The Salad Shoppe: Changing the Landscape of Vocational Training

Unemployment rates in the autism community are alarming, but the number of individuals entering the workforce only continues to grow. This presents an overwhelming challenge for special educators tasked with preparing learners for what is often an uncertain future. Vocational training is essential as learners with autism approach the transition to adulthood.  With this in mind, Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism (NSSA) introduced The Salad Shoppe in the fall of 2017.

The curriculum was developed by Kathryn Reres and Rebecca Chi, devoted special educators determined to ensure dignified and purposeful futures for the eight young adult students in their classroom. The focus was to create a program that would provide functional tasks for each learner based on their individual skills, interests and IEP goals. The result was an innovative vocational training curriculum that highlights the strengths of each participant, introduces new skills into their everyday lives and serves as a profitable social enterprise. 

The Salad Shoppe model requires multiple steps to be taken over the course of two days, including: Tracking and counting money, taking inventory, creating shopping lists, purchasing, food preparation, converting a customer’s order form to food assembly, delivery and clean up. This comprehensive list ensures that every learner has the opportunity to perform a task that is meaningful and functional to them. (The staff at NSSA are reaping the benefits too! Fresh, healthy, personally-delivered lunches each week have been a huge hit.)

In partnership with Different Roads to Learning, the creative teachers who designed The Salad Shoppe for NSSA are sharing their expertise with special educators everywhere. The published curriculum will allow teachers to implement The Salad Shoppe in a way that will best function for the learners they serve. Now more than ever, there is a crucial need to provide young adults with autism with the tools they will need to take on the competitive workforce. The Salad Shoppe is a cutting-edge curriculum that has opened new doors for educators, learners and parents and will continue to change the landscape of vocational training.

Ready to bring The Salad Shoppe to your school? You can save 15% on this incredible program now through February 18th!

Pick of the Week: The Salad Shoppe!

This week, save 15% on our brand new vocational curriculum! Click on the graphic for more details!

Get ready for our BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR!

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This year, we will be holding a 25% OFF STOREWIDE SALE* from November 24 12:00 AM EST – November 27 11:59 PM EST! Select surprise items will be 30% off, so make sure to visit our site on 11/24 for details!

But that’s not all! This Black Friday will be our first ever Flash Sale! While our kits are usually excluded from sales due to their already discounted prices, the VB-MAPP and ABLLS-R Assessment kits will be 5% off from 9am-5pm EST on November 24th!

Need gift ideas? No problem! Every day until the sale we’ll be sending you curated collections of our favorite educational tools. Our “DiffGifts” will highlight a few fun items that will make holiday shopping for your favorite learner a breeze!

 

*Promotion is valid from November 24th 2017 at 12:00am ET through November 27th 2017 at 11:59pm ET. Promotion does not apply to items DRB 682, DRB 683, DRB 770, DRB 771, DRB 772, DRB 773, DRB 774, DRB 775, DRB 776, DRB 777, DRT 200, DRT 201, DRK 700, DRK 701, DRK 702, & DRK 703.  Flash sale only applies to items DRK 700, DRK 701, DRK 702, and DRK 703 from 9am-5pm EST on November 24th, 2017. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases, combined with any other offers, transferred, refunded, or redeemed and/or exchanged for cash or credit. Different Roads to Learning reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time.

 

Pick of the Week: Token Economies!

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We have great tools to help learners meet goals and stay on task! Sale ends 11/6!

*Promotion is valid until November 6th, 2017 at 11:59pm ET. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases, combined with any other offers, transferred, refunded, or redeemed and/or exchanged for cash or credit. Different Roads to Learning reserves the right to change or cancel this promotion at any time. To redeem offer at difflearn.com, enter promo code REINFORCE2017 at checkout.