MN Statewide ASD Newsletter
Fall 2023
The MN Low Incidence Project is here to support you!
MN Educators,
Happy December! You are all SO close to getting some WELL-EARNED time off! I hope it is relaxing and enjoyable :)
We are excited to bring you the new MN Transition Framework that includes an amazing assessment tool that looks comprehensively at all transition areas for students. It is fillable or you can print it out and go over it at an IEP meeting.... and, it helps you determine priorities that can become goals on the IEP. Check this out in the Quarterly Featured Highlights section below.
We are also happy to share with you two great conference opportunities coming up in April 2024 (Charting the Cs and the AuSM Conference) as well as some FREE webinars (AAC and video modeling!). Check these out in the Upcoming Events section.
Finally, don't forget about the STAR Media Center that is FREE this school year! Please share this amazing opportunity with all of your special educator colleagues and friends!
As always, please feel free to reach out to me at tami.childs@brightworksmn.org and THANK YOU for your dedication to our MN students!
Tami
Detailed steps to for the youth planning process
The Transition/Pre-ETS Inventory. Use this inventory to:
Identify and prioritize the youth’s strengths and needs
Identify youth’s learning stage(s) within each of the transition/Pre-ETS topics
- Tips on engaging families in the planning process
- Tools and resources to support youth through the transition process
Charting the C's 2024 In-Person Conference
The Charting the Cs Conference is a statewide professional development event featuring Minnesota practitioners who implement evidence-based practices, practical strategies and innovative instruction to meet the unique needs of students with low incidence disabilities.
Day 1: Monday, April 15, 2024, In-Person, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Day 2: Tuesday, April 16, 2024, In-Person, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Day 3: Wednesday, April 17, 2024, In-Person, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Download Charting the Cs Conference 2024 Flyer (PDF file format)
Questions?
Send an email to: chartingthecs@brightworksmn.org
Website: Charting the Cs Conference
Join Us at the Minnesota Autism Conference
The 29th Annual Minnesota Autism Conference will be held in-person on April 17-19, 2024 at the Marriott Minneapolis Airport Hotel. This year’s conference will feature keynote speakers Devon Price, Dr. Paula Kluth, and Lydia Dawley, as well as breakout sessions tailored for all audiences including autistics, family members, educators, and professionals. Visit the AuSM Shop, gather information from key autism exhibitors, and spend your conference days networking and learning from expert speakers.
Registration will open January 2024!
ASD Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) Webinar #3: Promoting AAC Use in the Classroom
Join un on March 5th for the next EBP webinar! The topic will be on promoting AAC use in the classroom. Make sure you subscribe to the ASD listserv or follow the MN ASD Educators Facebook page to get update information on this training and other upcoming opportunities!
RESCHEDULED! ASD Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) Webinar #4: Using Video Modeling to Increase Student Engagement
Date/Time: May 7th, 2023 from 3:00-4:30
Where: Virtual
Cost: Free
Join us for our last ASD EBP Webinar (formally known as STAR Webinars) of the 2023-2024 school year! During this webinar, Michele Glynn, ASD Specialist, will discuss using simple video modeling, modeling, and peer modeling to practice and promote positive behaviors that support student engagement and learning.
Participate in a Study to Support Teachers in Achieving their Professional Goals!
Coaches will
- work with teachers to set professional goals related to literacy instruction (i.e., choice of reading or writing),
- pair them with a colleague with similar goals,
- provide support for self-monitoring of progress,
- and provide professional development catered to their specific needs.
- The researcher will do two video-based observations (not recorded)
- The video trainings will be provided to the teachers to watch at their own pace
- Teachers will meet briefly with a partner teacher working on the same skill, approximately every two weeks.
Click here for the flier
Click here to request more information
Tired of Putting Out Fires?
The University of Washington is offering paraeducators free training to support elementary (K-5) autistic students who have challenging behaviors! So far, they have 45 participants triads (student/para/teacher) across the country! They need your help to meet their goal of 80 triads! All participants will be compensated for their time.
Participation consist of 8 virtual training modules and 3 sets of surveys for paraeducators and 3 sets of surveys throughout the para training for teachers and families.
Special Education Hosted Trainings and Webinars Series
Check our the MDE website for some great trainings that are FREE to access! Below is the list of trainings available:
Alternative Delivery of Special Education Services (ADSIS) 101
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) 101
Integrating PBIS and School Linked Behavioral Health Services
Evidence-Based Practices Used by School Linked Behavioral Health (SLBH) Providers and Exemplar Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Schools
Statewide Assessment General Supports and Accommodations
Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS)
Five Practically Good Ideas for Any Reality
Returning to School During and After Crisis
Check-in/Check-Out as a Tier 2 Support
The Interconnected Systems Framework
Systematic Screening in the COVID-19 Era
Behavior Specific Praise: Implementing, Coaching, and Measuring the Impact of this Simple yet Specific Strategy
Welcome to the Communication Corner! My name is Leah Hicks, and I am an ASHA Certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 10 years of experience in the educational setting.
In our last issue, we focused on creating a language-rich environment through collaboration with our ASD teachers by embedding communication opportunities into routines to increase functional communication skills. Now, we are going to take it one step further with additional options for push-in therapy that also require collaboration and targets functional communication skills with the ultimate expectation of generalization to the community.
Simulation learning can be a great way to teach students how to participate in real-world scenarios in a safe, controlled and supportive environment. And the opportunities are endless - almost anything you do out in the community can be turned into a simulation for your students - going to a restaurant, going to a movie, buying something at the grocery store, even crossing the street! Here are some basic steps to incorporating simulations into your practice:
Step 1: Identify the community activity you want to work on.
Step 2: Work with the teacher to identify the skills you want the students to learn and use (e.g., paying with money, specific vocabulary, making choices, making requests, etc.).
Step 3: Create visuals - visual strip for each step of the activity, sentence strips for making requests, maybe menus, pictures of food or movie options. This will depend on the activity you choose.
Step 4: Collaborate with the teacher to formulate a plan for targeting skills. For example, the teacher can work on paying with money during math, vocabulary and social stories can be incorporated into reading and the SLP can pull students into small groups to practice making requests or to program AAC devices. SLPs can also provide push-in services by co-teaching, working at a center/station or leading a lesson with the class.
Step 5: Run the simulation! In our school, we would have FUN FRIDAYS, which included time for our classroom simulation. I would always schedule push-in therapy on this day so I could be a part of actually running the simulation. It was always my favorite session!
Click on the handout above to learn more about community simulations.
The STAR Media Center is a FREE resource available to all Minnesota educators! It includes everything you need to run a structured and engaging classroom. Including resources to support routines, play, language, and behavior. It also includes an updated Themes First! These themed units include original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.
Watch the updated demonstration below to find out how to access visuals and resources for routines and monthly thematic units. As well as how to use these resources during your center rotations.
Check out the Let's Go Shopping unit in Theme's First! Theme units include original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.
Autism Center Grab and Go Resource Gallery of Interventions
MN Autism Resource Portal
MN Low Incidence Projects Autism Assessment Resources Guide ‐ 2021
Contact Us
Tami Childs, MN ASD Statewide Specialist
Jen Guettler, MNLIP ASD EBP Coach
Gail Jankowski, MN Low Incidence Project Support
Website: https://www.mnlowincidenceprojects.org/Projects/asd/index.html
Location: 2 Pine Tree Drive, Arden Hills, MN, USA
Phone: 612-638-1527
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/525786611465791