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Presented to & Adopted by the Sioux Falls School District May 2008/2009

Separating Difference & Disability The Nuts & Bolts for SAT Research & Process by Dr. Catherine Collier. Presented to & Adopted by the Sioux Falls School District May 2008/2009 SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK SIOUX FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Pages 21-45.

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Presented to & Adopted by the Sioux Falls School District May 2008/2009

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  1. Separating Difference & Disability The Nuts & Bolts for SATResearch & Process by Dr. Catherine Collier Presented to & Adopted by the Sioux Falls School District May 2008/2009 SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK SIOUX FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS Pages 21-45

  2. Difference or DisabilityThe Nuts and Bolts for SAT • In 2008 the Sioux Falls Special Education Department adopted the Collier process for separating difference from disability. • The Collier process is now a required pre-referral document. • Bottom line: If ELL student brought to SAT there needs to be an ELL Teacher present.

  3. Why an increase in ELL SPED referrals? Level 4,5, & 6 ELL Regular Content & Classrooms Level 2 & 3 ELL Regular Classrooms & Content Level 1 ELL Immersion Centers Elem – Pull-out/Push-in MS,HS - Sheltered SFSD Serving 1800+ ELLs 270 Level 1 Immersion Programs 1300 + 2s & 3s • Students born in the US so Level 1s in Center Base Schools • Students refusing ELL now in neighborhood Schools

  4. Sociolinguistic Development Level 6 Advanced Fluency Abstract language more accessible May need help with college essays Level 5 Advanced Fluency 5 – 7 years Decontextualized, abstract vocab SD Exits ELs Level 4 4.8 Composite Intermediate Fluency 3 - 5 years 12,000 receptive words 4.0 Read/Write 3 - 5 years to attain Level 3 Often quiet, don’t Speech Emergence: 1 - 3 years 7,000 receptive words ask questions 2-3 years to attain Level 2 1,000 receptive words Early Production: 6 months to 1 year Level 1 Pre-Production: 0-6 months 1-2 receptive words Note: In America 6 year olds in English speaking homes have 10,000 to 24,000 words of English in 1st grade when learning to read.

  5. Updates to the Collier Binder • Section 1 – we have added a checklist of documents in a completed Collier Process. Each process should include seven documents. • Last Section: Sample of the Collier Process – updated version includes the seven documents, including a sample cover letter. The seventh document is a copy of the ELL Blue Card from the CUM Folder.

  6. Why an increase in ELL SPED referrals? It is very difficult for a classroom teacher to deal with all the levels of learning in their differentiated classroom, accounting for all the different student learning styles, and then meet the needs of students who have different levels of English language proficiency. When we don’t know what to do, well intended and dedicated educators might mistake language non-proficiency with a learning disability. Dr. Collier’s process is a way for educators to begin to sort out the language proficiency and acculturation issues from learning and other disabilities.

  7. Dr. Catherine Collier’s answeras used in the Sioux Falls School District Step 1: A teacher is concerned about an ELL student with a learning issue. Step 2: Options: • The teacher may talk to the ELL teacher assigned to his/her building. • The teacher brings the student to the Student Assistance Team: • Where the ELL teacher and Home School Liaison are present to assist with the process. Step 3: The ELL teacher fills out an AQS form and does the calculations to determine if there is a statistical indication of a difference or disability.

  8. Dr. Catherine Collier’s answeras used in the Sioux Falls School District Step 4: The teacher and ELL teacher do a Sociocultural checklist to determine which interventions to try with the student for 3 to 6 weeks. Step 5: After 3 to 6 weeks of interventions the ELL teacher prepares a Prioritization of Intervention report to present to the Student Assistance Team in his/her building. Step 6: If the student has responded to the interventions, the interventions are continued. Step 7: If the interventions did not resolve the learning issues and the AQS calculations determined a disability may be indicated, a Special Education referral for an evaluation is indicated. The AQS process provides a researched based, data based indicator of disability.

  9. Nurture Individual Unique Experiences, Insights, reflections ACCULTURATION The adaptation to a new Culture: language, etc. ENCULTURATION How we learn to interpret the world-culture of caregivers: language, beliefs, tastes, humor, behavior, etc. THE BASICS OF BEING HUMAN Things all are born with: Sensory abilities, linguistic wiring, genetic & biological heritage, innate abilities, etc. Nurture Ways we are less like people Ways we are less like people. Ways we are more like people. Nature

  10. The ELL Teacher the classroom teacher or SAT teams calls on… • Knows the Collier AQS process to assess if the problem could be a language and sociocultural problem or a disability. • One AQS if filled out for every student when they first arrive in the district. A 2nd AQS is filled out if/when there is a question about a learning difficulty being a difference or disability.

  11. In the Sioux Falls School District the first AQS is filled out for each student as they enter the district. • If a concern is raised about a student, the first AQS if found in the student’s ELL Working File. • The ELL teacher fills out a second AQS and calculates the difference in the scores to determine if there is an indicator of a difference or a disability.

  12. Calculating Rate of Acculturation Look at this chart to find Minimum Gain

  13. Example of Calculating the Rate of Acculturation • 1 X 3.5 = 3.5 • Years between AQS Minimum Gain = Normal Gain Expected • 18 - 15 = 3 • Current AQS Baseline Score Point Gain Achieved • Achieved _3 • Expected 3.5 • If the student is acculturating at a normal rate, Achieved divided by Expected should equal 1 ( the numbers should be the same).

  14. What does the score mean? • If the achieved score is less than the expected score, then something is depressing the rate of acculturation. • This could be inadequate or inappropriate instruction or the presence of an unidentified disability and needs further evaluation. • If the achieved score is greater than the expected score, then the student is making better than average progress in acculturating.

  15. What is the next step? • Do a Sociocultural Checklist • This will help determine the sociocultural factors in need of intervention. • It is also helpful to have both the teacher who brought the concern do a Sociocultural checklist and the ELL teacher.

  16. Sociocultural checklist • Sociocultural Checklist • 5 areas to check for Intervention: • Acculturation Level • Cognitive Learning Style • Culture & Language • Experimental Background • Sociolinguist Development

  17. The Sociocultural checklist • The teachers filling out the Sociocultural checklist check the areas based on their observations of the student. The checkmarks are added up in each category.. • To calculate the percentage divide the number of checks by the total number in the category to get the percentage checked. Example: 3 checks divided by 6 total = 50%

  18. How to Prioritize Interventions • Anything greater than 40% needs attention. • The higher the percentage the greater the problem. • Three interventions from the area of greatest need are selected.

  19. Interventions • Based on Sociocultural Checklist results, ELL teacher chooses a minimum of three interventions and implements them along with the mainstream teacher(s) for three to four weeks. • After three to four weeks the ELL teacher and mainstream teacher return to SAT with results.

  20. Instructional Intervention & Planning Review • After three to four weeks the ELL teacher reports to the SAT • if progress has been made, the interventions should continue in place. • If progress has not been made and the AQS indicates below expected acculturation on the AQS then it is appropriate to proceed to a formal referral.

  21. Instructional Intervention & Planning Review • The next step is for the ELL teacher to complete the Prioritization & Documentation Form • The ELL teacher writes a brief summary of the findings and attaches it to: • 1. AQS 1 & 2 • 2. The Rate of Acculturation Calculation form • 3. Aculturation Checklist • 4. Prioritization & Documentation Form

  22. Common Side Effects of Acculturation Process • Heightened Anxiety • Confusion in Locus of Control • Withdrawal • Silence/unresponsiveness • Response Fatigue • Code-switching • Distractibility • Resistance to Change • Disorientation • Stress Related Behaviors Remember: Students need to feel safe for their brain to fully engage.

  23. Difference or DisabilityThe Nuts and Bolts for SAT • The Collier process is now a required pre-referral document. The ELL teachers are trained to complete this process. • Bottom line: If an ELL student is brought to SAT there needs to be an • ELL Teacher present.

  24. Difference or DisabilityThe Nuts and Bolts for SAT • This power point and handouts can be found on the SFSD Website: Click on: Staff • Instructional Resources Wikki, • ELL • http://www.sfinstructionalresources.wikispaces.net/

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