assessment with struggling students

Assessing Struggling Learners

Joseph Morgan, M. Ed.EDSP 411 – Summer 2009

Objectives

Identify areas that general education teachers should reflect upon before referring a student for intervention.

Define screening and discuss why it is important for identifying struggling learners.

Define the RTI process and describe each tier of intervention.

Analyze graphs and make decisions about the progress of students.

Agenda

Beginning with Reflection

Screening Students for Problems

Response-to-Instruction Tier One – School-wide Interventions Tier Two – Targeted Interventions Tier Three – Intensive Individualized Interventions



Problems may be _________________ to the teacher. Questions to ask:

How are all the other ____________________ doing in this particular area? How does the struggling student compare?

What is the state of my classroom ________________________? What __________________ am I using to deliver the

instruction? What strategies have I used to __________________ the

struggling student? How am I explaining the assignment to the student? Are the

________________________ clear? Can I change _______________________ factors to support the

struggling student? What is my ______________________ about the struggling

student?


After careful reflection of teaching practice, begin to collect data. Clearly stated, what is the student’s deficit or area of

need. Be ____________________________. “____________________ in learning” and “doesn’t pay

attention” statements do not provide any guidance. Determine if the problem is ______________________.

Ensure that there is nothing in _________________________ causing an attention problem.

Ensure problem is not a __________________________ part of childhood.


Collect __________________ to determine if problem is increasing. If student dips in achievement, and then recovers, he or

she may not require intervention.

Determine if there is a _____________________ of behavior. Patterns help address educational deficits. No pattern often indicates there may be a problem.

_________________________ the parents.

Seek assistance from other professionals.

________________, __________________, ____________________! If it is not written down, it did not happen.



Screening = _____________________ all students in order to determine deficit areas where more assistance may be required. Broad _____________________of where students are at.

Does not provide a lot of information about what student deficits may be.

Assesses the level that ALL students are performing at. Allows for _________________________ between struggling

students and their typical peers. Helps schools identify areas where they may need

improvement.


Screening is a Preventative Act Helps ensure that all struggling students are

_______________________. Helps schools to identify ________________________

where they may need improvement. Helps struggling students get

________________________ earlier in their school careers.

Gives educators an idea of where ______________________ students are at for planning purposes.

Response-to-Instruction (RTI)


RTI is part of the reauthorization of IDEA (2004). Historically, students with learning disabilities and

emotional and behavioral disorders were identified after they had _______________________ in the general education classroom. LD = discrepancy between ________________________ and

_________________________ ability. EBD = severe behavioral or emotional problems that

disrupt the flow of the general education environment. __________________________ associated with LD and EBD

are generally obvious fairly early in school career. Wait to fail places students way _______________________

their typical peers.


RTI is a research-based intervention process. Different levels require more intensive intervention services. RTI interventions are driven by data.

Generally seen as a three-tier model of intervention (used in CCSD). Tier 1 Instruction = _____________________ instruction in core

curriculum for ALL students. Tier 2 Instruction = ______________________

_______________________for at-risk students; supplemental to the core instruction.

Tier 3 Instruction = Intensive ________________________ interventions; additional to other interventions.


_____ – _____ percent of students should perform here.

_____-_____ percent of students should perform here.

_____ – _____ percent of students should perform here.



Tier 1 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Summative assessment = assessments given at the

______________ of a unit of instruction. Determines, overall, what the student has

__________________ as a result of instruction. Final assessment of learning. _____________________ be used to make instructional

decisions. Examples: final exams, final projects, statewide

assessments, national assessments (e.g., SAT or ACT), proficiency exams.


Tier 1 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) ________________________ Assessments

Usually curriculum-based measurements (CBM). Given __________________________ throughout the year.

Generally 3-4 times). Measures student ______________________ towards a

standard. Compares student progress to others on that standard.

Some benchmark assessments are tied to a curriculum. For example, DIBELS uses benchmark assessments. Districts create benchmark assessments (CCSD uses

IDMS).



Tier 2 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Characterized by:

Targeted instruction in student deficiency area. Usually occurs in _________________ groups (no more

than 5 students). Provided by someone trained in intervention. __________________________ time to core reading

instruction. Usually 30-45 minutes per week.

Use of scientifically-based interventions. Read 180, REACH program, instruction in

phonemic awareness, fluency instruction.


Tier 2 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Assessment and instruction is more focused on

_____________________ students and his or her needs. Use ___________________ to closely monitor student

progress. Implement interventions. Determine their efficiency. Alter interventions as necessary.

Progress monitoring = short, ___________________ given assessments used to track student progress. Monitor progress toward a learning goal designed to

help them move forward.


Tier 2 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Progress monitoring should:

1. Assess skills from the local standards being used.2. Assess marker skills moving student toward proficiency

in learning goal.3. Be sensitive to small changes.4. Be administered over short periods of time.5. Be administered frequently.6. Provide data that is teacher-friendly.7. Be comparable to other students.8. Be applicable to monitor progress over time.9. Be relevant to instructional strategies being used by

teacher.


Tier 2 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Common Tier 2 assessments:

Reading site words. Math probes. Letter-sound probes. Functional behavior assessments of student behavior. Maze assessments.

Several ______________________ used for progress monitoring. AIMSweb, DIBELS, Intervention Central


Tier 2 Instruction (Shores & Chester, 2009) Chart data and make decisions about progress

based on agreed upon goal. Look at _____________ ______________and ____________ of

growth Performance level = how student is doing compared

to other students in the same grade, a standard, or agreed upon goal.

Rate of growth = the slope of the performance line as it moves towards the goal. If either one of these is increasing, then the

student is stated to be making adequate progress.


Performance Level

Rate of Growth

Outcome

Student is meeting criteria.

YES YES

YES NO

NO YES

NO NO


Is this student making adequate progress? Why or why not?








Tier 3 Intervention (Shores & Chester, 2009) Intensive ____________________ Instruction

Usually accompanied with a referral to special education, as this level of intervention is often unsustainable in the general education classroom. Eligibility for LD requires that RTI take place in the

state of Nevada. Beginning to look at eligibility for EBD in the same

way.

Generally, _____-____ weeks of intervention are required before a referral.

Monday – hear from general educators actually doing RTI!!Looking forward .

assessment with struggling students

Education

struggling students

instruction tier

instruction rti tier

instruction rti rti

reflection screening

students deficit

percent of students

screening students forproblems