...November 2002, the United States Department of Education requested that the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD) identify, describe, and evaluate the implementation of responsiveness to intervention (RTI) in elementary schools throughout the United States. The NRCLD staff worked with the six Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) to identify potential sites and solicit school participation. More than 60 schools across the country initially were considered, and information from 41 of those schools was submitted. The NRCLD research staff reviewed the extensive amount of information submitted and judged that 19 of those schools were engaging in one or more commendable RTI practices based on a review of the following six components of an RTI service-delivery model: • School-wide screening. Screening is a type of assessment characterized by quick, low cost, repeatable testing of critical academic skills or behaviors and can be administered by individuals with minimal amounts of training. A screening measures whether a student should be judged at risk. If a student meets the criteria for at-risk status, he or she is considered for more in-depth assessment. Screenings can use either a criterion referenced or normative comparison standard for measuring student performance. Progress monitoring. Progress monitoring is a set of assessment procedures for determining the extent to which a student or students are benefiting from classroom instruction. When applied with rigor, progress...
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...Special Education Process Introduction to the Special Education Process The Department of Education oversees special education and ensures student’s rights through a federal law called The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was born to ensure that states and school districts provided children with disabilities a free and appropriate education. To facilitate state compliance, IDEA provides federal money to states for the sole purpose of educating students with disabilities. IDEA categorizes thirteen disabilities and to qualify for services the student’s disability must negatively affect their education. To be considered for special education a student must go through multiple steps to determine whether they qualify...
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...that progress is continual. In the case of the target school, more careful consideration is needed in the areas of its instructional program, the school climate, and the political environment. In the following paragraphs, each element will be examined and possible solutions to problem areas will be identified. Environmental and Contextual Factors The target school is a free, public charter school in its fourth year. It consists of two campuses located roughly two miles apart. The primary campus houses one class of 3K (private pay), one class of 4K (private pay) and four classes of 5K students. The elementary campus is made up of four first grade classrooms, four second grade classrooms, four third grade classrooms, two fourth grade classrooms, and two fifth grade classrooms. There are four hundred eighty eight students in grades kindergarten through five. Forty seven percent of non-paying students are on free or reduced lunch. This percentage qualifies it as a Title 1 school. It is made School Environment up of mainly Caucasian (44%), Afro-American (39%), Latino (24%), Mixed Race (8%)...
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...ABSTRACT Title of Thesis: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND PLACEMENT OUTCOMES IN INSTRUCTIONAL CONSULTATION TEAMS SCHOOLS Arlene E. Silva, Master of Arts, 2005 Thesis Directed by: Professor Sylvia Rosenfield Department of Counseling and Personnel Services University of Maryland, College Park The present study serves as an examination and documentation of referral and placement outcomes of English Language Learner (ELL) cases in Instructional Consultation (IC) Teams schools. Archival data from 838 cases (12% of which were ELL cases) within five mid-Atlantic public school districts implementing IC Teams were analyzed for outcomes using logistic regression. Results included statistically significant differences in ELL versus non-ELL student initial team referral (IC or other prereferral intervention team) and ultimate IEP Team referrals. Initial referral concerns also differed significantly between ELL and non-ELL students. IC Teams were found to be more effective than existing prereferral intervention teams in decreasing the special education referrals of ELL and non-ELL students. The results of the present study serve as a foundation for future research in the areas of at-risk ELL students and their referrals to prereferral intervention teams and special education. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL AND PLACEMENT OUTCOMES IN INSTRUCTIONAL CONSULTATION TEAMS SCHOOLS by Arlene E. Silva Thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate...
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...2009). Today special educators maintain and emphasize that a student with severe disability, regardless of age, is one who needs instruction in basic skills, such as getting from place to place independently, communicating with others, controlling bowel and bladder functions, and self-feeding. Special education for students with severe disabilities includes systematic instruction in basic skills (Heward, 2009). Identifying Information/Family History Sam is an African American, eleven year old, male student who is in the sixth grade in the program for autism. In addition to Sam having autism, he has also been diagnosed with speech and language impairment. Sam’s parents are divorced and Sam resides with his mother, two older sisters and one younger brother. Sam’s father has had no contact with the family since the divorce four years ago. Sam’s mother reported in a phone interview that family relationships were just okay. She stated that Sam does not get along well with his siblings because he is nonverbal and has tendencies to become aggressive when he can’t get his way. School History Sama is a sixth grade student in an instructional special education classroom at Neighborhood Park Elementary School, which he has attended since fall 2010. According to the students’ records, Sam attended first grade and a portion of second grade at Yale Elementary School. Sam attended Cook Elementary School for part of second grade and all of third grade. Records...
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...Multicultural Education Scenario A teacher’s job is to offer the best education possible to all of the students in the classroom regardless of their race, sexuality, backgrounds and needs. As a second grade teacher in a multicultural classroom teaching second-graders it is important that I offer education to my students about diversity, social justice, and equality. “Diversity, equality, and social justice are the foundation for education that is multicultural” (Johnson, Musial, Halle, Gollnick, & Dupuis, 2005). Educating myself, as a teacher must be the first thing that I do, many teachers have limited experience and knowledge about other ethnic and religious groups other than their own. As a teacher of a multicultural classroom for Happy Valley Elementary School, I have 21 students to teach, 7 are white, 5 are Latino, 4 are African American, 3 are Native American and 2 are Asian. This is great because it will allow all of the students to participate with each other and learn from each other. Due to my classroom, have 4 students with special needs and one in a wheelchair I will make activities that accommodate them as well, so that all the children can participate and not one student feeling left out. “Education that is multicultural provides equity in the curriculum, in relationships between teachers and students, in the school climate, in staffing patterns, and in relationships with parents and communities” (Johnson, Musial, Halle, Gollnick, & Dupuis, 2005). Teaching diversity...
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...that children with disabilities, particularly those with learning disabilities, should be placed in regular classrooms full time. It refers to the movement that all students with disabilities, regardless of type or severity, are educated full time in a general education classroom and program. This method would allow disabled children to make friends with “normal” children and be given the opportunity to learn in a stimulating environment, where they can get the “real world” education that they will need to be able to fit into society and flourish as productive members. Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, students with special needs are entitled to a full, free, public education in regular educational programs and settings. The inclusion classroom would provide exactly that, a setting for these students to interact with their peers of all ability levels, thus most accurately mirroring the real world outside of school. At current most schools in the United States do not use the method of full inclusion. The current trend in education is to use either mainstreaming or what is considered the least restrictive environment (Feldman 273). Mainstreaming refers to the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes during specific time periods based on their skills. This means regular education classes are combined with special education classes. Least Restrictive Environment refers to the concept that children with disabilities should be educated...
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...influence on the educational process and effect student performance in the public school system. One factor of specific concern is the student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom. The premise is that teachers can coax each of the students, have one-on-one time, and easily identify student strengths and weaknesses. The increase of the population in the United States, the number of teachers, and effects of inclusive learning play a role in the number of students assigned to each classroom for instruction. Population increase has a negative effect on the public school system in every state across the United States. Budget cuts and teacher layoffs affect the ability of the administration to expand for the allowance of smaller class sizes. The goal of inclusive education is for students of different levels with disabilities to become an integral part of their perspective learning environment, but with an increase in the population, budget cuts, and teacher layoffs, the class sizes become larger degrading the educational process, and student performance suffers. Class Size and the Effect on Student Performance There are many factors that have an influence on the educational process and effect student performance in the public school system. One factor of specific concern is the student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom. The premise is that teachers can coax each of the students for better performance, have one-on-one time, capture and better hold the attention of the student, and...
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...Lesson Plan Dollar and Cents Objectives: * Students will be able to identify coin/money values. * Students will be able to write amounts of money. Materials: * Clean sheet of money * Pencil * Play Money * Money Worksheet 1 Plan: Introduction/Motivation 1. Watch a lesson on money on “Brain Pop”. 2. Ask how many of them think they can count money really well, and how many think they could improve with some practice. 3. State objective: We're going to be working on money this week and today you will learn how to count money. A. Teach: 1. When it comes to counting money, bills are probably the easiest things to count. Why? (They have the amount written on them.) 2. How do we tell coins apart? (size, thickness, pictures) List coin names and values. 3. Refer to the video--list money that he started with and its value. Now, as a class, determine values of the money he began with. 4. How much money did he lose? B. Model: 1. Demonstrate how to count money. Always start with the bill or coin of greatest value and work down to the bill or coin with the least value. C. Guided Practice: 1. Give the class a bag of play money. 2. Tell them to count how much change they have and record their answer as #1 on their blank sheet of paper. 3. Continue with questions. (See Process Questions, next.) Choose volunteers to demonstrate and explain how they got their answers. Process Questions-- 1. How much...
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...Students Chapter 3 Learner Diversity: Differences in Today’s Students Chapter 4 Changes in American Society: Their Influences on Today’s Schools ISBN: 0-536-29980-3 Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional, Second Edition, by Donald Kauchak and Paul Eggen Published by Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Copyright © 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN: 0-536-29980-3 Introduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professional, Second Edition, by Donald Kauchak and Paul Eggen Published by Prentice-Hall/Merrill. Copyright © 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Learner Diversity Differences in Today’s Students T eachers begin their careers expecting to find classrooms like the ones they experienced when they were students. In some ways classrooms are the same. Students go to school to learn, but they also want to have fun and be with their friends. They expect to work but often need encouragement from their teachers. They’re typical kids. Classrooms are changing, however; the population of our schools is becoming increasingly diverse. Students come from different cultures and speak many different languages at home; they possess a range of abilities and talents; and issues involving differences between boys and girls are receiving increased attention. In this chapter we examine this diversity as we try to answer the following questions: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ What is cultural diversity, and how does it influence student learning? How are the educational experiences of boys and girls different...
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...Abstract This action research study was designed to develop the skills required to improve students’ comprehension of narrative text through the use of the Question Answer Relationships (QAR) comprehension strategy. The focus was primarily on assessing students’ improvement in Reading Comprehension after learning a comprehension strategy and also to determine students’ willingness to apply the/a newly learnt strategy for comprehension tasks in a grade five classroom. As a result, the researcher will include the aforementioned strategy for all comprehension lessons that will be taught during the six week period which has been allotted. The researcher will keep track of all events during this period by way of journal entries for the purpose of reflection, record keeping and referral for follow-up lessons. An end of term exam will be designed accordingly and administered to students. Looking at the results of the post-test, even the weakest students showed a remarkable improvement in reading comprehension. Throughout the investigation students seem to be enjoying the activities and fully participating in all tasks. In conclusion the use of Question Answer Relationship comprehension strategy is a reliable asset for improving students’ reading comprehension of narrative text. Schools and teachers specifically should seek to include such a strategy in their reading comprehension lessons to assist students’ understanding of narrative texts. Acknowledgments I would like to...
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...Education – school system in Slovenia Children usually attend kindergarten any time between the ages of two and seven years, depending on the local custom. Children are taught to develop basic skills through creative play and social interaction Children first enter primary school at about the age of 6 and finish at about the age of 14. Each group of children born in the same year form one grade (class) which usually lasts until the end of schooling. Each year is divided into 2 terms. Once or twice per term, children have holidays: Autumn, Christmas, winter and May first holidays; each holiday is approximately a week long. At summer time, school ends on 24th June (except in the last/ninth grade, where it ends a week earlier), followed by a holiday of more than two months. The next school year starts on the1st September. The 1st Period is the beginning of schooling for every child. From the first to the fourth grade children stay in one classroom and have one class and one teacher which teaches all subjects, except on some occasions, sports, art and music are taught by separate teachers or is supervised by the appropriate teacher. In the beginning of the first year there is always one special pedagogue in the classroom and he or she helps the master teacher lead the younger students into the new system. They start with reading, writing and counting. Children are taught their native language (Slovenian, Hungarian or Italian language, depending on the area of their schooling)...
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...| | Individual with Disabilities Education Act Litigation Every person is different and every person learns in a different way or style and every person deserves the opportunity to an education. This could justify need for differentiation but could it also justify a need for a special education program? To answer the question pose, first we have to answer why there is a need for a special education program? Horace Mann explains it more eloquently; he says “education, then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance wheel of the social machinery”. Personally, I feel this quote explains the need for special education. Educating students with disabilities levels the playing field with their peers and enhancing the studies of those children with special gifts and talents advances their learning. Students with learning disabilities should be educated in the least restrictive environment, those gifted should be among peers with similar strengths and all their abilities and inabilities should be accommodated. Special education is the legal definition of programs that provide greater support for certain students and is sometimes referred to as (EC). Exceptional students does not refer to a specific location or fixed concept, however, to include a broader range of services from a smaller individualized learning environments, to assistive technology, and/or a modified curriculum that capitalizes on student’s...
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...From here, the concept of inclusive education, including students with and without learning disabilities as peers in the same classroom, originated. The aim of this type of education is to get students with learning disabilities involved in the society. Teachers and fellow students will also provide help for students with disabilities; in this way, students with learning disabilities will be motivated to study as they feel that they are a part of a group instead of being isolated in special places. Thus, they will achieve higher grades. Moreover, they will be greatly engaged in the society as they are building bridges with their peers from several backgrounds. On the long run, teachers, parents, and the society as a whole would develop. Students with learning disabilities should be included in the “normal” classroom because it improves their...
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...2 Understanding Diversity in the Classroom CHAPTER LEARNING GOALS After you study this chapter, you will be able to: 1. Explain the importance of understanding classroom diversity. 2. Explain the different group and individual sources of diversity. 3. Describe approaches to teaching in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms. 4. Explain the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 5. Explain the characteristics of students with exceptionalities. 6. Describe the role of the teacher in the inclusive classroom. Imagine You Are the Teacher It Is The First Teaching year at Lincoln Elementary School for Ms. Branson. She has 30 fifth-graders of whom 13 are girls and 17 are boys, 12 participate in the free and reduced lunch program, 5 are English language learners, and 4 have individualized education programs (IEPs). As she plans her lesson on paragraph writing, she is trying to keep the special needs of each of her students in mind. Because Jessica has a hearing impairment, Ms. Branson decides to make a written outline that includes the important parts of a paragraph and examples of good and bad paragraphs. She also decides to go over the outline several times because Fred and Alex have a reading disability. In her plan, there is also a note to herself to find a bigger pencil and wide-lined paper for Suzy, who requires these modifications according to her IEP. Based on past writing experiences, she expects Monica to finish writing her paragraph...
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