Expanded Core Curriculum Area Skill Briefs

EXPANDED CORE CURRICULUM AREA SKILL BRIEFS

Millie Smith, Tom Miller, & Karen Wolffe

Compensatory Skills: Use of accommodations, modifications, or alternative approaches that allow individuals with visual impairments to access instruction provided to their peers.

Compensatory Skills /

Curricula

Developmental / Functional / Life Skills / Academic
Concept Development / Recognizes primary caregiver using sensory information / Identifies gender; for example, goes in correct restroom door labeled with tactual symbol / Tracks an historical figure’s genealogy in appropriate media (BRL, LP, RP w/optical devices)
Communication / Orients to communication partner (facial or voice orientation) / Uses tactual symbols to follow daily calendar / Uses written material in appropriate media to complete assignments in grade level subject areas
Organization / Explores object & recognizes its functionality within context / Uses sensory strategies to get and put away materials or tools at the beginning and end of routines / Develops and applies disability-specific organizational strategies to manage note taking, complete class assignments, & produce homework
Tool Usage / Uses sensory cue to find weighted cup at meal time / Uses a tactually marked tape measure in an activity to compare to compare heights of classmates / Uses a closed circuit television or scanner and speech access program to read a book or other written material

Independent Living: Skills essential to manage one’s personal life and home environment.

Independent Living / Curricula
Developmental / Functional / Life Skills / Academic
Grooming & hygiene / Assists with washing and drying face / Tactually checks to ensure shaving is complete / Purchases or obtains grooming supplies using the assistance of a personal shopper or brailed list
Eating & meal preparation / Anticipates eating when presented with bib or apron / Prepares a simple snack using a tactual template on a microwave oven or following an audio recipe, / Creates plans for several balanced meals using assistive device
Household chores / Drops trash in receptacle / Vacuums or sweeps area using systematic grid / Cleans and organizes closets and cabinets using tactual markers or colored dividers
Time management / Demonstrates anticipation of the next activity in a daily schedule / Uses a vibrating alarm clock set by another person / Uses a large print, Braille, or electronic day minder to schedule appointments
Money management / Recognizes that a requested behavior may be tied to a reward / Uses tactile identification of coins or folding method to identify bills when exchanging money for goods or services / Uses online banking options, Braille or large print checks and account statements

Sensory Efficiency: Skills essential for the use of sensory input to obtain information.

Sensory Efficiency / Curricula
Developmental / Functional / Life Skills / Academic
Visual / Shifts gaze between two objects given high contrast background (CVI) / Recognizes dark-lined pictorial cues to follow activity sequence / Uses telescope to read LCD projection screens during instruction
Tactual / Recognizes familiar object by touch (e.g., spoon or cup) / Uses tactile symbols to create shopping list / Completes algebraic equations using Nemeth code
Auditory / Responds differentially to mother and father’s voice / Follows 3-step verbal instructions in familiar routines / Uses a reading machine/devise to scan and read books
Olfactory / Recognizes food on spoon prior to placement of spoon into mouth / Gets materials for familiar lotion activity after smelling lotion bottle in calendar box / Creates chart showing sources of each category of smells- fragrant, putrid, acid, burned
Gustatory / Uses taste as one of several sensory exploratory strategies to identify objects / Samples ingredients during cooking activity to adjust quantities to achieve desired flavor / Analyzes food pyramid items by relating each to primary taste category—sweet, sour, salty, bitter
Proprioceptive / Uses sensory information about body positions to move to a desired object / Participates in swimming program for recreation/leisure / Participates in sports during physical education class
Vestibular / Maintains balance while sitting and/or walking / Uses well developed vestibular-optical responses to scan materials used in a left to right oriented assembly task / Does balance beam routine during gymnastics class

Career Education: Skills essential to work in a chosen field successfully and to transition from the school environment to employment or to achieve one’s highest potential.

Career Education /

Curricula

Developmental / Functional / Academic
Basic organizational skills / Recognizes own toothbrush, cup, or item of clothing (or blanket) using sensory information / Separates like items from dissimilar items and puts them into containers marked with tactual labels for recycling / Systematically organizes materials in such a way that they are easily retrievable (puts coursework into logical categories within electronic files or braille labeled binders)
Recognizes different workers / Differentiates between known and unknown people using sensory information / Recognizes through tactual exploration the tools used by community workers (police, firefighters, doctor, etc.) / Accurately responds to interview questions about the role and function of different workers, tools they use, and where they are likely to be employed
Demonstrates good work habits / Participates in simple chore completion with modeling by adult or hand-under-hand demonstration / Follows basic classroom rules, such as lining up to go to the cafeteria, raising one’s hand to respond to a question / Arrives for class and turns in work on time, initiates class work, asks for help when in doubt about what to do
Participates in work-related activities / Helps with clothing removal by lifting an arm or leg when given a tactual cue / With supervision, performs chores at home and/or tasks assigned at on-the-job training sites, following a tactile or pictorial work schedule / Independently completes chores at home and school, volunteers in the community, and documents in braille or electronically work & volunteer experiences for future reference

Recreation and Leisure: Skills essential to use free time pleasurably in appropriate social and independent activities.

Recreation and Leisure / Curricula
Developmental / Functional / Academic
Play / Plays alone with a wide variety of toys / Engages in activities for special occasions such as birthdays or dances / Engages in a variety of social and community leisure activities such as community college informal classes for pleasure (chess, cooking, etc.)
Games and sports / Plays reciprocal hand games such as high five / Plays simple card, board, or table games / Participates in organized exercise or sports activities such as bowling leagues or work-out classes
Hobbies / Participates in arts and crafts activities such as spin art, papier mache, and clay / Listens to personal music collection or plays an instrument with a group or alone / Engages in activities such as woodworking, playing an instrument, or sewing
Travel for pleasure / Accompanies parents or significant others on day trips or community-based activities (field trips) / Attends school or community-based activities held out-of-town / Plans and participates in leisure travel activities

Social Interaction: Skills essential to interact with others in ways that promote pleasure, cooperation, and productivity and build meaningful long-lasting relationships.

Social Interaction / Curricula
Developmental / Functional / Academic
Self concept / Responds to own name / Separates possessions from those of others / Expresses realistic views of own capabilities and limitations
Nonverbal communication skills / Smiles or gestures to continue interaction / Maintains appropriate social distance during interaction with others / Presents appropriately in a job interview with good posture, facial expression, and appropriate gestures
Social discourse / Bonds with another human being / Initiates and responds to greetings / Carries on a conversation (verbal or signed) with another person
Relationship building / Takes turns during communication or play / Distinguishes between family, friends, and strangers / Discusses sexual feelings and the options available for dealing with them
Problem Solving within Social Situations / Uses facial expressions, body language, vocalizations, or gestures to engage social partner / Demonstrates understanding of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors within social situations / Understands the hierarchy of social relationships (public, acquaintances, friends, intimates) and responds to others accordingly

Assistive Technology: Skills essential to identify and use adaptive devices appropriately to access media and tools in a variety of environments.

Assistive Technology /

Curricula

Developmental / Functional / Academic
Devices for communication / Uses objects on voice output device grid to choose activity / Uses digital recorder to store and retrieve phone numbers and addresses / Uses speech output program to create and save documents for school assignments or to express opinions in a position or persuasive paper
Devices for activities of daily living / Uses texture coded keys and buttons to operate personal music player / Uses talking calculator to compute price of meal at fast food restaurant and/or perform basic calculations / Uses optical character recognition (OCR) software to scan and read recipes in home economics class or at home
Devices for accessing visual information / Uses modifications to increase visual access such as clutter reduction & high contrast to interpret pictures, photos, symbols, or signs / Uses video magnifier (CCTV) to check expiration dates on newspaper ad coupons for desired grocery items or to read clothing tags / Uses screen enlargement software to read on-screen text while doing research for school projects
Devices for producing written materials / Uses devices for pre-literacy skills development / Uses braille writer and/or digital recorder to produce a shopping list / Uses screen enlargement and/or braille or speech output devices to write and edit text

Self Determination: Skills essential to self-assess needs and determine strategies for successful participation in life.

Self Determination /

Curricula

Developmental / Functional / Academic
Self-regulation* / Demonstrates ability to adjust behavior appropriate to situational demands (calms when reassured)
/ Recognizes impact of behavior on others and adjusts for desired effect (waits for a pause in conversation before speaking) / Chooses activities based on personal preferences (avoids crowds by shopping at a small neighborhood store rather than a mall)
Decision making / Indicates preference between two objects / Understands range of choices and makes decision (chooses clothing or materials) / Chooses courses from an electronic catalog or with personal assistance
Self-advocacy / Uses “no” or “finish” gesture appropriately to direct others / Explains functional vision or blindness in layman’s terms / Requests appropriate modifications & accommodations
Self-responsibility
(Contingency Awareness*) / Understands that certain behaviors have certain consequences (crying elicits attention from caregiver) / Respects privacy and possessions of others / Understands the consequences of making decisions or not (evidence of an internal locus control)

Orientation & Mobility: Skills essential to understand spatial relationships in a variety of environments and to move through space to chosen destinations.

Orientation & Mobility / Curricula
Developmental / Functional / Academic
Body image / Places arm in sleeve when shirt is placed over head / Identifies body parts, reaches with right or left hand when asked to do so / Recognizes gender differences
Understands & demonstrates proper posture in public situations
Spatial awareness / Uses part of body typically used for reaching to reach and search for objects / Identifies location in a building using landmarks, returns tools to defined storage space (molded form) / Uses parallel traffic for alignment
Recognizes personal space boundaries
Travel techniques / Travels with assistance from a sighted guide / Trails wall using protective techniques during transitions between rooms / Uses long cane to travel independently within the community
Sensory Development / Responds to sensory information using hands, feet, ears, eyes, body / Uses sound cues, echolocation, visual landmarks for orientation / Uses sound to analyze traffic flow at complex intersections, uses tactile information at subway platforms or street crossings
Orientation & Mapping / Locates a dropped object or
moves toward familiar sounds/person / Locates a specific address and uses simple maps / Follows a tactile map or GPS instruction to get to an unfamiliar location