Supports for Families

Office Hours:

Please note office hours are intended to provide real-time technical assistance to educators, caregivers, parents, and students. Technical assistance is not legal advice. Specific questions concerning a student’s special education program or the laws relating to the provision of services in a child’s IEP (Individualized Educational Program) should be directed to ConsultLine at 800-879-2301.

Testing your system:

Participants are encouraged to test your computers/devices prior to the date of the web conference using https://zoom.us/test, and to seek local assistance if you encounter difficulty.

Date/Time:  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

Possible Topics:  A Family Engagement Consultant will be available during our office hours to provide a quick response to your questions or concerns.

Email for Questions:   familyengageconnect@pattankop.net

 

Resources

• Edutopia – 7 Guiding Principles for Parents Teaching From Home
• 5 Steps for a Different Kind of School Year – This resource contains steps to help parents/families keep your child on track with their learning this school year.
• Iris Center  This resource offers a learning module and tips for parents to support a child’s learning at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Terms of Use:  https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/terms-of-use/
• Supporting Students with Disabilities at School and Home:  A Guide for Teachers to Support Families and Students This guide from the Positive Behavioral Intervention & Supports (PBIS) highlights 5 key practices for teachers and families to support all students, including students with disabilities, at school and home. 
• ​Lessons Learned From Virtual Learning During COVID-19  Tips for Families 
• Read & Write for Chrome is a Chrome extension that, for the free version, adds screen reading to any site 
• ​Do2Learn is a site for students with disabilities. It has a social skills activity box with social stories and activities, behavior regulation story strips, songs and games focused on social skills and safety, and some printable PECs style cards.
• Social Stories for Social Distancing This site has social stories and communication boards about handwashing, social distancing, and the virus. 
• New Website for Families and General Educators for Complex Learners ​Visit:  https://sites.google.com/pattan.net/pattan-significant-cognitive-d/home ​It is recognized that everyone is doing their best to manage work, self-care, children’s online education, and more during the COVID-19 pandemic. Families and professionals supporting children with disabilities face additional challenges. You are not in this alone. The Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN), in collaboration with the Bureau of Special Education, has created a website for families and general educators supporting complex learners at home. For the purpose of this website, a complex learner is a child, youth, or young adult with an intellectual or significant cognitive disability, multiple disabilities, and/or sensory impairment.
• School Closures Due to Coronavirus/COVID-19: FAQs for Families of Students with Disabilities
• School Closures Due to Coronavirus/COVID-19: FAQs for Families of Students with Disabilities Spanish
• Special Education Resources for Families
• Recursos de Educación Especial para Familias
• Pennsylvania Supports for Families
• FAMILIES TO THE MAX Pennsylvania Statewide Family Network
• How to deal with challenging behaviors while schooling at home during the COVID-19 crisis (Part 1)
• How to deal with challenging behaviors while schooling at home during the COVID-19 crisis (Part 2)
• 4 Tips for Learning with Technology – This short video will provide families with 4 tips on how to select digital media to get the most out of the time your child is on electronic devices 
• This free resource will be helpful to teachers and families. It is provided by Project Appleseed, a national campaign for public school improvement.  List of Sites for Families to Use While School is Closed 
• SchoolVirtually provides resources for educators and families to support all learners. 
• Tips for Families in Supporting their Children with Disabilities in Virtual Formats
• Scholastic Learn at Home by Grade Level– Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing 
• Apps for Students With Special Needs—As School Buildings Shutter.  Educators share recommendations for apps to support learning at home 
• 30 Days of Families Learning Together – this website provides a month’s worth of family literacy activities and practices designed to inspire family memories rooted in imagining, playing and learning together 

For Parents/Families 

Designing a Home Learning Space 
Being Your Child’s Paraeducator 
Digital Tools for Home School Communication
 

• Resources for Caregivers and Educators -This website is organized by the Resilient Lehigh Valley and the Gender, Race, Inclusion, and Trauma Lab at the Lehigh University’s College of Education to support educators and families. It contains many useful resources. 
• The Big Three Accessibility Features Across Platforms - This webinar, provided by PEAL, will provide information about technology features available for students to assist them in virtual learning.   
• BENEFITS.GOV is an online resource to help families find federal benefits they may be eligible for in the United States. The Special Education Parent Training Information (PTI) Centers Program ensures that children with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities receive training and information, and can effectively participate in planning and decision-making related to special education. Special Education – National Activities – Parent Information Centers 
• ​Families and Reading Month published by Keystone State Literacy Association.  KSLA is promoting April as Families and Reading Month to call attention to the importance of families reading together at home.  This resource contains activities, suggestions and reading lists for family reading fun. 
• TEDEd, Teaching or learning from home? Enter your email address  to gain access to engage in lesson plans organized by age group and subjects 
• SDI while Learning from Home. This free webinar is provided by PEAL, and will review specially designed instruction (SDI) that may be able to be delivered via distance learning 
• Boredom Busters: 110 Fun At-Home Activities for Families and Kids.
• Audible by Amazon.Free audible stories.
• Mystery Science. Free easy science experiments for students K-grade 5 for educators and parents.