Opened to Advice/Tips and Tricks on working 1 on 1 with a special ed student?

I have my master's degree in Special Education, and have numerous experience working with the mentally disabled and emotionally disturbed. However, I have a new job that starts on Monday where it is just me and a little child with mental retardation. This student can't be around other students for distraction and outburst reasons. The student has a short attention span of only a few minutes so it'll be teach for 15 minutes, break/reward for 3 minutes, teach for 15-20 minutes, break for a few minutes, and so on and so forth. I have a few ideas up my sleeve as to how to set up my classroom and centers for the room to make this child content and engaged... but I am asking all those teachers out there with experience to lend me some more ideas, tips, tricks, and advice. All will be appreciated. I really want what is best for this young child.


Thank you!Opened to Advice/Tips and Tricks on working 1 on 1 with a special ed student?
Aww hun good luck for Monday,i'm sure you'll be fine.





I'm not a teacher but can answer in my own way as i have three children with Autism.


Thomas eight, has sever autism and ADHD he is now in mainstream with a learning support assistant throughout the day.


He has big problems settling down and is often 'hyper' in the classroom, he was on Ritalin but after some health issues with the drug we felt it was better for him to be 'just him' and not a robot!!


His LSA regularly talks with us and we have a 'communication' book that she and I write in daily to pass on ideas and in general to discuss his day to day moods and work tasks.


Speak to the parents, find out what he/she likes at home, what methods the parents use to occupy him/her.





We have often had to send into school balloons, rubber gloves and puppets which the staff use as an incentive to get Thomas to work.





Good luck and have fun!!Opened to Advice/Tips and Tricks on working 1 on 1 with a special ed student?
I worked 1:1 w/preschool child w/autism. He did need many breaks, but during those breaks try to estab lish what it is he responds to. Talk w/parents to find out what he likes to do. If there is a computer in rm. many kids w/autism like computer time. If this can be used as a reward, it may later be used as a learning tool. The trick is to find the right balance.