Grounding Standards- Based Instruction in Transition DCDT Conference Albuquerque, NM October 22, 2005 Pamela Luft, Ph.D.

Grounding Standards-Based Instruction in Transition

DCDT Conference Albuquerque, NMOctober 22, 2005Pamela Luft, Ph.D.

October 22, 2005 Transition Services Preparation & Training

Standards-Based Instruction:The Problem

Teaching from state-wide standards can be difficult Standards are very broad in scope and vague (Popham,

2001). Standards are difficult to “parse” into teachable elements or

aspects (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) Standards are not overtly relevant to daily life

Standards-based instruction is not necessarily good instruction


Standards-Based Instruction and Transition

NCLBA testing and outcomes does not include transition Proficiency testing does not address transition issues State standards do not include transition knowledge or skills

IDEA 2004 Removes age 14 requirements for programming

Transition is perceived as a lesser priority Although outcomes encompass both academic and non-

academic school results


Transition Instruction As a Solution

Transition provides a key student-centered focusBased on authentic student needs, interests, and

preferencesEnsures relevant and meaningful instruction

Enhances standards-based instructionRelevance and meaning increase retention,

ultimately leading to higher proficiency scoresTransition is a critical tool in supporting effective standards-based instruction.


Incorporating Transition

with State-wide Standards

Transition knowledge and skill competenciesLife Centered Career Education (Brolin, 1997)

domains:Daily Living SkillsPersonal-Social SkillsOccupational Preparation and Guidance


Statewide Standardsfrom professional learning organization

standards: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_content_standards/acsprocess.asp

Ohio Department of Education Academic Content Standards

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_content_standards/ Tenth Grade

Representing high-level academic performance For grade-mandated instructional content requirements Demonstration of transition relevancy

Fifth Grade Representing more typical SPED academic performance For performance-level instructional content

Activities represent “idea starters” for teachers


Examples: 10th grade standardsLanguage Arts

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text

Daily Living Skills Personal-Social Skills

Occupational Preparation

1. Identify and understand organizational patterns (e.g., cause-effect, problem-solution) and techniques, including repetition of ideas, syntax and word choice, that authors use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience.

Identify examples of each: information about health care, housing, transportation; technical writing about home, appliance car repair; persuasive writing about products, services, candidates, political issues. Examine how authors influence readers’ choices.

Role-play conflict situations and examine word choice that helps or hinders goal of initiating, maintaining, or ending a relationship. Read scenarios and identify word choices and conversational styles that help or hinder speakers.

Read several descriptions of disability to present to a boss or co-workers. Role play as needed in order to identify differences between boss or coworker’s perspective.


Social Studies

Social Studies: Economics Daily Living Skills

Personal-Social Skills


Markets

1. Evaluate the effects of specialization, trade and interdependence on the economic system of the United States.

Choose a country that has frequent trade with the United States. Make a list of things you use everyday that come from that country; compare cost with similar items from within the U.S.

Set-up a game where students barter and trade with one another for things like free homework passes or pop/candy. Discuss how the results impacted the classroom as a whole.

Visit a factory in your area (steel, vehicle manufacturing, etc.) Interview employees about asking how foreign trade is affecting their jobs.


ScienceLife Sciences Daily Living

SkillsPersonal-

Social SkillsOccupational Preparation

Characteristics and Structure of Life

4. Summarize the general processes of cell division and differentiation, and explain why specialized cells are useful to organisms and explain that complex multicellular organisms are formed as highly organized arrangements of differentiated cells.

Students will research the development of babies. They will explore the quick division of cells at this early stage of life and how the process slows down over time. Have students research in teams how cancer spreads through cell division.

As students are learning about cells have them debate the issue of stem cell research, stating their opinions using facts and ideas they have found through research.

Break students into groups and examine perspectives of doctors, researchers, and cancer patients. Have students use their knowledge of cell division to create an idea for a cure. Work with others to create a proposal to the class.


Mathematics

Math: Number, Number Sense and Operations Standard

Daily Living Skills



Computation and Estimation

3. Use factorial notation and computations to represent and solve problem situations involving arrangements.

Have students create a password needed for an alarm system. Review their work and use it to explain the difference in using 2 digits verses 4 digits. With their password have them create all possible combinations. Talk about using phone #’s, birth dates, etc…

Using their code, have students list positive and negative consequences of the sequences: Short- remembering is easy, but people could guess it. Long- forgetting is easy, but hard for people to guess.

How to maintain professionalism on a budget (how to maintain a professional wardrobe cheaply): Have student think of 3 nice shirts, 4 pants, and 2 pairs of shoes. Have students list how many outfits they can form by changing one or more items.


Examples: 5th grade standardsLanguage Arts

Language Arts: Informational, Technical, and Persuasive Text Standard

Daily Living Skills



3. Compare important details about a topic, using different sources of information, including books, magazines, newspapers and online resources.

Have students use several types of text to find information about safety or hygiene. Discuss the details and which sources provided the clearest information.

Provide students with information about a place in their community (post office) compare the information found in multiple sources.

Have students research a career choice or a role model. Compare the types of information through out multiple sources.


Social Studies

History Standard

Daily Living Skills



Settlement

5. Explain how the United States became independent from Great Britain.

Compare the issues of dissent and loyalty in terms of demonstrating responsible citizenship: from the Loyalist and the Patriots (Revolutionary) viewpoints. Compare with an issue of dissent today.

Examine the decision making processes of Loyalists and Patriots with regard to independence. Compare with a current political controversy.

Examine business managers and decisions (start-ups) including mixed loyalties, risks, and similarities to US independence.


Science

Earth and Space Sciences

Daily Living Skills Personal-Social Skills


The Universe

1.Describe how night and day are caused by Earth’s rotation.

Students will plan a vacation that must take into consideration time zones and events that happen during the day and events that happen during the night. Students must plan their time around day and night and choose activities they want to go to and get to see it all and still find time to sleep and rest (to not overschedule).

As a class, students will make a survey about when people work, their sleep schedule, and whether or not they feel rested. Students will then use this information to decide whether or not it is easier for people to work during the day than late at night. They will discuss how the Earth’s rotation, causing night and day affects how our society works.

Classify jobs into categories based on jobs that are done during the day and jobs done during the night. What types of jobs are done 24 hours a day (factory) vs jobs that are 9-5 types. What are similarities and differences? Why is it important for some businesses to have a night or 3rd shift?


MathematicsMath: Number, Number Sense and Operations Standard

Daily Living Skills

Personal-Social Skills Occupational Preparation

1. Use models and visual representation to develop the concept of ratio as part-to-part and part-to-whole, and the concept of percent as part-to-whole.

Discuss the gas gauge in a car showing the amount of gas left in the tank. Show different examples of where the gas level is on the gauge and have students covert that to percent and fraction ratios. Have students brainstorm other situations in everyday life that shows amounts that can be converted to percents or ratios.

Have student research average sizes for parking spaces and the minimum number of handicapped parking spaces needed and the size in a lot (regular spaces are 9'x12' and handicapped spaces [3% of the total] should be 15'x20) Using area in the school parking lot, students will create parking spaces to develop a sense of area in square feet.

Use this same activity but incorporate questions that have to do with student’s job interests (all the people that would like to be nurses, policemen, etc.) use these groups to figure out ratio and percent as part to whole they can then break these groups down even farther to show part to part (girls that want a specific occupation verses boys)


Rationale for Transition

Regardless of academic grade level: Incorporating a transition focus to standards-based

instruction increases relevance and meaning Increased retention will result in higher proficiency test

scores, and generalization to life skills.Rigid, test-focused, standards-based instruction risks becoming

irrelevant and non-meaningful

Transition-focused instruction ensures links to relevant, authentic, and meaning-based teaching


Transition Activity Development Process

1. Begin with statewide standards Identify grade or performance levelSelect high-need standards for content area

Clarify and identify key knowledge and skill components

2. Examine transition competencies Identify student needs, interests, and preferences

Use state IEP categories or other listing (LCCE)Prioritize by students’ needs


Transition Activities

3. Use brainstorming process Create ideas that link each standard to prioritized

transition needs Use divergent thinking to expand links and ideas Check for web ideas and resources Check with content area expert or colleagues to broaden range of ideas

4. Evaluate ideasExamine for patterns, overlap, and redundancy

Use webbing, mapping, Venn Diagrams, etc.

Select idea(s) that best represent: relevant, interest-based transition topics, and authentic, standards-based activities


Standards Resources

Complete Listing of Standards—

Research-Based Priorities

Deaf Education &

Special Education

http://www.educ.kent.edu/fundedprojects/TSPT/grant.htm



Exemplary Standards-Based InstructionTransition provides relevance and authenticityTransition does not guard against fragmentationStudents don’t learn overarching understandings

These often are interdisciplinary and address lifelong concepts

These require ongoing exploration and inquiry at levels of increasing complexity (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)

Life cycles: Science: animals and plants; health care Social Studies: rights & responsibilities; social services Transition: marriage & family; employment patterns & needs


Exemplary Instruction

Thematic, unit-based instructional designsAddresses prioritized overarching understandingsProvides redundancy of key concepts to deepen

understanding and support generalizationUnderstanding by Design “backward design” process

Begins with identification of outcomes, rather than lesson ideas that can be tied together

Uses six facets of understanding to ensure thorough development of key knowledge and skills

Improves learning outcomes


UbD’s Backward Design

Stage One: Identify Desired ResultsReview external standards and student needs, to…

Stage Two: Determine Acceptable EvidenceDevelop assessments to evaluate achievement of the

standards and needs, and ends with… Stage Three: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Develop lessons and instructional activities that: Prepare student to adequately perform on the assessments, and Demonstrate thorough understanding of key concepts/ideas


“Backward” unit Design that incorporates transition

Stage One Identify relevant state standardsExamine student needs (transition)Frame unit according to lifelong and enduring

understandings


Summary

Transition topics provide relevancy and meaning to standards-based instruction— At all grade levels

Transition activities can be developed for any content standard— Across multiple transition domains

Transition can be incorporated into thematic unit design— To support integrated and exemplary instruction


Development Processes for Grounding standards-based

Instruction in Transition

Transition Activity Development Steps listed in presentation & website

Unit Development Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)

Contact information: Dr. Pamela Luft Kent State [email protected] 330-672-0593


ReferencesBrolin, D. E. (1996). Reflections on the beginning . . . and the future directions! Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 19, 93-100.Brolin, D. E. (1997). Life centered career education: A competency based approach. Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children.Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act Amendments of 2004, Pub. L. No. 108-446, 20 U.S.C. § 1400.No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, P.L. 107-110, Title IX, Sec 9101 (23)(A&B)Ohio Department of Education (2001, November 27). Joint Council of the State Board of Education and the Ohio Board of Regents Process for Development of Academic Content Standards. Retrieved 10/13/05 from http://www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_content_standards/acsprocess.aspOhio Department of Education Academic Content Standards. (2005, August, 25). Columbus, OH: Author. Retrieved 9/25/05 from http://www.ode.state.oh.us/academic_content_standards/ Popham, W. J. (2001). The truth about testing: An educator’s call to action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Grounding Standards- Based Instruction in Transition DCDT Conference Albuquerque, NM October 22, 2005 Pamela Luft, Ph.D.

Documents

difficult standards

transition focus

content areaclarify

key knowledge

performance levelselect

content area expert

authentic student needs

preferencesensures relevant