The The Emotionally Emotionally

ImpairedImpairedStudentStudent

Emotional problems interfere Emotional problems interfere with learningwith learning

*Hint* Anger is an emotion!*Hint* Anger is an emotion!This also covers, anxiety, fear, This also covers, anxiety, fear, and depressionand depression

Emotionally Impaired

A Team Approach A Team Approach

Students with emotional impairments Students with emotional impairments demonstrate behavioral problems over an demonstrate behavioral problems over an extended period of time that negatively affect extended period of time that negatively affect their ability to learn.  Relationships are usually their ability to learn.  Relationships are usually poor and behavior or feelings are poor and behavior or feelings are inappropriate to the situation.inappropriate to the situation.

 

How can a classroom for emotionallyHow can a classroom for emotionally impaired children help a student? impaired children help a student?

Teachers who work in the classroom for emotionally Teachers who work in the classroom for emotionally impaired are trained in ways to help students cope with impaired are trained in ways to help students cope with emotional and behavioral difficulties.  Their focus is to help emotional and behavioral difficulties.  Their focus is to help students through out the school day with the emotional and students through out the school day with the emotional and or behavioral issues that may occur.  Many teachers or behavioral issues that may occur.  Many teachers provide direct instruction in order to address academic provide direct instruction in order to address academic needs.  needs. 

  Teachers also help to teach, model and reinforce Teachers also help to teach, model and reinforce appropriate behaviors and social skills.  These skills are to appropriate behaviors and social skills.  These skills are to be used both inside and outside of the academic arena. be used both inside and outside of the academic arena.

Teachers and staff assigned to the program design and Teachers and staff assigned to the program design and implement plans to facilitate a child’s success in school by implement plans to facilitate a child’s success in school by addressing their very unique and varied needs. addressing their very unique and varied needs.

What programming options are availWhat programming options are available to students with emotional impaiable to students with emotional impairments?rments? Students with emotional impairments can receive Students with emotional impairments can receive

educational programming through a continuum of service, educational programming through a continuum of service, from resource room consultation through full time self from resource room consultation through full time self contained placement in a categorical program.  At an IEPT contained placement in a categorical program.  At an IEPT meeting a student’s program is individually determined.  meeting a student’s program is individually determined.  The amount of emotional, behavioral and educational The amount of emotional, behavioral and educational support required helps to determine the amount of time support required helps to determine the amount of time spent with a special education teacher.spent with a special education teacher.

School social workers and or psychologists work with School social workers and or psychologists work with individual students, their families and teachers to help individual students, their families and teachers to help students achieve success in schools.students achieve success in schools.

The Kids Who are DifferentThe Kids Who are DifferentBy: Digby WolfeBy: Digby Wolfe

Here’s to the kids who are different,

The kids who don’t always get A’s,

The ones who have ears

Twice the size of their peers

And noses that go on for days.

Here’s to the kids who are different,

The ones they call crazy or dumb,

The kids who don’t fit

With the guts and the grit,

Who dance to a different drum.

Here’s to the kids who are different,

The ones with the mischievous streak,

For when they are grown

As history has shown,

It’s their difference that makes them unique.

What is it?What is it?

Emotionally impaired students have trouble functioning Emotionally impaired students have trouble functioning in a regular classroom. in a regular classroom.

They display behavior problems that interfere with the They display behavior problems that interfere with the social and academic learning process. social and academic learning process.

They are disruptive or they tend to withdraw from They are disruptive or they tend to withdraw from others. others.

They are unable to maintain satisfactory interpersonal They are unable to maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships in school.relationships in school.

The behavior and the needs of the emotionally The behavior and the needs of the emotionally impaired student are the same as those of other impaired student are the same as those of other youngsters but they display inappropriate behavior youngsters but they display inappropriate behavior more frequently and over a longer period of time.more frequently and over a longer period of time.

Tendency to develop physical symptoms (stomach ache, Tendency to develop physical symptoms (stomach ache, headache, etc.) when faced with fears as they relate to headache, etc.) when faced with fears as they relate to school and personal issuesschool and personal issues

Instances of taunting, or verbal bullying of classroom Instances of taunting, or verbal bullying of classroom peers, incapable of working in groupspeers, incapable of working in groups

States of pessimism, nervous habits, inability to maintain States of pessimism, nervous habits, inability to maintain eye contact with teacher or verbally express concerns to eye contact with teacher or verbally express concerns to teacherteacher

Sleeping in class, inability to focus on classroom instruction Sleeping in class, inability to focus on classroom instruction or inability to productively utilize class timeor inability to productively utilize class time

Disorganization, missing or late assignments, inability to Disorganization, missing or late assignments, inability to meet class deadlines, short attention span and meet class deadlines, short attention span and impulsivenessimpulsiveness

Characteristics you might see in an E.I. student

Poor coping skills, frequently discouraged Poor coping skills, frequently discouraged when things don’t go their waywhen things don’t go their way

Learning difficulties or academically Learning difficulties or academically performing under grade levelperforming under grade level

Tendency to misinterpret positive feedback Tendency to misinterpret positive feedback from teachers or easily offended by teacher from teachers or easily offended by teacher redirectionredirection

Are irritating, disappointing and distressing Are irritating, disappointing and distressing to othersto others

Characteristics you might see in an E.I. student

continued

Student EligibilityStudent Eligibility

To receive services for an emotional impairment, To receive services for an emotional impairment, a multidisciplinary team must evaluate a student. a multidisciplinary team must evaluate a student. Such evaluation must include a report for a Such evaluation must include a report for a psychologist or psychiatrist and a school social psychologist or psychiatrist and a school social worker.worker.

Identification of the problemIdentification of the problem

A. A teacher/ staff member fills out a pre-referral from which:A. A teacher/ staff member fills out a pre-referral from which: 1. Documents lack of academic achievement.1. Documents lack of academic achievement. 2. Describes observable behaviors which are suspected of negatively 2. Describes observable behaviors which are suspected of negatively

impacting the student’s academic achievement.impacting the student’s academic achievement. 3. Documents discussion of the problem behaviors with the parent and 3. Documents discussion of the problem behaviors with the parent and

student.student.B. Building team members may include:B. Building team members may include: 1. General Education teachers1. General Education teachers 2. Building administrator2. Building administrator 3. School social worker, psychologist, counselor, behavior intervention 3. School social worker, psychologist, counselor, behavior intervention

specialist specialist 4. Parent/ guardian4. Parent/ guardian 5. Appropriate special education personnel5. Appropriate special education personnel

Accommodations for the E.I. StudentAccommodations are based on students individual needs such as:

Reminding the student of the rules

Assigning preferential seating

A behavior plan

Assigning a safe place to cool down or regroup when a student becomes frustrated

Allowing extended time for exams and a quiet testing area (E.I. Room)

Allowing extended time on assignments

Allowing lectures to be tape recorded or having notes copied

Being flexible in attendance requirements

Assisting with time management and study skills

Giving a grade of incomplete or consenting to a late withdrawal in place of course failure in the event of a prolonged illness

Needs of student might include a classroom assistant to accompany the student to general education classrooms

Behavioral DisordersBehavioral Disorders

Behaviors that may cause a student to be certified E.I.

Anxiety DisordersAnxiety Disorders

Young people who experience excessive Young people who experience excessive fear, worry or uneasiness may have an fear, worry or uneasiness may have an anxiety disorder.anxiety disorder.

These include:These include:

Phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-Phobias, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post traumatic compulsive disorder and post traumatic stress disorderstress disorder

Severe DepressionSevere Depression

Feelings of low self-Feelings of low self-esteem, inability to self esteem, inability to self motivate, problems motivate, problems sleeping, or change in sleeping, or change in appetite, feelings of appetite, feelings of hopelessnesshopelessness

Bipolar DisorderBipolar Disorder

Demonstrate Demonstrate exaggerated mood exaggerated mood swings that range from swings that range from extreme highs to extreme highs to extreme lows. extreme lows. Behaviors ranging from Behaviors ranging from talking non stop, talking non stop, requiring little sleep, requiring little sleep, using poor judgement to using poor judgement to experiencing severe experiencing severe depressiondepression

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderDisorder

Unable to focus Unable to focus attention and are attention and are often impulsive often impulsive and easily and easily distracteddistracted

Learning DisordersLearning Disorders Can show up as Can show up as

problems with problems with spoken and spoken and written language, written language, coordination, coordination, attention, or self attention, or self controlcontrol

Conduct DisorderConduct Disorder Usually have little concern for others Usually have little concern for others

and repeatedly violate the basic rights and repeatedly violate the basic rights of others and the rules of society.of others and the rules of society.

Cause students to act out their feeling Cause students to act out their feeling in destructive ways such as lying, theft, in destructive ways such as lying, theft, or aggressionor aggression

Eating DisordersEating Disorders

Students who are afraid Students who are afraid of gaining weight and of gaining weight and seek to gain control seek to gain control through self-destructive through self-destructive behaviorsbehaviors

AutismAutism Have problems interacting and Have problems interacting and

communicating with others, communicating with others, symptoms range from mild to symptoms range from mild to severesevere

SchizophreniaSchizophrenia

Have psychotic periods that Have psychotic periods that may involve hallucinations, may involve hallucinations, withdrawal from others and loss withdrawal from others and loss of contact with reality of contact with reality

Socially MaladjustedSocially MaladjustedWhy don’t these student qualify?Why don’t these student qualify?

Socially maladjusted students typically display a persistent pattern of willful refusal to meet even minimum standards of conduct. Their behavior and values are often in conflict with society’s standards. They exhibit a consistent pattern of antisocial behavior without genuine signs of guilt, remorse, or concern for the feelings of others. These students often engage in simulations of these behaviors but typically display them only when there is an immediate consequence for the absence of such displays. Their antisocial behavior is most frequently seen as resulting from their tendency to place their own needs above those of all other people and the immediate gratification that such behavior brings them. These students are not in chronic distress (one of the criteria for emotional disturbance under the law) although they can exhibit situational anxiety, depression, or distress in response to certain isolated events - particularly facing the consequences of their own actions. These students do not typically respond to the same treatment interventions that benefit emotionally disordered students.

If it is determined that a student is socially maladjusted and not emotionally disturbed then the student is not eligible for special education services. Research suggests that those programs that provide a high degree of structure, clear limits, precise rules, and immediate, meaningful and impartial implementation of consequences present the greatest potential for long-term change in the socially maladjusted student. Special education programs are not designed to provide this kind of treatment. The presence of the socially maladjusted student in the emotionally disturbed classroom typically impedes the progress of the emotionally disturbed students while failing to benefit the socially maladjusted student. Socially maladjusted students are often seen as predators with typical emotionally disturbed students viewed as prey; placing these students in the same classrooms is a nightmare for both the emotionally disturbed students and the staff.

How General Education Teachers How General Education Teachers Can HelpCan Help

Progress reports and communication with the special ed teacher

Which includes assignment/ test schedule, behavior issues and missing assignments.

Follow behavior plans: they are developed for a reason and by law MUST be followed; no breaks

Consistency with the E.I. students is key to their success

Acknowledging to accommodations and modifications for each of the E.I. students we share by e-mailing the special ed teacher after receiving them

Helpful Helpful WebsitesWebsites

www.disciplinehelp.comwww.disciplinehelp.com http://specialed.about.com/od/teacherstrateghttp://specialed.about.com/od/teacherstrateg

ies/u/forteachers.htmies/u/forteachers.htm