Embracing Inclusivity

Embracing Inclusivity: AIU-Operated Schools Adopt New Holistic, Hybrid Curriculum

By Junior Gonzalez

This year, the three AIU-operated special education schools — Mon Valley, Pathfinder and Sunrise — are implementing a new innovative curriculum that will redefine the learning landscape for students and teachers alike. Designed for learners with disabilities, TeachTown’s enCORE embraces inclusivity in education and streamlines the process for teachers to do more of what they do best — teach!

TeachTown takes a whole-child approach that benefits the diverse age range of students who attend our schools (5 to 21). It weaves English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science and social studies curricula with intervention programs central to many individualized education plans, such as life skills and social skills programs.

Emily Ippolito, a solutions engineer with TeachTown who trains teachers on using the program, said age-appropriate content is a big focus for them. Depending on age and comprehension level, special education students may read classic literature such as Greek mythology, essays or poetry while keeping peers with lower comprehension on the same subject using age-appropriate materials. It literally keeps students on the same page, with one student reading a story through paragraphs of text while a nearby peer explores the same story through pictures.

“We have the physical worksheets, lesson plans and prompts — and we also have technology,” Ippolito said. The technology provides data-driven lessons for individualized learning.

The grade-aligned tiered comprehension approach acknowledges the diverse needs of each student and creates tailored learning materials, freeing up precious administrative time. According to Ippolito, this approach allows teachers more time to focus on life and transition skills, self-regulation and peer-to-peer interactions during instruction.

The AIU is using TeachTown for ELA in the 2023-24 school year to ease students and teachers into the enCORE curriculum style. Additional subjects will be incorporated over time.