Page 4 - Pflaum Publishing Group

about wind. Bubbles, kites, or miniature sailboats could all reinforce the concept of the Holy Spirit as wind. An indoor option for wind would be the use of a fan. Students would delight in releasing a variety of items that could blow in the wind of the fan. The fan could also be used with their pinwheels.
GOD’S SPIRIT IS WITH ISRAEL (page 23)
This section about the Old Testament figures Samuel and David may need to be omitted for students
with cognitive impairments. The important concept on this page is God’s spirit is with us. A concrete demonstration of this might be to have the children stand in different places around the room on colored circles. Once the students are there, have them lift up their circle and bring it to a central location. Each circle would say God is with us or some variation of this concept.
THE CHURCH IS BORN ON PENTECOST (page 24)
It is extremely important that students know that tongues of fire will not actually be above their heads at Confirmation. The actual rites of the ritual should be rehearsed many times for students with limited cognitive ability. Explaining that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church and then having a birthday party for the Church would be an appropriate activity for students with limited intellectual ability. A video about the First Pentecost may facilitate the students’ understanding of what happened when the Holy Spirit came. A section of the classroom could be set up
as the locked room and the event could be enacted
by the students. For students who are not auditory learners, illustrations of the event would be crucial. Other responses to the litany could involve gesture or signs that say thank you.
LESSON 3
WHAT HAPPENS IN CONFIRMATION?
WHAT HAPPENS IN CONFIRMATION? (page 26)
Having the words that are spoken at the sacraments of initiation accompanied by common images and concrete symbols associated with each sacrament would be of benefit to students with autism, attention-deficit disorder, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, and cognitive impairment. The same symbols should be part of each of the six lessons so as not to generate confusion. A hands-on experience with uses of oil could be a class collage that is teacher-guided.
The concept of invisibility is difficult for any
child to grasp. Depending on developmental levels, anything that isn’t seen doesn’t exist. While typical students may enjoy completing the Spirit Window
on page 31 in the Teaching Guide, students with challenges in the area of fine motor development may need part of theirs completed prior to the beginning of class. An enlargement of the window and tissue paper might facilitate having all of the students participate in decorating it with a wide variety of colored tissue paper. More advanced students could make the window into a mosaic.
WHERE IS THE SPIRIT ACTING IN US AND IN OUR WORLD? (page 28)
The illustration may be very confusing for students with visual perceptual impairments or for students with cognitive impairments. Helping students create
a mural of magazine pictures about where they see the Holy Spirit acting in their own personal lives might provide more understanding.
MY CONFIRMATION BOOK (page 29)
Students with fine motor impairment may need
their booklets pre-cut. Students unable to write
their names could have a friend do it for them, use a sticker with their own name on it, or ask a teacher for help. Instead of “I Do,” students who are nonverbal could nod their heads. Responses during the rite
of Confirmation should be practiced repeatedly by students with limited abilities.
Lesson 4
OUR COMMUNITY REMEMBERS JESUS
OPENING PRAYER (page 32)
Since young students may find it difficult to discuss the interviews completed in Lesson 1, teachers could invite the children to share why they believe in Jesus.
OPENING PRAYER (PAGE26)
The meditation of page 26 in the Teaching Guide needs some dramatization for individuals who have auditory processing difficulties. Sharing books with the students about the most famous Old Testament people would also add another dimension to the activity. Another option is to have students be specific people and have the teacher or assistant explain the role of the Spirit in the person’s life, using gestures if possible.