Grade Level Content Alignment

1. Grade Level Content Alignment Where is the target? How do we get there? Jacqui Kearns, Ed.D., Jean Clayton, M.S., Mike Burdge, M.S University of Kentucky Opinions expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

2. Where is the target? Grade Level Curriculum Instruction with Expectations for Content Area Learning Where some have landed… • Curriculum involvement with lower grade level standards • Curriculum involvement with no expectations to learn • Content involvement with no curriculum connection • Student performance in a separate curriculum University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

3. Grade Level Curriculum + Expectations= Alignment Students with significant cognitive disabilities: • receive instruction on grade level standards (may be at a lower complexity level) within the context of grade level curriculum ensuring that the intent of the grade level standard remains intact. • use the same materials or adapted version of the materials, and appropriate assistive technology to gain access. On Target University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

4. Student Vignette: Victoria • Is a student with a significant cognitive disability • Is nonverbal with emerging skills in communication and uses a wheelchair for mobility • Has limited use of her upper extremities and utilizes assistive technology to demonstrate learning University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

5. Content Area - Reading • Standard: Students will use a variety of strategies to understand what they read. • 8th Grade Level Standard: Make predictions, draw conclusions, and make generalizations about what is read. • Curriculum materials: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Dial Taylor University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

6. Grade Level Curriculum + Expectations= Alignment • Victoria is provided with a prerecorded summary of each chapter so that she can listen when she activates a tape recorder with a switch • She then uses an custom overlay on an adapted keyboard to predict whether a described character will be friendly with the Logan children and after reading the selection will match the character to the correct interaction • She will be given picture choices to draw conclusions about underlying cause(s) of the family’s difficulties University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

7. Excerpt of the summary that Victoria listens to and a picture of her switch: • Cassie Logan had 3 brothers, Stacey, Christopher John, and Little Man. They live on a big 400 acre farm. Their family still owes money and have to pay taxes. Their papa leaves home each year to find work to pay for the farm… University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

8. Overlay and adapted keyboard Victoria uses to predict and check predictions: University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

9. Pictures for Victoria to choose from that represent her opinion of why the Logan family was having a hard time. University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

10. University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

11. Reasons we miss the target • Developmental or functional curriculum approaches represent “tradition” in special education • Lack of understanding of academic standards by special education personnel • Exclusion of special education staff in general education curriculum development and activities • Lack of student/teacher access to and understanding of appropriate supporting technology University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

12. How to hit the target • Invite a range of educational professionals to participate in standards and curriculum work groups including: • Special education professionals especially those serving low incidence populations • Content experts • Focus standards alignment work on aligning to the general education grade level academic standards University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

13. How to hit the target • ALWAYS start with the intent of the grade-level standard before considering and provide examples of how a variety of students can access those standards, curricula, and materials University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

14. How to hit the target • For current alternate assessments, conduct content alignment studies to verify alignment with academic, grade-level content standards. University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

15. How to hit the target • All Curriculum planning should adhere to principles of Universal Design for Learning (CAST) • Consider the widest array of possible users • Multiple means of representation • Multiple means of expression • Multiple means of engagement University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

16. How to hit the target • Prepare curriculum & professional development materials for alternate assessments that articulate the range of access to the intent of the general education academic standards • Massachusetts Model • University of Kentucky Stepwise Process University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

17. Curriculum involvement with lower grade level standards Students w/significant cognitive disabilities: • receive instruction on lower grade level content standards or in the context of grade level curriculum, yetno adherence to the intent of the standard • receive instruction on the same grade level content standards and curriculum but focus on prerequisite skills instead of adhering to the intent of the standard • Adherence to the grade-level standard should be considered first before considering pre-requisite skills Missed the target University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

18. Curriculum involvement + lower grade level standard= Alignment When provided with pictures from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, she identifies : • the characters, or • whether person or thing, or • initial letter sound of prioritized words University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

19. Curriculum Involvement + No Expectations to Learn Students w/significant cognitive disabilities: • work solely on access skills such as motor, social, and communication within the context of grade level curriculum activities • receive assistance in completing grade level curriculum with no expectations to align with the intent of the standard Missed the target University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

20. Curriculum Involvement + No Expectations to Learn = Alignment • Victoria has a pre-recorded summary of each chapter of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry that she listens to when she activates her switch University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

21. Content involvement + no curriculum connection Students w/significant cognitive disabilities: • receive assistance in completing age-appropriate activities with no expectations to learning the required skills, concepts, and knowledge (adherence to the intent of the content standard) • work primarily on access skills such as motor, social, and communication within the context of age-appropriate activities but not grade-level curriculum activities Missed the target University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

22. Content Involvement + No Curriculum Connection = Alignment • Victoria answers questions on magazine article about country western singers while the other students are making predictions and drawing conclusions about the first chapter of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry • Victoria turns the pages in a magazine to work on fine motor skills University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

23. Student Performance + Separate Curriculum Students w/significant cognitive disabilities: • Work primarily on a developmental progression; skills found in pre-k/early elementary • Work on separate functional curriculum (catalogue approach) • Work on socially invalid activities when compared to same age peers Missed the target University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

24. Student Performance + Separate Curriculum = Alignment • Victoria activates a switch to listen to “more developmentally appropriate” pre-k book • She reads functional signs and grocery lists (functional) • Victoria follows a work sequence to complete a task at a job site University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

25. Some Words about “Functionality” Students with significant cognitive disabilities should: • be taught skills that will enhance their independence in skills of daily living • those skills must be embedded in natural routines and in socially valid contexts. • they may not be assessed • be taught academic content because it is “functional” and socially valid • not have to wait until they are able to make a bed before they are taught to read or identify initial letter sounds before they are taught literature • be presumed competent and not denied instruction offered to students of the same age (grade level content standards and curriculum) University of Kentucky - NCCSAD

26. References • Universal Design for Learning, http://www.cast.org/udl/ • Taylor, M.D. (2004) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. • University of Kentucky Stepwise Process, Presentation at CCSSO-Large-scale Assessment Conference, Summer, 2004. • Intellitools, http://www.intellitools.com/ University of Kentucky - NCCSAD