6 Successful Strategies

6 Successful Strategies for Teaching the Australian Curriculum

to Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism

6 Successful Strategies for Teaching the Australian Curriculum to Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism prepares participants to plan units of work for all students using Universal Design for Learning as a framework.

This 9.5 hour professional learning course is based on the book co-authored by Dr Bree Jimenez, Dr Ginevra Courtade and Dr Diane Browder, 6 Successful Strategies for Teaching the Australian Curriculum to Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism (2019) and is designed for teachers of students with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.

The six strategies are taught to participants using a “Tell-Show-Try-Apply” approach (Browder, D. M., Jimenez, B. A., Mims, P. J., Knight, V. F., Spooner, F., Lee, A., & Flowers, C. (2012). The Effects of a “Tell-Show-Try-Apply” Professional Development Package on Teachers of Students With Severe Developmental Disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 35(3), 212–227.). Participants will be ‘told’ of the evidence and research behind the practice. Next, they will be ‘shown’ an example video or sample of the practice with real teachers/students with intellectual disability/autism spectrum disorder.  Next, teachers will ‘try’ the practice via hands-on application activities and role-playing.  Finally, teachers will be expected to complete the training and ‘apply’ the practices within their own teaching setting, with follow-up feedback.

Strategy 1. Universal Design for Learning

Strategy 2. Student Directed Learning (self determination)

Strategy 3. Assistive Technology and Peer Supports

Strategy 4. Systematic Instruction (including time delay, least intrusive prompting, task-analytic instruction)

Strategy 5. Research-to-practice

Strategy 6. Training to generalise

Digital download of eBook 6 Successful Strategies for Teaching the Australian Curriculum to Students with Intellectual Disability and Autism is included in the course.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Dr Bree Jimenez

Dr. Bree Jimenez is a Special Education Research Consultant with Mater Dei School in Camden, NSW and Honorary Associate in Special Education with the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Before coming to Australia in January of 2017, she was an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina, USA. She has also served as the lead Research Associate on federally funded research grants at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, focused on developing and researching literacy, maths, and science programming for students with intellectual disability, multiple disability, and autism. She was a classroom teacher of students with moderate-severe intellectual disability in both primary and secondary settings.

Dr Bree Jimenez is an experienced researcher and practitioner. Her teaching experience has included students with moderate and severe intellectual disability in both primary and secondary classrooms. The focus of her research is general curriculum access and assessment for students with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities, including autism. Bree has published several research manuscripts in peer reviewed journals, multiple book chapters, academic programs, and a book on strategies to support academics for students with severe disabilities. Bree’s most recent research focuses on the use of teacher-directed professional development, including mentoring and coaching within the school environment, to support the implementation of research- and evidence-based strategies for students with intellectual disability and autism. She works closely with school systems and state departments of education both nationally and internationally.