If your student is in an A.L.E. elective, they will be taught by a special education teacher. If your student is in a general education elective, they will be taught by a general education teacher. Special education teachers do not attend the electives with the students. We are teaching either core subjects or A.L.E. electives while other students go to their general education electives. We have students coming and going from our A.L.E. rooms throughout the day to attend these various electives and return for core subjects. It's possible, if your student is in a general education elective, that they will be the only student from A.L.E. in that class. Other times they may have 1-3 of their A.L.E. classmates in the elective with them. If there are several students from A.L.E. attending the same elective at the same time, we try to send a paraprofessional with the small group. There is not a guarantee, though, that a student from an A.L.E. class will have a paraprofessional with them at all times in a general education elective. There are certain times of the day that make it more possible to provide that extra support, but we are also trying to teach our students to be as independent as possible, and if they are in a general education elective, we work closely with their general education electives teachers to monitor their progress and see if additional accommodations are needed.
a.l.e. electives
social skillsSocial Skills is taught by a special education teacher. Students learn how to socialize and have appropriate conversations with their peers and adults. Skills are practiced not only with classmates, but with PALS, student aids and adults around campus. Teachers target specific needs with social narratives and visuals. Teachers and students discuss what to do and say both in the community and at school with scenarios provided. Students learn critical skills such as active listening, appropriately expressing emotions, sharing ideas and opinions, asking -wh questions, asking clarifying questions, commenting, peer interaction, joint or shared attention, taking turns, losing gracefully, cooperation, reading body language, responding to and initiating greetings, knowing the difference between right and wrong, being aware of personal space and responding to questions.
*This elective is most highly recommended as one of the two electives for a student in the alternative learning environment. |
work skillsWork Skills is taught on site in the cafeteria. Students learn how to rack trays, operate the dishwasher, wash dishes, dry and stack dishes, refill the refrigerator with beverages, and refill condiments and utensils. Students are provided visuals and step-by-step instructions by a special education teacher. Support is tapered throughout the year to increase workplace independence. Students will fill out an application and interview with their boss, the cafeteria manager, before beginning training. Students are taught critical skills such as following directions, accepting criticism and feedback, understanding and following behavioral expectations of varying situations, planning what needs to be done, making pro-social statements, delayed gratification, reminding yourself and others, ignoring natural sounds in order to work independently, how to handle safety issues, prioritizing what is most important, what to do when someone is in your way, how to ask for help, and how to problem solve in order to get the job done, as well as expected grooming, hygiene and clothing for professional environments.
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general education electives
ChoirThis is a great class for both verbal and nonverbal students. Students will learn to sing and experience music. Students will be required to listen to and follow teacher directions, as each class is very large and coordinating these students to sing when hand signals are given is essential to arranging a beautiful performance. The Choir program is large at Lopez and divided into many groups depending on their individual voices. There are different competitions and performances for the various choir groups. Our students look forward to a Jazz performance in the spring, where parents can see their student's hard work come together for an evening performance on stage.
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theater artsThis is a class for both verbal and nonverbal students. Students are not required to memorize lines, as they are accommodated with a script to hold and read. Students practice their scripted lines with their classroom peers throughout the year. Students will learn how to apply stage makeup on a peer, and a peer will practice applying makeup on your student. Theater Arts students will sit at small group tables and be expected to sit for periods of time while the teacher speaks. Students will take notes with pencil and paper. This teacher is very good at accommodating students who are nonverbal, but because much of Theater Arts is performing in front of students and saying lines from a script, the nonverbal student's physical participation on stage is key to their experience and enjoyment of this class.
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ArtFor the student who doesn't mind getting their hands dirty, Art is a good option. Students work with multiple mediums to express their creativity. This is a louder classroom environment, so it's a good fit for a student who isn't too troubled by noise. Students will also have full access to sharp objects such as scissors and exacto knives. So, whether or not your student individually uses them or if the project is accommodated for them in order to minimize use of sharp objects, this class is a good fit for a student who understands safety around these items. This is a wonderful class for both verbal and nonverbal students.
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