How can you ensure that you are using age-appropriate resources for teens with disabilities? This is a huge topic for special education teachers and one that can be difficult to address. Here is the issue: There are many teenagers with developmental disabilities that are working on life skills and reading at an emergent reader level. In turn, most of the resources available to use are at a K-2 level for the IEP goals that they need to work on. These resources tend to have more “childish” clipart and not be relevant for the student’s age. For example, it may not be appropriate to see a 14 year old boy completing an alphabet worksheet with Elmo and Big Bird on it from Sesame Street. This can be a disconnect to their age, although it might match their cognitive ability.
This is a tricky topic because some older students are still interested in lower-level toys, games and shows due to their cognitive ability. Some teenagers with disabilities may actually be motivated to work for Elmo or Big Bird. But does that mean that they should be?
The importance of using age-appropriate activities and resources with students who have special needs is to ensure that these students learn with dignity and that they are learning interests and activities that will help them fit into society and be functioning members of society. However, the happiness of the student is important also. So, if they are an older student who loves more childish songs or preschool-type shows and get distressed if they don’t have access to these items, then you can incorporate both kinds of resources. Starting to use more age-appropriate resources with them will help to increase the student’s participation in society.
Here are 3 ways to ensure that you are using age-appropriate resources with your students:
1. Topics/themes are of interest to the age of the student
If you can find topics and themes that your students show interest in, you can easily find or create resources to peak their interest and get them engaged in the lesson. You can also match this to topics and skills that are a relevant stage in their life. For example-if you work with a student who loves watching lots of children’s movies maybe you can start teaching him about the behind the scenes jobs at a movie theater or what work skills you would need to one day become employed at a movie theater because that could be of interest to him (and a possible job opportunity in the future). Watching videos about jobs at a movie theater, teaching them reasons why they would need to know how to count money to work at the concession stands or identify letters and read words in order to tear movie tickets and tell customers which theater to go to for their movie are all things that could be discussed.
2. Avoid cutesy clipart
Teachers love clipart. We all do! But the clipart often used for K-2 students is not always appropriate for middle and high school students. However, some middle and high school students with disabilities may be functioning at a K-2 level. Instead, photos can be a better alternative. The Importance of age appropriate activities and resources is important to engage your students hence why real life photos are especially great for students with cognitive disabilities as they are less abstract than clip art and easier for them to generalize with. They also provide a look that is more age-appropriate for teens than clipart.
3. Make sure the resources reflect age-appropriate equivalent
Books with a good looking front cover that are made well and reflect the style of a real life book for teens, rather than a book that is a simple stapled piece of paper can make all the difference for students! Making a teenage student who is reading at the emergent reader level feel like they are reading a real book gives them some pride and dignity, and ensures that they feel like any other teenager. I try to make sure to do this in all aspects of their day. The biggest area that I need to do this in is if any of my students spend time in general education and they will be around their typical peers. If your student is in general education for any part of their day, they don’t want their peers seeing them with completely different work than them. If students have a morning work notebook or a student planner, you can do this for your students too. Just give them the same cover and change out the materials to fit your student’s skills set. For example, if they should have math work-don’t send dry erase sheets or manipulatives with them to class. Give them worksheets at their level in a folder or binder that match their peers items to the best of your ability. This will make them feel similar to their peers and in turn, more confident in their abilities as well.
I hope this helps you when finding age-appropriate materials for teenage students with disabilities and helps you to understand the Importance of age appropriate activities. I strive to make sure my students have appropriate resources and love creating materials for them. You can check them out here and let me know if there are other items that you would like to see!
You can also check out Ideas for Older Students Who are at the Emergent Reader level.
-Jessica