Comprehensive Glossary of Terms

Special Education
Special Education Team
Educator Guide
For Clinicians
5 minute read

Speech-Language Pathology

Articulation: How clearly sounds are produced (e.g., difficulty pronouncing "r" or "l").

Aphasia: Difficulty communicating due to brain injury, affecting speaking, understanding, reading, or writing.

Apraxia: Difficulty planning and coordinating speech movements, leading to problems forming sounds or words.

Dysarthria: Difficulty speaking due to muscle weakness or paralysis, affecting speech clarity and fluency.

Fluency: Smoothness and flow of speech, including rhythm, pacing, and ease of speaking.

Phonology: The sound system of a language, including how sounds are combined to form words.

Pragmatics: Using language appropriately in social situations, including nonverbal cues and turn-taking.

Receptive Language: Understanding spoken language, including vocabulary and grammar.

Expressive Language: Using language to communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

Speech Delay: When a child's speech development falls behind expectations for their age.

Counseling

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addresses negative thought patterns and behaviors by identifying and modifying them.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Helps manage emotions, improve relationships, and tolerate distress by learning skills like mindfulness and distress tolerance.

Couples Therapy: Helps couples improve communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen their relationship.

Family Therapy: Helps families communicate better, function more effectively, and resolve challenges.

Grief Counseling: Provides support and guidance after experiencing a loss.

Mental Health Assessment: Evaluates mental health status and diagnoses disorders using interviews, tests, and observations.

Psychotherapy: General term for therapy that uses psychological techniques to treat mental health conditions and emotional distress.

Stress Management: Techniques to reduce stress and improve coping skills, promoting overall well-being.

Testing

Achievement Test: Measures academic knowledge and skills acquired in a specific subject area.

Aptitude Test: Measures potential for success in a particular field or type of training.

Intelligence Test (IQ Test): Measures cognitive abilities like reasoning, problem-solving, and information processing.

Neuropsychological Assessment: Evaluates brain function and identifies potential cognitive impairments that may affect learning and behavior.

Personality Test: Measures personality traits and tendencies, used for various purposes like career guidance.

Standardized Test: Administered and scored in a consistent way to allow for comparisons across individuals or groups.

Child Psychology

Attachment Theory: How early relationships with caregivers affect a child's emotional development and social interactions.

Developmental Milestones: Expected skills and behaviors children achieve at different ages (e.g., walking, talking, socialization).

Learning Disabilities: Difficulties with specific academic skills like reading, writing, or math despite normal intelligence.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Pattern of negative and defiant behavior towards authority figures.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Social communication challenges and restricted interests or repetitive behaviors.

Social-Emotional Development: How children develop emotions, social skills, and self-regulation.

Executive Functioning

Attention Control: Ability to focus and maintain focus on a task without distraction.

Working Memory: Ability to hold information in mind for short-term use and manipulate it mentally.

Planning and Problem-Solving: Ability to set goals, develop strategies, and solve problems effectively.

Organization: Ability to manage time, materials, and tasks in a structured and efficient way.

Time Management: Ability to plan and use time effectively to meet deadlines and goals.

Self-Monitoring: Ability to track your own progress, evaluate performance, and adjust behavior accordingly.

Social Work

Advocacy: Supporting and defending the rights of individuals, families, and communities.

Case Management: Coordinating services and resources to meet the needs of clients.

Child Welfare: Protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, ensuring their safety and well-being.

Crisis Intervention: Providing immediate support and resources during a difficult or dangerous situation.

Disability Services: Helping individuals with disabilities live independently and participate in their communities.

Mental Health Services: Providing counseling, therapy, and support for individuals with mental health conditions.

Social Justice: Working to create a more equitable and just society for all.

Special Education

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A legal document outlining a student's special education needs, goals, and services.

504 Plan: A plan to provide accommodations for students with disabilities in the general education setting without requiring special education services.

SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals used in IEPs to ensure they are clear, attainable, and track progress. (Note: SMART Goals can be a general goal-setting framework, but it has particular importance in Special Education)

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Educating students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible, with appropriate supports and services.

Learning Disability (LD): Difficulty with a specific academic skill (e.g., reading, writing, math) despite normal intelligence.

Inclusion: Educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms with support services.

Differentiation: Tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs and learning styles of all students.

Assistive Technology: Tools and devices that help students with disabilities learn and participate in school activities (e.g., text-to-speech software, adapted keyboards).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Designing learning environments and materials to be accessible to all students, regardless of their abilities.

School-Based Admin Team

Principal: The overall leader of the school, responsible for educational programs, staff supervision, and school climate.

Assistant Principal: Provides support to the principal and oversees specific areas (e.g., curriculum, discipline).

Curriculum Director: Leads curriculum development and implementation, ensuring alignment with standards and student needs.

Guidance Counselor: Provides academic, social-emotional, and career counseling to students.

School Psychologist: Assesses students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs to provide support and interventions.

Special Education Coordinator: Oversees special education programs and services, ensuring compliance with regulations and meeting student needs.

Social Worker: Provides social-emotional support and connects families with resources to address challenges outside of school.

Dean of Students: Manages student discipline and behavior issues, promoting a safe and positive school environment.

Job Titles

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): Evaluates and treats speech and language disorders in children and adults.

School Counselor: Provides academic, social-emotional, and career counseling to students in a school setting.

School Psychologist: Assesses students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs to provide support and interventions.

Child Psychiatrist: Diagnoses and treats mental health disorders in children and adolescents.

Special Education Teacher: Provides instruction to students with disabilities, using specialized strategies and accommodations.

Special Education Teacher Assistant: Supports special education teachers in the classroom by providing individualized instruction and assistance to students.

Resource Room Teacher: Works with students with disabilities in a specialized setting to provide targeted instruction and support.

Occupational Therapist (OT): Helps children develop the fine and gross motor skills needed for learning and daily activities.

Physical Therapist (PT): Helps children develop the gross motor skills needed for mobility and participation in school activities.

School Social Worker: Provides social-emotional support to students and families, connecting them with resources to address challenges outside of school.

School Administrator: Oversees the day-to-day operations of the school, encompassing various leadership roles (e.g., principal, assistant principal).

School Neuropsychologist: Assesses brain function and how it relates to learning and behavior in children.

Behavior Intervention Specialist: Develops and implements plans to address challenging behaviors in students.

General Education Teacher: Provides instruction to students in a general education classroom setting.

Learning Strategies

Active Learning: Students engage with the material through discussions, problem-solving, and activities, rather than passively receiving information.

Microlearning: Breaking down information into small, focused modules for easier digestion and knowledge retention.

Spaced Repetition: Reviewing information at increasing intervals to improve long-term memory and knowledge recall.

Adaptive Learning: Learning platforms that adjust to the individual learner's pace and needs, providing personalized instruction.

Blended Learning: Combining online and offline learning methods to create a more flexible and engaging learning experience.

Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements (points, badges, leaderboards) into learning experiences to boost engagement and motivation.

Knowledge Transfer: Ability to apply knowledge learned in one context to another, promoting deeper understanding and problem-solving skills.

Self-Directed Learning: Taking ownership of your own learning journey by setting goals, choosing learning resources, and monitoring progress.

Lifelong Learning: The ongoing process of acquiring new knowledge and skills throughout life to stay relevant

Tele-Services

Telehealth: The delivery of healthcare services remotely using telecommunications technology, encompassing various specialties like speech-language pathology and counseling.

Teletherapy: The use of telecommunications technology to provide therapy services remotely (e.g., video conferencing for psychotherapy sessions).

Teleassessment: The use of telecommunications technology to conduct assessments remotely, such as psychological evaluations.

Teleconsultation: The use of telecommunications technology to consult with another healthcare professional remotely, allowing for collaboration and expertise sharing.

Share this post
Special Education
Special Education Team
Educator Guide

Comprehensive Glossary of Terms

Special Education
Special Education Team
Educator Guide
For Clinicians
5 minute read

Speech-Language Pathology

Articulation: How clearly sounds are produced (e.g., difficulty pronouncing "r" or "l").

Aphasia: Difficulty communicating due to brain injury, affecting speaking, understanding, reading, or writing.

Apraxia: Difficulty planning and coordinating speech movements, leading to problems forming sounds or words.

Dysarthria: Difficulty speaking due to muscle weakness or paralysis, affecting speech clarity and fluency.

Fluency: Smoothness and flow of speech, including rhythm, pacing, and ease of speaking.

Phonology: The sound system of a language, including how sounds are combined to form words.

Pragmatics: Using language appropriately in social situations, including nonverbal cues and turn-taking.

Receptive Language: Understanding spoken language, including vocabulary and grammar.

Expressive Language: Using language to communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings.

Speech Delay: When a child's speech development falls behind expectations for their age.

Counseling

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Addresses negative thought patterns and behaviors by identifying and modifying them.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Helps manage emotions, improve relationships, and tolerate distress by learning skills like mindfulness and distress tolerance.

Couples Therapy: Helps couples improve communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen their relationship.

Family Therapy: Helps families communicate better, function more effectively, and resolve challenges.

Grief Counseling: Provides support and guidance after experiencing a loss.

Mental Health Assessment: Evaluates mental health status and diagnoses disorders using interviews, tests, and observations.

Psychotherapy: General term for therapy that uses psychological techniques to treat mental health conditions and emotional distress.

Stress Management: Techniques to reduce stress and improve coping skills, promoting overall well-being.

Testing

Achievement Test: Measures academic knowledge and skills acquired in a specific subject area.

Aptitude Test: Measures potential for success in a particular field or type of training.

Intelligence Test (IQ Test): Measures cognitive abilities like reasoning, problem-solving, and information processing.

Neuropsychological Assessment: Evaluates brain function and identifies potential cognitive impairments that may affect learning and behavior.

Personality Test: Measures personality traits and tendencies, used for various purposes like career guidance.

Standardized Test: Administered and scored in a consistent way to allow for comparisons across individuals or groups.

Child Psychology

Attachment Theory: How early relationships with caregivers affect a child's emotional development and social interactions.

Developmental Milestones: Expected skills and behaviors children achieve at different ages (e.g., walking, talking, socialization).

Learning Disabilities: Difficulties with specific academic skills like reading, writing, or math despite normal intelligence.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD): Pattern of negative and defiant behavior towards authority figures.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Social communication challenges and restricted interests or repetitive behaviors.

Social-Emotional Development: How children develop emotions, social skills, and self-regulation.

Executive Functioning

Attention Control: Ability to focus and maintain focus on a task without distraction.

Working Memory: Ability to hold information in mind for short-term use and manipulate it mentally.

Planning and Problem-Solving: Ability to set goals, develop strategies, and solve problems effectively.

Organization: Ability to manage time, materials, and tasks in a structured and efficient way.

Time Management: Ability to plan and use time effectively to meet deadlines and goals.

Self-Monitoring: Ability to track your own progress, evaluate performance, and adjust behavior accordingly.

Social Work

Advocacy: Supporting and defending the rights of individuals, families, and communities.

Case Management: Coordinating services and resources to meet the needs of clients.

Child Welfare: Protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, ensuring their safety and well-being.

Crisis Intervention: Providing immediate support and resources during a difficult or dangerous situation.

Disability Services: Helping individuals with disabilities live independently and participate in their communities.

Mental Health Services: Providing counseling, therapy, and support for individuals with mental health conditions.

Social Justice: Working to create a more equitable and just society for all.

Special Education

Individualized Education Program (IEP): A legal document outlining a student's special education needs, goals, and services.

504 Plan: A plan to provide accommodations for students with disabilities in the general education setting without requiring special education services.

SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals used in IEPs to ensure they are clear, attainable, and track progress. (Note: SMART Goals can be a general goal-setting framework, but it has particular importance in Special Education)

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE): Educating students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent possible, with appropriate supports and services.

Learning Disability (LD): Difficulty with a specific academic skill (e.g., reading, writing, math) despite normal intelligence.

Inclusion: Educating students with disabilities in general education classrooms with support services.

Differentiation: Tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs and learning styles of all students.

Assistive Technology: Tools and devices that help students with disabilities learn and participate in school activities (e.g., text-to-speech software, adapted keyboards).

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Designing learning environments and materials to be accessible to all students, regardless of their abilities.

School-Based Admin Team

Principal: The overall leader of the school, responsible for educational programs, staff supervision, and school climate.

Assistant Principal: Provides support to the principal and oversees specific areas (e.g., curriculum, discipline).

Curriculum Director: Leads curriculum development and implementation, ensuring alignment with standards and student needs.

Guidance Counselor: Provides academic, social-emotional, and career counseling to students.

School Psychologist: Assesses students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs to provide support and interventions.

Special Education Coordinator: Oversees special education programs and services, ensuring compliance with regulations and meeting student needs.

Social Worker: Provides social-emotional support and connects families with resources to address challenges outside of school.

Dean of Students: Manages student discipline and behavior issues, promoting a safe and positive school environment.

Job Titles

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP): Evaluates and treats speech and language disorders in children and adults.

School Counselor: Provides academic, social-emotional, and career counseling to students in a school setting.

School Psychologist: Assesses students' academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs to provide support and interventions.

Child Psychiatrist: Diagnoses and treats mental health disorders in children and adolescents.

Special Education Teacher: Provides instruction to students with disabilities, using specialized strategies and accommodations.

Special Education Teacher Assistant: Supports special education teachers in the classroom by providing individualized instruction and assistance to students.

Resource Room Teacher: Works with students with disabilities in a specialized setting to provide targeted instruction and support.

Occupational Therapist (OT): Helps children develop the fine and gross motor skills needed for learning and daily activities.

Physical Therapist (PT): Helps children develop the gross motor skills needed for mobility and participation in school activities.

School Social Worker: Provides social-emotional support to students and families, connecting them with resources to address challenges outside of school.

School Administrator: Oversees the day-to-day operations of the school, encompassing various leadership roles (e.g., principal, assistant principal).

School Neuropsychologist: Assesses brain function and how it relates to learning and behavior in children.

Behavior Intervention Specialist: Develops and implements plans to address challenging behaviors in students.

General Education Teacher: Provides instruction to students in a general education classroom setting.

Learning Strategies

Active Learning: Students engage with the material through discussions, problem-solving, and activities, rather than passively receiving information.

Microlearning: Breaking down information into small, focused modules for easier digestion and knowledge retention.

Spaced Repetition: Reviewing information at increasing intervals to improve long-term memory and knowledge recall.

Adaptive Learning: Learning platforms that adjust to the individual learner's pace and needs, providing personalized instruction.

Blended Learning: Combining online and offline learning methods to create a more flexible and engaging learning experience.

Gamification: Incorporating game-like elements (points, badges, leaderboards) into learning experiences to boost engagement and motivation.

Knowledge Transfer: Ability to apply knowledge learned in one context to another, promoting deeper understanding and problem-solving skills.

Self-Directed Learning: Taking ownership of your own learning journey by setting goals, choosing learning resources, and monitoring progress.

Lifelong Learning: The ongoing process of acquiring new knowledge and skills throughout life to stay relevant

Tele-Services

Telehealth: The delivery of healthcare services remotely using telecommunications technology, encompassing various specialties like speech-language pathology and counseling.

Teletherapy: The use of telecommunications technology to provide therapy services remotely (e.g., video conferencing for psychotherapy sessions).

Teleassessment: The use of telecommunications technology to conduct assessments remotely, such as psychological evaluations.

Teleconsultation: The use of telecommunications technology to consult with another healthcare professional remotely, allowing for collaboration and expertise sharing.

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Special Education
Special Education Team
Educator Guide

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