Extended GLE’s Curriculum and Instruction What’s the connection to curriculum and instruction?

In this section we will: Think about what instruction might look like for our own students. Become familiar with access tools Review how the ExGLE’s link to goals and objectives Plan for access to general education curriculum Create “images of success” for our students During the next hour and a half, we’ll work together to understand what these changes mean to ourselves and our students throughout the instructional year. The process is new how the new assessment system will effect our instruction is still unknown territory. As the theme of this conference says, we’re striving for images of success for our students. Each change has led to improvement for our students. As difficult as it was for us when the alternate assessment began in Alaska, our students have benefited. They have been exposed to broader curriculum, they’ve had the benefit of systematic instruction and data recording and they’ve learned and grown!

The National Alternate Assessment Center Stepwise Process Instruction is linked to grade level content standards Define outcomes for all students Identify instructional activities for all students and how individual students with disabilities will access Target specific IEP objectives The NNAC has been working on improving alternate assessment nationwide to meet requirements of NCLB and IDEA. The Stepwise process describes a way to plan for instructing students with significant cognitive disabilities in grade level curriculum. You have the Stepwise packet which we’ll use to plan for access later in the session.

If you’re feeling like this…. The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind. Maya Angelou

Take a Deep Breath…. We’ve survived before, and students continue to increase their learning We are all still learning the best ways to educate students with significant disabilities IDEA 2004 is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act We’re in that place again where we’re not sure what is coming. We were there before, not knowing what was coming and not wanting to make change. Quote by Marilyn Ferguson: It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in between that we fear. It’s like being between trapezes. It’s Linus when his blanket is in the dryer. There’s nothing to hold on to.

Historical Perspective: Changing Curricular Context for SCD Early 1970s Adapting infant/early childhood curriculum for students with the most significant disabilities of all ages 1980s Rejected “developmental model” Functional, life skills curriculum emerged 1990s Also: social inclusion focus Also: self determination focus Assistive technology 2000 General curriculum access (academic content) Plus earlier priorities (functional, social, self determination) Digitally accessible materials There is a focus on general curriculum access for all students, even students with the most significant disabilities. NCLB and IDEA both emphasize this. We’re all at the forefront of learning how to do it.

General Curriculum Access Content Standards for All Students Arts English/Language Arts Employability Geography Government and Citizenship History Remember general curriculum content for all students is in a variety of areas. Nationally special education teachers are being encouraged to increase collaboration with general education teachers in planning and instructing lessons. General ed teachers have already designed their lessons to meet the grade level standards.

Content Standards for ALL Students Library/Information Skills Math Science Skills for a Healthy Life Technology World Languages

Extended Grade Level Expectations Reading Writing Math These are only part of the student’s educational program. They are the areas measured by NCLB

What about functional life skills, social and self-determination skills? Still important Part of the IEP Not part of the assessment The assessment measures only part of the student’s educational program What NCLB measures is only part of the student’s educational program. NCLB measures only language arts and math. That is not the whole program for students without disabilities and it’s not the whole program for students with disabilities. Students with significant cognitive disabilities still need instruction in functional skills, social and self-determination areas.

Opening up access Digital and other assistive technology is opening up access for many of the students Students with disabilities are learning to read, write and use math Reading, writing and math are functional skills Given the opportunity, access to academic activities and systematic instruction, research is demonstrating that many students with cognitive disabilities are learning to read, write, and use math.

Let’s start with access tools There are many tools to help students access print and spoken language Let’s review a few of these and share others you know or use.

Read with technology Start to Finish Books Reading Pen Write: Out Loud Students read in school every day. For most, being able to read is something we don’t think about. For others, however, the task can be a challenge due to a variety of reasons. Often this challenge becomes a nightmare after years of successive failure in the school environment. Those with severe disabilities may not ever get the chance to try. It’s our responsibility to figure out ways to teach students with significant cognitive disabilities to read write and use mathematics. Bookworm by AbleNet, Talking photo albums, talking picture frames, Read and Write Denham, 2004

Reading using graphics Other ideas: teacher draws simple drawings, Boardmaker, Pix reader/pix writer, photographs, Modified text from Jumangi using Writing With Symbols 2000. Denham, 2004

Reading with symbols, objects, voice... .. graphics/symbols (Writing with Symbols 2000, Widgit) .. a communication aid (Step-by-Step, AbelNet) .. objects .. tactile cues

“Active Participation” Cheap Talk 4 (Enabling Devices) DynaVox 3100 Communication devices must provide a means of active participation within the curriculum Step By Step Communicator, Abel Net Picture Exchange Communication System, PECS (Pyramid Educational Consultants)

A portable keyboard (AlphaSmart) Writing with software, pictures, keyboards… ..word prediction (Read and Write Gold, textHELP) .. a custom overlay and adaptive keyboard (Overlay Maker, IntelliTools) ..webbing software (Inspiration) A portable keyboard (AlphaSmart)

Writing with pictures, word cards… .. individual laminated symbols secured with Velcro (Boardmaker, Meyer-Johnson) .. word stamps .. sentence strips in science oxygen ● A plant needs water ● The plant needs sunlight. .. pictures – drawn, magazine

IEP Goals The assessment is no longer based specifically on IEP goals and objectives According to IDEA, goals and objectives must be linked to general education standards Grade level expectations and extended GLE’s are new Now more clearly aligned to general curriculum Goals and objectives teach skills to access curriculum Academic curriculum and the ‘hidden’ curriculum in school GLE’s we must become familiar with the ExGLE’s as we begin to write IEP’s this spring and from now on.

IEP Goals and Objectives Skills necessary in current and future environments Identified by the family as important Teach academic skills because they are functional and socially valid Meaningful to the student Expected to be learned within one year those skills must be embedded in natural routines and in socially valid contexts. They should still be skills that can be taught and learned in different settings and situations throughout the day or week. Student should not have to wait until they are able to make a bed before they are taught to read be presumed competent and not denied instruction offered to students of the same age

Identifying Priorities Build on student strengths and preferences What is important for her to access school learning? Review grade level expectations in reading, writing and math. What skills does she need to access “the essence” of the standard? Reference broad curriculum in each of the areas. Before we isolated one objective that was somewhat related to the general ed standard. Now we’re required to teach broad skills related to each area.

Goals and Objectives Goals and objectives are written to give access to the general curriculum Consider communication, motor, social skills Address skills needed for reading, writing and math Goals and objectives should still be goals and objectives that are taught across environments. Academic skills are not only taught in that academic class---they should be taught across the curriculum to generalize. There is reading in math class and students use number in other subject areas besides math.

Identifying reading, writing and math objectives Our former assessment stretched the concepts and taught isolated skills related to the standard NCLB makes it clear that we are measuring grade level expectations for all students in language arts and math Expectations will grow from year to year and skills will build on each other There is now a strong emphasis on participation in general curriculum Examples of stretching found in the old assessment--Reading--sees a diaper and moves to the changing area Math--walks with walker for 5 feet Nationally, educators are encouraging special education teachers to work closely with regular education teachers to identify grade level units and outcomes. It’s more work to create your own units. Working on the same content as other students that age is required by IDEA and NCLB and gives students shared experiences,

Sample IEP Objectives When given 5 or more words in print (cards, Dynavox, word wall) and asked to “find the word___”, Jess will point to the word requested, 3 out of 3 data days. After listening to a story, Jess will demonstrate comprehension of main idea by pointing to a picture to answer a “who” or “what” question about the story, 4 out of 5 days each week for 3 weeks.

Sample Objectives Given a personal schedule with words and pictures representing activities, Jess will read the pictures to follow the schedule by getting materials needed for the next activity for 5 out of 6 activities, 5 days in a row. When given sentence strips with 3-5 words and pictures, Jess will read the sentence, pointing to each word in sequence as she reads, 3 out of 3 sentences per week for 9 weeks.

Sample Objectives When presented with two objects, one related to the activity or story and one not related, Joe will choose the object related to the activity, 8/10 consecutive times. This objective can be used across the curriculum in reading and other functional activities.

Sample Objectives In a variety of activities at school, when presented with the numbers one, two and three in tactile symbols, Joe will choose them in sequence 1-2-3 to count with voice output, sequence activities and demonstrate number order, 4/5 times for 10 days.

Grade Level Curriculum + Expectations = Linkage Students with significant cognitive disabilities: receive instruction on grade level content standards (may be at a lower complexity level) within the context of grade level curriculum ensuring that the intent of the grade level content standard remains intact use the same materials, or adapted version of the materials, and appropriate assistive technology to gain access

Four Steps to Access Identify or link to the appropriate standard(s) Define the outcome(s) of instruction Identify the instructional activities Target specific objectives from the IEP Process proposed by the National Alternate Assessment Center. You have the stepwise packet.

Writing Content Standard--The student writes about a topic. Two examples Open examples from desktop. Talk through the examples.

Strategies to Develop Images of Success Become familiar with learning sequences Sharing our knowledge Textbooks related to teaching students with significant cognitive disabilities, developmental checklists. Although not complete learning sequences refer to DRAFT Early childhood learning guidelines and K-2 standards to understand skills typically expected at different age levels. Following are two examples of research supported learning sequences.

Teaching Sight Words Sequence Match picture to picture Match word to word Match spoken word to picture Name picture Match spoken word to printed word fish fish Research based practices for teaching sight words have established this sequence for teaching sight words. fish

Research Based Practices for Teaching Sight Words fish cat home Match picture to printed word Match Printed word to picture Read fish fish

Pictures, words and/or numbers on voice output systems fish cat home There are many ways for students to access the same information. Be creative.

Teaching sight words Stimulus fading fish fish fish fish fish

Recognizing Numbers 2 Early Trials Middle Trials 2   Later Trials 5

Create your own examples Work in pairs or groups of three Identify an ExGLE that will be measured in 2006-2007 Think about how your student could access that standard Share with group to increase our group experience

An Example from the NAAC Let’s watch Jordan learning an English lesson. Jordan has autism and a cognitive disability.

The State Standard the team considered: Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. (NCTE) 10th grade: interpret figurative, symbolic, and/or idiomatic (e.g., jargon, dialect) language

Jordan learning idioms Jordan will identify/explain idioms from “To Kill a Mocking Bird.” Is this reading? Yes. Jordan is selecting the idiom from a choice of two (answer and one distractor). Does it link to the grade level content standard of interpreting figurative, symbolic, and/or idiomatic (e.g., jargon, dialect) language? Yes. Jordan is using idioms taken from the “To Kill a Mocking Bird” text. Is it meaningful? Jordan is increasing his understanding of vocabulary and is being provided a context for peer interaction.