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Designing Effective Adaptations for All Students

Designing Effective Adaptations for All Students. Special Education Department February 16, 2012. What is Fair?. “Fair is not always EQUAL”. Who Adapts?. ALL teachers, including the special education teachers, need to adapt

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Designing Effective Adaptations for All Students

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  1. Designing Effective Adaptations for All Students Special Education Department February 16, 2012

  2. What is Fair? “Fair is not always EQUAL”

  3. Who Adapts? • ALL teachers, including the special education teachers, need to adapt • Regular education teacher & special education teacher have roles and work together to adapt • Special education teachers DO NOT know the content in all subject areas • Content area teachers are the MOST knowledgeable in their field, therefore it makes the most sense that those teachers choose the important information the students need to learn!

  4. Why Adapt? • Students do not learn in the same way or at the same speed • Some students cannot retain as much info. as other students (slow processing) • MAIN GOAL: All students can succeed • Adaptations help all students succeed at their own level!

  5. How Do I Adapt? • Choose the 5 or 10 BIG IDEAS for each chapter • Make the students accountable for 1 goal each day, total of 5 goals in a chapter or 10 goals in a unit (example) • Assess the students on these goals only! • There should be clear distinctions between the work that regular ed. students complete vs. special ed. students • ALL students are different; make adaptations based on the student!

  6. How Do I Adapt Homework? Appropriate Adaptations: Inappropriate Adaptations: Choosing only half of the work to complete or front/back Leaving all questions the same Not providing examples and having the students rely on recall Giving the students 20 or more questions/problems that takes an hour to complete • Carefully choosing the appropriate questions that the students need to know • Highlighting directions and important words • Providing examples • Giving 5 or less important questions or problems that can be completed quickly

  7. Example: Homework Adaptation Math Adaptation.doc Why did we like this adaptation? • Ability specific questions • Differentiation (different groups) • Simple wording • Includes 1 or 2 big ideas

  8. How Do I Adapt Tests? Appropriate Adaptations: Inappropriate Adaptations: Leaving little room for writing Using several words to explain a topic Using words that students OR adults cannot understand Eliminating 2 of the 4 choices (anyone can guess!) Testing the students on ALL information covered in class • Enlarging the print and pictures • Including pictures when a concept is hard to explain • Using words that students can understand • Provide 3 choices for students that are not confusing or tricky • Using test questions related to the BIG IDEAS or main points

  9. Example: Testing Adaptation Regular Ed. Science Test.doc Adapted Science Test.doc Why did we like this adaptation? • Larger print • More space for writing • Word bank included • Diverse questions • Less words

  10. Expectations & Goals Where can I find this information? Here are a few things to consider: Students’ goals change throughout the course of the year You will learn more about each student as the year progresses We want each student to learn information that is practical and functional for his or her life. We must consider each student’s long term goals • Read each student’s IEP - Present Levels: Academic, Social, Functional - SDI: Specifically Designed Instruction - Goal pages (Shows what each student needs to accomplish during the year)

  11. Homework & Grading Why should teachers question homework? • Practice does not make perfect • Struggling students often do homework incorrectly and, as a result, reinforce bad habits • Homework often is unfair to some LS students • Anonymous IJHS stories • The important question is not “Is the student lazy?” but rather, “Why is the student unmotivated?” • Ask yourself: “Can I find a way to facilitate my students’ learning without depending on homework?”

  12. Homework & Grading Does homework pass the test? • Can (name the student) successfully complete this assignment with no assistance? • Can (name the student) complete the assignment quickly? (usually within a few minutes) • Does this assignment pass the 20 year test? • Is this assignment rooted in 1 or 2 big ideas that promote essential understanding? *If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, the assignment fails the test.*

  13. Question & Answer Thank you for listening! 

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