Special Education

Students with special learning and behavioural needs will require much support when returning to school in September, especially in an adaptive and distance learning environment. Creative scheduling of staff such as EAs, CYWs, SERTs, will be necessary to ensure students can be successful.

CONVENTIONAL MODEL CONSIDERATIONS: When a student requires additional assistance from a support staff member such as an Educational Assistant or Child Youth Worker, and physical distancing guidelines cannot be adhered to, PPE will be worn and hygiene protocols will be followed at all times.

ADAPTIVE MODEL CONSIDERATIONS: If we return in September with an adaptive model, some students who require special education support will be entitled to return on a full-time basis. Students who receive specialized funding (SIP), who fall into Level 1 of the Growing Independence Rubric, some who are formally identified through an IPRC or who require extensive behaviour support through a Positive Behaviour Support Plan will be considered as priority for full time attendance in an adaptive model. Students meeting the above criteria may attend full days beginning the first week of September. School staff, including the principal, SERT, System Support Team (if applicable) and parent(s) will meet prior to the first day of school to create a detailed plan for successful re-entry.

If a school team feels that a full return to school would benefit a student who does not meet the above requirements, it is important to have a conversation with the Principal of the school and Superintendent of Education before any decision is made or communicated to the family. Students meeting these criteria would start the year in the adaptive program for the first week and then possibly attend full days following this first week of school once the school and family meet to discuss an individualized detailed plan.


DISTANCE LEARNING MODEL CONSIDERATIONS: Time must be scheduled for both asynchronous and synchronous learning for any support staff, eg. EAs, CYWs, etc. who support students with special education needs. Teachers must ensure IEP expectations are followed and regular check-ins with students and families are completed to ensure students are successful with their individualized plan. Changes to IEP goals and expectations may need to occur throughout a Distance Learning model to accommodate for varying learning needs in a remote learning environment.


Best Practices

  • Review IEPs to ensure accommodations are still appropriate and modified/alternative programs can still be delivered. If not, make adjustments so that you can continue to deliver on the same learning in a different way. Consider the impact of the student's learning profile on a potential hybrid learning environment.

  • Include multiple modalities in presentation and response formats, keeping in mind accessibility barriers with distance learning.

  • Support the use of Universal Supports @ Home in the virtual classroom. ie. positive reinforcement plans for home use and/or for use during independent academic activities.

  • Support student engagement in learning and help support reconnecting those who become disengaged. Students with special education needs are likely feeling more stress, higher anxiety, and higher disengagement so may require reminders that we are here for them. We will need to relieve their sense of feeling lost. A sense of teacher presence is important.

  • Consistency is key. Whether full return, partial return or learn at home. Students will require support for organization, routines/schedules. Virtual or “live” lessons should be held at the same time each day.

Speech and Language

Observe your students' speech/oral language skills throughout your conversational interactions.

  • Do you notice difficulties with speech sounds, stuttering, phonological awareness, or communication (talking/listening) skills?

  • The Early Identification Checklist (Kindergarten Screener) can help guide you for skills expected in Kindergarten.

  • For older students, a general guideline is that the ‘th’ sound develops through grade 1, and the /r/ sound develops by the end of grade 2.

  • Is there previous/current Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) involvement?

  • Is the student on the wait list for SLP School Health Support Services (SHSS-SLP) through Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC)?

  • Secondary students may or may not be interested in intervention targeting residual speech difficulties (e.g., /r/ production).


If there are current speech concerns (sounds, stuttering) that are not being addressed (being on a wait list means they are ‘addressed’), as soon as possible in the school year discuss referral to the BGCDSB SLP with your Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT), so that appropriate intervention can be provided in a timely manner. Keep in mind that difficulties with speech sounds MAY be associated with phonological awareness difficulties that require more explicit and intensive instruction/practice within the classroom as a foundation for literacy.

Referrals for BGCDSB SLP Consultation regarding language needs (difficulties with talking/listening) may also be considered in discussion with the SERT, especially with a view to transitioning back into school and knowing your learner. Consultation is strongly recommended for students with communication needs relating to

  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC),

  • Year 2 Kindergarten (SK) students discharged from Preschool SLP services through TVCC,

  • SLP Assessments from 2020, with a view to transitioning back into school,

  • Functional communication, and

  • Development of early-developing communication skills (e.g., grammatical structures, basic concepts, foundational vocabulary) in older students.

Year 1 Kindergarten (JK) Students needing SLP involvement are serviced through the Preschool SLP program at Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC). Discuss any speech or language concerns with the student’s Parent/Guardian, and find out if the student is being seen by an SLP or is on a wait list for SLP services. If the student is currently involved with an SLP, talk with the Parent/Guardian to learn the current needs, goals, and strategies. If the student is not involved with the Preschool SLP program through TVCC, parents should refer from TVCC's website as early as possible in the school year. In addition, keep in mind that difficulties with speech and/or phonological awareness skills indicate increased risk for word-level literacy skill development, and indicate a likely need for explicit, systematic, and intensive instruction/practice in phonological awareness and letter-sound correspondence within the classroom program.