Mathematics instruction is an area where there often is great uncertainty on how to best teach students with autism and intellectual disabilities. This course will prepare teachers with strategies on how to build foundational early numeracy skills and mathematical problem-solving skills in a progressive manner while accessing grade-aligned content. Each strategy will be given a brief overview, a demonstration, followed by hands-on practice time.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the benefits of teaching mathematics to students with low incidence disabilities
- Demonstrate applications of evidence-based practices for teaching mathematics and leave with an EBP Toolkit
- Demonstrate an understanding of how to teach problem-solving to students with low incidence disabilities
- Apply early numeracy and problem-solving skills to access grade-aligned standards in mathematics
Participants should have 20 counters, a marker, a sheet of paper, and a few 3"x5" index cards so they can practice activities along with the presenter.
This course is provided by the Texas Statewide Leadership for Autism Training (TSLAT) through a grant from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Presenter: Dr. Alicia Saunders, Ph.D.
Alicia Saunders, Ph.D., is a co-PI for Project IMPACT- Inclusion Made Practical for All Children and Teachers and adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research focuses on access to the general curriculum for students with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Saunders has published several articles and book chapters on general curriculum access and alignment, and has presented on this topic at international and national conferences and in-service trainings for teachers. She is one of the co-authors of Early Numeracy, Math Skills Builder, Access Algebra, and Access Geometry, mathematics curricula for students with intellectual disabilities.
