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Science & Social Studies - The Autism Helper

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Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

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Social Studies Curriculum for Students with ASD

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Social Studies Curriculum for Students with ASD

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Social Studies Curriculum for Special Needs Students

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Social Studies Curriculum for Special Needs Students

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Modifying Social Studies Curriculum for Special Education Students - Social Studies

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Social Studies Modifying Social Studies Curriculum for Special Education Students

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Social Studies Leveled Daily Curriculum Video Preview Level 2

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Social Studies Leveled Daily Curriculum Video Preview Level 2

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Social Studies Leveled Daily Curriculum Video Preview Level 2

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Social Studies Leveled Curriculum for Students with Autism

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Social Studies Leveled Curriculum for Students with Autism

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teaching social studies to students with autism - Google Search

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Tips for Teachers: Understanding Students with Autism, from a former student on the Autism Spectrum. Dr. Stephanie C. Holmes•8K views · 3:13.

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Vocabulary and Grammar Support in High School 

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Vocabulary and Grammar Support in High School 

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Vocabulary and Grammar Support In High School

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For many social studies teachers, helping students develop reading skills is a low priority-nice to do if there's time, but not necessary. After all, there's scarcely time to meet the multitude of...

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University of Michigan Marsal Family School of Education

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Duke describes how declining science and social studies in U.S. elementary schools affects children living in poverty at higher rates. Duke argues that this trend is detrimental to literacy learning for three reasons:

1. Science and social studies knowledge significantly affects reading and writing.
2. Science and social studies provide a compelling context for teaching reading and writing.
3. Reading, writing, and other literacy practices are an integral part of professional practice in science and social studies.

Drawing on research findings from diverse experts to build her argument, Duke recommends building schedules that include considerable daily science and social studies instruction and committing to protecting that time. Furthermore, she suggests being cautious not to pull struggling students out of science or social studies to work on English and mathematics. She also recommends teaching more literacy within science and social studies.

Finally, Duke brings attention to the wide array of components that work together to create successful literacy instruction.

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Children in poverty receive less education in science and social studies, says Nell Duke

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Duke describes how declining science and social studies in U.S. elementary schools affects children living in poverty at higher rates. Duke argues that this trend is detrimental to literacy learning for three reasons: 1. Science and social studies knowledge significantly affects reading and writing. 2.

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Strategies to Effectively teach Social Studies

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Strategies to Effectively teach Social Studies

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Ep117: 3 Highly Effective Strategies to Teach Science and Social Studies To Your Split Grade Class

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What's the Deal with Tiered Activities in Social Studies?

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What's the Deal with Tiered Activities in Social Studies?

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Meeting the needs of all learners in a classroom can be enough to rattle the brain of any teacher. It gets a LOT easier using tiered activities. Each group of students comes at an assignment from a different direction, offering more learning for everyone! It's a differentiated instruction strategy that really works!

What is Tiered Instruction?

Tiered activities are parallel tasks that vary in difficulty, and abstractness and use different levels of support and direction. Basically, it allows students of different levels of readiness to work towards the same goal (understanding) in a way that is most useful for them. Below is a quick and easy way to understand how to construct a tiered activity for your classroom.

Why use Tiered Instruction?

It's the Goldilocks idea: Students work on assignments that are neither too hard, nor too easy, but instead are just right.

Keep in mind:

1. When dividing students into tier groups, students are NOT put into ability groups. Students are clustered according to their readiness and comprehension of the particular material being presented. They may be in a group that needs more support for one activity, and a group that needs less support for another area that interests them more.

2. Tier groups do different assignments as teachers using Bloom's Taxonomy as a guide to building the assignments. One group who needs reinforcement will do an activity that builds understanding, another group that understands the material will do an activity to extend what they already know. All groups use different assignments to achieve understanding of the same material.

3. If you know your group's multiple intelligences, you can also use that information to form groups. One group would use bodily/kinesthetic to make a short skit, another visual group might make a poster.

4. Make sure to make each tier activity interesting and engaging. The more flexible you are in grouping students each time, the more students will accept a variety of assignments as the norm. In other words, if students see the grouping as "the smart kids" and "the dumb kids" they will not take kindly to tiered grouping.

5. Start with key concepts, skills and ideas you want all students to know. Make sure each activity meets those goals.

5. Students share what they have learned or done with the class.

Let's take a look at a tiered activity for government:

Group one: Ask students to use the text book to make a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the executive branch to the legislative branch of government. Include a sketch that would represent each branch with the diagram.

Group two: Ask student to use at least two resources to compare and contrast the judcial branch of government to the legislative branch. Students will construct a poster to show what they have learned.

Group three: Students will choose another country in the world and research its governmental structure. Ask students to construct a short skit that shows the similarities and differences between our country and the one they have chosen.

Group four: Ask students to use what they have learned about the United States governmental structure to create their own country. They must include a governmental structure, a constitution and symbols of the country.

You can tell from reading each tier, that it goes from easiers to more challenging. In sharing with the class what they have learned, all students benefit from the activities of the other.

Have you used tiered activities in your classroom? If so, tell about them below!

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What's the Deal With Tiered Activities in Social Studies?

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Don't miss this important strategy for teaching social studies concepts!

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Tier 1 Instructions Strategies to Improve K-4 Reading Comprehension

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Tier 1 Instructions Strategies to Improve K-4 Reading Comprehension

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This is not exactly for Social Studies but can be used across the board in any subject or classroom. I found it interesting so I am putting it here.

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An intervention menu is a library of interventions that Student Support Teams use to deliver consistent, targeted support to students.

Whether you are working with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) , Response to Intervention (RTI), or Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) framework, access to quality, research-based strategies is crucial to student success across academics, behavior, and social-emotional learning (SEL).

In this post, we share 5 steps to follow when creating an intervention menu for your school or district. Watch and learn how to align your Student Support Team around a set of intervention strategies that everyone can be invested in.

How to Build a Tiered Intervention Menu

First, let's review the tiers of a student support system. These levels of support can be part of an MTSS, RTI, or PBIS framework.

Tier 1 includes universal, school-wide supports for students across SEL, behavior, and academics. All students receive Tier 1 interventions, which can include core instruction standards, SEL curriculum , and behavioral strategies like . behavior-specific praise

Tier 2 consists of additional support or classroom adaptations for struggling students. Schools should aim to have only some students receiving Tier 2 interventions, as small groups or individual students.

Tier 3 includes more intensive interventions for students who are not responding to Tier 2. Schools should aim to have very few students receiving Tier 3 supports.

Students can be receiving supports in more than one tier at a time-a student could be receiving both a Tier 2 math support and a Tier 3 SEL support at once. However, if you are noticing that most of your students are receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, it could be time to reevaluate your Tier 1 practices to ensure that students are getting the baseline support that they need.

1. Take stock of the support practices already in place at your school.

In order to understand where you need to go, it's important to have an idea of where you're starting. You may have a collection of formal intervention strategies, or you may be using practices that you don't even realize are interventions.

Take some time to think about what strategies are already in place. It can be helpful to visualize how your district organizes MTSS. Some districts use either a right-side up or inverted pyramid.
An example of the MTSS pyramid
Jot down the support practices that come to mind next to each tier. As you make your list, consider the following questions:

Do you have more interventions in one tier than the others? For example, do you have many intervention ideas for Tier 2, but fewer in Tier 1? Ideally, you will have many universal supports for Tier 1, some for Tier 2, and fewer for Tier 3.

Do you have interventions in each domain? While you want the menu to be organized by tier, your interventions should cover not only academics (specifically ELA and mathematics), but also behavior, attendance, and SEL.

Do you have interventions for students at each grade level in your school or district?

2. Narrow down that list and get clear on the highest priority interventions.

Once you've taken stock of your strategies, the next step is to refine that list. Even if your team has a huge set of intervention strategies, we recommend having fewer, higher-quality interventions-perhaps three to four strategies for each domain: SEL, ELA, mathematics, attendance, and behavior. Put a star next to the must-have interventions that will definitely make the cut.

Schools and districts that partner with Panorama can access 500+ strategies and interventions that span all MTSS tiers and each developmental stage (K-12). Get a sneak peek at 18 of our favorite interventions from Playbook with Playbook, a collection of this toolkit of MTSS interventions.

With Playbook, educators can access a library of high-quality strategies across ELA, mathematics, behavior, and SEL.
3. Consider new intervention ideas.

Now think beyond the list you've made. For example, maybe your list is heavy on academic interventions, but you are less familiar with social-emotional learning interventions or PBIS interventions . Do some research into strategies that other schools are using to balance out your menu, or dig into resources that share high-quality interventions.

It's important to note that not every intervention is right for every district, school, or classroom-what works very well in one school may not work at all well in another. Figuring out which strategies are the best fit for your context may take some time, but it's well worth the effort to ensure that you have a collection of effective, high-quality practices for your educators.

4. Train your team in using interventions effectively.

Now that you have your final list of intervention strategies, make sure that they are well-documented and easily accessible to the educators in your school, whether that is through a central document, a software platform , or physical copies.

Make a plan for training staff on implementing the interventions. Take time during staff meetings to review intervention guides, or create professional development opportunities for classroom teachers to learn together in small groups or asynchronously. If educators don't know how to use the strategies, they won't be as effective in supporting students. Interventions are only as effective as their implementation.

5. Collect and review data, making changes as needed.

A key component of MTSS is data-based decision-making, and that applies to your intervention menu. Starting with a common toolkit of strategies and shared language for staff is essential, but your menu can and should continue to evolve to meet student needs.

Take a look at your data at the district, school, and student levels and consider the following questions:

Do you notice any trends in student responses to interventions? Does progress monitoring data show some interventions to be more effective than others?

Look at school- and district-wide trends. What do these tell you about the Tier 1 supports in place in each domain?

Are there any interventions that seem to be serving students particularly well?

Are there any interventions that seem to be less effective than you had hoped?

Use your learnings to periodically review your intervention menu. You can remove interventions that aren't serving their purpose, and add new ones to try that may be more effective.

Next Steps for Your MTSS

If you use Panorama's MTSS tools , you can customize your school or district's intervention menu in the platform so that staff can select and log intervention plans for students from a central library. Keep track of how those interventions are working with real-time progress monitoring and data collection dashboards to quickly adapt your strategies based on how students are responding.

Start building your intervention menu with these 18-research based interventions from Panorama's Playbook

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How to Build a Tiered MTSS Intervention Menu

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Learn how to create an intervention menu for Tiers 1, 2, and 3 within your district's MTSS, PBIS, or RTI frameworks.

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Supporting Reluctant Readers and Struggling Students in Social Studies

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Supporting Reluctant Readers and Struggling Students in Social Studies

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Teachers should offer a wide variety of literacy support in their social studies curricula, otherwise students can fall behind.

According to statistics from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Report Card, the scores of the 12th Grade United States History test measured that 48% of adolescent readers read below grade-level proficiency. Of these struggling readers, one-third identify as English Language Learners and the rest identify as students with disabilities. The differences in literacy skills are most notable in high school, as students are inundated with increased reading expectations, inaccessible informational texts, limited support for disciplinary texts, and pervasive exposure to teacher-directed instruction. The challenges for struggling readers are exacerbated in social studies, which is encumbered by an overloaded curriculum and demand for discipline-specific skills from multiple content areas, such as geography, history, economics, and political science.

For English learners, there are added demands of learning culturally distant words and concepts, as well as the expectation of prior knowledge due to vertical standards alignment (e.g. U.S. history in multiple grade bands including elementary, middle, and high school). Although these facts may be discouraging, there are steps that teachers can take to improve student learning. For example, students who had teachers who emphasized reading, writing, and text discussion (e.g. high-leverage practices in social studies) scored significantly higher on the NAEP 12th Grade U.S. History test (Heafner & Fitchett, 2015). The association between high-leverage practices and content knowledge emphasizes the importance of literacy supports.

There are two types of literacy support:

General Literacy Scaffolds (GLS) - Help students read text accurately and fluently, generate background knowledge, activate and learn academic vocabulary, organize information into relationships (e.g., compare/contrast), and summarize text.

Disciplinary Literacy Scaffolds - Teach students to question the text, identify bias/perspective develop evidence-informed interpretations of text, corroborate text-based thinking with multiple sources, evaluate the credibility of sources, and leverage evidence for argumentation.

Students will learn to select what they find most helpful for them, which also promotes meta-linguistics and self-efficacy. Often, the most important scaffold teachers can offer is being sure students feel comfortable using their knowledge and skills in new and challenging ways.

I offer four recommendations for how to support literacy instruction through a blending of general and disciplinary literacy. After each recommendation, I provide reasons for why these literacy supports are successful. I also offer strategy interventions for implementation from several publications listed at the end.

1: Engage learners with words prior to reading texts

Vocabulary instruction is important because it builds background knowledge. Vocabulary instruction is essential to learning social studies, but not all word learning should be treated equally. Vocabulary scaffolds should be targeted and specific to texts to ensure context-based word learning. Authentic learning of words in text is the most effective practice for vocabulary instruction.

How to Use It:

Provide early, frequent, and targeted interventions with words (e.g. Targeted Vocabulary Strategies).

Use strategies such as "Word Wall Maps," "Word Sorts," and "List, Group, Label, Theorize" to introduce vocabulary.

Engage learners with short texts that allow students to work with words in context.

Differentiate word learning with strategies such as "Degrees of Knowledge" or "Relational Analysis."

Teach students to recognize that words are tethered to time, place, and people through "Situated Word Inquiry" (Heafner & Massey, in press).

2: Scaffold disciplinary literacy practice to enhance general literacy strategies

Scaffolding reading is just as important at the top of the language ladder (conversation/talk) as it is at the bottom (word learning). The more complex the language used in texts, the more they may confuse students. Therefore, primary sources are often daunting to adolescent readers. General literacy supports such as questioning counter these concerns, but remember, questioning is a skill that must be taught. Questioning is also discipline-specific. Students need to learn what types of questions experts in a discipline ask and why.

How to Use It:

Make texts accessible and approachable (e.g. Beginning Inquiry and Seeds of Inquiry).

Teach students to question the text by modeling how to monitor their own confusion, how to ask rather than answer questions, and how to validate questions by seeking information from additional sources (e.g. Strategic Reading).

3: Use visual sources to make texts more accessible and to make thinking visible

Visual sources allow students to identify personal observations. Visuals make difficult concepts comprehensible to struggling readers and support English learners in formulating connections in their native language. Visuals are tools for making thinking noticeable and serve as talking points for discussion in the social studies classroom. Primary source images (e.g. pictures or videos), should be scaffolded and just like primary source texts, these should be used in sets to offer differing perspectives. A rt is an excellent source for visualization because art creates opportunities for contextualizing the influences of identity, culture, space, time, and events. Art offers perspective as a conversation between creator, curator, and viewer across time.

How to Use It:

Scaffold reading comprehension with visualization strategies such as "What does it look like?"

Support concept formation and guide analyses of time-sensitive perspectives with "Picture Words."

Teach students to notice by looking closely at details (e.g. "I3 Noticing") and to wonder through questioning and inferring (e.g. "Noticing and Wondering"). Students should also notice what is not visible, which can be revealed when they wonder.

Model comparative thinking across images through noticing similarities and differences, and identifying visual evidence to make claims and ask questions (e.g. "Visual Inventory").

4: Practice disciplinary literacy to prompt thinking

Much of what teachers and students do with disciplinary literacies is scaffold thinking. Like reading, thinking has to be practiced. Students need to have as many opportunities as possible to use disciplinary literacies and to develop critical literacy skills. Moreover, teachers need to establish that the ways in which students learn content is not homogeneous. Each discipline has its own set of heuristics that guide how one (more specifically, an expert) would think about content. Therefore, students should practice disciplinary literacies in diverse contexts and connect learning processes in social studies to other content areas.

How to Use It:

Scaffold the reading of texts by chunking texts (e.g. "Divide and Conquer") and through discipline-specific questioning (e.g. "Important Questions").

Use "Text Strips" that cut apart information into segments

Structure reading interventions to prompt thinking and build efficacy in readers (e.g. before-during-after reading interventions).

Select accessible and approachable texts for all readers (e.g. "Short Texts"). Do not overwhelm struggling readers or English learners with texts or strategies that far exceed their literacy skills. Students are not historians; they are novice readers who can engage in processes that historians use.

Build students' reading stamina and efficacy first, then challenge and extend reading through the gradual release of responsibility. For example, move students from reading "Text Strips" to "Short Texts" to "Text Sets" to "Primary Sources" with increased expectations for readers.

Differentiate how disciplinary literacies vary by content. For example, how might justification about a social studies topic be different than justification in science class? How might it be the same? (see Beginning Inquiry or Seeds of Inquiry).

Prompt questioning and practice the types of questions disciplinary experts ask (e.g. "Questioning the Text"). Have students compare the types of questions they ask with the questions experts pose. Challenge students to think about how question formation provides different types information.

For instructional ideas and specific strategies that support each of the four recommendations, I recommend:

Seeking more curriculum and instruction resources?

Sign up to try a free 30-day trial of Active Classroom

National Center for Education Statistics (2011). The Nation's Report Card: U.S. History 2010 (NCES 2011-468). Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

Tina L. Heafner, Ph.D. is a professor of social studies education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the 2018-2019 President-Elect of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). Her research identifies the association among student learning outcomes in social studies, high leverage instructional practices, and teacher professional backgrounds and professional learning experiences. Tina has received awards for her sustained services to schools, high school and university teaching, and research including seven awards from the American Education Research Association, the NCSS College and University Faculty Assembly, and the Society for Information Technology and Education.

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Four Recommendations to Support Struggling and Reluctant Readers in Social Studies - Social Studies

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Teachers should offer a wide variety of literacy support in their social studies curricula, otherwise students can fall behind.

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Innovative Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching Social Studies

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Innovative Pedagogical Approaches for Teaching Social Studies

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Pedagogical approaches are the guiding principles and strategies that shape teaching and learning experiences in social sciences education. These strategies cover a range of practices and tactics used by educators to involve students, encourage in-depth comprehension, and encourage critical thinking. The constructivist method places a focus on the active creation of knowledge by students through their experiences and relationships, the collaborative method promotes student collaboration and social engagement, the reflective method encourages self-awareness, the integrative approach integrates several fields of study and viewpoints, and the inquiry-based method encourages students to become active citizens. Here are brief explanations of five pedagogical approaches commonly used in social sciences education:

The Constructivist Approach: This Approach emphasizes students actively constructing knowledge through their experiences, interactions, and reflections, rather than passively receiving information from teachers. This approach encourages students to explore, discover, and make meaning from the social world, rather than passively receiving information from teachers. To illustrate this approach, let's consider a social sciences class studying the concept of cultural diversity. Instead of simply lecturing about different cultures, the teacher designs a project-based learning activity. They actively engage in the Constructivist Approach by gathering information from various sources, sharing and discussing findings, and interacting with their group members. The teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding students in their research process, encouraging critical thinking, posing thought-provoking questions, challenging assumptions, and providing additional resources when needed. Through this approach, students actively construct their understanding of cultural diversity, making connections between their prior knowledge and the new information they gather. They develop critical thinking skills, and gain a deep appreciation and empathy for different cultures, fostering a more inclusive and tolerant mindset.

The Collaborative Approach: Collaborative learning involves students working together in groups to achieve learning goals. It promotes social interaction, cooperation, and shared knowledge construction. The Collaborative Approach is a powerful tool for students in high school social sciences classes to address climate change. By designing a collaborative learning project, students are divided into small groups and given specific aspects to focus on. They actively engage in collaborative learning, sharing their knowledge, skills, and perspectives. This process fosters teamwork, communication, and interpersonal skills, as students negotiate and delegate tasks within their groups. The teacher acts as a facilitator, providing guidance and support to ensure effective collaboration. By actively participating, asking questions, and challenging each other's ideas, students develop essential skills for real-world collaboration and problem-solving, such as effective communication, cooperation, and compromise. Furthermore, collaborative learning enhances social awareness by considering the broader implications of climate change on their local community and beyond.

The Reflective Approach: This approach encourages students to critically examine their own experiences, beliefs, and assumptions, and to connect them with the social science content being studied. The Reflective Approach is a useful tool for students in middle school social science studies because it allows them to relate their personal experiences, ideas, and assumptions to historical context. Students can participate in introspection, critical thinking, empathy, and personal growth by adopting numerous reflective activities. Journaling, self-evaluation, and group conversations are crucial components of the Reflective Approach because they help students to critically analyse their behaviour and beliefs, encouraging personal growth and awareness. Students engage in insightful discussions, expressing their observations and listening to the viewpoints of their classmates, encouraging critical thinking and empathy.

The Integrative Approach: In social science education, the Integrative Approach emphasises the necessity of linking diverse disciplines and viewpoints to acquire a holistic knowledge of social processes. To analyse complicated situations, students are urged to draw on numerous social science disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science. This method assists students in developing a more comprehensive grasp of the diverse nature of globalisation and recognising how many elements interact and impact one another. Students gain skills in analysing varied sources of information, assessing evidence from several disciplines, and synthesising ideas to produce comprehensive knowledge by integrating these disciplines. This strategy prepares students for real-world difficulties, such as addressing complex societal problems, which frequently need a multidisciplinary approach. This approach helps students recognize the interconnectedness of social phenomena and promotes interdisciplinary thinking, critical analysis, and synthesis of knowledge.

The Inquiry-Based Approach: This Approach encourages students to become active investigators and problem solvers, promoting curiosity, critical thinking, and a greater grasp of the social sciences. To develop their knowledge, students are encouraged to ask questions, do research, and analyse data. For example, in a unit on the causes of poverty, students may be tasked with conducting interviews, analyzing data, or researching case studies to understand the factors that contribute to poverty. This method promotes research skills, critical thinking ability, and a better grasp of the complexity of poverty. Students learn to assess sources, analyse data, and make evidence-based decisions, all of which are necessary for success in the social sciences and other areas of life.

Thus, successful teaching and learning experiences in the social sciences are greatly influenced by pedagogical techniques. While the collaborative method encourages collaboration and social contact, the constructivist approach places a strong emphasis on active participation and knowledge building. The integrative method combines several disciplines for comprehensive knowledge, whereas the reflective approach promotes self-awareness and critical thinking. The inquiry-based methodology encourages active research and problem-solving. These pedagogical strategies can help teachers build engaging, student-centred classrooms that enable students to gain a deeper knowledge of concepts as well as the ability to think critically and from a wider range of social perspectives. These methods create the way for a transformational educational experience that gives students the know-how and abilities they need to participate as educated and active members of our complex and linked society.

#Pedagogy #Approaches #Constructivist #Collaborative #Reflective #Integrative #InquiryBased #TeachingAndLearning #Education #SocialSciences #Engagement #CriticalThinking #StudentCentered #HolisticUnderstanding #ActiveLearning #Collaboration #Reflection #Integration #Inquiry #empowerment

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Exploring Innovative Pedagogical Approaches for Social Sciences Education

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Pedagogical approaches are the guiding principles and strategies that shape teaching and learning experiences in social sciences education. These strategies cover a range of practices and tactics used by educators to involve students, encourage in-depth comprehension, and encourage critical thinking

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10 fun ways to teach Social Studies Effectively

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10 fun ways to teach Social Studies Effectively

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Effective Social Studies Teaching Strategies – Love Learning

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My first year of teaching, I asked my students what their least favorite subject was. They, without even thinking twice, said social studies. I made it my mission to change that. I needed to learn how to teach social studies and make social studies interesting for my students.

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Applying EBP's To classrooms with ASD Childre

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Applying EBP's To classrooms with ASD Childre

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Once again this isn't just science based and can be used across all settings .

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Applying evidence-based strategies to classrooms serving children with autism spectrum disorder

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Tier 3 Behavioral and Support Strategies

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Tier 3 Behavioral and Support Strategies

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This is not designed just for one subject. Many of the Tier 3 supports work abroad all subjects especially with special needs students.

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What is Tier 3 Support?

The PBIS Triangle-The red area represents Tier 3 that supports a few students. Tiers 1 and 2 supports are still used with students engaged in Tier 3 supports.

PBIS' framework doesn't just work with school-wide and targeted supports. It's also an effective way to address sometimes dangerous, often highly disruptive behaviors creating barriers to learning and excluding students from social settings.

At most schools, there are 1-5% of students for whom Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports have not connected. At Tier 3, these students receive more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all.

Foundational Systems

Tier 3 practices stem from strong foundations in Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports. With both tiers in place, schools are free to organize individualized teams to support students with more intense needs.

The foundational systems involved in Tier 3 supports are:

Multi-disciplinary Team

Tier 3 team membership includes an administrator, a coach/behavior representative, others with basic knowledge of problem solving. Team members should also include personnel who actively provide Tier 3 support in the school. This gives them input on decisions about interventions they provide to students they serve. Including school personnel from different departments ensures an array of perspectives.

Behavior Support Expertise

A school's Tier 3 team must include someone who has experience providing formal behavior support. They need to have applied behavior expertise and experience developing multi-agency support.

Formal Fidelity and Outcome Data Collection

Documenting student outcomes lets teams monitor how the resources allocated and the practices adopted affect student's outcomes. These data are essential to:

Supporting data-based decision making and problem solving

Identifying needed adjustments to Tier 3 practices

Maximizing resources

Ensuring all students are supported fully and equitably

Evaluating the system's overall effectiveness

Determining student eligibility for additional resources

Evaluating individual education programs·

Assessing how closely Tier 3 supports are implemented as intended (fidelity of implementation) ensures student outcomes can be attributed to the interventions provided.

For more information on how to setup Tier 3 supports, check out our guides:

Key Practices

Tier 3 practices start with strong Tier 1 and Tier 2 foundations. In addition to these practices, the key practices involved in Tier 3 supports are:

Function-based Assessments

Functional behavior assessment (FBA) is the formal process for ensuring a student's plan centers on why a student behaves the way they do. FBA allows teams to identify which interventions are most likely to be useful for an individual student. Plans resulting from a formal FBA process will include strategies for:

Preventing unwanted behavior

Teaching appropriate behavior

Positively reinforcing appropriate behavior

Reducing rewards for unwanted behavior

Ensuring student safety

For more information, check out our FBA guides:

Wraparound

Wraparound differs from many service delivery strategies, in that it provides a comprehensive, holistic, youth and family-driven way of responding when children or youth experience serious mental health or behavioral challenges. Wraparound puts the child or youth and family at the center of the process to develop a support plan. With support from a team of professionals and natural supports, the family's ideas and perspectives about what they need and what will be helpful drive all of the work in Wraparound.

The student and their family members work with a Wraparound facilitator to build their Wraparound team, which can include the family's friends and people from the wider community, as well as providers of services and supports.

With the help of the team, the family and young person take the lead in deciding team vision and goals, and in developing creative and individualized services and supports that will help them achieve the goals and vision. Team members work together to put the plan into action, monitor how well it's working, and change it as needed.

Bruns and Walker (2008) identified ten principles of the wraparound process that included:

1. Family voice and choice

2. Team Based

3. Natural Supports

4. Collaboration

5. Community based

6. Culturally Competent

7. Individualized

8. Strengths-based

9. Unconditional

10. Outcome based

All of these principles are consistent with a PBIS approach and can result in a seamless connection between PBIS practices at Tier3, that include Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans,and wraparound supports.

For more information about wraparound, please visit the National Wraparound Initiative. The Midwest PBIS Network also has an abundance of materials for both the wraparound and person-centered planning process.

Person Centered Planning

Person-Centered Planning (PCP) is a way for diverse people, who share a common need to align:

Their vision, purposes, and goals,

Their understanding of the student's past,present and future life, and

Their actions for change, mutual support,personal and team development, and learning.

PCP makes a commitment and takes action to ensure that changes will be accomplished for the student. The PCP philosophy aims to 1) build support based on a capacity-based perspective of the student, 2) use natural school, family and community resources to fulfill a vision of a positive future for the student, and 3)build a circle of support for the student that includes friends, family, school personnel and service providers. The PCP team coordinates supports around the life of the individual rather than around the needs of the system and existing services. The team also recognizes that abilities of ordinary citizens, neighbors, fellow students, and school personnel, can teach students skills, help them participate, model appropriate behaviors, and foster interdependent relationships.

PCP is a planning process that involves long-term commitment to an action plan and a positive vision for the future of the student. This plan is not intended to replace an IEP or a Behavior Intervention Plan, but can be seen to supplement and extend those plans by addressing broader quality of life and community, personal, and life goals of the student. PCP has much in common with wraparound, with wraparound being a broader umbrella under which PCP can be used as an effective planning process. Both approaches, as well as PBIS, share a commitment to five essential goals of PCP that include:

Being present and participating in community life,

Gaining and maintaining satisfying relationships,

Expressing preferences and making choices in everyday life,

Having opportunities to fulfill respected roles and live with dignity, and

Continuing to develop personal competencies.

There are several Person-Centered Planning processes that have been developed using group facilitation techniques and graphic planning supports including:

Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH),

Making Action Plans (MAP),

Essential Lifestyle Planning (ELP),

Personal Profile,

Futures Plan,

Circle of Support, and

A combination of the above approaches into hybrid models.

For more information about Person Centered Planning visit the Administration for Community Living and the National Parent Center on Transition and Employment.

Cultural and Contextual Fit

With every practice, the student's and the school's culture and context must be considered. Each of these element influences and adds value to a school's Tier 3 practices:

Local environments such as neighborhoods and cities

Personal characteristics such as race, ethnicity, and nationality

Learning histories such as family, social routines, customs, and experiences

Language such as dialect and vocabulary

Tier 3 Teams

There are two types of teams associated with Tier 3 supports: the Tier 3 leadership team and individual student support teams.

Tier 3 Leadership Team

Tier 3 teams won't look the same in every school. Whether you have one team looking at Tier 3 specifically, or one team monitoring Tier 2 and 3 systems together, this leadership team meets regularly to be sure:

Students who need additional support have access to those systems

Students who receive Tier 3 supports are successful

Tier 3 leadership teams are led by someone with applied behavior expertise, administrative authority, multi-agency support experience, knowledge of students, and knowledge about how the school operates across grade levels and programs.

Tier 3 Student Support Team

In addition to a team committed to monitoring Tier 3 systems, there must be a problem-solving team for each student receiving Tier 3 supports.These teams meet regularly to design and refine strategies specific to one student. The team's goal is always to transition a student to fewer intensive supports.

Tier 3 student support teams typically include people from the student's school, home, and community. Students and their families input and approval on who is on the team. The school's administrator must have enough involvement to allocate resources as needed for a student's plan.

Assessments

The Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) assess how closely school personnel apply the core features of PBIS. The TFI includes three separate surveys - one for assessing each tier - schools can use separately or in combination with one another. Schools at every stage of implementation may use the TFI to assess any tier.

Explore the Evidence Base for Tier 3

At its foundation, PBIS is a framework supported by research spanning decades. Study after study confirms the positive impact Tier 3 systems and practices have on improving student outcomes. The evaluation brief, " Is School-wide Positive Behavior Support an Evidence-based Practice?" and " References for the Evidence Base of PBIS" each lay out some of the research and provide additional resources to explore the topic further.

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At most schools, there are 1-5% of students for whom Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports have not connected. At Tier 3, these students receive more intensive, individualized support to improve their behavioral and academic outcomes. Tier 3 strategies work for students with developmental disabilities, autism, emotional and behavioral disorders, and students with no diagnostic label at all.

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Teaching Science in Special Education - Autism Classroom Resources

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Science in the special education classroom can be one of the most fun subjects but also the most challenging. These are some ideas to make it easy.

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Open Access Systematic Review

by * and

Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

1. Introduction

The need for understanding natural-world and science concepts has led researchers and professionals to design effective teaching interventions in science classrooms [ 1, 2, 3, 4]. Science content knowledge and scientific ways of thinking are highlighted in the NGSS Legislation and Standards [ 5] to be crucial for all students, with or without disabilities, for them to access general science classrooms and participate equally in society while dealing with topics related to science [ 6].

1.1. Teaching Science to Students with Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current review focuses on science-teaching interventions for students with intellectual disability (ID) or/and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), due to the similarity of challenges that these students face. The definitions for both diagnoses are clearly differentiated, therefore teachers and practitioners consider instructional methods and supplementary techniques to support student academic performance. Intellectual disability is a neurodevelopmental disability that is characterized by significant limitations to intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior [ 7]. Intellectual disability appears before the age of 18 and includes deficits in conceptual, social, and practical skills. ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with difficulties in social communication and restrictive behavioral patterns [ 7].

The combination of academic and functional skills based on student needs, supports student social participation [ 8, 9, 10]. An important component of the learning process is knowledge that targets functional skills, as well as daily life skills. High levels of difficulty (e.g., memory deficits, lack of concentration, and barriers in academic content) experienced by students with ID or ASD result in lower achievement compared to their peers without disabilities [ 11, 12]. Recent educational planning highlights student personal interests, their experiences, and several emotional factors that influence their efforts [ 13].

The literature indicates communication barriers, as well as cognitive deficits that negatively affect the participation and progress of students with ID or ASD in science [ 14]. Despite the emphasis on teaching content, there is little evidence surrounding how to teach science content to this population [ 13, 15]. In particular, the literature emphasizes the limited interest of students with disabilities, because of traditional teaching approaches in the classroom [ 16, 17]. Therefore, teachers should focus on basic science knowledge and understanding, and motivate students with ID or ASD to remain on task [ 18, 19].

The implementation of systematic instruction is considered effective to include students (i.e., students with ID or ASD) in the classroom. Other supplemental teaching techniques, such as the system of least prompts, task analysis, time delay, and peer teaching, contribute to the effective learning of students with ID or ASD. Technology use provides additional motivations and learning experiences (i.e., visual representations), which increases student interest [ 2, 3, 15, 20, 21].

Although studies of science-teaching interventions for students with ID or ASD are limited, their findings suggest that adapted procedures are required for student participation and achievement in the classroom [ 22]. Most curriculum reformers agree on the implementation of different principles in the science content curriculum, including a basic understanding of the natural world (e.g., physical phenomena) [ 2, 18, 23]. According to previous studies of science teaching, a positive effect of content learning on the behavior of students with ID or ASD was found [ 24]. Scruggs and Mastropieri [ 25] observed that science courses specifically designed for students with mild ID showed positive learning outcomes regarding adapted material and the design of relevant conclusions derived from teacher guidance. The effectiveness of mnemonic strategies for facilitating verbal communication for science concepts and physical phenomena was also noted in the classroom [ 24, 25].

Despite the increase of empirical research in general academic content, such as reading and mathematics, a gap remains in the provision of academic content in science to students with ID or ASD [ 26]. Abstract concepts and demanding equation skills seem to present barriers in science teaching, especially in physics content. According to previous reviews [ 17, 27], researchers agree that students can benefit from systematic instruction with supplemental combined teaching strategies. An interesting field that has emerged is science instruction related to technology and science instruction via inquiry learning. Spooner's review [ 17] considered including coding studies as "acceptable" via Horner's quality indicators, to identify effective interventions [ 28]. Researchers underlined that students with ID or ASD can evaluate science skills aligned with the general curriculum. Rizzo and Taylor [ 29] analyzed the bibliography and reviewed the teaching strategies and inquiry learning for students with several disabilities. They included 12 studies between 1992 and 2013 and concluded that the scientific vocabulary can serve as a self-monitoring strategy for problem-solving skills.

In a recent review by Apanasionok et al. [ 30], six electronic databases were searched, and 30 studies were examined. The studies focused both on student academic achievement and the assessment of students, and instructor experiences. The targets were science vocabulary and concepts, comprehension, and inquiry skills. The findings indicated that elements of systematic instruction contribute to successful science teaching for students with ID or ASD, but further research is needed. Knight et al. [ 31] synthesized 12 studies conducted between 2009 to 2018 addressing science content for students with ID and ASD. The main purpose of their review was to evaluate methodologically sound studies by meeting the quality indicators of the Council of Exceptional Children. Another review of research in science instruction was conducted by Taylor et al. [ 32] which involved students with ASD. The researchers included published studies between 2000 to 2018 and highlighted the importance of enhancing the science literacy of students with ASD for further progress in the classroom and participation in society. Following this trend, more research is needed on science academic content for students with ID and ASD with co-occurring ID, since they are usually enrolled in the same settings and supported by similar interventions that seem to be helpful and beneficial for them.

1.2. The Present Study

The current study was designed to investigate science-teaching interventions and criteria that contribute to the academic achievement of students with ID or ASD. Additionally, social validity could be assessed as a new variable in this research field. Our purpose is to identify, examine, and synthesize the initial outcomes of the included studies, as a comprehensive synthesis. We highlighted science vocabulary and comprehension science skills regarding science concepts for students with ID or ASD to access academic content aligned with the general curriculum. The results could support all graded educational programs and promote inclusion [ 33, 34]. They could also be helpful to teachers and special educators [ 35]. The research questions were:

RQ1. What types of intervention strategies for supporting students with ID or ASD in science have been studied by researchers?

RQ2. Which educational objectives have been addressed and in which setting have they occurred?

RQ3. How effective were the interventions?

2. Methods

2.1. Data Sources

An extensive search of the literature was conducted during 2019 to retrieve studies that met inclusion criteria for this review. The following electronic databases were searched: (a) Educational Resources Information Center, (b) ScienceDirect, (c) Scopus, and (d) Google Scholar. The search terms used were instruction, science, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, a list of combination of terms was used (e.g., teaching, learning, intervention, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, mental retardation, down syndrome, moderate intellectual disability, and autism) to identify the research base of academics and students with ID or/and ASD. The initial search yielded 1044 articles. An ancestral search was conducted through handsearching of prominent special education journals, such as Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities Education and Training in Autism and Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities to ensure we identified all studies matching our criteria. Finally, 63 additional studies were included.

2.2. Study Selection

The studies needed to meet the following inclusion criteria: (a) publication dates were in the specified scope of 2008-2019 in a peer reviewed journal in English, (b) participants were identified as having a diagnosis of ID or ASD with co-occurred ID and were in primary, secondary, or postsecondary education, (c) the study included an experimental design, (d) the independent variable was an intervention based on science vocabulary or basic comprehension of science content, and (e) the dependent variable was the assessment of science content.

The criterion referred to the experimental design, which led to single-case research design, which supports educational practices in targeted analysis of the individual as each participant serves as their own control. Performance prior to intervention is compared to performance during and/or after intervention. Therefore, synthesis procedures could help determine whether an intervention is effective in including change regarding performance [ 28]. Detailed characteristics of the studies included in the review are presented in Figure 1.

After records were identified and duplicates removed, the original search resulted in 1107 documents. Titles and abstracts of all documents were screened to determine whether they met inclusion criteria. As a result of the initial screening, 961 documents were excluded, resulting in a total of 146 documents that were screened by full text. Then, the authors reviewed the articles to ensure they met the final inclusion criteria. Following the screening, 122 full-text articles were excluded as duplicates (76), group studies (4), qualitative studies (2), reviews (13) and studies that did not meet the participant and publication criteria (27). The two coders came to an agreement on whether to include articles. A total of 24 studies conducted in the USA met the inclusion criteria and were consequently included in this review.

2.3. Data Extraction and Coding

A coding guide was created to extract relevant information to examine accessibility in science classrooms [ 37]. Data were extracted in an Excel Microsoft Office protocol and were categorized into three categories: (a) source description, (b) research methods and procedures, and (c) substantive issues. Source description data included publication date, author team, journal, and type of manuscript. Research methods and procedures included the type of research design, intervention components (baseline, intervention, generalization, maintenance), and measures used. Substantive issues included the variables implementer, problem types, instructional setting, disability category, participants' ages, and fidelity of implementation.

The descriptive analysis included detailed descriptions for the participants (number, age, gender, disability), setting and instructors, the effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables, science academic content and targets, supplemental teaching methods, research design, and social validity. See Table 1 and Table 2 for the additional results of the synthesis of the reviewed research.

2.4. Data Synthesis

After the coding procedure, the descriptive results were analyzed and synthesized considering similar study characteristics. Specifically, the studies are summarized in Table 1, considering the number of participants identified with ID or ASD, setting and instructor, content area for the targeted skill, intervention, and type of research design used.

2.5. PND Effect Size

All studies were summarized meta-analytically based on results of visual analysis of student individualized graphs. The effectiveness of intervention was determined using a nonparametric metanalytic approach [ 62]. Calculating the percentage of nonoverlapping data for each study, we recorded an overall PND for each instructional variable. We used only the data points of baseline and intervention phases because some of the studies did not present generalization or maintenance outcomes. According to Scruggs and Mastropieri [ 63], PND effect size can range from 0% to 100%, with interpretation guidelines offered by its authors: >70% for effective interventions, 50% to 70% for partial effectiveness, and <50% for ineffective [ 64]. The two authors agreed on PND calculations.

3. Results

SPSS (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) for Windows and Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Albuquerque, NM, USA) were used to extract data. The outcomes included data extraction and comprehensive description of 24 coded studies, their synthesis, the quality analysis based on Horner's criteria and the determination of the effectiveness of the studies [ 62, 63]. The studies focused on the instructional method, the supplemental practices and technology use. Table 1 presents study characteristics, participants, settings and instructors, science content, and targets. The experimental design was also noted.

3.1. Study Characteristics

A total of 24 studies conducted in the USA between years 2008-2019 and applied a single-case research design. In particular, 22 studies used a multiple probe across participant design and two studies used a reversal design ( Table 1). All 24 studies focused on science content (targeted vocabulary and basic comprehension). The training settings included different types, such as resource rooms, inclusive classrooms, university campus, or other physical facilities in schools. The instructors were teachers, special educators, paraprofessionals, peer tutors, or researchers.

3.2. Participants

All 24 studies described the participants with sufficient detail and replicable precision for other researchers to recruit similar participants [ 28]. There was a total of 77 participants reflected across 24 documents included in this review. The studies involved from 1 to 8 participants per study between 4 to 25 years old (mean age = 12). Out of those students, 50 had a diagnosis of ID and 27 ASD with ID. The participant origin is presented in Table 1, with most of them American, Hispanic, or Caucasian. All students were taught in English at school. Three of the studies do not provide information regarding student origin.

All students according to their latest evaluations had an IQ of 70 or below. The different diagnoses of ID and ASD were grouped together because of the similar academic profile of students based on the criteria of their previous reading and comprehension assessments. Additionally, all studies included gender-specific information (29 females and 48 males). The students were enrolled in all education levels, with most of them to be enrolled in middle school (23 students in grades K6 and K7). A total of 15 studies reported the IEP program of students.

The extracted data were relevant to the academic, communicative, and behavior content. A total of 21 studies reported information about reading, comprehension skills, functional sight words, and application questions. Most students responded very poorly to basic reading skills. Only 3 participants had extremely low or totally absent reading skills. A total of 11 studies with a total of 27 students referred to basic to high computer skills. A total of 23 studies reported student response mode (51 students responded verbally, 21 multimodal and 3 responded with other types of response, such as gestures).

Social and behavior skills were recorded in 13 studies. The outcomes indicated low to basic skills and only 5 participants reflected high level of social skills. Enough students could greet with or without prompting. Additionally, they interacted with peers and their teachers or other adults. Their behavior presented heterogenic characteristics because of their disability level. Some examples were noticed as a single behavior, such as willingness, participation, creativity, cooperation, and independence, which affected student cognitive processes (e.g., completing a task). Other students indicated negative behavior, such as refusal or eloping from a setting if left unattended, or repetitive ritualistic behavior, such as whining or crying when their routine was disrupted. Difficulties in academic content that students faced were extracted from 22 studies (reading, comprehension, writing, and problem-solving). Additional communicative deficits (speech delays, specifically regarding receptive and expressive language) led to limited student participation in the class.

3.3. Setting

Most of the studies described the setting with sufficient detail. A total of 15 studies took place in a resource or a special education classroom (7 of those followed a one-to-one instructional format), but 5 studies were conducted in a general or inclusive classroom [ 41, 42, 45, 47, 53]. Some studies took place within the tutor room or in other settings, such as college (outdoor campus) or computer lab [ 56, 57, 60]. The instructors were teachers, or special educators, or the researchers of each study. Specifically, teachers implemented the intervention in 8 studies and special educators in 4 studies. There were 3 studies which were carried out by teachers and special educators, too [ 45, 46, 48]. Researchers were involved in all 24 studies either as interventionists or as data collectors to assure interrater reliability. Paraprofessionals participated in 10 studies, and peer tutors in 6 studies.

Each study covered at least 2 phases-baseline and intervention phase. The total time duration was measured from 15 to 60 sessions. The 17 studies included a short pre-baseline phase before the students entered the baseline for them to be trained. When all of them demonstrated proficiency, based on the researcher master criteria, the baseline began. The baseline lasted from 3 to 18 sessions and the intervention phase from 4 to 19 sessions. Several studies included pauses or vacation during the implementation of intervention; however, single-case research design is considered adaptable to those conditions [ 28].

3.4. Science Content and Targets

Physics, biology, environment and science skills were included in science content aligned to the USA curriculum. The studies targeted the acquisition of grade-aligned science terms, comprehension, and application for students with ID or with ASD.

3.5. Experimental Design

The total of 24 studies used single-case research design with quantitative outcomes in a visual analysis of participant graphs. A functional relationship was determined between dependent and independent variables (19 studies) relevant to science vocabulary and comprehension skills to student academic achievement. The 22 studies followed a single-case research design across participants and the other 2 used a reversal design. Visual analysis involved interpretation of the level, trend, and variability performance occurring during baseline and intervention conditions (see Table 2). Additionally, researchers of each study judged the immediacy of effects, the proportion of overlapping data points, the magnitude changes in the dependent variable, and the consistency of data patterns. The single-case design is regarded as important to determine educational interventions, as each participant serves their own control. Specifically, performance prior to intervention was compared to performance during and/or after intervention [ 28].

3.6. Independent and Dependent Variable

The independent variable in single-subject research is the intervention under investigation. We examined the articles, and we determined the instructional strategies, such as the systematic instruction and the supplemental supportive strategies that the researchers used.

Most studies (13) used systematic instruction in a total of 44 participants. Of those, 39 indicated improvement in their outcomes when PND effect sizes were calculated. The 8 studies used instructions based on inquiry skills, including 43 participants. Out of those, 37 recorded improving outcomes based on targeted skills in problem solving and in participation during the process. All these interventions were determined as effective. Just one study used self-directed instruction with elements of instruction based on inquiry skills, task analysis, time delay and prompting with high effectiveness based on the outcomes [ 46].

Analyzing the studies, we found that a combined system of teaching methods could effectively support an intervention for students with ID or/and ASD. Of the 24 instruction studies, 19 used prompting techniques and 11 studies applied task analysis. These strategies were the most frequent methods that researchers and instructors preferred. Other teaching approaches were constant time delay (7 studies) and peer tutoring (6 studies). Technology was regarded as a strong and reinforcing practice, met in 12 studies (i.e., types of technology: eText, video modeling, augmented reality, and robotics).

The dependent variables were operationally defined to allow valid and consistent assessment of the variable and replication of the assessment process [ 28]). The 24 single-case research designs used 37 dependent variables defined and measured repetitively within and across controlled conditions by the number of independent correct answers or task analytic steps on probes. The outcomes were presented as an academic performance in participants' individualized graphs. The measurement of interobserver agreement (IOA) should allow assessment for each variable across each participant in each condition of the study. The 23 studies report IOA.

3.7. Outcomes

The interventionists and researchers measured the effects of the independent variables on the dependent variables during probe sessions. Some studies collected generalization (15) and maintenance (12) data using activity sheets to assess student use of science terms within science activities in the general education class.

Baseline phase indicates that the level of independent correct answers ranges from zero to low values, with stable or decreasing trend before intervention starts. When intervention phases began, most students indicated a change in level (immediate or not) from decreasing to stable or to increasing. In reference to data variability, there was a low or high variability, with overlapping data for interventions with partial effectiveness. In parallel, a meta-analytic procedure had occurred, documenting comparative trends in the types of appropriate instructional methods. A total of 24 studies extracted 37 dependent variables and the interventions were characterized as effective (26), partially effective (9), and ineffective (2) based on their effect size. Studies were categorized as following full stages of baseline, intervention, maintenance, and generalization.

3.8. Experimental Control

Regarding Horner et al. criteria [ 28], a total of 20 studies provided experimental control for most threats to internal validity. They allowed confirmation of a functional relationships between the manipulation of the independent variable and change in the dependent variable. A total of 2 of them provided experimental control ABAB by documenting 3 demonstrations of experimental effect at 3 different participants [ 44, 60]. A total of 18 studies provided a similar logic for documenting experimental control for multiple baseline designs. The results documented experimental control by demonstrating a covariation between change in behavior patterns and introduction of the intervention within 3 different series at 3 different points in time. A total of 4 studies that did not demonstrate experimental control showed that the point in time coincided for all the participants [ 38, 46, 59, 61].

3.9. Social Validity

Single-subject research document interventions are functionally related to a change in socially important outcomes. Additionally, interventions report the procedures to be acceptable and feasible. Social validity was measured via questionnaires in 20 studies. Students were asked whether enjoyed participating in the study and whether they felt participating in the studies increased their knowledge of science content. Additionally, the interventionists assessed the instructor perspectives related to student ability to generalize skills to activities within the science classroom, the level required to deliver the intervention and their perspectives of the social importance of the intervention. As a result of this, interventions converge to the general science-teaching targets aligned to all students, for them to be included in the general science classroom.

3.10. Interobserver Agreement (IOA)

Interobserver agreement was taken on 21 of 24 studies (%) including 17 of 61 participants (27.87%). Coders agreed on 75 of 77 occurrences (97.4%). Disagreements were fidelity of implementation and problem types. The two authors discussed differences and reached a consensus.

3.11. Meta-Analytic Procedure

After analyzing the studies descriptively, we investigated the characteristics of each study meta-analytically. Once we calculated the effect sizes for each individual participant across intervention, we obtained an overall ES for the intervention of each study (see Table 2). In addition, visual analysis involved interpretation of the level, trend, overlapping data, immediate change and variability of performance occurring during baseline and intervention conditions. The integration of information from these multiple assessments and comparisons was used to determine if a functional relationship exists between the independent and dependent variables. All participants increased the results in the probes in comparison to the baseline points. The generalization and maintenance phases were recorded in most of the studies in which students responded. To sum up, studies were categorized as having social validity results. Overall PND effect sizes ranged from 46.75% to 100%. A total of 17 studies were effective ( Table 2). When large effect sizes were calculated, the data in visual analysis showed an immediate change and an increasing trend. There was an important increase to the academic achievement compared to the low or very low level in baseline phase. The results were regarded as reliable if the performance during an intervention phase did not overlap with the performance during the baseline phase when data points were plotted over time. The outcomes of all the studies are presented at Table 2.

4. Discussion

Research indicates that students with ID or ASD often struggle with complex contexts regarding science teaching. Their cognitive deficits hinder full access to grade-aligned content in science classrooms. However, several adaptations and modifications may increase student participation and progress. Using the previous teaching approaches to teach science content to students with ID or ASD, students make meaningful natural-world connections. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to explore studies of academic achievements of students with ID and ASD (depending on IQ) on science content and estimated intervention effectiveness. The specific purpose was to better understand how to improve the comprehension of basic science content. In addition, we focused on analyzing the effect sizes combined with the visual analysis of individualized graphs by determining the effectiveness of each intervention. Our review both supported and extended prior literature on science-teaching interventions for students with ID or ASD. The study highlighted that systematic instruction is an effective method of teaching academic content to students with ID or ASD [ 30, 31, 50]. Additionally, validating our findings, many other studies have found a strong relationship between science vocabulary knowledge and science comprehension especially for students who may struggle with reading skills. Additionally, previous research supported our finding that teaching the definition of science vocabulary helps students to better understand science expository text [ 17, 27, 29, 30].

As a result of this work, inquiry learning can be considered an effective practice when used with supplemental instructive methods [ 5]. Students enrolled in guided inquiry teaching programs developed social and problem-solving skills [ 29, 65]. The results of the current review agree with previous research that referred to supportive methods in science teaching for students with ID or ASD. Spooner et al. [ 17] found that task analysis offered positive outcomes to student achievements. Breaking down a complicated task into steps helped students to develop attention and problem-solving skills.

A supplemental teaching technique which was met in some studies was peer tutoring or cooperative learning groups and procedural facilitation. These approaches can be used to increase comprehension for students with ID or ASD. The system of least prompts holds promise as the most popular practice in a supporting and positive learning environment. Specifically, the system of least prompts can help students to remain on task, even if work is demanding. As students with ID learn slower (because of their deficits or low patience), prompts and reinforcements are regarded appropriate and supportive during the teaching process.

Technology can benefit students with ASD and ID for them to evaluate social and communicative skills [ 15, 66]. These students meet learning barriers, therefore technology related to individualized characteristics can increase participation in the classroom. Digital technology motivates students with disabilities to participate in daily activities and contributes to their academic achievements by synthesizing information in multiple ways, such as visual representations or alternative environments [ 2].

Using systematic instruction with supplemental practices to teach science literacy to students with ID or ASD will allow them to make more meaningful natural-world connections. Τhe current review also extends prior reviews by including more recent research in generalization and maintenance phases during teaching process. The sufficient detailed description of participants with ID or ASD is a way to use of student strength based on their individualized needs. The teaching target-oriented knowledge usage or functional skill in daily life leads to science skill evaluation aligned with general curriculum [ 6, 67].

Limitations

Several limitations to this study suggest future research directions. First, we located a small number of studies that met the identified criteria (n = 24). Upon ancestral search which was conducted through the handsearching of references we included additional studies. We must notice that unpublished data from high-quality studies were not included in the review. Some keywords or other terms may not be identified in the title or abstract during database searching. One more limitation is bias against publication, which is often met in synthesis, and bias against positive findings which may be included in the review. Additionally, the results we reviewed came from USA. The absence of studies in Europe indicates the limited field in this type of research. However, it is important to recognize the contribution of the single-case research design in teaching academic content (e.g., reading, mathematics, and science) for students with ID or ASD. Researchers and practitioners should design interventions focusing on single-subject design, which is an effective research design in special education. Despite the significant difference between intervention types (systematic instruction, inquiry learning), the small number of studies made it difficult to create a meta-analytic synthesis as a combination of effect sizes. We must notice that there is still debate in the field over the use of meta-analytic techniques with single-case research designs because they neither fit a random nor a fixed effect model perfectly. Given these limitations, and the fact that research on this topic is at a nascent stage, several options for future research exist.

The researchers should discuss the results and how they can be interpreted from the perspective of previous studies and of the working hypotheses. The findings and their implications should be discussed in the broadest context possible. Future research directions may also be highlighted.

5. Conclusions

There is a necessity in the process of adapting effective science-teaching interventions for students with ID and ASD to be included in the general classroom. Student access to science content aligned with the general curriculum contributes to the comprehension of their individuality as a part of the natural world [ 34]. The use of available material resources, appropriate and alternative conditions, as well as the assistance of technology can support the teaching process, for students with ID or ASD to reach their full potential [ 68]. Science education can contribute to inclusion, providing equality for students with ID and ASD in society [ 69].

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, G.I. and S.-G.S.; methodology, G.I.; software, G.I.; validation, G.I. and S.-G.S.; formal analysis, G.I.; investigation, G.I.; resources, G.I.; data curation, G.I.; writing-original draft preparation, G.I.; writing-review and editing, G.I.; visualization, G.I.; supervision, S.-G.S.; project administration, S.-G.S.; All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Informed Consent Statement

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Table 1. Synthesis of the studies.

Citation

Participants

Age (or Grade)

Setting/
Instructor

Science Content/
Teaching Targets

Intervention
Design

Britton et al. [ 38]

1 M
Origin-
ID, IQ: 51

17

RR
Paraprofessionals
peers

Environment
(recycling, pollution)

TA, TD
MPD

Ciullo et al. [ 39]

1 M
Hispanic
ID, IQ: -

-
(4th grade)

RR, SE

Biology (sea world)
C (concept maps)

Collins et al. [ 40]

16-19

Researcher

Biology
(photosynthesis)
V, C

TA and prompting
MPD

Courtade et al. [ 41]

4 M 4 F
African
American
Caucasian
Hispanic
ID, IQ: 39-54

11-15

GC, T
paraprofessionals

Physics (magnetism)
V

IL,
prompting and TA
MPD

Fetko et al. [ 43]

12-14

RR, T
paraprofessionals
Peers

Hart & Whalon [ 44]

16

RR, T
paraprofessionals
Peers

Science skills

Hudson et al. [ 45]

1 M 2 F
origin-
ID, IQ -

-
(elementary)

GC, T, SE
peers

Science skills
C (listening and
wh-questions)

Prompting,
peer tutoring
MPD

Jimenez et al. [ 46]

11-13

RR, T, SE

Jimenez et al. [ 47]

11-14

GC, T
peers

SI, IL, prompting,
TD, peer tutoring
MPD

Jimenez et al. [ 48]

9

RR, T, SE
paraprofessionals

IL, prompting, TD
MPD

Knight et al. [ 49]

5-8

RR, T
paraprofessionals

Science skills
(daily life)
V, C
(inside-outside,
change, hot-cold,
same-different)

SI, IL, prompting
MPD

Knight et al. [ 50]

13-14

RR
Researcher

SI, TA,
prompting, TD
MPD

Knight et al. [ 51]

11-14

RR, SE
Paraprofessionals

SI, prompting
Tech (eText)
MPD

Knight et al. [ 52]

3 M 1 F
Caucasian
ID, IQ: 41-55

18-21

RR, SE

SI, prompting
Tech (eText)
MPD

Knight et al. [ 53]

7-10

GC, T
paraprofessionals

McKissick et al. [ 54]

9-10

RR
Researcher

Science skills
(decision and
navigation skills)

SI, prompting, TA
Tech (CAI)
MPD

McKissick et al. [ 55]

2 M 1 F
Caucasian,
African
American,
Hispanic
ASD, IQ: 49-71

13-14

RR, SE
Paraprofessionals

Biology (cell)
V, C

SI, prompting
Tech (CAI)
MPD

Miller & Taber-Doughty [ 57]

1 M 2 F
Caucasian, Latin
ID, IQ: 46-63

12-13

Kitchenette
Researcher

IL, TA
MPD

Smith et al. [ 59]

6-8

RR
Researcher

SI, IL, ΤA, TD
MPD

Taylor [ 61]

1 M 2 F
Caucasian
ID, IQ: -

5-7

RR
Researcher

Science skills
(programming and
coding skills)

SI
Tech (robotics)
MPD

Table 2. Assessment of generalization, maintenance, effect sizes and social validity.

Citation

Generalization

Maintenance

PND

Social Validity

Jimenez et al. [ 46]

√

-

100%
100%
100%

√

Jimenez et al. [ 47]

-

√

94.28%
91%
75%

√

Jimenez et al. [ 48]

-

√

64.95%
25%
50%

√

Publisher's Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

AMA Style

Chicago/Turabian Style

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Systematic Review of Single-Case Research on Science-Teaching Interventions to Students with Intellectual Disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder

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The present study records and evaluates science-teaching interventions for students with intellectual disability (ID) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at all education levels, for better access to the general curriculum. We conducted a systematic review of the primary research literature published from 2008 to 2018.

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Teaching Science to Elementary Students | Tips & Strategy

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Get tips on making science fun for kids (ages 8-12). These 9 quick ideas will help your student succeed in elementary science, and prepare for the future.

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Teaching Approaches and Strategies for Science in the 21st Century

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Teaching Approaches and Strategies for Science in the 21st Century

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Teaching Approaches and Strategies for Science in the 21st Century

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Free International Webinar-(296) with Verified e-certificate.👉 Topic- "Teaching Approaches and Strategies for Science in the 21st Century"👉 Date: 23.12.202...

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Teaching for Success Webinar: Science Intervention Research

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Teaching for Success Webinar: Science Intervention Research

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Science Intervention Research: Teaching for Success Webinar

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Science can be incredibly fun for children (and adults) of all ages! However, just like any other subject, if your child struggles....

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Science Interventions to Help the Struggling Student

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Science Interventions to Help the Struggling Student

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Science Intervention Strategies to Help Students Succeed

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Spread the loveMany students struggle in STEM-related subjects: science, technology, engineering, and math. Struggling in science can be discouraging for students, parents, and educators. As students increase in grade level, the emphasis placed on science in the public-school system increases, making many students feel they will never catch up.

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Math interventions for Student's with ASD in Middle School 

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Math interventions for Student's with ASD in Middle School 

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PaTTAN tier 1 class-wide interventions (focus on ASD)

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PaTTAN tier 1 class-wide interventions (focus on ASD)

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Tier 1 Class-Wide Interventions for Reading and Math: Setting the Foundation for Success

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Time 4 Learning Math Curriculum for Students with ASD

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Time 4 Learning Math Curriculum for Students with ASD

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Teaching math to students with ASD can be easier and simpler than you thought! Use the right math curriculum to tap into their learning strengths.

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Tier 1 interventions for Kiddos with ASD

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Tier 1 interventions for Kiddos with ASD

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurological disorder that is increasingly prevalent in schools. Many school districts have begun to develop their own self-contained programs to meet the needs of students with ASD. As a result, school social workers are increasingly tasked with providing tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions to students with ASD. In this article I will overview curricula I use for tier 1 programming for students in a 6th-8th grade self-contained ASD classroom.

When selecting a tier 1 curriculum for students it is important to examine student ability, targeted skills, comprehension, behavior, and language levels. General learner characteristics influence the curriculum course I select for tier 1 groups. In my practice, I have created three major learner profiles I encounter in self-contained ASD classrooms. These include early language learners, ASD with emotional concerns, and high functioning autism. Please note that the learner profiles do not encompass all students and some students may not "fit" into any of the profiles completely. This is merely an overview of common learner profiles I work with, and how I program for them.

Learner Profile #1: Early Language Learners

These students struggle to use expressive communication to relay their wants and needs. They may have below average to average cognitive ability. Much of their school-based therapy programming is focused on increasing their speech and language skills. Important skills taught include identifying emotions, practicing basic conversation skills, and/or building their reciprocal play skills, depending on their age group. These students tend to prefer to play alone and seek out interactions to get basic needs met. This group of students can range in all ages.

For early language learners, I use curriculum with short, animated video clips paired with social stories and direct skills practice. Superheroes Social Skills is an effective curriculum I have used with this learner profile. This curriculum is advertised for students grades K through 6; however, I have used this curriculum to work with students who have limited expressive communication skills 6th-8th grade. This curriculum targets basic social skills such as joint attention, greetings, conversational exchanges, and basic emotion identification. It includes animated videos to teach the concept, comic strips to review, and role play scenarios to further reinforce the concept.

This curriculum (published in 2011 at https://www.ancorapublishing.com/product/superheroes-social-skills/) contains a range of materials for a total cost of $865

Learner Profile #2: ASD with Emotional Concerns

These students present with typical autism characteristics and have a markedly difficult time regulating their emotions. This may result in physically or verbally aggressive behaviors. They typically have basic language skills, some delays in core academics (e.g. reading, writing, math), and/or complex sensory profiles. Typically, these students engage in overt and exaggerated physical or verbal means to show they are upset, angry, or nervous. They may require an individualized behavior intervention plan. Much of their school-based therapy programming is focused on increasing their capacity to problem solve, identify emotions, and use coping strategies. These students tend to require 1:1 teaching and counseling services to acquire and generalize these skills.

When programming for these students, I typically use curriculum specific to the problems they present with. I find it most effective to use a multi-modal curriculum with worksheets, videos, dialogue, and role plays to help students learn and practice different coping strategies. As a Tier 1, whole group intervention, I have had great success using Second Step curriculum. I will assess the group of students I work with and "teach to the middle." This means I may have a class of students ranging from 6th-8th grade and select the 7th grade curriculum as my tier 1 group. Second Step has lessons laid out for practitioners. Lessons include video models, scripts to teach the lessons, worksheets, and homework to reinforce the concepts.

Photographer: Anna Samoylova | Source: Unsplash

(Link: https://www.secondstep.org/)

Learner Profile #3: High Functioning Autism

These students are highly verbal and present with average or above-average cognitive ability. They may participate in general education classes for core academic instruction. Students with this profile typically struggle to read social situations and understand social nuances. When frustrated, they may try to negotiate or engage in verbal arguments to emphasize their point. These students typically present with very literal, black-and-white interpretations in social situations. Much of their school-based therapy programming is focused on higher-level concepts. These include: perspective taking, understanding advanced body language, and interpreting sarcasm or idioms. For students who present with a high functioning autism profile, I typically use social curriculum developed for general education students, but adapt it to fit the unique learning needs of the students. I have used Second Step and Social Thinking curriculum with this learner profile successfully. However, I have always found myself adapting and adding certain lessons to these curriculum sets for Tier 1 programming.

Photographer: Ian Veenstra | Source: Unsplash

Building my own Program

Over the years, I have worked to create a clinician-made curriculum that is implemented five days a week by myself (social worker), classroom teacher, and the speech/language pathologist. We call the tier 1 group "Sociology." The curriculum aligns with CASEL social-emotional competencies (Link: https://casel.org/core-competencies/). "Sociology" includes a rotation of core concepts to teach students to interpret social nuances, advanced conversation skills, tone of voice, and reading body language. The core concepts we use include: non-literal language (i.e. idioms), hidden social rules, personal highlights, and perspective pictures.

For non-literal language, we pick a different idiom each day for the students to research. This includes writing notes about the definition and recording when they have heard people use it. We then practice different frames of speech and social situations these idioms may be used in. For hidden social rules, we select a different rule each day. Examples include lunchroom behavior, holiday meals with family, and locker room behavior. We explicitly teach expected vs. unexpected behaviors in those situations. Using short video clips or role plays, students act out and identify the expected course of action for each hidden social rule. For personal highlights, we have students practice identifying something positive in their day. We then have their peers actively listen by generating questions and comments to the student's highlight. For perspective pictures, we select images with social complex social nuances. Students then animate the pictures with thought bubbles and conversation bubbles to depict what may be occurring. We then discuss different people's perspectives and how to act in situations where there are multiple perspectives.

Teaching students with ASD can be an enriching experience, especially when you are able to use an effective curriculum. There are many pre-packaged curricula available; however, working with students with ASD may require the practitioner to tailor and adapt the curriculum to meet the unique learner profiles of students with ASD.

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Tier 1 Interventions for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Review of curriculum for 6th-8th grade students with ASD based on learner profile.

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RTI math programs, tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3. MTSS research based math intervention strategies. Xtra math, dreambox, primary numeracy assessment, math intervention programs

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Math interventions for 1st & 2nd grade with 3 tiers

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Math interventions for 1st & 2nd grade with 3 tiers

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Math Intervention Training for 1st and 2nd Grade Teachers

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This practice guide was prepared for the WWC by Mathematica under contract ED-07-CO-0062.

The following research staff contributed to the guide: Shannon Monahan, Libby Scott, and Jamila Henderson.

These videos were prepared by WestEd under the Doing What Works Contract (ED-PEP-11-C-0068).
All videos are based on recommendations from the WWC practice guides and are designed to complement the guides.

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response to intervention elementary math struggling math middle school math multi-tier intervention tier 1 tier 2 tier 3 math instruction progress monitoring screening explicit instruction supplemental instruction whole number rational number math disability

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WWC | Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools

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Taking early action may be key to helping students struggling with mathematics.

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6 Helpful Math Intervention Strategies for Struggling Students

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6 Helpful Math Intervention Strategies for Struggling Students

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Students struggling with concepts in the classroom need extra attention to help them catch up. Math intervention strategies can be easily implemented in small groups throughout the week to help students right where they are.
By Proud to be Primary

How to Help Your Students with Math Intervention Strategies

We have all had students who aren't grasping the math concepts being taught. These students need extra guidance to understand the topics at hand. Math interventions will help students catch up to their peers and understand the skills being taught.

Here are some strategies to implement in the classroom to help students.

Math Intervention

What is Math Intervention?

Think about math intervention as a way to help students who are behind in the skills being taught in the classroom. They are targeted strategies implemented by the teacher to help students get the support they need to understand the material being taught at grade level.

When to Implement Math Intervention Strategies?

Math strategies should be implemented when students are struggling with a topic. The earlier you help them with a skill, the quicker you can get them on track.

Who Needs Math Intervention?

Math intervention can be used with any student, but often they are implemented for students who are one or more grade levels behind in a math topic.

Math Intervention Tiers

Regarding math intervention, there are three tiers in which teachers break down their instruction. Tier 1 means that students are 80% or more efficient in their math skills at the grade level. A tier 2 intervention is reteaching the current grade level strategies to help the student not fall behind. Finally, tier 3 refers to interventions given to students still working on previous grade-level material.

All intervention tiers should provide students additional time to work on their skills. These should not be whole group instruction times but rather small group periods throughout the day and week.

Math Intervention Strategies for Struggling Students

So what does math intervention look like in action? There are many ways to help your students; here are just a few examples that work well with younger students.

1 - Using Hands-On Methods and Materials

Using hands-on materials is a great way to immerse students in the skills they need to learn. Math manipulatives are fantastic tools to have in the classroom. Cubes, laminated tens frames, 3D shapes, linking chains, and tons of other small tools help students conceptualize the skills they are working on. Using counters and tangible items has been proven to help students while they learn new math skills.

Visual models, such as "I Can" Posters, are an excellent way for students to see and internalize what they are working on. Try Kindergarten, First Grade, or Second Grade "I Can" Posters as helpful tools and simple statements for students.

2 - Differentiation

Differentiating the material to meet the needs of each student is also essential. Differentiating the skill may involve meeting with some students more than others, or it might look like completely changing up an activity to meet students where they are.

Let's say you are working on addition with students. Some groups may be able to do two numeral addition, while others are still working on adding numbers one through ten. Differentiating involves analyzing the students' needs and helping them master their lowest skill level before moving on.

While you can plan some activities for several students, some may need more scaffolding or support. Pay attention to these details as you work with tier 2 and 3 groups. Listen to their needs and build up from there. They'll catch up in no time.

3 - Math Warm-Ups

Use Math warm-up activities with all students, especially your tiered students. Math warm-ups allow students to work on skills in an open-ended format. Introduce skills slowly and then make them more challenging, allowing students to work through them without feeling overwhelmed.

The consistent format helps them understand the instructions without getting frustrated. Giving them open-ended activities to anticipate each day will help them build confidence, gain extra practice, and stay on track instead of falling further behind.

Try Math Warm-Ups for 1st Grade and Math Warm-Ups for 2nd Grade. Use them as morning work or to warm up their brains before a new math lesson.

4 - Open-Ended Math Activities

Open-ended math activities are activities that allow students to experiment with how they get an answer. While you will be teaching certain strategies, all students reach the answer in a different way. Math centers and other open-ended math activities allow kids to get creative and learn through their experiences.

Open-ended math activities are also beneficial because they allow students to come up with their answers in their way. Sure, you've taught specific strategies, which should be reflected in their work, but some students reach their solutions in unique ways. As long as they can explain their work, these should be encouraged.

5 - Small Group Instruction

Take advantage of small group instruction. Use whole group lessons to teach the primary skill, but use small groups to get down to the nitty-gritty. Pay attention to the information students hold onto and where they need more assistance.

Each small group session might include a warm-up or review, followed by a main activity and then a quick assessment or exit ticket. The ideal use of this time is to focus on one skill and help kids build on that skill without getting overwhelmed.

The group they are working with is on the same level as them, so they all have a common understanding of the task at hand. So placing the tier 2 kids together is important for targeted math intervention, while tier 3 kids may need extra pull-out support during this time.

6 - Exit Tickets & Quick Assessments

Utilize exit tickets or quick assessments that check for understanding. Exit tickets are simple ways of seeing which students grasp a concept and which need more guidance.

One of the simplest ways to provide students with an exit ticket is to write an equation (or skill) on the board and give them each a sticky note. In order to leave the classroom for lunch or recess or to move on to the next activity, they must present their answer on a sticky note.

This will help teachers and students see where help is needed, and it will help you plan your interventions and small group activities. Exit tickets and quick assessments are great tools to keep everyone on track.

Math Intervention Routine

As you implement your math intervention routine, take it slow. If you speed through the process, kids won't catch on, and you'll quickly find yourself back at square one. Instead, start slow and use repetitive activities and terminology. It may seem "elementary," but we are teaching primary, after all!

The repetition will help students digest the information, even if they seem bored. Watch for mastery as they learn the concept; you'll know when to bump them to the next skill.

Staying on the topic of consistency, plan your intervention times accordingly. Pick a time you can stick to each week so students get the help they need.

How to Use Mindful Math for Intervention

The Mindful Math Curriculum is a fantastic math program with many tools, materials, and resources that are useful for whole class instruction, small groups, and math intervention. The curriculum includes warm-ups, ideas for whole group counting and ways to build number sense, using manipulatives and models to build understanding, assessment quick checks, ideas for small group instruction, and activities to create awareness.

While you might use these resources for small or whole-group instruction, all materials can easily be used for intervention groups by just tweaking things here and there. For example, instead of working with partners, use the games to work one-on-one with students. Instead of completing an activity once, have the students complete it three times for repetition. You might also have students use multiple strategies to build numbers or to reach an answer so they conceptualize the skill.

Learn more about the Mindful Math curriculum and how it can help you!

Resources for Math Interventions

Try these Math Products by Proud to be Primary to support your math intervention efforts seamlessly. There are tons to choose from!

Mindful Math Curriculum contains everything you need to teach each math subject throughout the year. There are ten units for each grade level. The materials are perfect for tier 1 and tier 2, and 3 students who need extra practice.

"I Can" Posters are a fantastic way to help students visualize and conceptualize what they are working on mastering. Use these in your intervention groups to show them what they are working on.

Warm-Up Task Cards have 90+ different tasks and activities to help students master math skills. The cards can be used in centers or small groups to help students build their confidence.

Try Free Math Assessment Quick Checks
Click the image below to grab a copy.
Try the Quick Checks in your classroom with this FREE resource! Use these assessment tasks as an intervention tool to see where your students are at and what they need more review on.

More Math Intervention Ideas for Students
spiral math review hands-on math activities math teaching resources PIN for Later

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6 Helpful Math Intervention Strategies for Struggling Students

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Use these helpful math intervention strategies to scaffold tier 2 and 3 students in the kindergarten, first, or second grade classroom.

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Difference between tier 1 & Tier 2 in Math Intervention

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Difference between tier 1 & Tier 2 in Math Intervention

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tier 1 instruction vs. tier 2 instruction

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Tier 1 Instruction vs. Tier 2 Instruction - What's the difference?

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In this video, I'll share with you how to make sure you're using the best instruction possible for your students. One of the most important things is underst...

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Teaching with RTI: Math Tier 2 and Tier 3 Strategies

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These RTI math Tier 2 and Tier 3 strategies strive to provide teachers with a systematic approach to early math intervention.

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Schedule of tier 2 interventions Pg's 22 &23

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Schedule of tier 2 interventions Pg's 22 &23

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PPT - Tier 2/Secondary Interventions PowerPoint Presentation, free download - ID:9457569

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Tier 2/Secondary Interventions. Rachel Saladis Kim Miller Kathy Halley. Inclusion Activity. Outcomes for Day Two. Agenda -- Day Two. Inclusion Review of Secondary Systems Understanding Behavior Understanding and Using Brief FBA/BIP Planning to use Brief FBA in school.

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Teacher Center: Tier II Instruction Fluency Intervention

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Center for Whole-Child Education (Turnaround for Children)

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The purpose of a tiered system of supports is to ensure that each student's individual needs are met and that appropriate resources are allocated in a way that matches the student's level of need. These supports are crucial regardless of whether school is in-person, hybrid or fully remote. The tiers of support stay constant across these settings, although there may be differences in how students are identified as needing support and how supports are implemented and evaluated.

There are three levels of support: Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3. It is imperative that schools recognize that Tier 2 and Tier 3 supports are to be accessed when universal Tier 1 supports have not been effective in meeting the needs of a student.

Tier 2 provides selective supports for individuals or groups of students with some additional low-level learning, social-emotional and developmental needs.

This tier adds a layer of support to a select group of students that will ultimately be impactful for all students. These supports are based on need and call for one or more of the following:

A change in environment

A need for improved relationship or interaction (between staff and student or between students)

The learning of a new skill

Development of a mindset

Tier 2 supports can be provided in the following ways:

The student is referred to and discussed at a Tier 2 meeting

The referring individual reaches out directly to another service provider or student support staff member in the building

Tier 2 team membership includes all teachers (including the referral teacher) on a given grade team, along with any specialist educators who work with that grade. Optional members include school leaders, to provide expertise and logistical support around decisions regarding student interventions, and intervention specialists or clinical support persons, to provide more support around mental health and other learning needs.

Regardless of the pathway selected for support, Tier 2 planning includes creating goals, selecting intervention supports, and documenting this as part of a student support plan, followed by the opportunity to review student progress after the intervention/support has been implemented for a predetermined period of time.

Tier 3provides intensive supports for individual students with more significant needs or whose needs are not sufficiently met by Tier 2 supports. There are two reasons for a student to be referred to receive Tier 3 supports:

The student is not benefiting sufficiently from Tier 2 interventions

The student is demonstrating crisis-level indicators of need at Tier 1; this is called direct Tier 3 referral and is considered the crisis component of a tiered system of supports

The venue through which this support is provided is primarily a Tier 3 meeting of multidisciplinary staff and other stakeholders within a child's context outside of school.

Tier 3 team membership often comprises teacher(s), caregiver(s), a special educator, administration, a mental health provider (if one is part of the school community) and/or a student support staff member, and community stakeholders, based on the child's context. This collective group reviews data and considers supports attempted prior to the referral. They will then determine appropriate goals and interventions. Interventions at this level may involve both in-school and out-of-school supports. In addition, progress monitoring may occur more frequently. Occasionally, there may be students who, based on the review of their progress, are determined to have needs beyond what the school can provide. At this point, schools may consider external services and evaluations, including external mental health agencies.

Implementing A Crisis Component

It is important for schools to design and implement a Crisis Component within their tiered system of supports. As indicated above, each tier of support has its own purpose and function. While most students have needs that can be met through the Tier 2 and Tier 3 processes, other students may have more immediate needs that require urgent attention. Click here to understand more about the design of this component of the system.

As mentioned previously, schools must outline clear steps for providing students access to supports, allowing for smoother collaboration among adults. Click here to see a visual of how students might receive access to supports within a tiered system.
Return to Tiered Supports Be the first to know about new resources and participate in Turnaround for Children feedback loops: sign up here.

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Understanding the Differences Between Tier 2 and Tier 3 - Center for Whole-Child Education (Turnaround for Children)

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Differences in a tiered system of supports include how students are identified as needing support and how these supports are implimented.

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How do students enter into tier 2 and what characteristics may classify as such

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How do students enter into tier 2 and what characteristics may classify as such

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Page 7: Tier 2 Components

Students who require Tier 2 intervention are those who did not respond adequately to the high-quality instruction provided in the general education classroom (i.e., Tier 1). This tier of RTI usually involves more intensive targeted intervention and frequent monitoring.

Targeted Intervention

Targeted intervention involves providing a standard, validated instructional program to students in a group typically consisting of no more than five students. This intervention should be provided by someone who has received extensive training in the intervention program and may be implemented by general education teachers, paraprofessionals, reading specialists, or other qualified individuals. No matter who delivers Tier 2 intervention, the general education teacher should share responsibility for the instructional planning and the decision-making process for these students.

For more information on Tier 2 reading instruction, view the IRIS Module:

Frequent Monitoring

The individual providing Tier 2 instruction needs to continue to monitor student progress. The procedures and measures used for progress monitoring in Tier 2 are the same as those used in Tier 1. This phase of intervention should be provided for a minimum of 10 weeks, during which it is recommended that the Tier 2 instructor continue to plot each student's scores on his or her existing progress monitoring graph. The instructor should draw a dotted vertical line to indicate when Tier 2 intervention begins. This will allow school personnel to compare the progress made during the different tiers of intervention. Click here to see an example of a graph containing both Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions.
LaToya's CBM Graph
Example of a graph that contains both Tier 1 and Tier 2 intervention

This graph shows LaToya's Tier 1 and Tier 2 data. The dotted vertical line indicates when Tier 2 intervention begins. It is common practice to draw a dotted vertical line on a graph to indicate the point at which instruction or intervention changes.

RTI Tier Decision Process

In addition to the two methods of evaluating student progress discussed in the Tier 1 section (i.e., performance level, rate of growth), a third method can be used to evaluate student progress. This method consists of using performance level and rate of growth in conjunction and is the preferred means for determining whether students are responding adequately to Tier 2 intervention. Research demonstrates that using both criteria provides a better picture of how students are responding to Tier 2 intervention than does either criterion alone.
dual-discrepancy approach
The use of twin criteria, performance level and rate of growth, to evaluate student progress.

Research Shows

The use of both criteria, performance level and rate of growth, was shown to be the most reliable means of distinguishing between students who respond to instruction and those who do not.
(McMaster, Fuchs, Fuchs & Compton, 2002)

Unlike the IQ-achievement discrepancy model, the use of both criteria (performance level and rate of growth) to determine academic progress avoids gender bias or the overrepresentation of specific ethnic groups in special education services.
(Speece, 2005)

To assess progress, teachers need to examine students' CBM data at the end of the predetermined Tier 2 monitoring period (a recommended minimum of 10 weeks). Teachers will examine both performance level and rate of growth for only the Tier 2 portion of the graph and will decide whether students are making progress based on the following guidelines:

Students are making adequate progress if their scores are at or above the established criterion for either performance level or rate of growth

Students are not making adequate progress if their scores fall below the criteria for both performance level and rate of growth

The table below summarizes this decision making process.

It is important to note that there is no set sequence for the evaluation of performance level and rate of growth. For the purposes of this module, an order has been imposed on this process (see steps below) because experience indicates that it is more common for students to meet their performance-level expectations (i.e., benchmark) than to meet their rate-of-growth expectations (i.e., slopes). In effect, evaluating performance level may first reduce the amount of work teachers have to do to make tier decisions.

As they evaluate how their students respond to Tier 2 intervention, teachers should do the following:

Step 1: Evaluate the performance level for each struggling student.

If a student's performance level meets or exceeds the relevant benchmark

If a student's performance level does not meet the benchmark go to Step 2

Step 2: Evaluate the rate of growth.

If a student's slope meets or exceeds the established rate of growth

If a student's slope does not meet the established rate of growth provide Tier 3 intensive, individualized instruction

In Summary

If the student's performance level is equal to or greater than the established benchmark or if the student's rate of growth (slope) is equal to or greater than the specified rate of growth (e.g., 1.8 on the first-grade Vanderbilt University WIF probe), the student is responding adequately to instruction.

On the other hand, if the student's performance level and rate of growth are less than the specified criteria, more intensive instruction is warranted.

For Your Information
Communicating with Students
When they view their academic growth in an easily understood format (e.g., on a graph), students can see the relationship between their effort and their progress. Graphs:

Offer students a visual representation of their progress

Demonstrate that hard work pays off

Motivate students to maintain their efforts or to work harder

Communicating with Parents
CBM data are an excellent resource to use when communicating student progress to parents. During a parent-teacher meeting, teachers can clearly demonstrate:

How the student is progressing compared to his or her past achievement

What goals the student is expected to meet by the end of the school year

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Students who require Tier 2 intervention are those who did not respond adequately to the high-quality instruction provided in the general education classroom (i.e., Tier 1). This tier of RTI usually involves more intensive targeted intervention and frequent monitoring. Targeted intervention involves providing a standard, validated instructional program to students in a group typically consisting of no more than five students.

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Pictures of a classroom that allows for equitable instruction. 

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Pictures of a classroom that allows for equitable instruction. 

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Heather Gasvoda | K-12 Content Marketing Manager

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12 Effective Tier 1 Instructional Strategies

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Explore 12 essential tier 1 instructional strategies from modeling to collaborative learning PBL and more to support all students in the classroom.

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Institut des troubles d'apprentissage (Institut TA)

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Response to Intervention (RTI): Tier 1 - Learning Disabilities Institute

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Tier 1 interventions can help empower students by enabling them to establish their own learning goals. Students are in the driver's seat—though educators are assisting throughout the drive—in deciding how they will accomplish various learning goals.

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As an educator, you understand the importance of Tier 1 core instruction, as well as goals and interventions, for students' success. But you may not always know the best way to set those goals or provide the interventions in the general education classroom.

However, it's not complicated if you break it down and have a system in place.

In this blog, I'll explain the importance of Tier 1 interventions, lay out the steps for setting Tier 1 goals, and suggest ways to provide intensification when needed.

The difference between differentiation and intervention

Two terms that we often use in schools when we talk about our teaching practices are differentiation and intervention. But there can be some confusion around these terms. What's the difference between them?

Differentiation refers to student-specific efforts that teachers take to foster grade-level annual growth. In other words, it's what you do every day in the classroom to help students get-or stay-on track to reach end-of-year learning goals. An example of differentiation is repeating information for a student with attention difficulties.

An intervention, however, is an additional instructional resource or support beyond the high-quality classroom instruction all students receive that is aligned to a student's needs. It is a student-specific effort designed to foster grade-level catch-up growth. An example of a Tier 1 intervention is pre-teaching target vocabulary words to a student prior to presenting the words to the whole class.

The concept of growth is the key that distinguishes intervention from differentiation. Differentiation focuses on day-to-day practices for helping all students to reach grade-level annual learning goals. In contrast, intervention focuses on helping students catch up so they can get back on track.

Is intervention only meant for Tier 2 or Tier 3 students?

This is a common misconception, but the truth is that Tier 1 interventions can be done.

One way to do Tier 1 intervention is through intensification of instruction for some or all students. Here, you should consider the 80% rule: If fewer than 80% of students in your class are meeting a learning goal, it's recommended that you intensify instruction for all students.

Research shows that this will benefit students who are farther behind, without holding back or delaying the learning of students who are already on track or even ahead.

But when 80% or more of students have reached a benchmark, it might make more sense to provide interventions on a small-group basis for some students, simply because the need is different. Overall, it's a matter of using resources as effectively as possible.

5 steps for setting Tier 1 goals

When meeting with your data analysis team to discuss Tier 1 interventions after universal screening, you'll want to address the five following points to set Tier 1 goals.

#1: Decide which goal you will aim for by your next meeting

You should always ground instructional decisions in data to decide if what you're doing is working. When choosing your next goals, make sure they are SMART. This acronym stands for:

For instance, you may decide that you will try to have a certain percentage of students move from the some-risk to the low-risk range by the next screening period.

#2: Make a list of possible strategies that will address the goal

Once you brainstorm your list of strategies, you should rate them using the following questions:

Which ones are research-based?

Which ones are most practical?

What materials do we have available?

Which ones require additional training?

Having the answers to these questions will help you and your team to decide which strategies may be the most productive and efficient for your students at this time.

#3: Select the strategy that will be used

Once you decide on a strategy (or strategies, if you opt for more than one), be sure to explicitly describe it. Being as specific as you can about your Tier 1 intervention strategy helps you in the next step, where you plan exactly when and how you will implement it.

#4: Plan logistics for the strategy

When planning logistics, you and your team should ask questions like:

Do we need to purchase something?

What training is required?

Does this strategy require additional team members to be involved?

When can the strategy be implemented?

Finally, decide when you will sit down as a team and review the data again. Remember, part of your SMART goal is that it is time-bound, so you should always have your time frame in mind when assessing Tier 1 intervention goals.

4 ways to provide intensification in Tier 1 interventions

Intensification is any teaching practice that is designed to accelerate learning. It's a way of helping students engage in catch-up growth by providing more opportunities for learning.

Here are four ways we can help students meet Tier 1 intervention goals through intensification.

#1: Frequency of lessons

With more days of learning (or lessons per week), more learning happens. The more we can ensure that students are participating in targeted instruction on a daily basis, the more likely they'll be able to engage in catch-up growth.

This will have important implications as you're thinking about your schedule. The work is to figure out how to provide as many effective lessons as possible across instructional formats and to help students catch up to the learning goals.

#2: Duration of lessons

Based on research about time on task, it's a tried-and-true finding that longer lessons will equal more learning. Here, you must consider how many minutes have been allocated for instruction, and what you can do to maximize that time for student learning.

#3: Opportunities to practice

Opportunities to practice allow students to have the repetitions that help them achieve mastery. It's also part of making sure we have active student engagement. Finding ways to ensure that students are all actively engaged in lessons requires our creativity as teachers to optimize the likelihood that they will meet those learning goals.

We also need to be providing immediate feedback. The "honesty factor" plays a big role here, because the nature of our feedback will be a predictor of whether students will trust us.

For example, if teachers were to provide only one type of feedback, whether all positive (e.g., "Awesome! Great job!") or negative (e.g., "Nope, that's not right."), students would start to tune it out. If the feedback being provided is not in relation to actual performance, it won't be taken seriously.

Note: If you find that most of your feedback with a group of students is, "No, that's not right," it means the difficulty level of the material isn't matched to where the students are right now. The teacher has a responsibility to adjust and scaffold the content in order for the students to have more success.

#4: Group size

Often, when we consider who might benefit from small group instruction, we think of active students who have difficulty with attention. However, other students can benefit as well, particularly very quiet students who might otherwise hide in the group and not speak up.

As you think about the format in which you would be able to provide any kind of intervention activity in your Tier 1 core instruction, consider the strategic use of subgroups-such as small groups within the larger class-as a way to make sure all students can engage. The goal for group size is to ensure that all students participate an equal number of times in activities.

Examples of Tier 1 interventions

Tier 1 interventions can support all students in the classroom by creating a positive learning environment-but what do these interventions look like? Here are some guidelines and examples:

Establishing clear expectations

Both teachers and students can benefit when teachers clearly establish their expectations with their students. These expectations should include both behavioral and academic performance in the classroom.

By setting realistic expectations, students feel supported and safe, and teachers can create a positive learning environment for everyone.

Using positive reinforcement

Rewarding students for their academic performance and behaviors encourages them to continue to do well. This can even go beyond offering verbal praise or small prizes in the classroom. Teachers can reach out to families to let them know they're grateful for their students' positive behaviors.

These communications could involve:

Selecting one student every day to send praise to their parents or guardians about

Sending a weekly newsletter of positive events that happened in the classroom

Calling, texting, or emailing parents or guardians with a message of gratitude when a student meets expectations for the day

Implementing structure and routines

Consistency is key. When teachers implement procedures for instruction, classroom management, and transitions, students are provided with the structure needed to reduce-or even prevent-disruptive behaviors.

Avoid surprises when it comes to classroom structure. Provide expectations on how the classroom will be run:

How will students access learning materials?

What are the expectations surrounding homework?

How can students move about the classroom?

When can students interact with each other during instruction?

Providing opportunities for students to make choices

Tier 1 interventions can help empower students by enabling them to establish their own learning goals. Students are in the driver's seat-though educators are assisting throughout the drive-in deciding how they will accomplish various learning goals.

Start small. Offer choices in activities that pair with teaching objectives. Things as simple as choosing their seats in the classroom or which books they will be reading for a lesson can greatly increase engagement.

Renaissance: Supporting Tier 1 interventions with a whole child approach

We believe in supporting the whole child, not just academically but socially and emotionally as well. Every student deserves the support they need to succeed. With Renaissance, your district can ensure you're meeting the needs of every learner.

Our solutions help you to:

Provide early, evidence-based support to all students in your classroom or school, to prevent learning gaps before they become major barriers to success

Analyze student performance data and deliver tailored-to-your-student interventions

Our research-backed approach also provides ongoing support and guidance to teachers and students, allowing them to create a supportive, nurturing learning environment.

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What are Tier 1 interventions? | Renaissance

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How can you use Tier 1 interventions to reach the goals you set for student learning? Find out here.