I am revising a high school level textbook for foods and nutrition classes. The publisher is interested in including tips teachers can use in their classrooms to meet the needs of students with various types of disabilities, including learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Topics that would be covered in the class include nutrition; food safety; basic cooking skills; careers in the food industry; buying, storing, and preparing specific foods; and international cuisines. In addition to typical lecture, textbook reading, and workbook assignments, the class would include a lot of cooking labs. I would be interested in any tips you might share about the special needs students might exhibit in this environment and how teachers might address those needs.
Re: meeting special needs in foods classes
Icons for measurement etc. included in recipes and procedures would be wonderful. I had a student several years ago who had a traumatic brain injury that affected her recall and processing. We searched far and wide for cookbooks with visual cues for quantities and procedures- that didn’t look like they were made for little kids. At that time, they were few and far between, so we made our own with photos for the steps and icons for teaspoons etc. (She would read 2 1/2 tsp as two half tsp.) I would have killed for a book that had that already done that was reasonably priced.
Robin
Re: meeting special needs in foods classes
Deb -
I think it’s great that you’re looking to meet the needs of all students! I taught students who had physical disabilities for a few years and found it very challenging to come up with new ideas (or so called inventions) to meet the needs of my students who were wheelchair bound, or unable to use their hands. Their is alot of assistive technology out their for students who can’t turn on a small appliance, such as a blender. I think the majority of accommodations will be in the cooking lab.
If you know of any Occupational Therapists, they would be able to give you alot of ideas. Physical Therapists are also very helpful in finding gadgets.
Good Luck!
Re: meeting special needs in foods classes
Icons for measurement etc. included in recipes and procedures would be wonderful. I had a student several years ago who had a traumatic brain injury that affected her recall and processing. We searched far and wide for cookbooks with visual cues for quantities and procedures- that didn’t look like they were made for little kids. At that time, they were few and far between, so we made our own with photos for the steps and icons for teaspoons etc. (She would read 2 1/2 tsp as two half tsp.) I would have killed for a book that had that already done that was reasonably priced.
Robin
Deb -
I think it’s great that you’re looking to meet the needs of all students! I taught students who had physical disabilities for a few years and found it very challenging to come up with new ideas (or so called inventions) to meet the needs of my students who were wheelchair bound, or unable to use their hands. Their is alot of assistive technology out their for students who can’t turn on a small appliance, such as a blender. I think the majority of accommodations will be in the cooking lab.
If you know of any Occupational Therapists, they would be able to give you alot of ideas. Physical Therapists are also very helpful in finding gadgets.
Good Luck!