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Effectively Utilizing Paraeducators
LASARD Workgroup
September 20, 2012
Julie Riley
Giangreco, M. F., Vuan, S., McKenzie, B., Cameron, P., & Fialka, J. (2005)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
What is a paraeducator?
3
IDEA 2004
 Paraprofessionals…who are appropriately trained
and supervised, in accordance with State law,
regulations, or written policy…are used to assist in
the provision of special education and related
services…to children with disabilities.
(20 U.S.C.§ 1412)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
What is a paraeducator?
4
NCLB 2001
Paraprofessionals…someone who “is employed in a
preschool, elementary school, or secondary school
under the supervision of a certified or licensed teacher,
including individuals employed in language instruction,
educational programs, special education, or migrant
education” (20 U.S.C. §119).
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Qualifications
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 Completed at least 2 years of study at an institution
of higher education
 Obtained an associate (or higher) degree
 Met a rigorous standards of quality and can
demonstrate through formal academic assessment


Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instruction, reading
writing, and mathematics; or
Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing reading
readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as
appropriate.
(20 U.S.C.§6319[c])
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Paraeducator Roles Re-Defined
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Once Caregivers.....
 Personal care
 Keeping students
occupied
 Activities may have been:
placing pegs in
pegboards; table
manners; practice
dressing.
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Now Educators
Support students:
 Socially
 Academically
 Physically
 Behaviorally
Causton-Theoharis, 2009
Collaborative Communication
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The foundation for a productive classroom
environment begins with effective communication
between teachers and paraeducators.
Carnahan, Williamson, Clarke, Sorenson, 2009
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Build Communication with
Paraeducators
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 Communicates with paraeducators in a clear, receptive and
responsive manner.
 Provides clear daily direction in coordinating plans, schedules and
tasks.
 Informs and updates paraeducators regarding student information,

assessment results, behavioral changes, medications and other factors that many
influence the work of the paraprofessional.
 Provides regular opportunities for staff communication, group
discussion, and collaboration
 Assists paraeducators in clarifying their roles and responsibilities to
other staff, parents, or volunteers.
Wallace, Shin, Bartholomay, & Stahl (2001)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Collaborative Communication
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What should teachers and paraeducators be talking
about?
 Desired outcomes, end results
 Strategies for verbal interactions and physical
assistance with students
 Ways to reinforce appropriate behaviors
 Plan for challenging or disruptive behavior
Carnahan, Williamson, Clarke, Sorenson, 2009
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
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Turn and Talk
Respond to the 5 “Wh” questions regarding
communication:
 Who needs to communicate?
 What needs to be communicated?

How can this be done?
 When can this occur?
 Where can this take place?
 Why is communication important?
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Expectations of Paras
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 Instructional tasks
 Behavioral support tasks
 Clerical tasks
 Supervision tasks
 Planning or preparation
 Personal care tasks
Giangreco, Broer, & Edelman (2002)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Support Roles
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 Social Support

Supporting students to make & maintain friends by:
Communicating with peers
 Selecting a partner for group work
 Finding a friend to play with at recess

 Academic Support

Supporting students to attend to academic content & learn new
material by:
Prepare for tests
 Outline a chapter
 Create a insect collection
 Any academic task a student may do in school may require
paraeducator support.

www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Support Roles
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 Physical Support
 Supporting students to be in the position to participate and
learn by:
Providing personal care
 Providing mobility support

 Behavioral Support
 Supporting students to engage appropriately by:
Providing positive reinforcement
 Embedding strategies to help them stay on task
 Responding to students needs for curriculum adaptations, breaks,
etc.

www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Providing Physical Supports
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 Through Physical Management Routines (PMR)
 PMR’s should reflect the environments where they will be used
and the physical needs of the individual
 PMR’s should not be related to isolated activities. They should
be linked with activities that occur before and after them.
Snell & Brown (2006)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Physical Management Routines (PMR)
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 PMR protocol
 Make contact with the individual
 Communicate what is going to happen in a way that the
individual can understand
 Prepare the individual physically for the routine
 Perform the steps of the routine in ways that require the
individual to participate as much as possible
 Incorporate the principle of partial participation
Snell & Brown (2006)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Providing Social Supports
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 The Velcro Phenomenon
 Natural Supports
 Your Role as Bridge
 Supporting Unstructured Time
 Teaching the Rules of Social Interactions
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Social Supports:
Just say no to Velcro!
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 Paraprofessional proximity can
 Interfere with ownership (gen ed teacher sees student as
“yours”, NOT theirs)
 Separate students from classmates
 Create dependence on adults
 Limit competent instruction
 Cause a student to feel as though they have no personal
control
 Interfere with the instruction of other students
 Limit the amount of peer interactions
(Giangreco, Edelman, Luiselli, and
MacFarland, 1997; Malmgren & CaustonTheoharis, 2006)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Social Supports:
Rules to follow to keep it natural
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 Do not sit or place a chair meant for adult support




next to a student.
Do not remove the student.
Encourage peer support.
Encourage independence and interdependence.
Fade your cues
Causton-Theoharis (2009) p. 64-66
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Social Supports:
Become a bridge
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 Highlight similarities among students.
 Help students invite each other to socialize.
 Provide behavioral supports that are social in nature.
 Provide your student responsibilities that are
interactive and collaborative.
 Help other students understand.
 Get out of the way!
Causton-Theoharis & Malmgren (2005)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Social Supports:
Unstructured Time
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 Before & After School
 In the Hallway
 During Lunch
 During Free or Choice Time
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Social Supports:
Teach the rules
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 Social Stories
 Video Modeling
 Explicit Instruction
 Incidental Teaching
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Example of Social Story
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After lunch we go to recess.
Sometimes recess is on the playground.
A lot of the children play on the playground equipment.
It is fun to play on the playground equipment.
Everyone should play safely.
When the whistle blows that means it is time to line up and
go inside.
I will try to line up as soon as the whistle blows.
This will make my teachers happy.
After I line up I will try to stay in line.
Everyone will be proud of me!
Retrieved from
http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/ss0020.html
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
How could a paraeducator
support a social interaction:
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 During an unstructured time?
 During class time?
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Providing Academic Supports
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 Adaptations
 Accommodations
 Modifications
 General Strategies
 Assistive Technology
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Adaptations
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 Accommodations are changes in how a student
accesses information and demonstrates learning.



Test taken orally
Additional time to complete work/tests
Use of computer for writing
 Modifications are changes in what a student is
expected to learn.



Alternative books or materials on the same theme or topic.
An outline in place of an essay for a major project.
Completing partial unit requirements instead of all
requirements.
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
General Strategies
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














Focus on strengths
Ask the student
Keep expectations high
Break tasks into smaller steps
Extend time on tasks
Present limited amount of information on a page
Offer support, do not just give it
Use a soft voice (age appropriate)
Make things concrete
Teach organizational skills to everyone
Change the materials
Use a timer
Preteach
Use peer support
Use movement
Causton-Theoharis (2009)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Assistive Technology
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 Paraeducators should be trained on assistive
technology used by a student
 Once identified as needed, assistive technology
device should always be available to the student
 Para should support the student’s use of the
equipment in natural settings.
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Providing Behavioral Supports
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 Positive Behavioral Support
 Weathering the Storm
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Tenants of Positive Behavioral Supports
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 Behavior is learned and can change
 Intervention is based on studying the behavior
 The intervention emphasizes prevention and
teaching new behavior
 Outcomes are personally & socially valid
 Intervention requires comprehensive, integrated
supports.
(Carr et al., 2002; Janney & Snell, 2008)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Providing Positive Behavioral Supports
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 Build a relationship
 Match instructional practices with student strengths
 Set up the environment in a way that promotes
positive behavior
 Meet the student’s needs
 Ask yourself “What does this person need?”
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Weathering the Storm
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 Know the student’s crisis intervention plan
 All behavior is communicative
 Remember, its not personal
 Manage the situation to reduce injury to self and others
 Note how other students are behaving
 When managed, record data on all factors happening
before and after the actual behavior. Share with the
team.
Causton-Theoharis (2009)
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Conclusion
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Utilizing paraeducators:
 Ensure collaborative communication among team
members
 Plan for supporting students with ASD and related
disabilities:




Physical
Social
Academic
Behavior
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Next steps:
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 What areas (physical, social, academic, behavior) do
you see the need for more support/ information/
collaboration from your team?
 What is your next step to address this need?
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Resources
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Web resources
 National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals in Education and Related
Services http://www.nrcpara.org
 National Clearinghouse of Paraeducator Resources: Paraeducator
Pathways into Teaching
http://www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/Clearinghouse.html
 Minnesota Paraprofessional Consortium http://ici.umn.edu/para/
 Northwest Regional Educational Library: Paraeducator Resources
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/cali/ParaResources.pdf
 Paraeducator and Supervisor Training Designed to Meet the Needs of
Students with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms
http://www.uvm.edu/~cdci/paraprep/
Book
 Doyle, M. B. (2008). The paraprofessional’s guide to the inclusive
classroom: Working as a team. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
References
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Carr, E.G., Dunlap, G., Horner, R.H., Koegel, R.L., Turnbull, A., Sailor, W., et al. (2002). Positive behavioral
support: Evolution of an applied science. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 4(1), 4-16.
Carnhan, C., Williamson, P., Clarke, L., Sorensen, R. (2009). A systematic approach in supporting paraeducators in educational
settings: A Guide for Teachers. Teaching Exceptional Children, 41(5), 34-43.
Causton-Theoharis (2009). The paraprofessional’s handbook for effective support in the inclusive classroom.
Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Causton-Theoharis, J., Giangreco, M., Doyle, M.B., & Vadasy, P. (2007). Paraprofessionals: The sous chefs of
literacy instruction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(1), 56-63.
Causton-Theoharis, J., & Malgrem, K. (2005). Building bridges: Strategies to help paraprofessionals promote
peer interaction. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(6), 18-24.
Gardner, M. (n.d.) Social stories: Recess. Retrieved from http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories/ss0020.html.
Giangreco, M.F., Edelman, S.W., Luiselli, E.T., MacFarland, S.Z. (1997) Helping or hovering: The effects of
paraprofessional proximity on students with disabilities. Exceptional Children, 64(1), 7-18.
Giangreco, M.F., Broer, S.M., & Edelman, S.W. (2002). “That was then, this is now!” Paraprofessional supports
for students with disabilities in general education classrooms. Exceptionality, 10 (1), 47-64.
Giangreco, M. F., Vuan, S., McKenzie, B., Cameron, P., & Fialka, J. (2005). “Be careful what you wish for…”: Five reasons to be
concerned about the assignment of individual paraprofessionals. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(5), 28-34.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, PL108-446, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq.
Janney, R., & Snell, M.E. (2008). Teachers guide to inclusive practices: Behavioral support (2nd ed.). Baltimore:
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, PL 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425, 20 U.S.C. §§ 6301 et seq.
Malmgren, K.W., & Causton-Theoharis, J.N. (2006). Boy in the bubble: Effects of paraprofessional proximity and
other pedagogical decisions on the interactions of a student with behavioral disorders. Journal of
Research in Childhood Education, 20(4), 301-312.
Snell, M. & Brown, F. (2006). Instruction of students with severe disabilities (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New
Jersey: Pearson
www.hdc.lsuhsc.edu
Questions?
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 Dr. K. Alisa Lowrey, LASARD Project Director

[email protected]
 Julie Riley, LASARD Project Coordinator

[email protected]
 Donna Hammons, LASARD Project Facilitator

[email protected]
 Dorothy Parks, LASARD Facilitator

[email protected]
 Bambi Polotzola, LASARD Project Facilitator

[email protected]
Thank you!
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