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Special Education: What Does IDEA Say About Functional Skills, and How Will It Help My Child?

by

JoAnn Collins

Are you the parent of a child, with autism or some other disability,

that thinks your child may benefit from functional skill training?

Would you like to know what the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act (IDEA) requires in relation to functional skills? Would

you like parenting tips on using IDEA requirements to help your child

receive functional skill training? This article is for you; it will

discuss IDEA requirements, and how you can use them to advocate for

functional skills training for your child.

The purpose of IDEA is to ensure that all children with disabilities

have available to them a free appropriate public education that

emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet

their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment,

and independent living. Education is more than reading, writing, and

math; it also includes functional skills to help children with

disabilities live a full and rewarding life. This is especially true

for children with autism or intellectual disabilities.

IDEA requires each child s individual educational plan (IEP) to

contain a statement of present levels of academic achievement, and

functional performance. School personnel should give you objective

information (testing) each year, about your child s academic and

functional performance.

Do not accept teacher subjective observations and grades (also

subjective), to determine if your child is making academic and

functional progress. Around Christmas time ask that testing be

performed in the areas of academics and functional skills, in January,

so that these results can be used at the annual IEP meeting. Also ask

for copies of the testing at least 14 days before the meeting, so that

you will be able to be an equal participant in the meeting.

IDEA also requires that the IEP contains a statement of measurable

annual goals, including academic and functional goals. Since you asked

for testing at Christmas time, and hopefully have received the results

before the IEP meeting, you will have some knowledge of your child s

academic and functional needs.

Write a few academic and functional goals, and make sure they are

measurable. In other words, how will you know when your child has made

the goal? Bring the list with you to your child s IEP meeting. Share

your input on annual academic and functional goals with the IEP team.

By understanding what the federal law IDEA states, about functional

skills, you can use the information to ensure that your child is

tested in this area, and has annual goals developed for their IEP, if

needed. Functional skills will help your child become as independent

as possible as an adult, and live a more fulfilled life!

JoAnn Collins is the mother of two adults with disabilities, and hashelped families of children with disabilities navigate the specialeducation system, as an advocate, for over 15 years. She is apresenter and author of the book “Disability Deception; LiesDisability Educators Tell and How Parents Can Beat Them at Their OwnGame.” The book has a lot of resources and information, to helpparents fight for an appropriate education for their child. For a freeE newsletter entitled “The Special Education Spotlight” send an E mailto: JoAnn@disabilitydeception.com. For more information on her book,testimonials, and a link to more free articles go to:http://www.disabilitydeception.com.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

How Coaching Helps Multinational CEO s Run Effective Board Meetings

by

Godonvan

In the present day business world, business leaders face more pressures than ever. And the dynamics of today s business world requires that multinational CEOs remain on top of their game in every stratum of their jobs so as to stay ahead of contemporaries and competitors. Ideally, modern business leaders have had to contend with rapidly changing markets, technologies and workforces, increased financial and legal scrutiny . . . and more. And inability to cope in this situation can lead them to making poor or no decisions which potentially, can result in significant loss of opportunities, human and financial resources. Realizing this, most CEOs now understand that their longevity and success may depend largely on a dynamic and productive partnership with a coach.

Board meetings are the strength of the present corporate world, and businesses cannot avoid them in any way. They are one of those things that take most of executives time because meetings are gatherings where sensitive decisions, action, policies and steps guiding direction of the company s business activities are formulated. Board meetings are attended by top executives from key sections of the company and whatever issues raised and agreed on are capable to make or mar the company s progress or stability.

Moreover, board meetings are meant to help people in organizations keep up with each other and give updates on projects and deadlines. The organization feels more secure when they get a chance to sit and discuss the status of certain projects with each other.

However, meetings can turn negative when they are not properly organized. No concrete decisions can be made when a meeting is long, unproductive and boring. For instance, meeting where teams gather with no clear agenda for discussion and nobody is there to facilitate the flow of the meeting or that which is way too long and where much time is wasted and little or no time is left to implement plans and strategies discussed. All this can have untold counterproductive effects on the business well-being.

And as far as board meeting is concerned, coaching guides CEOs towards actions that can be tailored towards realization of the meeting s primary objective of having resolutions that allows for making progress towards achieving the company s overall objectives. Interestingly, coaching also adapts the power of certain models and theories in tutoring the executive for board meetings. Example of such models is SMART approach which helps the CEO determine if the goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time based.

Coaching provides guidance for pre- and post-meeting conducts towards making valuable contributions in the decision-making process before and during the meeting and how to take necessary post-meeting actions required for the implementation of the board resolutions.

Training and counseling received from an executive coach gives multinational CEOs insight into and understanding of the prerequisites for planning effective and productive meetings capable enough to get everyone involved ahead of time, create meeting goals that make sense to all participants present at the meeting and ultimately, proffer solutions to existing corporate challenges.

Having accreditation in whatever field of work is definitely a plus point in your career or business. For those into the world of coaching, you may check to

Download Our Free Coaching Reports

that will help you in your endeavours. As an executive coach, I also maintain a blog and feel free to visit

Coaching Blog

. I ve been constantly updating it with my experiences as an Executive, Corporate a

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com