UDL: Planning for All Learners

Special educators are often expected to support math instruction without the built-in resources many classroom teachers rely on—no curriculum guide, limited planning time, and few ready-made tools. This session is designed to change that! In this interactive, hands-on session, special educators and paraprofessionals will begin to build a practical elementary math toolbox by exploring visuals and concrete supports that can be used to support critical TEKS across grade levels. You will engage with easy-to-implement supports that strengthen conceptual understanding and foster student independence regardless of the instructional setting. Leave with adaptable tools and increased confidence in your ability to support student success in elementary math!

There's a balancing act to prompting and prompt-fading. Prompts are used to increase the likelihood that a child will provide a desired response, while fading is gradually reducing the prompt. (Alberto & Troutman, 2003). Fade prompts too quickly and errors may occur; fade prompts too slowly and prompt-dependency can occur. Participants will identify various prompt levels, compare and contrast types of prompts to use in conjunction with targeted skill goals, and how and when to fade prompts to increase student independence. Our goal is to always aim for student independence, and with the right balance of prompts and prompt-fading, students can generalize their skills and abilities across all learning environments.

Understanding the Why equips educators with the clarity and confidence to identify student behaviors accurately and track them in meaningful, doable ways. This one hour session reframes behavior as communication and helps staff shift from assumptions to observable data. Participants learn how to define behaviors neutrally, choose the right tracking method, and use simple systems that reveal patterns, needs, and skill gaps. By the end, teachers walk away with practical tools they can use immediately to support regulation, strengthen routines, and make informed decisions that benefit students and classrooms.

This session explores how small, intentional adjustments to state standards can strengthen the development of meaningful, standards‑based IEP goals. Participants will learn practical ways to connect grade‑level expectations with individualized student needs. Educators will leave with a clear understanding of how “tweaking” the TEKS directly supports truly individualized IEPs.

Special educators are often expected to support math instruction without the built-in resources many classroom teachers rely on—no curriculum guide, limited planning time, and few ready-made tools. This session is designed to change that! In this interactive, hands-on session, special educators and paraprofessionals will begin to build a practical secondary math toolbox by exploring visuals and concrete supports that can be used to support critical TEKS across grade levels and courses. You will engage with strategies that strengthen conceptual understanding and foster student independence regardless of the instructional setting. Leave with adaptable tools and increased confidence in your ability to support student success in secondary math!

Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) is more than just accommodations—it's the backbone of individualized education for students with disabilities. This dynamic session is designed to equip special educators, instructional coaches, and administrators with a clear understanding of what SDI truly is and how to implement it effectively. Participants will explore practical strategies to plan, deliver, and document SDI in ways that support access to the general curriculum and ensure compliance with IDEA. Whether you're new to special education or a seasoned professional seeking to refine your practices, this session will provide actionable insights and examples to strengthen your instructional impact.

Dysregulation Decoded gives educators a quick, practical understanding of what dysregulation is, why it happens, and how to respond in ways that support the brain. Participants learn to spot early signs, interpret what the behavior communicates, and use simple, effective regulation strategies to create calmer, more connected classrooms.

It is a common misconception that phonological awareness belongs solely in the primary grades. In reality, a student’s ability to perceive and manipulate the sounds of spoken language is the "make or break" skill for reading success—whether they are five years old or fifteen. When this foundation is shaky, students hit a wall in decoding and fluency that no amount of high-level comprehension strategy can fix.

This session is a deep dive into phonological awareness (PA) specifically tailored for General Education teachers, Special Education teachers, and Paraprofessionals working across the K–12 spectrum. We will demystify how to identify PA gaps in older learners and provide age-appropriate, explicit interventions that build the neural pathways necessary for skilled reading.  

This session explores the real experiences of twice‑exceptional learners through powerful children’s literature that highlights anxiety, perfectionism, and feeling misunderstood. Participants will leave with simple, powerful strategies that help students manage big feelings, express their strengths, and build confidence in classrooms that honor every learner’s story.

Academic vocabulary is the gateway to understanding grade level content, yet many students with IEPs struggle to understand or remember it. How can the special educator help – especially when we may not be in control of the lesson plan? This interactive session is designed to give special educators and paraprofessionals practical, flexible

solutions that work across classrooms and grade levels. Participants will explore evidence-based strategies that use graphic organizers, visuals, and metacognitive techniques to deepen student understanding and improve vocabulary retention. You’ll learn how to build simple, structured vocabulary routines that can be used across content areas—whether you’re teaching collaboratively, supporting in the moment, or reinforcing learning in small groups. Walk away with ready-to-use tools and strategies to help students access, understand, and remember critical vocabulary—no matter your role in the room.

There's a balancing act to prompting and prompt-fading. Prompts are used to increase the likelihood that a child will provide a desired response, while fading is gradually reducing the prompt. (Alberto & Troutman, 2003). Fade prompts too quickly and errors may occur; fade prompts too slowly and prompt-dependency can occur. Participants will identify various prompt levels, compare and contrast types of prompts to use in conjunction with targeted skill goals, and

how and when to fade prompts to increase student independence. Our goal is to always aim for student independence, and with the right balance of prompts and prompt-fading, students can generalize their skills and abilities across all learning environments.

Building trust and collaboration among adults who support diverse learners is essential—but not always easy. This interactive training will equip paraprofessionals and general education teachers with practical skills and strategies to strengthen their partnership and enhance student success. Join us for a dynamic, hands-on session filled with real-world scenarios and actionable techniques you can start using right away.

In this interactive session, participants will connect tiered support with Universal Design for Learning and Explicit Instruction to design accessible lessons, deliver clear instruction, and support all students. Expect hands-on activities, quick wins, and practical strategies you can take back to your classroom immediately.

This session is designed to help educators understand the effects of trauma on students and how to have a more trauma-informed approach. We will dive into what trauma can look like, how the brain is affected by trauma, how to shift the focus when we look at behaviors, and ideas for ways to implement techniques into the classroom. With a trauma-informed approach, you can focus on building a safe environment for students to learn and creating connections.  We will also work to understand that all students can face trauma, and by being trauma-informed, you can learn ways to best support these students. This session will have something for all educators who work with students in any capacity.