Assessor Card for Teachers of Students Extensive Support Needs (K-12)

• Utilize appropriate assessment data to guide instruction. (TESS 1f, 3d)
• All relevant data is considered, including data from related services
• Teach skills and concepts in an explicit, accurate and effective way. (TESS 1a,3a)
• Utilization of basic one step-directions and attending skills, error correction procedure, positive reinforcement, wait time, varied prompting
• Engage students in learning. (TESS 3c)
• Use of individualized token economy, animated instruction, UDL strategies

• Incorporate previously taught materials into lessons (TESS 1e)
• Integration and repetition skills across all content areas
• Maintenance and generalization of skill across content and environments throughout the day

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• Teach a systematic and explicit phonemic awareness continuum. (identification, isolation, categorization, blending, segmenting. (TESS 1a,1e)
• Use of gestures/movements and whole body engagement for all students (gross-motor gestures, head movements, movement of wheelchair, eye blink)

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• Model the correct pronunciation of vowel and consonant phonemes for students. (TESS 1a, 3a)
• Correct modeling of sounds (eliminate schwa on end of sounds, using exaggerated mouth movements, places student hand on teachers voice box)
• Teacher models pronunciation using AAC device

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• Teach the phonemes explicitly by focusing on the articulatory features. (mouth forms) (TESS 1a, 3a)
• Use of mirrors, exaggerated mouth movements, pictures of mouth forms
• Teacher has all student model mouth movements (including students who are non-verbal)

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• Collaborate with Speech Language Pathologist to assist with instruction.

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• Teach letter ID; link sounds to letter(s) and letter formation by teaching the letter(s) that represent the target sound and how those letters are formed. (TESS 1a, 3c)
• Teacher uses programs/materials consistent with district-wide program (sound wall, path of movement, etc.)
• Teacher implements error correction procedure matching the students’ communication output (ex: phonological keyboard on an AAC device)
• Teacher demonstrates path of movements and has all students model movements (including students with complex motor needs)
• Teacher moves through letters as students are working on mastery of previous letters.
• Teach syllable types & syllable division rules to decode unknown words. (TESS 1a, 3c)
• Follow a systematic, explicit routine for decoding instruction: review; introduce new skill with auditory discovery, followed by visual discovery; use a keyword; practice reading words, phrases and sentences. (TESS 1a, 1e, 3c)
• Teach decoding and encoding of irregular words in a systematic way, focusing on the sounds and regular parts of the word. (TESS 1a , 3c)
• Utilize decodable texts to practice letter/sound knowledge, syllable patterns and morphological units in decoding. (TESS 1a ,1d, 3c)
• Teacher use age-respective decodable text, each student has copy of text
• Follow a systematic, explicit routine for encoding instruction: review; introduce new skill with auditory discovery, followed by visual discovery; practice writing words, phrases and sentences. (TESS 1a, 1e , 3c)
• All students have a means of encoding (may require prompting, gradual release)
• Support spelling using a sound wall. (TESS 1a, 2c)
• Observable k-12 and consistent with district curriculum
• Incorporate morphology instruction, as appropriate by standards. (TESS 1a, 3c)

• All students must have a reliable and replicable means to communicate, both expressive and receptive, across all settings throughout the day.
• For those using high tech forms of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), a low tech back up option should be available.
• Lesson planning and preparation should ensure full participation for complex communicators in all academic and non-academic activities.

• Adapt instruction to support student understanding. (TESS 3e)
• Visual supports for vocabulary, sequencing, chunking of materials, reduced pace
• Design instruction to move from accuracy to stability to automaticity in all

sub-skills (fluency). (TESS 1e, 1f)

• Actively progress monitor sub skills to guide instruction
• Utilize multisensory techniques when appropriate. (TESS 3c)
• Flexible seating, movement (whole body engagement), manipulatives (generic/interest specific), storytelling kits, movement, UDL strategies, attention to articulatory features

* Collaborate with related services for assistance modifying activities and consideration of AT to ensure access and meaningful participation for all students in all activities.

Phonological Awareness

Phonics

Communication

Fundamental Expectations

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Updated 2023

• Pose purposeful questions. (TESS 1a, 3b)
• Vary question types, questions aligned to learning goals, individualized wait time
• Group students based on skill needs rather than reading levels. (TESS 1a, 3c)
• Groupings within the class will need to be adjusted frequently as student’s skills develop, as the range of skills within a single class varies widely.
• Use progress monitoring data to regularly adjust groupings based on skill development and consideration for moving students to less restrictive environments should be considered.

• Create a collaborative learning environment for student participation. (TESS 2a)
• Ensure students have reliable and accessible means of expressive communication
• Uses visual representation of content vocabulary (storyboard) to facilitate student response
• Language rich environment (see it, hear it, read it, write it)
• Engage students in familiar oral language routines. (TESS 3a)
• Maintain predictability by using visual schedule to outline daily routine
• Use of multisensory activities, storytelling kits, movement opportunities (talking stick, ball toss to signal turn taking) and/or novel items (microphone)
• Facilitate meaningful discourse between/among students. (TESS 2a ,3b)
• Promote and reinforce listening behaviors (turn taking, waiting, staying on topic, following directions, asking clarifying questions)
• Use of scaffolding strategies to ensure successful student interactions (Sentence/question strips, high interest and familiar topics)
• Incorporate intentional hand gestures & visuals to teach dialogue
• Use of videos and pictures as prompts for student discourse
• Discourse is observable throughout the school day
• Model the use of academic language. (TESS 3a)
• Explicitly teaches foundational academic language (same, different, beginning, middle, end)
• Academic language and conversation is embedded throughout the day (Teacher speaking in sentences not phrases)

• Identify unclear/challenging text and guide students to infer meaning through scaffolding and oral language discussion. (TESS 1b, 1d)
• Explicit instruction on inferencing and sequencing of events related to text or discussion
• Read aloud texts that are above the decoding ability of the students to foster deeper conversations about comprehension. (TESS 1b ,1d ,3c)
• Shared and repeated reading of authentic, language rich text
• Age-respective (high interest-lower level) text
• Teacher selects and reads critical elements of the text
• Teach students to ask and answer questions about text. (TESS 3b)
• Explicit instruction focusing on “wh” questions
• Intentional segmentation of stories while imbedding questioning
• Model simple questions and sentence starters throughout the reading (“I wonder…” “I’m thinking…”), picture card options for responses
• Build students’ background knowledge around texts/topics they are reading about. (TESS 1a, 1b, 3a)
• Digital literacy, printed text, build on student interest, real-world objects
• Plan lessons across a variety of genres. (TESS 1a ,1d)
• Teach students how to use text features to aid comprehension. (TESS 1a ,3c)
• Teach specific ways to monitor/repair comprehension breakdowns. (TESS 1a ,1e)
• Teach students to retell a story using story elements. (TESS 1a, 3c)
• Use/create concrete activities to support comprehension of abstract concepts (use pictures to sequence events, story template, backwards chaining)

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• Use a gradual release of responsibility model in literacy instruction (I do, we do, you do). (TESS 1a, 3c)
• Provide immediate corrective feedback
• Multiple opportunities for repetition given at each phase of instruction
• Provide access and opportunity to explore a variety of texts to purposefully engage students. (wordless, decodable, controlled vocabulary, picture books, informational texts, etc.) (TESS 1b, 1d, 3c)
• Adapt books/texts (braille, large print, tactile elements, visuals, etc.)

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• Purposefully select words to build depth of vocabulary from texts read aloud. (TESS 1a,3c)
• Explicit instruction on targeted Tier 1 and Tier 2 vocabulary (AAC core/fringe vocabulary)
• Use robust vocabulary and provide opportunities for students to practice using new words in order to foster word consciousness. (TESS 3a)
• Vocabulary accessible and appropriately differentiated for all students (programmed in a device, provide picture card, use of activity board)
• Opportunities to generalize vocab across content and environments

• Use prefixes, suffixes and base words to determine word meaning, when applicable.(TESS 1a, 1b)
• Utilize explicit strategies to introduce and promote understanding of vocabulary (contextual examples such as pictures, models, graphic organizers, simple explanations, etc.; provide student-friendly definitions; repeated exposure to words in different contexts; word networks of multiple meaning words). (TESS 1b, 1d, 3c)
• Multiple opportunities to practice new vocabulary throughout the day (books, videos, real life photos)

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Fundamental Expectations

Oral Language

Comprehension

Vocabulary

Assessor Card for Teachers of Students Extensive Support Needs (K-12)