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Observe students day by day, participation, behavior, performance, social skills, literacy skills and academic progress.

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by TeachThought Staff

This is part 2 of our #iteachthought series (because we refuse to say "back to school"-well, except for just then). Part 1 looked at classroom design, specifically offering alternatives to rows of desks. Today, we're going to help you create smarter, student-centered learning profiles.

If you're creating a learning profile, what kind of information should be included? What's the point of such a profile? How will it be used? Most learning profiles are quick glances of academic data. And there's nothing wrong with this-it's quick, useful, and basic.

But it's also limited. To take another approach, as Grant Wiggins might suggest, let's work backward. And further, let's do so from a single big idea that unifies everything. Specifying a single idea that's broad and accessible enough to be useful may be a challenge, but let's try, starting with a few underlying assumptions.

1. Teachers plan learning experiences for students.

2. Different students have different needs. This implies a need for differentiation of instruction, personalization of curriculum, or both.

3. In this way, teachers are like designers. The data teachers use to make these kinds of design decisions varies.

4. An additional challenge? Teachers have a finite ability to process data, which implies a need to be selective with the data that is sought out and adjusted for.

5. At the classroom level, data is broadly considered in terms of content and performance.

6. Another way of thinking about this is to consider data quality-and not quality as it relates to accuracy or reliability, but rather what sort of information do I need about students to help them learn?

Though I disagree with what might be the fundamental premise that this post rests on-that teachers alone are responsible for the miracle of learning, and can even begin to know everything about every student-the idea here has to do with rethinking how we see students and how they relate to curriculum, and then designing both curriculum and learning models that fit these personalized learning needs.

What Good Teachers Know About Their Students

1. Native language

2. Critical medical needs

3. IEP/504s/Giftedness, and other services

4. Living Situation", including religious beliefs, safety, food, family, access to books, technology, etc.

5. Grade Point Average & academic strengths

6. Favorite subjects

7. Reading levels & reading habits

8. How they respond to accountability

9. Relative strengths and weaknesses as a student

10. Classroom citizenship habits

11. Academic expectations (including difference between own goals and those of family)

12. How to 'motivate' them

13. Trend of general academic progress over last 1-3 years

14. Progress towards mastery of power standards/data from relevant standardized assessments

15. How to help them do well in your class

What Great Teachers Know About Their Students

1. Critical thinking habits

2. Ideal learning environment & circumstances

3. Which challenges they'll respond to most powerfully

4. Their personal histories (e.g., what they've overcome)

5. Personal strengths

6. Insecurities about school

7. How they respond to structure

8. How they respond to open-endedness and uncertainty

9. What 'school' means to them

10. Digital citizenship habits

11. Intellectual and human affections

12. How to help them find their own motivation

13. View of self as a reader, writer, and a person

14. Progress towards mastery of personal goals (creative, professional, familial, or other) and how to help them set-and doggedly pursue-their own goals

15. How to help them create their own standards and metrics for 'success'

*Age appropriate

See also What Makes A Teacher Great-From The Perspective Of A 10th Grader

Additional Reading
How-tos Of Differentiation Lesson Planning Learning Profile Cards Learning Profile (embedded above) by Jessica Winston Creating Student-Centered Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students

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Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students

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Most learning profiles are quick glances of academic data. There's nothing wrong with this. They are useful, but they are also limited.

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Difficulty in socializing verbally with peers.

The student's academic performance is always lower than the rest of the class and doesn't seem to improve.

Difficulty in following lessons and instructions.

Low performance in literacy assessments.

Lack of interest in the different activities in the classroom.

Behavior problems, disturbing others and getting in trouble frequently.

Lack of motivation to participate in class.

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In the classroom we can use different strategies to start helping the struggling student right away and keep observing the student progress.

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All students need targeted instruction, and some will need higher levels of intervention. ©Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Amid all of the important responsibilities of a teacher, one of the most critical constructs to student achievement is support for individual learners. This support is especially needed for students that struggle with specific skills and concepts, including social and emotional learning.

So, how might teachers best support struggling learners in the classroom? As an answer to this singular question, we suggest five principles that can increase results when supporting struggling learners in the elementary grades (primary years).

Know individual students

Effective teachers know their students. Even before explicit instructional modeling, effective teachers know and understand the cognitive and social/emotional launching points of individual students. They know what motivates and excites them to learn at a deeper level.

William Powell and Ochan Kusuma-Powell (2011) assert: 'Educators understand that the business of coming to know our students as learners is simply too important to leave to chance -and that the peril of not undertaking this inquiry is not reaching a learner at all.' Rather, the most impactful teachers see students not as 'another face in the crowd', but as individual and unique people with varying differences, strengths, and opportunities for improvement.

Similarly, when individual students know they are cared for and loved by their own teacher, they will typically provide a genuine effort, giving the teacher a clear picture as to the correct level of support to provide the learner. These supports will eventually spur students to become self-directed, critical thinkers that can work interdependently toward common group goals.

Plan according to the developmental levels of students

Planning for and implementing differentiated instruction holds all students accountable for learning at their own readiness level. It also holds the teacher accountable for delivering the planned instruction at those specific levels; thus reaching all learners.

Accurately differentiating instruction is a very challenging pedagogical skill to master. 'Accuracy' in the planning process means that teachers should start instruction at the present level of development within the classroom. As such, beginning instruction at the correct starting line provides a strong lever for supporting students at the beginning, middle, and end of a lesson.

Above all else, careful planning and tailored instruction communicates to the learner that he or she is important enough to design a customised instructional path that builds on their existing knowledge and skills and addresses their academic and social needs.

Model instruction and follow up with students

Before expecting any learner to work independently or interdependently, effective teachers model via direct or explicit instruction. Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe (2008) explain: '... the teacher's primary goal is to help learners acquire basic information and skills through explicit instruction and modeling.' This process involves the teacher thinking out loud (e.g. like a sports broadcaster announcing the play-by-play) and explicitly demonstrating the learning activity.

For most students, as the lesson progresses, students take responsibility for independently learning or mastering learning. But for the struggling learner, the teacher pivots toward added supports during each phase of the Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983). The severity of struggle demonstrated by students reflects the level of support needed.

Here, the teacher is immediately responsive to the specific struggle by providing scaffolded supports for closing that learning deficit. For example, a research-based support for English learners is to provide visual representations for words students are learning. Used correctly, this strategy can effectively support all learners in all content and grade levels. This implementation of correct leveled supports can be completed by way of the teacher assessing students throughout the planned lesson.

Assess students throughout the lesson

Assessment with students cannot and should not be left to the end of a lesson. Rather, the assessment and monitoring of student understanding should be done throughout. Specifically, each phase of the release of responsibility framework (see above), should include a formative assessment feature.

We recommend assessments such as anecdotal records, observations/notes, strategic questioning, individual student whiteboards, etcetera, so that an immediate response can be implemented by the teacher. This assessment response can effectively direct the learner back to accurate work and an increased understanding of the concept.

Dylan Wiliam (2011) suggests: 'Assessment functions formatively when it improves the instructional decisions that are made by teachers ...' Dependent on the assessment results, these instructional decisions require the teacher to implement support interventions in a thoughtful and purposeful way before a concept will be learned by the student.

Provide consistent one-on-one or small group interventions

All students need targeted instruction. Some students will need higher levels of intervention than others. These interventions will vary from brief interactions to clear up foundational misunderstandings to ones that are intensive, ongoing collaborations that will need consistent and thoughtful implementation.

Regardless of the level of intervention, when students enjoy what happens in an intervention, an increase in their autonomy, self-efficacy, and motivation surfaces, which promotes mastery and competence of academic skills (Schunk, 1996). These interventions should be delivered through small-group instruction using engaging strategies that are responsive to minor student skill deficits. As needed, teachers will also implement a higher-tiered intervention that still targets skill deficits, but benefits the learner with one-on-one, undivided attention. This small group and one-on-one support system should be implemented on an ongoing and routine basis.

These five principles are essential, yet effective ways to get struggling learners the support they need so they are ready for independent and interdependent learning.

Educators may rely on elaborate programs and curriculum software to get students to the next phase of their achievement. However, in reality, the most talented and focused teachers replace these with targeted instruction and specific follow-up needed for struggling students to soar. It is this instruction and critical time spent with individuals that will push them past their struggles and onto new levels of achievement.
References
Pearson, P. D., & Gallagher, M. C. (1983). The instruction of reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8(3), 317-344.

Powell, W., & Kusuma-Powell, O. (2011). How to teach now: Five keys to personalized learning in the global classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Schunk, D. H. (1996). Goal and self-evaluative influences during children's cognitive skill learning. American Educational Research Journal, 33(2), 359-382.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2008). Put understanding first. Educational Leadership, 65(8), 36-41.

Wiliam, D. (2013). Assessment: The Bridge between Teaching and Learning. Voices from the Middle. 21(2), 15-20.

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Five principles for supporting struggling learners

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Dr Bryan Matera and Dr Joel Traver suggest five principles that can increase results when supporting struggling learners in the primary years.

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The school will get in touch with parents to talk about what they've noticed at school and to learn more about the student's background and family life. During this conversation, the school will suggest a plan to help the student, like: Extra help after school, activities at home, creating a good study space and getting more involved in their child's education.

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Effective communication is essential for building school-family partnerships. It constitutes the foundation for all other forms of family involvement in education.

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The counselor will observe the student in various classes and throughout different moments of the day to determine if further evaluation by a specialist is necessary.

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The School Counselor and Students with Disabilities

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The school counselor takes an active role in student achievement and postsecondary planning by providing a school counseling program for all students. As a part of this program, school counselors advocate for students with special needs, encourage family involvement in their child's education and collaborate with other educational professionals to promote academic achievement, social/emotional wellness and college/career readiness for all.

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Use different way to teach the student, using different teaching tolls and giving different options of activities.

Group students in different ways according to their levels, skills, interests, languages and others.

Have the students work on their own levels and needs.

Use different assessment methodologies.

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A reading specialist can pull out student who needs support during the English lessons to work one-on-one on their specific deficiencies.

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Reading and writing are complex practices.When we read or write, our brains must process language in terms of semantics (the meaning of language), syntax (organizing words into comprehensible sentences), as well as phonological processing (decoding).Couple those linguistic systems with the context and the purpose of the reading or writing, and it gets very complicated.It seems that the root of reading difficulty for many children who struggle is in the processing of sounds.Many students who struggle with literacy have a very underdeveloped sense of phonemic awareness, that is they have trouble identifying, isolating, and manipulating the smallest units of sound in spoken words.If they struggle with sounds, they will likely struggle with matching letters to sounds as beginning readers too.

Some kids have a disability that makes reading difficult to learn. Others come to school without the literacy experiences they need to become readers. Some children struggle because they've received poor or inadequate reading instruction. When these and other risk factors are identified early, though, many children's reading difficulties can be prevented.

The Gap Between Good and Poor Readers

There is a huge (30 million words) gap between low and high SES children in the number of words they are exposed to in the first three years of life (Colker, 2014).The big disparity in vocabulary development puts children from poverty at a disadvantage for literacy learning right from the start of school.Research has indicated time and again that oral language development directly affects the attainment of reading and writing skills.By third grade, the gap between strong readers and poor readers continues to widen as the strong become stronger and the weak even weaker.

We know the gap is wide, but there are research-based early literacy initiatives that seek to educate parents and teachers about the benefits of reading and talking to children and babies to increase their oral vocabularies and lay the foundations for print concepts and literacy.

Dyslexia is a brain-based disorder with language processing.Its cause is not known but it makes reading and writing difficult and affects academic achievement.According to the International Dyslexia Association, as much as 15-20% of the population have some degree of dyslexia.About 85% of the students diagnosed with a specific learning disability in literacy have dyslexia.We know that it runs in families and has a genetic component, and we know there is no cure for the processing difference.The brains of learners with dyslexia function differently than the brains of typical readers as revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

According to Hiebert, Pearson, Taylor, Richardson, & Paris (1998), the key features of successful reading programs include:

* A firm foundation in oral language instruction and communication

* Extensive opportunity to practice phonics analysis and word recognition

* Early instruction in letter names and sounds, concepts of print, and phonemic awareness

* Repeated use of high-frequency words in authentic reading and writing activities

* Scaffolded instruction with comprehension strategies

* Many opportunities to write for meaningful purposes and audiences

* Classroom activities that engage children's interest and support positive self-perceptions of themselves as growing readers and writers

Structured literacy instruction is an explicit, systematic, cumulative, and diagnostic approach to teaching decoding. Explicit means that instruction is deliberate and intentional with teacher modeling and think alouds. Systematic means that the easiest concepts are introduced first with progressively more difficult concepts introduced. Cumulative means that skills build on each other. Diagnostic means that the teacher is constantly assessing the needs of students and adjusting instruction to ensure the automaticity of skills (International Dyslexia Association, 2020).

Structured Literacy Instruction focuses on:

Phonology - the sound system, including rhyming and breaking up and blending sounds

Sound-Symbol Association - both decoding (phonics) and encoding (spelling)

Syllable Instruction - explicit instruction in the syllable types

Morphology - the study of base words, roots, prefixes, and suffixes

Syntax - the grammar of the language

Semantics - understanding the meaning of words, sentences, and whole texts

Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS)
Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is a broad approach across a school to support all students in learning. Beyond just an academic focus, it also incorporates behavior, attendance, and social-emotional components. Although often used interchangeably with Response to Intervention (RTI), MTSS focuses on system-wide changes to support students. You can review the Kansas Fact Sheet on MTSS. In Kansas, RTI is a component of MTSS.
Response to Intervention (RTI)
Response to intervention (RTI) is a framework to help schools identify and support struggling students before they are diagnosed with learning disabilities. This approach, enacted into law in 2004, allows schools to use 15% of their special education funding to implement RTI programs and practices. Typically it includes four components:1) Universal screening, 2) Teaching with evidence-based practices and curriculum (data-driven instruction), 3) Progress monitoring, and 4) Tiered interventions.

There are three tiers to the RTI pyramid. Tier 1 is the high-quality, evidence-based instruction that occurs in the classroom. For approximately 80% of children, regular classroom instruction provides them with the opportunity to succeed. However, some children need different or additional instruction to succeed and this is typically done in small groups at Tier 2. Through progress monitoring, children's needs are identified and flexible grouping is used to target instruction. If a child is still not making adequate progress in Tier 2 interventions (about 5% of children), they may be moved into a Tier 3 intervention which would provide more intensive support.

School districts have a wide range of choices when designing their RTI program. Some use commercially produced programs or train their teachers in a particular framework, others design their own programs.

The above video provides an overview of the RTI model and its major components.

The following intervention programs may be used by schools implementing RTI. The RTI Action Network has resources for teachers and parents.

Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) is a peer-tutoring instructional program that supplements the primary reading curriculum. Pairs of students work together on reading activities intended to improve reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Students in the pairs-who alternately take on the roles of tutor and tutee- read aloud, listen to their partner read, and provide feedback during various structured activities. Students are partnered in high low duos allowing each to play the role of teacher and student.

The Evidence-Based Intervention Network from the University of Missouri provides an overview of PALS lessons across grade levels.

The above video shows a kindergarten PALS lesson.

The above video shows a PALS lesson in math, highlighting the three steps.

Reading Recovery was developed by literacy researcher, Marie Clay as an early intervention program for the bottom-performing 40% of first-grade students.In reading recovery, individual students work one-to-one with a specially trained teacher for only 12 to 20 weeks and receive daily 30-minute lessons. After a full series of lessons, about 72% of students achieve grade-level standards.A typical lesson features practice writing sight words, rereading a familiar text, taking a running record, writing sentences and cutting them up, and introducing a new book.

The above video shows a Reading Recovery Lesson.

SFA is is a school-wide reform program that seeks to improve the literacy and language skills of at-risk pre-k through 2nd-grade students.It is a comprehensive literacy program that emphasizes cooperative learning and extensive professional development for teachers to implement literacy lessons with a strong phonics emphasis.

http://www.successforall.org/our-approach/

According to Allington (2013) there are several research-based practices we can implement in our classrooms to help struggling readers achieve and progress.

1. Give readers who struggle equal time spent reading as their more proficient peers.

In the average classroom, proficient readers have more time engaged in reading text, while struggling readers are given more worksheets and skill instruction and less time engaged in reading text.Research says that the best way to help readers who struggle is to provide more time spent reading.In our classrooms, we need to ensure that all students have an extended period of time devoted to reading texts. This may be through read alouds, small class instruction, independent reading, and audiobooks.

It is also important to allow for choice in reading materials in order to allow children to become invested in texts they find interesting.Choice is a huge factor in motivation.Motivation is the key to getting students to want to read at all.

2. Help students select texts at a 98% accuracy level to allow them to practice and experience success.

We know that when something is hard or difficult we tend to avoid that thing.For children who find reading difficult, the act of reading is less than pleasurable.So it makes sense to place struggling readers in texts that they can easily navigate with 98% or higher accuracy.This means that they will not struggle with word identification and therefore be able to read with greater speed, accuracy, and higher comprehension. Decodable books matched to the skills being taught provide opportunities for students to practice skills introduced.

We can use running records and Lexile scores to quickly determine which texts are just right for struggling readers.When something is easy, it is also enjoyable and likely to be repeated!At Lexile.com, they have a category of books they code as "high interest, low readability" that are well suited for struggling readers who want books that they can read with ease but still appeal to their interests.

The Lexile leveling system is helpful for both students and teachers when selecting books that will be just right for the reader's ability and interest.

The Lexile codes are:

* AD: Adult Directed: Better when read aloud to a student rather than having the student read independently.

* NC: Non-Conforming: Good for high-ability readers who still need age-appropriate content.

* HL: High-Low: Content to engage older students who need materials that are less complex and at a lower reading level.

* IG: Illustrated Guide: Nonfiction materials often used for reference.

* GN: Graphic Novel: Graphic novels or comic books.

* BR: Beginning Reader: Appropriate for emerging readers with a Lexile reader measures below 0L.

* NP: Non-Prose: Poems, plays, songs, recipes, and text with non-standard or absent punctuation.

3. Avoid allowing paraprofessionals to provide primary instruction.

Too often children who struggle with literacy are assisted by paraprofessionals in the classroom.Allington reminds us that primary reading instruction should be in the hands of a highly-trained education professional with the knowledge and skills to provide balanced reading instruction.All readers benefit from time spent in guided reading lessons where they can practice applying reading strategies under the guidance of a skilled teacher.

4. Balance small-group reading experiences and whole-group instruction.

We learned in Chapter 12 that guided reading is the ideal setting for strategy-based reading instruction.Struggling readers need one-to-one instruction that is individualized to their needs.The small reading group is ideal for strategy-focused instruction.In small reading groups, successes can be celebrated and needs can be addressed immediately.Children also benefit from working in pairs where they can share their expertise and assume the role of teacher/mentor sometimes too.

Focus on Metacognition

Readers who struggle often need intervention to become more proficient decoders. However, they also need to be strategic and metacognitive readers. It is important to continue to develop meaning-making while working on decoding skills. This can be done through read alouds, choral readings, or audio books.

Questions I Can Ask As I Read

To get the gist of what I am reading:

What is this story about?

What is the problem?

What is the solution?

What do I need to know about?

To predict-verify-decide:

What's going to happen next?

Is my prediction still a good one?

Do I need to change my prediction?

What makes me think so?

To visualize:

What does this (person, place, or thing) look like?

What makes me think so?

To Summarize:

What's happened so far?

Who did what?

What makes me think so?

To Think Aloud:

What am I thinking right now?

To Solve Problems When I don't Understand:

Stop and review?

Reread and look back?

Ignore and read on?

5. Make reading lessons meaning focused rather than skills-focused.

Encourage students to be thoughtful literacy learners.Allington encourages us to remind students that the point of reading and writing is more than remembering what the text said, but rather engaging the ideas, challenging them, and reflecting on them.Encourage students to make connections and engage in thoughtful discussions around the text. Book clubs or literature circles are great instructional programs for facilitating the social aspect of book discussions while encouraging thoughtful literacy practices.

Resources for Starting Book Clubs

Literature Circles
http://www.litcircles.org
Literature circles are student-led book discussions.

The largest site of children's book reviews written and illustrated by kids for kids. Read their reviews or submit your own!
Book Clubs: Reading for Fun- ReadWriteThink
Children can enjoy a community-building experience by meeting with friends to choose, read, and discuss books together.
FlipGrid Bookclubs Questions to Ponder

1. What are your preferred learning styles and how might they influence your own teaching?How can you use your own strengths in the classroom to reach every learner?

2. What resources can you share with families to promote literacy at home?

3. How can you get books into your students' homes?Research shows that kids from low SES homes have very few books they can call their own.What community resources exist to help you attain books?

References
Allington, R.L. (2013). What really matters when working with struggling readers. The Reading Teacher, 66(7): 520-530.

Colker, L. J. (2014). The word gap: The early years make the difference. T eaching Young Children, 7(3): 26-28.

Hiebert, E,H., Pearson, P.D., Taylor, B.M., Richardson, V., & Paris, S.G. (1998). Every child a reader: Applying reading research to the classroom. Ann Arbor, MI: Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement, University of Michigan School of Education. Retrieved November 1, 2017, from http://www.ciera.org

International Dyslexia Association. (2020). Effective reading instruction for students with dyslexia. https://dyslexiaida.org/effective-reading-instruction-for-students-with-dyslexia/

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Teaching Literacy in Grades Pre-K to 2 - 2nd Edition

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Reading and writing are complex practices.When we read or write, our brains must process language in terms of semantics (the meaning of language), syntax (organizing words into comprehensible sentences), as well as phonological processing (decoding).Couple those linguistic systems with the context and the purpose of the reading or writing, and

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Find apps, websites, and tools that can help the student to progress in their language needs and have the a moment for the student to practice.

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Ask the Teacher Assistant to give extra support to the struggling student.

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Sit the student close to peers who can speak his native language or close to the teacher desk so they can have extra support.

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If you're a special education teacher working with students who have emotional and behavioral disorders, you know that accommodations are key to helping them succeed. But what accommodations are best for these students? In this blog post, you will learn about accommodations for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) that have proven to be effective for students.

Remember, it is extremely important to collect data on what accommodations are suitable for each student. It is oftentimes trial and error to determine what are the most effective strategies for each student. This is not an exhaustive list but rather ideas and suggestions for the first phase of the process in deciding how to help students succeed.

ENCOURAGE POSITIVE BEHAVIORS

One of the most important accommodations for students with EBD is to provide them with a positive and structured environment. This means discouraging negative behavior while rewarding appropriate behavior. Some ways to do this include setting clear rules and expectations, providing positive reinforcement when students display good behavior, and using a token economy system to reward positive behaviors.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS-PARTICIPATING IN CLASS

Another important accommodation for students with EBD is to encourage them to participate in class. This means giving them opportunities to answer questions, offer their opinions, work with their peers, and complete assignments.

Examples of accommodations and modifications are:

providing clear instructions

breaking down tasks into smaller steps

offer choices when able

give students extra time to complete assignments.

Making class participation an effective part of normal circumstances, will shift students' focus off their disability, and increase their tendency to strive for better grades.

PROVIDE PROPER ASSIGNMENTS

It's important to give students with EBD assignments that are within their abilities and that match their educational level. Additionally, the types of accommodations in their IEP and individualized education program can be provided to help these students succeed.

Some examples of accommodations that have been found to be effective for students with EBD include:

- Testing accommodations such as extended time on tests, and small group testing environment

-Use of a calculator on math tests and homework

-Extended time on assignments that are in the general education curriculum

- Movement breaks as needed: use a pass system for breaks

- Offer choices: for example, students can demonstrate comprehension of a subject by handing in a traditional paper, video, or poster, etc.

- Preferential seating arrangements

- Frequent check-ins with the teacher

- Alternative seating such as wiggle cushions or exercise ball seating

ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY - ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS

It's important for students with EBD to be held accountable for their behavior and actions. This means making sure they understand the consequences of their choices. Some ways to do this include:

- Having clear rules and expectations in place

- Providing immediate feedback to the student

-Use non-verbal cues or a code word to communicate inappropriate behavior

- Encouraging the student to take ownership of their actions

- Imposing consequences for severe inappropriate types of behavior

ENCOURAGE STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Many students with EBD struggle with social interactions. It can be helpful to encourage them to participate in social activities, such as lunchtime groups, class discussions, or extracurricular activities. This can help them to develop their social skills and make friends. With satisfactory interpersonal relationships in hand, students can hope to avoid a general pervasive mood of unhappiness.

Accommodations or modifications for social skills could possibly include:

small group work

lunch time with small number of peers

Seat the student close to a positive role model

provide additional personal space between desks

partnering with a peer to encourage social skills.

WORK WITH COLLEAGUES, COUNSELORS, OR PSYCHOLOGISTS

If you are having difficulty managing a student with EBD, don't hesitate to ask for help from your colleagues or school administration. There are many resources available to help educators support students with EBD. If a student's emotional or behavioral problems are causing intense difficulty in the classroom, it may be necessary to seek help from a counselor or school psychologist.

Counselors or psychologists can provide interventions, therapy, and guidance to help the student deal with their emotions and behavior. They might also be able to give students the peace of mind they need to focus on their academic subjects.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS-CALM ENVIRONMENT AND SCHOOL ROUTINES

There are a few things that can be done in the classroom to help accommodate students with emotional and behavioral disorders. One of the most important is to create a calm and organized environment cutting down on emotional disturbances. This can be done by:

- Putting up calming decorations, such as pictures of nature or peaceful scenes

-Providing a calm classroom environment - Keep the classroom quiet during higher-level learning.

-Offering a calming corner in the classroom or hallway

- Keeping noise levels down

- Having a predictable schedule

-Noise cancelling headphones

-Dim lighting

- Having clear rules and expectations

- Providing structure and routine

-Use visual supports to reinforce the predictability of the routine

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH ANXIETY DISORDERS

Students with anxiety disorders can often find it difficult to focus in the classroom. Accommodations that may be helpful for students with this diagnosis include:

- Allowing them to take breaks as needed

- Giving them more time to complete tasks

-Weight daily work higher than tests of test anxiety is present

- Helping them prepare for tests and assignments

- Encouraging them to participate in social activities

- Putting them in a designated seat away from distractions

-Provide organizers for lockers/desk to help with predictability

- Using calming decorations, such as pictures of nature or peaceful scenes.

Read more about writing and students with anxiety here.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS-AUTISM SPECTRUM

Students with autism spectrum disorders often have difficulty with communication and social interaction. This is by no means an extensive list but help to provide basic suggestions. Accommodations that may be helpful for these students include:

- Preferential seating

- Allowing them to take breaks as needed

- Encouraging them to be social with their peers

-Helping them learn and identify their sensory needs

- Using visual supports to aid with communication, directions, and routine.

Read more on accommodations and students with autism.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DEPRESSION

Students with depression often have low energy levels and difficulty concentrating. It can have a profound effect on a person's thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Accommodations that may be helpful for these students include:

- Allowing them to take downtime when necessary

- Encouraging them to talk and interact with peers

- Helping them with schoolwork and studying for tests

- Giving them longer periods of time to complete tasks

- Breaking assignments down into simpler steps

-Recognizing when health factors or physical symptoms may be causing an inability to focus.

- Self-monitoring checklists to stay on task

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS- BIPOLAR DISORDER

Students with bipolar disorder can experience extreme mood swings, from mania to depression that can cause many school problems and conduct disorders. Students may feel intensely happy, and then quickly feel very depressed. Accommodations that may be helpful for these students include:

- Preferential seating

-Reduced workload during difficult times

- Allowing them to take a pause if the classroom environment is too much

-Encouraging positive behavior and social activities with peers

- Breaking tasks down into small, manageable steps

-Organizational supports

- Monitoring the variables in their moods and adjusting their accommodations as needed.

Accommodations can be an important tool in helping students with emotional and behavioral disorders succeed in the classroom. By understanding the condition and implementing appropriate accommodations, it is possible to create a learning environment that meets the student's needs.

LEARNING TO KNOW WHICH ACCOMMODATIONS TO CHOOSE

Learn more about the difference between accommodations and modifications here.
5 Different Ways to Use Accommodations in the Classroom 504 Accommodations for ADHD
Most importantly, teach your students how to learn about their strengths, challenges and accommodations to empower them to live a more independent life at school, home and the workplace. You can follow this 10 step process starting today with the Self-Advocacy for Students Workbook.

It is critical to determine what accommodations work for each student using data collection and feedback. Research indicates that this is often highly imprecise. The information can be presented differently, responses can change, the environment can be altered, time constraints can be eliminated and specialized tools/technology can help! Take the time to determine what is the best options for each individual student.

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Accommodations for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

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Learn about accommodations for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) that have proven to be effective for students.

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After observing, the counselor will create a Student Behavioral Guidance (SBG) plan for the SST (Student Support Team) to follow. This plan will involve parents, the homeroom teacher, assistant teacher, and special teachers, aiming to support the student's progress.

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The counselor will continuously monitor the student's progress, conduct sessions, and be available to assist during critical moments.

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Signs of a student with possible learning disabilities

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Signs of a student with possible learning disabilities

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Trouble memorizing things.

Working at a slow pace.

Trouble following directions.

Trouble staying focused on a task.

Difficulty understanding abstract ideas.

Lack of attention to detail, or too much attention to detail.

Poor social skills.

Disruptiveness.

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WebMD explains the warning signs and diagnosis of learning disabilities, including information on testing and the types of assistance available to help your child overcome learning challenges.

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Photo by August de Richelieu on Pexels
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One of the most important questions teachers must answer is, "Are my students learning?" Last November/December 2020, I co-facilitated an online course for international school teacher leaders called, "Empowering Students Through Assessment." Two questions drove the learning: (1) What classroom assessment practices will contribute most to understanding and improving student learning? and (2) What is the role of the teacher leader in supporting student learning through effective assessment practices?

The learning focused on four overarching topics: building assessment literacy; leading purposeful assessment design; leading the process for collecting evidence of student learning; and leading the process for evaluating the evidence of student learning. With over 100 international educators in the course, many effective strategies and tools were offered in response to the question: "How do we know if students are learning?" Here are some of the ideas shared by teacher leaders.

Middle School Teacher: I rely heavily on Nearpod as an ongoing assessment tool, as it allows me to get a quick snapshot of where students are in their learning by using the polls and quizzes feature.

Kindergarten teacher: We have parents upload photos and videos of their children's work so we can better understand where students are at with their learning.

High School Teacher: I find [Go Formative] particularly good for mathematics. It has an inbuilt equation editor for writing questions. Students can also respond in a variety of ways, including drawing on their trackpad. The best thing about it is that I can view what the students are writing as they are writing it. I can then send them comments giving advice on improving their work. We have been discussing how much easier it is to review work and use the data to decide next steps when it is online like this.

High School Teacher: I have my students write/draw/doodle on an ongoing "scrapbook." It is a tool that they use for reflection during the course. Some of my students are very artistic and creative and it is pure joy to look at their work and see their learning.

Elementary Teacher: We have utilized the app Explain Everything. Students take a photo of their work and audio record their ideas. This allows us, as teachers, to listen to student thinking and make decisions about what to teach next (or what to reteach, if necessary).

Elementary Teacher: Reflecting on learning is a key component at my school. We use Seesaw for students to post work and type/video/audio/voice type their reflection. Some teachers have guiding questions they use to make their reflections more meaningful. Over time, the hope is that we don't need the guiding questions as prompts and students will be able to reflect on what they learned and how they can continue to grow.
Middle School Teacher: High School Teacher: Final Thoughts Students post to a class discussion forum, answering a new knowledge question each week with the expectation that they apply scaffolded/exemplar skills from the course (e.g., making a claim, counterclaim, explaining limitations of arguments, etc.). These data are used to inform what skills need to be revisited and/or developed more deeply in my teaching. I have been able to use this tool in in-person/hybrid/distance learning environments. I am using an observation checklist when we have group discussions after reading a short story. As I am in a virtual model, I use the breakout rooms to strategically group students so that they feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts. I ask them to record the session and then later, I watch the recordings and apply the checklist. I also use the Zoom poll to each start class with a "check for understanding question" about the previous class's learning targets. Kristen MacConnell is Director of the Teacher Training Center Programs.
Learning is a partnership between students and teachers. While teachers need to be able to answer the question "Are my students learning?" students need to be able to answer the questions: "Where am I now with my learning? Where do I need to be? How do I close the gap?" We asked the course participants to share some advice for other teachers and teacher leaders, based on their learning in the course. Here are some of their takeaways.

If you are interested in learning more about "Empowering Students Through Assessment" join us for a five-day immersive learning experience in July 2021. Click here for more information.

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How Do We Know If Students Are Learning? | The International Educator (TIE Online)

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What classroom assessment practices will contribute most to understanding and improving student learning? And what is the role of the teacher leader in supporti

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After the counselor's observation and identification of signs indicating a possible learning disability, or if previous efforts by the school counselor and teachers to assist the student have been unsuccessful, the student will be referred for a special assessment conducted outside of the school.

The school can recommend various professionals for the parents to contact in order to have their child tested for possible learning disabilities.

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The school follows the plan given by the specialist

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The school follows the plan given by the specialist

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After testing, the specialist will give the student a diagnosis and advice on how to manage their disability. This could include several helpful strategies and tools:

1. Shadow Teacher: They might suggest having a shadow teacher who can give the student extra support in class.

2. Technology Support: They could recommend using tools or apps that help with learning and communication.

3. Different Ways of Teaching: They'll offer ways to teach that fit the student's needs, like changing assignments or tests.

4. Therapies: They might suggest therapies, like speech or occupational therapy, to help with specific challenges.

5. Help for Parents: They'll give tips to parents on how to support their child at home and work well with teachers and specialists.

6. Changes at School: They may ask for changes at school, such as more time for tests or special tools to help with learning.

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When is a child's eligibility for special education and related services determined?

In most states the eligibility of a child for special education and related services is considered when a child has arrived at the Tier 3 level of RTI (Response to Intervention). When a child has been in Tier 2 for a pre-determined amount of time and an evaluation is given, then a meeting is called to determine eligibility for special education services. Who makes the decision about whether a child is eligible for special education and related services?

The parent of the child and a team of qualified professionals must determine whether the child is a child with a disability and in need of special education and related services.

(The determination of whether a child suspected of having a specific learning disability is a child with a disability, must be made by the child's parents and a team of qualified professionals which must include the child's regular teacher; or a regular classroom teacher qualified to teach a child of his or her age if the child does not have a regular teacher; or, for a child of less than school age, an individual qualified by the SEA to teach a child of his or her age; and at least one person qualified to conduct individual diagnostic examinations of children, such as a school psychologist, speech-language pathologist, or remedial reading teacher.)

What must the team consider in determining eligibility?

In interpreting evaluation data for the purpose of determining if a child is a child with a disability and in need of special education, each public agency is to draw upon information from a variety of sources, including aptitude and achievement tests (but not restricted to these results), parent input, teacher recommendations, physical condition, social or cultural background, and adaptive behavior.

Are there additional procedures for evaluating children and determining the existence of a specific learning disability?

Yes. IDEA includes the following additional procedures when evaluating and determining the existence of a specific learning disability:

1. A team may determine that a child has a specific learning disability if:

The child does not achieve commensurate with his or her age and ability levels in one or more of the areas listed below, if provided with learning experiences appropriate for the child's age and ability levels; and

The child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability in one or more of the following areas: Oral expression; listening comprehension; written expression; basic reading skill; reading comprehension; mathematics calculation; mathematics reasoning, and/or a presented portfolio, and/or teacher reports on daily work which shows academic performance is not in an acceptable range and the learning processing disability can be seen or it was stated.

2. The team may not identify a child as having a specific learning disability if the severe discrepancy between ability and achievement is primarily the result of:

A visual, hearing, or motor impairment;

intellectual disabilities;

Emotional disturbance; or

Environmental, cultural or economic disadvantage.

3. Observation:

At least one team member other than the child's regular teacher shall observe the child's academic performance in the regular classroom setting.

In the case of a child of less than school age or out of school, a team member shall observe the child in an environment appropriate for a child of that age.

4. Written report For a child suspected of having a specific learning disability, the documentation of the team's determination of eligibility must include a statement of:

Whether the child has a specific learning disability.

The basis for making the determination.

The relevant behavior noted during the observation of the child.

The relationship of that behavior to the child's academic functioning.

The educationally relevant medical findings, if any.

Whether there is a severe discrepancy between achievement and ability that is not correctable without special education and related services.

The determination of the team concerning the effects of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Each team member shall certify in writing whether the report reflects his or her conclusion. If it does not reflect his or her conclusion, the team member must submit a separate statement presenting his or her conclusions.

What are the two components that must be present in order for a child to be eligible for special education and related services?

In order for a child to be declared eligible for special education and related services it must be determined that the child is a "child with a disability" and is in need of special education and related services.

How does the law define a "child with a disability?"

The term "a child with a disability" means:

A child evaluated according to IDEA as having intellectual disabilities, a hearing impairment including deafness, a speech or language impairment, a visual impairment including blindness, serious emotional disturbance (referred to in IDEA as emotional disturbance), an orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, another health impairment, a specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and

Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

Is there a non-categorical designation of a child with a disability in addition to the above categories?

At the discretion of the State and Local Education Agencies, a "child with a disability," aged three through nine, may include a child who is experiencing developmental delays, as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development, and who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services.

What does IDEA require when determining eligibility for special education and related services based on "developmental delay?"

When determining eligibility for special education and related services based on "developmental delay" rather than a specific category, IDEA requires the following:

If the state decides to allow eligibility based on developmental delay, local districts will be able to choose whether or not they wish to follow suit. If the state does not adopt the developmental delay category, local districts may not use the category for establishing eligibility for special education and related services.

States may not require local districts to adopt and use the term "developmental delay" for any of its students.

States that adopt the developmental delay category may apply it to children aged three through nine or a subset of that age range, e.g. aged three through five

States and local districts who choose to use the developmental delay category may also use one or more of the specific categories.

States may adopt a common definition of developmental delay for its programs under IDEA, Parts B and C.

If a local district uses the developmental delay category, it must conform to the state's definition of developmental delay and the age range adopted by the state.

What are possible implications for students with learning disabilities when they are identified as having a developmental delay?

The use of a "developmental delay" category to determine whether a child is eligible for special education and related services could make it possible to identify some children early before they experience failure in school and fall behind their peers. Many children with learning disabilities show delays in one or more of the areas specified. There is, however, some concern that children with learning disabilities will be included in the "developmental delay" category without identifying the specific processing disorder/s present and, thus the specific intervention strategies needed will not be provided. Parents should ensure that:

Assessment tools and strategies used gather relevant functional and developmental information.

Tests and other evaluation materials used include those tailored to assess specific areas of educational need.

Assessment tools and strategies provide relevant information that directly assists persons in determining the education needs of the child.

Since States and Local Education Agencies are not mandated to follow a certain course, but can make a choice regarding whether to use "developmental delay" for children aged three to nine, parents need to determine the eligibility criteria used by their State and Local Education Agencies. Contact special education administrators at the State Department of Education or the local school district for this information.

Are there other non-categorical designations?

Some states have expanded the non-categorical age past the "developmental delay" age span (3 through 9 years) to include students birth through twenty-one years of age. If states use a designation instead of categorical disabilities, certain guidelines must be followed. While the state determines the criteria for eligibility, the team must provide a comprehensive evaluation of the child that could determine a disability as defined by IDEA.

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Eligibility: Determining Whether a Child is Eligible for Special Education Services

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In most states the eligibility of a child for special education and related services is considered when a child has arrived at the Tier 3 level of RTI (Response to Intervention). When a child has been in Tier 2 for a pre-determined amount of time and an evaluation is given, then a meeting is called to determine eligibility for special education services.

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Student doesn't show progress with the help in the classroomclassroom 

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Student doesn't show progress with the help in the classroomclassroom 

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Student doesn't show progress with the SST, parents and classroom support

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Student doesn't show progress with the SST, parents and classroom support

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Follow the recommendations and plan of action given by the specialist according to the diagnosis, and monitor the student progress.

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Autism: means a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, which adversely affects a student's educational performance. Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. Autism does not apply if a student's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disability. A student who manifests the characteristics of autism after age three could be identified as having autism if the criteria in this definition are satisfied.

Deaf-Blindness: means simultaneous hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that the student cannot be accommodated in special educational programs solely for students with deafness or students with blindness.

Deafness: means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, which adversely affects the student's educational performance.

Developmental Delay: means a disability affecting a child aged two (by September 30) to six, inclusive (age two up to age seven), who is experiencing developmental delays, as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures, in one or more of the following areas: physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, adaptive development, or has an established physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delays.

Emotional Disability: means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a student's educational performance:

1. An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors

2. An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers

3. Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances

4. A general pervasive mood of unhappiness or depression, or

5. A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. The term includes schizophrenia. The term does not apply to students who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disability.

Hearing Impairment: means impairment in hearing, in one or both ears, with or without amplification, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a student's educational performance but is not included under the definition of deafness.

Intellectual Disability: means significantly below-average general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior, and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a student's educational performance (deficits in cognitive ability and adaptive behavior that are not primarily caused by visual or auditory deficits; motor deficits; emotional disability; learning disability; environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage; and/or limited English proficiency).

Multiple Disabilities: means simultaneous impairments (for example, intellectual disability with blindness or intellectual disability with an orthopedic impairment), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf- blindness.

Orthopedic Impairment: means a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a student's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (for example, club foot, absence of some member), impairments caused by disease (for example, poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis), and impairments from other causes (such as, cerebral palsy, amputations, fractures or burns that cause contractures, etc.).

Other Health Impairment: means having limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including a heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment, that:

1. Is due to chronic or acute health problems such as a heart condition, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, nephritis, arthritis, asthma, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, epilepsy, lead poisoning, leukemia, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, and Tourette syndrome, and

2. Adversely affects a student's educational performance.

Specific Learning Disability: means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disabilities; of emotional disabilities; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Speech/Language Impairment: means a communication disorder such as stuttering disorder, impaired articulation, expressive language and/or receptive language impairment, or voice impairments that adversely affects a student's educational performance.

Traumatic Brain Injury: an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability, psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a student's educational performance. The term applies to open or closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem solving, psychosocial behavior, physical functions, information processing, speech, and sensory, perceptual, and/or motor abilities. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma.

Visual Impairment: means impairment in vision that, even with correction, adversely affects a student's educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and blindness.

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Definitions of the 14 disability categories.

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Continue with the plan of action.

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Continue with the plan of action.

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Get a second opinion with another specialist or follow up the case with the same specialist.

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Signs of a student with a language difference

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Signs of a student with a language difference

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Difficulty understanding and expressing themselves in English but shows understanding in their native language.

Follow verbal directions in their native language but struggle with English.

The student may translate to themselves before responding and gets better with practice.

Limited vocabulary, sentence structure, and confidence in English.

Ability to express themselves in English is limited, which is typical when learning a new language.

Mistakes in letter sounds because they are different from their native language, but they will improve with direct teaching.

Difficulty understanding instructions in English and feels frustrated and unsuccessful.

Their understanding of English and knowledge of the context improves over time.

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IRIS | Page 2: Distinguishing Between Disability and Language Difference

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Delays in social and communication development might occur when children are learning two or more languages. Because such delays can be red flags for further developmental problems in the areas of social-emotional development and cognition, early childhood educators must determine their cause: langu…

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Evaluate the student English level in different ways, to get information on specific developmental areas and skills, to make a plan of action.

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Have bilingual staff help to communicate with the student for specific directions, or solving of misunderstandings.