Course+Description

(PLN 12 Part A)** **(EDCE636)** Experts encourage the education of at risk students within the least restrictive environment. This inclusive approach results in classroom communities of learners with a range of learning styles and needs, many of whom are diagnosed with special needs or are thought to be exceptional. The purpose of this seminar is to demystify the special learner; to understand what the special learner goes through in his quest to learn. Teachers understand, accommodate, modify and reach out to their special needs students from the moment they enter the classroom. Teachers learn highly adaptable strategies they can plug into their curriculum across grades and ages to foster student engagement. Application of PLN pedagogy to immediate practice empowers teachers and students from the first to the final class. In this seminar, participants learn how to address the language, literacy, behavior and learning needs of at-risk learners in their classrooms. To inform practice, journal articles and texts draw on research-based frameworks from the special education field and the PLN literacy frameworks. Teachers explore modifications and accommodations relevant to their students' learning needs, allowing them to reach all learners in their classroom.
 * Helping Students Needing Learning Support in the Inclusive Classroom

Seminar participants weave the PLN philosophy with a variety of easy to use interactive learning strategies that can be immediately applied. Educators have the opportunity to share their adaptations with peers in order to facilitate understanding of best practices for all learners. To allow for ecologically sound practice, a wiki space is utilized in this course, where articles and strategies are stored for download and a discussion board is provided for posting and responding to journals. Final projects provide a way for participants to pull together their understanding and application of their seminar learning and experiences.

(PLN 12 Part B)** Experts encourage the education of at risk students within the least restrictive environment. This inclusive approach results in classroom communities of learners with a range of learning styles and needs, many of whom are diagnosed with special needs or are thought to be exceptional. Expanding upon pedagogy of The Four Lenses and their application through practice begun in PLN 12 A, PLN 12 B take a deeper cut into the curriculum addressing rich strategies to increase comprehension, engagement and success. Brain processes that derail students such as memory, attention, processing speed and executive functioning are experienced, understood and addressed to allow teachers to foster academic and behavioral gains in their students. In this seminar participants have the opportunity to explore brain based learning and behavioral issues to increase their ability to address the needs of all students. As the success of special needs students require articulation among staff members as they move through the grades, participants gain a broad understanding of how special education works and how to navigate the system to ensure no student falls through the cracks. Educators have the opportunity to follow their own at risk students and collaborate on effective and adaptive teaching strategies, in order to facilitate their understanding of best practices for all learners. To allow for ecologically sound practice, a wiki space is utilized in this course, where articles and strategies are stored for download and a discussion board is provided for posting and responding to journals. Final projects provide a way for participants to pull together their understanding and application of their seminar learning and experiences.
 * Helping Students Needing Learning Support in the Inclusive Classroom