Greer Gazette
November 2014
Resource/Inclusion
What are Accommodations?
Accommodations are changes to the materials, procedures or techniques that allow a student with a disability to participate more meaningfully in grade‐level or course instruction.
Accommodations documented for use during a state assessment should:
* Be made on an individual basis
* Consider the needs of the student first
* Be routinely used during classroom instruction and testing
Accommodations provided during classroom instruction and testing might differ from accommodations allowed for use on state assessments. Instruction can be customized to meet the needs of each student. State assessments are standardized to provide a reliable comparison of outcomes across all test takers.
Certain accommodations used in the classroom would invalidate the content being assessed or compromise the security and integrity of the state assessment. Thus students may still benefit from other accommodations. DO NOT limit an educator’s ability to develop individualized materials and techniques to use in the classroom to facilitate student learning.
STAAR A link- webinar with a little information
DSSC Classrooms
Corrective Teaching is a Boys Town procedure that is used to redirect inappropriate behavior while providing specific instruction on replacement behavior. The procedure is as follows:
1. Offer initial praise or empathy
2. Describe the inappropriate behavior
3. Describe the replacement behavior
4. Give a rationale
5. Positive practice (feedback and correction if needed)
6. End on a positive note
Following the Corrective Teaching process ensures that behaviors are addressed routinely and consistently among students. It also helps us to stay non-emotional and respond calmly. Practicing and role-playing with your DSSC team will help everyone become more comfortable using Corrective Teaching!
Classroom management
Most students love to be praised. It is important to recognize when students follow a classroom procedure you have in place or demonstrate a specific social skill you are working on. When you see a student exhibiting appropriate behaviors/skills, tell them specifically. For example, instead of saying,
“Great job”, say “I love the way you walked right into class, sat at your desk and got started on the warm up, great job!”. This lets the student know exactly what they did that was right. It also lets them know that you noticed. Everyone wants to feel important and likes to be recognized for a job well done. Who can you give effective praise to today?
STC, FAC and LS Classrooms
STAAR-Alt. 2 Reminders
- Test administrators were trained on the STAAR-Alt. 2 on 10/13/2014—discussion continues at quarterly centralized program meeting on 11/11/2014 at 4:00.
- TEA gives test administrators two weeks to PREVIEW and PREPARE for the testing window—January 26th to February 7th.
- TEA gives test administrators two weeks to COMPLETE the assessment for all students—February 9th-20th.
- Each assessment has 24 questions.
- Passing standards will be set in late spring.
- Campus Administrators will receive information about STAAR-Alt. 2 on 11/06/2014 during Leading and Learning staff development.
- Contact Sally (ext. 26309) or Betsy (ext. 26330) with questions.
- Essence statements should be part of your current lesson plans.
Speech and Language
Suggestions on How the Classroom Teacher Can Help the Child Who Stutters
1. Do not show concern over the speech interruption of the student. Accept these disfluencies as his way of talking and do not call his/her attention to them. The child should be permitted to attempt and finish his own words without assistance.
2. Treat the student who stutters as you would any student.
3. If he is aware of his stuttering, let him know that you understand the problem and that you are interested in helping him. The teacher should tactfully maintain an unhurried, calm interested attitude when face to face with the child’s outward symptoms of stuttering.
4. Encourage him to talk in the classroom; urge him to volunteer to ask his questions that can be answered rather easily.
5. Do not react emotionally to the person who stutters. In this way you help to control attitudes of the class.
6. Avoid an atmosphere of tension in the classroom. He will tend to stutter less in these situations in which he feels confident and accepted.
7. Help him increase his self-confidence. Encourage him to participate in school activities and help him to succeed in nonspeaking activities.
8. The Classroom teacher should listen with an interested expression on her face to WHAT the child is saying and above all to look at him.
9. Try to reduce fear of speaking. If the child has no reason to feel rejected, the fear of talking may diminish. Remember, people who stutter appear to have greater difficulty when they are afraid that they will “repeat” or “block” and are trying to avoid this.
10. DO NOT
Hurry him
Interrupt him
Ask him to start over
Ask him to speak slowly
Say his words for him
Look away while he is talking
Give him devices for starting his speech, such as foot tapping, ginger tapping, arm swinging, etc.
Linking Gs to Accommodations
GF:
· Teach self-talk to mediate tasks
· Teach student to talk thru their work for better understanding (i.e. talk thru steps in math outloud)
GC:
· Ensure directions are understood / have student restate directions
· Preteach relevant vocabulary or background knowledge, relate to prior knowledge
GLR:
· Overlearning, review, repetition
· Teach memory strategies (i.e. mnemonic strategies, and verbal rehearsal strategies)
· Teach to make flash cards or use apps
· Timed activities; use caution in grading
GS:
· Extra time
· Reduce quantity of work required
· Chunking
· Assign mini deadlines (chunk n’ check)
· Limit copying activities
GSM:
· Keep oral directions short and simple
· Compensatory aids (i.e. agenda, procedures, ?? directions)
· Overlearning, repetition, and review
· Hard copy of notes or study guide
GV:
· Blank place marker
· Allow to write answer on same page as question
· Bubbling assistance
· Highlight/color code important information
GA:
· Lexia or Spalding (explicit systematic instruction in phonemic awareness)
· Istation lessons
· Rhyming
What makes a good referral for special education counseling?
· LSSP is called in to review all data before formally considering counseling evaluation
· Needs to be in SPED
· Not making adequate progress on behavioral IEP goals
· Social skills class considered first
· Need to have adequate cognitive abilities to understand and generalize counseling skills that would be taught
· Willingness to participate
What makes a good OHI referral (non ADHD)?
· Need a diagnosis up front
· Generally, 504 was considered first
· Needs specific modification of curriculum
What makes a good ED referral?
· History of behavior supports thru RTI or 504 (i.e. PBS, BIP, goals)
· Consistent missing out on instruction due to behavior either in or out of school
· Counselor has been involved
Requesting BS/IDF/LSSP
Reminder that if you are needing to request a BS/LSSP/IDF you are to request this through your coordinator, please do not email them unless they have been requested. This is for students that are not already part of a program.
Please make sure you are filling out the whole form and attaching the appropriate documentation.
Are the behaviors continuing to be tracked by ABC data collection? Yes No
Is the ABC data ready for review by the BS/LSSP? Yes No (If so, attach data with baselines)
Is there preferred time for the BS/LSSP to observe the student? Yes No If yes, when:
Indicate recommended times/schedule to observe, review data, and/or meet with staff:
Special Thanks-
- MHS for working through some tough cases
- FMS for working short handed and still doing a great job with their students
- Burks for using the phases documents to help make good decision regarding their students
- We appreciate the teachers that allowed us to walk through your classrooms! You are doing great things
- Appreciations to our first group who brought a student to Curriculum Review or who sat in and gave great support to teachers.
Felipe Arellano contacted local businesses to raise money and find donations for Burks Elementary to help put on their Fall Carnival. He had enough boxes donated so he built a spooky maze in his spare time. His heart and passion for MISD students shines in his work daily but was especially apparent when he went above and beyond to make this year Burks’ best Fall Carnival yet. Way to go, Felipe!