Pre-Planning

Understanding each of your students individually is crucial for setting up a classroom that fosters an effective learning environment. An IEP helps students with ASD and related disabilities succeed in school by tailoring support to their specific needs. 

The IEP is created in collaboration with parents, general education teachers, and specialists such as child psychologists, school psychologists, therapists, and representatives from special education services. The final group of people who engage in IEP creation forms the Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET).

The MET is composed based on the needs of each student. The MET report identifies a student’s current level of performance and outlines what they will learn during the year. 

In addition to identifying learning objectives, the IEP also specifies any specialized instructions, support services, and accommodations necessary to help the student access the curriculum and achieve their goals.

The CMS Approach™ is created to help students achieve both their academic and functional goals in your classroom. This is why the IEP is an evolving document reviewed and revised at least annually or more frequently, as needed, to ensure it continues to meet the student's evolving needs and progress.

As an educator, you need to gather information about each student's unique needs, goals, and academic strengths and weaknesses. A comprehensive document review about your students can help you establish this understanding. 

Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP)

A behavior intervention plan can also be part of the IEP, but it may not be needed for every student. However, when necessary, it can offer valuable insights into understanding and supporting students who experience challenging behaviors. 

The BIP is designed to address problem behaviors that could affect a student's ability to learn or participate in classroom activities. 

A BIP would typically outline:

• Specific behaviors that require intervention.
• Events or situations that might lead to the target behaviors.
• Positive behaviors to teach in place of the target behaviors.
• Strategies to encourage and reinforce desired behaviors and prevent challenging ones.

IA (Instructional Assistant) zoning creates a structured learning environment that facilitates differentiated instruction and targeted support for students with ASD and related disabilities. Zoning involves dividing the classroom into designated areas, each with a specific purpose and activity.

Zoning can also extend beyond physical space management to include the scheduling of activities, transitions between tasks, and the assignment of roles and responsibilities to teachers and instructional assistants. 

Discussing the zoning plan with all staff members working in your classroom is important. A well-planned space and a well-planned day, where everyone, from staff to students, knows what is expected of them, helps create an environment where your students can thrive.

Special Education IS Specially Designed Instruction. 

SDI refers to instruction that is individualized to meet the unique needs of each student with ASD and related disabilities. This involves customizing aspects of instruction such as content, methodology, or delivery to cater to the unique needs of each student with ASD and related disabilities. 

SDI provides a personalized learning roadmap, while Zoning creates a structured and supportive classroom environment to enable academic success for all students.

Eligibility for SDI

Qualification for SDI hinges on a student's eligibility for special education services. This means that they have a qualifying disability that impacts their progress within the general curriculum, demonstrating a need for special education and related services. As part of The CMS Approach™, this assessment is part of the MET report created by the IEP team. 

Class-Wide Schedule & SDI Minutes

SDI minutes refer to the actual time a student receives Specially Designed Instruction. SDI minutes are an important part of special education. It helps ensure each student's individual needs are met. 

The CMS Approach™ encourages educators to align their class-wide schedules with the SDI requirements outlined in students' IEPs. It includes:

• Addressing each student's unique needs while fostering a cohesive class environment
• Preparing students for both independent and group work
• Establishing clearly defined periods of the day with flexibility while minimizing downtime
• Developing a schedule where every activity aligns with the curriculum and individual IEP goals/objectives for each student
• Integrating each student's goals/objectives into daily classroom activities
• Ensuring that the time allocated for each activity is suitable for the student's needs, neither too lengthy nor too brief
• Providing opportunities for individual, small group, and large group activities

The next step after the IEP and SDI minutes review is to create a Student Action Guide (SAG) for each student.

The SAG serves as a reference for teaching procedures, especially useful for team members unfamiliar with a student, such as a paraprofessional or substitute teacher who may work with your student.

The SAG can help:

• Summarize what you have learned about the student.
• Plan and organize how the teaching process will unfold for that student.

Classroom mapping is a systematic way of organizing the physical layout of the learning environment. It involves visually arranging the area of the classroom, with each space having its own designated purposes and expectations.

Classroom mapping is a systematic approach to arranging the physical space of the learning environment. It involves visually organizing each area of the classroom, where each space has specific purposes and expectations. 

Visually structuring the physical environment helps minimize distractions and enhance student’s focus. The introduction of routines through classroom mapping helps to establish familiarity and consistency for students, enhancing their overall learning experience. 

Our team of expert consultants collaborates with educators to maximize the potential of the physical classroom space and ensure an optimal learning environment for all students.