Transcript DPI - NC Extended Content Standards

North Carolina Extended Content
Standards
American Institutes for Research
Exceptional Children Division
North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction
March, 2006
Seymour Sarason

“It could be argued with a good deal of
persuasiveness that when one looks over the
history of man the most distinguishing
characteristic of his development is the
degree to which man has underestimated the
potentialities of men.”
(Christmas in Purgatory, 1965, p. 107)
Changing Curricular Context for Students with the
most Significant Disabilities
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Early 1970s
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Adapting infant/early
childhood curriculum for
students with the most
significant disabilities of
all ages
1980s
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Rejected “developmental
model”
Functional, life skills
curriculum emerged
National Alternate
Assessment Center
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1990s
–
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Also: social inclusion focus
Also: self determination focus
Assistive technology
2000
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General curriculum access
(academic content)
Plus earlier priorities
(functional, social, self determination)
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Digitally accessible materials
Walk the Wall
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Divide into 4 teams – A, B, C, D
Move to designated area
Divide each team into 4 main groups (1, 2, 3, 4) - 1 group for each
curricular era
Assign recorder within each subgroup
Record pros and cons for your curriculum era (timed)
– Move on to next curriculum era when directed
Review pros and cons and add further points (timed)
– Move on to next curriculum era when directed
Repeat until back to starting point
Review
National Alternate Assessment Center
Developmental Model (1970s)
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What it looked like…
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Visually track object
Find partially hidden object
(object permanence)
Put peg in pegboard
Wash hands and use the
toilet
Motor imitation (“Pat your
head”)
(National Alternate
Assessment Center, 2005)
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Why rejected…
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Not chronologically age
appropriate
Not functional (i.e., did not
promote skills of daily living)
Readiness- never ready
Students did not follow the
developmental sequence
“Criterion of ultimate
functioning” in communityteach what student needs
for life
Functional Curriculum (1980-1990)
First options for adults with severe disabilities to live and work
in the community
 Curriculum based on what is needed to live and work in the
community
 “Ecological inventory”- assesses the environment to identify
needed skills
 Chronologically age appropriate; also called “top down”
curriculum
 Applied behavior analysis foundation for systematic instruction
methods widely supported in research
(National Alternate Assessment Center, 2005)
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Functional Curriculum
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What it looks like…
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Task analysis of 10 steps
to place an order at Burger
King
 (Go to counter…place
order…etc.)
Repeated trials of counting
out $5.00
Repeated trials of reading
sight words: “hamburger,”
“fries”
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Current status…
Continues to be valued and
promoted in texts in Severe
Disabilities
– Some critics suggest that it
promotes separate
curriculum; atypical school
experience
– Most educators blend
functional with academic
(National Alternate Assessment
Center, 2005)
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Social Inclusion Movement
(Mid 80s and 90s)
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Inclusion in general education as a civil right
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Neighborhood school, general education class,
“belonging”/full membership
Activities to promote social inclusion/teach
social interaction
Self determination
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Emphasis on student making own choices;
person-centered planning
Provide support for inclusion versus expecting
student to earn inclusion by learning
“prerequisite” skills
(National Alternate Assessment Center, 2005)
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Self Determination
Model (late 90s)
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What it looks like
– Choose restaurant; choose order
– Greet peer in English class
– Self instruction to perform job task
– Pass item to peer in cooperative
learning activity
– Use switch to make choice or
activate a device
(National Alternate Assessment Center,
2005)
Current Status
- Some states’ alternate
assessment include quality
indicators related to inclusion,
self-determination factored into
student scores
- General curriculum access as a
“right”; versus earning it with
progression of skills
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Access to the General Education
Curriculum (late 90s to present)
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Not just access to general education settings
but access to CONTENT and expectation for
learning
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Even students in separate settings have this
expectation
Assessing progress on state alternate content
standards
Teaching grade level academic content with
expectations for alternate achievements
Access to the General Curriculum
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What it looks like…
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Same/ similar materials and
activities as peers in general
education
Indicate comprehension of
main idea of story by selecting
picture
Use technology to solve math
problem; chart data
“We’re learning how to do it
better each day”
(National Alternate Assessment Center,
2005)
Current status…
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New for most educators;
including experts in the field
Many students receiving
academic instruction for the
first time
Some educators worry about
loss of focus on functional
curriculum; see it as either/or
Access to the General Curriculum
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All students having the opportunity to
learn academic content
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Sequential versus catalog approach to
curriculum
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Availability of assistive technology and
digitally accessible materials
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Less complex performances of grade
level achievement standards
– But high expectations are creating
success stories
(National Alternate Assessment
Center, 2005)
How did we get here?
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IDEIA 2004 requires that all students have
access to the standard course of study in
North Carolina at grade level.
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IDEIA requires that all students be tested in
order to demonstrate proficiency with the
content standards at grade level.
North Carolina’s response
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NC EXTEND1 will assess students who
access the NC Standard Course of Study
through content extensions derived at each
grade level for the content areas of Science,
English-Language Arts, and Mathematics.
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NCEXTEND1 will replace the NC Alternate
Assessment Portfolio for 2006-2007.
A Common Language Towards a
Common Goal
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Let’s establish working definitions of terms
that we will be using throughout the day.
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Then we’ll incorporate these terms into an
understanding of DPI’s process of developing
content standard extensions.
Terminology
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Content Standard Extensions
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Establish an expectation of what students should be able to
know and be able to do that differs in depth and complexity
from the expectations for other students at a particular
grade level
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A content standard that has been expanded while
maintaining the essence of that standard, thereby ensuring
that all students with significant cognitive disabilities have
access to, and make progress in, the general curriculum
Terminology, cont.
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Performance level descriptors
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Describe how much students should know and be
able to do
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Describe what students at each achievement
level should know and be able to do
Terminology, cont.
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Entry points
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represent a further definition of the extensions of
the standard course of study
represent the breadth, depth, and complexity of
the content standards at varying levels of ability
should represent a continuum of opportunities for
exposure to the content standards. Exposure is a
key in teaching the standards.
Terminology, cont.
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Symbolic, Early Symbolic, Pre-symbolic levels of ability
Activity:
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At your table, or within your group, discuss the varying behaviors
at the Symbolic, Early Symbolic, and Pre-Symbolic levels (see
handouts at your table).
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Identify examples of these behaviors based on your experiences
with students with significant cognitive disabilities.
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Assign a spokesperson who should be prepared to share with the
large group
Behaviors Related to the Symbolic
Level
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Communicates with symbols (e.g., pictures) or words (e.g.,
spoken words, assistive technology, American Sign Language,
home signs).
May have emerging or basic functional academic skills:
– decoding and comprehension
– knowledge of meaning in a variety of symbols (pictures,
logos, signs, letters, numbers, symbols or words)
– counting or number recognition
– identifying or categorizing by a variety of attributes
– emerging or basic number sense and/or computation
– understanding of models or simple representations
– emerging writing or graphic representation for the purpose of
conveying meaning through writing, drawing, or computer
keying
Behaviors at the Early Symbolic Level
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Demonstrates emerging knowledge of symbols (e.g., pictures,
logos, associated objects – flag for circle time).
May have limited emerging functional academic skills:
– limited or emerging knowledge of graphic symbols (logos,
restroom signs, etc.)
– limited or emerging knowledge that objects may be
‘symbolically’ or ‘graphically’ related to an event, activity or
another object (cereal box for cereal, photo of toys for ‘play
area,’ picture of bus for ‘go home’)
– may respond to a variety of instructions (verbal or pictorial)
– may categorize by 1 or more attributes
– may demonstrate knowledge of a variety of cause-effect
relationships.
Behaviors at the Pre-symbolic Level
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May demonstrate intentionality – shows interest, directed focus,
purpose or desire for a result through behavior
Beginning to build intentional communication; may use idiosyncratic
gestures, sounds, and movements to communicate with others
Does not discriminate between pictures or other symbols (and does
not use symbols to communicate)
Associates objects or physical settings with routine activity - cup
means drink, diaper means lie down
Demonstrates limited or simple understanding of cause and effect with
immediate and frequent routines
May have the capacity to sort very different objects, may use trial and
error
May demonstrate emerging knowledge of cause-effect relationships
May manipulate (put in mouth, touch, grab, etc.) or engage in repeated
movements to gain knowledge of objects
Starts to combine objects (e.g., place one block on another)
Terminology, cont.
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Depth: start with the standard and go deep
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The Competency
The Extension
Symbolic Entry Point
Early Symbolic Entry Point
Pre-symbolic Entry Point
Developing the Extensions of the NC
Standard Course of Study:
The Process
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Phase I
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Content standard extensions were developed
through collaborative efforts of 5 divisions of the
NC Department of Public Instruction (Elementary
Education, Middle Grades Education, Secondary
Education, Accountability, Exceptional Children)
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Developed for students who are performing at a
pre-symbolic, early symbolic, and symbolic level
of ability.
The Process, cont.
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Phase II
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Formation of a 48 member task force consisting of parents,
school and system administrators, regular and special
education teachers, and testing coordinators.
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9 subcommittees were assembled within this task force
representing elementary, middle grades, and secondary
science, English/language arts and mathematics.
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This task force devised Extensions of the NC Standard
Course of Study, reflecting access to the standards at the 3
levels of ability.
The Process, cont.
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Phase III
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The NCEXTEND1 will be developed by staff of
NCDPI with stakeholder input
Performance Level Descriptors for each level of
ability will be developed in the fall
Objective: to assure that the assessment
provides valid and reliable means of assessing
student performance on grade-level content
standards, given the specific abilities of individual
students.
The Process, cont.
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Training
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Overview and background
Review of standards
Translating standards into goals
Translating standards into activities and materials
Review of the Standards
Time to Dig In!
Activity
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Based on the color of the pail and shovel on
your table, take 20 minutes to:
Review and discuss the content standard
extensions, sampling from elementary, middle
grades, and secondary and their linkage to the
grade level standard
– Be prepared to share with the large group
examples of the extensions from elementary,
middle grades, and secondary level in language
that you will use when explaining this to students’
parents.
Science
English/Language Arts
Mathematics
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Translating Standards into Goals,
Activities and Materials
Creating a Balance
 How am I assuring access to the general
curriculum?
 How am I assuring that this goal is
functional, meaningful and relevant?
 Am I assuring that the goal adequately
addresses the student’s present skill level?
Identifying Instructional Goals
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Step 1
Can the student address learning standards at grade-level
expectations in the subject being addressed?
If yes, then…
Design age-appropriate instruction based on learning standards
in this subject, at a level that challenges the student.
If no…
Proceed to Step 2
Identifying Instructional Goals
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Step 2
Can the student address entry points at this grade level that are
more complex?
If yes, then…
Design age-appropriate instruction based on learning standards
in this subject, at a level that challenges the student.
If no…
Proceed to Step 3
Identifying Instructional Goals
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Step 3
Can the student address entry points at this grade level that are
less complex?
If yes, then…
Design age-appropriate instruction based on learning standards
in this subject, at a level that challenges the student.
If no…
Proceed to Step 4
Identifying Instructional Goals
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Step 4
When it has been determined through
repeated attempts that the student at present
cannot address learning standards even at
the least complex entry point, the student
should address access skills (social, motor,
and communication skills) while participating
in academic instruction.
What’s He Going
to Get
Out of This Class…
Really?
Challenges of Educating Students with
Severe Disabilities in General Education
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Abstract Concepts
Fast Pace
Verbal Emphasis
Appear to Require Highly Academic Skills
Large Group Activities
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Adapting Academic Tasks
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Simplify Tasks
– Add Information
– Target Much Easier Concepts
– Have Less to Do
Make More Active
Make Tangible
Make Materials Larger/Add Color
Make it Fun/Game-like when Possible
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Analyzing a Lesson to Identify
Meaningful Learning Opportunities
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Can any meaningful vocabulary be targeted?
What general knowledge would be important
to teach?
Can comparisons be made? (past/present,
size, shape, amount, appearance)
What math skills can be targeted?
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
English Literature
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Build Vocabulary
Identify Big Ideas
Determine color of ink to write with
Same/Different concepts
Count particular items on pages
Add page numbers
Sign name
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
A 7th Grade Example
• Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
BIG IDEAS
Family
Ocean
Whales
Vocabulary
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Family—girl, boy, grandmother, grandfather,
brother, old
Ocean—water, fish, wet, dry, salt, shells,
blue, white
Whales—big, small, swim, eat, ride, on, gray,
fish
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Comparisons
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Girl vs Whales
Big vs Little
Swim vs walk
Wet vs dry
Old vs young
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Numeracy
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Count stranded whales
Count shells
Count family members
Compare number of boys to girls
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Check for Comprehension
• The girl rode on the
surfboard
whale
• The girl loved her
grandfather boyfriend
car
Geometry
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Recognize Shapes (match)
Count Like Shapes
Recognize/Sort Big/Little
Find Objects of Certain Shape
Sort by Color
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Algebra
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Identify Numbers (2x + 3y = 14)
Match Numbers
Use a Calculator
Create Problems with Objects (count)
Identify Largest of Two Numbers
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Science
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Health—Decide good vs. bad things to eat,
drink, do; sort by food groups
Weather—Determine what to wear in different
weather (concepts of hot/cold/rainy)
Astronomy—Count stars/planets, match by
size/color, vocabulary associated with
constellations
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
More Science
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Earth Science—Care for plants, read color
words (green/brown), vocabulary, read
instructions (pictorial/written)
Biology—Identify body parts and functions,
count body parts, sort pictures (concepts of
same/different)
Electricity—Use of switches to turn on
appliances, read words “on/off”, identify items
needing electricity
June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005
Next Steps…
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Establishment of Regional listserv to share activities
as LEAs develop them.
This training presentation is available from the
Regional coordinator for you to use to train LEAs.
Visit the Access Center website for additional
resources, links, etc. at:
www.k8accesscenter.org.