Distance / Home Learning Packets and Strategies for Special Education

So it appears that COVID-19 is here for a while and many schools are canceling and they are asking for students to participate in eLearning or distance learning activities. 



This definitely presents a unique challenge for all teachers (and families), and especially special education teachers who are wondering how in the world am I going to do that? Here's a few ideas, including some FREE (and some paid) resources.


Give Suggested Learning Activities:

Make a BINGO board with suggested activities for parents and students to complete together.
No photo description available.

I love this Homework Choice board that Taylor, a member of our Breezy Special Ed facebook group, made for home learning days. She was so nice to share her template if you are looking for something similar! CLICK HERE, then choose "make a copy" and you should be able to edit your copy.

On a bingo board / list like this you can come up with functional, real things that students can do at home that they might not otherwise get the chance to do! It will also help give parents some ideas and strategies to pass the time.


Send Home Packets:

I know many teachers are scrambling to print at home packets. Let me help! I picked out a few 2 week resources in my store that I think would be great to use as home packets.


Head over to my TpT store to get these zoo themed writing, math, and reading activities for FREE through the rest of this 2019-2020 school year. (The regular price of these combined resources is $14.)
No photo description available.
Then all you need to do is:
  1. Download
  2. Print by level (there are 3 levels for beginning learners in both the life skill math and journal sets and 2 levels for the reading comprehension)
  3. Staple together
  4. Send (or mail or email*) home with your students

*email is not typically allowed but due to these unique circumstances is allowed
If you need more than two weeks, you can also grab these packets at 50% off, on sale through the rest of this school year.

Google Classroom:

Wondering how to do e-Learning with your students? Interactive self-checking PDFs with a Google Quiz might be the answer! 



All BSE digital resources are extremely VISUAL and require NO READING.

See how to use the BSE Digital Activities in Google Classroom in this video below. 

Digital Activity bundle found HERE


I will be adding more of these digital activities to the bundle during the next few weeks as well to help with this kind of distant learning. If you own the bundle, all future downloads will be free (otherwise all new digital activities will be listed at a heavily discounted price of $1 during the duration of these school closures)


Online Resources:

Many companies are making their subscriptions free during this time. Here are a few that I have heard of and am familiar with.


See a large list of more resources HERE.

Explaining COVID-19:

Are your students feeling anxious about COVID-19 and school closing / the possibility of school closing? 
There's so much talk about the virus on the media and no reason for our students to feel nervous because that doesn't help anything!
I wrote some social stories (available with or without symbols) to help your students know:
  • what COVID-19 is
  • how to prevent
  • what might happen if schools close
All in a non-threatening, not scary way.


Knowledge is power! Download these free COVID-19 resources HERE!

Visual Schedules:

Widgit Online offers a free 21 day trial that would be perfect for creative visual schedules for kids to use at home to help provide some structure and predictability in each day.

Widgit Online is very user friendly. You just type and the symbols appear! They also have templates you can use to make it even easier.

Here is a sample one I created:

Sign up for your trial at Widgit Online.


What else are you doing to prepare your students?

We have so many great ideas and discussion going on in our BSE Insiders group on facebook. Join us.


Now stay calm, stay healthy and print those free and discounted resources! ;) 

As always, please let me know if there is any other way I can help. 

27 comments

  1. We use Google Classroom for kids in kindergarten and I will encourage parents to use it too when kids are sent home because of school closures. Also I send home noprep activities so that parents could use it with kids to practice reading and writing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I click for the digital resource it says 404 not found

    ReplyDelete
  3. How do I use google classroom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here's a great tutorial on how to set it up! https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6072460?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en

      Delete
    2. Lots and lots of YouTube tutorials. Please pair with Google Forms!

      Delete
  4. I have a 4 in half year old will this work with him or be to hard

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a 4.5 year old too!! Personally, we are doing fun theme days (like for example, today is green), but I'm not too concerned about academics for him. Just trying to make sure we get time to go outside and be creative! Feel free to follow me at @breezymotherhood on instagram as I share more ideas about what we are doing at home :)

      Delete
  5. TRYING TO GET IT AND IT IS NOT ALLOWING ME...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you so much for sharing, very helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://wiredinternational.org/global-health/coronavirus-threat-key-topics-in-infection-control/

    ReplyDelete
  8. Do you have any science or social studies packets

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, space link here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Breezy-Special-Ed/Search:outer+space

      Delete
  9. https://www.virtualnerd.com/ Virtual Nerd is a great resource for middle/high school math. I like the how the videos are clear and without any distracting backgrounds.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Is there a certain program you use to create the pdfs? Im thinking of doing these individualized to their IEPs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I use PowerPoint to create the slides and Adobe Pro to add the links!

      Delete
  11. Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. hsc change routine 2020

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Which grid template did you use for the visual schedule?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry so that was actually two of the daily schedules combined. (I had to put them like that to work for Instagram!) But for a schedule at home I would just take the two, cut and tape together to make a longer schedule. Hope that helps.

      Delete
  14. https://afirm.fpg.unc.edu/supporting-individuals-autism-through-uncertain-times

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello,
    I have downloaded some of your amazing social stories about covid-19. In your copyright section it states not to share as an e-mail or on our personal websites. I am using a google site to communicate with my students. Can I share it on my site or no?? If no how do you suggest give parents access to them to share with their child? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about that. Yes you may share. I used my usually TOU without considering the circumstances but definitely plan on you sharing with parents however you need to :)

      Delete
    2. Amazing!!! Thank you so much! You are making my job so much easier!

      Delete
  16. Thank you for sharing. So wonderful, my district SPED admin. shared. Great of you to share in these uncertain times.

    ReplyDelete

(C) Brie Holtrop- Breezy Special Ed. Powered by Blogger.
Back to Top