1 Instructional Materials and Their Modification How to select programs and materials to meet the special needs of your students.

2 Types of Math Programs  Developmental Basals  Specific-Skill Programs  Programs for Low-Performing Students

3 Developmental Basals  Advantage Comprehensive scope and sequence of skills  Disadvantages Lack adequate amount of practice and review, due to spiral design Lack specific instructions for teacher

4 Specific-Skill Programs  Advantage Likely to include adequate practice to facilitate mastery.  Disadvantage Lack of comprehensiveness (scope and sequence). Teacher must ensure review of previously taught skills.

5 Programs for Low-Performing Students  Advantage May be marketed for at-risk students or students with disabilities  Disadvantage Often poorly constructed, lacking adequate: practice teacher instruction scope and sequence

6 Program Evaluation  Instructional strategies  Sequence of skills  Example selection  Amount of practice and review

7 Instructional Strategies  A good strategy teaches only the skill intended without leading to misinterpretation.  Students need to be guided through a strategy.  Students need explicit steps to apply to a variety of problems.  Teach only one strategy for a given skill.

8 Sequence of Skills  Sequence often contributes to the amount of difficulty students will experience.  Skills that may be confused easily should not be introduced consecutively.  Preskills must be taught with adequate practice.

9 Example Selection  Practice problems should be carefully controlled.  Students need a variety to problems to practice when a strategy should be applied.  Worksheets should include the new skill along with previously taught skills for review and discrimination practice.

10 Practice and Review  Enough practice should be provided to allow students to reach mastery.  Enough review should be included to facilitate retention of previously learned skills.  Massed practice should be provided after a complex or difficult problem type is taught.

11 Modifying Math Programs  Try to make modifications before using the program.  Keep student performance levels in mind when determining the need for modifications.  Low-performing students are likely to require extensive modifications.

12 Five Steps in Modifying an Instructional Unit  Set priority objectives and levels of mastery.  Select problem-solving strategies.  Construct teaching formats for the major skills (and preskills if necessary)  Select practice examples.  Design worksheets or select pages of the text to review previously taught skills.

13 Set Priority Objectives and Levels of Mastery  Examine the problem types presented in the unit.  Decide which problem types to delete, delay teaching, or include in the unit.  Concentrate on the most essential grade-level skills.  Consider accuracy and fluency when determining mastery levels.

14 Select Strategies  Determine the relative efficiency of the strategy. Easy to learn Apply to a range of related problems  Determine whether the strategy is similar to that taught by other teachers in the school. Allow for continuity between grade levels.

15 Construct Formats  Begin with a carefully designed teacher demonstration  Guided practice  Supervised practice  Independent practice

16 Select Examples for Practice and Review  Allow enough practice for mastery.  Include a review of previously taught strategies to help students determine when a new strategy is appropriate.  After mastery of the new skill is achieved, include systematic review on subsequent worksheets.