special populations

Stephanie Wichmann, MSW, LICSW, RDT is on the teaching staff at SoCal Drama Therapy Centre teaching Special Populations with Drama Therapy courses. Stephanie was a NADTA alternative training (AT) drama therapy student, receiving her RDT certification in 2014. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 12 years experience utilizing her professional theater and comedy background as a means of individual/community engagement and therapy. She has worked across the age spectrum: children, teens, adult and older adults. Primary practice settings include hospitals, community organizations. Areas of specialization include: working with those affected by chronic illness, eating disorders, adjustment disorders, and learning disabilities.  Stephanie is a consultant, speaker, and trainer on improvisation for change, humor and healing, creativity in the workplace, and cultivating resiliency through the dramatic art. 

Drama Therapy Collection YouTube Channel

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by Mindsets Learning.
The webinar recording can be accessed here.

Student engagement is fundamental to learning. Ask any K-12 school administrator in the United States which subgroups show the most modest academic gains, and their answer is remarkably consistent: special populations, particularly, English learners (ELs) and ESE learners/students with special needs. Despite significant financial investment made by U.S. school districts, “moving the needle” for these learners remains stubbornly elusive. Yet great attention is paid by state legislatures to seek, discover and implement successful strategies for these worthy learners. 

Which strategies meaningfully engage EL students and bridge content and language? What approaches to learning bring relevance and cultural connection to ELs? Given the variety of learning disabilities and processing challenges, how do schools position the most appropriate strategies and support to our ESE learners and students with special needs and their teachers? Listen to this edWeb podcast with school leaders from diverse regions of the U.S. as they share candid and concrete strategies of engagement with all participants. 

This edWeb podcast is of interest to school, district, and education technology leaders of the middle and high school levels.

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