Career & Technical Education Blog

As a CTE teacher, chances are that you have or will have special populations students in your classroom. Meeting these students' individual needs is critical for their success now and in their future careers. But without effective strategies in place, you could feel overwhelmed and unable to help.

Reading is far more complex than we might initially think. It requires the human brain to connect letters to sounds, put those sounds in the correct order and pull words together into the sentences and paragraphs we read every day. Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability affecting 15% of the U.S. population according to the International Dyslexia Association . Individuals with dyslexia have difficulties with language skills, particularly reading, however, symptoms can include challenges when spelling, writing and even pronouncing words.

As a CTE educator, you more than likely have had the student who stares out the window, draws a bird instead of answering a question on homework, or simply can’t sit still in their seat. The one who answers the question, “What is the powerhouse of the cell?” with “Do you dye your hair?” Students who exhibit hallmark symptoms of ADHD, including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity have significant barriers to overcome in order to reach the same goals and expectations as other students.

Taking time to learn about and understand the individuals and communities we serve as CTE educators is a critical first step in ensuring impactful CTE education for all. When students enter your classroom, they are walking in as more than just another year of students. Your students come from diverse backgrounds, have unique experiences and challenges in which CTE educators must be attuned to. If CTE educators skip truly understanding their students and their perspective when designing instruction, the program at best will serve some students and at worst, actively harm special populations students.

For some teachers,  the difficult part of teaching  isn’t  developing  content,  it’s  differentiation.  Fifty years ago, classrooms were organized in a teacher-centered manner focusing primarily on completing coursework. As  education has  evolved, teachers  now implement a variety of teaching strategies into each lesson, and those with special populations  students must  develop teaching strategies to ensure all student's educational needs are met.   

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is the development of skills necessary for self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making. These abilities help students become successful adults, establish healthy relationships and positively impact their community.