EAST
LONGMEADOW
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DISTRICT
CURRICULUM ACCOMMODATION
PLAN
A Handbook for Teachers,
Principals,
Paraprofessionals, and
Parents
Table of Contents
Foreword ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Curriculum Accommodation Plan .................................................................................................................... 4
Essential Learnings .. .6
Classroom Practices . 7
Assessment Practices .. ..8
Service Options . ...9
Characteristics: ADD and ADHD
................................................................................................................... 10
Essential Learnings: ADD and ADHD ............................................................................................................. 11
Classroom Practices: ADD and ADHD .......................................................................................................... 13
Assessment Strategies: ADD
and ADHD ................................... .................................................................... 14
Service Options: ADD and ADHD ................................................................................................................. 15
Characteristics: Deaf or Hard of Hearing ...................................................................................................... 16
Essential Learnings: Deaf or Hard of Hearing ................................................................................................ 18
Classroom Practices: Deaf or Hard of Hearing ............................................................................................. 19
Assessment Strategies: Deaf or Hard of Hearing ........................................................................................... 20
Service Options: Deaf or Hard of Hearing .................................................................................................... 21
Characteristics: Deaf and Blind ...................................................................................................................... 22
Essential Learnings: Deaf and Blind ................................................................................................................ 23
Classroom Practices: Deaf and Blind ............................................................................................................. 25
Assessment Strategies: Deaf
and Blind .......................................................................................................... 28
Service Options: Deaf and Blind .................................................................................................................... 29
Characteristics: Emotional Disability ............................................................................................................. 30
Essential Learnings: Emotional Disability ...................................................................................................... 31
Classroom Practices: Emotional Disability .................................................................................................... 33
Assessment Strategies: Emotional Disability ................................................................................................. 35
Service Options: Emotional Disability ........................................................................................................... 36
Essential Learnings: Gender 37
Classroom Practices: Gender
..
.
...39
Assessment Strategies: Gender
...
40
Service Options: Gender
.
.
...41
Characteristics: Gifted
and Talented
.
..42
Essential Learnings: Gifted and Talented .. .. .. . .43
Classroom Practices: Gifted
and Talented
.
...44
Assessment Strategies: Gifted
and Talented
.
.
46
Service Options: Gifted and Talented
.
..
.47
Characteristics: Learning Disabilities ............................................................................................................ 49
Essential Learnings: Learning Disabilities ...................................................................................................... 50
Classroom Practices: Learning Disabilities .................................................................................................... 52
Assessment Strategies: Learning Disabilities ................................................................................................. 55
Service Options: Learning Disabilities .......................................................................................................... 57
Characteristics: LEP ...................................................................................................................................... 58
Essential Learnings: LEP ................................................................................................................................ 60
Classroom Practices: LEP .............................................................................................................................. 61
Assessment Strategies: LEP ........................................................................................................................... 63
Service Options: LEP..................................................................................................................................... 65
Characteristics: Physical Disabilities ............................................................................................................. 67
Essential Learnings: Physical Disabilities ....................................................................................................... 68
Classroom Practices: Physical Disabilities ..................................................................................................... 69
Assessment Strategies: Physical Disabilities .................................................................................................. 70
Service Options: Physical
Disabilities .............................................................................................................. 71
Essential Learnings: Race ................................................................................................................................ 72
Classroom Practices: Race ............................................................................................................................. 73
Assessment Strategies: Race ........................................................................................................................... 74
Service Options: Race .................................................................................................................................... 75
Characteristics: Significant
Cognitive Challenges ............................................................................................ 76
Essential Learnings: Significant Cognitive Challenges .................................................................................... 77
Classroom Practices:
Significant Cognitive Challenges .................................................................................... 78
Assessment Strategies: Significant Cognitive Challenges ................................................................................. 80
Service Options: Significant Cognitive Challenges ........................................................................................ 81
Characteristics: Speech and Language Disabilities ........................................................................................ 83
Essential Learnings: Speech and Language Disabilities ................................................................................... 85
Classroom Practices: Speech and
Language Disabilities ............................................................................... 87
Assessment Strategies:
Speech and Language Disabilities ............................................................................. 90
Service Options: Speech and Language Disabilities ...................................................................................... 92
Characteristics: Traumatic Brain Injury .......................................................................................................... 93
Essential Learnings:
Traumatic Brain Injury .................................................................................................... 95
Classroom Practices:
Traumatic Brain Injury ................................................................................................. 96
Assessment Practices:
Traumatic Brain Injury ................................................................................................ 98
Service Options: Traumatic Brain Injury ........................................................................................................ 100
Characteristics: Visually
Impaired ................................................................................................................... 102
Essential Learnings:
Visually Impaired ............................................................................................................. 103
Classroom Practices:
Visually Impaired ........................................................................................................... 106
Assessment Strategies: Visually Impaired ........................................................................................................ 107
Service Options: Visually
Impaired ..................................................................................................
108
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DISTRICT CURRICULUM ACCOMMODATION PLAN FOR MEETING
INDIVIDUAL STUDENT
NEEDS
A Handbook for Teachers
Foreword
Revisions to the Massachusetts Special Education Law 28:03 require that all school districts develop a Curriculum Accommodation Plan. The purpose of the Curriculum Accommodation Plan (CAP) is to assist principals in ensuring that all efforts have been made to meet students needs in regular education. The plan is a systemic plan that will be adopted by the district, and although it does not require individual written plans, the intent is to increase the general education capacity to meet the individual needs of diverse student learners. School principals and school councils are involved in developing and implementing the CAP at the school building level. The CAP is considered an educational activity for the general education program, not solely or specifically special education.
EAST LONGMEADOW CURRICULUM ACCOMMODATION PLAN
The curriculum accommodation plan attached was developed to provide guidelines for helping all East Longmeadow Public School students (including those with special learning needs) meet Massachusetts standards and demonstrate success on assessments.
Much of this plan was gleaned from the Opportunities for Success guidelines developed by the Colorado Department of Education. It has been prepared for principals, classroom teachers, and student assistant teams to use as a resource. There are ten disabilities that are included in the handbook. They are Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Emotional Disability and Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability, Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities (504), Significant Cognitive Challenges, Speech/Language Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visually Impaired. There is information about these disabilities available in the following areas:
- Characteristics of students with the disability
- Essential learnings
- Classroom practices
- Assessment strategies
- Service options
The East Longmeadow School District has adopted and will implement a curriculum accommodation plan to assist principals in ensuring that all efforts have been made to meet students needs in regular education. The plan shall be designed to assist a regular classroom teacher in analyzing and accommodating diverse learning styles of all children in the regular classroom and in providing appropriate services and support within the regular education program including, but not limited to, direct and systematic instruction in reading and provision of services to address the needs of children whose behavior may interfere with learning. The curriculum accommodation plan shall include provisions encouraging teacher mentoring and collaboration and parental involvement.
Additionally, the school council including the school principal shall meet regularly and shall assist in the identification of the educational needs of the students attending the school, make recommendations to the principal for the development, implementation and assessment of the curriculum accommodation plan required. The council shall also assist in the review of the annual school budget and in the formulation of a School Improvement Plan.
Documentation
1. Staff Evaluation Instruments
2. Site-based School Improvement Plans
3. District Curriculum Guides
4. State Frameworks
5. District Strategic Plan
Curricular Programs
1. Program of Studies
2. Early Childhood Program
3. Chapter 1
4. Remedial and Support Services
5. After school Services
6. Technology Integration
Academic Services
1. Student Success Plans
2. Special Education Service
3. Pre-referral Process
4. 504 Accommodations
5. Gifted and Talented Programs
Professional Development
1. Addressing different learning styles
2. Differentiating the curriculum
3. Instructional strategies
4. Mentoring
5. New Teacher Orientation
6. Technology Training
Site-Based Curriculum
Accommodation Planning
The purpose of this planning is to continually strengthen and improve the general education program, for the benefit of all students. The Site-Based Curriculum Accommodation Planning is to address various strategies that will help to achieve that objective. Schools are working toward accommodating the needs of diverse learners in all classroom settings. This will be achieved through on-going professional development, support services through general education settings, direct and systematic instruction to all students, encouragement of teacher mentoring and collaboration, and encouragement of parental involvement in their childrens education.
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What are Essential Learnings
Essential Learnings are the additional learnings necessary for a given special population to maximize its educational growth and development.
Students who have learning disabilities need to learn:
1. Communication skills to express and understand thoughts and opinions in a variety of settings, situations and with diverse populations.
2. Decision making and problem solving skills and strategies.
3. Basic language skills and a broad vocabulary to use as building blocks in developing reading, writing, and critical thinking.
4. Self‑advocacy skills to make needs and wants known in socially constructive ways in learning, work and social situations.
5. Personal strengths and capabilities and use this information to act responsibly at school and work.
6. Social skills to develop positive relationships with peers and adults in a variety of settings and situations and with diverse populations.
7. Organizational skills and study strategies for school and work. Important skills include, but are not limited to: time management goal setting management and use of materials/resources learning strategies
8. Career development skills to make, pursue and maintain personal employment choices.
9. The use of tools and technology to augment learning and access information.
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What are Classroom Practices?
Classroom practices are the range of instructional practices and strategies that are employed to assist a given special population of students to learn. These include, but are not limited to: time, space, modality, grouping, presentation, classroom organization and behavior management, materials, equipment, technology and environment.
With the needs of diverse learners in mind, educators need to promote:
Use strategies designed to promote student self‑management and independence.
Provide consistency, structure, and clear expectations.
Provide appropriate positive learning reinforcement, feedback, and recognition for student accomplishment.
Provide opportunities and environments for meaningful participation of all students in instructional and social activities. Adapt physical environments to match the learning needs of students.
3.Instructional Practice Incorporate life skills, social and affective skills, and skills in self‑advocacy throughout the curriculum.
Choose teaching and learning methods that match the learning needs and styles of the student. Incorporate direct instruction of how‑to‑learn skills and thinking skills throughout the curriculum. Make sure the language of instruction effectively communicates and promotes student understanding for students with special needs. Use methods to promote active learning, including hands‑on learning, real‑world and experiential learning, community‑based learning, and learning involving student choice. Use learning materials, equipment, and media tailored to the unique learning needs of students. Design and implement specific opportunities for students to apply and transfer learning to a variety of situations, both familiar and novel. Use varied and flexible grouping strategies for instructional purposes. Use flexibility in pacing of instruction, scheduling, and time‑usage based on the needs of individual students. Communicate and collaborate with other teachers, specialists, students, families, and appropriate agencies in planning and implementing effective instruction.
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What are the appropriate Assessment
Practices?
The accommodations and adaptations necessary for a given special population to adequately demonstrate knowledge and skills.
In assessing the learning of diverse learners, educators need to:
1. Allow for a variety of assessments that evaluate what is being taught. This may include:
Portfolios Assessment of daily work Observations
Self and peer evaluations Demonstrations and projects
Oral tests Cooperative group assessments Family, community, and employer evaluations/observations
2. Ensure that the language used in assessment is consistent with the language used during instruction and use the student's preferred mode of communication. When assessing, always consider:
Student's culture/preferred language
Clarity of instructions
Verbal and non‑verbal options (e.g., sign language)
3. Consider the student's unique needs when determining the content of the assessment:
Identify the skills or content to be assessed and ensure that assessments test only the content taught.
Design assessments to determine what the student knows as opposed to what the student does not know
Utilize student's prior knowledge to determine instruction and subsequent assessments
Identify individual learning styles and design assessments to elicit a variety of thinking and application skills
4. Design assessment procedures and accommodations to meet individual student needs.
Assess in student's primary communication mode (i.e., Braille, sign language, picture board, etc.)
Utilize a variety of people (i.e., family, peers, employers, other professionals, etc.) in the assessment process Utilize technology for presentation of assessment and student response
5. Allow flexibility in the time and scheduling of assessments.
Allow extended time Allow the student to take breaks.
Divide assessment into smaller segments Schedule assessment when student can perform best.
Utilize untimed assessments.
6. Allow for a variety of assessment environments. Consider the purpose of the assessment and the student's unique needs and choose the environment which fits best.
Consider student's physical condition, endurance, emotional state, attention span and distractibility, medical condition, etc., at time of assessment
Control for distractions Create supportive settings that encourage student participation
Use preferential seating
Use real life settings and other alternative environments
7. Consider the evaluation criteria which will be utilized when designing assessments and set the criteria prior to assessment.
Involve others in determining the realistic expectations and goals for the student
Provide family and others the opportunity to assist in interpreting assessment results
Make expectations and criteria clear and explicit
Provide a variety of grading methods, including: individual grading scale narrative reports group grades
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What does the term Service Options
imply?
Systems of organizing people and materials to supply and deliver educational opportunities, accommodations and supports in order for students or given populations to be successful learners.
For learners with learning disabilities to have adequate opportunities to learn, schools will:
1. Involve families, community members, and peers integrally in the design and implementation of educational services for all children and youth.
2. Use shared and flexible resources, including personnel, fiscal, facility, program, time, and administrative process to meet students' needs and offer appropriate services by providers with specific expertise.
3. Offer curriculum and instruction that is diversified through a variety of modifications using alternative scheduling, accessibility, optimal learning environments, grouping, accommodation of multiple learning styles, setting appropriate expectations, student‑teacher ratios, and using a variety of instructional techniques
4. Support collaborative planning with individual students, team members, family members, the community, and other agencies with the management of time and resources.
5. Design support services for students which help them with life management including safety, health, wellness, social relationships, and learning.
6. Assure students the opportunity to plan and prepare for successful life adjustment after high school including career development, community involvement, post‑secondary education, recreation and leisure choices, and daily living activities.
7. Maximize the use of technology for learning. School professionals, families, and students use technology competently.
8. Offer a menu of educational opportunities to students, families, and school personnel for continuous improvement of services to students.
9. Offer support services for students are available to assist students in managing behavior, expressing needs, developing friendships, resolving conflicts, and making choices and planning their lives.
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CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WITH:
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
ATTENTION DEFICIT
HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)
A student with ADD/ADHD may
exhibit many of the characteristics listed
below:
Hyperactivity may or may not
be present
Easily Distracted
Appears to daydream
Lack of organizational skills
Difficulty staying on-task
Limited impulse control
Age inappropriate behavior
Consistently inconsistent
Limited task follow through,
may not be able to sustain effort
Talks excessively and/or
blurts out or interrupts others
Learns information, but has
difficulty demonstrating knowledge in traditional ways
Lack of motivation
Low frustration tolerance and
low work productivity
Social/emotional health may be
impacted (i.e., social skills, peer acceptance, self-image)
ADD may co-exist with other
conditions (i.e., Learning Disabilities or Emotional Disturbance)
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ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR STUDENTS WITH:
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) DISORDER (ADHD)
Students with Attention Deficit Disorder and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder need to learn:
1. Organization
Students need to be taught/learn
the following organizational skills for use in a variety of environments
including school, home, and community:
Strategies for
starting/finishing a task
Study skills
Time management skills
Decision-making skills
Strategies for transitioning
between activities
Memory strategies
Talking self through a task
Goal setting skills
General organization and
coordination of materials and assignments
2. Self-Advocacy
Students need to be taught/learn
the following self-advocacy skills for use in a variety of environments
including school, home and the community:
Knowledge of ADD/ADHD, legal
rights, and impact of ADD/ADHD on self
Skills for expressing own
feelings and needs
Negotiation skills
Skills for using
technology/alternative formats for assignments
Strategies for building on
strengths
Ability to know needed
modifications and the ability to request that modifications be made
Knowledge of strengths,
weaknesses, personal learning style and their application in daily schoolwork,
community life, and career options
3. Self-Control/Monitoring
Students need to be taught/learn
the following self-management skills for use in a variety of settings,
including school, home, and the community:
Strategies for staying on task
Skills for thinking and
waiting before acting
Skills for paying attention to
what is important and ignoring the unimportant
Skills for matching energy
level to task and/or environment
Skills for consistently
producing quality work
Strategies for dealing with
change
Skills for becoming
accountable and responsible for behavior and learning
4. Social Skills
Students need to be taught/learn
the following social skills for use in a variety of environments, including
school, home, and community:
Skills for resolving conflicts
Skills for making and keeping
friends
Skills for complimenting
others
Skills for learning to stop
inappropriate interactions
Skills for accepting feedback
about behavior and not using ADD as an excuse
Skills for anger management
Skills for understanding body
language and reading social cues
Skills for appropriate
self-expression
Skills for taking turns and
working in groups
Attending and listening skills
Skills for making requests
appropriately
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CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR STUDENTS WITH:
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDER (ADHD)
To provide effective classroom practices for students with ADD and/or
ADHD, educators need to:
1. Learning Environment
Create a structured
environment Consistency, routine, preparation for change, visual cues and
reminders
Reduce distractions Use
study carrels, headphones, alternative settings for work
Teach/promote/allow the use of
technological aids Spell checkers with/without auditory feedback, calculators
with/without auditory feedback, recorders including variable speed
machines, computers and
appropriate software including word
processing
Limit transitions
(class-to-class, number of teachers, etc.)
2. Instructional Techniques
Teach organizational
techniques/study skills Color code/highlight materials and assignments; break
down long term projects into small steps; create daily assignment notebook, use
memory strategies such as summarizing and paraphrasing; teach test taking and
note-taking skills; teach reading strategies (i.e.,
outlining and mapping) teach
editing, prioritizing and list making strategies.
Provide clear, concise directions,
expectations and rules Repeat directions, model directions, demonstrate task
with student imitation; use a multisensory approach; limit number of rules;
create clear concrete rules that
are limited in number; teach routines.
Allow for movement Provide
opportunities for movement with a purpose and use of
manipulatives (silly putty,
balls, clay, etc.); allow frequent breaks and recess
Promote use of peer helpers
and improved peer relationships Create cooperative learning groups with
appropriate peers, peer tutoring; facilitate peer acceptance.
Provide/allow modified or
adapted assignments Eliminate excessive copying from board or books to paper;
use of recorded books; alternative assignment formats; provide set of books and
materials for home use.
Communicate with involved
persons on an ongoing basis Use a home/school communication system; maintain
a list of "what works" for the student; provide feedback to
medical/mental
health personnel as needed;
encourage consistency across environments.
Develop a system with the
student to facilitate medication delivery at school.
Allow the student processing
time for questions and information.
Provide desirable alternative
activities for students to access after completing assigned tasks.
3. Behavior Management
Clearly state and consistently
implement expectations and consequences.
Catch students being good.
Develop behavior plans to
address problem situations across the
day/settings. Train staff to
implement plan in a consistent manner.
Provide meaningful positive
reinforcement systems.
Reward partial
accomplishments.
Increase supervision during
unstructured times.
Set up behavior management
systems and frequently review and update.
Promote use of charting of
student progress/promote student use of self-charting.
Avoid power struggles; pick
your battles, and maintain a calm neutral response.
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ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH: