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We are excited to share our guidebook for the responsible adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) across our District. GenAI offers unprecedented opportunities to enhance classroom interaction, personalize learning experiences, and foster an innovative learning environment for our students.

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Special Education Policies and Procedures | Chicago Public Schools

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Low Incidence Cluster and Separate Setting

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Low Incidence Cluster and Separate Setting

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BOY Best Practices Checklist for Low Incidence Cluster & Separate Setting Teachers

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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SY24 Low Incidence Cluster End of Year and ESY Best Practices Checklist *MAKE A COPY*

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In this document, we respond to a variety of questions about starting kindergarten in Illinois.

When do children begin kindergarten in Illinois?

To begin kindergarten in Illinois, a child should be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 of the kindergarten year and live within the boundaries of the school district.

Do all Illinois children have to attend kindergarten?

At present, Illinois requires districts to offer kindergarten but does not require that children attend kindergarten. Illinois also does not require that children attend kindergarten before being permitted to enroll in first grade.

What factors should parents consider when thinking about starting kindergarten later?

Parents may want to delay, by one year, the enrollment in kindergarten of an age-eligible child if the child has a birthday so close to the cut-off date that they are likely to be among the youngest in the class. (By law, a child must begin school if he or she is 6 years old on or before Sept. 1.) These parents believe that older children are more successful in coping with the social, emotional, and academic demands of kindergarten than younger children. This practice is sometimes referred to a "academic redshirting."

Research on the effects of redshirting has shown mixed results. It is difficult to establish a direct link between being redshirted and doing well or poorly in kindergarten and beyond. Studies indicate that children who are redshirted may show a short-term gain in academic skills, but these early advantages may decrease as children move through the elementary grades (Sands, Monda-Amaya, & Meadan, 2021).

There are potential pros and cons to delayed kindergarten entry. A benefit of redshirting may be that older children are less likely to be held back or diagnosed with a learning disability. Another benefit may be for the younger students enrolled in a classroom with older students who were redshirted. The younger students have older peers to model appropriate social behavior and better academic skills for them. Conversely, delaying school entry can cost a family an additional year of childcare or preschool, or it can result in the loss of a parent's income for an additional year if that parent stays at home with the child (Elder & Lubotsky, 2006).

Parents, rather than school districts, may initiate the process of delaying kindergarten entry. However, some school districts have policies related to age and grade placement that indicate a 6-year-old child enter first grade, thus not allowing for redshirting. Parents should become familiar with their district's policies.

The following list describes some factors for parents to consider, as well as some tips.

Clearly identify the specific characteristics that cause you to be unsure about your child's readiness to begin kindergarten. Don't delay entrance into kindergarten just because a child has a summer birthday or is likely to be among the youngest in the class. Some younger children may be more ready for kindergarten than some older children.

Talk to your child's preschool teacher or childcare provider about your child's abilities in following directions, completing tasks, and getting along with other children. Also ask the kindergarten teacher or attend a kindergarten fair or open house if available in your district for suggestions about what you can do at home to help your child prepare for kindergarten.

Find out more about the nature of the kindergarten program. Is it half-day or full-day? Many kindergarten classes in Illinois are full-day. If your child still takes a long nap, they might need time to adjust to a full school day.

What is the typical class size? Kindergarten classes may have larger groups than those found in preschool or childcare centers. A very shy child might need time to adjust to this change.

What else would your child be doing if they did not start kindergarten? Would your child have easy and safe access to playmates and play spaces? Are there easily available (and affordable) good-quality preschool programs for your child? If so, are they still developmentally appropriate for your child, or are they geared toward the needs of younger children?

What factors should parents consider when thinking about starting kindergarten early?

Some parents may consider enrolling their child in kindergarten ahead of schedule. This is called accelerated entry. Parents might choose this if their child has a birthday just past the cutoff date (e.g., a child is required to be 5 years old by Sept. 1, but the child's birthday is Sept. 2) or if they believe their child is ready for kindergarten significantly early. Districts are required to have policies for assessing a child's readiness for school. Based upon that assessment, a school district may let a child start early, or it may deny the request.

Some considerations for parents thinking about starting kindergarten ahead of schedule:

Clearly identify the specific characteristics that make you think your child is ready to start kindergarten early.

Consider your child's self-help skills and communication skills, such as following multiple-step directions, waiting for a turn, using the bathroom and washing their hands, and communicating wants and needs.

Find out more about the nature of the kindergarten program. Is it half-day or full day? Many kindergarten classes in Illinois are full day. If your child still takes a long nap, they might need time to adjust to a full school day.

What does your child's preschool or childcare teacher think about your child starting kindergarten early? Get their perspective.

Note: In a school district operating on a year-round schedule, children who will be age 5 within 30 days after a term starts may start school that term. For the full text of this code, see Illinois school code (105 ILCS 5/ § 10-20.12).

How can I support my child in beginning kindergarten?

Talk to your child in a positive way about starting school. Your child is likely to adjust rapidly if you approach the beginning of kindergarten with real confidence and reassurance and if you share any concerns you have with the teacher.

Talk about some typical expectations and routines in a classroom. Explain to your child that if they need to go to the bathroom, they should ask their teacher. Also talk about the fun things they will do in kindergarten such as making friends, playing outside, and reading books.

Practice kindergarten tasks. Practice eating a packed lunch. If your child needs help opening a sandwich bag or water bottle, either consider teaching them how to do this or select an "easier-to-open" option. Practice hanging their coat by the hood or by the sleeve on a low hook. Practice taking their coat on and off independently.

More tips for parents can be found in NAEYC's Ready or Not, Kindergarten Here We Come! and our tip sheets Getting Ready for Kindergarten and Going to Kindergarten.

References

Cascio, E., & Schanzenbach, D. W. (2016). First in the class? Age and the education production function. Education Finance and Policy, 11(3), 225-250. https://doi.org/10.1162/EDFP_a_00191

Elder, T. E., & Lubotsky, D. H. (2009). Kindergarten entrance age and children's achievement: Impacts of state policies, family background, and peers. Journal of Human Resources, 44(3), 641-683. https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.44.3.641

Sands, M. M., Monda-Amaya, L., & Meadan, H. (2021). Kindergarten redshirting: Implications for children with disabilities. Disabilities, 1(1), 30-46. https://doi.org/10.3390/disabilities1010003

IEL Resources

Web Resources

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Starting Kindergarten in Illinois | Illinois Early Learning Project

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In this document, we respond to a variety of questions about starting Kindergarten in Illinois.

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PK-8 Literacy Block Components (Overview and Grade Blocks - Skyline Aligned)

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Chicago Public Schools Parent University helps families support their children's success in school through providing free resources, supports and classes.

The Resource Center for Autism and Developmental Delays (RCADD)

RCADD provides resources and support for those who serve children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or other developmental delays. RCADD offers downloadable resources as well as workshops to families and educators.

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ODLSS' Mission & Vision The ODLSS Mission is to provide equal education for ALL Diverse Learners in the least restrictive environment. We will enhance a convergence with all district-wide administrators, teachers, parents, advocates, and community members. The ODLSS Vision is to support every

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What is the Assistive Technology Resource Center? We provide consultations, evaluations, devices, and training for students with disabilities and their teams on a referral basis as part of the IEP process. We help students access their curriculum when they cannot use traditional tools. We may

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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Behavior Contract is a written agreement that outlines expected behaviors during a defined amount of time. Behavior contracts also note the student's chosen reinforcement of what they receive when maintaining the behavior contract.

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Importance of Data Collection Data collection within classrooms is of paramount importance when responding to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) as it enables educators to track progress, make data-driven decisions, and ensure personalized support for each student's unique

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Introduction

High Leverage Practices (HLPs) are strategies every teacher should know and use. Both general education (TeachingWorks, 2020) and special education (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform [CEEDAR] Center, n.d.) fields have outlined specific HLPs that pertain to the respective populations of students. In the context of inclusive classrooms, both sets of HLPs must be optimized to support students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The purpose of this TIPs Sheet is to provide ideas for inclusive general education classroom implementation of those HLPs that are common to both general and special education.

High Leverage Practice Crosswalk

TeachingWorks (2020) at the University of Michigan designed the original set of HLPs for teachers. In response, experts from the CEEDAR Center at the University of Florida and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) outlined corresponding HLPs for special education. In addition, CEEDAR Center (n.d.) created a crosswalk which focuses on the similarities and connections between the two sets of High Leverage Practices. This TIP Sheet provides an extension of the crosswalk developed by CEEDAR and provides practical application for the inclusive classroom.

Implementation

In the CEEDAR Center crosswalk (n.d.), each general education HLP is listed with the coordinating special education HLPs that align with the instructional strategy. In the tables that follow we provide groups of common HLPs for special education and general education. We then illustrate each set of shared HLPs with a vignette from an inclusive classroom. In this inclusive classroom Mr. Carter is the general education teacher. He collaborates frequently with Ms. Salcido, the special education teacher, and Ms. Cardoso, the speech-language pathologist, so they can best support DJ, a student with significant cognitive disabilities and complex communication needs.

Participating in Group Discussions

1) Leading a group discussion

9) Teach social behaviors

14) Teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence

18) Use strategies to promote active student engagement

Mr. Carter often starts class with a group discussion but notices that DJ does not seem to participate. He knows that DJ can use his communication device to greet his peers and ask for things he needs, but notices that DJ rarely uses it in class. Mr. Carter decides to ask Ms. Cardoso for advice. Together, they discover that DJ does not have the right words programmed on his device, which makes participating in group discussions downright impossible! They create a list of all the relevant words for the next unit and program his device so that DJ can participate with his peers. Ms. Cardoso also does some pre-teaching with DJ on the unit content and relevant words as well as teaching him to raise his hand to participate.

Fading Supports for Answering Comprehension Questions

2) Explaining and modeling content, practices, and strategies

14) Teach cognitive and metacognitive strategies to support learning and independence

9) Teach social behaviors

16) Use explicit instruction

20) Provide intensive instruction

Mr. Carter knows that all his students benefit from modeling, especially when it is time to learn a new concept. He uses the "I Do, We Do, You Do" method to introduce the skill, practice it together, and then give students the opportunity to practice on their own. DJ is not always ready for independent practice, so Mr. Carter decides to use that time to work intensively with DJ on the skills he needs to be successful in class. For example, the class is working on referring back to the text to answer a comprehension question. Mr. Carter models how to look back in the text to answer a question with the whole class while he points to the text on DJ's desk (I Do). Next, Mr. Carter leads the class through a second example where Mr. Carter frames where DJ should be looking in the text by outlining around the text (We Do). Lastly, Mr. Carter will ask DJ step-by-step questions to guide him through the process while DJ works to respond to each question (You Do).

Each student in Mr. Carter's class knows they are expected to share their thinking and that it is a safe place to do so. Mr. Carter loves how much DJ has been participating now that his communication device includes the relevant words, but sometimes DJ can be off-topic. Both Mr. Carter and Ms. Salcido help shape DJ's contribution through positive and constructive feedback. An example of this is acknowledging DJ's response to a question and providing support to go to the text to verify (or revise) DJ's response, based upon what is found in the text.

Reviewing Complex Concepts

Over the years, Mr. Carter has realized that he needs to do a quick review of division before introducing fractions. This makes him wonder if there are any other skills that he needs to "break-down" for DJ. He works with Ms. Salcido to create a plan to teach some of those more complex skills in smaller "chunks" so DJ can be successful in class.

Creating a Respectful Learning Environment

At the start of each year, Mr. Carter reviews the rules for respectful discussions in his class. It is an excellent opportunity to address social skills for all participants. He makes sure to include information this year about "think and response time," as DJ takes a little longer than his peers to share his thoughts using his communication device.

Responding to Student Learning with Scaffolded Supports

Mr. Carter knows the value of formative assessment and he uses it throughout his lessons to ensure student understanding, adjusting his instruction when necessary. More complex and abstract skills are typically difficult for DJ, so he scaffolds the skills when needed by breaking the task into small chunks so that DJ can access them. One strategy that Mr. Carter often uses is a graphic organizer to break down and illustrate key points. This approach benefits all students in the class.

Managing Challenging Behavior

DJ has begun to show some task refusal during math time, and Mr. Carter hypothesizes that it is because the work is challenging. In collaboration with Ms. Salcido, they develop a functional behavioral assessment and behavior intervention support plan for DJ. Mr. Carter always phrases his feedback to students in a positive way, indicating what they should do, instead of focusing on what they should not do, so he recognizes the importance of a replacement behavior. He and Ms. Salcido decide to teach DJ to ask for help when he becomes frustrated.

Establishing Routines

In Mr. Carter's classroom, everything has its place. He uses color coding, labels, and visual cue cards to show where things go and what the expectations are. This not only helps DJ, but all of his students to become more independent learners.

Using Small Group Instruction

It can be hard to find time in his schedule to include small group activities, but Mr. Carter knows how important it is. Not only does it give his students time to collaborate and discuss concepts more in depth, it also gives him the time to sit with each small group and check for understanding. Mr. Carter switches up the small groups frequently, to ensure everybody gets a chance to work with people with different personalities, skill levels, and interests. Whenever he starts a new group, he checks in with DJ's group first, to make sure everybody in the group is including him in the conversation, and that DJ has a meaningful way to engage with his peers. Ms. Salcido frequently supports small group instruction as well, providing additional support to Mr. Carter and all students and learning more about the curriculum and DJ's access and progress in grade level content.

Building Rapport

Mr. Carter has a special greeting that he uses with each student. Some students give a high five, others a handshake, and others do a little dance. Whatever the form, Mr. Carter teaches each student the power of a greeting. This works great for DJ because one of his IEP goals is to initiate greetings with familiar adults and peers, so Mr. Carter has lots of data to share with the speech teacher, Ms. Cardoso.

Communicating with Parents

Mr. Carter communicates with all his parents on a regular basis. He sends home weekly newsletters, and makes "good news" calls home as often as he can. Mr. Carter knows that DJ's parents appreciate any information he can give them because DJ does not communicate the same way his peers do. He also takes care during IEP meetings to emphasize DJ's strengths, before moving on to discuss areas of need.

Collaborating with Families

At the beginning of the year, Mr. Carter sent home a "Need to Know?" form for families to fill out, where they could tell him anything they thought was important for him to know about their child. Some parents included information about their religious beliefs, some about custody arrangements, and some about past experiences that they believed were relevant to their child's education. He also included a place for parents to indicate whether they wanted to speak with him more in depth. DJ's parents checked this, and so they met as a team at the beginning of the year. DJ's parents really appreciated the opportunity to meet with Mr. Carter, and to share information about their son's strengths, needs, medical concerns, and more.

Setting Goals

At the beginning of the year, Ms. Salcido met with Mr. Carter to go over DJ's IEP goals. This was really helpful, because it helped Mr. Carter be aware of what DJ needed to work on. Although DJ's goals are standards-based, they do not cover all of the standards. Mr. Carter does need to cover all the standards in his teaching. So now, when he is writing his unit plans, Mr. Carter collaborates with Ms. Salcido and includes long- and short-term goals for DJ and his classmates. They are written succinctly and without jargon; but it is something that Mr. Carter believes has helped all of his students!

Sequencing Lessons

Mr. Carter likes to look to the end goal when he is writing his lesson plan. He always starts with a unit plan, and then develops single lesson plans. Mr. Carter has noticed that the lessons are still a little too complex for DJ. He decides to collaborate with Ms. Salcido, and together they use the principals of systematically designed instruction to develop task analyses and mini-lessons to help address any knowledge or skill gaps or priority concepts. Ms. Salcido also supports instruction via co-teaching, working with small groups of students, and delivering individualized instruction for DJ and others who need additional support prior to, during, or following unit completion.

Checking for Understanding

Mr. Carter keeps a data sheet to help guide his formative assessment. He walks around the room while the students are doing independent or partner work and checks off whether they can demonstrate the skill of the day (which he gets from his lesson plans). If they cannot, he gives them additional instruction during small group time. Because DJ does not show his understanding the same way as his peers, Mr. Carter always has a modified quick-check for him. For example, sometimes he uses response cards and has DJ identify the appropriate one to determine whether he is making progress toward his short-term goals. Ms. Salcido engages in this formative assessment as well and often creates the modified quick-checks for DJ.

Utilizing Assessments

Mr. Carter feels that it is very important that DJ is included in all aspects of the classroom community, including assessments. He meets with Ms. Salcido a week before the assessment to review the unit goals and skills. Together, they develop a differentiated assessment so DJ can show what he knows.

Responding to Progress

17) Interpreting the results of student work, including routine assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and standardized assessments

1) Collaborate with professionals to increase student success

4) Use multiple sources of information to develop a comprehensive understanding of a student's strengths and needs

5) Interpret and communicate assessment information with stakeholders to collaboratively design and implement educational programs

Once DJ takes his differentiated assessment, Mr. Carter reviews it with Ms. Salcido. Together, they consider any areas where DJ may have made errors and determine how they will respond. Some skills are extremely important for DJ to make progress in future units, but others may not need to be a priority.

Providing Feedback

Mr. Carter uses descriptive verbal praise whenever providing feedback with his students. He has found that it increases their learning and motivation. It is no different with DJ, who absolutely loves social praise! Mr. Carter teaches his students to provide feedback to each other as well, using scripted phrases, response cards, and more.

Reflecting on Instructional Practices

DJ is the first student with significant cognitive disabilities that Mr. Carter has taught. And Ms. Salcido is not an expert in the general education curriculum. Although they have learned a lot this year, there is still more to learn. Mr. Carter and Ms. Salcido continuously evaluate their own teaching, ask for help from other teachers, and visit the TIES website for more resources. Mr. Carter and Ms. Salcido are well on their way to becoming great co-teachers for all students!

Summary

In summary, High Leverage Practices are really just best practices. Although separate HLPs have been developed for general education and special education teachers, there is a significant amount of crossover. These are strategies and practices that are effective for all students! By incorporating these practices into daily instruction in inclusive settings, students will have increased opportunities to succeed.

TIPS Series: Tip #8, April 2020

All rights reserved. Any or all portions of this document may be reproduced without prior permission, provided the source is cited as:

Clausen, A., Reyes, E. N., & Wakeman, S. (2020). High-Leverage Practices Crosswalk (TIPS Series: Tip #8). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, TIES Center.

TIES Center is the national technical assistance center on inclusive practices and policies. Its purpose is to create sustainable changes in kindergarten-grade 8 school and district educational systems so that students with significant cognitive disabilities can fully engage in the same instructional and non-instructional activities as their general education peers, while being instructed in a way that meets individual learning needs. TIES Center is led by the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, and includes the following additional collaborating partners: Arizona Department of Education, CAST, University of Cincinnati, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Charlotte, and University of North Carolina - Greensboro.

TIES Center is supported through a Cooperative Agreement (#H326Y170004) with the Research to Practice Division, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education or Offices within it. Project Officer: Susan Weigert

TIES Center

University of Minnesota

Institute on Community Integration

2025 East River Parkway

Minneapolis, MN 55414

Phone: 612-626-1530
www.tiescenter.org
This document is available in alternate formats upon request.

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and educator.

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TIES TIPS | Foundations of Inclusion | TIP #8: High Leverage Practices Crosswalk

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High Leverage Practices (HLPs) are strategies every teacher should know and use. Both general education (TeachingWorks, 2020) and special education (Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability and Reform [CEEDAR] Center, n.d.) fields have outlined specific HLPs that pertain to the respective populations of students.

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Purpose

Inclusive strategies support all students to engage in robust, meaningful learning in the same setting. They support us to reduce barriers in the design of our lessons so that all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, can be included in a lesson from the start.

This site provides strategies to spark ideas to design your lesson. To select strategies:

Clarify the goal of your standards based lesson.

Incorporate one or more of these inclusive strategies into the lesson to support students to achieve the goal.

Gather feedback from students on how the tools and resources support their learning.

Table of Contents

Spark student engagement
Support student interest, effort, and motivation in learning.
Recruit interest in the lesson

For example,

Connect the content to areas of high interest for students. To learn more about students, try peer interviews or KWL charts (External site) or create student profiles

Incorporate multiple cultural backgrounds and diverse representations of role models in the media, materials, and classroom resources.

Make connections across disciplines and lessons.

Use technology or tools students are interested in using, such as smartphone apps, raps, music, drama, art, etc.

Provide choice to get to the learning goal

For example,

Offer open-ended choices for students to select books, topics, or ideas they are interested in learning about.

Celebrate the different pathways students use to achieve their learning goals.

Offer opportunities for students to reflect on their learning choices. For example, try exit tickets, journaling, experience books (External site) , turn and talk, or one-on-one conversations.

Invite ownership over the learning process

For example,

Encourage students to set their own learning goals and pathways so they become more autonomous in their learning. Celebrate different pathways to achieve success and be sure there is not a "hidden right" choice.

Work with students to understand rubrics or checklists to help monitor what they need to work on next.

Develop a resource area where supplies and tools are available that students can choose to use, such as calculators, assistive technologies, graphic organizers, and digital recorders.

Model how to abandon plans that may not be working and find a new way to productively learn.

Support motivation and persistence through challenges

For example,

Provide frequent, formative feedback that provides students with clear suggestions of what they did well and what they could improve.

Offer resources to meet the demands of the task. For example, try sharing worked examples, think alouds, or models to explain complex ideas.

Foster student collaboration so students can help each other through the learning process.

Incorporate opportunities for active participation, exploration, and experimentation. For example, try manipulatives or hands-on opportunities.

Teach how to take mindfulness or movement breaks. Offer opportunities to take these breaks as needed.

Highlight clear success criteria so students can provide peers with feedback and track progress as they work.

Offer flexibility in the social demands

For example,

Provide opportunities to work independently or collaboratively - when the lesson goal is not to build collaboration skills.

Tap into peer relationships to motivate and engage students. For example, try using peer support plans, clock buddies, reciprocal teaching, turn and talks, or think pair share.

Explicitly teach peer collaboration skills. For example, try co-constructing group norms and group roles. Include templates and sentence starters to support collaboration.

Use social stories to help students understand the roles in groups, including cues, responses, and descriptions of what to do.

Let students know if you are going to share their work publicly and get permission from them to do so. Have the option for the work to be displayed anonymously.

Include ways for students to share anonymously how they are feeling valued, safe, and included in the learning community, or if there are ways these need to be adjusted.

Develop strategies for self-regulation

For example,

Discuss and model options for personal coping skills. Try having quiet spaces in the room, low-light areas, and options to use headphones to reduce noise at times. Try having spaces for students who want more active options, such as standing desks, fidgets, or collaboration.

Provide tips to help students get started working, such as a worked example, sentence starter, template, or a suggested first step.

Develop an "I need help" signal or way for students to communicate about their needs or frustrations (i.e., yellow cup on a desk means stuck).

Hold high expectations for all students

For example,

Integrate the least dangerous assumption (External site).

Model how mistakes are a valuable part of learning. Try highlighting works in progress, not just the end product.

Develop positive relationships with students and treat all students with respect when talking to or about them.

Spark student understanding
Reduce barriers to ensure all students can gain access and understanding in a lesson.
Offer multiple ways for students to perceive the information

For example,

Share information in more than one format. For example, offer alternatives to text such as visuals, objects, partial objects, tactual representations, Braille options. Explicitly describe images in text and video.

Offer flexible formats so the size, contrast, font, speed, or volume can be adjusted by the learner. Show learners how to use these technology tools and provide time and multiple opportunities to build fluency using these tools.

Present auditory information in more than one way. Try closed captioning, sign language, contact signing, text, and tactile representations. Teach how to use captions or automated speech-to-text or text-to-speech software. Record what you are saying on the board or in a recording.

Follow accessibility standards (External site) when creating digital text. Reference sites such as NIMAS , DAISY , or CAST's AEM Center to learn more.

Support relevant vocabulary

For example,

Pre-teach and contextualize vocabulary in ways that students can relate and connect to. Have students interact with and use the language that is new or of interest to them, such as constructing word walls or having vocabulary journals with their own word lists. You could use picture walks or experience books with objects or tactual representations.

Use examples and nonexamples to highlight critical aspects of a concept. Provide examples using kinesthetic, visual, auditory, tactile, or multi-media.

Teach concepts and vocabulary by pairing objects with words. Incorporate vocabulary into daily conversations and use real-world examples. Make key vocabulary available on students' preferred communication system, such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) (External site).

Teach and use language categories to help organize thoughts and ideas; such as using Mad Libs ©, sentence frames, graphic organizers, grouping objects, and word banks. activate background knowledge.

Support building background knowledge and skills

For example,

Provide opportunities for students to gain the foundational skills or background - even if the expectation is that students should already know it. For example, provide videos, bulleted summaries, or concept maps of key ideas.

Conduct baseline pre-assessments to understand what students already know. Ask previous teachers or family members about the student's background knowledge and interests. Use formative assessments to adjust the next instructional moves based on students' understanding.

Bridge concepts with relevant analogies and metaphors. Use mnemonics or rhyme to make complex material manageable.

Annotate readings or provide key questions to look for in an article or video. Organize information or to show commonalities and differences, such as story webs, outlining tools, concept mapping tools, mind maps, Venn diagrams, or T charts.

Ensure modifications to assignments are as minimal as it needs to be. Examples

Encourage transfer of learning to novel contexts

For example,

Build from students' experiences and interests to develop complex concepts and skills.

Apply learning to real world challenges and situations that are of interest to your students.

Bring in members from the community or connect to local resources.

Offer opportunities to extend learning, so students with sufficient background or interest can continue to be challenged.

Infuse habits of mind (i.e., to think like a scientist, historian, artist, etc.) into instruction using think alouds.

Balance questioning techniques that include both low cognitive demand (such as yes/no or rote understanding) and high cognitive demand questions (such as open questions that have a variety of possible answers and encourage elaboration).

Teach how to use tools or technology supports

For example,

Teach how to use text-to-speech, speech-to-text, spelling, and grammar checks. Make those options consistently available for all students to use as they need.

Collaborate with other specialists to ensure the technology tools and software are accessible and perceptible to learners with sensory impairments. Remember what is good for some can benefit others!

Use online collaboration tools such as shared writing, slide, and video editing tools. Consider using collaborative scheduling and task management tools.

Have switches, eye gaze options, or other assistive technology regularly available.

Provide opportunities for peers to model and share the use of technology. Develop a library of student tutorials using different technologies and tools.

Use peer and adult aided-language modeling for AAC.

Empower Student Participation
Reduce barriers to ensure all students can show what they know in a lesson and participate in the discussions and activities.
Encourage flexible forms of communication

For example,

Include a range of media options for students to share what they know, such as writing, speaking, drawing, animation, comics, storyboards, video, music, or movement.

Allow students to participate in collaborative learning through texts or instant messaging, not just through verbal talking.

Use scribing resources, such as text-to-speech software and voice recognition, word prediction software, human dictation, or recording devices.

Integrate options to share or participate via social media or interactive web tools, such as discussion forums or chats.

Ensure consistent access to communication systems, such as communication boards or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Provide choices to respond. For example, you could use stamps, stickers, bingo dotters, markers, and other options to show numbers, write, and represent concepts and ideas.

Build on student responses to extend their thinking and vocabulary.

Scaffold students to monitor their progress

For example,

Use clear criteria and rubrics so students can self-assess their progress. For example, try single point rubrics or checklists.

Develop joint classroom norms and explicit behavior expectations for students to monitor their social and behavioral progress.

Provide timely feedback that is specific and related to the goal. Stay away from comparative or competitive feedback.

Break long step processes or projects into shorter pieces. Offer opportunities for feedback and self-reflection along the way.

Ensure all students have access to the vocabulary to communicate about their progress, such as through word walls, dictionaries, AAC, checklists, or more.

Provide student or teacher models of how to effectively self-assess or monitor progress.

Provide options for manipulation

For example,

Have options for tool use for fine and gross motor skills. For example, consider slant boards, tabs to turn pages, pencil grips, and accessibility options on keyboards. Consider turning off sticky keys or other keyboard adaptations, or provide tools that are easy to grip and offer high or low resistance.

Provide access to materials in easy to reach places and formats. For example, ensure technology is placed in the easiest place for reach (e.g., not crossing midline or on a side a student prefers).

Have physical manipulatives or tactile options to show understanding, such as paper or graphs with raised lines or Braille options.

Have seating with movement options, such as rocking chairs, yoga balls, and cushions. Consider the classroom layout to ensure students can maneuver to join groups and access materials.

Offer flexible options for sitting or positioning throughout the room. Provide options to support body stability using furniture or tools such that feet can touch the ground when sitting, the upper body is stable enough to maneuver to participate, and the head is supported for eye gaze, head pointers, or switch activation.

Support goal-setting strategies and plans to reach that goal

For example,

Make sure objectives are clearly stated on activities, worksheets, and during lessons so students know what they need to achieve.

Support students to develop a plan and monitor their progress to reach their goals so they become more independent and self-motivated in their learning. Use smartphones, computers, graphic organizers, color coding, or other schedule tools, to help track goals and progress. Check out self-determined schedule making and time management strategies.

Chunk long term goals and projects into smaller, manageable sub-goals.

Support attention and reduce demands on working memory

For example,

Encourage the use of templates or journals to record information so students do not have to try to hold it in mind. For example, try graphic organizers, scratch paper, digital notes during discussions, or object schedules.

Minimize distractions in the room or on websites. Simplify graphics or reduce unnecessary text on handouts so they focus only on the essential information to learn.

Reduce visual and auditory clutter or complexity when learning demands are high.

Offer opportunities for students to organize their workspace for productive learning. Encourage students to take steps to reduce their distractions.

Provide worked examples that show how to complete assignments or problem sets.

Highlight tools students can use as they work, such as calculators, number lines, graphing calculators, geometric sketchpads, word banks, formulas, or pre-formatted graph paper.

Use acoustic or visual highlighting to emphasize key concepts. Provide high contrast backgrounds and boards.

Support time management

For example,

Recognize students will work at different paces - and that is okay. Have extension opportunities for students who finish quickly and opportunities in the school day for students to continue to work as needed.

Use timers, stopwatches, smartphones, or other resources to help track time - if it is not distracting. For example, use visual, auditory, object, word, or picture options. Use schedules to check progress and to monitor time left.

Provide explicit instruction in more than one way so students can review it at their own pace (i.e., in a video or recording that they can rewatch, rewind, fast forward, or pause as needed). Create video libraries for skills or concepts that need to be re-taught.

Advocate for flex time, study hall, or other school-wide intervention times for students to have additional time to work. You can pre-teach or re-teach concepts, use embedded instruction, or allow students to check and extend work time.

Have predictable schedules and routines. Break down processes or routines using task analysis.

If work is not tied to the learning goal, omit it in order to keep the focus on the most relevant components.

Selected References

Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S. E., Reyes, M. R., & Salovey, P. (2012). Enhancing academic performance and social and emotional competence with the RULER feeling words curriculum. Learning and Individual Differences, 22(2), 218-224.

Brock, M. E., Carter, E. W., & Biggs, E. E. (2020). Supporting peer interactions, relationships, and belonging. In F. Brown, J. McDonnell, & M. E. Snell (Eds.), Instruction of students with severe disabilities (9th ed., pp. 384-417). Merrill.

Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. teachers college press.

Heward, W. L., & Wood, C. L. (2006). Exceptional children: An introduction to special education (p. 672). Pearson Education/Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Wehmeyer, M. L., Palmer, S. B., Agran, M., Mithaug, D. E., & Martin, J. E. (2000). Promoting causal agency: The self-determined learning model of instruction. Exceptional Children, 66(4), 439-453.

TIES article on Peer Engagement

Research related to providing WISE feedback

Instructional Practice for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities in Inclusive Settings: A Review of Literature

Inclusive Big Ideas

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TIES Lessons for All: 5-15-45 | Inclusive Strategies

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Inclusive strategies support all students to engage in robust, meaningful learning in the same setting. They support us to reduce barriers in the design of our lessons so that all students, including students with significant cognitive disabilities, can be included in a lesson from the start.

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LI Cluster DLM-AA and SANDI Resources  & To Dos

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LI Cluster DLM-AA and SANDI Resources  & To Dos

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Quality Indicators Of Specially Designed Instruction  v2

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Quality Indicators Of Specially Designed Instruction  v2

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English language learners are a diverse group of students, with different language, academic, and social-emotional needs. Students who speak the same language or have similar levels of language proficiency may need very different kinds of support to succeed in the classroom.

Learn more about the growing ELL population around the country from these materials, as well as some of the special populations that have unique needs.

What You'll Find in This Section

The first year of working with ELLs can be full of challenges. Fortunately, there are a number of resources to help! Colorín Colorado has compiled this list to help new ELL teachers navigate their experiences in the classroom. These resources may also be helpful for veteran teachers who are new to teaching ELLs.

The following pages contain links to statewide agencies, resources, and organizations focused on English language learners (ELLs).

These resources outline what schools need to know about serving students who are immigrants or children of immigrants. Topics include students' legal rights, social-emotional support, and how immigration policies impact families and schools.

Learn more about how schools and families can collaborate to ensure that ELLs, including those with special needs, have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs.

Resource Library

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English language learners are a diverse group of students, with different language, academic, and social-emotional needs. Students who speak the same language or have similar levels of language proficiency may need very different kinds of support to succeed in the classroom.

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Acronym: 504

Acronym Defined: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Definition: This national law protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. Section 504 forbids organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services. It defines the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate in and have access to program benefits and services. This is for students.
Learn More

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Important Disability Terminology, Acronyms, and Definitions | NEA

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For many, the terms used in, and about special education are unfamiliar. Learning these unfamiliar terms, and the commonly used acronyms that represent them, can help in navigating the special education and 504 processes. This list is intended to help familiarize you with common terms, definitions, and acronyms that are frequently used in the disability space.

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Foundational Skills (Pre-K - Grade 5) | Chicago Public Schools

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Skyline has foundational skills instruction in grades K-5 that follows the Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) approach of sequential and systematic teaching of phonics and fluency skills. There are daily routines that allow for decoding through word sorts and fluency readers, as well as opportunities for encoding through dictation and spelling assessments.

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SY24 Student Assessment & MTSS Professional Learning Calendar

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If learning is a staircase, then all steps are not created equal. In both reading and math, some skills are extraordinarily difficult for students to master. We call these skills Trip Steps because they can cause a stumble in learning. See lists of Trip Steps, which span kindergarten through high school.

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Make up for lost instructional time by focusing on the most critical reading and math skills at every grade level.

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Avoiding Instructional Missteps in Teaching Letter-Sound Relationships

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Avoiding Instructional Missteps in Teaching Letter-Sound Relationships

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Grades 3-5 Foundational Skills Implementation Resources

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Support for Diverse Learners in the Skyline ELA Curriculum

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Support for Diverse Learners in the Skyline ELA Curriculum

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K-6 Fluency Games: Teacher Overview and Resources

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K-6 Fluency Games: Teacher Overview and Resources

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K-6 Fluency Games: Teacher Overview and Resources

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UDL-Based Design Questions and Decisions

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UDL-Based Design Questions and Decisions

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Instructional Grid: Math: Levels of Discourse 

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Core Value #2: Common educational experience
Each and every student deserves meaningful and sustained access to the general education curriculum in general education classrooms.
All students have the right to a high-quality and inclusive educational experience. Ideally, districts and schools should assign students to general education classrooms in their neighborhood schools or school of choice. With the right kind of support, each and every student can benefit academically, socially, and emotionally.

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Each and every student deserves meaningful and sustained access to the general education curriculum in general education classrooms. All students have the right to a high-quality and inclusive educational experience. Ideally, districts and schools should assign students to general education classrooms in their neighborhood schools or school of choice.

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SY24 BOY Checklist

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Best Practices Checklist and Tools for LowInc Cluster 

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For years now, the early literacy education community has been talking about the need to reform our practice to align to the science of reading. But what is the science of reading? And how can it improve our practice so kids become better readers?

What is the science of reading?

The science of reading is the converging evidence of what matters and what works in literacy instruction, organized around models that describe how and why.

One research study does not make a science. In early literacy alone, tens of thousands of studies have been published, and some even show results that are at odds with one another. For educators to be able to consume research meaningfully, we need to look for a convergence of evidence. When many well-designed studies point to a similar result, we should pay attention.

How does it help us make sense of reading?

An important model in early reading research is the simple view of reading. It says that reading comprehension (RC) is the product of decoding (D) and language comprehension (LC), or RC = D x LC.

Learning to read for understanding requires sounding out and recognizing words-decoding-but it also requires making meaning of the words and sentences we hear-language comprehension. While taking a microscope to any one aspect of reading reveals more complexity, the simple view continues to be supported as a strong core model in reading development, as it has been for decades.

What guidance does the science of reading offer?

Research is clear about what matters to teach in early literacy instruction: phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, vocabulary and oral language comprehension, and text comprehension. For each of these, a convergence of evidence tells us what works, in practice.

Phonological awareness: Teach students to recognize and manipulate the sounds within words. Move from syllables to the individual sounds, or phonemes. Explicitly connect phonemes to letters to more effectively support word decoding.

Phonics and word recognition: Teach letter sounds and sound-spelling patterns explicitly and systematically. Practices that include both reading and writing of words in isolation and in text are most supportive of taught phonics.

Fluency: Include frequent chances for students to read and re-read orally from connected text-sentences, paragraphs, and passages. Focus on the development of both automatic word recognition and fluent expression, keeping understanding of the text as the central goal.

Vocabulary and oral language comprehension: Include high-quality, language-rich interactions in instruction. With read-aloud texts, unpack academic and inferential language. Explicitly build students' recognition of shared morphemes (e.g., root words, affixes) across words, both in oral and written language.

Text comprehension: Even before young students can read on their own, teach from rich texts via read-alouds and scaffolded reading. Teach students to use metacognitive strategies like setting a purpose, monitoring for meaning, and building inferences while reading. Discuss texts, including focusing on their organizational structures.

What could a science-of-reading classroom be like?

To align more closely to what the science tells us, we should start seeing and hearing some change. We should stop seeing only incidental teaching of sound-spelling patterns. Instead of just happening to notice a silent E on the page we have open-aha! Teachable moment!-we should teach decoding skills systematically. We should see a dedicated portion of the literacy block where phonics is taught clearly and sequentially from an identifiable curriculum. When kids learn from our planned sequence how that silent E works, we should see engaging practice-word work, often masquerading as play-followed by both reading and writing practice that applies those silent E skills purposefully.

The science of reading is the converging evidence of what matters and what works in literacy instruction.

We should also stop seeing comprehension taught via leveled reading groups, where each group visits the teacher for round-robin reading through a new text "at the right level." Instead, we should see use of a rich, complex text for all the students in a class. We should hear multiple reads of the same text, beginning with teacher modeling and moving to student practice. We should see partnering for repeated readings to develop fluency. We should hear the voices of students and the teacher in high-quality conversations about the text that focus on language, structure, and deepened understanding.

Where can we learn more?

Lots of good materials have been produced to get this research into practice, much of it paid for by our tax dollars.

These excellent research-to-practice materials can only help if we actually use them. Commit to building a learning community around one or more of these materials, beginning by downloading and reading as a group. Then discuss, try things with students, reflect, and repeat. This is how the science of reading matters, and how it works: by helping all our kids to become empowered and thoughtful readers.

For more on the science of reading, see "The science of reading and balanced literacy: What you need to know" and Everything you need to know about the science of reading.

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The science of reading is the converging evidence of what matters and what works in literacy instruction. It guides how to teach reading.

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Download FREE teacher-made resources covering 'Extended Writing'

What is extended writing?

Extended writing is when children are expected to produce a piece of independent writing (without the help of an adult) within a set time frame.

Usually, extended writing tasks are completed at the end of a literacy teaching unit to test knowledge and understanding.

Some examples for extended writing tasks:

Students may have been learning about information reports . They will have practised researching information for their reports, as well as the key features that go into writing them. At the end of the unit, they may be set an extended writing task in which they have to write their own information report within a time limit, to show what they have learned over the unit.

Teachers may have spent an extended period on the topic of short stories. Children will have enjoyed reading and listening to stories and may have acted out short scenes. Then they may move on to coming up with ideas for their own short stories, forming scenes and dialogue. As an extended writing task, teachers may then ask students to fully write out their short stories in a timed format. This is a great way to test students on their creativity and check on their learning progress.

Extended writing tasks can take many forms, but they usually relate to a specific topic that children have been learning about in class.

How can children enjoy extended writing tasks?

'The Big Write'

One of the most common ways that extended writing is taught in schools is through 'The Big Write'. This is a great way to get children excited about the event and to treat it more like a fun and engaging activity for everyone, rather than an otherwise daunting task.
Methods for The Big Write include:

Accurate basic literacy skills - spelling, punctuation, grammar and handwriting.

1. Grammar - Students should use correct grammar at all times in extended writing.

2. Handwriting - At a minimum, this should be neat and legible. Cursive writing is encouraged.

3. Spelling - This should be accurate in all sight-words.

4. Punctuation - This should be accurate in terms of sentence creation and for creating 'voice' and effect.

A good foundational framework.

Target setting and regular assessment.

High expectations for students.

The importance of revision and rehearsal

Making writing fun!

The amount of time spent on their 'Big Write' depends on age but schools that use the Big Write programme are encouraged to follow a specific routine.

There must be homework time the night before to help children discuss their 'Big Write' and mentally prepare for it.

Then, the teachers much ensure the first half of their extended writing task focuses on grammar and the V.C.O.P acronym:

Vocabulary - Children are encouraged to use descriptive vocabulary (adjectives first, and then powerful verbs and adverbs)

- Children should practise using connectives in their writing including conjunctions, prepositions and adverbs.

Sentence Openers - To keep their writing varied and avoid repetitive writing, children should use a number of different sentence openers.

Punctuation - Children should use punctuation accurately. For Year 1, this means capital letters and full stops, in lower Year 2, this includes question marks and exclamation marks. Later in Year 2, children also need to punctuate speech correctly, as well as use apostrophes and commas in the right places.

The Big Write framework provides a school with a comprehensive model that ensures both teachers and children know what they are capable of when organising an extended writing event. The Big Writing messages are clearly laid out with V.C.O.P displays and punctuation pyramids that are used in classrooms.

After this, there are 10-15 minutes of playtime.

Finally, the children write individually and silently in a productive atmosphere.

In Foundation - Year 2, children are given about 10 minutes to plan their extended writing piece and 30 minutes to write it.

In Years 3 - 6, children are given about 45 minutes of writing time.

Writing should be done in a calm and quiet environment that encourages concentration.

How is extended writing marked?

The writing that children produce in extended writing sessions is a valuable way for teachers to evaluate a child's writing skill. They can see where children have implemented what they've been taught and the areas where they still need more support to improve.

Some schools follow up an extended writing session with feedback from the teacher. A common method for this is the 'two stars and a wish' method.

For this method, teachers will write two things that were good about the writing (two 'stars') and then something that the child could improve on (a 'wish'). For example, they might write:

Great job on using a variety of adjectives in your description!

Well done for using lots of different sentence openers.

Next time, remember to use apostrophes for words such as 'can't' and 'don't'.

Then, children are given feedback and usually asked to edit their work to improve it. They might do this individually, or the teacher might divide the group into pairs for a peer feedback session.

Extended writing preparation step-by-step

Introduce a stimulus

For children in Foundation, extended writing stimulus may be a short story, a video, or a biography fact file. There are many topics to choose from depending on the level of your class and the current teaching topic.

Prepare knowledge

Preparation for an extended writing practice should first involve direct instruction. Children should be taught about the source material, and join in a discussion of key points.

For example - if the chosen stimulus is a biography fact file, children should learn all about the person in the fact file in lessons. This could be through a variety of materials such as PowerPoints, games and activities, fact file reading and writing worksheets, or role-play activities. This ensures children have an essential 'toolkit' of knowledge to draw from when it comes to the extended writing task.

Planning and practice

Use a structured framework to allow students to prepare for the extended writing task. Use worksheets or revisions practice documents, so students can plan a system for themselves in preparation for writing the final timed piece. Students can jot down notes and references, or practise writing the full piece before the assessment.

Planning and practice could mean setting one writing task a week on the topic of the lesson, so children can become familiar with the extended writing format.

The Big Write

Revisit the toolkit and go through plans with students. Perhaps share a good WAGOL (what a good one looks like) to inspire students to shine.

All that's left to do is write, write, write. Students will write independently for 30 mins - 1 hour. Children should have done all the thinking and working out in their weeks of practice, and can now exercise their creative flair in an assessed environment.

Some children will need more support in the process than others, so it's a good idea to use differentiated activities and ensure students are communicative about the amount of support they need.

Benefits of extended writing for children

Extended writing tasks give students the opportunity to test their skills and recognise their strengths and weaknesses when writing. Extended writing tasks allow students to:

Engage in deep learning

Observe their time management

Develop critical and creative reasoning skills

Practise and refine written communication skills

Twinkl resources for extended writing practice

There are lots of excellent resources in the Twinkl library to support teachers and students with extended writing assignments.
Extended Writing Tasks Activity Pack
Mini Biography Writing Frame to use when practising extended writing on biographies.

This Narrative Writing Template is fantastic to give to children as a prompt to start writing their own short stories.

This Do Away with the Dull Story Mapping Activity is an even more inspired way to get their creative juices flowing.

Use these Space Early Writing Activities for younger children who are new to the extended writing process.

Blank Fact File - useful when teaching extended writing practice on fact files for any topic.
Topical fact file resources: Captain Cook Blank Fact File

"Successful writing is like ballet. It is only when all the steps have been learnt, the sequences have been rehearsed and re-rehearsed, the techniques have been honed and the performer has brought them all together in a wonderful interpretation of performance, that the abilities of the dancer (or the writer) can be truly judged" - Oxford Primary Writing Assessment

Videos to Inspire Extended Writing

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What is Extended Writing? | Twinkl Teaching Wiki - Twinkl

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What is extended writing, and how can I help children with these timed assessed writing tasks? Check out this informative Teaching Wiki to discover more!

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Chicago Public Schools provides access to technology devices, internet, data and network systems to employees and other authorized users for educational and business purposes.