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Observation during Group and Work sessions

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Observation during Group and Work sessions

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Struggling to read content at mastery level

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Struggling to read content at mastery level

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Asking questions or disrupting the teacher during instruction

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Asking questions or disrupting the teacher during instruction

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Writing is not legible and vocabulary is limited 

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Writing is not legible and vocabulary is limited 

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Frustration or anxiety when asked to read and there are difficulties while reading

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Frustration or anxiety when asked to read and there are difficulties while reading

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Testing/Assessment data trends low or insufficient for grade level mastery

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Testing/Assessment data trends low or insufficient for grade level mastery

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Frequently making excuses to leave the class (Daily)

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Frequently making excuses to leave the class (Daily)

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Identify the issue and begin the action plan: Is it a LD or Reading Comprehension issue? 

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Identify the issue and begin the action plan: Is it a LD or Reading Comprehension issue? 

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While most students are identified with Learning Disabilities (LD) in primary/elementary schools, there are instances that struggles do not come forward until middle school when the material becomes more challenging and more standards are put into place. The prime opportunity to help a student in middle school is as soon as you start recognizing the above issues. Parent conferences should be the first step in this process, as you will need their help to move forward in any district testing, etc. With Multilingual learners (ELL students), we are focused on keeping them engaged. They are already identified and will have varied activities based on their ability to learn the material. Adjustments are made based on their capabilities and speed processing.

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Difference between learning disabilities and reading deficiencies

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Gets upset when reading material and cannot understand it

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Gets upset when reading material and cannot understand it

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Vocally or Physically displays frustration

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Vocally or Physically displays frustration

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Gives up when reading because they do not know the words 

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Gives up when reading because they do not know the words 

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Shuts down mentally and has a breakdown/meltdown

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Shuts down mentally and has a breakdown/meltdown

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Copies someone else's work and uses it as their own

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Copies someone else's work and uses it as their own

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Test/Assessment scores are low/Lexile Score is a key indicator for reading problems

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Test/Assessment scores are low/Lexile Score is a key indicator for reading problems

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Know the signs. Not every student has a Learning Disability, but they could very well have a learning disorder and need extra assistance when reading and writing. This will help you move forward in the process.

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Early Signs of a Learning Disability or Learning Disorder

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Understanding the the common learning disabilities. 

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Understanding the the common learning disabilities. 

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Cindy Lumpkin, Special Education Teacher

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Understanding Common Types of Learning Disabilities

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Documentation for the referral process. 

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Documentation for the referral process. 

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Documentation and identification. Classroom indicators are very important, but having the proper documentation, notes and data can help the child through the process a lot faster.

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Because of the federal laws and regulations that govern the education of students with disabilities, a process has evolved over time that governs the special education referral process. The purpose of this module is to provide an overview to the "Special Education Process" so that the learner may understand the global procedures for providing a student with disabilities a free and appropriate education (FAPE).

PHASE ONE: Recognition

All students begin their educational careers with needs. For many, it is the need for guidance by a professional educator who can expand their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. While each student brings a different level of knowledge and skills to his or her first class, the individual's needs are typically met by a highly-qualified educator. However, there are children who have unique needs that are atypical for children of their age and may not be within the expertise of the general education classroom teacher. It is during this time that the teacher (or parent, administrator, or counselor) recognizes a consistent need or problem exhibited by the student. The recognition of a discrepancy in the student's academic, social/emotional, behavioral, and/or physical ability and his or her age may signal the need for additional academic or behavioral supports.

During this phase, it is important to call a meeting with the parents or guardians. The teacher should provide examples of the student's work and/or anecdotal classroom notes regarding the student's needs. In the meeting, the teacher and the parent/guardian should explore the following:

Is the issue a recurrent problem or new? The parents will be best able to present invaluable insight into the knowledge, skills, and needs of their child. The teacher should document when they recognized an issue.

Is the issue constant? All children may exhibit unique needs or problems at some point but it may only be an isolated episode for that day. The teacher should document any issue that is constant, providing dates and information about the behavior of concern or skill deficit exhibited by the student.

Is the issue appropriate for children of this age? How many kindergarten students have been seen crying the first days of school? This behavior is a typical occurrence and should not be confused with an atypical behavior. The teacher should have a strong understanding of the cognitive, behavioral, and physical development levels of typical students they teach.

It is possible that the problems that are being exhibited by the student may be "solved" with the careful execution of a cooperative plan of action between the teacher and the parents. The teacher and the parent should document their plan of action, strategies utilized with the student, and progress. The teacher should continue to collect student work samples and keep assessment data relevant to the student's unique needs. It is critically important that the teacher document all actions and strategies used in the classroom and the impact on the student.

The student's parents/guardians should be kept informed of any changes in the student's progress. If the teacher, after a period of time, determines the problem cannot be controlled with simple classroom interventions, then the teacher should notify the parents/guardians that they will be asking for outside help from a school-based pre-referral team.

PHASE TWO: Pre-referral

The pre-referral step in the special education process is more formal than providing simple and temporary accommodations for students. Pre-referral intervention is to identify, develop, and implement alternative education strategies for students who have recognized problems in the classroom before the student is referred to special education. Pre-referral intervention is typically conducted by a Student Centered Team (also called early intervention team, intervention assistance team, student support team, teacher assistance team, or instructional support team). The pre-referral team usually consists of the teacher, the parents/guardians, an administrator, other general education teachers, nurse, guidance counselor, and any other adult involved in the education of the student. The general education teacher provides background information regarding the problem exhibited by the student and the team works together to develop possible solutions.

Because of changes to IDEA in 2004, many states and independent school districts have begun using a more formal and systematic pre-referral process called response to intervention (RTI).

"RTI is a model designed to address the needs of all children through a continuum of services, which include:

High-quality instruction and tiered evidence-based or practice-based intervention strategies aligned with individual student needs;

Frequent monitoring of progress to make results-based academic or behavioral decisions; and

Application of child response data to important educational decisions (such as those regarding placement, intervention, curriculum, and instructional goals and methodologies)" (TEA, 2007).

RTI provides three levels of intervention for students who are experiencing problems. Generally, the first level (sometimes referred to as Tier 1) is focused on utilizing high-quality general education instruction in the core curriculum with all students. RTI theorizes that around 80% of all students will respond positively to core curriculum and behavior systems. The second level (or Tier 2) provides targeted group instruction or some form of group remediation to improve performance. The RTI model believes that second level services will improve performance for approximately 15% of all students. If performance does not improve in the second level, then students are moved to the third level which consists of intensive, individualized interventions.

Whether the school uses pre-referral teams or the more formal RTI process, the intent is to provide interventions that will help the student achieve success without entering special education. However, if these interventions do not improve the student's performance, then the student will be referred for an assessment to determine possible eligibility for special education services.

PHASE THREE: Referral for Special Education Evaluation

If, after interventions in the general education classroom, the student continues to experience difficulty, school personnel may refer the child for a special education evaluation. Referrals for determination of eligibility for special education services may be initiated by:

School personnel (including general education teachers, special education teachers, counselors, administrators, etc.);

Child's parent(s) or legal guardian(s);

Any other person involved in the education or care of the child.

The official referral begins the formal process of determining eligibility for special education services. Once a referral is provided, the school must obtain consent from the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) to begin the evaluation phase of the referral process.

PHASE FOUR: Special Education Evaluation

IDEA requires that students referred for special education services receive a nondiscriminatory multi-factored evaluation. The school district is required to complete the evaluation within 60 days of the referral date. The evaluation is to be conducted by a multidisciplinary team that will consist of individuals who can bring different perspectives and expertise to the evaluation. Some examples of team members include:

Educational Diagnostician (also called Psychometrist) or School Psychologist: These professionals are qualified to conduct all types of educational assessments including intelligence (IQ), achievement, behavior, etc.

Special Educators: These individuals are qualified to conduct some types of achievement and behavior evaluations as well as informal observations.

General Educators: These individuals provide documentation of the problems of the specific student.

Parent(s) or Legal Guardian(s): The parents or legal guardians provide valuable insight into the student's behavior and personality in other environments.*

Related Service Providers (Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Audiologist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, etc.): These specialists provide information pertaining to specific areas of concern that have been assessed.

Medical Doctors (including psychiatrists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists): Depending on the disability of the student, medical records can also be used in the determination of eligibility for special education services.

* Parents of students with developmental disabilities must decide whether to complete the legal process to become the legal guardian once their child reaches 18 years old, the age of majority. According to Texas state law, this process is separate from the required school transition planning process.

The evaluation must be comprehensive and use evaluation tools and strategies that are technically sound and accepted. Most students receive a battery of formal evaluations that measure:

Intelligence

Achievement

Behavioral

Disability-specific issues

Medical

However, informal observations and documentation of the student's past work should also be used during the eligibility determination meetings. Assessments may not be biased in regard to race, culture, language, or disability. The materials and procedures must be administered in the language and form most likely to provide accurate information on what the child knows and can do.

PHASE FIVE: Eligibility (FAPE)

IDEA states that each child is entitled to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE.) Special education services are one way to accomplish that requirement for some students with disabilities. Within 30 days of the completion of the evaluation, the individuals that took part in the process thus far will meet to determine eligibility. In simple terms, a student is considered eligible for special education services if (1) the child has a disability as defined by IDEA which negatively impacts his/her educational performance, and (2) the child needs special education services in order to benefit from education.

Not all students are determined to be eligible for special education services. There are multiple reasons why a student may not qualify for special education services including not having a disability that negatively impacts his or her education. However, these students may need help to access the academic curricula. In these situations, the school will need to work out a plan to provide other services for the student.

If the team determines that the student is eligible for special education services, then a formal Individualized Education Program (IEP) team will be formed to develop a plan of special education services for the student.

PHASE SIX: IEP Meeting (IEP and LRE)

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal contract between the parents and the school district that describes the special education services to be provided by the local education agency which is the local school district. While IEP documents vary, the basic parts of an IEP include:

A student profile that provides background information about the student. The profile will include strengths and weaknesses of the student, information regarding performance in the classroom and on formal assessments, and the reason he or she is receiving special education services.

IEP initiation and duration dates: the goals expressly stated in an IEP begin on the date, stated in the IEP meeting, and are in effect until the date stated in the IEP. These IEP goals are reviewed, monitored and updated based on student progress. For most students, IEP goals are in place for one academic year.

A statement of "special instructional factors" (such as the need for assistive technology, braille, or transition services). If the student requires any of the special instructional factors, they should be addressed in the IEP.

A statement of special transportation needs;

A statement of opportunities to participate in nonacademic and extracurricular activities with their non-disabled peers

A statement of the frequency and method of reports of goal attainment for parents or guardians.

Benchmark pages are included and focus on specific areas that need special education services (such as reading, math, PE, etc.). The benchmark pages include: Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) statements,

Measurable Annual Goals,

Evaluations used to measure annual goals,

Benchmarks to be achieved to meet the annual goals,

Special education and related services needed to achieve the annual goal (includes frequency of services, amount of time, location, and responsible agencies).

A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) if the student's behavior is a concern and a functional behavioral assessment has been done or needs to be conducted,

For students 16 years and older; the plans and activities for the student's transition from high school will be addressed

The signature page which provides a statement of least restrictive environment (LRE) and has the signatures of all members present at the meeting.

The benchmark pages are the "meat" of most IEPs and can be developed by any member of the team. Typically, these pages are developed by the special education teachers in collaboration with the parents, general education teachers, related service providers, and behavioral specialists.

In some school districts, the IEP meeting may be referred to as the ARD meeting. ARD stands for Admission, Review, and Dismissal. The IEP team (also called IEP committee or ARD committee) is formed for the purpose of 1) developing the IEP, the formal plan of special education services; 2) overseeing the implementation of the plan, 3) evaluating the effectiveness of the plan annually, and 4) developing future plans as needed. The IEP team can also meet as needed when unique issues present themselves during the academic year (such as with behavior issues).

The IEP team is composed of the following:

The parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the student with a disability;

At least one general education teacher of the student if the student is or may be participating in the regular education environment for any classes;

At least one special education teacher of the student or a special education provider of the student;

A representative of the local educational agency (LEA) who is (1) qualified to supervise the needs of the student, (2) is knowledgeable of the general curriculum, (3) is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency, and (4) has the authority to commit agency resources; This person is frequently a principal or assistant principal of the student's campus.

An individual who can interpret the instructional implications of evaluations (typically an educational diagnostician, school psychologist, or specially-trained special education teacher);

The student, when appropriate; and

Other individuals asked to attend at the discretion of the school or the parent who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the student (such as related service providers and/or family members or family friends maintaining a close relationship with the student). Parents also have the right to invite an advocate if they so desire.

Depending on the age of the student, other individuals may be included in the meeting including rehabilitation or transition service providers or early intervention representatives.

PHASE SEVEN: IEP Implementation

Once the IEP is developed and signed by members of the IEP team it is the responsibility of the entire IEP team to ensure that the IEP is implemented. The IEP team may meet as frequently as needed to discuss the implementation of the IEP. School personnel are required to provide documentation of the mastery of benchmarks and annual goals. The IEP document is a "living" document and can be altered during the school term if needed. The IEP goals and benchmarks provide the objectives for the education of the student and prescribe what services will be provided by the local school district and school campus to achieve those objectives. However, it must be understood that school agencies are not required to meet all the goals within the school term, but they must provide evidence of a "good faith effort" toward achieving the goals.

PHASE EIGHT: Reevaluation

Each year, the IEP team is required to meet for the dual purpose of evaluating the implementation of the current IEP and to develop the next annual IEP. During these annual meetings, the IEP team should discuss the positive and negative elements of the special education services provided and determine, based on any new assessment data, what services should be provided in the upcoming school year.

While the IEP is redeveloped each year, the IEP team does not have to conduct the battery of assessments each year. At a minimum, the IEP team is to determine if formal evaluation is required every three years. However, the IEP team can ask that formal evaluations be conducted more frequently if needed.

There are times when, after the reevaluation takes place, it is determined that the student does not need special education services. One example of this might be young children who are provided speech and language services and have developed the ability to speak without problems. In this case, the IEP team will need to file appropriate documentation to support the fact that the student no longer is eligible for services and the IEP team will disband for this student.

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Special Education Referral Process - Project IDEAL

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Overview to the "Special Education Process"; the global procedures for providing a student with disabilities a free and appropriate education.

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Center for Parent Information and Resources

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10 Basic Steps in Special Education - Center for Parent Information and Resources

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When a child is having trouble in school, it’s important to find out why. The child may have a disability. By law, schools must provide special help to eligible children with disabilities. This help is called special education and related services. There’s a lot to know about the process by which children are identified as having a disability and in need of special education and related services. This section of CPIR’s website is devoted to helping you learn about that process. This brief overview is an excellent place to start. Here, we’ve distilled the process into 10 basic steps. Once you have the big picture of the process, it’s easier to understand the many details under each step. We’ve indicated throughout this overview where, on our site, you can connect with that more detailed information.

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What Works When Teaching Reading in Special Education Settings - Cyndie Fountaine

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Work with the students to implement a plan that they can accomplish their goals and feel supported in their learning. If they buy into the plan, they will want to work harder and take ownership of their education.

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[This post was written by the Dr. Deep Sran and originally appeared on the Actively Learn blog. Dr. Deep Sran is a teacher and school founder. He has taught for over 15 years in secondary school and college. His academic research is in critical thinking and reasoning.]
When choosing a text to assign in their classrooms, teachers naturally consider the abilities of their students. No teacher wants to assign a text that is completely incomprehensible to the student. It's impossible to have a fruitful class discussion when a majority of students are not able to grasp the meaning of the text. On the other hand, teachers also want to select a text that is rich enough to challenge their students' reading and thinking abilities.

There are two answers to this dilemma: leveling and scaffolding. They offer distinct approaches to selecting texts to improve student engagement and learning. I will distinguish between the two, then explain why I believe the scaffolded approach is the better one for improving student learning outcomes and preparing them for lives as citizens and professionals. 1
Leveled Reading
The leveled reading approach seeks to match the difficulty of the text to the reading level of the student. Each student's reading level is assessed based on the number of errors they make while reading, with the goal often being 95 percent accuracy. A student will only be assigned texts that the student can read with great accuracy without instructional support. This approach assumes students will learn better if they are assigned texts they are able to read without instructional support and without difficulty (or "frustration").

For leveled reading to work, two determinations must be made accurately: the student's reading level and the level of the text. Each of these determinations is prone to error; for example, an online measure of text readability lists the previous sentence as post-college level--average grade 16.2, but with a range from grade 11.6 to 18.6 on different scales. The range of error shows that determining the reading level of a text or a student can only be done imprecisely. Even under a leveled approach, teachers may be assigning texts that are too difficult or too easy for their students because they are using imprecise measurement tools.

Beyond the difficulty of classifying reading and text level, leveled reading has a number of challenges. First, it has a weak empirical basis, despite its wide adoption (Pondiscio & Mahnken, 2014; Shanahan, 2011; Student Achievement Partners). Second, leveled reading introduces reduced expectations for many students (Fisher & Frey, 2014), and once a student has been classified at a low reading level there will be reason for teachers to expect less from that student. These low expectations will gain momentum over time, and, most alarmingly, may be internalized by the student. Third, this approach limits the types of texts teachers can assign, because teachers cannot assign a text that has not already been leveled. Fourth, the leveled approach is based on an implicit assumption that students will read assigned texts without instructional support (Shanahan, 2011), which ignores what a student can accomplish with a teacher's guidance (Stahl & Heubach, 2005; Vygotsky, 1986). Finally, and most worrisome in my view, the leveled reading approach loses sight of whether a text is worth reading in the first place (Pondiscio & Mahnken, 2014).

Having cited its shortcomings, I acknowledge one premise of leveled reading that is sound: students will read and learn less if reading is always a frustrating experience (see Allington, 2013). But this is not what happens when you assign secondary students the sorts of complex texts people read as citizens and professionals, so long as their teacher can provide adequate scaffolding. In my experience working with a wide range of students--from special needs to highly gifted--if we want students to learn important things, and to decide for themselves that the work they are doing is important, what matters is whether the text is worth reading and whether the teacher can provide timely and accessible assistance, not whether the text is at their current level, however that level is determined.

This brings us to the scaffolded reading approach, which is based on the principle that students can handle more complex texts with instructional support.
Scaffolded Reading
Scaffolded reading avoids the problems with leveled reading outlined above. There is considerable empirical evidence that this approach improves student learning (Student Achievement Partners). Scaffolding reading is designed to help students read and learn from texts they find challenging, which raises expectations for what students can achieve. Teachers can assign any texts their students can read with instructional support, and the choice of text is driven by whether the text is worth reading rather than whether it aligns with the student's reading level. The scaffolded approach is designed to exploit a student's zone of proximal development by challenging the student's existing ability and enabling him or her to achieve at a higher level.

For all of these reasons, the scaffolded approach is superior to leveling. The challenge is how to provide the appropriate support so that teachers can successfully implement scaffolding in a time-efficient way. On its surface, leveling can seem less time-consuming for teachers because it does not require teachers to support students when they read. Since students are reading texts aligned to their reading ability, they should not (assuming the leveling was done accurately) require guidance in order to understand the text. Despite appearances, however, I submit that the total amount of teacher work required to improve student outcomes is actually greater with leveling because students are reading texts that are not as engaging or educationally rich. Reading will be less motivating and active for students and they will get less from the text--not because they do not understand the content, but because they do not have interest in what they are reading. In other words, students will learn less with leveling. This means more work for teachers in the long run.

Scaffolding enables students to read more challenging texts that engage their interest, in part because the texts are of higher quality and in part because the content of the texts is important in the larger world. Better texts facilitate the work of the teacher because students want to participate in reading and discussion. On the other hand, scaffolded reading requires teachers to provide instructional support such as defining challenging vocabulary words or providing contextual information to fill gaps in students' knowledge. There is an up-front cost in terms of teacher preparation, which may discourage many teachers from choosing this approach in their classrooms, even though they may not realize there is also a similar, and possibly greater, cost with leveling, since making class time worthwhile and building student interest and stamina are so much more difficult.

Fortunately, technology can facilitate the scaffolding approach by giving teachers the tools to easily embed questions and notes into the text. A platform like Actively Learn provides built-in vocabulary support and simple ways to assess student progress in order to provide individualized assistance. Adding notes to guide student reading becomes as simple as highlighting text and typing a few sentences of explanation. Many texts on our online platform include existing questions and notes that greatly reduce the time in preparing readings for students.

Given the greater educational potential of high quality texts, and the scaffolding technology makes possible, I have found that scaffolding saves time and effort over the long run because students are actually engaged and learning deeply.
The bottom line: increasing student engagement and teacher interest
Students and teachers benefit when students read challenging texts that promote reflection and discussion. Scaffolding widens the selection of texts beyond the student's reading level and directs the focus to what's worth reading rather than what fits a particular pre-determined and possibly faulty assessment of current student reading level. Scaffolded reading is also consistent with the practice of assigning more complex and challenging texts to students to promote college and career readings, as espoused by the Common Core ELA standards. Teachers can assign texts that they themselves enjoy reading, which makes the daily experience better for them. With better texts and instructional support, students will build the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle the more challenging reading they will be doing as adults. As a result, they will be prepared to be active citizens and capable professionals.

This discussion will only apply to students who already know how to read, i.e. those who are in later years of elementary school, middle school, and high school. Teaching students to read in the early elementary school years requires a different set of considerations and approaches. ↩

Sources
Allington, R. L. (2013). What Really Matters When Working With Struggling Readers. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 520-530.

Atwell, N. (2007). The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers. Scholastic Teaching Resources.

Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2014). Scaffolded Reading Instruction of Content-Area Texts. The Reading Teacher, 67(5), 347-351.

Pondiscio, R. & Mahnken, K. (2014). Leveled reading: The making of a literacy myth. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute.

Shanahan, T. (2011). Rejecting Instructional Level Theory. Shanahan on Literacy Blog.

Stahl, S.A. & Heubach, K. (2005). Fluency-oriented reading instruction. Journal of Literacy Research, 37, 25-60.

Student Achievement Partners. Research Supporting the Common Core ELA/Literacy Shifts and Standards. Link.

Vygotsky, L. (1986). Thought and Language - Revised Edition. MIT Press.

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Leveled Reading vs. Scaffolded Reading: What's the difference and which one is better?

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This post was written by the Dr. Deep Sran and originally appeared on the Actively Learn blog.

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Understanding the disabilities: Dyslexia (The most common learning disability) 

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Understanding the disabilities: Dyslexia (The most common learning disability) 

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There are plenty of certified training that will help teachers with students that struggle with Dyslexia. In a lot of instances, most students struggle with some form of reading disability for a long time without being noticed. The trainings that are being implemented can help teachers focus on those students and encourage them to read more confidently and grasp the concepts of reading.

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The biggest takeaways are that modeled learning and consistent one-to-one learning, as well a group learning can help students feel more confident. However, there still needs to be constant monitoring and progress checks which can be done during the class with a formative assessment. This can provide an opportunity for the teacher and student to connect and discuss an area of concern immediately, instead of waiting for summative testing to correct issues. Students learn better in the moment, versus after being given a poor grade when they can shut down because they feel like a failure.

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

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

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

Know individual students

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

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

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

Plan according to the developmental levels of students

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

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

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

Model instruction and follow up with students

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

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

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

Assess students throughout the lesson

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

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

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

Provide consistent one-on-one or small group interventions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Five principles for supporting struggling learners

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

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Raise the bars and push them to their full potential

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Raise the bars and push them to their full potential

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Students should be moving towards progress markers, while continuing to compete with themselves and others. They should want to push themselves through their metaphorical brick wall and meet full potential. If Students are always told that they will never read on grade level because they have learning disabilities or they just struggle, they will continue to struggle and be the beat down dog they feel like. However, if the teacher celebrates the successes, regardless if it is minor, they will want to work harder. This was proven in my class this year, my students came in on kindergarten-4 grade reading levels. We took several tests throughout the year and monitored their progress. I talked with them about their data and explained how they can grow and put their plans in action. These kids GREW to their potential and went PAST their true growth potential. These 7th graders were told they would not be on grade level before 8th grade before they came to me, however, more of my students saw an improvement and growth of 2+ grade levels if not grade level mastery in their testing data at the end of the year. Celebrate the small successes and get them bought into their programs. They want to succeed. They want to know they are smart. They need the motivation from their teacher.

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Join the follow up community and conversation: http://bit.ly/shadowcon18

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Tools to implement for the Inclusive classroom

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Tools to implement for the Inclusive classroom

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Provide a classroom that is consistently functioning on a routine; where students feel heard and safe, as this promotes healthy learning and successful progress towards goals; Focus on strengths and positive reinforcement, as this is more encouraging than negative feedback; provide collaboration time with groups, allowing students to create a connection with other students. It has been found that students often learn better from their peers; connect a stronger learner with a weaker partner to help build and reinforce skills.

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The following evidence-based strategies aim to provide teachers with an overview of inclusive teaching practices to support the inclusion of students with a diverse range of abilities and strengths. Many of these strategies are relevant for all students, while others will be relevant to some student…