essay on file attached

Field Report: Special Education

Observation Focus: Special Education Teaching Strategies

The observation report should be written using APA format (in paragraph form) and should be a minimum of 750 words.

1. Provide the school district, school name, teacher name, grade level and subject (s) taught. This should be no longer than 2 paragraphs

Thoroughly describe the layout of this classroom. Answer the following questions.

• How are the students’ seats arranged?

• What is the classroom theme or how is it decorated?

• Are there computers? Where are they located?

• Are there bulletin boards? What do they contain?

• Are there posters or anchor charts on the walls?

• Where is the teacher’s desk?

• Is there multimedia?

• How is the lighting? Natural, soft or fluorescent?

**Your response to # 1 should be no longer than 2 paragraphs.

1. Describe the special education program.

• Does it involve pulling students out of the regular classroom, a self-contained special education classroom or inclusion of students in the regular classroom?

• What additional personnel are used in this special education setting? Are there Educational Aides in the classroom? If so, how many?

• Who are they?

• What do they do?

1. Describe the lesson and activities.

• What is the lesson being taught or what activities are the students engaged in?

• Are the students being taught new information or are they revisiting previously taught concepts?

• Are the students all being taught the same content?

1. List the instructional strategies used in either the self-contained special education classroom or inclusion setting.

• Does the teacher pre-teach vocabulary?

• Build prior knowledge?

• Does the teacher use visual aids, manipulatives or graphic organizers?

• What strategies does the teacher employ to check for understanding?

1. Describe the accommodations or modifications that are made to lesson or activities.

• Are the lessons shorter, are assignment reduced, extra time allotted? Give specific examples.

• Does the teacher read the material to the student(s)?

• Are there any students that use assistive technology?

1. Describe the assessment process.

• Are accommodations given during assessments?

• What kind of accommodations are given?

• If time permits, speak with the teacher about the annual evaluation process. Describe the process.

• Who attends the ARD?

• Who makes recommendations?