My best assertion is that what motivates reg ed students will also motivate spec ed students. I believed everyone has a story to tell;it is the very basis of our communication, the very fabric of our being. So, start there. Begin with what they know best: themselves and their experiences. Writing a life experience piece at the beginning of the course will not only provide students with an interesting subject, but also with a means for them to get to know each other. It's helpful to do a lot of pre-writing for the piece through journal writing. For example, for a week or two before beginning the personal experience story, have the students journal about different events in their lives, such as: a favorite holiday memory, the worst day of my life, the best trip I ever had, my earliest memory, etc. That way, the kids have a host of topics from which to develop a longer piece.
My best assertion is that what motivates reg ed students will also motivate spec ed students. I believed everyone has a story to tell;it is the very basis of our communication, the very fabric of our being. So, start there. Begin with what they know best: themselves and their experiences. Writing a life experience piece at the beginning of the course will not only provide students with an interesting subject, but also with a means for them to get to know each other. It's helpful to do a lot of pre-writing for the piece through journal writing. For example, for a week or two before beginning the personal experience story, have the students journal about different events in their lives, such as: a favorite holiday memory, the worst day of my life, the best trip I ever had, my earliest memory, etc. That way, the kids have a host of topics from which to develop a longer piece.
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