Paraeducator

In this common adapted physical education (APE) class there are paraeducators who work on every student individually, so they are the ones that spend more time with each student. Although, they are defined as a related service that includes support the student movement and focus, keep the student focus and provide verbal cues. A pyramid going from less supportive to more supportive can be used to determine how to use a paraeducator in a class. The first level of the pyramid is based on a direct support to the student with disabilities. Other studies have shown that direct support decreases social interaction when paraeducators are always too close helping the student. The second level is similar to the first, but the paraeducator helps the

These points are also important because they stress the importance of the interaction and communication with the paraeducator. The significance of preparing the class before the paraeducator is in it, it is one more thing to be alert of. These two factors not only affect physical education teachers but any kind of teacher. The use of APE teachers is good for any class, but it really helps when a physical education class is in course. Other Curricular areas like music, art, and science might also require the need of a paraeducator. Paraeducators have to be well-informed to provide a good support to the student with disabilities. Sometimes paraeducators do not have the knowledge of the subject, so the general teacher should help him in any doubts or questions he might have. An option is using video modeling to show the paraeducator how the activity looks like. To include these techniques in a general classroom some resources are needed. These resources are a videocamera, projector, eager paraeducators, and genereal teachers must have time to dedicate for the paraeducator. Teachers who are too busy and do not have time to prepare their lesson plans have to get ready ahead of time all the information that the paraeducator will

The first method is having the paraeducator as a helper of the teacher assisting any of the students of the class. The second part of the paraeducator inclusion is based on assigning modifications through the IEP process whic will target a single child. The last way to implement a paraeducator is video modeling. Video modeling is the most individualize process of these three. In this process the paraeducator assess directly the student with learning disabilities. Thus, the teacher is able to dedicate all of his time to the rest of the