SEC NEWSLETTER
Fulton County Schools
Cristy Smith, Services for Exceptional Children, Executive Director
Amy Penn, Services for Exceptional Children, Director
Tris Gilland, Services for Exceptional Children, Director
Editor, Robert Abernathy, Services for Exceptional Children, Coordinator
Focus on Data Collection: Latency Recording
by Melanie Barrow, SEC Coordinator
What is Latency Recording?
Latency recording measures the amount of time that lapses between an antecedent (i.e., teacher’s directive) and when the student begins to perform a specified behavior. This type of data collection is appropriate for behaviors that follow a command or directive. For example, the teacher might expect the student to be at circle time when he is asked to come to the group.
Latency recording requires some way of measuring time. A wall clock, wristwatch, or stopwatches are all tools that can be used to record latency.
When should latency recording be used?
Latency recording is really useful when you are interested in the length of time between a specific cue, event, or verbal prompt and the occurrence of a behavior. Latency recording can tell you whether a student is getting better at starting to work on in-class assignments when prompted to begin working, preparing for class activities, or returning to class after lunch.
Use latency recording when a behavior has a clear beginning so that you can tell exactly when the behavior starts. You need to make sure that you can identify a specific verbal instruction or an event that precedes the behavior of interest. Latency recording can be used to prevent problem behavior by identifying the length of time between a triggering event (antecedent) and the occurrence of problem behavior. Latency recording also can be used when a teacher is interested in the time it takes for a student to engage in an academic behavior after an instructional prompt is given.
In the link below, you can practice taking latency data by clicking on the link below, downloading the Latency Recording form and watching the instructional video:
For the Love of Literacy: Vocabulary Instruction
By Robert Abernathy
The information in this article directly links to Fulton County Schools' district initiative of developing strong literacy skills for all students.
Having a broad and rich vocabulary allows students to communicate effectively with others and understand written text. Teaching Vocabulary is an integral part of teaching students to understand what they read. We use vocabulary to refer to the kind of words that students must know to read increasingly demanding text with understanding. It is something that expands and deepens over time.
The 2010 National Reading Panel’s synthesis of vocabulary research identified insightful findings that provide a scientifically based foundation for the design of rich, multifaceted vocabulary instruction. The findings are:
• Dependence on a single vocabulary instruction method will not result in optimal learning.
• Provide direct instruction of vocabulary words for a specific text. There are precise words children may need to know in order to comprehend particular lessons or subject matter.
• Repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items are important. Vocabulary instruction should provide students with opportunities to encounter words repeatedly and in a variety of contexts.
• Vocabulary words should be those that the learner will find useful in many contexts. Instruction of high-frequency words known and used by mature language users can add productively to an individual’s language Vocabulary learning follows a developmental trajectory.
• Vocabulary tasks should be restructured as necessary. Once students know what is expected of them in a vocabulary task, they often learn rapidly.
• Vocabulary learning is effective when it entails active engagement that goes beyond definitional knowledge. When children “know” a word, they not only know the word’s definition and its logical relationship with other words, they also know how the word functions in different contexts.
• Vocabulary can be acquired through incidental learning. Reading volume is very important in terms of long-term vocabulary development. Structured read-alouds, discussion sessions and independent reading experiences at school and home encourage vocabulary growth in students.
https://www2.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/support/rmcfinal1.pdf
Counter Parent ‘Wish List’ of Services with Communication & Data
A student has been evaluated and found eligible for special education. At the first IEP meeting, his parents present you a list of services and accommodations they believe their child will need. You quickly realize that many of the services expand far beyond providing "educational benefit," as required by the IDEA. How do you convey this to parents respectfully yet effectively?
First, be thoughtful of parents’ input and concerns, as it will earn you their trust and improve subsequent collaboration with them. Show that you understand and sympathize with their perspective. At the same time, be open and honest about what the district believes to be reasonable services, referring to the law if necessary.
Should disagreements arise over the appropriate amount of services, experts advise you suggest implementing your proposal on a trial period of about 45 days, during which time you should monitor the student’s progress. Present your data to parents when the IEP team reconvenes and amend the document based on the results of your data collection.
"Responding to such demands calls for compassion and understanding, and yet clarity when describing what the district is willing to do — and what it doesn’t feel is needed to do," said Carlo Rossi, an independent child advocate for Social Advocates for Youth, based in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Consider these steps when responding to parents requests for services:
1. Hear parents out, sense underlying concerns. Let parents explain the rationale behind their service demands and ask follow-up questions as necessary. This will show you truly care about their input, and it may give you clues to what’s driving their service requests.
2. Show compassion, understanding. Parents are far more likely to collaborate with you when they trust you. And you can earn their trust by demonstrating that you sympathize with their concerns and feelings.
"It helps for the administrator to not forget that these are parents, just like us, and if the shoe was on the other foot, we would probably be asking for the same," said Rossi.
3. Communicate your position, explain FAPE requirements to parents. Even when
parents’ service requests appear absurdly excessive, "it doesn’t work to just say ‘no,’" said Rossi. "Providing open and honest feedback will go a long way toward establishing an effective, respectful working relationship."
Back up your position by pointing out that the IDEA requires you to provide some — not the most — educational benefit to a student. This may help parents understand that you are not arbitrarily declining their "wish list." However, don’t let the IDEA be your only argument. "We have the law, but we shouldn’t shove it down the parents’ throat," said Rossi. Instead, have your team members describe the child and what type of services they believe he may need, he said. If you’ve established a positive relationship with parents, you still can respectfully disagree, he said.
4. Seek compromise if possible. Examine each of the parents’ requests and decide whether you can meet halfway. For example, parents may ask for more individualized instruction for their child. If your resource room teacher serves 12 other students, find ways to individualize the services the child will receive. "We would look at ways to incorporate differentiated instructions to show that, with interaction, the student will benefit," said John Welch, special education supervisor for the Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) City School District. "At the same time, we are not going to hire a teacher just for your child."
5. Propose trial period, collect data. Should parents still feel their child needs more services than you are willing to offer, suggest implementing your proposal on a trial basis and reconvene the team after a period of about 45 days.
Make it clear to parents that the IEP can be amended based on the outcome of this trial period, "as opposed to them feeling once something is in place, it’s in place forever," said Welch. Monitor the student and collect data on his progress — or lack thereof — to present to parents at the next IEP team meeting. "When you go into [the IEP] meeting, have your data show growth, strengths, new weaknesses," he said. "Parents may feel [their child] should be progressing more. You have to show that the student is progressing," he said.
Source: IEP Team Trainer (2009, February) Counter Parent ‘Wish List’ of Services with Communication, Data. Volume 10 (4).
http://www.eup.k12.mi.us/cms/lib/MI01000134/Centricity/Domain/84/blurb_article.pdf
IMPORTANT DATES:
1/20/2017 Mandatory Data Collection Training for South and Central Communities at Banneker High School (8:30-11:30 or 12:30-3:30)
1/25/2017 Timeline Log Due
2/3/2017 Mandatory Data Collection Training for South, Central and AZ Learning Communities at Banneker High School (8:30-11:30 or 12:30-3:30)
*All AZ teachers must attend the morning session on 2/3/17
2/6/2017 IST Academy
2/8/2017 IST Meeting
2/17/2017 Student/Teacher Holiday
2/20/2017 President's Day