Adolescents with High Incidence Disabilities
Transitioning From High School to the Real World
The article I read this week was titled "Assessing the Transition-Related Strengths and Needs of Adolescents with High-Incidence Disabilities." This article discussed high school students with disabilities and preparing for their post school life. I enjoyed reading this article and recommend reading it. As teachers, our mind is thinking about how we can help our students succeed in the classroom. We make accommodation plans, behavior plans, and IEP goals throughout our school year with a student. As that student reaches the end of their school career, the fear grows. What will this student do after they have completed school? This student's parents want the best for the son/daughter.
I believe it is so important to take this question into consideration. This article discusses ways to make the transitioning process successful. First, it is important to take the student's skills into consideration. The student's reading fluency, math skills, and social skills should be taken into consideration. Also, along with the academic skills, health and self-determination should also be taken into consideration. If the student has strong math skills, consider a job or volunteer work that the student can use their math skills in. You want to set the student up for success! The post school goals should be strengths-based for the student. The transitioning should incorporate people who know the student well. The teachers, special ed teachers, parents, and any other staff members that work with the student should be involved in the transitioning process.
One thing the article mentioned is providing the youth with disabilities with the experience of answering interview questions or providing information about their own strengths and needs. I think preparing students to show others what their strengths are is a very great strategy for post school life.
This article also included a study which involved 160 high school students of different sexes and ethnicity. It shows table of the results that include the percentages of students that worked, attended a secondary school, or did not do either. You can take a look at the table if you are interested! It was pretty interesting!
Carter E, Trainor A, YE S, Owens L. Assessing the transition-related strengths and needs of adolescents with high-incidence disabilities. Exceptional Children [serial online]. Fall2009 2009;76(1):74-94. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 27, 2015.
This sounds fascinating! I want to look it up and explore what options are available for these kids. It is difficult sometimes to make a career out of the student's skill set. If their interests and strengths require more schooling, it can be very discouraging for the student to think about going back to something that they didn't feel successful at. It is a very interesting and complex subject. Thanks for sharing this. I look forward to looking it up.
ReplyDeleteSusan summed that up nicely. I agree with you too Rebecca, that as teachers we often think about what our students will be doing after high school. We wonder will they be able to function in the real world? Although, we teach students academics for some it is imperative to teach them basic skills like communication skills so they will know how to speak on an interview or just good manners so they will know how to act appropriately in different social settings. Something that could help the student post school life. You presented the information in an interesting way now I would like to read more on the topic. Great post!
ReplyDeleteIt is so important to have students feel like they are part of their community and to encourage them to reach their fullest potential.
ReplyDeleteThis article is a good preview to the topic of transition. Great find! I think as special education teachers (no matter what age) we always need to be thinking about the student as an adult and making sure we are preparing them for independence.
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