Melanie Centeno 1

Topics to be included for

the SPED Competency
Review


Addressed in
Tufts Course
Work as
approved by
Massachusetts
DESE


Competency met through Full
Year Student Teaching
Experience


Portfolio Review
Evidence


1. Educational
terminology for
students with moderate
disabilities


ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child
Weekly 2-3 hour meetings with
Learning Coach
Weekly 1 hour meetings with
Mentor Teacher and Learning
Coach
School wide conversations with
staff and students about
appropriate terminology
ED 142 Case Study- click
here to view this document
ED 142 Assignment- click
here to view this reflection
on what I learned after
reading an article on the
difference between learning
problem vs. learning
disability
Readings that influenced my
thinking and that influenced
my thinking about the
educational terminology for
students with mild to
moderate disabilities- click
here for a detailed
bibliography




2. Preparation,
implementation, and
evaluation of
Individualized Education
Programs (IEP)




ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child

ED 104: Practicum
Seminar
Attended 2 IEP meetings for
students in my classroom
Served as an interpreter for an
IEP meeting to support Spanish
Speaking parents engagement
and understanding
Assisted in the evaluation and
facilitation for IEP meeting of
students in the school
Weekly 1-hour meetings with
Action Team (Learning Coach,
Speech Therapist, Occupational
Therapist) to collaborate on ways
to best support needs of students
in the classroom.
Sample IEP that I used to
guide my lesson planning
and thinking about
student needs- click here
to view this document
Consultation with School
Psychology Colleague
Assignment- click here to
view this document to
view this document in
which I write a letter to
my psychology colleague
about the consultation on
how to best support a
student I have worked
with throughout the year.

3. Design or
modification of
curriculum,
instructional materials,
and general education
classroom environments
for students with
moderate disabilities.
ED 142:Education
of the Exceptional
Child

ED104: Practicum
Seminar

ED 127: Practice of
Teaching
Elementary STEM
Met with learning coach to
modify math work for my group
of 5 3
rd
grade students that were
below grade level to meet their
needs.
Create Theme lessons on
Migration and Peopling of
America where students worked
in groups

Sample work that a student
on an IEP completed. Click
here to view students
graphic organizer in which I
helped him brainstorm
thoughts for his essay about
a challenge he had faced.
Readings that were helpful
to consider when designing
or modifying curriculum
and classroom
Melanie Centeno 2
environments with mild to
moderate disabilities- click
here for a detailed
bibliography


4. Instruction on the
appropriate use of
augmentative and
alternative
communication and
other assistive
technologies


ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child

ED 104: Practicum
Seminar
Weekly 2-3 hour meetings with
Learning Coach
Weekly 1-hour meetings with
Action Team (Learning Coach,
Speech Therapist, Occupational
Therapist) to collaborate on ways
to best support needs of students
in the classroom.
Attended Technology workshop
at Mission Hill Elementary School
where there was a discussion
about and a plan developed for
the use of Technology at school
and in the classrooms
Attended Technology
Usage Work Shop at
Mission Hill Elementary
Readings that influenced my
thinking on this topic- click
here for a detailed
bibliography

5. Ways to prepare and
maintain students
with disabilities for
general education
classrooms; for example,
use of behavioral
management principles

ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child

ED 104: Practicum
Seminar
Worked closely with students on
IEPs
Developed and agreements for
students to stay on-task and
productive through out the day
Led morning meetings where we
discussed classroom community
concerns and problem solved.
Consultation with School
Psychology Colleague
Assignment- click here to
view this document in
which I write a letter to my
psychology colleague about
the consultation on how to
best support a student I
have worked with
throughout the year.
Readings that I have used as
a resource when working
with students with specific
needs- click here to view
detailed bibliography





6. Knowledge of services
provided by other
agencies





ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child

Weekly 2-3 hour meetings with
Learning Coach
Weekly 1 hour meetings with
Learning coach and Lead Teacher
Weekly 1 hour meetings with
Action Team (Learning Coach,
Speech Therapist, Occupational
Therapist)
Weekly 1 hour house meetings
with Learning Coach, and other
teachers to collaborate on ways
to improve classroom learning
environment
ED 142 Case Study
Assignment- click here to
view this document
Met with SPED Learning
Coach about services
provided by other agencies
to best meet needs of
students- Click here for
letter written by SPED
administrator
























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7. Federal and state laws
and regulations
pertaining to special
education




ED 142: Education of
the Exceptional Child
Weekly 2-3 hour meetings with
Learning Coach
Weekly 1 hour meetings with
Learning coach and Lead Teacher
Weekly 1 hour meetings with
Action Team (Learning Coach,
Speech Therapist, Occupational
Therapist)
Attended weekly 1 hour House
Meetings with Learning Coach,
and other teachers to collaborate
on ways to improve classroom
learning environment
Participated in IEP meetings
to discuss interventions for
students and to translate
for a parent- click here for
documentation of sign-in
sheet for IEP meetings
ED 142 Readings that have
been useful to my
knowledge of federal and
state laws pertaining to
special education- click
here for a detailed
bibliography
9. Child development
a. Basic theories of cognitive,
social, emotional, language, and
physical development from
childhood through adolescence.
b. Characteristics and
instructional
implications of moderately and
severely disabling conditions
ED 130: Human
Development and
Learning

ED 142: Education
of the Exceptional
Child
Considered theories of
development and articles about
characteristics of students with
moderately and severely disabling
conditions when designing lesson
plans.
Human Development
assignment in which I
interpreted student
thinking and applied
theory to assist my
practice with students-
click here to view this
document
ED 130 Readings that
provided a foundation of
cognitive, social,
emotional, language, and
physical development of
childhood to adolescence-
click here for detailed
bibliography of these
readings
ED 142 Readings that
were helpful in
understanding the
characteristics and
instructional implications
of moderately and
severely disabling
conditions- click here for
detailed bibliography