Learning Assistance - What is it all about?

1. Learning Assistance - What is it all about? BCTF New Teachers’ Workshop

2. Presentation from the Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association (LATA) Dennis Mousseau – LATA Executive Member

3. Introductions Who are you and where are you? By the end of this presentation we hope you are aware of some of the most important components of a learning assistance teacher’s job. Introductions and Goal

4. Outline of Presentation: Role of Learning Assistance Teachers’ Association (LATA) Role(s) of support teachers School Based Team/Individual/Inclusive education plan (IEP essentials) Where does Learning Assistance Happen? Adaptations vs. Modifications

5. What is LATA?

6. What is LATA? “The Learning Assistance Teachers' Association (LATA), is one of the BCTF's 33 Provincial Specialists' Associations (PSA's) that advise the BCTF Executive Committee regarding assessment, technology, teacher education, and curriculum/resources. In addition, every year LATA makes significant contributions to the public education system through curriculum initiatives, in-service education, professional development, ministry committees, publications, presentations and conferences” (http://www.latabc.com).

7. Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher This section will attempt to answer the following questions Does the learning assistance teacher have a different role than the special education teacher? What is the role of a learning assistance teacher? Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take

8. Definition of a Learning Assistance Teacher Definition:  “Learning assistance services are school-based, non-categorical resource services designed to support classroom teachers and their students who have mild to moderate difficulties in learning and behaviour” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 23).

9. Definition of a Special Education Teacher Definition: “A Special Education teacher is a teacher with the specialized knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to act as as resource to school staff and parents who are supporting students with difficulties in learning and adjustment, or who require an individual education program. They identify, assess, plan, implement, report, and evaluate in collaboration with team members” (BCTF, 2015, https://bctf.ca/issues/resources.aspx?id=10808).

10. Definition of a Resource Teacher Definition: “The Resource teacher works with a number of classroom teachers to provide support for all students in their classroom: those who are in the high and low incidence groups; those who have mild learning difficulties; those who may need enrichment; and in some cases, those who are learning English as a second language. There are no territorial lines drawn in service delivery” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 23).

11. Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take • Meeting with parents, teachers, counselors, administrations, special services personnel, outside agencies and other community programs coordinators • The LAT writes IEPs • Observing the student, administering curriculum-based and/or Level “B” assessments • Provide small group instruction/support in the classroom depending on student need and school/teacher philosophy • Checking student records and preparing file-summaries • Chair the School Based Team

12. SBT, Level “B”, Designation, and IEP Essentials

13. SBT and IEP Essentials IEP/School Based Team Essentials School Based Teams Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take • School based team (SBT) information • Designation Categories • IEPs

14. School Based Teams What is a School Based Team? What to know before a SBT Meeting Who is on the School Based Team? What can a School Based Team do? What is your experience? School Based Team Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take

15. School Based Team - Definition Definition: ”An on-going team of school-based personnel which has a formal role to play as a problem-solving unit in assisting classroom teachers to develop and implement instructional and/or management strategies and to co- ordinate support resources for students with special needs within the school” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. VI).

16. What can the School-Based Team do? “Upon the request of the referring teacher or parent, it provides support through extended consultation on possible classroom strategies, and may become a central focus for case management, referrals and resource decisions. It should appoint a case manager, identify the need for additional services and/or initiate referrals to access other school, district, community or regional services. The school-based team can also initiate or facilitate inter-ministerial planning and service delivery” (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 14) https://matalocal69.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/3/6/31363165/lou_17.pdf

17. What can the School-Based Team do? • Many districts will have duties related to the SBT in their restored language • In the Langley School District for instance the reinstated language discusses SBTs duty to determine assessment and placement needs • My district’s (SD69 Qualicum) reinstated language discusses the our role in determining EA allocation • Check your reinstated language to see if there are any roles that are specific to your distric

18. School Based Team - Members • The school based team usually includes the following people • A member of the administration • The classroom teacher • A learning assistance/resource teacher/special education teacher • Other specialists such as counselors/SLP • Sometimes the parent or student may also be included in these meetings • https://bctf.ca/issues/resources.aspx?id=11550

19. Things the Teacher should document before going to the School Based Team or IEP Meeting Build a strong student profile with profile of the student: • Name, age, grade, teacher(s) • Number of schools attended • Academic strengths and challenges, personal strengths and challenges • Behaviour

20. Things the Teacher should document before going to the School Based Team or IEP Meeting • Home situation (living with both parents, split time, grandparents) • Current interventions/support plans in place or have been tried • https://bctf.ca/diversity/resourceinventory/la/designation/SBT-ReferralForm.pdf • http://www.sd34.bc.ca/sites/default/files/AP%20207%20School%20Based-Teams%20%2B%20Forms.pd

21. Coding Categories – What are they? What do they mean? 11 Categories….What are they? Designation Categories – What are they? What do they mean?

22. BC Funding Categories • LEVEL 2 • Moderate to Profound Intellectual Disability (C) • Physical Disability or Chronic Health Impairment (D) • Visual Impairment (E) • Deaf or Hard of Heaing (F) • Autism Spectrum Disorder (G) • LEVEL 1 • Physically Dependent (A) • Deaf/Blind(B) • LEVEL 3 • Intensive Behaviour Interventions or Serious Mental Illness (H)

23. What about Learning Disabilities? Category R? The following designations receive no additional funding beyond the Basic Allocation grant: Category Q – Learning Disability Category K – Mild Intellectual Disability Category P – Gifted Category R – Students Requiring Moderate Behavioural Support or Students with Mental Illness BC Funding Categories

24. BC Funding Categories • Students designated in the Level 1 Catagories (physically dependent or deaf/blind) net a school district $37,700 in additional funding • School districts receive $18,850 for every student with a Level 2 designation • Students with a Level 3 designation are funded an addition $9,500 above the usual amount

25. The IEP Process The IEP Process

26. Individual/Inclusive Education Plans This section will address the following information: What is an IEP Who needs an IEP Assessment of Students on an IEP

27. The BC IEP - What Is an IEP? • The acronym IEP stands for: • Individual Education Plan • Or • Inclusive Education Plan • The British Columbia School Superintendents Association (BCSSA) and the Ministry of Education produced the “Individual Education Planning for Students with Special Needs: A Resource Guide for Teachers” (2009) • https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/inclusive/iepssn.pdf

28. The BC IEP - What Is an IEP? The BC IEP –What is an IEP? The IEP will contain the following information: Individualized goals linked to the student’s assessed special needs, and in some cases, shorter term objectives Strategies to be used Services and resources to be provided Measures for tracking achievement Adaptations and/or modifications https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/teaching-tools/inclusive/iepssn.pdf

29. The BC IEP –What is an IEP? • Each school board determines the template used to write an IEP, but for a few years a provincial template has been available at myeducation.gov.bc.ca • What has been useful about this format is that it allows an IEP to follow a student who changes districts

30. The BC IEP –What is an IEP? • As British Columbia’s new curriculum is leading to changes in each district, the role, or at least the format, of the IEP is changing as well • In my district a lot of the changes are influenced by the work of Shelly Moore who has some interesting documents on her website: https://blogsomemoore.com/individual-education-plans/ • Much of the language of these strenghs-based templates has been incorporated into the myeducation.gov.bc.ca template (examples)

31. IEP Goals The Changing IEP – Universal Design/New Curriculum • Goals can be broad • Objectives relating to goal should be sequentil and easily measurable

32. The BC IEP –Who needs an IEP? All students who are designated in any of the categories mentioned above must receive an IEP if: the student with special needs requires more than just minor adaptations to educational materials, or instructional or assessment methods, or the student with special needs is working on outcomes other then the prescribed outcomes of the curriculum, or the student with special needs is working on the regular outcomes with little or no adaptations, but receives 25 hours or more of remedial help from someone other than the classroom teacher to meet the expected learning outcomes (Ministry of Education 2009, p. 4)

33. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? Where does Learning Assistance Happen? School Based Teams Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take

34. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? dennismousseau2@gmail.com • Two approaches are, generally, pullout support or in-class support (co-teaching). • Pullout support is the more traditional model of support as exceptional students were once confined solely to a separate stream of education • Co-teaching is a response to the inclusion movement that has its roots in the mid-1980s (or earlier) • The Ministry of Education describes inclusion as not solely related to where a student receives their education:

35. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? • “British Columbia promotes an inclusive education system in which students with special needs are fully participating members of a community of learners. Inclusion describes the principle that all students are entitled to equitable access to learning, achievement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of their educational programs. The practice of inclusion is not necessarily synonymous with full integration in regular classrooms, and goes beyond placement to include meaningful participation and the promotion of interaction with others” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p.2).

36. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? • If inclusion is not synonymous with placement in the regular classroom, what should guide you in determining where you, as the learning assistance teacher offer your services? • Student need? • Teacher preference?

37. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? Co-Teaching Adaptations vs. Modifications Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take

38. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? – Successful Co-Teaching • Clear definition of roles (too often the special educator acts as the educational assistant) • Adequate co-planning time • (See: Scruggs, Mastropieri, & McDuffie, 2007; Friend, Cook, Hurley-Chamberlain & Shamberger, 2010)

39. Where Does Learning Assistance Happen? – When Should Pullout Support Happen • Skoal and Katz (2015) note that pullout support still exists in all Canadian school districts • Most teachers will ask you to pull small groups from their class to help with reading and math • You may also have teachers ask for you to form a social or “friendship” group to help children develop social skills

40. Adaptations and Modifications

41. Adaptations vs. Modifications Adaptations are teaching and assessment strategies especially designed to accommodate a student’s needs so that student can achieve the learning outcomes of the subject or course and to demonstrate mastery of concepts (Adaptations and Modifications Guide, Aug 2009).      Modifications are instructional and assessment-related decisions made to accommodate a student’s educational needs that consist of individualized learning goals and outcomes which are different than learning outcomes of a course or subject (Adaptations and Modifications Guide, Aug 2009).    Adaptations and Modifications GuideExample of Adaptation ChecklistGuide and Flow chart Adaptations and Modifications Role of a Learning Assistance Teacher Pro active steps to take

42. Grading and Reporting When There Are Adaptations When entering a mark for students who have been provided with adaptations, the mark, should be in relation to the outcomes of the curriculum. If the learning outcomes that a student is working toward are from the curriculum of a grade level lower than the current grade placement, this should be indicated in the IEP or learning plan and in the body of the student’s progress report. Further information on this subject is available in the Ministry document: Reporting Student Progress: Policy and Practice. http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/classroom_assessment/09_report_student_prog.pdf

43. Adaptations and Modifications and the New Curriculum • Will the implementation influence or alter what you are doing regarding adaptations and modifications? • Do you think that all adaptations need to be made in consultation with a learning assistance teacher or can they be done on an as needed basis? • Any other thoughts?

44. Last Thoughts • Every learning assistance teacher will have a different role • The learning assistance teacher works in a collaborative fashion with parents, administrators, teachers, and other professionals • A key component of this collaboration is creating plans for each designated student • Learning assistance teachers also work directly with students and determining how to do this is important

45. Last Thoughts • I hope that this presentation has given you a better idea of some of the key parts of what to expect when working with or if you become a learning assistance teacher. • I have tried to cover some of the largest portions of a learning assistance teacher’s duties • Please contact LATA if you are in a new job and have any questions

46. Resources Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com Understood : https://www.understood.org Autism Speaks: https://www.autismspeaks.org Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation: www.spdfoundation.ne Attitude Magazine: http://www.additudemag.com Tools for Kids Inc.: http://www.toolsforkids.ca SET BC: http://setbc.org CASE: http://www.bc-case.org/ SD44 LA Manual: http://www.sd44.ca/ProgramsServices/InclusiveEducation/Documents/LearningAssistanceHandbook.pdf Inclusion BC: http://www.inclusionbc.org/

47. Ministry of Education: https://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/specialed/ ELL Resources: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/diverse-student-needs/english-language-learners ELL Planning Tool: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/english-language-learners/ell_planning_tool.pdf http://ellsd68.weebly.com/ Resources

48. British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2016). Special Education: Policy Statement. Retrieved from: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education- training/administration/legislation-policy/public-schools/special- education Friend, M., Cook, L., Hurley-Chamberlain, D., & Shamberger, C. (2010). Co-teaching: An illustration of the complexity of collaboration in special education. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 20(1), 9-27. doi:10.1080/10474410903535380 Scruggs, T. E., Mastropieri, M. A., & McDuffie, K. A. (2007). Co-teaching in inclusive classrooms: A metasynthesis of qualitative research. Exceptional Children, 73(4), 392-416. doi:10.1177/001440290707300401 Sokal, L., & Katz, J. (2015). Oh, canada: Bridges and barriers to inclusion in canadian schools: Inclusive education in canada. Support for Learning, 30(1), 42-54. doi:10.1111/1467-9604.12078 References

49. Dear Teachers: Heartfelt Advice from Students Dear Teacher: Heartfelt Advice For Teachers From Students

50. You can view this entire presentation here! http://www.latabc.com