Teaching Self-determination Skills Research Articles

Speaking Up: Infusing Self-Determination Within Writing Instruction to Amplify the Voice of Students With EBD

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) often struggle to apply self-determination skills. Teaching self-determination skills within the context of writing allows students to amplify their voice and communicate with others. This article describes how writing instruction and lessons on self-determination skills may be combined to improve the trajectory of students with EBD using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instructional approach. Special considerations for implementing SRSD with self-determination for students in restrictive education settings are discussed.

“Being Yourself”: Self-Determination at a Summer Sports Camp for Youths With Visual Impairments

Introduction: This mixed-methods study examined self-determination at a summer sports camp for youths with visual impairments (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). Educators of students with visual impairment have reported that the expanded core curriculum should be taught outside of the school day and have reported placing a lower priority on teaching self-determination skills during school hours. Methods: Athletes at a mid-Atlantic sports camp for youths with visual impairments responded to the American Institute for Research (AIR) Self-Determination Scale survey regarding perceptions of their own self-determination across three settings, a questionnaire about their experiences of self-determination during camp, and interviews about their understanding of self-determination at camp. Adult coaches responded to a questionnaire concerning opportunities for athletes to develop self-determination skills. Results: A repeated measures ANOVA on composite scores of AIR Self-Determination Scale across home, school, and camp settings revealed athletes were statistically significant, F(2.13) = 24.24, p < .001. Athletes were more confident in their self-determination skills at camp ( M = 26.6, SD = 3.33) compared to home ( M = 19.1, SD = 5.76) and school ( M = 19.2, SD = 5.21). Athletes reported the camp setting allowed for the development of self-determination skills by fostering positive relationships between coaches and athletes, providing emotional support, and promoting inclusion with respect to visual impairment. Limitations included the small sample size, question comprehension, shortened data collection, busy environment, and nature of the relationship between participants and researchers. Discussion: This research will contribute to literature related to teaching self-determination skills to young people with visual impairments and has implications for classroom learning. Implications for Practitioners: Low student-to-staff ratios, access to adapted sports, options to follow one's interests throughout the day, and goal-setting are aspects of camp that educators can adopt to promote self-determination in school.

A Self-Monitoring Intervention to Improve the Self-Determination of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disability in a Postsecondary Educational Program

Self-determination skills are critical for improving life outcomes for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD). The recent growth of postsecondary education (PSE) programs for those with IDD has provided additional opportunities for teaching self-determination skills. This study used a multiple probe across participants design with six individuals with IDD. The intervention consisted of a self-determination choice-making curriculum along with the use of a self-monitoring checklist to increase self-determination skills. Data were analyzed using visual analysis. Results revealed gains in participants’ knowledge of choice-making steps with moderate effect size gains. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Goal-Setting Instruction: A Step-by-Step Guide for High School Students

Teaching self-determination skills to students with disabilities can improve both behavior and academic achievement while having a lasting impact on life outcomes. Specifically, goal setting is a highly useful and transferrable life skill that can enhance motivation, increase access to curriculum, and promote independence while improving academics and behavior. Unfortunately, students with disabilities are often not provided with adequate instruction to learn and practice goal-setting skills in school. To that end, this article presents a step-by-step guide for teachers to explicitly teach high school students with disabilities how to self-set goals to improve their behavior and academic achievement.

Teaching Self-Determination Skills to Male Adolescents with Mild/Moderate Disabilities

The importance of teaching self-determination skills to all students is extremely important, but it especially vital that all adolescent males learn these skills as they seem to struggle the most with self-advocacy, communication skills, and self-efficacy. This article will focus on many facets of self-determination and will present interventions specifically for adolescent males.

The effects of teaching self-determination skills on the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional behavioral disorders

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of teaching self- determination skills on the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The Research method was quasi experimental with pre and post- test and control group. To achieve our goals, thirty students who received high scores in the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (N = 15) or the control group (N = 15). Students in the experimental group participated in 16 sessions (1 session per week) receiving Self determination curriculum (Field and Hoffman’s model) intervention, and the control group did not receive any training. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) by participants was completed before and after intervention. MANOVA was used for data analysis. The findings showed that the effects of teaching self- determination skills on decreasing the externalizing behaviors of students with emotional and behavioral disorders was significant. The emerged finding can have clinical applications in prevention and treatment of student’s behavioral disorders. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.

Promoting Self-Determination for Students with Visual Impairments: A Review of the Literature

Introduction: Self-determination is a highly valued but under-researched component of the expanded core curriculum for students with visual impairments. In this study, the authors present results of a literature review on self-determination for children and youths with visual impairments (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). Method: Self-determination studies were identified through searches of electronic databases for articles published from 2003 to 2016. Two researchers reviewed the articles and rated them in terms of quality indicators for research in special education. Results: Eleven articles, using correlational, qualitative, group experimental or quasi-experimental, and single-case research designs, met inclusion criteria for this literature review. Adherence to the quality indicators varied from 33% to 100%. Discussion: Students with visual impairments need age-appropriate opportunities to develop self-determination skills in school, home, and community settings. Short-term, focused programs and interventions may be promising methods for teaching self-determination skills; however, more research needs to be conducted to establish evidence-based practices in this area. Implications for practitioners: Practitioners can facilitate development of self-determination skills by supporting students in making decisions affecting their lives, encouraging involvement of students in the education and transition planning processes, and promoting self-advocacy.

Обучение подростков с легкой и средней степенью инвалидности навыкам самоопределения

Обучение подростков с легкой и средней степенью инвалидности навыкам самоопределения

The Effect of Teaching Self-determination Skills on Optimistic Explanatory Style and Academic Identity of Primary Male Students with Learning Disabilities

The Effect of Teaching Self-determination Skills on Optimistic Explanatory Style and Academic Identity of Primary Male Students with Learning Disabilities

Strategies for Teaching Self-Determination Skills in Conjunction With the Common Core

College and career readiness for all students includes supporting the needs of students with disabilities. Ensuring students with disabilities are college and career ready goes beyond academics and must include self-determination skill development. As schools adapt to the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), it is necessary for teachers to identify ways to teach self-determination skill instruction in conjunction with the CCSS, while considering the needs of students in a MTSS. This article provides teachers with step-by-step instructions for implementing two evidence-based strategies for teaching self-determination skills in the general curriculum supporting students in an MTSS.

The Impact of Teaching Self-Determination Skills on the On-Task and Off-Task Behaviors of Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

A multiple baseline across participants design was used to examine the functional relation between the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) intervention and the on- and off-task behaviors of high school students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The results showed that all four students significantly increased on-task behaviors and decreased off-task behaviors and all four participants maintained the increase of on-task behaviors and the decrease of off-task behaviors after the intervention was withdrawn. All four students made progress toward their goal of implementing on-task behavior in the classroom and generalized on-task behavior to a second general education classroom. The study provides evidence of effective self-determination instruction that supports students to improve their behavior in a general education classroom. Implications for practice and future research are provided.

Effects of Multimedia Goal-Setting Instruction on Students’ Knowledge of the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction and Disruptive Behavior

Students at risk for, or with, emotional disturbance during preadolescence struggle to adjust socially, behaviorally, and academically and often make choices about relationships that support problem behaviors. Research suggests explicitly teaching self-determination skills as early as preschool may prevent referral to special education with a label of emotional disturbance. This study examined the effects of a multimedia goal-setting intervention on students’ knowledge of the self-determined learning model of instruction and disruptive behavior. Results indicated a functional relationship between the independent variable and dependent variables. Limitations, suggestions for future research, and implications for practice are provided.

Self-Determination of Young Children With Special Needs From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds

Teaching self-determination skills is an effective way to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities. Embedding self-determination strategies in early childhood curriculum helps students with disabilities gain access to the general education. Considering families’ cultural values can improve relationships between professionals and parents, as well as maximum the effectiveness of intervention. However, there has been limited research to address self-determination in young children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This article is a literature review of studies that addressed self-determination in young children with special needs and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. An analysis of the findings reveals that self-determination needs to be adapted according to a child's age and their cultural values. To promote development of self-determination in young children with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to build collaborative relationships with families, professionals need a better understanding of various cultural values. Implications and practices for professionals and educators are provided.

Perspectives of General and Special Educators on Fostering Self-Determination in Elementary and Middle Schools

Recognizing that many youth with disabilities lack critical self-determination skills and that such deficits may be a contributing factor to disappointing postschool outcomes, educators and researchers have called for increased attention to promoting student self-determination in the early grades. The authors queried 891 elementary and middle school teachers regarding the extent to which they valued and provided instruction in seven self-determination skill domains. Educators generally perceived self-determination to be an important curricular priority, and the majority reported teaching self-determination skills at least sometimes in their classrooms. Special educators' ratings of overall importance were significantly higher than those of general educators. Middle school teachers reported providing self-determination instruction more frequently than elementary school teachers. These findings lend additional support to calls for promoting self-determination within the general curriculum in the earlier grades.

Effects of GO 4 IT . . . NOW! Strategy Instruction on the Written IEP Goal Articulation and Paragraph-Writing Skills of Middle School Students With Disabilities

The current standards-based reform movement, which emphasizes teaching academic skills to all students, holds promise for students with disabilities. However, there is concern that this movement's sole focus on academic skills will leave less room for teaching self-determination skills. One possible solution is to identify interventions that can teach self-determination and academic skills simultaneously. This study investigated the effects of such an intervention (i.e., GO 4 IT . . . NOW!) with 12 middle school students with high-incidence disabilities. The findings showed a functional relationship between the instruction and (a) students' abilities to articulate Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals in writing and (b) paragraph-writing skills in students' IEP goal paragraphs.

Self-Determination Interventions

This brief synthesis of theory, research, and practice examines the role of self-determination as a factor in school completion and considers the importance of teaching self-determination skills for all youth. Self-determination interventions can help students to develop the internal motivational architecture they need to achieve success in school and as young adults. Furthermore, educators can help students to apply self-determination strategies to personally meaningful goals, which further strengthens their engagement in school and likelihood of school completion.

Promoting Access to the General Curriculum by Teaching Self-Determination Skills

Although participation and progress in the general curriculum is mandated for all students, models to achieve such access often neglect students with more severe disabilities. Promoting self-determination linked to standards is an entry point to ensuring access to the general curriculum for all students, including students with severe disabilities. In this study, middle school students with intellectual disabilities alternately learned problem-solving and study planning skills linked to language arts, science, and social studies standards. Students in both intervention groups showed significantly more capacity on the targeted skill as compared to the alternating control group, and all students achieved goals at better than average levels. Promoting self-determination provides students with disabilities with additional strategies to access the general curriculum.