Pre and Post Tests

Across a Life-Span

• a self-directed learning activity on transition including pretest, text: Transition: Life-Span and Life-Space Considerations for Empowerment by Edna Mora Szymanski, posttest, suggested outcomes, and additional readings.
• written and compiled by Mark Burkett, Anita Page and Doylene Land, Texas Tech University, June 1997.

Objective: to increase the knowledge and awareness of elementary teachers concerning transition. Additionally to modify attitudes towards the transition process and how it affects every student, not just the student in special education.

Instructions:

1. administer the pretest.
2. allow the students to read the text, Transition: Life-Span and Life Space Considerations for Empowerment. (may want to allow students to take the text home for reading).
3. administer the posttest.
4. discuss the answers from both the pretest and the positest.
5. give additional readings for further information if desired.

Pretest

1. What does transition mean to you?
2. Why do many people today think that transition services for disabled students have not been successful thus far?
3. What is the current definition of transition services?
4. When does career development begin?
5. Should disabled special education students and nondisabled students be allowed to interact? Why or why not?
6. What are some factors that can stifle early career development for special education students?
7. List the chores/responsibilities/duties you had as a young child.
8. List the chore/jobs you had that you earned money for as a teen.
9. List the jobs you've had in competitive employment.
10. What influenced you to pursue this career?
11. What should transition services include?
12. What is meant by an ecological approach?
13. What 3 areas need immediate attention in the development of transition services?
14. Why is family important in the transition process?
15. How is culture important to the transition process?
16. What is the importance of community in the transition process?
17. What is empowerment?
18. How can minority students such as special education students be empowered?
19. How does the concept of empowerment fit into the transitioning or elementary special education students?
20. What is the role of the professional in the transition process?
21. What is the role of the elementary teacher in the transition Drocess?
22. Are transition services for special education students required by law?
23. What should be considered when planning and designing transition interventions?
24. What is the problem with the current legislative format of the transition process?
25. What is the most important goal of intervention in transition?

Post-test

1. What does transition mean to you?
2. What is this author's definition of transition?
3. How does this definition differ from the current definition of transition?
4. Give an example of work personality. When does it develop?
5. Give an example of work competency. When does it develop?
6. Give an example of work goals. When do they develop?
7. What does the author consider a major danger during preschool for students with disabilities?
8. Think back on the chores you had as a child. Could a special education student do these same chores? Why or why not?
9. Have you known of a person that is disabled to do any of the jobs that you have done in the past?
10. Do you know of a disabled person that is pursuing this same career?
11. What should transition services include?
12. What is meant by an ecological approach?
13. Why is family important in the transition process?
14. How is culture important to the transition process
15. What is the importance of community in the transition process?
16. What is empowerment?
17. How can minority students such as special education students be empowered?
18. How does the concept of empowerment fit into the transitioning of elementary special education students?
19. What is the role of the professional in the transition process?
20. What is the role of the elementary teacher in the transition process?
21. Are transition services for special education students required by law?
22. What should be considered when planning and designing transition interventions?
23. What is the problem with the current legislative format of the transition process?
24. What is the most important goal of intervention in transition?
25. What 3 areas need immediate attention in the development of transition services?

 

Pretest- Answer Sheet

1. What does transition mean to you?
   Answers will vary.
2. Why do many people today think that transition services for disabled students have not been successful thus far?
   Disabled students have not fully ;nfegrated into the community.
   Transition has been approached with very limited, narrow views.
3. What is the current definition of transition services?
   Services that focus on activities that promote movement from school to post school life.
4. When does career development begin?
   Career development begins in early childhood.
5. Should disabled special education students and nondisabled students be allowed to interact? Why or why not?
   Yes, interactive play with nondisabled students aid in the development of work personality, work competencies, and work goals.
6. What are some factors that can stifle early career development for special education students?
   Factors that can st;fle early career development are limited career-related fantasy, little exposure to credible role models, lack of interaction with nondisabled peers, and exclusion from responsibility in chores.
7. List the chores/responsibilities/duties you had as a young child.
   Answers will vary. Examples: empty trash, clean bedroom, pick up toys, wash dishes, etc.
8. List the chore/jobs you had that you earned money for as a teen.
   Answers will vary. Examples: mow lawn, babysit, walk dogs, etc.
9. List the jobs you've had in competitive employment.
   Answers will vary. Examples: fast food restaurants, sales, production, office work, etc.
10. Do you know of a disabled person that is pursuing this same career?
    Answers will vary.
11. What should transition services include?
    A /ongitudinal career-oriented focus, opportunities for interaction with others, proactive p/anning for career-related experiences and a range of occupational choices.
12. What is meant by an ecological approach?
    The learning is extended to the natural environment in which it will be used, such as the family, culture, and the community.
13. Why is family important in the transition process?
    The whole family is affected by the transition process and are participants in the planning process.
14. How is culture important to the transition process?
    Culture affects the acceptability of transition, intervention, and goals. It ;s also an influence on the expectations for the individual and affects the educational development.
15. What is the importance of community in the transition process?
    Community is where transition takes place and where the services come from.
16. What is empowerment?
    Empowerment is enabling an individual to have control over his own life and his options.
17. How can minority students such as special education students be empowered?
    Intervention should be designed to be under the control of the student, facilitate independence, and use the least intrusive means that are still effective ;n a natural environment.
18. How does the concept of empowerment fit into the transitioning of elementary special education students?
    The concept of empowerment would give students chores to teach responsibility and choices to teach decision making strategies.
19. What is the role of the professional in the transition process?
    The role of the professional ;s to facilitate empowerment through interventions and to work as a partner rather than a provider.
20. What is the role of the professional in the transition process?
    The role of the professional s to facilitate empowerment throuah interventions and to work as a partner rather than a provider.
21. What is the role of the elementary teacher in the transition process?
    The role of the elementary teacher ;s to lay the groundwork, to provide opportunities for decision making, to give students responsibilities, and to provide information about different occupations.
22. Are transition services for special education students required by law?
    Yes, IDEA (7990)
23. What should be considered when planning and designing transition interventions?
    What service agencies will be involved and what services will be provided.
24. What is the problem with the current legislative format of the transition process?
    It does "to" the individual rather than "with" the individual. It creates dependency instead of independence.
25. What is the most important goai of intervention in transition?
    The empowerment of students, families, and communities is the most important goal of intervention.
    

Posttest Answer Sheet

1. What does transition mean to you?
   Answers will vary.
2. What is this author's definition of transition?
   Transition ;s a part of career development, which ;s known to be a lifelong process that begins at birth, re/ates to a/l /ife ro/es' and affects the ;ndividua/, the fami/y and the community
3. How does this definition differ from the current definition of tra nsition?
   The current definition focuses on the transition from high school to adult life, while the author defines transition as a lifelong process.
4. Give an example of work personality. When does it develop?
   Examples of work personality are: an individual's self concept as a worker or their persona/ system of work motivation. These deve/op during the preschoo/ years.
5. Give an example of work competency. When does it develop?
   Examples of work competency are work habits, physical and mental skills applicable to jobs, and work related interpersonal skills. These deve/op during the schoo/ years.
6. Give an example of work goals. When do they develop?
   Work goa/s are an ;ndividua/s career objectives. They deve/op during the later school years.
7. What does the author consider a major danger during preschool for students with disabilities?
   A major danger during preschool for students with disabilities is limited opportunities for interactive play with peers without disabilities.
8. Think back on the chores you had as a child. Could a special education student do these same chores? Why or why not?
   Answers will vary.
9. Have you known of a person that is disabled to do any of the jobs that you have done in the past?
   Answers will vary.
10. Do you know of a disabled person that is pursuing this same career?
    Answers will vary.
11. What should transition services include?
    A longitudinal career-oriented focus, opportunities for interaction with others, proactive planning for career-related experiences and a range of occupational choices.
12. What is meant by an ecological approach?
    The learning is extended to the natural environment in which it will be used, such as the family, culture, and the community.
13. Why is family important in the transition process?
    The who/e family is affected by the transition process and are participants ;n the p/anning process.
14. How is culture important to the transition process?
    Culture affects the acceptability of transition, intervention, and goals. It is also an influence on the expectations for the individual and affects the educational development.
15. What is the importance of community in the transition process?
    Community is where transition takes place and where the services come from.
16. What is empowerment?
    Empowerment is enabling an individual to have control over his own life and his options.
17. How can minority students such as special education students be empowered?
    Intervention should be designed to be under the control of the student, facilitate independence, and use the least intrusive means that are still effective in a natural environment.
18. How does the concept of empowerment fit into the transitioning of elementary special education students?
    The concept of empowerment would give students chores to teach responsibility and choices to teach decision making strategies.
19. What is the role of the professional in the transition process?
    The role of the professional is to facilitate empowerment through interventions and to work as a partner rather than a provider.
    
20. What is the role of the elementary teacher in the transition process?
    The role of the elementary teacher is to lay the groundwork, to provide opportunities for decision making, to give students responsibilities, and to provide information about different occupations.
21. Are transition services for special education students required by law?
    Yes, IDEA (1990)
22. What should be considered when planning and designing transition interventions?
    What service agencies wi/l be involved and what services will be provided.
23. What is the problem with the current legislative format of the transition process?
    It does "to" the individual rather than "with" the individual. It creates dependency instead of independence.
24. What is the most important goal of intervention in transition?
    The empowerment of students, families, and communities is the most important goal of intervention.
25. What 3 areas need immediate attention in the development of transition services?
    Family, culture, and community