EXTERNAL PD INFO: STAR Autism Support Fall Professional Learning Opportunities

Special Education Directors,

ADE/ESS and STAR Autism Support are collaborating to offer resources and professional learning opportunities to support PEA staff with free Virtual Learning Opportunities this Fall. 

STAR Online Learning System (SOLS) Workshop

STAR Online Learning System (SOLS) is designed to allow your PEA to provide access to all students through remote learning opportunities. Through teacher facing, evidence-based lesson plans and a scope and sequence that provides scaffolded learning opportunities, teachers can provide their students individualized learning opportunities. The focus of the instruction uses the evidence-based practices appropriate for students with autism to teach skills in critical areas. This comprehensive workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009) remotely using SOLS.

2-Day STAR Comprehensive Workshop

This comprehensive two-day workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco and Krug, 2015), a research-based curriculum is used to provide examples. Appropriate content connected to the common core curriculum is presented and detailed information on the three evidenced-based instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training and teaching through functional routines are shared.  If registered as a team, you will also be eligible to apply for free coaching hours.

2-Day Links Comprehensive Workshop

This two-day workshop provides participants with information on how to implement evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines that has been documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines. If registered as a team, you will also be eligible to apply for free coaching hours.

Early Childhood Learning Workshop

This workshop will provide preschool staff, child­care staff and quality first coaches with a greater under­standing of working with children with autism spectrum disorders. Topics discussed will include learning characteris­tics, behavioral strategies and simple activities to encourage social and language skill development. This workshop will provide specific examples of evidence-based practices that can be implemented immediately in the childcare and pre­school setting.

Supporting Students in General Education Workshop

This workshop will provide general education teachers and staff an introduction to how students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learn. Examples of simple classroom strategies and tools to help students with ASD be successful in general education classrooms will be provided. Learning outcomes include identifying the characteristics of students with ASD and how these characteristics impact learning, identifying evidence-based strategies to address the learning needs of students with ASD, and identifying a few simple tools to help your students with ASD learn.

Coaching and Training Site Workshop

This workshop is designed to train certified PEA staff to coach others in the evidence-based strategies and instructional content as used in the STAR Program. SAS provides a series of coach workshops for staff to learn to coach others along with on-site follow-up training at their school district sites. SAS has a fidelity of implementation checklist that is used to identify specific training needs for each coach. Once a trainee has completed all aspects of the training and is able to demonstrate the needed skills, they are eligible to receive a certificate as a STAR Coach that is provided by SAS.

Parent Training Session

The parent training class series provides information and training on topics of interest to parents. These classes discuss evidence-based instructional strategies and effective strategies for parents to use at home with their children. Skills addressed include communication, play and social, behavioral, and self-management. All classes in the series use lecture, demonstration, video, and discussion to present the information. The sessions are designed as a series, but it is not necessary to attend all sessions to benefit from these classes.

Paraprofessional Training Series

This workshop series provides paraprofessionals with key strategies and a demonstration of implementing lessons found in the Links Curriculum and STAR Pogrom for students. Participants will also learn how to use basic behavior principles to assess student’s challenging behaviors, identify appropriate interventions that match assessment results, and determine whether an intervention is working.

PEAs are also encouraged to contact STAR Autism Support if they would like additional individualized support during this time for their teachers, related service staff members, and paraprofessionals! Click here to learn more about these additional support opportunities.

We are excited to offer these opportunities to work with your teams to support our students!  Please contact Bekah Anderson [email protected] or Christy Hegebush [email protected] for questions or assistance.