1. Instructions in Special Education:
Classroom Strategies for the Muslim School
Omaira Alam
Saturday, April 19th, 2014
9:00 to 10:30 am

2. OBJECTIVES
 Why is special education so critical for Islamic
schools?
 Overview of strategies to meet the needs of all
students in our classrooms

3. WHY ARE WE HERE?
Special Education

4. THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
SAID: "ATTAINMENT OF
KNOWLEDGE IS A MUST
FOR EVERY MUSLIM."
Accessibility for ALL students…

5. THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE
“Perhaps, even more importantly, this investigative
effort can help Catholic educators formulate a vision
for educating students with disabilities and in turn,
support the broader mission of ensuring that their
schools become available for all Catholic parents who
wish to send their children to them.”

6. PARADIGM SHIFT
“Although many educators, parents, and other
stakeholders assert that school programs need to be
more inclusionary, the real message is that such an
effort is not just about a place, a structure, or a
method of instruction, but rather a philosophy about
the very culture of schools. The unique ecology and
culture of Catholic [READ: Muslim] schools makes
this effort all the more complex.”
Bello, Denise A. "The status of special education services in catholic high schools:
attributes, challenges, and needs". Exceptional Children. FindArticles.com. 30 Jan,
2009. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3130/is_4_72/ai_n29277758

7. “SPEAK TO PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THEIR
INTELLECTUAL CAPACITIES.
DO YOU DESIRE THAT THEY REJECT GOD AND HIS
MESSENGER?”
ALI IBN ABI TALIB
Needs Inventory

8. NEEDS INVENTORY - ENGAGEMENT
 Highlight the strengths in your students based on their
learning intelligence or motivation
 What are his or her weaknesses? When does the
student show the most interest during a lesson? Does
the student a need a break from learning? What are
his or her triggers of interest and excitement?
 Assesses each students abilities, but not for grading
purposes
 Do this through observation of student behaviour,
engagement, motivation, etc
 Make a chart or a list

9. FOR EXAMPLE
 Fatima:
 Prefers visual aids along with verbal cues
 She cannot sit still for too long
 She enjoys participating in discussions, particularly
debates
 Ahmed:
 Enjoys being the center of attention
 Has a keen understanding of nature and biology
 He is an audio learner.

10. MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES
 Linguistic
 Logical-Mathematical
 Bodily-Kinesthetic
 Spatial
 Musical
 Interpersonal
 Intrapersonal
 Naturalist
 Existentialist

11. MI THEORY IMPLICATION FOR
DIFFERENTIATION
 Individuation or personalization
 Pluralization

12. “NO TWO CHILDREN ARE ALIKE.
NO TWO CHILDREN LEARN IN THE IDENTICAL WAY. AN
ENRICHED ENVIRONMENT FOR ONE STUDENT IS NOT
NECESSARILY ENRICHED FOR ANOTHER.
IN THE CLASSROOM WE SHOULD TEACH CHILDREN
TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES.”
MARIAN DIAMOND
Differentiation

13. DIFFERENTIATION
 The content of the material presented.
 The process through which a student completes
an assignment.
 The actual product or completed assignment.
 The environment in the classroom.

14. DIFFERENTIATION:
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
 preferential seating
 small group instruction
 extended time on
assignments
 frequent and immediate
feedback
 positive reinforcement
 graphic organizers
 reading supports
 reduced reading/language
level,
 opportunities to
discuss/verbalize subject
matter
 peer tutoring/paired working
arrangement
 shortened assignments
 highlighted text/materials
 assignment/homework
notebook
 the use of manipulatives

15. “I HAVE COME TO A FRIGHTENING CONCLUSION
THAT I AM THE DECISIVE ELEMENT IN THE
CLASSROOM. IT’S MY PERSONAL APPROACH
THAT CREATES THE CLIMATE. IT’S MY DAILY
MOOD THAT DETERMINES THE WEATHER. AS A
TEACHER, I POSSESS A TREMENDOUS POWER
TO MAKE A CHILD’S LIFE MISERABLE OR
JOYOUS. I CAN BE A TOOL OF TORTURE OR AN
INSTRUMENT OF INSPIRATION. I CAN HUMILIATE
OR HUMOR, HURT OR HEAL. IN ALL SITUATIONS,
IT IS MY RESPONSE THAT DECIDES WHETHER A
CRISIS WILL BE ESCALATED OR DE-ESCALATED
AND A CHILD HUMANIZED OR DE-HUMANIZED.”
HAIM GINOTT
Classroom Management

16. PREVENTION: ASSUME NOTHING
Classroom Management

17. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:
PREVENTION
 Be proactive
 Repeat and remind
 Positive learning
environment –
internalization of rules
 Greet students at the door
 Positive reinforcement –
verbal praise: specific and
behaviour-oriented
 Clear consistent class
routines
 Transitions that are quick
and quiet
 Monitor student learning
 Accommodate and
anticipate student needs
 Room arrangement

18. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:
ROOM ARRANGEMENT
 How are student desks set up?
 Where is the teacher’s desk located?
 Do you have an open space area?

20. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT:
TEAM TEACHING
 Team teaching
 Teacher collaborations
 Staffings

21. DOES YOUR SCHOOL…
 Have a playground?
 A green space?
 A school or community garden?
 Space for children to run and play safely
outside?
 Plants in the classrooms?
 Classroom pets?
 Get involved with planting and greening
projects?

22. NATURE WAS MY RITALIN:
“Possible environmental reasons for
the rise of attention difficulties
include toxins in food, air, and
water; the proliferation of distracting
digital communications; and a
sedentary lifestyle enforced by fear,
bad urban design and an
educational ethic that appears to
value sitting for tests more than
running at recess.”
Richard Louv

23. NATURE FOR NURTURING
Student Profiles
 Hyperactive
 Minimal attention spans
 Inability to concentrate
 Inability to remember
classroom routines
Research
 Sept, 2004 – American Journal of
Public Health: students exposed to
natural settings helped reduce
symptoms of ADHD
 Same results, by University of
Illinois, 2004
 2005 – California Dept of Education:
27% increase in student science
scores due to classes in outdoor
education settings
 University of Michigan, several
studies: significant increase in
concentration for students close to
nature

24. NATURE FOR NURTURING:
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
 Bring green into your classroom
 Use the playground
 Encourage recess
 Take students outside for the lesson
 Teach students to appreciate nature
 Have a classroom pet
 Grow a garden in pots or in the soil

25. FLIPPING THE CLASSROOM:
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY
 Can be used with almost any subject
 Pre-loaded video – eg. Khan Academy
 Pause, rewind, re-watch
 Post questions
 Self-paced: remediation or moving ahead
 Focus in class is application (90%), not
instruction (10%)

26. 360 DEGREE MATH
 Based on social, neurological and educational
research
 Made up of five steps:
 The exchange
 The rewind
 The micro-lecture
 The practice
 The proof

27. PATHWAYS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR
MUSLIM SCHOOLS
Some avenues to consider

28. RESOURCES
 Discipline with Dignity video series through
Islamic Teacher Education Program
 Blog talks about Special Education in the
Islamic school classroom
 Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv
 Discipline with Dignity by Mendler & Curwin
 Webinar:
 Creativity in the Islamic School Classroom

29. REGISTER AT
ISLAMICTEACHEREDUCATIONPROGRAM.COM
Claire Alkouatli will be doing a webinar on May
4th highlighting her research on play-based
learning, creativity and the whole child.
‘Islamic Studies as a Tool
for Whole Child Development’

30. ISLAMICTEACHEREDUCATIONPROGRAM.COM
Be sure to sign up to receive free dua posters
available at the booth

31. ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
Teacher education for Islamic schooling
3 Courses – Online & Interactive
School Group Package
Cohorts begins: May 8, 2014
Pre-register here at ISNA Ed Forum to receive 15% OFF!

32. REFLECTION AND QUESTIONS
Final Thoughts...

33. Thank You
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