Lesson Samples

There is nothing magic about the lessons we offer during community based education. We cover a wide variety of subjects from money management to eating skills. Here are some outlines pulled from our curriculum guide:

Outcomes are divided into experiences, knowledge attained, and competence attained.

The student will have the following experiences

Practice safe wheelchair driving skills (we do drivers training lessons)
Practice identifying coins and bills; discussion of the relative values of the different currencies; practice making change
Practice using a digital or talking watch
Practice using a digital or talking calculator
Practice proper restaurant behaviors
Practice using spatial concepts: left/right and cardinal directions
Practice using landmarks
Practice following route directions
Practice giving route directions
Practice solving problems as a member of a team
Practice making eye contact
Practice using public bathrooms
Practice shopping for others (Christmas)
Practice using an elevator and/or escalator
Environmentally assess bathrooms and restaurants
Practice comparison shopping for relevant items
Practice orienteering (learning to use a compass)
Practice using the senses (localizing and discriminating)
Practice moving in defined spaces using landmarks, spatial concepts, left/right, and cardinal directions
Practice sequencing (following one, two, etc.) step directions
Practice giving and receiving directions
Practice describing objects, landmarks, surfaces
Practice traveling in a residential neighborhood
Practice traveling in a small business district
Practice crossing quiet residential streets
Practice traveling in an urban downtown
Practice traveling in an outdoor mall
Practice traveling in a grocery store
Practice traveling in a department store (hypermarket)
Practice traveling in a variety of indoor malls

The student will attain the following knowledge (be able to repeat back to the teacher)

The main reason for taking community travel lessons (learning to be independent)
What to take on lessons (how to be prepared)
How to call the lift bus; telephone skills
How to be safe on the lift bus
How to use a restaurant menu
How to interact with a waitress or waiter (role play)
Why it is important to make eye contact
State what the years lessons are about (the theme of the year)
Recognize a need to budget money for lunch and free time
Explain (review) what "money management" means
Explain (review) what "time management" means
Explain the relationship between independence and responsibility
Explain what selective attention is and how to do it
Explain what it means to concentrate (pay attention)
Explain the appropriate seasonal/weather clothing to wear outside
Differentiate characteristics of residential, small business, and downtown areas
Explain how and where to cross a street safely
Explain the difference between outdoor and indoor malls
How to locate major departments in a hypermarket
How to self-familiarize yourself to a new building

The student will demonstrate competence in the following

Travel to major areas of the school (demonstrate competence in a school building)
Demonstrate spatial concepts (following spatial commands)
Ride the Lift bus independently
Eat at a self-selected time
Eat lunch independently
Put away and get coats from the locker at an appropriate time with no prompting from the teacher
Get on the bus at the correct time independently
Window-shop independently
Follow one, two and three step directions to locate objectives (using landmarks)
Ability to drive safely in a public place (like a mall) without bumping others or walls
Shop independently (or with the assistance of teammates)
Travel independently (or with teammates) to major mall landmarks (stores, bathrooms, telephones, fountains, lounges, etc.)
Independently use a digital watch (if possible...or a talking watch)
Independently use a calculator (if possible)
Travel on the Lift bus without adult supervision
Eat in a restaurant without direct staff supervision
Ask for assistance from appropriate strangers without supervision
Travel on independent lessons with minimal staff involvement