Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living

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Something to KNOW

Student Behaviors Associated with Post-school Success

So, what does it take to succeed after high school?

 Knowledge of strengths and limitations

-Express personal strengths

-Describe personal limitations

-Explain academic situations where assistance is needed

-Describe academic situations where success is experienced

Actions related to strengths and limitations

-Find situations to use personal strengths

-Find situations where personal limitations are not highlighted

-Consider personal weaknesses when making decisions

-Create new strategies to compensate for personal limitations

Disability awareness

-Report accurate information regarding one’s own disability

-Express types of accommodations needed for success

-View a disability as only one aspect of life

-Explain the special education services that one receives to others

Employment

-Express the desire for a job that matches career interests

-Demonstrate job readiness skills, such as being on time, completing work as assigned, and working cooperatively

-Successfully participate in a career technology or job-training program

-Obtain a paid job

Goal setting and attainment

-Participate in the systematic learning of goal setting and attainment

-Understand the importance of setting and striving for goals

-Set post-school goals that match skills and interests

-Attain at least one transition goal

Persistence

-Understand the importance of putting forth continued effort in school

-Work toward a goal until it is accomplished

-Utilize multiple strategies to stay on task

-Continue to work toward a goal after facing adversity

Proactive involvement

-Maintain at least one good friend

-Successfully participate in small groups to complete projects

-Successfully participate in community organizations such as sport clubs and social groups

-Successfully interact with peers, teachers, and other adults

Self-advocacy

-Use the Internet or other sources to understand disability rights, supports, and accommodations

-Identify effective and ineffective accommodations

-Request additional accommodations when encountered with one that is ineffective

-Discuss post-school goals with the IEP team

-Actively lead one’s IEP meeting

Supports

-Recognize the difference between individuals who provide a positive source of support from those who do not

-Identify situations when positive support people are needed

-Use help from positive support people only when needed and necessary

-Maintain a support network by showing appreciation or reciprocity

Utilization of resources

-Seek assistance from other sources when the people in one’s current network of positive support people cannot help

-Use available support people at school or work

-Use the Internet to access information for possible support services or community agencies

-Seek assistance from community agencies

 

Based on research by McConnell, Martin, et al., and the Zarrow Center for Learning Enrichment, University of Oklahoma.  Research funded through Institute of Educations Sciences, National Center for Special Education Research (Grant # R324A100246)

 

Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success: Tips for Parents and Families (Part 1)

Many parents of youth approaching adulthood worry about their child’s future.  Whether youth have disabilities or not, parents want to know what they can do to help their sons and daughters decide on a career, support their job hunting, and succeed in the workplace.  One way family members can help is by working with and encouraging youth to develop soft skills.  Even though parents may not know this term, they will discover that they are familiar with these every day, common sense skills that are important in all aspects of life.  Soft skills help youth succeed in life no matter what they are doing.  By improving these skills, a youth can enhance his or her social life, do better in post-secondary studies, and be more successful at finding and maintaining employment.  Families can use several strategies to help develop soft skills.

 

The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) conducted research called the Equipped for the Future Framework (EFF) which addresses some key foundational “hard skills,” specifically reading, writing, and math skills, along with the important soft skills needed not only in the workplace but as members of families and society.

The EFF skills include:

Communication Skills

-Read with understanding

– Convey ideas in writing

-Speak so others can understand

– Listen actively

-Observe critically

 

Interpersonal Skills

-Guide others

-Resolve conflict and negotiate

-Advocate and influence

-Cooperate with others

 

Decision Making Skills

-Use math to solve problems and communicate

-Solve problems and make decisions

-Plan

 

Lifelong Learning Skills

-Take responsibility for learning

-Reflect and evaluate

-Learn through research

-Use information and communications technology

 

… Stay tuned for more on this topic…

 

This document was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, funded by a grant/contract/cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month

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Awareness. Now that it’s mid-October, we’re pretty sure you’ve heard this buzzword quite frequently. What does it even mean anyway? One definition says it’s “to be conscious of”. Conscious of Down syndrome? Most people know that Down syndrome exists, so maybe a better way to describe what we try to achieve in October is an understanding of Down syndrome. For those who don’t have an intimate connection, there is often misunderstanding about what Down syndrome is. And what it is not.

Down syndrome does not equal “angelic” or “happy all the time”. While the sentiment is well-meaning, it’s just not true – people with Down syndrome experience the same emotions as everyone else. They are sad and glad and mad…and sometimes all within the same hour. Just like everyone else.

Down syndrome does not mean being incapable of learning. People with Down syndrome are lifelong learners – just like everyone else. The understanding we want to convey is this: Down syndrome is just a part of who a person is. They each have unique gifts and personalities; strengths and weaknesses; likes and dislikes. They are More Alike Than Different. Of course we all know that, but it is incumbent upon us to help others understand it. So, thank you all for your energy and hard work devoted to making this October the best one yet when it comes to creating awareness and understanding!

 

borrowed from the National Down Syndrome Congress Communicator, October 2011