North Carolina Extended Content Standards American Institutes for Research Exceptional Children Division North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

North Carolina Extended Content Standards

American Institutes for Research

Exceptional Children Division

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

March, 2006

Seymour Sarason

“It could be argued with a good deal of persuasiveness that when one looks over the history of man the most distinguishing characteristic of his development is the degree to which man has underestimated the potentialities of men.”

(Christmas in Purgatory, 1965, p. 107)

Changing Curricular Context for Students with the most Significant Disabilities

Early 1970s– Adapting infant/early

childhood curriculum for students with the most significant disabilities of all ages

1980s– Rejected “developmental

model”– Functional, life skills

curriculum emerged

National Alternate Assessment Center

1990s– Also: social inclusion focus – Also: self determination focus– Assistive technology

2000– General curriculum access

(academic content)– Plus earlier priorities (functional, social, self determination)– Digitally accessible materials

Walk the Wall

Divide into 4 teams – A, B, C, D Move to designated area Divide each team into 4 main groups (1, 2, 3, 4) - 1 group for each

curricular era Assign recorder within each subgroup Record pros and cons for your curriculum era (timed)

– Move on to next curriculum era when directed Review pros and cons and add further points (timed)

– Move on to next curriculum era when directed Repeat until back to starting point Review

National Alternate Assessment Center

Developmental Model (1970s)

What it looked like…– Visually track object– Find partially hidden object

(object permanence)– Put peg in pegboard– Wash hands and use the

toilet– Motor imitation (“Pat your

head”)

(National Alternate Assessment Center, 2005)

Why rejected…– Not chronologically age

appropriate– Not functional (i.e., did not

promote skills of daily living)– Readiness- never ready– Students did not follow the

developmental sequence– “Criterion of ultimate

functioning” in community-teach what student needs for life

Functional Curriculum (1980-1990)

First options for adults with severe disabilities to live and work in the community

Curriculum based on what is needed to live and work in the community

“Ecological inventory”- assesses the environment to identify needed skills

Chronologically age appropriate; also called “top down” curriculum

Applied behavior analysis foundation for systematic instruction methods widely supported in research


Functional Curriculum

What it looks like…– Task analysis of 10 steps

to place an order at Burger King

(Go to counter…place order…etc.)

– Repeated trials of counting out $5.00

– Repeated trials of reading sight words: “hamburger,” “fries”

Current status…– Continues to be valued and

promoted in texts in Severe Disabilities

– Some critics suggest that it promotes separate curriculum; atypical school experience

– Most educators blend functional with academic


Social Inclusion Movement (Mid 80s and 90s)

Inclusion in general education as a civil right– Neighborhood school, general education class,

“belonging”/full membership– Activities to promote social inclusion/teach

social interaction Self determination

– Emphasis on student making own choices; person-centered planning

Provide support for inclusion versus expecting student to earn inclusion by learning “prerequisite” skills


Self Determination Model (late 90s)

What it looks like– Choose restaurant; choose order– Greet peer in English class– Self instruction to perform job task– Pass item to peer in cooperative

learning activity – Use switch to make choice or

activate a device(National Alternate Assessment Center,

2005)

Current Status - Some states’ alternate

assessment include quality indicators related to inclusion, self-determination factored into student scores

- General curriculum access as a “right”; versus earning it with progression of skills

Access to the General Education Curriculum (late 90s to present)

Not just access to general education settings but access to CONTENT and expectation for learning

– Even students in separate settings have this expectation

Assessing progress on state alternate content standards

Teaching grade level academic content with expectations for alternate achievements

Access to the General Curriculum

What it looks like…– Same/ similar materials and

activities as peers in general education

– Indicate comprehension of main idea of story by selecting picture

– Use technology to solve math problem; chart data

– “We’re learning how to do it better each day”


Current status…– New for most educators;

including experts in the field– Many students receiving

academic instruction for the first time

– Some educators worry about loss of focus on functional curriculum; see it as either/or

Access to the General Curriculum

All students having the opportunity to learn academic content

Sequential versus catalog approach to curriculum

Availability of assistive technology and digitally accessible materials

Less complex performances of grade level achievement standards

– But high expectations are creating success stories


How did we get here?

IDEIA 2004 requires that all students have access to the standard course of study in North Carolina at grade level.

IDEIA requires that all students be tested in order to demonstrate proficiency with the content standards at grade level.

North Carolina’s response

NC EXTEND1 will assess students who access the NC Standard Course of Study through content extensions derived at each grade level for the content areas of Science, English-Language Arts, and Mathematics.

NCEXTEND1 will replace the NC Alternate Assessment Portfolio for 2006-2007.

A Common Language Towards a Common Goal

Let’s establish working definitions of terms that we will be using throughout the day.

Then we’ll incorporate these terms into an understanding of DPI’s process of developing content standard extensions.

Terminology

Content Standard Extensions

– Establish an expectation of what students should be able to know and be able to do that differs in depth and complexity from the expectations for other students at a particular grade level

– A content standard that has been expanded while maintaining the essence of that standard, thereby ensuring that all students with significant cognitive disabilities have access to, and make progress in, the general curriculum

Terminology, cont.

Performance level descriptors

– Describe how much students should know and be able to do

– Describe what students at each achievement level should know and be able to do

Terminology, cont.

Entry points– represent a further definition of the extensions of

the standard course of study– represent the breadth, depth, and complexity of

the content standards at varying levels of ability– should represent a continuum of opportunities for

exposure to the content standards. Exposure is a key in teaching the standards.

Terminology, cont.

Symbolic, Early Symbolic, Pre-symbolic levels of ability

Activity:

– At your table, or within your group, discuss the varying behaviors at the Symbolic, Early Symbolic, and Pre-Symbolic levels (see handouts at your table).

– Identify examples of these behaviors based on your experiences with students with significant cognitive disabilities.

– Assign a spokesperson who should be prepared to share with the large group

Behaviors Related to the Symbolic Level

Communicates with symbols (e.g., pictures) or words (e.g., spoken words, assistive technology, American Sign Language, home signs).

May have emerging or basic functional academic skills: – decoding and comprehension – knowledge of meaning in a variety of symbols (pictures,

logos, signs, letters, numbers, symbols or words) – counting or number recognition – identifying or categorizing by a variety of attributes– emerging or basic number sense and/or computation– understanding of models or simple representations– emerging writing or graphic representation for the purpose of

conveying meaning through writing, drawing, or computer keying

Behaviors at the Early Symbolic Level

Demonstrates emerging knowledge of symbols (e.g., pictures, logos, associated objects – flag for circle time).

May have limited emerging functional academic skills: – limited or emerging knowledge of graphic symbols (logos,

restroom signs, etc.)– limited or emerging knowledge that objects may be

‘symbolically’ or ‘graphically’ related to an event, activity or another object (cereal box for cereal, photo of toys for ‘play area,’ picture of bus for ‘go home’)

– may respond to a variety of instructions (verbal or pictorial)– may categorize by 1 or more attributes– may demonstrate knowledge of a variety of cause-effect

relationships.

Behaviors at the Pre-symbolic Level

May demonstrate intentionality – shows interest, directed focus, purpose or desire for a result through behavior

Beginning to build intentional communication; may use idiosyncratic gestures, sounds, and movements to communicate with others

Does not discriminate between pictures or other symbols (and does not use symbols to communicate)

Associates objects or physical settings with routine activity - cup means drink, diaper means lie down

Demonstrates limited or simple understanding of cause and effect with immediate and frequent routines

May have the capacity to sort very different objects, may use trial and error

May demonstrate emerging knowledge of cause-effect relationships May manipulate (put in mouth, touch, grab, etc.) or engage in repeated

movements to gain knowledge of objects Starts to combine objects (e.g., place one block on another)

Terminology, cont.

Depth: start with the standard and go deep– The Competency– The Extension– Symbolic Entry Point– Early Symbolic Entry Point– Pre-symbolic Entry Point

Developing the Extensions of the NC Standard Course of Study:

The Process

Phase I– Content standard extensions were developed

through collaborative efforts of 5 divisions of the NC Department of Public Instruction (Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, Secondary Education, Accountability, Exceptional Children)

– Developed for students who are performing at a pre-symbolic, early symbolic, and symbolic level of ability.

The Process, cont.

Phase II– Formation of a 48 member task force consisting of parents,

school and system administrators, regular and special education teachers, and testing coordinators.

– 9 subcommittees were assembled within this task force representing elementary, middle grades, and secondary science, English/language arts and mathematics.

– This task force devised Extensions of the NC Standard Course of Study, reflecting access to the standards at the 3 levels of ability.

The Process, cont.

Phase III– The NCEXTEND1 will be developed by staff of

NCDPI with stakeholder input– Performance Level Descriptors for each level of

ability will be developed in the fall– Objective: to assure that the assessment provides

valid and reliable means of assessing student performance on grade-level content standards, given the specific abilities of individual students.

The Process, cont.

Training– Overview and background– Review of standards– Translating standards into goals– Translating standards into activities and materials

Review of the StandardsTime to Dig In!

Activity Based on the color of the pail and shovel on your table, take

20 minutes to:– Review and discuss the content standard extensions, sampling from

elementary, middle grades, and secondary and their linkage to the grade level standard

– Be prepared to share with the large group examples of the extensions from elementary, middle grades, and secondary level in language that you will use when explaining this to students’ parents.

ScienceEnglish/Language ArtsMathematics

Translating Standards into Goals, Activities and Materials

Creating a Balance How am I assuring access to the general

curriculum? How am I assuring that this goal is

functional, meaningful and relevant? Am I assuring that the goal adequately

addresses the student’s present skill level?

Identifying Instructional Goals

Step 1Can the student address learning standards at grade-level expectations in the subject being addressed?

If yes, then…Design age-appropriate instruction based on learning standards in this subject, at a level that challenges the student.

If no…Proceed to Step 2


Step 2Can the student address entry points at this grade level that are more complex?




Step 3Can the student address entry points at this grade level that are less complex?




Step 4When it has been determined through repeated attempts that the student at present cannot address learning standards even at the least complex entry point, the student should address access skills (social, motor, and communication skills) while participating in academic instruction.

What’s He Going to Get

Out of This Class…Really?

Challenges of Educating Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education

Abstract Concepts Fast Pace Verbal Emphasis Appear to Require Highly Academic Skills Large Group Activities

June Downing, Access Center Webinar, September 2005

Adapting Academic Tasks

Simplify Tasks– Add Information– Target Much Easier Concepts– Have Less to Do

Make More Active Make Tangible Make Materials Larger/Add Color Make it Fun/Game-like when Possible


Analyzing a Lesson to Identify Meaningful Learning Opportunities

Can any meaningful vocabulary be targeted? What general knowledge would be important

to teach? Can comparisons be made? (past/present,

size, shape, amount, appearance) What math skills can be targeted?


English Literature

Build Vocabulary Identify Big Ideas Determine color of ink to write with Same/Different concepts Count particular items on pages Add page numbers Sign name


A 7th Grade Example

• Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

BIG IDEAS

Ocean

Whales

Family

Vocabulary

Family—girl, boy, grandmother, grandfather, brother, old

Ocean—water, fish, wet, dry, salt, shells, blue, white

Whales—big, small, swim, eat, ride, on, gray, fish


Comparisons

Girl vs Whales Big vs Little Swim vs walk Wet vs dry Old vs young


Numeracy

Count stranded whales Count shells Count family members Compare number of boys to girls


Check for Comprehension

• The girl rode on the

surfboard whale • The girl loved her

grandfather boyfriend car

Geometry

Recognize Shapes (match) Count Like Shapes Recognize/Sort Big/Little Find Objects of Certain Shape Sort by Color


Algebra

Identify Numbers (2x + 3y = 14) Match Numbers Use a Calculator Create Problems with Objects (count) Identify Largest of Two Numbers


Science

Health—Decide good vs. bad things to eat, drink, do; sort by food groups

Weather—Determine what to wear in different weather (concepts of hot/cold/rainy)

Astronomy—Count stars/planets, match by size/color, vocabulary associated with constellations


More Science

Earth Science—Care for plants, read color words (green/brown), vocabulary, read instructions (pictorial/written)

Biology—Identify body parts and functions, count body parts, sort pictures (concepts of same/different)

Electricity—Use of switches to turn on appliances, read words “on/off”, identify items needing electricity


Next Steps…

Establishment of Regional listserv to share activities as LEAs develop them.

This training presentation is available from the Regional coordinator for you to use to train LEAs.

Visit the Access Center website for additional resources, links, etc. at:

www.k8accesscenter.org.

North Carolina Extended Content Standards American Institutes for Research Exceptional Children Division North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Documents

functional curriculum

community curriculum

curriculum era timed

life skills curriculum

life slide

s inclusion

developmental model

significant disabilities