how and whether they involve special/gifted education. The President’s new initiatives will also be reviewed with a focus on the need for and role of mental health services in schools and communities. We will also provide a status report on other important legislative initiatives such as the Workforce Investment Act, Education Sciences Reform Act, the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act, IDEA Full Funding Act, early childhood initiatives, and relevant administrative guidance published by the U.S. Department of Education.
Finally, the team will discuss the federal budget and how it affects state and local programs. In particular, we will explain the “sequester” process, (i.e., automatic cuts set to begin March 1, 2013) and what it means for special and gifted education. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences based on new and pending federal policies.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Identify and understand key special/gifted education policy issues currently under consideration by the Obama Administration and U.S. Congress.
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Understand issues complicating the reauthorization of ESEA/NCLB.
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Understand relevant U.S. Department of Education guidance.
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Understand upcoming federal budget procedures and process.
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Understand CEC’s recommendations and positions on key policy issues.
Who should attend? All special educators, administrators, related services personnel, higher education professionals, and others.
WORKSHOP 12: Research-Based Literacy Strategies for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ** (1:00 - 4:00pm)
Leader: Jill L. Haney, San Antonio, TX
Many students with intellectual and developmental disabilities struggle with reading and writing, particularly those students who experience challenges with short- and long-term retention and generalization skills. This workshop will focus on four evidence-based strategies, including errorless teaching, mastery-based learning, positive reinforcement, and multisensory teaching, and apply those strategies to teaching reading and language arts. Examples from two programs the lead presenter has authored, the PCI Reading Program and Environmental Print Series, will be provided. Participants will learn how to apply these strategies within any reading or language arts curriculum and leave with several hands-on activities to use in the classroom.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe four evidence-based instructional strategies for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Apply these instructional strategies to reading and writing instruction in their own schools and classrooms.
- Identify characteristics of commercial literacy programs that incorporate effective strategies for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Create several manipulatives incorporating evidence-based strategies that can be used in their schools and classrooms.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels); General Educators (All levels)
WORKSHOP 13: Data-Designed Student Behavior Supports for the General Education Setting** (1:00 - 4:00pm)
Leader: John Caliso, Winsor Learning, St. Paul, MN
The Student Inventory for Behavior Support (SIBS) helps determine supports for behavioral challenged students. Intensity of behavior is described with graphs and frequency of teacher intervention. The data helps decide level of support required on a continuum from accommodations to Paraeducator help. SIBS assists administrators to allocate resources more effectively.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand a standard observation practice to collect data to assist student who have significant behavioral challenges.
- Learn the effectiveness to describe student behavior across settings with a visual display of behavior.
- Understand that based on the data effective supports may be designed to help students succeed in the classroom.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels); Administrators/Supervisors, Special Education
WORKSHOP 14: 15 Years of Work Culminate Into the First Writing Curriculum for Students with Developmental Disabilities** (1:00 - 4:00pm)
Leader: Janet Sturm, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant
Many students with developmental disabilities never develop the most basic writing skills. This presentation brings together 15 years of work focused on methods that help these students learn to write. Workshop participants will focus on : (1) the first scientifically-based writing curriculum for students with developmental disabilities; (2) a new writing scale sensitive enough to detect the smallest writing growth undetectable by other methods; and (3) new writing technology funded by an NIH grant that supports the writing process while collecting formative and summative data for progress monitoring. Attendees will hear case examples and see writing samples and results from our research with 150+ student participants with autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, and speech and severe physical impairments.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the elements of a comprehensive, high-quality writing curriculum for students with significant disabilities
- Learn how conventional writing scales break down for beginning writers with developmental disabilities and will be among the first to see a new 14-level writing scale that is sensitive to the smallest growth.
- Explore how technology can support beginning writers and provide formative data on writing progress.
Who Should Attend? Special Educators (All levels); General Educators (All levels)
WORKSHOP 15: Implementing Tiered Instruction for Preschoolers With Diverse Abilities (9:00am - 12:00pm)
Leader: Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Kent State University, OH
Planning effective learning opportunities for young children with diverse abilities can be a challenge, particularly with increasing pressures around Kindergarten readiness. This half-day workshop will provide guidance on how to plan and implement effective and intentional teaching sequences across daily routines and activities. Participants will increase their skills in identifying “who needs to learn what,” delivering developmentally appropriate instructional opportunities, and engaging in differentiated performance monitoring efforts.
At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify sources of common learning outcomes for diverse groups of young children.
- Identify daily routines and activities where learning opportunities can be embedded.
- Develop multiple and varied teaching sequences built upon the principles of universal design for learning and developmentally appropriate practice.
- Gain an understanding of how to implement a differentiated approach to performance monitoring.
Who Should Attend? Pre-K providers, which may include direct providers (e.g., teachers, therapists, paraprofessionals), and those who train and support Pre-K providers (e.g., faculty, professional development trainers, coachers, supervisors). Pre-K providers working in Head Start, child-care, public Pre-K, and/or preschool special education settings are invited to attend.
Check back for more full- and half-day preconvention workshops on topics including mathematics instruction, autism spectrum disorder, and English Language Learners!
*Materials fee added to the registration rate for this workshop.
**Exhibitor Workshops