Life Skills

Life skills programs are designed for those students whose primary disability is Intellectual Impairment or Developmental Delay.  These students MAY also present with multiple disabilities, and may have health issues.   Students typically have significant challenges with spontaneous use of their thinking and communication skills, social/interpersonal skills, adaptive behavior skills, community skills and academic skills that impact the ability to learn and make effective progress in the regular education classroom.  Students appropriate for this level of support require intensive, individualized instruction in small class settings.

• Life skills programs provide activities and materials that are developmental and multisensory in nature, include hands-on manipulatives and lessons guided by the Curriculum Frameworks’ learning standards.
• Students are taught functional skills and strategies that increase fine motor abilities, how to follow a daily routine, self-help skills, communication skills and skills to prepare them for success within the community.
• These students are included with their typical peers to the maximum extent possible.
• These students may require related services of (i.e. Speech and Language, P.T., O.T., Vision, and Adapted Physical Education) in order to access the curriculum.
• Most Life skills students participate in MCAS-Alternate Portfolio assessment.

Consideration for Life skills:

Students appropriate for this classroom present with significantly below average general intellectual functioning that is accompanied by significant limitations in adaptive functioning in two or more of the following skill areas:

• communication
• self-care
• domestic skills
• social/interpersonal skills
• community skills
• academic skills

If you suspect that your child needs a life skills program ask your child’s teacher or school administrator about how to initiate the screening process.

Staffing:

Teacher of Severe Disability – provide high quality instructional experience to students with severe disabilities through creativity, resourcefulness and sound judgment, consistent with the curriculum frameworks, standards, and the rules and regulations of the Worcester Public Schools.  Students are taught compensatory strategies using multi-sensory techniques to enable them to reach their full potential as members of the Worcester Public School community.

Instructional Assistant – support the instruction of all students by reinforcing lessons with individual students and small groups of students. Tasks and duties are assigned and directed by the classroom teacher and other professional staff.

Certified Nursing Assistants – provide direct student care and student care related activities, including but not limited to: personal care, activities of daily living (ADLs), assisting with educational activities, and other skills required to meet individual student plan of care and learning objectives.  Tasks and duties are assigned and directed by a Registered Nurse (RN) and classroom teacher.  CNAs/MAs may be assigned to one or more students to meet the needs of students throughout the district.