Considerations for the Development of Alternate Portfolios

1. Yes, they are competent! Effective Classroom Instruction for Students Participating in Alternate AssessmentCarolyn Downing, Sherida Gentry, & Marsha HarperEducational Consultants

2. Considerations for the Development of Alternate Portfolios • How do I choose appropriate and motivating reading material? • How do I match supports to the student’s level of physical, and communication skills? • How do I teach language arts objectives/skills to students needing adaptive supports? • How do I meet high complexity levels for alternate portfolio? MS Elementary HS

3. How do I choose appropriate reading material? • Motivate the student to READ! • Age appropriate • High Interest for that particular student • Vocabulary and Receptive Language level of the student • Reading ability of the student

4. High Interest Reading Material

5. Language Abilities Receptive Language-theability to extract meaning from spoken or written language Expressive Language- the ability to express meaning through spoken or written language Both include: • Semantics-meaning of words and phrases • Syntax-the way words are put together • Pragmatics-the way words and expressions are used

6. Reading Abilities Comprehension- constructing meaning from text Comprehension Vocabulary Fluency Decoding Word Identification Phonics P A Fluency Decoding Phonics P A Every student comes to us with different skills and different weaknesses.

7. How do I match support to students’ physical, reading and communication skill levels? Student A- 4th grade Student B- 7th grade Student C- 10th grade

8. Performance Dimension A: Attainment • Student uses verbal or written words, signs, Braille, or language-based augmentative systems to request, initiate, and respond to questions, describe things or events, and express refusal. OR • Student uses intentional communication, but not at a symbolic language level: Student uses understandable communication through such modes as gestures, pictures, objects/textures, points, etc., to clearly express a variety of intentions.

9. Performance Dimension B: Progress • Student communicates primarily through cries, facial expressions, change in muscle tone but no clear use of objects/textures, regularized gestures, pictures, signs, etc., to communicate. or • Student alerts to sensory input from another person (auditory, visual, touch, movement) BUT requires actual physical assistance to follow simple directions. Or the student’s response to sensory stimuli (e.g., sound/voice; sight/gesture; touch; movement; smell) is unclear

10. Elementary School Student A:Description Physical Limitations Gross and Fine Motor Impairments • Oral movement limited • Can manipulate medium sized objects (size of candy bar) with right hand • Can operate single switch and step by step switch • Has difficulty with spastic involuntary muscle movement at times-needs assistance with switch placement for increased independent response • Visual impairment • Diminished neck control Reading Description • Non-reader

11. Elementary School Student A:Description Means of Response • Writing-no written language • Oral Response- unintelligible vocalizations • Manipulating objects with right hand only • Yes/No reliable with use of switch Receptive Language Abilities • Receptive Language Age of 4.2 years Expressive Language Abilities • Expressive Language Age of 2.0 years

12. Performance Dimension Participates in Alternate Assessment under Dimension A: (Has reliable receptive and expressive language.)

13. Description of Skills Adaptations

14. Description of Skills Adaptations

15. Middle School Student B:Description Physical Limitations • Low Tone • Speech unintelligable to the trained ear 50% of the time Reading Description • 1.7 grade Reading level • Inability to decode multisyllabic words • Fluency- Reading very slow, labored with poor prosody, however, most sight words and single syllable words are read correctly, but sometimes difficult to understand. • Vocabulary- Equivalent of a five year old • Comprehension- Poor text engagement. Difficulty with summarization, visualization, and self-monitoring skills. Difficulty focusing on reading material in large groups.

16. Middle School Student B:Description Means of Response • Writing- uses alternate keyboard and other visual graphics to communicate what she knows • Oral Response reliable, but difficult to understand at times • Pointing reliable • Yes/No reliable (nod, verbal, gestural or point to written “yes” or “no”) Receptive Language Abilities • Receptive Language Age of 5.2 years Expressive Language Abilities • Expressive Language Age of 5.5 years

17. Performance Dimension Participates in Alternate Assessment under Dimension A: (Has reliable receptive and expressive language.)

18. Description of Skills Adaptations

19. Description of Skills Adaptations .

20. High School Student C:Description Physical Limitations Gross and Fine Motor Impairments • Limited to no fine motor movement • Some head control • Nonverbal, vocalizations carry no meaning • Fixed visual regard (upward) • Permanent trach • Tires quickly • Visual Scanning of text/pictures is labored • Medically fragile Reading Description • Approximately 8th Grade Reading Level • Fluency- Reads silently at a slow rate. Slow visual scanning of the text • Vocabulary- Equivalent of a 14 year old • Comprehension- Excellent text engagement with short passages. Demonstrates good understanding of written text as well as text that is read to her .

21. High School Student C:Description Means of Response • Uses head operated switch to operate a visual scanner in order to choose multiple choice answers • Writing-no written language • Nonverbal- unintelligible vocalization • Manipulating objects not an option • Eye gaze reliable • Yes/No reliable (eye blinks) Receptive Language Abilities • Receptive Language Age of 14 years Expressive Language Abilities • Expressive Language Age of 8.0 years, assessment information unreliable due to limited means of response

22. Performance Dimension Participates in Alternate Assessment under Dimension A: (Has reliable receptive and expressive language.)

23. Description of Skills Adaptations

24. Description of Skills Adaptations

25. Description of Skills Adaptations

26. How do I teach language arts objectives/skills to students needing adaptive supports?

27. Differentiated Instruction • Adaptations • Scaffolding Instruction • Best Practices

28. Adaptations Adaptations are designed to address: Physical limitations (gross and fine motor) Articulation limitations Visual limitations Hearing limitations Language limitations Cognitive limitations Reading limitations Social/Emotional and behavioral limitations Attention limitations Sensory limitations

29. Instructional Materials/RepresentationSupport background knowledge Make a connection to the student’s life that can be related to the new targeted knowledge. Google Earth SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky

30. Teaching Methods/RepresentationMultiple Examples SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky

31. Teaching Methods/RepresentationHighlight Critical Features AbleNet, Inc Jonas is a boy. Jonas is sensitive. Voice output Story Bag containing objects representing critical elements of character Jonas is a boy SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky Jonas is sensitive

32. A plant has leaves ● Instructional Materials/ExpressionProvide tools and media for expression Tango! Blink Twice Graphic Organizer TechTalk Drawing Sentence strips The Magic Book Writing with Symbols 2000, Widgit Boardmaker, Mayer Johnson SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky

33. Adapted Reading Material • Reader • Adult or Peer reader • Technology • High Interest-Low Reading Level Material • Purchase • Adapt your own material • Using Graphics and or Manipulatives • Graphic Novels • Pictures • Objects

34. Teaching Methods/RepresentationHighlight Critical Features http://www.kurzweiledu.com SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky Read & Write Gold, TextHelp Systems)

35. Student matches word to picture card. Eventually picture cards are removed and student calls word only.

37. Adaptations to TextAdapt your own Material www.atvsafety.org "Tips and Practice Guide for the All-Terrain Vehicle Rider" booklet • Reduced Language level • Simplified vocabulary • Simplified structure of sentences • Reduced number of syllables per sentence • Change Appearance of the Text • Increase Spacing • Change font • Increase font size • Bold if necessary • Support Text • Add graphics • Use manipulatives as text is read

38. Teaching Methods/RepresentationHighlight Critical Features • Character in a play, story or novel – The Giver by Lois Lowery • Use Spark Notes for character summary Writing with Symbols 2000 http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/giver/characters.html SPLASH/HDI-University of Kentucky

39. Crossing Roads and Highways ATVs are designed to be used OFF-ROAD ONLY. A leading cause of accidents and fatalities to ATV riders is riding on or crossing a road illegally or improperly. The hazards of crossing roads cannot be over-emphasized, but you may find it necessary on occasion to cross a road or highway. This is particularly true in farming areas where ATVs are used for various work purposes. ONLY ride your ATV off the road. Riding across roads is very dangerous. ATV riders are often killed crossing a road.

40. If you must cross a road, use the following guidelines to reduce risk: • Make sure you know your state’s laws and regulations before you cross any road. • Before crossing, bring your ATV to a complete stop on the shoulder of the road. • Yield the right of way to all oncoming traffic. Look both ways. • Ride cautiously. Your ATV will handle differently on pavement and may be difficult to maneuver, increasing the danger of collision. • Cross the road at a 90-degree angle where there are no obstructions and your visibility is good. • If you are riding in a group, have the first rider (leader) dismount on the shoulder before crossing and watch for traffic as he waves the group across the road. Have the last rider dismount on the shoulder after crossing and watch traffic, to help the group leader across. • Remember, crossing roads improperly or riding illegally on the road is a major cause of serious accidents and fatalities to ATV users, so use extra caution. Always assume the drivers DO NOT SEE YOU, since most driver look for cars, not ATVs.

41. Recommendations for crossing the road on an ATV Know the rules for your state. Stop your ATV on the shoulder of the road. Look both ways. If you can see well, cross the road carefully. The lead rider should get off the ATV and watch for traffic as the other riders cross the road. The last rider across the road should get off his or her ATV and watch for traffic as the lead rider crosses the road. Adapted Text Adapted by Downing 9-08

42. Remember, crossing roads improperly or riding illegally on the road is a major cause of serious accidents and fatalities to ATV users, so use extra caution. Always assume the drivers DO NOT SEE YOU, since most driver look for cars, not ATVs. Remember, crossing the road on an ATV is dangerous. Sometimes car drivers DO NOT SEE YOU.

43. Crossing Roads and Highways ONLY ride your ATV off the road. Riding across roads is very dangerous. ATV riders are often killed crossing a road. Recommendations for crossing the road on an ATV • Know the rules for your state. • Stop your ATV on the shoulder of the road. • Look both ways. • If you can see no vehicles coming in any direction, cross the road carefully. The lead rider should get off the ATV and watch for traffic as the other riders cross the road. The last rider across the road should get off his or her ATV and watch for traffic as the lead rider crosses the road. Remember, crossing the road on an ATV is dangerous. Sometimes car drivers DO NOT SEE YOU. Adapted Text Adapted by Downing 9-08

44. Adapted ATV Text in Writing With Symbols

45. Scaffolding Instruction breaking the skill down into “doable” parts

46. Scaffolding Instruction Main Idea Student will respond with main idea in 10 words or less Student will retell the paragraph Student will tell the main person or thing in the paragraph Student will tell what is the most important thing about this person or thing Student will combine the 2 into a sentence (Gist Statement)

47. 'Now, my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.' 'Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out.' Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, and went through the woods to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread and five currant buns. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries: But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight to Mr. McGregor's garden, and squeezed under the gate! Text

48. Scaffolding Instruction Student will retell the paragraph.

49. “Old Mrs. Rabbit told her bunnies not to go into Mr. McGregor’s garden because they would get baked into a pie like their father. The other bunnies did what their mother told them but not Peter. He went to Mr. McGregor's garden.” Student Retell

50. Scaffolding Instruction Student will tell the main person or thing in the paragraph