Handbook for Adaptive Catechesis: Serving Special Needs

This handbook reflects on the needs of individuals with a wide range of disabilities and calls on catechists and religious education programs to consider special needs students for their mainstream and specialized programs. This comprehensive book covers a variety of the most-encountered special needs, along with approaches for meeting those needs. The author discusses strategies for having fruitful dialogues with parents, identifying students for your special needs program, recruiting effective catechists or teachers, and developing lesson plans. Throughout, the text and examples are straight-forward, practical, and easily understood, specifically by catechists who may not have the formal theological training required to fully use other resources available on the market. It can even be used by catechists in traditional classrooms as a resource of creative teaching techniques for students who have ADD/ ADHD or mild learning disabilities. Catechists today are challenged to be mindful of advances in education on the subject of those with disabilities. These students are beloved by Christ and members of the Church. Thus, all the faithful ought to strive to work for their benefit and be open to the giftedness they bring to our faith communities.

Chapters Include:

• An important ministry
• Addressing the needs of special needs students; an overview
• What are special needs?
• Essential components of this ministry
• Student needs, parish needs
• Lesson planning
• Sacramental preparation.

About the Author

Michele E. Chronister received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in theology from the University of Notre Dame. During her undergraduate and graduate careers, she had the privilege of working with individuals with special needs in a variety of ministerial settings. Most recently, she developed a catechetical curriculum for individuals with special needs as part of her parish work in Notre Dame's Institute for Church Life's ECHO program. She currently resides in Missouri with her husband and daughter.