Special Education Services

The Little Falls Township Public School District provides the full continuum of services to district students, based upon needs identified and agreed upon by the IEP team. The following descriptions are a basic guide and informational reference point as to the types of specialized programs currently established in the resident district. Please note that these descriptions are general in nature, and do not adequately reflect the full scope of program options available.

RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAMS

The resource center offers a range of instructional services for children in grades kindergarten through third grade in the areas of reading, math and language arts. Instruction includes pull-out replacement instruction, pull-out support and in-class support based on the children’s level of need. Instruction and support is based on the child’s IEP goals and objectives and delivered in a small group special education classroom. General education curriculum is modified and adapted to meet the children’s individual needs and supplemented with special education materials. A special education, multi-sensory reading program is implemented for children whose needs cannot be adequately met with the general education materials alone. In-class support involves adapting and modifying the general education curriculum within the child’s general education classroom. These services are provided anywhere from two times per week for a particular subject to five times per week depending on the child’s needs. The services typically last for the duration of the general education class period.

The resource center in-class support program in School #2 provides services to classified students in the least restrictive environment of the regular education classroom. The services include; redirection of student’s on-task behaviors, instructional support, support during testing, collaboration with regular education teacher.

The resource rooms in the intermediate and upper grades provide replacement instruction in Reading, Language and Math. The groups range in size from two to nine students. Any group exceeding seven students is provided with an aide. The New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards are implemented through alternative curriculum choices. Each student’s IEP goals and objectives are given focus within the realm of the curriculum.

In-class support in the intermediate and upper grades is provided on an individual basis based on the student’s IEP. Instructional support ranges from Reading (Literature), Language, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Health and World Language at the present time. The in-class support teacher collaborates with the regular education teacher so that students may participate successfully in the mainstream curriculum.

LEARNING AND/OR LANGUAGE DISABILITIES SELF-CONTAINED CLASSES

The Learning and/or Language Disabilities (LLD) Classes are self-contained, small-group classes for students with mild to moderate, and severe disabilities. The New Jersey Core Curriculum is presented to all students through individualized and specialized instructional strategies with an emphasis on language-based instruction. Students requiring this degree of support benefit from individualized and small-group instruction, and specialized instructional materials, which are selected to correlate to the continuum of New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards, and are aligned with the academic performance level of the individual students. All LLD classes are staffed by certified Teachers of the Handicapped, with support provided by Speech/Language Specialists, Child Study Team members, and trained paraprofessionals.

At both the primary (Grades K-2), and intermediate (Grades 3-4) school levels, a hands-on, multi-sensory approach is utilized in small groups or in a one-to-one setting. Instruction can be provided for all academic subject areas as determined appropriate for each individual student. A Speech/Language Specialist is present within the class each day to provide individual and small group instruction and to infuse language development activities and application of language skills throughout the curriculum. Additional support is provided by classroom paraprofessionals. A class-wide positive behavioral system is an integral part of the program, and the development of social skills and interpersonal skills is addressed. Individual consideration is given to each student for maximum participation in the regular education environment as deemed appropriate for academic or social enhancement.

A similar program is offered at the Middle School level (Grades 5-8), to provide an ongoing continuum of services and support. At this level, the students in the LLD class receive instruction in all major academic areas, with more of a typical Middle School “departmentalized” format. Students are able to receive the required elements of their academic instruction in an individualized or small group setting, while participating with their peers in general education to the maximum extent possible. The LLD teacher makes modifications and adaptations to the general education curriculum to provide a successful education experience for each pupil. A life skills component has recently been added to the program, whereby students will be developing functional daily living skills that will prepare them for application of reading and math skills in life, as well as beginning preparation for the work place.