Module: Helping with Instruction

Introduction to the Module

This module is designed for paraprofessional educators who seek to understand the instructional process and possibly expand their role on a team with responsibility for providing instruction. Based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning, the module offers guidance about how to collaborate with a supervising teacher and other members of an instructional team to help students learn.

The module is organized, each of which presents a topic about instruction. The choice of the topics to include and the content provided about each topic reflect current thinking in the field of education. The discussion steers clear of instructional fads, and instead draws attention to practices with strong support from both theory and research.

Topics in this unit are:

Each unit includes various learning activities. An overview summarizes the major ideas presented in the unit; a video webinar presents relevant information. Several other materials (e.g., activities, tools for the field) help the paraprofessional educator (and other readers of the module) think about the information and practice the skills that the unit presents. Many of the units also include documents providing links to relevant on-line resources.

Module Objectives

Upon completion of the module, Helping with Instruction, the paraprofessional educator will meet the following Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) objectives and the following Ohio Partnership for Excellence in Paraprofessional Preparation (OPEPP) objectives as they pertain to the support of reading instruction.

Source of Standard

Standard Number

Domain of Practice

Standard

CEC P4K1 Knowledge Concept of evidence-based practice
CEC P8K1 Knowledge Purposes of assessment
CEC P1S1 Skill Use basic educational terminology
CEC P3S3 Skill Implement levels of support appropriate to academic and social-emotional needs  of individuals with exceptionalities as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S3 Skill Support individuals’ with exceptionalities use of self-assessment, problem-solving, and other cognitive strategies as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S4 Skill As determined by the instructional team use strategies to facilitate maintenance and generalization of skills
CEC P4S7 Skill Support the use of learning strategies and study skills to promote acquisition of academic content as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S8 Skill Use instructional strategies and materials as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S9 Skill Adapt instructional strategies and materials as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S10 Skill Modify pace of instruction and provide organizational cues as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S13 Skill Use an individual’s responses and errors, especially a pattern of errors, to guide next instructional steps and provide ongoing feedback as determined by the instructional team
CEC P4S14 Skill Re-teach and reinforce essential concepts and content across the general curriculum as determined by the instructional team
CEC P6S6 Skill Support the use of strategies with individuals with exceptionalities to remember verbal and written directions as determined by the instructional team
CEC P7S3 Skill Use instructional time effectively
CEC P7S5 Skill Use age and ability appropriate instructional strategies, technology, and materials for individuals with exceptionalities as determined by the instructional team
CEC P8S1 Skill Record information in various formats as determined by the instructional team
CEC P9S13 Skill Reflect on one’s performance to improve practice
OH 1.2 Skill Support the use of effective and culturally responsive instructional strategies in reading and mathematics, as determined by the instructional team
OH 1.3 Skill Adapt strategies and materials, and differentiate instruction in response to student need, as determined by the instructional team
OH 1.4 Skill Implement academic interventions to address student needs, as determined by the instructional team
OH 1.5 Skill Observe and collect data as part of progress monitoring as determined by the instructional team
OH 1.6 Skill Facilitate small-group instruction, as determined by the instructional team
OH 4.3 Skill Help student gain exposure to words and numbers to develop literacy and numeracy skills; incorporate literacy into everyday activities, as determined by the instructional team

Resource Information

Categories:

Unit 1: Helping with Instruction in General: The Role of the Paraprofessional

Unit 2: Universal Design for Learning

Unit 3: What is Scaffolding and Why is it Important?

Unit 4: Learning Targets and Advance Organizers

Unit 5: Concept Maps, Story Maps, and Other Graphic Organizers 

Unit 6: Helping Students Learn to Study

Unit 7: Metacognition

Unit 8: Infographics

Unit 9: Helping Students Learn Test-taking Skills

Unit 10: Putting it all Together: The Paraprofessional’s Contribution to Instruction