Springer Elementary Ability Awareness Week

Come and volunteer and see the SELPA 1 CAC ‘s Ability Awareness program designed to build empathy, inclusion, acceptance for students with challenges.  Our thoughtful discussions and simulations allow students to walk in another person’s shoes and understand what daily life might be like for others with visible and invisible challenges.  The activities we have planned for Springer students include the following.

PT- We allow children to experience  wheelchairs, walkers, quad canes, crutches and grabbers to create an awareness of what it may be like to struggle with physical challenges on a daily basis.

Mirror Box activity-  this activity allows students to experience what it might be like to have dyslexia or other visual motor processing issues.

Dot to Dot- an activity designed to simulate what it might feel like if you weren’t able to block out background noise and attention issues.

Fine Motor- Kids try on button down shirts with socks on their hands to simulate fine motor struggles.

Social Sense- We discuss social rules in school and how we feel when they are broken.  This simulation and discussion simulates what it might feel like to have social skills challenges, like Autism, Intellectual Disabilities,  ADHD, and many others.

English Language Learner-  This DOES NOT fall under special education, however, students new to English often experience similar experiences with friendships, exclusion and acceptance among their peers due to language barriers. We have a discussion of how to include , find common ground, and develop friendships with students new to English.