Self-advocacy: The idea that students need to look out for themselves. There will not always be someone there to hold a student’s hand, teach them to self-advocate so they don’t need their hand to be held. If done effectively, students with special needs will know their own strengths and weaknesses, how well they can perform, the support they need to succeed, and the skills to communicate their needs. Eventually, students will self-instruct and talk themselves through a task.

Survival skills:

-       What is due tomorrow in school?

-       What do I need to do to get it done tonight?

-       What materials or things do I need to get the job done?

-       Whom can I ask for help in doing this?

Learning strategies:

Textbook Reading	R Review headings and subheadings. E Examine boldface words. A Ask, “What do I expect to learn?” D Do it- Read! S Summarize in your own words
Read for Speed	W Widen your eye spand. A Avoid skip-backs. R Read silently. F Flex your reading rate.
Reading Comprehension	S Survey the headings. C Connect the headings. R Read the text. O Outline major ideas and details. L Look back and check your accuracy.
Textbook Reading	P Preview the material/scan. A Ask questions relating to main ideas. R Read the chapter, answer questions. S Summarize the main ideas.
Story Comprehension	C Who are the CHARACTERS? A What is the AIM of the story? P What PROBLEM happens? S How is the problem SOLVED?
Reading Comprehension on Computer	R Read the title and headings. U Use the cursor to skim the page. D Decide whether you need the page. P Print the page. C Copy the bibliographic information.
Reading Comprehension & Organize	P Predict ideas. O Organize the ideas. S Search for the structure. S Summarize the main ideas. E Evaluate your understanding.
Listening: Give Me Five	1.    Eyes on the speaker. 2.    Mouth quiet. 3.    Body still. 4.    Ears listening. 5.    Hands Free.
Listening in a Lecture Setting	T Think. A Ask why. L Listen for what? S Say to self.
Note-taking	T Try not to doodle. A Arrive at class prepared. S Sit near the front. S Sit away from friends. E End daydreaming. L Look at the teacher.
Note-taking	C Copy from the board. A Add details. L Listen and write the question. L Listen and write the answer. U Utilize text. P Put in your own words.
Writing	P Planning O Organizing W Writing E Editing R Revising
Peer Editing	T Tell what you like. A Ask questions. G Give suggestions.
Proof Reading- Self	C Have I capitalized? O How is the overall appearance? P Correct punctuation? S Spelling?
Writing: W-W-W What=2 How =2	W Who is the main character? W When does the story take place? W Where does the story take place? W What does the main character want? W What happens then? H How does the story end? H How does the main character feel?
Report Writing	1.    Choose a topic. 2.    Brainstorm. 3.    Organize. 4.    Read. 5.    Write. 6.    Check.
Spelling- Studying	1.    Say the word. 2.    Write and say the word. 3.    Check the word. 4.    Trace and say the word. 5.    Write the word from memory. 6.    Check spelling.
Math Word Problems	S Search the word problem. T Translate words into an equation. A Answer the problem. R Review the solution.
Math Regrouping	L Line up the numbers according to decimals. A Add the right column of #s and ask… M “More than 9?” If so… P Put the 1s below the column. S Send the 10s to the top of the next column.
Math Subtraction	S Smaller: Follow steps. L Larger: Leap to subtract.  O Cross OFF the # in the next column. B Borrow by taking one 10 and adding to the next. S Subtract.
Math Steps for Binomial	F First O Outer I Inner L Last