Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Curriculum Based Measurement and Taking your Temperature?
In class I learned about Curriculum Based Measurements. This CBM would have to do with students that you feel are struggling in the classroom. As teachers, we are always assessing children on what they know about the material being covered. What I found interesting was that CBM is used in such a simple way. I would like to present an analogy that I found helpful. When you got the doctor (no matter the reason) your temperature is always taken. This is a short, quick test that is done to see a result. This result does not say exactly why you are sick but it does let the doctor know if you are having issues. This is exactly what CBM is! These are tests that are done that will tell a teacher right away if there is an issue, say with reading. This test does not tell the teacher exactly what the issue with reading may be, but that intervention may be needed. What I learned is that these tests are done on material that is already being presented in the classroom, so all children have the same advantages!
Let's look at 5 different areas of reading instruction and WHY they are important!
The alphabetic principle was one topic we covered in class that seemed to be very difficult for children. This is the idea that children can place letters together and know that they make different sounds in different contexts. This is something that I really feel that children struggle with. We discussed in class that many times children think that a certain letter such as “c” would make a hard “ca” sound and when used in other words it sounds like an “s” sound. This is something that younger children struggle with because they are learning to make sense of letters and working on their spelling. It is really important that children learn the difference because years down the road they will concentrate on harder words to spell and will need to know that necessarily sounding words out may not help them since letters can make different noises.
To assess this principle many times teachers will do spelling words with letters that are similar but make different noises. Teachers will explain to the children then difference in the letter and its sounds and then have them practice it on their own. I think some instructional options would be having the children work in groups so that their peers can help with the sounds of letters. Some children pick this up more quickly and will be able to explain why it is this way in a more “child friendly” fashion. I think that also not mixing the lessons with letter sounds would be helpful. If you know that letters can have different sounds then teach them at different times with younger children so that you are not confusing the children.
A lesson plan I would use would be a game. I think that the children could all choose a letter with multiple sounds, like the letter C and then draw pictures of a word using the different sounds. They could then quiz other members of the class. This would help the children to visually see a difference in pictures and sounds and would give them a fun way to learn. I think that if we are always doing the kill and drill method then we will lose children that do not feel as engaged in the lesson.
Phonemic awareness is the basic idea of hearing the multiple sounds in a word. This would be being able to see that a word like cat is three spate sounds. This is useful for younger children that are learning to spell. It shows them that there are multiple sounds and therefore multiple letters that they would want to recognize. This is also the practice where children would be able to recognize vowels or rhyming words. At their young age many books are in rhyming form to help with this principle and it would give these children a head start in learning to read words to eventually read books with rhyming words in the sentences.
Teachers assess this principle by using nursery rhymes in books. This gives children a chance to hear words and separate the sounds that the letters are making. It would help them to hear key differences in the sounds that letters make in certain words. Some instructional options would be to make a game of rhyming. One team would come up with a word and then the other team would be awarded points based on how many words they could rhyme with the original word. It could also work with the teacher giving a word and then two teams working together to come up with as many rhyming words as they could.
I have not seen this practice in my field placement. There are books that have rhyming words in them and the children really seem to like them. I have not seen the teachers really put this idea into practice though. I think a good lesson plan would be the teacher reading book that has rhyming words in it and engaging the children in discussion about the word and what parts of it rhyme with the previous word. This would again engage the children in active participation and group teamwork with their peers.
Oral reading fluency is the idea that children can read a fast pace and with fewer mistakes. This would be described as the flow of their reading. We do not want the children to read at an alarming rate but they should be able to get through pages at a decent speed. It is important that children have oral fluency because it will help them to understand what they are reading. They may be very choppy when reading and then get to the end of a page and have no clue what they just read about. We want them to be able to read quickly enough so that sentences are flowing together to create visual representation of what is happening in the story.
Teachers assess this process through running cues. This helps the teacher to see where the weaknesses in the child’s reading are located. This would help the teacher to identify the problem areas and then be able to focus in on where the child needs improvement and administer the help needed. An instructional practice that would help would be the act of repetitiveness. This would mean that a teacher would ask the student to read silently, then read aloud, and then the class could read aloud all together. This would help strengthen the reading fluency of the child and ultimately help the child to have automatic word recognition.
I have not seen this practice take place in my field placement. Right now the children are all too young to really be reading on their own so it is not something that I would be concerned about in the classroom that they are in. The teachers do try to read at a pace that the children can keep up with and understand the meaning of the story. With a class this young I think that they could may just start with recognizing the names of other students in the class and maybe putting a book together as a class about each other so they could start identifying names and actions in a context of their daily class routine.
Comprehension is something that can be established at a much younger age. Comprehension is the idea that children are being read a story and then are able to understand what happened and identify the main ideas. It is important that children can do this because it also goes along with instruction. It is important that when a teacher gives instruction that the class understands what she wants done and how they will execute the plan. This would also mean that in stories they would be able to identify main characters and the plot of the story. They would be able to understand why a certain character did what they did in the book and what made them want to make that decision.
Teachers can assess this by asking the children questions as they go through a story. She can be asking them who the characters are and what they think will happen next. If their ideas make sense then she knows that they are able to follow along and know what is happening in the story. Some instructional options for this would be to have questions to give the children before reading and then have them look for the answers in the story as you are reading. This would keep them engaged in the story sense they would be looking for ways in which to answer the questions that you have assigned to them.
My teachers are always doing this when they are reading. They will read stories and then ask the children why a character acted the way that they did. They children are always very excited to answer the questions and hope that they are right. This is also done with instructions. The teacher will tell the children what they are getting ready to do and then ask them to repeat what it is that they are supposed to be doing. A simple lesion plan would be to read a story to the children and then ask them to act it out for you. This would be fun time that they could work with other students and it would give the teacher a chance to see if they could comprehend what they story was about.
Vocabulary is huge for older children. This is the basic idea that children can read and define words that they come across. This is important because as children get older they will have to put words in order the way they can be understood in a sentence and they will need to understand placement. This is assessed with things such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. This is a test in which pictures are shown to a children they must match up the words with the known images. Some instructional options would be having spelling words or words that the children would have to define. This would give them the chance to work on certain words and let you as a teacher see where they are struggling.
I have seen this daily in my field placement. The children are given cards that have their pictures on them for choice time. The idea is that the children will have to place their picture in the area where they are engaging in a learning activity. The learning activities are drawn out for them on paper with the descriptive words of what they are doing. This gives the children a chance to visually see what they will be working on. This also has the words next to the picture. Having the word next to the picture would help the children to understand that certain pictures mean certain activities. This would encourage their word recognition.
I think a simple lesson plan could also be placed in a game. The teacher could have certain verb or action words placed throughout the room. The teacher could call out a word and then the children could race to that area of the room. When they got to that area they would then have to “act out” what they word was. This would help the children to recognize these actions words. It would also give the teacher a chance to see which words appeared to be the hardest to recognize and then allow her to set up a plan to help the students understand that concept. I know that all of my lesson plans have been in game form but I strongly believe that children will learn much more efficiently when they are engaged and not just sitting at their desk doing worksheets!
To assess this principle many times teachers will do spelling words with letters that are similar but make different noises. Teachers will explain to the children then difference in the letter and its sounds and then have them practice it on their own. I think some instructional options would be having the children work in groups so that their peers can help with the sounds of letters. Some children pick this up more quickly and will be able to explain why it is this way in a more “child friendly” fashion. I think that also not mixing the lessons with letter sounds would be helpful. If you know that letters can have different sounds then teach them at different times with younger children so that you are not confusing the children.
A lesson plan I would use would be a game. I think that the children could all choose a letter with multiple sounds, like the letter C and then draw pictures of a word using the different sounds. They could then quiz other members of the class. This would help the children to visually see a difference in pictures and sounds and would give them a fun way to learn. I think that if we are always doing the kill and drill method then we will lose children that do not feel as engaged in the lesson.
Phonemic awareness is the basic idea of hearing the multiple sounds in a word. This would be being able to see that a word like cat is three spate sounds. This is useful for younger children that are learning to spell. It shows them that there are multiple sounds and therefore multiple letters that they would want to recognize. This is also the practice where children would be able to recognize vowels or rhyming words. At their young age many books are in rhyming form to help with this principle and it would give these children a head start in learning to read words to eventually read books with rhyming words in the sentences.
Teachers assess this principle by using nursery rhymes in books. This gives children a chance to hear words and separate the sounds that the letters are making. It would help them to hear key differences in the sounds that letters make in certain words. Some instructional options would be to make a game of rhyming. One team would come up with a word and then the other team would be awarded points based on how many words they could rhyme with the original word. It could also work with the teacher giving a word and then two teams working together to come up with as many rhyming words as they could.
I have not seen this practice in my field placement. There are books that have rhyming words in them and the children really seem to like them. I have not seen the teachers really put this idea into practice though. I think a good lesson plan would be the teacher reading book that has rhyming words in it and engaging the children in discussion about the word and what parts of it rhyme with the previous word. This would again engage the children in active participation and group teamwork with their peers.
Oral reading fluency is the idea that children can read a fast pace and with fewer mistakes. This would be described as the flow of their reading. We do not want the children to read at an alarming rate but they should be able to get through pages at a decent speed. It is important that children have oral fluency because it will help them to understand what they are reading. They may be very choppy when reading and then get to the end of a page and have no clue what they just read about. We want them to be able to read quickly enough so that sentences are flowing together to create visual representation of what is happening in the story.
Teachers assess this process through running cues. This helps the teacher to see where the weaknesses in the child’s reading are located. This would help the teacher to identify the problem areas and then be able to focus in on where the child needs improvement and administer the help needed. An instructional practice that would help would be the act of repetitiveness. This would mean that a teacher would ask the student to read silently, then read aloud, and then the class could read aloud all together. This would help strengthen the reading fluency of the child and ultimately help the child to have automatic word recognition.
I have not seen this practice take place in my field placement. Right now the children are all too young to really be reading on their own so it is not something that I would be concerned about in the classroom that they are in. The teachers do try to read at a pace that the children can keep up with and understand the meaning of the story. With a class this young I think that they could may just start with recognizing the names of other students in the class and maybe putting a book together as a class about each other so they could start identifying names and actions in a context of their daily class routine.
Comprehension is something that can be established at a much younger age. Comprehension is the idea that children are being read a story and then are able to understand what happened and identify the main ideas. It is important that children can do this because it also goes along with instruction. It is important that when a teacher gives instruction that the class understands what she wants done and how they will execute the plan. This would also mean that in stories they would be able to identify main characters and the plot of the story. They would be able to understand why a certain character did what they did in the book and what made them want to make that decision.
Teachers can assess this by asking the children questions as they go through a story. She can be asking them who the characters are and what they think will happen next. If their ideas make sense then she knows that they are able to follow along and know what is happening in the story. Some instructional options for this would be to have questions to give the children before reading and then have them look for the answers in the story as you are reading. This would keep them engaged in the story sense they would be looking for ways in which to answer the questions that you have assigned to them.
My teachers are always doing this when they are reading. They will read stories and then ask the children why a character acted the way that they did. They children are always very excited to answer the questions and hope that they are right. This is also done with instructions. The teacher will tell the children what they are getting ready to do and then ask them to repeat what it is that they are supposed to be doing. A simple lesion plan would be to read a story to the children and then ask them to act it out for you. This would be fun time that they could work with other students and it would give the teacher a chance to see if they could comprehend what they story was about.
Vocabulary is huge for older children. This is the basic idea that children can read and define words that they come across. This is important because as children get older they will have to put words in order the way they can be understood in a sentence and they will need to understand placement. This is assessed with things such as the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. This is a test in which pictures are shown to a children they must match up the words with the known images. Some instructional options would be having spelling words or words that the children would have to define. This would give them the chance to work on certain words and let you as a teacher see where they are struggling.
I have seen this daily in my field placement. The children are given cards that have their pictures on them for choice time. The idea is that the children will have to place their picture in the area where they are engaging in a learning activity. The learning activities are drawn out for them on paper with the descriptive words of what they are doing. This gives the children a chance to visually see what they will be working on. This also has the words next to the picture. Having the word next to the picture would help the children to understand that certain pictures mean certain activities. This would encourage their word recognition.
I think a simple lesson plan could also be placed in a game. The teacher could have certain verb or action words placed throughout the room. The teacher could call out a word and then the children could race to that area of the room. When they got to that area they would then have to “act out” what they word was. This would help the children to recognize these actions words. It would also give the teacher a chance to see which words appeared to be the hardest to recognize and then allow her to set up a plan to help the students understand that concept. I know that all of my lesson plans have been in game form but I strongly believe that children will learn much more efficiently when they are engaged and not just sitting at their desk doing worksheets!
What are the benefits of using RTI over Traditional Methods?
I came into this class not having a very clear understanding of what RTI really was. So, everything that I have heard would make me want to be a part of the program! If I were trying to convince a colleague to stray from the traditional method and try this I would bring up valid points listed in this article. The traditional method states that children would be pulled from the classroom for special educational courses. These children would be tested using Standardized testing that they may not be able to even understand. The children would be evaluated differently from their home room teacher and their special education teacher.The special education teacher would then be the sole person in charge of success for the child that is struggling.
With the method of RTI the student would not be pulled away all day from their peers. They would still be encouraged to maintain and build on social interactions with their classmates. The curriculum and assessments would be modified so that the student would receive the help that they need and the instruction that would be necessary to make assignments clear. The student would have a group of people that were constantly concerned about their educational goals. The teacher and special education coordinator would work hand in hand to make sure that their findings were on the same page. The entire school would be involved in the success of the student as a whole.
The RTI method showed me that this is a group collaboration and that no one person would ever be alone in this process. It is important that all children's needs are met. This cannot be done effectively if one person is the only one evaluating the student. This also cannot be done if the student is being asked to leave their peers, thus creating a social gap between the traditionally learning students and those that are struggling.
With the method of RTI the student would not be pulled away all day from their peers. They would still be encouraged to maintain and build on social interactions with their classmates. The curriculum and assessments would be modified so that the student would receive the help that they need and the instruction that would be necessary to make assignments clear. The student would have a group of people that were constantly concerned about their educational goals. The teacher and special education coordinator would work hand in hand to make sure that their findings were on the same page. The entire school would be involved in the success of the student as a whole.
The RTI method showed me that this is a group collaboration and that no one person would ever be alone in this process. It is important that all children's needs are met. This cannot be done effectively if one person is the only one evaluating the student. This also cannot be done if the student is being asked to leave their peers, thus creating a social gap between the traditionally learning students and those that are struggling.
Article 7: Indiana's very own law!
We are all very familiar with the fact that many Special Education laws have been put into place nation wide! If you follow the link listed below you will be able to view "Article 7." This is Indiana's own special education law! It will give you insight into the in-depth methods that are being used state wide!
Follow the link! ---> http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/speced/docs/Art_7.pdf
Follow the link! ---> http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/speced/docs/Art_7.pdf
The LAW of Response to Intervention!
I know that so far I have only given you the basics on what Response to Intervention really is! I now would like to give you the guidance document where many of your questions can be answered! Now you will be able to see the deeper information of RTI!
Follow this link! ----> https://resources.oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/group/FA11-BL-EDUC-E351-2306/Rebecca_s%20Stuff/Week%203/RtI_Guidance_Document.pdf
Follow this link! ----> https://resources.oncourse.iu.edu/access/content/group/FA11-BL-EDUC-E351-2306/Rebecca_s%20Stuff/Week%203/RtI_Guidance_Document.pdf
Response to Intervention in a REAL classroom!
Here is a great video that can show you how one school has put the Response to Intervention model into action! It is a very cute little video so make sure that you volume is UP!
Follow this link!! ------> http://www.readinghorizons.com/rti/
Follow this link!! ------> http://www.readinghorizons.com/rti/
Response to Intervention: Just the Basics!
This following video is very useful for those that have basic questions about the Response to Intervention model! This video will give you "Just the Basics" on what you need to know to get started!
Follow the link below and then "click" on whether you are a MAC or PC user to view the video!
http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineduc/cprp/rti.html
Follow the link below and then "click" on whether you are a MAC or PC user to view the video!
http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineduc/cprp/rti.html
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