Safety Health Unit in Special Education
We are in the thick of the school year at this point of my district which means I need to start thinking about bringing in content specific learning to my students! Each of my students have health in their IEPs (Individual Education Plans) which means I need to teach them modified health concepts this term. In my district and province (state) we have specific categories of health learning including healthy eating, safety, caring behaviours, and physical development.
I am personally starting with safety and personal safety this year! I follow a rather specific pattern for teaching health- specifically safety health in my classroom. Follow along below for my tips + tricks.
Secondly, having solid videos and visuals are key when teaching the abstract concepts of health. I love using a lot of pictures to support learning. Even something as simple as writing some words on the board while you are teaching can serve as a visual prompt for some students. My students learn through stories and music, so a quick google or youtube search for some relevant stories and videos to support your unit is a must here!
Another important thing to keep in mind would be to ensure that you are laminating some activities for future use! I love to find games and activities that can be done multiple times to reinforce learning and concepts with my students. This is key for our students to grasp concepts. I have created a resource that has some laminated style activities for learners that need it. I also have included reading passages and worksheets for older learners that need a bit more robust learning. The thing about special education is the differentiation of it all is so vast- finding a resource to support ALL your learners really can be a challenge! If you don’t want to make your own resource, I have a full safety mini unit that caters to all types of learners in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. You can find the link here.
