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
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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)
________________________________________________________________________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT
STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDER (ADHD)
In assessing the learning
of students with ADD and/or ADHD, educators need
to:
1. Consider Contextual
Factors Related to Assessment
Test in one-on-one or small
group settings.
Provide alternative settings.
Allow for movement/standing
instead of sitting.
Provide extended time with
breaks.
Break tests into smaller
parts.
Give clear
descriptions/expectations of what will be assessed.
Test only what is taught.
Use community and career
development activities to assess skills and abilities.
2. Provide Alternative
Formats
Offer students a choice in
testing/assessment formats, including the following:
Allow verbal/oral responses
Encourage use of technological
aids (computers, calculators)
Promote the use of project
portfolios and/or other tactile project choices
Provide alternatives to
computerized answer sheets
Provide practice tests
Provide a study format
identical to the test format/no surprise quizzes
Allow open book/open resources
Provide word bank for
vocabulary or fill-in-the-blank tests
Allow take home tests
Provide readers or scribes for
tests
Allow tape recording of test
and/or student responses
Use teacher/team observation
Promote self-evaluation/rating
3. Develop Grading Policies
Use an individual grading
scale
Grade primarily content/ideas,
secondarily, mechanics
Use narrative report cards or
a combination of narrative and traditional grade cards
Grade based on items completed,
not total number of test items
Use a grade based on efforts
of cooperative group
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR STUDENTS WITH:
ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD)
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY
DISORDER (ADHD)
For students with ADD/ADHD
to have adequate opportunities to learn,
schools need to:
1. Ensure training, support, and
resources for teachers, staff, parents, students, community members and
employers in needed areas, including the following:
Discipline
ADD/ADHD
Instructional practices
Behavior management
Technology
Legal requirements
Treatment options
Teaching and learning style
Teaming
2. Provide adequate planning
time for consultation, teaming, collaboration
and communication with parents
and staff and with service providers
outside of the building.
3. Provide environmental
modifications to allow for movement, flexibility
of workspace, etc.
4. Allow for accommodations in
learning style; match teaching style with
learning style.
5. Lower student/teacher ratio
in regular classroom based on severity and
need, curriculum, age. Use
volunteers, mentors, aides, small groups, etc.
to assist with all students.
6. Provide access to
full-continuum of service options (i.e., one to one, small
group, full class, etc.).
7. Encourage
alternative/flexible schedules and curriculum.
8. Ensure accommodations for
diverse learners are built into school
improvement plans.
9. Provide counseling services
and social skills groups (large, small, and
individual).
10. Institute a mentor program
for students and teachers.
11. Ensure the availability of
support groups for students, teachers, parents,
peers, siblings, and the
community.
12. Provide tutorial services
before and after school (e.g., academics, motor
skills, social skills,
organizations, etc.).
13. Assist students in
connecting with community agencies that can provide
support in a variety of environments
including home, school,
community, and employment.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
1. In General:
An estimated twenty one
million Americans have some degree of
hearing loss, mild to severe. Of
the 60,000+ students identified with
disabilities in Colorado,
approximately fifteen hundred have
educationally significant
hearing loss. The great majority of the
students are hard of hearing,
not deaf.
About ten percent of deaf/hard
of hearing students in Colorado attend
the Colorado School for the Deaf
and the Blind. The rest are in public
schools. More than half spend at
least half the day in regular education
classes. Most wear hearing aids
or use some form of sound
amplification in the classroom.
Ten percent of students who
are deaf/hard of hearing have parents
who themselves are deaf.
Hearing loss is not connected
to cognitive ability.
2. Communicative Characteristics
Speech production is generally
affected by hearing loss, especially voice
and articulation quality.
(Speech is a skill learned through imitation.
It is hard to learn to say that
which you have trouble hearing. )
A delay in language development,
telegraphic, incomplete sentences,
pervasive difficulty with
syntax, and a lack of facility with idiomatic
language are all prevalent. None
of this is necessarily related to
intelligence.
Sign language, if used, may be
a PIDGIN form of English; it may be
straight English; or it may be
American Sign Language (ASL)--the sign
system used by the Deaf adult
community. ASL is neither English nor
a sign system with a written
form.
3. Behavioral Characteristics
Often, may appear to
understand, but really doesnt; require frequent
checks for understanding.
Will speechread (lipread).
This is not an exact science -- the most
skilled deaf adults get about
35% of what is said.
May fail to respond to
questions, or responds with seemingly irrelevant
answers
Occasionally, takes a peculiar
listening posture
May seem more aware of
movements than sound
Confuses words that sound or
look alike
4. Learning Characteristics
For the most part, these
students are visual learners.
They often miss multiple
meanings of words and idiomatic language.
They take a very literal
translation of written material, missing
subtlety.
They require constant
rephrasing - not necessarily simplifying - of
information.
They will require repetition
of presentation.
Generalization and transfer of
learned material is not a given - it must
be modeled and required.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
OF STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
Students who are deaf or
hard of hearing need to learn:
1. Adequate language and
vocabulary to understand the instruction.
2. Adequate language and
vocabulary to ask questions.
3. Sufficient skills to attend
to instruction, to study the new material, and
to prepare for tests. This
includes:
Sufficient skill in
self-advocacy or sense of personal responsibility to
ask questions whenever and
wherever needed, and to "manage the
conversation" in order to
get needs met
Ability to organize,
generalize, and transfer learning
Communication skills
sufficient to express needs related to deafness
Social skills sufficient to
participate in the classroom and in
unstructured times
Knowledge of home community
and rights as a disabled citizen in
any setting, the ability to ask
for any changes necessary to ensure clear
communication in any environment
The knowledge of how to work
with all support staff, including how
to access and use a variety of
technology/equipment.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
To provide effective classroom practices for students who are deaf or hard of
hearing, educators need
to:
1. Create an
"interactive" learning environment in which:
the deaf/hard of hearing child
is an active participant
the student can manage,
visually, all the input required to attend to
instruction
2. Instruct using student's preferred
mode of communication.
3. Given the student's mode of
communication, teach at a pace commensurate
with his ability to process and
respond to new information.
4. Instruct at appropriate
language/linguistic levels.
5. Repeat and reinforce concepts
throughout the instructional day.
6. Provide frequent
opportunities to apply new concepts.
rephrase to accommodate for
idiomatic, figurative, and/or complex
language
set context for new concepts,
tying instruction to child's own
experience; establish a
"need to know " for the material
provide materials at
appropriate reading levels
tie all academic teaching to
language and communication
provide frequent examples of-
as well as exceptions to- the concept
teach with frequent use of clear,
visual aids
speak at a normal rate,
without over-articulating, and with slightly
greater than normal intensity
frequently check for
understanding
modify curriculum as needed,
e.g., community based
demonstrated willingness of
staff to make accommodations (e.g.,
interpreters, assistive
listening devices)
7. Within the learning
environment, ensure that:
there is the possibility of
block scheduling for vocational education,
community based instruction,
etc.
there is an appropriate pace
to the instructional day, including
providing necessary breaks.
there is organization to the
class such that teaching does not occur
while the teacher is facing the
blackboard, passing out papers, or
walking around the classroom.
a variety of teaching strategies
are used especially to promote
generalization and transfer of
what has been learned.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
In assessing the learning
of students who are deaf or hard of hearing,
educators need to:
1. Ensure that instructions are
clear and in student's preferred mode of
communication.
2. Allow for a variety of ways to
assess understanding (e.g., projects,
demonstration, reports, signed
vs. spoken).
Ensure that assessment is tied
to content and not necessarily tied to
the ability to read and write
English
Allow for more time as needed
and for the possibilities of individual
versus group testing and/or
testing in a separate room
Ensure that what is being
tested is that which was taught (e.g., testing
vocabulary comprehension versus
child's ability to speak/
speechread/sign)
Allow for a variety of
settings in which to assess understanding (e.g.,
community, at work)
As appropriate, allow for use
of calculator, word processor, and other
technology
Connect/compare standardized
assessment with alternative
assessments
Consider informing the student
of the need for or benefit of the
assessment being done.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING
For students who are deaf and hard of hearing to have adequate opportunities
to learn, schools must:
1. Provide interpreters in any
situation requiring them.
2. Provide regular consultation,
in-service and other support to mainstream
teachers.
3. Ensure that all service
providers can communicate effectively with the
student including through the
use of an interpreter.
4. Ensure that each student will
have access to speech, language, speech
reading, auditory training,
and/or sign language as part of instruction.
5. Ensure that all instructional
staff are skilled--expressively and
receptively--in communication
mode of child.
Managed instructional
environment: minimum of distraction,
specialized seating, adequate
lighting, acoustics, safety (flashing
alarm)
Access to note takers and peer
tutors
Access to captioned films,
videos
Educational transition
services: level-to-level and including
interagency coordination for
transition to college or the world of
work
Access to needed assistive
devices/auditory equipment
Ensure that educational and
extracurricular options are not limited by
availability and quality of
service providers.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAFBLIND
Vision and hearing are the two
key "distance senses", they provide sensory
information from locations away
from ones body. When they are absent or
impaired, in some combination,
the childs development may be greatly
challenged.
Age of onset, the severity of
the sensory loss, and the presence of other
disabilities all contribute to
the extent of developmental challenge. These
three factors and others are
responsible for the great diversity of the
population of learners who are
deafblind and the need for specialized
supports to achieve the best
education possible. As a result of this diversity,
the needs and abilities of
individual learners who are deafblind will vary
highly.
Four areas of primary
educational concern for the learner who is deafblind
include: (a) a system of
communication, (b) a means of developing social
relationships, (c) personal care
and life skills management, and (d) travel
skills. These skills must be
taught systematically with carefully planned
strategies to the child since
any incidental learning by observation is severely
affected by sensory loss and
specialized adaptations or techniques are often
required.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAFBLIND
Students who are deafblind
need to learn:
1. Sensory and Individual
Learning Style
An awareness of objects and
people in the environment and
recognition of what the child hears,
sees, touches, smells or otherwise
experiences
Functional use of senses
(hearing, vision, touch, smell, etc.) to acquire
and process information
2. Communication Skills
Vocabulary which is meaningful
to the child in his or her home,
school, and community
environments
A variety of methods of
expressing and receiving information, wants
and needs, and feelings in a
variety of ways such as speech, sign
languages, gestures, picture or
object boards, Braille, communication
devices, large print, audiotapes,
etc.
Skills in using technology,
including adaptive aids, to enhance both
visual and/or auditory skills:
computers, closed circuit televisions,
magnifiers, hearing enhancement
devices.
3. Concept Development
Concepts of body, space, and
time (e.g., schedule and sequence of
activities)
An ability to apply academic
learning to everyday life (e.g., functional
reading and writing, money used
and time and calendar etc.)
4. Orientation and Mobility
An awareness of body position in
relationship to environment
Skills to travel as
independently as possible in familiar and unfamiliar
environments including use of
devices such as a long white cane,
monoculars, communication cards,
etc. (with the method of their
choice)
Familiarity within specific
environments (e.g., living environment,
classroom, etc.)
5. Life Skills
Strategies for organizing
personal space, items in the environment,
and daily care routines (how to
prepare for getting dressed or eating,
making ones bed)
Daily personal care skills
such as eating, dressing, grooming, personal
hygiene, and toileting
independently
Skills to manage one's living
environment (e.g., making ones bed,
preparing a meal, doing own
laundry etc.)
Home and personal management
skills for grocery shopping, cleaning,
cooking, and paying ones bills
Skills in accessing community
for shopping, transportation, medical
needs, leisure time and other
personal needs
6. Social-Emotional Skills
Body postures and facial
expressions which help facilitate social
interaction with others and
replacement of inappropriate behaviors
with socially acceptable
behaviors
Problem-solving and
conflict-resolution skills with family, friends, and
adults
Strategies for initiating and
maintaining interaction, and making and
keeping friends
An understanding and
appropriate expression of one's sexuality.
Self-protection and refusal
skills
Age appropriate leisure
activities
An awareness of age
appropriate dress and hygiene in relation to peer
group
7. Self-Advocacy Skills
An awareness and assertiveness
regarding individual abilities and
needs related to both vision and
hearing loss (e.g., need to move closer
to the board, need to turn on
ones hearing aid, etc.) in order to be
comfortable in all situations
An awareness and skills to
select the choices available in everyday life
and long range
Strategies for becoming an
active participant in the classroom or
community by communicating what
he or she needs to be comfortable,
to learn, and to feel safe
Methods necessary to obtain
information for safety and medical
purposes, as well as getting
materials and resources at school, home,
and in the community
8. School to Work
An understanding of student
work responsibilities, teacher/parent/
employer expectations, and the
roles of various people within the
students environments
An understanding of work
habits and skills such as finding and
keeping a job, maintaining
relationships with co-workers and
employers, using time clocks,
etc.
A realistic and accurate
concept of self, abilities, post school training
potential, and future employment
potential.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAFBLIND
To provide effective classroom practices for students who are deafblind, the
educators need to:
1. Methods
Teach to each individual's
unique learning style.
Make use of other educators
including specialists in meeting the needs
of students who are deafblind.
Provide a system of time
organization such as daily, weekly, monthly,
and yearly calendars with
objects, pictures, and/or words.
Give the student appropriate
and frequent acknowledgment (e.g.,
verbal praise, a physical token
system) when his or her behavior or
responses are correct or
incorrect and/or socially appropriate or
inappropriate.
Expect the student who is
deafblind to follow the same rules of
behavior that apply to other
children in the classroom and when they
are within the child's capacity
to learn and understand.
Be sensitive for the need to
provide extra time for the child to respond,
extra time for task completion,
and provide an individualized pace for
presentation of new information.
Use individualized and multiple
methods of communication including
a variety of options to match
the student's learning abilities (e.g.,
gestures, sign language,
Braille, enlarged print, audiotapes, tactile sign
language, technological devices,
use of interpreters, etc.).
Check frequently to ensure the
student is understanding the task and
what is expected of him or her.
Use, as needed, a high degree
of repetition.
Ensure consistency related to
specifics of communication by all service
providers.
Ensure that each student is
challenged and encouraged to perform and
advance academically at his or
her ability level.
Provide Opportunities for
Success new information in practical settings
where the child will use the
knowledge (cooking in the kitchen,
walking the usual route to
classes or to the bathroom, etc.).
Take into account the child's
culture/ethnicity and adapt accordingly.
Provide purposeful, intensive,
structured learning experiences - it may
be necessary to systematically
teach each new concept and task.
Provide opportunities for the
student to review and successfully
practice using new skills in a
variety of settings.
Accept and encourage the
student's individual approach to learning
(e.g., he or she may use the
sense of touch before engaging the sense of
sight or use several senses at
the same time).
Expose student to new concepts
and vocabulary before introducing to
the large group.
Use verbal, written, and/or
physical prompts to initiate and to
maintain work habits, knowing
which prompt works best for each
child.
Use appropriate cues to help
the student anticipate the next activities.
Provide the students with
opportunities and materials that ensure
he/she is an active participant
in his/her daily routine (e.g., choice
making, turn taking, problem solving,
decision making).
Individualize learning
experiences to match the student's level of
ability by modifying the content
of the curriculum and/or making
appropriate changes in the
materials (e.g., enhancing the visual,
auditory, or tactile information).
Provide consistency and
predictability in the daily activities of the child
as a way of facilitating
independence.
Facilitate activities which
encourage peer interaction and friendship.
Set up activities that help
the child adapt to events out of the routine
and emergencies.
Facilitate activities which
teach and offer opportunities for peer
interaction and friendships.
Use a high degree of
"hands on", experiential learning.
Provide hand-over-hand
assistance, verbal, and tactual cues only when
necessary. Allow independence
whenever possible.
2. Materials
Use real life materials to
reinforce functional learning and provide the
student with opportunities to
make choices in his or her daily routine.
Use specialized materials,
equipment, and technology that allow the
learner full access to classroom
information that the child who is
deafblind may not see or hear
(e.g., amplification devices, low vision
aids, Braillewriter, closed
caption video/film, descriptive video,
Braille, large print, sign
language, interpreter, TDDs).
Provide tools for independent
mobility, as required.
3. Environment
Ensure physical consistency of
the environment by structuring the
classroom to allow the learner
safe movement (e.g., clear obstacles
from travel pathways), maximized
travel independence, and increased
access to personal storage space
and materials within the classroom
(e.g., designated coat hook or
locker, specific items are kept in the same
place).
Ensure that the student is in
a comfortable and supported position for
learning tasks.
Minimize auditory and visual
distractions, and enhance the
environment to optimize auditory
and visual reception (e.g., attention
to lighting, contrast, color,
angle, and distance of materials, etc.).
Provide extra space for
specialized materials available to the group and
available only to the individual
child.
4. Instructional Content
Teach communication throughout
every activity and experience. Start
simple, build to complex.
Teach communication skills in
the context of meaningful social and
education activities by using
alternative or assistive communication
systems such as sign language,
object or picture boards, adapted for each
individual child.
Teach adaptive living skills
by means of functional practice within the
setting where these skills
normally occur.
Provide for physical activity
to promote fitness.
Teach mobility skills by means
of predictable routes with easily
identified landmarks, possible
use of equipment such as a long cane,
etc.
Orient the student with the
surroundings in any new setting.
Provide support for learner to
grieve for sensory losses, if the
disability(ies) diminishes
suddenly or gradually.
Provide opportunities for recreation
and leisure time activities (at
school, home and in the
community).
Provide opportunities to
explore and learn about a variety of jobs
and/or additional work skills.
Provide support for choosing a
job and getting started.
Provide opportunities for
retraining, if vision or hearing status
changes with age.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAFBLIND
In assessing the learning
of students who are deafblind, educators need to:
1. Develop an evaluation
strategy based upon the educational concerns for
the student, which may or may
not involve the use of standardized test
instruments.
2. Use a functional skill
assessment (skills within natural context of
learning and in a variety of
situations).
3. Eliminate inappropriate
assessment items (those that are solely based on
a visual and/or auditory
response).
4. Analyze test items to assess
what skill or concept is actually being
measured. Then adapt activities
and materials to assess these skills in a
way that is appropriate for the
child.
5. Modify materials and methods
of the assessment procedures to meet the
sensory and/or physical needs of
the child without compromising the
intent of the assessment task
(for commercial, as well as teacher-made
materials).
6. Utilize a team approach of
assessment and include individuals who are
familiar with the student.
7. Conduct an assessment in
multiple sessions and across a number of
environmental settings such as
the home, school, and places within the
community.
8. Use ongoing observation to
evaluate the child's proficiency.
9. Be sensitive to language and
cultural implications of the assessment
process and assessment
materials.
10. Use extreme caution with the
interpretation of assessment results
(especially standardized tests)
with learners who are deafblind.
11. Provide assessment materials
in appropriate literacy medium" such as
Braille, large print, etc.
12. Request and acknowledge family
input into the assessment process by
using parent interview and/or
participation in the actual assessment
process.
13. Take into consideration the
influence of medication and medical
condition(s) upon the child's
behaviors, responses, and performance.
14. Allow more response time
when presenting material and extra
completion time for the task at
hand.
15. Be aware of the size and
contrast of the testing materials.
16. Become familiar with the
child's preferred mode of receptive
communication and communicate
with the child in the most
appropriate manner.
17. Acknowledge "subtle
behavioral" changes as responses to the assessment
item.
18. Provide breaks for sensory
and/or physical fatigue.
19. Ensure comfortable and supported
positioning during the assessment
process.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE:
DEAFBLIND
For students who are deafblind to have adequate opportunities to learn, the
schools need to:
1. Provide a low
student-to-teacher ratio. (e.g., the student may require oneto-
one for some tasks).
2. Use a team approach in all
aspects of the child's programming which
may include the following
members: child, his/her family, interpreters,
regular and special educators,
orientation and mobility instructor,
teachers of children with
sensory impairment(s), communication
specialist, physical therapists,
occupational therapists, medical personnel,
psychologist, paraprofessionals,
social worker, rehabilitation counselors,
employers, transition people,
and other persons who are directly
involved with the life of the
child.
3. Collaborate with the
student's family in all aspects of the child's
educational programming.
4. Strive to ensure programmatic
consistency between the childs home
and school life.
5. Build in appropriate time for
team meetings.
6. Consider a variety of service
options to best meet the student's
individual needs.
7. Examine the need for extended
school day and/or extended school year.
8. Address medical needs during
school placement hours and identify the
personnel who will need to tend
to these needs (e.g., medications,
suctioning etc.)
9. Employ co-teaching between
special education and regular education
teachers.
10. Use a supervised
paraprofessional who has ongoing specialized training.
11. Provide a skilled
interpreter, whenever appropriate, to the child in the
classroom.
12. Access a source of Braille
materials, as appropriate, for the child.
13. Provide families with
information about deafblindness, related
resources, educational options,
and about the special education process
and legal rights.
14. Commence transition planning
for students entering adult life, at the
recommended age of 14 years and
earlier when appropriate. Transition
planning should include the
family, school personnel, and appropriate
rehabilitation personnel.
15. Provide training for parents
to provide communication and use of skills
at home.
16. Provide families and the
individual with deafblindness with
information on counseling and
support resources. This is especially
important for the individual who
has a progressive or sudden hearing
and/or vision loss.
17. Provide timely and thoughtful
transition planning anytime there is a
change in the childs program.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF STUDENTS WITH:
EMOTIONAL DISABILITY (ED)
(Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability--SIED)
Characteristics of the SIED
population which may be helpful when reviewing
this document: {taken from the
Rules (for the) Administration of the
Exceptional Children's
Educational Act 2.02(5)(a)}
May exhibit pervasive sad
affect, depression and feelings of worthlessness;
cries suddenly or frequently.
May display unexpected and
atypical affect for the situation.
May display excessive fear and
anxiety.
May persist in physical
complaints which are not due to a medical
condition.
May exhibit withdrawal,
avoidance of social interaction and/or lack of
personal care to an extent that
maintenance of satisfactory interpersonal
relationships is prevented.
May appear out of touch with
reality; have auditory and visual
hallucinations, thought
disorders, disorientation or delusions.
May have difficulty getting
mind off certain thoughts or ideas; unable to
keep self from engaging in
repetitive and/or useless actions.
May display consistent pattern
of aggression toward objects or persons to
an extent that development or
maintenance of satisfactory internal
relationships is prevented.
May demonstrate pervasive
oppositional, defiant or noncompliant
responses.
May demonstrate significantly limited
self-control, including an impaired
ability to pay attention.
May exhibit persistent pattern
of stealing, lying or cheating.
May demonstrate persistent
patterns of bizarre and/or exaggerated
behavior reactions to routine
environments.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR STUDENTS WITH:
EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES (ED)
(Significant Identifiable Emotional DisabilitySIED)
Students with Emotional Disabilities
need to learn to:
1. Understand and Maintain
Physical Health
Know the effects of behavior
on health in order to make healthy,
personal choice
Know and understand the
effects of nutrition and medication on
managing behavior and emotional
well-being
Know about the relationships
between personal lifestyle choices and
resulting diseases
Know about the use and abuse
of medication, drugs, and alcohol
Learn the signs that indicate
a need for seeking health care
2. Develop Personal
Responsibility
Learn strategies to prevent
and respond to potentially harmful
behaviors and situations
Learn and practice personal
hygiene, promoting social acceptance and
personal relationships.
Learn how to play an active and
responsible role in determining the
outcomes of events
Learn when it is necessary to
comply with social expectations, and
community norms and rules
3. Develop Coping Skills
Learn a variety of strategies
to plan, organize and manage daily
routines and meet personal goals
Learn to identify and manage
big and little stresses
Learn how to identify and deal
with personal emotions and those of
others
Learn strategies to cope with
challenging people and situations
4. Develop Problem Solving
and Decision Making Strategies
Learn to define a problem and
select from a variety of options
Learn and use a variety of
strategies for solving problems and making
decisions
Learn how to recognize when
change is necessary
Learn strategies for handling
change
5. Self-Advocate
Know how to get community
resources that provide support such as
mental health, job and housing,
and legal assistance
Learn strategies for asking
for help and how to request the supports
that you need
Learn personal strengths, weaknesses,
needs, and abilities and how
these relate to your daily
functioning
Learn how to resolve issues of
fairness and differing opinion with
adults and peers
6. Understand Human Behavior
Learn how to identify and
manage feelings
Learn about the wide range of
human social and sexual behavior
Learn how behavior is affected
by cultural values and personal
experiences such as parenting
and upbringing
Learn to tolerate diversity in
people and experience
Develop personal behavior
management skills
Learn to identify the outcomes
achieved by specific behaviors such as
attention getting behaviors and
the need to belong
Learn new behaviors which
replace the ineffective ones and practice in
a variety of settings
Learn to recognize situations
and events that cause emotional or
behavioral responses and develop
ways to manage those responses
7. Use Effective Student
Behaviors
Learn to manage time and
materials
Learn to work independently
and as part of a team
Learn effective skills for interacting with adults as well
as peers in
social and academic settings
Learn to recognize when you
are getting nervous or anxious in
academic and social settings and
use effective coping strategies
Demonstrate how managing time
effectively, using organizational
strategies, and other learning
aids can increase your ability to focus on
learning new skills
Learn to recognize and accept authority
8. Make and Keep Friends
Learn how to select, develop
and maintain friends who support
appropriate behavior
Learn how to resolve issues
that occur as friendships grow
Learn to support appropriate
behavior of your friends
Learn to separate personal
needs and goals from those of a peer group
and the skills for coping with
peer pressure
Learn effective social skills
9. Live Independently
Learn to set long and short
term goals
Develop a specific career goal
which matches with personal strengths
and interests
Develop a system of supports
for coping with life after high school
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES (ED)
(Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability--SIED)
To provide effective
classroom practices to students with emotional
disabilities, educators need
to:
1. Provide a Safe, Nurturing
and Accepting Environment
Physical Environment
Arrange tables, desks, chairs,
and work spaces so that the physical
space suits the need of each
student.
Allow students whose activity
levels are high to listen and do work
in flexible seating arrangements
(i.e., sitting on the floor, standing,
using a table rather than a
desk).
Create private spaces for
students where they can withdraw from
the group when they need to be
alone.
Routines and Procedures
Encourage student input when
creating classroom rules and
procedures.
Post rules and routines and
adhere to them.
Notify students whenever
possible in advance when routines will
be interrupted.
Schedule activities, small and
large group instruction, and other
classes in such a way that the
activity and attention spans of
students are accommodated.
Teach and review the routines
and procedures that students need
for transition from a variety of
activities such as large to small
group activities and from the
classroom to the lunchroom.
Create opportunities to
practice routines and procedures.
Social Environment
Support failures as learning
opportunities.
Use humor with students.
Provide students with
opportunities to make choices and discuss
the outcomes of those choices.
Teach students to work and
play with their peers through positive
interactions.
Model and reinforce
appropriate social interactions with peers and
adults.
Encourage students to take
responsibility for the classroom
atmosphere and to improve it
when it is unsatisfactory.
Allow students time to
evaluate their own interactions with others.
Be able to recognize and admit
mistakes.
Establish a group identity for
a class or class period by allowing
everyone to play a critical
role.
Establish and maintain clear
boundaries between adult and student.
2. Help Students to Learn to
Manage Their Own Behavior
Classroom Management
Systems
Set clear, concise and
achievable standards for behavior in your
classroom and make sure that
students and their families know
what the standards are.
Use structure, consistency,
reinforcement, feedback, consequences
and cues to assist students to
meet the standards.
Understand that students have
different abilities and modify your
expectations based on those
individual abilities.
Use logical and natural
consequences to help your students learn to
manage their own behavior.
Reinforce students to meet
standards and encourage students who
are less successful.
Promote an atmosphere that
respects students' feelings and abilities.
Recognize when students are
frustrated with an activity so that it
can be modified.
Address issues of fairness.
3. Know and Use Effective
Teaching Practices
Practice Strategies
Provide feedback and
encouragement as students try out new skills.
Provide homework that students
have the ability to complete.
Provide opportunities for
students to role-play and practice
interpersonal skills.
Provide ongoing feedback to
students.
Provide practice of new skills
in a variety of environments.
Instructional Strategies
Use a variety of age
appropriate activities, methods and materials
when teaching.
Create simulations or provide hands
on experiences that help
students understand a new
concept.
Encourage students to try new
ideas, ask questions, and risk failure.
Use examples from your
students lives to teach concepts.
Review daily what has been
taught.
Provide opportunity for
cooperative learning.
Incorporate social skills and
life skills throughout the curriculum.
Crisis Management
Plan for potential crisis
situations that includes necessary building
staff.
Provide a variety of options
for students in crisis and reinforce their
use (i.e., voluntary time out,
going to the counselor, principal).
Teach students in non-crisis
times to use options.
Learn to recognize a crisis,
when to ask for assistance, and when to
follow the crisis procedures.
Individualizing Discipline
Procedures
Write individual plans and
evaluate their effectiveness regularly.
Involve students, their
families and other school professionals in
developing an individual
behavior support plan.
Balance proactive with
reactive strategies and consider students
strengths and needs when writing
behavior plans.
____________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR STUDENTS WITH:
EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES (ED)
(Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability--SIED)
In assessing the learning
of students with emotional disabilities, educators
need to:
1. Consider Evaluation
Methods
Use a variety of ways to test
for knowledge including verbal responses,
portfolios, shortened tests,
open book tests, self-evaluation,
illustrations, computers and
peer evaluation.
Develop the criteria on which
students will be evaluated and provide
those criteria to students at
the beginning of a unit or class.
Include teachers, parents, peers, and other significant
people in the
students' lives in evaluating
how the students are doing in using both
academic and social skills.
Assess students' knowledge
when they are in a non-agitated, non-crisis
mode.
Allow students to use alternative
environments, move around or
change seats during testing, or
complete testing at a later time if that
may improve performance.
Critique works in progress and
provide a series of tests over time so
that the student receives useful
feedback.
Provide students with
information on performance relative to
themselves and their peers.
Provide opportunity to retake
test or redo lessons using feedback from
the first attempt.
2. Consider Environmental
Modifications
Provide people and/or technology
as support (i.e., tape recorders,
scripters, readers, computers).
Be flexible in choosing the
environments in which assessment takes
place (i.e., secluded area).
Make time adjustments when
needed that allow for extra time, shorter
time frames or varied time of
day.
Be flexible in methods of
testing such as written or verbal.
Match written test design to
students' strengths (i.e., multiple choice,
fill-in the blank, true-false,
essay, matching).
3. Include Opportunities for
Demonstrations
Create situations where
students exhibit their skill acquisition and
evaluate their performance.
Evaluate the student's problem
solving process as well as the end
product.
Use portfolios that show
examples of work from the beginning to the
end of a unit or class.
Allow for group presentations.
Assess students in real life
situations and evaluate their use of skills
(i.e., behaving in social
settings, relationships with others in personal
and community settings).
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES (ED)
(Significant Identifiable Emotional Disability--SIED)
For students with emotional disabilities to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Assure that each student has
access to an adult in the building to build
a trusting relationship.
2. Provide opportunities for
collaborative co-teaching to occur between
mental health faculty, special
educators, and general educators through
common planning times, flexible
scheduling, team meetings, and
shared professional development.
3. Use community resources such
as recreation facilities, clubs, and other
experiential education
activities to augment the school curriculum.
4. Coordinate with other human
service agencies to ensure that the
mental health, social and legal
needs of students are met.
5. Provide a variety of career
and work opportunities and the necessary
supports so that students will
graduate from school and support
themselves through work.
6. Provide off-campus learning
opportunities such as job sites in the
community, job shadowing,
service projects, and experiential/outdoor
education.
7. Work with families to involve
them in their student's education
through a variety of means
including the use of conferences, telephone
calls, voice mail, computers,
regular written logs and home visits.
8. Work with families to assist
in providing parenting skills,
understanding their child's
unique needs, understanding legal issues
which relate to their children,
and accessing community resources.
9. Provide students with
opportunities for support in crisis including
access to a supportive adult, counseling
and support groups.
10. Provide students with the
opportunity to remove themselves from the
classroom setting when their
emotional or behavioral needs indicate a
need for a physical change.
11. Allow for flexibility in
scheduling including adjusting start and finish
times to the school day, class
scheduling, use of breaks, involvement in
community activities, and
alternative course options.
12. Consider student-teacher
ratios in programming for students with
social and behavioral needs
which accounts for the need for individual
and small group instruction and
behavior and classroom management.
13. Provide staff development
and continued support to assist personnel
in understanding and working
with students with significant social,
emotional and behavioral needs.
14. Provide critical information
regarding behavior issues to appropriate
school personnel.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
THAT IMPACT:
GENDER
Students of both genders
need to learn:
1. A variety of learning
styles.
Need to take risks
Need high expectation
boys need to learn to respect
girls
all students need a conscious
learning of differences in
communication styles based on
gender in world cultures
face failure
(internally).....males
perseverance in the face of
failure (externally).....females
2. Essential learnings for
females
Believe they can learn
That success is OK
Need direct communication
styles, i.e., "no" as opposed to "I don't
think so!" (will have
cultural variances)
Motivate for success. Reduce
the concern about competition from the
perceived conflict between
femininity and achievement.
3. Social/emotional needs
Feel safe-physical safety,
emotional, free from sexual/racial
harassment
Assurance of each students
right to learn
Self expression for all
students needs balance; girls need
encouragement to express ideas
equally and openly (Native
American & Asian Pacific
male and female students may need
additional encouragement and
permission; African American males
may need to be assured that
someone consciously hears their
contribution.)
External affirmation (i.e.,
males need to affirm themselves, other
males, especially girls for
their skills and abilities and not their
appearances; females need to
affirm themselves, other females
especially males for their
sensitivity and nurturing characteristics and
not their aggressiveness and
competitiveness.)
4. Academics
Critical thinking skills....to
recognize unfair representation of females
and males in their environment
in the media.
All genders/races need math,
science and technology - girls tend to
stay away from upper level
courses and minority students are not
encouraged to participate.
Females need to affirm that
they must prepare to be economically
self-sufficient.
Understand the coping skills
needed in a school climate and the
behavior practices that support
them.
Need role models from both
genders in every area of achievement.
Need and understanding that
child rearing is not restricted by gender.
Need balance by gender in
communication.
Sensitize females and males to
appreciate and utilize one another's
interests and abilities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
THAT
IMPACT
GENDER
To provide effective
classroom practices for students of both genders,
educators need to:
1. Encourage the display of
equitable responses based on gender.
2. Hold high expectations for
all students, performance (i.e., males being
praised for poetry writing;
females being praised for technological
development).
3. Provide equitable rewards and
consequences.
4. Encourage students to take
pride in their abilities--especially African
American, Native American and
Hispanic females.
5. Use a variety of teaching and
evaluation strategies (i.e., cooperative
activities, and independent ways
of learning).
6. Use gender fair, bias free,
equitable language and behaviors in the
teaching environment.
7. Intervene and confront others
immediately to reduce instances of gender
bias, gender stereotyping and
harassment.
8. Discuss sexual harassment,
sexism and identify their impact and power.
9. Explore the dual cultures and
expectations that confront minority
females and males
10. Develop classroom activities
which may meet the different needs of
females and males of different
culture.
11. Have responsibility for
implementing gender equity through Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972
in the classroom.
12. Eliminate traditional
groupings (i.e., lining up by sex for the bathroom or
boys competing against girls).
13. Encourage females and males
into activities, assignments and tasks
where they have historically
been underrepresented.
14. Help students visualize
gender in a variety of new roles as in careers,
especially
the new technology.
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
THAT
IMPACT:
GENDER
In assessing the learning of
both genders, educators need to:
1. Provide assessments that are
gender fair.
Language appropriateness
Non-stereotypic model
Inclusivity
2. Offer a variety of assessment
strategies based on gender and cultural
locality.
3. Provide performance or authentic
assessment, based on measurable
gender outcomes of achievement
and learnings.
4. Provide gender relevance to
experience.
5. Develop reliabilities and
validities across gender and ethnic groups.
6. Record assessment results
across gender and ethnic groups.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
THAT IMPACT:
GENDER
For students of both genders to have adequate opportunities to learn, schools
need to:
1. Make community and parent
involvement meaningful.
Seek programs and community
volunteers to lead and encourage
students, especially minority
females and males, participation.
Maximize parents desire to
contribute by creating an award system
for parents time, energy and
commitment.
2. Develop and complement
policies/procedures to support gender equity.
All means all.
3. Be in compliance with federal
and state laws such as Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972,
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
504, Carl D. Perkins for
Vocational Education, Americans with
Disabilities Act,
school-to-work, drug free workplace, ethnic
intimidation, family leave, Safe
Schools Act, etc.
4. Utilize community service
activities for all students to connect/expand
the in-school educational
activities.
___________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
GIFTED & TALENTED
Gifted individuals can
generally be characterized by:
1. Extraordinary learning
strength or ability apparent through behavioral
traits, performance, or
aptitude.
2. Capacity to learn with
unusual depth of understanding, to retain what
has been learned, and to
transfer learning to new situations.
3. Capacity and willingness to
deal with increasing levels of abstraction and
complexity in their areas of
talent or intellectual strength earlier than
their chronological peers.
4. Ability to make unusual
connections among ideas, concepts, and bits of
information.
5. Ability to learn very quickly
in their areas of talent or intellectual
strength.
6. Unusually strong curiosity or
inquisitiveness; unusually strong desire to
find answers to questions or
problems that interest them.
7. Unusual insightfulness and/or
intuitiveness, especially in their areas of
talent or intellectual strength.
8. Tendency toward heightened
emotional and/or physical sensitivity.
9. Tendency to hold high
expectations (sometimes unreasonably high) of
ones self and others.
10. Capacity for intense concentration and/or focus.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
GIFTED & TALENTED
Students who are gifted and
talented students need to learn:
1. Self-directed learning skills
(e.g., study skills, organization skills, time
management skills, etc.) which
allow them to maximize their learning
effectiveness and to excel at
optimal levels of performance.
2. Critical and creative
thinking skills and problem-solving strategies,
integrated with solid learning
content.
3. Knowledge about and skills
necessary to manage potential difficulties in
learning often experienced by
exceptionally able individuals, such as
perfectionism, risk-taking,
stress, heightened sensitivities, pressure to
perform, and high expectations
of self and others.
4. Attitudes and skills
necessary for accurate and fair self-criticism and
evaluation of ones own
products, performances, and progress in
learning.
5. Research strategies and
skills essential for in-depth study and advanced
learning, taught as early as
possible in students educational career.
6. Knowledge of self (including
learning abilities, learning styles, interests,
nature of giftedness, etc.) and
knowledge about other gifted individuals
as a resource for personal
development.
7. High-level development of
effective communication, collaboration, and
self-advocacy skills.
8. Self-understanding gained
from consistently experiencing learning
situations that are challenging
enough to make hard work necessary.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
GIFTED & TALENTED
To provide effective classroom practices to students who are gifted and
talented, educators need
to:
1. Use teaching methods and
learning opportunities shown by research and
practice to be especially
effective with gifted and talented students,
including, but not limited, to:
curriculum compacting and
acceleration strategies
fast-paced instruction and
provisions for progress through curricula
at the students personal rate
of learning
direct instruction in basic
and advanced research and study skills and
in the use of a wide variety of
technology
instructional planning that
anticipates differences in diverse learning
needs and characteristics of
individual students (differentiated
instruction, personal learning
plans)
interdisciplinary instruction and
cross-disciplinary application of
learning content
thematic instruction
emphasis on involvement of
student choice, interests, and learning
strengths
in-depth learning projects and
independent investigations, done both
individually and in small groups
judicious use of competitions
2. Provide content learning that
requires gifted and talented students to be
engaged a majority of their
learning time in higher-level thinking,
abstract thinking, problem-solving,
creativity and innovation, and high level
research and study skill
development.
3. Use flexible, non-permanent
instructional grouping practices designed to
facilitate accelerated/advanced
academic learning (e.g., cluster-grouping,
cross-age grouping, grouping by
achievement level for specific
instruction, interest grouping,
collaborative problem-solving groups,
etc.).
4. Offer counseling and guidance
strategies specifically designed around the
unique affective needs of gifted
and talented students (e.g., feelings of
being different, effects of
uneven development, need for effective selfadvocacy,
motivation, interpersonal
skills, coping with learning barriers,
etc.).
5. Provide opportunities for
real world investigations and experiences,
both inside and outside of the
regular classroom (e.g., in-depth study of
real problems, work-study,
exploration of local and global issues, career
exploration, community service
experiences, etc.).
6. Use flexible scheduling
allowing for a variety of learning opportunities
and purposes.
7. Provide access to scholars,
expert practitioners, and gifted role models
(especially important for gifted
female students and gifted minority
students).
8. Provide opportunities for
students to demonstrate achievement and
excellence through competitions,
exhibitions, performances,
presentations, etc.
9. Provide exposure and access
to advanced ideas, research, and works of
eminent producers in many
fields.
10. Provide frequent and regular
opportunities to learn and work with peers
of like ability and interest.
____________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
GIFTED & TALENTED
In assessing the learning of students who are gifted and talented, educators
need to consider:
1. Allowing gifted students to
test out of required course work,
challenging a class or unit of
study, or waiving requirements based on
satisfactory demonstration of
prior knowledge, skill, or ability.
2. Pre-testing before instruction
in order to make decisions about
appropriate instruction for the
student.
3. Creating assessment tasks
that require complex and abstract thinking, are
appropriately challenging, allow
divergent responses, emphasize both
the depth/breadth and quality of
the students learning, and motivate
students to show their highest
level of performance.
4. Using portfolios of the
students work and/or performance over time
that
Keep track of continuous
progress in the curriculum
Incorporate evidence of learning
through a variety of assessment
methods
Make accommodation for
different learning styles
Show evidence of complexity of
learning
Provide opportunity for timely
and constructive feedback on
students products or performances,
including opportunity for
student to revise or improve
his/her work
Give evidence of affective
growth and development
5. Emphasizing student
self-evaluation using agreed-upon or predetermined
standards of excellence in
evaluation criteria.
6. Providing supportive
assessment environments that both encourage
and allow high-level performance
and risk-taking.
7. Using out-of-level tests
(e.g., 5th grade level test for a student currently
in 3rd grade, end of unit exam
from a class above current grade level,
taking Scholastic Aptitude Test
as a seventh grader, etc.) to determine
student knowledge and/or
aptitude in a curricular area.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
GIFTED & TALENTED
For students who are
gifted and talented to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Offer accelerated learning
opportunities and settings in the regular
school program (e.g., advanced
academic classes, advanced classes in the
arts, advanced placement
programs, honors classes/programs,
International Baccalaureate
Program, grade-skipping opportunities, early
admissions, etc.).
2. Provide grouping arrangements
that provide intellectual and interest
peer group interactions (e.g.,
cluster groupings, pull-out programs,
seminars, magnet programs,
collaborative problem-solving groups, self-contained
programs, pre-school programs,
etc.).
3. Create personalized Learning
Plans developed cooperatively by students,
parents, teachers, and
counselors, covering a variety of time frames (e.g.,
unit of study, semester, school
year, multiple years, etc., especially for
highly gifted students).
4. Offer supplemental
inside-of-school and outside-of-school enrichment
and extended learning programs
and activities (e.g., Super Saturdays,
summer academic and enrichment
programs, clubs, field trips, extended
travel, student exchange
programs, academic contests and competitions,
mentorships/internships,
community service activities, etc.).
5. Provide career exploration
and career counseling programs, including
future education planning,
counseling, and guidance.
6. Offer counseling and guidance
services especially for gifted students
provided by educators with
expertise in gifted and talented student
education (e.g., self-awareness
programs at the elementary level, advisor advisee
groups at middle school, special
counseling and advisement at
high school).
7. Offer support services in the
school for gifted and talented students
provided by persons with
expertise in both gifted and talented education
and specialty areas (e.g., counselors, special education
personnel, teachers
for the visually and/or hearing
impaired, teachers for students with
limited English proficiency,
etc.).
8. Design efforts to coordinate,
combine, and/or share resources, people
and facilities within a district
or building in order to maximize access to
and utilization of available
resources for supporting student learning
(e.g., very talented younger
students utilizing studios or laboratories at
high school or college, high
school teachers working with talented
middle level students in
accelerated academic programming, etc.).
9. Offer programs for providing information
and training in gifted and
talented education for parents,
teachers, and administrators.
10. Offer support and
information services for parents and professional
educators provided by trained
persons who have responsibility for gifted
and talented education
programming (e.g., state director of gifted
programming, district and
building coordinators, school-based resource
teachers, etc.)
11. Facilitate cooperative
agreements between K-12 schools and institutions
of higher education providing
for concurrent enrollment, dual credit,
and other advanced and/or
postsecondary options.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WITH:
LEARNING DISABILITIES
(Perceptual/Communicative Disability)
1. Students with learning
disabilities often tell us things like:
Its just harder for me to
learn than for the other kids.
I feel frustrated when I
can't do it.
Sometimes I don't feel very
smart.
2. Teachers often say things
like this about students with learning
disabilities:
I know shes bright, but she
cant perform tasks that other students
can. She has so much trouble
reading (or writing, or doing math).
Hes so disorganized, nothing
ever gets done.
3. Parents may tell us things
like:
She doesnt have many
friends.
He doesnt like school.
"She's just slower than
her younger sister."
"He's just not
motivated."
4. Research and experience tell
us:
Students with learning disabilities:
are capable of learning and
can be productive, participatory
students and citizens.
form a heterogeneous group
with a wide range of skills, talents and
needs.
may experience difficulty
learning throughout their lives.
Learning disabilities are
related to differences in central nervous
system functioning which affect
perception and language and cognitive
processing. This leads to
difficulty acquiring academic and social skills.
As a result students may be less
actively involved in learning and may
be less efficient learners.
Students with learning
disabilities may experience difficulty:
developing effective social
skills
acquiring academic skills
applying what they've learned
making appropriate decisions
expressing themselves and
understanding others
remembering information
utilizing effective, efficient
learning strategies
Learning disabilities are not
caused by mental retardation, emotional
disturbance, sensory
impairments, or other disabilities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LEARNING DISABILITIES (LD)
(Perceptual/Communicative Disability)
Students with learning
disabilities need to learn:
1. The essential, component
skills necessary to learn to read, write and do
mathematics.
The skills of reading, writing,
speaking/listening and mathematics are
essential learnings for students
with learning disabilities and are inherent
to the acquisition of all other
learning. The development of these skills
are ongoing and should be
incorporated across content and grade levels.
Essential, component skills
for reading that may prove difficult for
students with learning
disabilities include:
decoding skills
vocabulary skills
accessing essential background
knowledge
comprehension skills
summarization
self-monitoring for accuracy
and comprehension
Essential, component skills
for writing that may prove difficult for
students with learning
disabilities include:
development of ideas
retrieval of background
information
organization for and of
writing
sentence formulation
mechanics and spelling
accuracy
penmanship
self-monitoring of writing
process
Essential, component skills
for mathematics that may prove difficult
for students with learning
disabilities include:
understanding the language of
math
understanding and applying
math concepts
fluency and automaticity in
using math facts and procedures
2. Effective techniques,
strategies and tools to compensate for their learning
difficulties.
Memory strategies
Study strategies
Listening strategies
Attending strategies
Computers and calculators
Manipulatives
Multi-sensory strategies for
perceptual deficits
3. The self-management skills
necessary to control their learning, their
behavior and their lives.
Self-monitoring techniques
Time-management techniques
Effective organizational
strategies
Long and short term goal
setting techniques
Coping/stress management
techniques
Conceptual maps and notebooks,
clear assignment sheet for grades
4. The social skills
necessary for successful interpersonal relationships.
Initiating and maintaining
conversations
Cooperating with peers and
adults
Interpreting verbal and
nonverbal cues
Resolving conflicts through
positive and socially acceptable methods
Identifying and using various
roles appropriately in the family,
community and school
5. The skills necessary to be
an effective self-advocate.
An understanding of their own
personal strengths, skills and needs
The ability to build on and
develop strengths and talents
The reasons for personal
success and failure, including understanding
the positive results of
persistence
Negotiation skills
The ability to seek
assistance, including knowing when, where, and
what to ask of whom
6. The problem solving
techniques to respond flexibly in various situations.
Decision-making
Critical thinking
Awareness and knowledge of
cause and effect
determining appropriateness of
risk taking
7. Practical life skills
necessary to function effectively and with satisfaction at
home and in the community.
Maintaining health and hygiene
Developing leisure activities
Managing personal finances
Choosing and maintaining
appropriate living arrangements
8. Career development skills
to make and pursue appropriate personal
employment choices.
Behaviors necessary for
successful employment and training
Awareness of career interests
and aptitudes
Skills for considering and
pursuing future education and training
options
The specific skills necessary
to obtain and maintain targeted
employment when needed
9. Language skills necessary
to adequately express themselves and
understand others.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Pragmatics
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LEARNING DISABILITIES (LD)
(Perceptual/Communicative Disability)
To provide effective
classroom practices to students with learning disabilities,
educators need to:
1. Teach using effective
instructional strategies.
Present the same information
and directions through various
modalities.
utilize materials such as charts,
maps, tapes, overheads, flannel
boards, chalk boards, VCRs,
video cameras, and hands-on materials
to present information
color code written material
provided to students when appropriate.
(For example, all information
that needs to go home could be on
yellow paper, all science
material could be on blue paper, the
student can edit or highlight
with different colors, or written
directions can be consistently
highlighted in the same color.)
give directions in both oral
and written formats. Written directions
may be on the chalkboard, on the
overhead, on chart paper, or on
handouts or outlines
Provide opportunities for
active learning.
provide a variety of
experiential activities such as math
manipulatives, music and
physical movement, role playing, science
experiments
provide opportunities for
students to have frequent, short exchange
of ideas and information with
each other
present challenging, relevant
problems to students to solve
Establish relevance so the
student can relate learning to real life
experiences.
provide opportunities for
community members to work with
students to enhance the
relevancy of the skills being taught
provide opportunities for
students to learn and apply skills outside
the school setting
Provide outlines, study
guides, and graphic organizers prior to and
during instruction.
have visual charts and
diagrams to help students see relationships
between and among concepts
help students learn to develop
their own visual organizers
Modify assignments and tests when
appropriate.
provide a) alternative
assignments, b) shortened assignments,
c) alternative resources (large
print books, reading materials on tape,
calculators, alphabet strips,
Franklin spelling devices) and d) worksheets
with clear and limited print
Give students more time and
support to process information.
allow extra time for students
to answer oral questions or
opportunities to
"pass" and answer later
provide quiet time and/or
extra time to facilitate the processing of
new information
ask students to repeat or
rephrase directions
redefine terms or rephrase
information to facilitate student
understanding
Thoughtfully and deliberately
select and use specific instructional
methods for students needing
alternative approaches to develop
essential reading, writing and
mathematics skills.
select from a variety of
approaches so that the instruction matches
student's learning style and
needs
select from a variety of
approaches including direct, explicit
instruction and exploratory,
discovery activities as determined by
student need and task
constraints
select from a variety of
approaches including multi-sensory
phonetic, linguistic, and whole
language to teach language skills
Check frequently to ascertain
student understanding.
have students paraphrase or
put information in their own words
have students use hand signals
to indicate whether they are with
you or not (thumbs up,
"yes", thumbs down, "no")
use frequent, short quizzes
2. Establish supportive
classroom environments.
Group and regroup students
using a variety of arrangements.
group and regroup students by
multi-age, ability and mixed ability
levels, learning styles, and
cooperative learning
provide small group or
one-on-one instruction
Arrange the classroom so there
are quiet places and social places.
provide areas in the classroom
for students to be away from others
(a study carrel, sofa, bean bag,
or desk which is separated from the
other desks)
provide seating arrangements
and activities to facilitate
development of social skills
Establish and communicate
high, yet realistic and specific expectations
for performance.
provide opportunities for
learning from errors and for overlearning
through review, repetition,
drill and practice, direct
instruction
provide grading criteria prior
to student beginning a project so
student knows what is expected
of him/her
consistently and positively
reinforce students when they meet the
expectations
consistently provide immediate
and informative feedback on
student performance when
appropriate
allow opportunities for the
student to monitor, evaluate and
describe to others his/her own
progress and record growth and
changes on graphs, learning or
behavior contracts, or incentive
charts
provide ongoing home-school communication
about student
progress, resources for
appropriate emotional and academic support,
and appropriate way parents can
help students
establish and follow classroom
routines
teach with enthusiasm
Provide frequent opportunities
for student success and acknowledge
the strengths and positive
aspects of students' work and behavior.
provide opportunities for
enriching, challenging work in strength
areas
assist students in
understanding and using their strengths and
talents
assist students to understand
and explain to others their learning
strengths and needs
3. Deliberately focus
instruction on what students need to learn.
Identify and focus on the most
important information/concepts of the
curriculum.
develop a master list of
essential information to be learned for each
class, unit, or subject area and
teach it
model and provide guided
practice of material presented in class
before expecting the student to
practice on his/her own
teach concepts in several
different ways to facilitate student's
application to several different
situations
Make sure that the important
terminology is clear.
provide direct, explicit
instruction in essential vocabulary
teach procedural terms as well
as subject and concept vocabulary
Develop students' thinking
skills.
provide direct instruction,
modeling and practice to develop
problem solving and decision
making skills
plan activities that require
students to remember facts, understand
information, apply learned information,
synthesize information,
analyze information, and
evaluate information
Teach specific skills
necessary to be a successful student and learner.
provide instruction, modeling
and practice in listening, speaking,
and attending
provide instruction, modeling,
and practice in memorization
strategies such as clustering
and mnemonic devices
provide instruction, modeling
and practice in self-monitoring and
regulation skills
teach the skills necessary to
be successful in cooperative learning
activities in which each student
is responsible for decision making,
responsibility, and sharing
his/her portion of the work
Provide and teach the
students to use learning aids and technology.
alphabet strips, number lines,
Franklin spelling devices, calculators,
word processing, computer-aided
instruction, tape recorder,
amplification devices, and spell
checkers when appropriate
Teach career related skills.
provide career awareness,
exploration, choice and preparation
experiences as part of various
thematic units
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LEARNING DISABILITIES (LD)
(Perceptual/Communicative Disability)
In assessing the learning of students with learning disabilities, educators need
to:
1. Consider the following
factors in the development, norming and
standardization of tests used to
determine whether students meet a
standard:
Alternative assessment methods
that are specific to individual
strengths and needs (i.e.,
portfolios, paper-pencil tests, demonstrations,
interactive computer
presentations).
Language and readability
levels (i.e., simple instructions with
controlled vocabulary and short,
declarative statements are most easily
understood).
Test format
variety of question formats
(multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank,
matching, etc.)
computerized presentation
versus paper-pencil tasks
enlarged print as appropriate
white space on paper to provide
organizational cues, work space for
problem-solving and assist in
visual tracking
Assessment of a range of
thinking skills (for instance, representative of
a hierarchical taxonomy, i.e.,
Blooms).
Test design to allow for
various response methods
untimed administration
expression of learning through
oral, written and graphic/pictorial
responses
oral versus written responses
short and long forms of the
test
score is based on content
mastery rather than quality of written
response (i.e., avoid grading
content acquisition based on
grammatical structure, spelling,
neatness)
2. Consider the following in
administrating standards-based assessments:
Provide for technological
accommodations for student responses
computer access, calculator,
tape recorder, an extra copy of the test
(to mark or write on), etc.
Provide individuals with
procedural accommodations
readers, writers for oral
responses,
extra paper for making notes,
extended time
more than one opportunity to take
the test
people to supervise procedural
changes, i.e., when the time allowed
for taking the test is extended,
when the test is administered a
second time, when taped
administration/ responses are to be used.
Provide for environmental
accommodations
preferential seating based on
specific needs (seating away from
windows or hall noise)
control for distractions
(separate room or smaller room rather than
a large group setting)
3. Consider the following for
classroom assessments of standards.
Teacher observation across
time and settings
Anecdotal records
Student self-assessment
Mastery of skills related to
essential learnings
Hands-on performance
Demonstration of learnings
(written, oral, projects, visual arts,
performing arts)
Interviews of students
Assessments of developmental
milestones for age appropriate skills
Social skills assessment
Reports/observations from
internships and vocational experiences
Products from cooperative
groups
Grading assessments using alternative
grading methods
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LEARNING DISABILITIES (LD)
(Perceptual/Communicative Disability)
For students with learning disabilities to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Provide staff development and
follow-up activities to assist staff in
working with students with
learning disabilities.
2. Provide trained staff to help
students acquire communication skills,
motor skills, social skills,
academic skills, and affective skills.
3. Support collaboration between
special educators and classroom teachers
by establishing common planning
time, flexible scheduling, and team
meetings.
4. Utilize teams (including
parents, teachers, students, and agencies) to
problem-solve and determine
appropriate and timely interventions for
students experiencing
difficulties.
5. Adjust student-teacher ratios
to allow for effective instruction, frequent
student feedback, opportunities
for individual instruction, and effective
classroom management.
6. Provide opportunities for
students to receive direct instruction in small
group and individual
settings--in or outside the regular classroom--to
address student needs.
7. Provide alternative
scheduling options for students
8. Enhance the learning
environment through the use of current
technologies and multimedia
equipment to compensate for students
learning differences.
9. Provide planning and
instruction for students post secondary goals.
10. Collaborate with parents and
families to gain mutual understanding of
their childs needs and
strengths.
11. Provide opportunities for
students to help other students.
12. Help parents and students
explore community resources to provide
experiences for students to
participate in community groups and
activities.
13. Collaborate with community
agencies to help students, preschool - 12th
grade, attain the skills needed
for educational success and independent
living.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
Research has shown that students
acquire a second language in the same way
that they acquire the first
language. It is an exploratory process with verbal
expression increasing as
confidence and knowledge are gained through trial
and error. Researchers have
defined the following stages with corresponding
expectations. Since language
acquisition is an ongoing process, stages may
overlap and growth may occur at
varying intervals.
1. Silent/Receptive Stage
The student does not verbally
respond to communication in the second
language although there is
receptive processing. The student should be
actively included in all class
activities, but not forced to speak. Employing
the natural approach and total
physical response strategies will allow the
student time and clues to
encourage participation. Students are likely to
respond non-verbally to peer
buddies, inclusion in general activities and
games, pictures, audiovisuals,
and hands on projects. As students
progress through this stage,
they will provide one word verbal responses.
Characteristics:
verbally unresponsive
advancing to one word responses
hesitant, often confused and
unsure
indicate comprehension
nonverbally
develop listening skills
associate sound and meaning
2. Early Production
The student begins to respond
verbally using one or two words and to
develop the ability to extract
meaning from utterances directed to them.
The student continues to develop
listening skills and builds up a large
recognition (passive)
vocabulary. As students progress through the stage,
two or three words may be
grouped together in a short phrase to express
an idea.
Characteristics:
relate words to environment
improve comprehension skills
grasp main idea without
understanding all parts
focus on key words and
contextual clues
one word verbal responses advancing
to groupings of two or three
words
3. Speech Emergence
The student begins to respond in
simple sentences if he or she is
comfortable with the school
situation and engaged in activities in which
he or she is receiving large
amounts of comprehensible input. All
attempts to communicate
(gestures, attentiveness, following directions,
etc.) should be warmly received
and encouraged. It is especially important
that neither instructor nor
students make fun of or discourage attempts at
speech.
Characteristics:
produce words that have been
heard many times and understood,
but may be mispronounced (Young
students pronunciation will
improve naturally as they
interact with peers.)
errors of omission
produce what is HEARD such
as common nouns, verbs, and
adjectives
4. Intermediate Fluency
The student gradually makes the
transition to more elaborate speech so
that stock phrases with
continued good comprehensible input generates
sentences. The best strategies
are to give more comprehensible input,
develop and extend recognition
vocabulary, and give students a chance to
produce language in comfortable
situations.
Characteristics:
errors more common as
utterances are more complex
grammar not acquired yet
(Concentrating on grammatical elements
is counterproductive to the
process of language development.)
extensive vocabulary
development
5. Advanced Fluency
The student begins to engage in
non-cued conversation and to produce
connected narrative. This is
appropriate timing for some grammar
instruction, focusing on
idiomatic expressions and reading
comprehension skills. Provision
should be made for activities designed
to develop higher levels of
thinking, vocabulary skills and cognitive skills,
especially reading and writing.
Characteristics:
level of comprehension higher
but not advanced enough for all
academic classroom language
can interact extensively with
native speakers
fewer errors in grammar
many students in transitional
English reading program
although many reading skills
transfer from one language to
another, extensive vocabulary
development in English is still
required
student may still be
functioning in BICS (Basic Interpersonal
Conversational Skills) language
proficiency level
Adapted from Project Talk, a
Title VII Academic Excellence Program,
Aurora Public Schools.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
Students with Limited English
Proficiency need to learn:
1. Language
Since thoughts and rhetoric
vary across languages students need an
understanding of these patterns.
The student needs to learn
listening with comprehension.
The student needs to learn
speaking with clarity.
The student needs to learn
reading for understanding.
The student needs to learn
writing for effectiveness.
The student needs supplemental
instruction and support to learn
social and academic language.
The student needs supplemental
instruction and support to learn
content area vocabulary,
idiomatic expressions, modals (i.e., will,
could, should) and tag verbs
(i.e., make: make-up, make-believe,
make-out).
The student needs supplemental
instruction and support to learn
note taking.
The student needs supplemental
instruction and support to learn test
taking.
The student needs supplemental
instruction and support to learn
phonics, spelling, and grammar,
in addition to the syntactic and
semantic aspects of the second
language.
2. Classroom
Skills and strategies in
cross-cultural communication include:
How to express opinions and
thoughts.
How to seek and interpret
feedback.
Understanding strengths and
capitalizing on those strengths.
Strategies of active learners.
How to work competitively as
well as cooperatively.
How to ask for help.
How to take risks.
3. Rights and
Responsibilities
Skills and strategies in
cross-cultural communication include:
Learning attendance,
discipline and all other school and district
policies such as grading,
holidays, standards and assessments.
Learning grievance policies
and procedures.
Learning strategies and
knowledge for successful interaction both
within/without own culture.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
To provide effective
classroom practices for students with limited English
proficiency, educators
need to:
(These recommendations need to
be evident in every classroom with a
language minority student at
the elementary and secondary levels.)
1. Use Effective Teaching
Strategies
There is a broad range of
instructional practices and strategies that need to be
employed in assisting language minority
students to learn content area
concepts as they learn the
English language. These teaching strategies
include, but are not limited to:
Giving students flexible time
for learning.
Teaching to different styles
including cross-cultural mediation in
groups avoiding cultural
conflict.
Using content area materials
leveled to the English language
proficiency of the students
(native language when appropriate and
possible).
Guiding students in the
acquisition and improvement of academic and
social skills.
2. Use Effective
Instructional Strategies
There is a broad range of
instructional practices and strategies that need to be
employed in assisting language
minority students to learn content area
concepts as they learn the
English language. All teachers should:
Utilize the home language and
culture in instructional activities.
Design challenging content
area assessments tailored to English
language proficiency of
students.
Provide linguistically
meaningful activities and instruction that allow
students to attain or exceed
content area standards.
Provide direct instruction for
language development as it relates to the
content areas.
Utilize classroom activities
that teach to diverse learning styles that are
culturally based.
Develop and provide reading
and writing instruction in all content
areas that is consistent with
the district/school wide language policy.
Begin every lesson with an
identification and preview of key content
vocabulary and concepts.
Review key concepts and
vocabulary in a variety of ways and
modalities.
Use team teaching and creative
student scheduling to utilize language
and content expertise of staff.
Utilize bilingual instruction
when possible, avoiding concurrent
translation.
Provide content learning and
language usage through meaningful
activities.
Employ a variety of strategies
to monitor student comprehension
which go beyond simple yes/no
responses.
Allow "thinking
time" for student to process information before
requiring a response.
Acknowledge that beginning
second language learners will be silent
learners.
Create a learning environment
that is language rich (bilingual).
Provide instruction in how to
read course texts, handouts and other
classroom materials.
Encourage parents to use the
native/home language with the student.
3. Establish a Positive
Learning Environment
Understand and utilize the
language policy of the district/school.
Understand cultural and
linguistic code-switching.
Understand and support
psychological saturation point related to
second language learning.
Avoid stereotyping or
comparing ethnic groups.
Provide support with
commitment to the expectation that language
minority students are to meet
high content standards.
4. Use Support Strategies
Time/scheduling, materials,
technology, community.
Use a buddy system to provide
peer tutoring and other cultural and
social help as needed.
Provide a comprehensive
training on language minority students
education to the entire district
staff (i.e., first/second language
acquisition, culture, etc.).
Utilize parents and community
resources for linguistic and cultural
enrichment.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
In assessing the learning
of students with limited English proficiency,
educators need to:
1. Develop Procedures
Assessments should be
consistent with the language of instruction and
individual linguistic abilities.
Assess prior learnings in the
native language whenever possible and
applicable to establish
appropriate instruction.
Utilize bilingual/ESL program
staff to provide detailed information
about students' language proficiencies
in order to develop language
appropriate assessments.
Skill being assessed must be
identified--academic knowledge and skills
being assessed must be
distinguished and separated from competency
in the English language (Is
language usage or math computational
skills being assessed?).
instructors must realize that
most assessments will actually
assess both the content area
concepts and the students'
language ability (especially
reading/writing skills)
assessment of English language
proficiency must include all skill
areas--reading, writing,
understanding, speaking, and viewing
Alter the procedures used to
administer the assessment.
give instructions orally using
native language or English as
appropriate
allow students to respond
orally using native language or
English as appropriate
Set and assess additional
performance benchmarks and linguistically
appropriate goals to measure
students' progress towards attainment of
content standards.
2. Consider the Type of
Assessment
Utilize language appropriate
alternative forms of assessments to
provide students opportunities
to demonstrate both prior knowledge
and progress toward attainment
of content standard(s).
portfolios with rubrics
individual and group projects
non-verbal assessments:
visuals, drawings, demonstrations,
manipulatives
self-evaluation
performance tasks
computer assisted assessments
3. Consider Timing
Allow for time flexibility in
assessment administration to accommodate
students' linguistic
competencies.
4. Determine Whether or Not a
Student Has Met Standards.
Assessments for possible
placement in special education programs must
take the following into
consideration:
Language dominance must be
determined before any further
assessments are administered
Length of time the student has
been exposed to English
Previous educational history
Appropriate use of qualified
translators, diagnosticians, and/or
other trained personnel
Bilingual evaluation
instruments administered by trained by
bilingual teachers
In the absence of reliable
native language assessment
instruments, appropriate
performance evaluations
should be used.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP)
For students with Limited
English Proficiency to have adequate opportunities
to learn, schools need to:
1. Implement personnel practices
that:
Provide the services of trained
bilingual or ESL (English as Second
Language) specialists.
Provide the services of
trained translators and interpreters.
Provide systematic
professional development in first and second
language acquisition principles
and supporting classroom practices.
Canvass all district personnel
to find untapped bilingual resources.
Recruit bilingual classroom
teachers and special educators.
Recruit and train
bilingual/biliterate paraprofessionals and volunteers
to provide native language and
English support in the classroom.
Recruit bilingual,
non-instructional support staff (office, custodial,
transportation, etc.).
2. Develop supplemental
instructional programs that are offered outside the
traditional school day or as
otherwise appropriate to student need, such as:
Before and after school,
Saturday, and/or summer school programs
that focus on standards and
language proficiencies.
Year round schools with
tutorial programs during intermissions.
Magnet school programs for
second language learners.
3. Create partnerships with
businesses and community organizations that
value bilingualism to provide:
Opportunities for students to
apply bilingual skills.
Corporate internships for
language minority students.
4. Expand existing alternative
programs to meet the needs of older language
minority students who have not
yet met graduation level standards
through:
Vocational education
Partnerships with community
colleges
Open or alternative schools
Adult education classes
5. Develop and support family
literacy programs that provide:
Opportunities to develop
English language proficiency and literacy.
Opportunities to develop home
language proficiency and literacy.
Support for home-school
connections that promote parental
involvement.
GED programs.
6. Provide all teachers with
instruction and practice in second language
strategies that include:
The ability to discern
essential content area concepts and vocabulary
(Sheltered Language Techniques).
Allowing language minority
students to see, hear and experience
content area concepts and
vocabulary using realia, visuals, and other
hands-on materials in a variety
of different settings: reading, writing,
listening, speaking, action
dramatization, small group work,
contrast/compare, matching, etc.
(Sheltered Language and Total
Physical Response Techniques).
Delivering content area
curriculum using clear, easily understood
language. Systematic checks need
to be made to monitor student
understanding (Sheltered
Language Techniques).
Understanding the role of
first and second language acquisition. This
includes how social language
precedes academic/concept language
learning.
7. Provide all school staff
(administration, teaching, office, professional,
custodial, paraprofessional)
with instruction, understanding, and
resources for the affirmation of
students' home language and cultural
diversity. Staff training is
necessary in order to develop culturally appropriate
home/school partnerships by:
Teaching communication
strategies to staff as well as to the parents of
language minority students in
order to foster understandings across
language and cultures.
Teaching how to utilize
bilingual staff and trained translators that are
available for school meetings,
parent-teacher-student conferences, and
home visitations.
Teaching culture-specific
social interactions.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES/504
1. General Characteristics
Communication difficulty (written,
verbal, non-verbal)
Lack of independent mobility
Difficulty with fine/gross
motor skills
Frequent medical and
educational interruptions or interventions
Difficulty with activities of
daily living
Families with extra ongoing responsibilities
2. General Needs
Special seating, positioning,
lifting, transporting
Adaptive equipment/atmosphere
Physical assistance
Adaptive communication
Specially trained staff
Flexible Scheduling
Access to
building/classroom(s)
Mobility training
Liaison between school, home,
community, health care provider.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES/504
Students with physical
disabilities need to learn:
1. Different ways to communicate
verbally, non-verbally and in written
language in order to facilitate
effective interactions with others.
2. Skills to accomplish maximum
independence in activities of daily living,
transportation, health, safety
and accessing services to compensate for
physical limitations.
3. How to safely use special
equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, adapted
book holder, communication
devices, etc. to maximize abilities and
mobility.
4. How to effectively build
friendships to facilitate positive socialization due
to physical dependence.
5. Skills to realistically
explore and prepare for meaningful employment
choices.
6. Effective skills for
requesting assistance to accomplish personal goals in a
socially constructive manner.
7. Adaptive strategies to enable
participation in physical and leisure activities
to improve muscular control,
socialization and life-long leisure skills.
8. Skills to help manage their
environment and decrease their real and
perceived dependence.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES/504
To provide effective classroom practices for students who have physical
disabilities, educators
need to:
1. Provide availability and
opportunity to safely use adaptive (special)
equipment such as computers,
videos, books-on-tape or special air filters.
2. Allow for additional time to
complete educational activities, activities of
daily living and specific health
procedures.
3. Provide an accessible
environment with adequate space available for
movement and equipment.
4. Revise curriculum to meet
physical abilities and developmental level.
5. Assure proper positioning for
learning and testing.
6. Modify written expectations.
7. Provide smaller groupings to
promote peer interactions, master skills
and sensitize others to special
needs.
8. Allow for flexible scheduling
or shortened day.
9. Provide shared opportunities
for learning.
10. Provide opportunities to
explore, try out meaningful jobs and activities.
11. Provide opportunities to
explore or participate in leisure activities.
12. Allow students to assume
different roles in a group.
13. Adapt homework assignments
to accommodate physical abilities.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES/504
In assessing the learning of students who have physical disabilities, educators
need to:
1. Allow for use of augmentative
devices or assistive technology.
2. Use parent, teacher, support
staff, student and peer observations,
evaluations and checklists to gain
understanding of student's current
level of proficiency.
3. Allow for additional time to
complete assessments.
4. Allow for demonstration of
learning in a variety of familiar settings.
5. Allow for alternative test
forms such as taped, verbal or scribed responses
and reduced number of test
items.
6. Allow for "hands
on" assessment for activities for daily living in settings
where it actually occurs.
7. Use a portfolio of work that
may include audio or video tapes.
8. Allow for group or
alternative projects.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO HAVE:
PHYSICAL DISABILITIES/504
For students who have physical disabilities to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Provide well trained
personnel to:
Safely assist with/provide
daily living skills
Provide and/or delegate, teach
and monitor health care procedures
Provide educational strategies
Develop Health Care Plans when
appropriate
2. Provide transition planning -
multidisciplinary and ongoing with parent
input.
3. Ensure collaboration of
student, parent, school, community agencies to
procure necessary augmentative
and medical equipment and supplies.
4. Provide liaison between school,
home, community and health care
provider.
5. Offer support for maximum
appropriate participation with typical peers
(may include team teaching
and/or support personnel).
6. Facilitate
business-community-school partnerships to assist in the
preparation for employment
related and daily living skills.
7. Provide direct instruction
for use of assistive technology by student and
staff.
8. Offer student assistance
teams for providing support and strategies.
9. Facilitate interagency
coordination to develop a system of community
support for the student.
10. Offer peer tutors or adult
mentors for academic support.
____________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
THAT
IMPACT:
RACE
Students from all races
need to learn:
1. To have high expectations of
self and of the educational environment
(e.g., teachers, rules, school,
safety, communication/information,
physical plant, support staff,
etc.).
2. The skills of duality (learning
to live in a world of a dominant culture
that is not currently their own
and feeling positive about both).
3. Self-identity and respect.
4. A curriculum that is
multicultural and multiethnic.
5. Tutorial access from a
skilled educator or knowledgeable peer.
6. Literacy-vocabulary-sight
vocabulary.
7. Different ways of learning
and being responsive to different ways of
teaching.
8. Career exploration options
begin early in education.
9. Problem solving skills, ways
to study and scheduling free time.
10. Conflict resolution and
mediation skills.
11. Anger management
(anger/impulse control).
12. Communication skills
Assertiveness
Active listening
Audience appropriateness
13. Work skills (K-12)
Organization
14. School readiness
Social skills
Timeliness
In-school and district-wide
resources
15. The "rules" of the
game of life
16. Appreciation for life-long
learning
17. Acquisition of vocabulary
Home and pre-school programs
of language enrichment
18. Relevance to school,
workplace and every-day living
19. The primary language of home
and secondary language of the school
culture.
20. Academic study skills,
test-taking skills, how to use internal/ external
resources, organizational skills
and research methods.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
THAT
IMPACT:
RACE
To provide effective classroom practices for students of all races, educators
need to:
1. Know and teach cultural
duality and how it is valuable in the school and
community.
2. Aid parents and others to
access the school system, understanding the
rules and regulations.
3. Teach basic skills.
4. Use diagnostic teaching.
5. Understand the community.
6. Provide a variety of
interventions and instructional strategies rather
than making a quick referral to
special education when students are
having difficulties learning.
7. Recognize many modes of
communication to reach all students.
8. Examine quality vs. quantity
of essential material presented.
relevance to student and usage
9. Provide inclusion in
curriculum and classroom activities from a
multicultural, multiethnic and
multilingual perspective.
10. Validate students cultural
duality.
11. Research contemporary
multicultural education practices.
12. Create opportunities for all
students to share their personal histories and
cultures.
13. Provide instruction in all
learning styles especially through
visual/spatial and/or hands-on
experiences.
14. Replace social promotions of
all students, especially ethnic-minority
students.
15. Study ability and age
grouping throughout the system; investigate
demonstrated skills as an
option.
16. Provide a variety of
exposures to the humanities as art, music, dance, etc.
17. Provide timely feedback of
students test scores to the parents/guardians,
especially multilingual
families.
18. Teach academic study skills,
test-taking skills, how to use
internal/external resources,
organizational skills and research methods.
19. Create a nominative culture
which enhances relationship with everyone
in the school (staff, students
and parents) especially with students
empowering, supporting and
affirming each other.
need to confront students on
behaviors, words and comments that
have negative impact on a
positive racial learning environment.
20. Create a positive, safe
environment in which learning can take place.
21. Provide high expectations of
all ethnic minority students.
22. Affirm, recruit and provide
opportunities for ethnic minority student
leadership and participation in
all school and community activities.
23. Connect learning experiences
to the world of work.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
THAT
IMPACT:
RACE
In assessing the learning
of all races, educators need to:
1. Develop assessments that are
essential to real life and life-long learning.
2. Provide a variety of
assessments.
Portfolios
Observations (peer-teacher)
Standardized tests
3. Develop assessments which
measure multiple intelligence/learning
styles.
4. Be aware that districts with
significant minority enrollment should
provide an improvement plan with
specific strategies and time lines for
bringing minority students to
competencies where needed.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
THAT
IMPACT:
RACE
For students of all races to have adequate opportunities to learn, schools need
to:
1. Ensure appropriate advocacy
on staffing committees.
2. Provide basic academic skills
for parents who need them
Provision of child care
Literacy programs
Discipline/parenting skills
3. Provide workshops for parents
in "Family Math-Family Science."
4. Enable parent advocacy to
access school/community services.
5. Provide teacher education
inducements for graduating students to
return to the district as
teachers (concept: LEAs recruit and nurture new
teachers from their own student
graduates).
6. Use parents, peers, business,
community service organizations as experts
in classroom resources and
mentors.
7. Provide university-college
partnerships with schools.
Smaller teacher student rate
Personalizing curriculum
Role models
Emotional support
8. Maximize the current
technology to create opportunities for learning.
9. Maximize collaboration with
members of the multi-ethnic/lingual
diverse community.
___________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WITH:
SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE CHALLENGES
Characteristics of learning
which appear to be common for students with
significant cognitive challenges
include specific learning traits which require
more direct and intentional
strategies, and provide multiple opportunities for
practice in a variety of
learning environments. Certainly all students with
cognitive challenges do not
exhibit the same combination of learning traits
nor to the same degree. In
addition, characteristics may vary within a
particular child at different
ages. Through an understanding of the unique
learning characteristics of each
student, curriculum can be selected and
instruction designed to maximize
learning opportunities throughout the day.
Opportunities must be present
for direct instruction, ways in which to
compensate for skills with which
the student may currently be struggling, and
functional, life skills
practiced in "real world", natural environments.
The intent of instruction must
focus on recognition that certain
approaches may provide better
learning opportunities for some students than
for others. The goal is to build
on individual strengths and aptitudes, while
providing support in areas of
need. Each student with cognitive challenges
must be supported in a manner
which facilitates development of new skills
and abilities which result in
participation in an ever changing world.
One key aspect of supporting
learning for students with cognitive
challenges is a sense of
belonging. The student must feel that she/he is
accepted by a peer group,
recognize that acceptance, and choose to see
him/herself as a full
participating member of that group, wherever that
group functions, be it home,
school or community. The conclusion of the
focus group for students with
cognitive challenges was that a sense of
belonging is an integral part of
all four categories of Opportunities for Success,
and that it is much more. Furthermore,
it is the interaction between the
district/school/classroom/individuals
and the student with disabilities which
creates the environment for a
sense of belonging, or at least allows it to
develop. The focus group
developing these Opportunities for Success was
unified in seeing a sense of
belonging as the most critical aspect of educational
opportunity.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE CHALLENGES
Students with Significant
Cognitive Challenges need to learn:
1. Skills for age appropriate
participation in school/community activities
including:
Making transitions from one
activity/person/situation/environment
to another
Functioning independently and
interdependently with relevant others
in a variety of
environments/activities
Solving problems by making
decisions
Self-initiating (start
independently) communication
Self-initiating activities of the
student's choosing and those required by
the routines of school, home and
community life
Managing time and schedules
Being aware of one's own
behavior, needs and feelings ( by using self monitoring
strategies, as necessary)
Setting goals, making plans to
achieve goals and evaluating progress
toward goals (i.e.,
self-determination skills)
Advocating for one's self
Establishing work related
skills and habits to be successful in chosen
careers
Developing job skills required
for specific employment opportunities
2. Communication skills for
contributing and responding including:
Expressing needs, wants,
feelings and information
When needed, using alternative
communication systems and/or
modalities to effectively
communicate
Understanding others messages
as demonstrated by:
the ability to follow
directions
acknowledge and honor others'
statements of needs, wants, feelings
understand and use information
provided by others
Gain and maintain attention
and end interactions in an appropriate
fashion
3. Interaction skills for
establishing and maintaining relationships including:
Demonstrating socially
acceptable behavior in a variety of school,
home and community settings
Using conflict management
techniques to manage stress, frustration
and anger in social situations
Initiating social amenities
(i.e., greetings, being helpful, follow expected
social interaction patterns)
Developing a repertoire of
interests, abilities and leisure skills which
provide opportunities for interactions
with others
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE CHALLENGES
To provide effective
classroom practices for students with significant
cognitive challenges,
educators need to:
1. Create instructional
environments to meet individual student needs and
encourage active
participation of all students, including:
Instruction provided in
multiple natural, age appropriate, school and
community environments
Utilization of a variety of
people to support the student
Insuring the building,
classrooms and other school settings allow access
to learning for all students
Extending time to participate
in and/or complete activities
Assuring availability of
age-appropriate/functional instructional
materials
Creating environments and
schedules that are comfortable, predictable
and safe for the student and
that allow for flexibility in physical
positioning
Creating space in classrooms
to support active participation of all
learners in small groups
activities/centers
2. Provide a variety of
instructional opportunities/methods to meet
students' unique needs,
including:
Activities that foster interdependence
among all students
Role playing, experiential
learning, activity based instruction
Varied methods to accommodate
individual learning styles
Opportunities for learning and
practice in large group, small group and
individualized situations
Classroom learning linked with
home and community
Team teaching/co-teaching
involving regular/special educators,
related service personnel, peer
tutors
Opportunities to participate
in cooperative learning groups to
experience teacher/learner roles
with people of different abilities
Opportunities for functional
application of academic skills
Opportunities for a career
awareness/exploration, development and
real work experiences across all
age levels
Activities designed to allow
practice of functional communication
skills
Opportunities for
direct/intentional instruction and practice
Use of positive
reinforcement/feedback by all people involved with the
student
Instruction on identifying and
responding to natural cues
Activities designed to build
on student's strengths
3. Support optimal
development and implementation of individualized
education programs by:
Empowering the IEP team,
including the student and his/her family, to
identify and prioritize
educational goals/objectives that are most
meaningful for the student's
current and future life
Individualizing curriculum to
meet the educational needs of the
student by adapting or modifying
assessment, instruction and
performance expectations and/or
providing additional supports
required by the student to
participate, learn and demonstrate
knowledge
Developing and using
behavioral plans based on identification of
motivation for behavior (as
needed)
Incorporating related services
and supports into natural settings
(including general education
classes)
Teaming to solve problems and
celebrate successes by regular/special
educators/students/families and
other IEP team members
Developing an array of
supports for general educators and typical peers
active in supporting the learner
Creating collaborative
partnerships with parents
Establishing a mechanism for
peer review (including feedback and
suggestions from all members of
the IEP team)
Sharing information among all
individuals who know the student to
identify individualized learner
outcomes
Providing ongoing
opportunities for professional development.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE CHALLENGES
In assessing the learning
of students with significant cognitive challenges,
educators need to:
1. Design assessments that
evaluate a variety of types of information,
including:
Student's skills, abilities
and interests
Student's preferred learning
styles and/or environments
Level of assistance required
for success
On-going student progress
Information for program
planning and revision
2. Offer assessments that are
designed to allow the student to demonstrate
his/her best level of
performance.
3. Select a variety of
assessment methods, depending on the purpose of the
assessment and the needs and
preferences of the student. Options include:
Conduct assessments in natural
environments
Collect information in varying
ways (i.e., teacher observation/report;
review of student history and
previous assessment information; video
tape student activities for
review by one or more service providers;
self-report, etc.)
Utilize of a variety of people
to construct, conduct and interpret
assessments (parents, friends,
employers, etc.)
Limit sensory stimulation if
necessary
Present information and allow
responses in ways that match the
student's preferred learning
style and mode of communication
Utilize portfolios--accumulate
examples of work, projects, video tapes,
etc. which show student
progress.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SIGNIFICANT COGNITIVE CHALLENGES
For students with
significant cognitive challenges to have adequate
opportunities to learn,
schools need to:
1. Ensure that the district
philosophy/vision includes statements which
support all children having the
same rights, choices and opportunities
within their
neighborhood/community such as the following:
All students can learn
Families are partners in the
educational experience
Learning in the classroom
extends to the school, home and general
community
The appreciation of diversity
is evident in all school activities
All students are included as
members of their appropriate grade level
class and benefit from learning
together with appropriate supports and
services
Encouraging schools to be
caring communities which foster peer
relationships and friendships
Students are served in their
neighborhood schools or as close to home
as possible with involvement of
the neighborhood school
2. Encourage and actively
support the use of a variety of instructional
methods as evidenced by:
Devotion of resources to
support instructional personnel in using
expanded teaching strategies
which include experiential learning,
curricular
modification/adaptation, cooperative learning, co teaching/
team teaching, technology-based
strategies, use of peers for
instruction/support and other
alternative learning methods
Standards education and
implementation strategies that include
Opportunities for Success
Support and encouragement for
the use of multiple forms of
performance based assessment and
accommodation strategies
Effective teaming practices
for developing meaningful IEPs and
instructional programming based
on individual needs but reflective of
district content standards
Availability of training for
students in the development of skills
relating to friendships and
effective student relationships
Service providers performing
in a transdisciplinary manner and
related services infused
throughout the student's school day
3. Support collaboration between
team members, family members, the
community and other agencies as
evidenced by:
Ongoing activities occurring
between educators and families to
facilitate shared understanding
of all student needs
Flexible instructional options
jointly provided in various
environments by regular and
special education which demonstrate the
use of shared resources and
which require the sharing of information
across grade levels/buildings
Systems created which
facilitate shared planning time, training,
scheduling of meetings, etc.
with all educational team members
including families and which
allow for the sharing of staff/family
expertise across and outside of
the district
Options available for
addressing students' transportation needs and for
providing access to extra-curricular
activities
Opportunities provided for
teachers/families to jointly observe other
programs
Opportunities available for
educators to develop mentoring
relationships
IEPs developed reflect
effective teams which include students (when
appropriate) and families in the
process
4. Support joint training for
administrators, regular, special and support staff
and families in the district
philosophy, collaborative planning efforts and
in a variety of instructional
methods as identified in the preceding
statements.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WITH:
SPEECH/LANGUAGE DISABILITIES
1. In general,
speech/language disabilities may:
Interfere with ability to
communicate with friends, teachers, family
members and people in the
community.
Interfere with learning in
school and the community.
Interfere with the student's
ability to progress in school.
Interfere with ability to understand
and process information.
Lead to students needing more
time to respond.
Lead to students exhibiting
behavior difficulties as a result of poor
communication skills.
Make social communication
difficult.
2. Students with language disabilities
may:
Have limited speaking
vocabulary.
Use sentences which are
grammatically incorrect when speaking or
writing.
Speak or write only in short
simple sentences.
Use incomplete sentences or
thoughts when speaking or writing.
Misunderstand or use questions
inappropriately when speaking or in
writing.
Have difficulty:
with oral questions and
directions
remembering and following
directions, memorizing information,
or recalling previously learned
information
understanding and explaining
similarities and differences
understanding concepts
involving time, space, quantity, quality,
and directions giving location
understanding, explaining, or
interpreting what's wrong with a
picture or a sentence
solving math word problems or
understanding math vocabulary.
understanding what he/she
reads
understanding and using words
with the same meaning, words
with opposite meanings, words
that sound the same with different
meanings, comparisons, and
multiple-meaning words
understanding idioms, (e.g.,
"It's raining cats and dogs.")
understanding the meaning of
words which indicate a question
describing objects or events
3. Students with difficulty
with functional/social language skills may:
Have difficulty:
understanding and using spoken
and/or nonverbal language
providing reasonable or
logical responses to questions
understanding humor, sarcasm,
inference
asking for help, or getting
more information when needed
understanding that what
happens provides a result
beginning a conversation,
keeping a conversation going, ending
a conversation
using information learned in
one setting in a different situation
have difficulty pretending,
role-playing, imagining
being spontaneous or original
producing information
giving greetings or saying
good-byes
understanding and using polite
or formal language forms
including giving greetings and
good-byes, requesting, etc.
Not use a variety of sentence
forms in social/verbal interactions.
Be slow to respond.
Give a response that is
off-topic.
4. Students with learning
difficulties may:
Have speech that is
interrupted by repeating parts of a word or whole
words, holding a sound longer,
or adding a sound to a word.
Show tension, such as
tightness in the neck or face muscles or other
physical signs of stress.
Show interruptions/tension(s)
that interfere with daily
communication and cause negative
reactions from the listener.
Show signs of frustration.
May be fearful, be anxious or
avoid speaking situations.
Use unusual word substitutions
in an avoidance attempt.
May demonstrate inadequate
breath support.
5. Students with voice
disorders may:
Have a voice quality that
sounds different from other students of the
same age/sex.
Have voice that is completely
lost, is too loud or is too soft.
Have a voice pitch that is too
high or too low.
Speak in a monotone.
Have a medically diagnosed
condition.
Demonstrate
inadequate/abnormal breath support patterns.
6. Students with articulation
difficulties may:
Substitute one sound(s) for
another sound(s).
Leave out a sound(s) in a
word(s).
Put an extra sound(s) in a
word(s).
Distort or mispronounce words
or sounds.
Have difficulty imitating
speech sounds.
Show signs of frustration when
misunderstood.
Have difficulty putting speech
sounds and syllables in correct order.
Speak too fast or too slow.
Have difficulty hearing the
difference between speech sounds.
Have difficulty coordinating
the structures and muscles of the mouth.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SPEECH/LANGUAGE DISABILITIES
Students with
speech/language disabilities need to learn:
1. Language:
Strategies to expand the
student's understanding and use of
vocabulary.
Strategies to understand and
use concepts like direction/position,
shape, texture, amount/size,
etc.
Strategies to understand and
problem solve which may include
identifying a problem,
recognizing causes and possible solutions and
what effect they have, planning,
making changes to a plan when
necessary.
Strategies to express thoughts
and ask questions in complete sentences,
in oral and written form, using
appropriate syntax/grammar.
Strategies to help the learner
understand when they need assistance.
Strategies to increase the
number of words used to express a thought.
2. Social Language:
Strategies for talking to
others in a variety of settings and situations
with peers and/or adults,
individually and in groups. Talking with
others involves a variety of
skills - in a conversation a learner must be
able to begin, join, continue,
and end a conversation, interrupt
appropriately, greet others,
give their feelings and opinions, give
enough information for a
listener to understand, take turns, etc.
Strategies for asking and
answering questions.
Strategies for requesting help
when needed.
Strategies for using and
understanding body language - body posture,
eye contact, personal space,
gestures, facial expressions.
3. Auditory Listening Skills:
Strategies to listen to and
recognize different and similar sounds.
Strategies to listen and
respond to sounds in daily life.
Strategies to remember what is
heard.
4. Articulation/Correct
Production of Speech Sounds:
Strategies for recognizing
differences between sounds.
Strategies for using correct
speech sounds in words, phrases, reading
and conversations.
Strategies for using the best
speech possible when there are physical or
coordination limitations.
Strategies for ways to help
the listener understand when speech is
unclear.
5. Assistive Technology:
Strategies for the learner to
use their assistive technology to help them
communicate and be more independent
in their home, school and
community. Strategies include
both teaching the learner how the
technology works as well as how
to use it to interact in a number of
situations.
6. Fluency (Stuttering):
Strategies to reduce the
number and severity of dysfluent speech.
Strategies to help the learner
and others to understand the disorder.
Strategies to help the learner
teach others how to help him/her.
7. Voice:
Strategies to produce the best
quality voice possible so that it is not
distracting to the listener.
Strategies to use appropriate
loudness levels for the situation.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SPEECH/LANGUAGE DISABILITIES
To provide effective classroom practices for students with speech/language
disabilities, educators
need to:
1. Focus on speaking
skills/communication
Use alternate modes of
communication: Be sure that all forms of
communication are encouraged.
Students may use other ways to
communicate such as gestures,
communication boards (which may
have letters and/or pictures or
objects on them), an electronic device,
computer, a switch, sign
language, and so on. Include these students in
all activities and encourage
their communication.
Provide extra time for the
student.
to respond (may need extra
processing time) and complete their
thoughts
extra time for task completion
provide a slower pace for
presentation of new information
(as the student requires)
Provide playing experiences.
encourage role playing where
the student can be a speaker,
listener, and person older
and/or younger than themselves
learning refusal skills
social situations -- focus on
taking turns, changing topics,
beginning a conversation, ending
a conversation
continuing a topic, etc.
mock interviews
Structure classroom
activities/assignments so that multiple kinds of
communication (e.g., discussion,
asking questions, requesting,
summarizing, commenting, describing
reporting) is encouraged in an
accepting and comfortable
environment.
Provide students with idea
starters, story starters, fill-in-the-blank
ideas, picture cues or actual
objects (as you would with written
language) to help with oral
language, conversations and oral
presentations.
Provide students with
opportunities to make choices and to learn from
them.
Call attention to specific
sounds or sentence patterns in their speech
that the child needs to work on
by signaling that they used the sound,
emphasizing it in their speech,
underlining in printed material.
Share humor with students and
help them to understand why it is
funny. This may include
explaining certain vocabulary words,
experiences, and/or relating it
to the student's experiences.
Use equipment and technology
that allows full participation in
learning such as:
talking books
manual or computerized
communication boards
computers (including personal)
switches
page turners
special seating and
positioning (cube chairs, corner chairs,
side lying, appropriate chair
and table size, etc.)
alphabet strips
number lines
calculators
word processors
tape recorders
amplification systems
spell checkers, etc.
Understand the influence of cultural
differences and various dialects.
2. Attend to listening and
remembering
Provide clear, concise
directions and expectations by:
repeating directions; have
student repeat directions
modeling directions
demonstrating task with
student imitation, use visual aids
limiting length of directions,
break long directions down into small
parts
checking with the student for
understanding of directions given
being prepared to explain the
directions in another way
Provide extra time for the
child to respond, extra time for task
completion, and provide a slower
pace for presentation of new
information (as the student
requires).
Preteach vocabulary of the
lessons and questions they may be asked
during the lesson so that
student understanding may be increased.
Provide a variety of
strategies/opportunities that will facilitate the
student's ability to remember
information such as:
grouping information
note taking
outlining
mnemonics
small group instruction
peer/study buddy
extra time to process
information
scripts or outlines of lesson
flexibility to leave
classroom/area for quiet time
Provide instruction, modeling
and practice in:
how to listen
why listening is important
how to monitor your own degree
of listening
how to show that you are
listening
how to ask questions
Provide instruction, modeling
and practice in:
how to pay attention
why paying attention is
important
how to monitor your own degree
of paying attention
how to show that you are paying
attention
Provide students with cues,
signals or reminders in their classroom to
help them remember a behavior.
3. Focus on social
communication/body language
Model and reinforce
appropriate social interactions with peers and
adults.
Provide role playing
experiences for:
learning refusal skills,
stranger awareness
social situations (for
example, focus on taking turns, changing
topics, beginning a
conversation, ending a conversation, continuing
a topic.)
mock interviews
practice appropriate body
language and facial expressions
4. Help students learn
problem solving and understanding instruction
Plan activities that require
students to
use learned information
pull pieces of information
together and use it to make a decision
take pieces of information
apart
evaluate information
comment on how a decision was
reached
comment on the appropriateness
of decision
Use logical and natural
consequences to help students learn to problem
solve. Be sure to discuss
consequences with students rather than just
letting them happen.
Allow opportunities for the
student to monitor and evaluate his/her
own responses and progress and
record growth and changes on graphs,
learning or behavior contracts
or incentive charts.
5. Provide help with
organizational skills
Provide outlines, study guides
and/or notes prior to instruction to help
the student with organizational
skills and with their learning.
Provide instruction, modeling
and practice in organizational skills
through the use of student
notebooks, note taking, color coding,
planners, etc.
Teach and write out the
routines and procedures as well as how
students should be able to move
between routines and discuss with
students in advance when
routines will be interrupted.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SPEECH/LANGUAGE DISABILITIES
In assessing the learning
of students with speech/language disabilities,
educators need to:
1. Utilize appropriate
evaluation methods/ procedures
Use a variety of ways to
assess a student's progress:
classroom observation and
descriptions of classroom
performance
language samples with peers
and adults
video tape
self evaluation
peer evaluation
cooperative group assessment
real life situations
study format identical to test
format
portfolios
practice tests
shortened tests
open book tests
take home tests
verbal or written responses
projects
interviews of teacher, parent,
peer, student and other significant
people
Provide assistance as needed:
reader
writer
assistive technology
computers
tape recorders, etc.
listening devices
Allow an opportunity for student
and teacher to discuss instructions to
be sure that they are
understood.
Contract with the students at
the beginning of a unit for what will be
tested.
Evaluate/grade daily/weekly or
unit work instead of or in addition to
tests.
Develop the criteria by which
students will be evaluated and provide
those criteria to students at
the beginning of a unit or class.
Provide all students with
information on how they did relative to
themselves, their peers and the
set of teacher expectations in the form
of a graph or chart.
2. Provide environmental
modifications
Make time adjustments as
needed that allow for extra time, shorter
time frames or varied times of
day.
Simplify the vocabulary within
instructions to help students
understand what to do.
Change the format of written
tests (i.e., size of type, number of
problems, length of test, etc.).
Match written test design to
students strengths (e.g., multiple choice,
fill-in-the-blank, true/false,
matching, essay, word banks, etc.)
Teach students how to take
tests and monitor their performance.
Be flexible in choosing the
environments and the time requirements
for assessments.
Allow opportunities for
students to retell what needs to be done and to
ask questions during the
assessment.
Give credit for attempting to
use strategies to complete a task even if
the task is not fully completed.
Assess for auditory/listening
skills in a natural vs. quiet environment.
3. Utilize appropriate
grading methods
Create narrative report cards
instead of grades.
Create individual grading
scale.
Determine grades based on
number of items completed, not total
number of test items.
Give grade based on efforts of
cooperative group.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
SPEECH/LANGUAGE DISABILITIES
For students with speech/language disabilities to have adequate opportunities
to learn, schools need to:
1. Enhance the language environment
and communication abilities
through the use of current
technologies (computers, telecommunications,
adaptive/assistive devices,
phones, audio/video tapes, assistive
listening devices, etc.) to
compensate for communication disabilities.
2. Provide training to assist
staff in working with students with communication
disabilities including
observations of classrooms where
language is encouraged.
3. Provide training for peers of
students with communication disabilities
so that these peers can
encourage appropriate communication.
4. Provide for the
adaptation/modification of curriculum, including
accommodating communication
needs.
5. Encourage parental and
student participation in the development of
IEPs.
6. Assist parents and families
in understanding their child's needs and
strengths and provide
information regarding ways to improve
communication at home.
7. Provide flexible scheduling
to maximize opportunities so that
communication needs may be met.
8. Provide for collaborative
co-teaching between Speech/Language
Pathologists (SLPs) and
classroom teachers by allowing for common
planning time, flexible
scheduling, team meetings, training, etc.
9. Provide opportunities for
speech language services to be provided and
acquired in a variety of settings
with SLPs and other service providers,
as appropriate.
10. Utilize teams (including
parents, teachers and SLPs) to problem solve
and determine appropriate
interventions and provide alternative
teaching strategies for students
experiencing communication difficulties.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WITH:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
The overriding critical attribute of Traumatic Brain Injury is that every
person with a brain injury is
affected uniquely, depending on factors
associated with the injury.
The attributes generally associated with a
traumatic injury to the brain
include the following:
1. Learning and understanding
new knowledge is more difficult after the
injury and the student may adopt
different learning styles.
2. Although healing is
life-long, the person with a Traumatic Brain Injury
may experience spurts of rapid
recovery and erratic changes in behavior,
especially in the first two
years after the injury. The effects of a brain
injury are long lasting and may
be permanent, but these effects are not
always easy to predict.
3. Cognitive functioning is
often affected by:
Slow processing or
interpretation of what is seen or heard may delay
response reactions
Memory problems
Organization problems
Sensory overload and fatigue
Attention and concentration
problems, impulsivity, distractibility
Problems seeing the "whole
picture" or getting a concept.
Difficulty with initiation
Varied performance
Inappropriate repetitions of
thoughts or behaviors
4. Perceptual problems may
result in difficulty with orientation to time or
body in space, and difficulty with
tasks which require visual/auditory
interpretational skills.
5. Speech and language
difficulties or changes may appear in understanding
others or expressing
him/herself, including word retrieval problems,
slurred speech, understanding
abstract language, the need for a longer
response time, and the tendency
to make things up inappropriately.
6. Rapid fluctuations in
emotions are commonly associated with Traumatic
Brain Injury, as seen in
frequent mood swings, overreactions, impulsive
crying, inappropriate reactions,
aggressiveness, apathy, and/or errors in
judgment. The sense of
cause/effect may be impaired, which may impact
emotional responses to
situations.
7. Self concept may be affected
by the impact of dealing with newly acquired
disabilities. A person with a
Traumatic Brain Injury may or may not have
a clear sense of being different
from who he/she was before the injury.
Different persons have different
degrees of awareness about the changes.
8. Social readjustments are
often necessary. Due to the combined effects of
the injury and its impact on the
student and his/her family, the student
may experience a change in
social activities and friendships.
9. Physical problems may be
evident, including:
Decrease in energy: General
discomfort and/or fatigue are often
present and may be compounded by
the effects of medication, stress,
illness, and other physical
conditions.
Motor planning (movement),
balance and coordination
Constant or intermittent pain,
headaches, or dizziness
Sleep disturbances, appetite
control, and nausea
Seizure activity
Visual and auditory
impairments
Paralysis and/or spasticity
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
Students with traumatic
brain injury need to learn:
1. Organizational and management
skills , for time and materials, at school,
home, and in the community.
2. How to develop skills and
techniques to assist and improve memory,
such as use of a daily planner,
wall calendars, visualization strategies and
memory-retrieval strategies.
3. How to select and use
socially acceptable and sexually appropriate
behaviors in response to
feelings of anger, frustration, or confusion. The
student needs to learn which
behaviors are appropriate for a variety of
social situations, e.g. school,
community, home, and work.
4. How to transfer skills and
abilities from one environment to another.
5. How to understand the nature
of his/her own injury and its effects on
personal learning styles and
abilities.
6. How to set realistic
academic, social, recreational, and career goals that
are consistent with his/her
healing and abilities.
7. Skills to improve and help
concentration and attention to task , such as
selecting the appropriate
environment in which to study.
8. How to compensate for
impaired judgment, balance and coordination
problems, increased fatigue, and
impulsivity.
9. How, when, and where to be an
effective self-advocate, to ask for what
he/she needs , or to find an
advocate.
10. To use verbal and non-verbal
communication skills with peers and
adults in problem solving,
conflict resolution, and social interactions.
11. Strategies for word
retrieval and verbal expression , such as word
association memory cues or
taking time to organize thoughts before
speaking.
12. Study skills such as:
when and how to ask questions
how to prepare for tests
how to take tests
where and how to find
information
how to identify and separate
essential information from nonessential
information
active learning strategies
such as note taking and outlining
strategies to enhance
comprehension, such as rereading,
summarizing main ideas, and
self-questioning,
using checklists, and role
playing
13. How to re-learn skills , to
the extent possible, that were mastered prior to
and affected by the injury and
to compensate for missing skills in an
ongoing process.
14. How to prevent a second
brain injury by not entering the hallway at the
busiest passing times, using
seat belts and protective headgear, and not
drinking and driving.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
To provide effective classroom practices for students with Traumatic Brain
Injury, educators need to:
1. Focus on instructional
strategies
Teach organizational skills,
e.g., with color coding, labeling of
materials, assigning specific
places for belongings, use of assignment
notebooks, progress reports,
daytimers. Provide written
schedules/assignments that are
systematically checked by student,
teacher and family.
Specifically teach rules and
routines of the learning environment,
including building orientation,
school and workplace rules, class
policies, and room design.
Provide numerous opportunities
for repetition, reinforcement and
practice for all daily routines
and skills.
Provide learning in the
community to ensure the transfer and
application of skills learned in
one environment to another. These
experiences should include using
self care skills, volunteer experiences,
social activities, academic
preparation and work.
Provide concrete learning
experiences to reinforce abstract reasoning,
memory, and language. Avoid
subtleties and ambiguities.
Allow the student adequate
time to respond to questions and
information. Specifically ask
the student to paraphrase questions or
instructions.
Give explicit written and oral
directions and have the student repeat or
demonstrate to check for
understanding. The teacher should
encourage the student to ask
questions to increase understanding.
Offer a variety of ways to
learn information including visual, auditory,
verbal, and hands-on
opportunities.
Build new skills from old,
familiar, learned skills.
Written materials may need to
be modified to account for perceptual or
scanning problems, e.g. larger
print, double spaced, reduced quantity.
Homework assignments may need
to be modified and strategies
provided for organization and
completion, e.g., have a system of
sending notes home to the
family.
Provide students with
materials appropriate to both age and
performance levels.
2. Provide classroom support
strategies
Provide frequent, ongoing
reevaluation, (e.g., every 6 weeks) due to
rapid, variable recovery in the
first two years following a Traumatic
Brain Injury.
If appropriate, refer the
student for special education evaluation to
determine if assistance is
necessary to compensate for any physical,
social, communication and/or
learning limitations.
Provide technical devices,
(e.g., computers, spell checkers, alarm
watches, beepers, planners, tape
recorders, etc.) to compensate for
organization and memory
deficits.
Use a buddy system to provide
help as needed for peer tutoring, note taking,
finding one's way around, social
skills, physical assistance, class
routines and safety.
Give peers, building and
community personnel information about
Traumatic Brain Injury and how
it affects the student. Offer the
opportunity for the student to
speak about his/her disability.
Provide daily
home/school/employer contact through use of a
notebook to ensure organization,
communication, daily situations and
changes that may affect the
student.
3. Include environmental
management strategies
Provide scheduling that allows
for appetite/nutritional needs,
accommodates fatigue, and
maximizes alert periods with provisions
for necessary rest periods.
Provide an environment that
reduces distractions (noise, light,
movement) as much as possible,
e.g., consider seating arrangements, or
use items such as headsets and
study carrels.
Allow the student to move from
the situation to rest and regroup
when noticeably stressed,
overwhelmed or tired.
Work with those who are
providing support for the student with
Traumatic Brain Injury to
arrange appropriate schedules and places to
meet.
4. Develop behavioral
management strategies
Teach students how to ask for
help and where to go to get their needs
met.
Teach non-verbal or verbal
cues for use in getting help and assistance
from other students and
teachers.
Establish a system to assist
students to begin work (e.g., buddy, teacher
proximity, non-verbal cue, work
partner), since students with
traumatic brain injury may have
difficulty initiating tasks.
Monitor students to assist
with time on task, to decrease distractibility,
and to ensure safety. Teach
students to do this on their own as they are
able.
Use alternative strategies for
behavior management if needed (e.g.,
physical or verbal cues,
discussion before or after behaviors occur.)
Traditional behavior management
techniques which reward or
provide consequences may not
take into account problems with cause
and effect, memory or
impulsivity of the student with Traumatic Brain
Injury.
Develop and teach a system to
the student and his/her peers for how to
deal with a crisis, such as when
things go wrong, are not in the right
place or when the student with
Traumatic Brain Injury becomes
confused.
Develop a new sense of
success, since the students may not be able to
perform tasks which they
previously could. They should be
encouraged to do their best and
to look at failure as not trying, rather
than not succeeding.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
In assessing the learning of students with traumatic brain injury, educators
need to:
1. Consider time factors
Adjust time limits as
determined by students needs.
determine the best time to
assess, when the student is not fatigued
provide intermittent breaks
(e.g., allow for rest breaks or assess over
the course of several days)
allow flexibility in set time
(e.g., change day, time or length of
assessment)
eliminate or modify time
limits
allow intermittent nutrition
breaks to compensate for fatigue
2. Develop appropriate
procedures
Assessments should be ongoing
and varied.
evaluate how to best assess
(e.g., oral, written, hands-on,
observations, with assistive
technology, or a combination, etc.)
utilize strongest learning
styles (e.g., hands-on, oral, written, visual,
etc.)
repeat opportunities to
demonstrate skills since healing is ongoing
provide necessary assistance
as determined by the task (e.g., reader,
writer, large print, computer,
etc.)
provide opportunities for
student and teacher to discuss
instructions to ensure
understanding
provide frequent encouragement
check to see how medication
might affect testing
check to see if physical
and/or emotional condition(s) (e.g.,
cold/allergies, tolerance,
stress level, busy schedule, conflicting
deadlines) are factors when
assessing
speak slowly when giving
directions or asking questions
break down complex tasks
3. Consider the environment
The assessment setting should be
adapted to the students individual
needs so the student can display
his/her best effort, and a variety of
environments should be utilized,
including school, community and work
settings.
Be sure the testing
environment is:
quiet
private
calm
Be sure the testing
environment has:
decreased auditory or visual
distractions
appropriate lighting
comfortable seating
proper seating or positioning
available
4. Provide a variety of types
Alternative forms of assessment
need to be considered, in order to
demonstrate what the student has
learned. Student and family input is
essential in determining the
format of assessments. Below are a few
examples of assessments that
could be used for various purposes, to be
used alone or in varied
combinations.
Peer and family feedback -
checklist
Video tape
Oral reports
Assess skills used in context
vs. skills tested in isolation
Self-evaluation (How does the
student feel about his/her
performance?)
Portfolio (i.e., a collection
of the student's work)
Cooperative group assessment
Individualized assessment
Gather information from
various school personnel and family
members
Interdisciplinary (e.g.,
assessing students about maps can cover two
disciplines -- math and social
studies)
Classroom observations
Observations during
unstructured times
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WITH:
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)
For students with traumatic brain injury to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Establish a Traumatic Brain
Injury Team in every school district, which
may include experts from each of
the involved professions, such as
occupational therapist, speech
and language specialist, physical therapist,
psychologist, social worker,
curriculum specialist, nurse, etc.
The team will be responsible to
act as a referral source to the medical
community and an informational
resource for teachers and students
with traumatic brain injury and
their families.
2. Maintain frequent communication
between educational and medical
providers and family.
Have more frequent IEP updates
due to changes in abilities and
needs.
Designate specific time frames
for on-going contact. Schedule team
meetings as necessary depending
on the student's needs.
3. Provide teacher and staff
training.
Provide information on general
characteristics and possible behaviors
of children with Traumatic Brain
Injury.
Identify areas to monitor,
such as stress, medication, illness, and
family changes or any accidents
which occur during recreation or
sports activities.
Identify techniques or
modifications to use.
Identify resources and experts
in Traumatic Brain Injury.
Explain how to talk to medical
professionals.
Provide a Traumatic Brain
Injury Resource Handbook with general
characteristics, possible
behaviors and needs, behavior management
techniques, recommended
classroom practices, essential learnings,
and assessment procedures.
Involve Traumatic Brain Injury
survivors and family members as
trainers.
4. Provide a consistent,
coordinated system of case management which
includes all responsible
agencies. Ideally, this would be a person who is
available all year long for
multiple years.
Case management
responsibilities would include: Advocating for the
person with traumatic brain
injury, assisting the student with
making connections to
appropriate agencies which can support
healing and transition,
interagency coordination (education, medical,
therapies, and adult services
for independent living and employment),
coordination of daily contacts
with the student, community resources,
and management of transitions in
learning, family, and life
environments.
5. Provide technological devices
as necessary for reminders, references,
repetition, retrieval of
information, to block out distractions and to
increase mobility and
independence. Examples: Communication
devices, books on tape,
computers, headphones, carousels, recorders,
timers, word boards, etc.
6. Increase classroom support for
students with Traumatic Brain Injury
through the use of trained
peers, paraprofessionals, volunteers, and
adults with Traumatic Brain
Injury.
7. Provide services as
determined by the staffing team, for occupational
therapy, physical therapy,
therapeutic recreation, speech and language,
social work, etc., to assist the
student in the classroom as appropriate.
These services need to be
on-going and long term due to changes in the
student's abilities.
8. Provide counseling support as
needed for the student and family
(including siblings) around
issues of grief, depression, denial behavior,
delusions, finances and effects
of disability.
9. Access local support groups
for families, and form peer support groups
for students with Traumatic
Brain Injury with emphasis on coping skills
and social development.
10. Conduct regular and ongoing
screenings.
Screen for students with
Traumatic Brain Injury through questions
listing possible ways children
may have acquired brain injuries.
Include questions on forms during
Fall registration, Child Find, and
ongoing screenings. If Traumatic
Brain Injury is suspected, contact
the special educator and/or
Traumatic Brain Injury team in the
school district.
Sample questions may include:
"Traumatic brain injury is
not of congenital origin or of a
degenerative nature. Have any of
these occurred?
child abuse
automobile or motorcycle
accidents
gunshot or other wounds to the
head
falls
trauma to the head from hard
objects such as bats or balls
other accidents which involve
the head that cause brain trauma
whiplash
sports injuries (concussion or
dazed)
If any are checked, please
explain."
(from:
Guidelines Paper: Traumatic Brain Injury , CDE, March 1991)
11. Reduce overall student teacher
ratio.
12. Provide space for flexible
accommodations, so that areas are available for
quiet, individual work or rest,
as well as for group work.
13. Educate community members
through one-on-one contact, round-table
meetings, and group
presentations, so that students with Traumatic
Brain Injury can participate and
learn in the community.
14. Educate policy makers and
public to increase funding to provide case
management and technology for
persons with Traumatic Brain Injury to
meet recommendations for support
systems.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHARACTERISTICS
OF
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
1. Every student with a visual
impairment is unique. Visual functioning
can change from day to day, hour
to hour or minute to minute.
2. Individual learners with
visual disabilities may present a wide range of
cognitive and other disabilities
(severe cognitive needs, deafblindness,
gifted and talented, physically challenged,
etc.)
3. Each student may need
learning materials in alternative media that may
change over time.
4. Incidental learning (learning
without specific instruction) is affected by
lack of or limited day to day
visual observation.
5. Learners may have difficulty
traveling independently and safely without
direct intervention.
6. Learners need to have visual
information presented in multisensory
modalities.
7. Learners may need alternative
organizational skills to be directly taught.
8. Learners will have difficulty
in physical environments that are not
consistent and predictable.
9. Many learners cannot visually
receive nonverbal communication and
must be specifically taught how
to express thoughts and feelings
nonverbally.
10. Learners depend upon adaptive
equipment and technology to facilitate
learning in the general
classroom and on the job.
11. Learners require specialized
strategies in order to acquire independent
living skills (cooking, marking
appliances, etc.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ESSENTIAL LEARNINGS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE :
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Students who are visually
impaired need to learn:
1. Literacy skills
Skills in the use of all appropriate
media for reading and writing in a
variety of settings to include
but not be limited to the following:
auditory
print
print enlargement
Braille/tactile
Skills for the use of
technology associated with reading and writing
media (keyboarding, electronic
texts, closed circuit television, Braille
access technology, screen
readers, screen output devices, tape
recorders, etc.)
Skills for using adapted and
non-adapted tools -- rulers, maps, graphs,
globes, calculators, abacuses,
optical aids, corrective lenses, compasses,
protractors, watches, signature
guides, etc.
2. Orientation and mobility
skills
Fine and gross motor
development
Concept development (time,
distance, interpretation of physical
objects)
Orientation skills to new
environments (home, school, community)
Pre-cane skills
Sighted guide technique (using
and teaching untrained guides)
Knowledge of different modes
of mobility (cane, dog guide, electronic
travel aids, adapted aids, etc.)
Techniques for cane travel
Soliciting and refusing aid
Street crossings (urban and
rural settings)
Cardinal directions
Planning and using routes
Knowledge/ familiarization
with community
Using public transportation
(buses, taxis, planes, and trains)
Sensory use
understanding concepts not
directly accessible when one has little
or no vision
eccentric viewing (positioning
to see when central vision is
unavailable)
visual efficiency (or
maximizing remaining vision)
tactile exploration and skills
identification and
localization of sound listening skills
3. Self advocacy/social
skills
Taking responsibility for self
in the learning environment
devising strategies for
seeking help and assistance
explaining needs to others
acquiring adaptations and
materials
adjusting light, seating, and
location of materials
transferring self advocacy
skills to different environments
understanding eye condition
and its impacts
Dealing with psychological
issues associated with blindness
Acquiring knowledge of and
accessing agencies that can provide
support
Participating in social
activities with peers with sight and peers with
visual disabilities
Acquiring knowledge and use of
nonverbal communication skills
body language
facial expression
gestures
eye contact
Finding solutions to problems,
establishing a safe physical
environment, and handling
emergencies
Concepts of sexuality
4. Skills and knowledge
related to employment and career options
strategies for dealing with
preconceived biases of employers regarding
impact of visual loss
exploring a variety of job
experiences
developing a realistic and
accurate concept of self and abilities
acquiring skills in technology
to be competitive in the job market
linking with adult services
acquiring strategies for
planning and setting goals after high school
5. Life management skills (strategies to include but not limited to acquiring
the following skills with little
or no vision)
Eating independently in
different settings
Dressing
Personal hygiene
Recreation/leisure
Telephone use
Shopping
familiarization
money
using a guide
calling ahead
Laundry
Cooking
Money, finances, checking,
budgeting
House cleaning
Handling emergency situations
6. Organizational skills (particular to visual impairment/blindness)
Generalizing organizational
skills from one environment to another
Labeling and marking
Study skills
note taking
tape recording
organizing notebooks and other
data sources
outlining research
accessing computer bulletin
boards
Goal setting
Time management
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CLASSROOM PRACTICES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
To provide effective classroom practices for students who are visually
impaired, educators need
to:
1. Provide adapted tools, texts,
and materials.
2. Provide disability awareness
for peers with sight.
3. Provide materials in
appropriate media.
4. Provide environmental modifications.
lighting
positioning
increasing/decreasing visual
information
5. Encourage use of a variety of
literacy options.
6. Adapt assignments and tests
as needed.
7. Provide opportunities for
pre-teaching skills.
8. Provide opportunities for direct
instruction and practice of nonverbal
communication skills.
9. Provide opportunities for
students with visual disabilities to discuss the
impact of their disabilities
with other people with visual disabilities.
10. Provide opportunities to
role play social situations.
11. Provide audio descriptions
of visual presentations.
12. Provide community referenced
instruction.
13. Provide adaptations and
opportunities to practice life management
skills.
14. Provide opportunities to
learn organizational systems for home, school
and work.
15. Provide direct instruction
in travel skills in the home, school and
community.
16. Provide instruction in and
opportunities for proactive self advocacy
skills.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
In assessing the learning of students who are visually impaired, educators
need to:
1. Provide tests in appropriate
media.
2. Provide alternative methods
of assessment (oral response, format change,
time change, etc.).
3. Explain unusual or
difficult-to-access test format.
4. Use technology and adapted
tools.
5. Create and assess attainment
of IEP goals to specify learnings, in addition
to state and local content
guidelines.
6. Provide environmental changes
for assessments.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SERVICE OPTIONS
FOR
STUDENTS WHO ARE:
VISUALLY IMPAIRED
For students who are visually impaired to have adequate opportunities to
learn, schools need to:
1. Allow teacher for students
with visual disabilities to plan or co-teach
with general education teacher.
2. Provide one-on-one and small group
instruction.
3. Offer consultation with
general education teachers and other service
providers.
4. Offer parent training in
skills specific to students with visual disabilities
5. Link with adult services.
6. Provide extended school day
or school year.
7. Provide team meetings with
service providers and parents.
8. Ensure specialized
instruction by Orientation and Mobility Specialist and
Teacher for Students with Visual
Disabilities (Braille, cane travel, specific
technology, etc.).
9. Provide use of paid or
volunteer readers.
10. Provide use of audio
descriptor service.