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Shifting Targets in the General Education Classroom

Sarah Crum - Special Educator - scrum@cvsdvt.org

Jess Hoskins - Special Educator - jhoskins@cvsdvt.org

Kari Roberts - Special Educator - kroberts@cvsdvt.org

Peter Booth - Math Teacher - pbooth@cvsdvt.org

Katie Mack - Social Studies Teacher - kmack@cvsdvt.org

Heather MacDonald - Math Teacher - hmacdonald@cvsdvt.org

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What we hope you walk away with today. . .

This is not accomplished by any one person: it best evolves through a collaborative team process between regular ed teachers and special educators - eventually with students and families
This is messy: you will try things that don’t work and that make you revise your thinking
Understanding the difference between accommodation & modification is crucial in providing access to the targets
The very high level of modification ends up only being needed for a few students
The work put in is instrumental in supporting instructional moves that meet a wide range of learners

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Why Differentiate?

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How to decide: Accommodate or Modify?

Accommodation: A support that a student needs in order to access the target (ex: instructional reading level for a critical reading target, application of reading strategy target or writing target)

Modification: Fundamentally changes the task the student is being asked to do (ex: instructional level reading for a basic reading target or reading comprehension target)

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Scenario 1: Temporary Shifted Scale for Instruction

Work together to clearly articulate the 2 and the 1 as well as a couple of steps below or between (break the learning down into small, incremental steps)
Design classroom activities & tasks at the level 2, level 1, between and below as needed
By the end of the unit, these students consistently perform on the typical classroom targets (may be scoring 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5)
Students feel good about their progress because they have been able to experience learning with increased complexity and classroom activities have been designed at their level
Final score is an accurate reflection of their skill on grade level targets

REPORTING

No change to reporting
Accommodation in EST, 504, IEP: “Use shifted scales to clearly define small, incremental steps in learning”

STUDENTS THIS APPLIES TO

Mainstreamed students with mild to moderate disabilities
Students struggling with a particular skill regardless of disability status

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Example Target: Humanities

Graduation Standards				Beginning	2- Developing	3 (TARGET) Proficient	4- Exceeding
Making a Claim IITc M: Making a Claim - I can write a claim.	I can write a simple sentence that relates to the text. (ie - what happened in the text?)	Given multiple claims, I can pick the one that most accurately answers the prompt.	When given a sentence starter, I can complete the missing portion to write a relevant claim that contains a single idea.	I can identify information and write a relevant claim that contains a single idea.	I can identify relevant information and write an accurate claim that addresses two ideas.	I can synthesize information to make a general and accurate claim that is based on relationships and patterns.	I can evaluate varied types of information to make a general claim that leads to further thinking: evaluations, connections, and questions.
ACCOMODATIONS	Scribe

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Int. Bio Targets

			1	2	3	4
Data Analysis IITa	Given a question about data, I can answer it by describing a general relationship. (Q: What happened to the temperature between these years? A: The temperature went up)	I can describe a general relationship in the data. (The temperature is going up over the course of this time)	I can summarize the data without using calculations. (The temperature in the beaker went up from 1 to 10 in the x minutes)	I can apply some mathematical tools to describe relationships in my data. (the temperature in the beaker increased 9 degrees in x minutes)	I can interpret the data set using accurate calculations to explain relationships and patterns between all variables.	In addition to the 3.0, I can use additional analysis to expand on my scientific explanation or make a prediction.

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Scenario 2: Shifted Scale for Assessment

Again, articulate 1’s and 2’s together as well as a step or two below the Level 1.
Now student has a scale that can both reflect growth over the course of a unit while accurately showing their level of understanding/skill for parents
The expected growth (number of boxes on a scale) for the student is the same as for their peers
Class name may be changed depending on how often a shifted scale target is used

REPORTING

Individual targets that have been shifted need to be attached to reports that go home.
Accommodation in EST, 504, IEP: “Use shifted scales to clearly define small, incremental steps in learning and assess student performance”

STUDENTS THIS USUALLY APPLIES TO

Mainstreamed students with significant disabilities
Must be willing to do this for any student who demonstrates need

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Example Target: 9th grade Humanities

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Scenario 3: Alternative Scales/Learning Goals

Students are significantly below the grade level expectations
Goals may relate but are not necessarily in exact alignment with classroom targets (curriculum overlapping)

REPORTING

Course name on transcript indicates modification
Meaning of modified grade reported to family and student (via IEP, team meeting, etc) - template that allows that communication

STUDENTS THIS USUALLY APPLIES TO

Students with intensive needs or significant disabilities

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Example Targets: Learning Goals

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Resources