Module+11_Chapter+12

Everyone responds here. Be sure to put your initials next to your answer.
 * __Professor Questions: Grand Conversation__**

1. What does research say about the topic? TH: The reading achievement of children of poverty is deemed unacceptably low. Minority children are overrepresented among the poor, so far too many minority children struggle with reading, Most children who are identified as learning disabled are children who struggle with reading and writing. Both reading and learning disabilities are largely socially constructed. There is no "one best way" for developing children's literacy proficiencies. AW: The text suggests restructuring our instructional practices for children with learning disabilities. Reaching children early and helping families to be literate is a solution to the problem. Intervention plans are needed; however, there is no one fix. It will be difficult, but not impossible. VI-S: Policy points are leading to the need for reconceptualization of reading/learning disabilities. The text stresses that instead of labeling and segregating the students who struggle in reading, instructional programs need to be restructured and resources provided for stronger interventions. MC: Ok, my first answer disappeared and now I don't remember what I wrote! Children living in poverty, which are also a big chunk of minority children, seem to be struggling with learning to read. The text leans toward restructuring the education world so that these students as well as other students get the "head start" that they need. I am in agreement, but feel like it will be a challenge.

2. Share the types of interventions that your school does use. TH: My school has several interventions in place. We have two Reading Specialists on staff who work with the lowest achieving students on acquiring literacy skills. We have 4 paraprofessionals who work with the "next level up" struggling readers. We have one specialist (who is paid with Reading Sufficiency money) that comes in during part of the first semester and again during part of the second semester to work with the "bubble" kids. We have one Learning Disabled teacher who works with the kids who have already been identified as LD. We have 1-1/2 ESL teachers and 1 paraprofessional who work exclusively with ELL students. We have many parent volunteers who read with children daily. AW: Because we are private, we can be choosy about the students we allow into the district. So, all we have is one reading specialist who works with 1st-5th grades with our identified struggling readers or low performing readers. We do not have a special ed program or any other services. VI-S: Our lower grades are starting to us the RTI program. In upper elementary we have title one reading where students who qualify get pulled out of their classrooms for 30min a day to work on reading. MC: The only things we do at my middle school is offer tutoring (only the teachers who are willing to do so) and then besides the services that some students receive from special education we also have the TAT process which is similar to RtI but not nearly as in depth. I really wish we had more for our sixth graders, but there's no remediation program until they hit 8th grade.

3. How does this area relate to RTI that you read about already? TH: I feel that my school makes every effort to reach each child and tend to their individual needs. Since each of our Reading Specialists works on different skills (one loves fluency and the other loves skills work), the kids move between the classes as their needs change. Our paraprofessionals teach students based on what our Literacy Coach and Reading Specialists determine to be their needs. The only groups that don't change regularly are our ELL students. They are grouped by proficiency needs within the grade level and served accordingly. AW: Again, since we are private entity, we don't provide "interventions", but more of a scaffolding to those students are who low. And, really, that's just low for our school. They would probably nor qualify in a public school. Our cut-off is close to the 50th percentile, so students are still high functioning with "good grades", they just need a little bit more support. VI-S: I feel our school has been weak with interventions. Many of our students are coming to 4th grade still not reading even close to level. I hope that this RTI program will help with students as our district uses this program. MC: Again, we don't do much at my school unless the individual teachers do something for a student. We just got a new building principal, so hopefully that will change.

Respond to your peers' questions. Be sure to put your initial next to your answer. The third question is for the teacher to respond.
 * __My Three Questions__**

Amanda's ?s

1. How important is Pre-K in the development of a reader with disabilities? TH: I think that Pre-K is extremely important in the development of readers with disabilities. I also think that it is important for children who come from a home where a language other than English is spoken. It gives these children an added year of modeling, skill instruction at their level, etc. VI-S: Very. I think that if students at an early age had strategic interventions they would be stronger readers. MC: I think pre-k is highly important for the success of all students, and is almost VITAL for underprivileged children.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of pull-out programs? TH: I teach a pull-out program so I see both sides of this question every year. The advantages to the child are that the child gets small-group instruction with limited distractions. The group usually consists of children who are experiencing similar problems. The child receives double instruction (that of the classroom teacher as well as that of the pull-out program). For the pull-out teacher, the lesson plans are geared to the difficulties of each group and can be assessed regularly and changed as needed. Usually, the instruction is more child-centered with different teaching strategies being presented. The disadvantages to the child are that he is pulled out of the regular classroom for a period of time each day, thus missing the activity in the regular classroom. He may feel some embarrassment if the pullout is not handled correctly. The disadvantages to the regular classroom teacher is that instruction has to be planned around the pull-out to ensure that the child does not miss valuable instruction. The disadvantage to the pull-out teacher is the scheduling nightmare that happens every year - all the classroom teachers have valid reasons for wanting their children pulled out at a certain time, but the pull-out teacher has to schedule for the entire building - so someone has to make sacrifices - and they usually are not happy about that. VI-S: I go back and forth on this one. I have a pull out program. I have high expectations of my students and my ultimate goal is to help them enough where they can be successful in the regular classroom. Some of my students are so low that I think leaving them in a regular classroom would do more harm. But then I have other students who could manage but don't want to work hard for it. It depends on the classroom teacher also. Sometimes it is easier just to take that student out for reading instead of leaving them in a classroom where the teacher isn't helping and the child is just getting more and more frustrated. MC: I'm at a school where we did pull out for the longest time and the last few years we have done no pull out, then changed to one class of pull out and the rest of the grade level was put in inclusion. I have seen several advantages and disadvantages. One advantage to co-teaching is having two teachers, which allows us to catch more of the problems of the class as well as make group instruction a little more individualized. The disadvantage to that is that some of my LD kids don't need to be in that big of a classroom, and I have to fight to get them put back in pull out. The advantage of our pull out class has been that it has been smaller over the last year or so and I have had a lot of freedom with them. We've been able to combine with other reading classes to do huge Holocaust projects, and then to work on our own on things like comprehension and vocabulary. The problem I have with pull out is that there are kids being placed in their by their sped teachers as a matter of convenience rather than a matter of need.

3. Give an idea for long-term support of children with learning disabilities. TH: These children probably need repetition, repetition, repetition. They need it in the special education classroom as well as the regular classroom. Teachers need to understand that these children usually want to learn - they are not intentionally "not getting it." VI-S: I agree that these struggling students need repetition. They also need support and encouragement that they can do it. Students who are encouraged to use strategies that they are taught will do it. Expect high of them and they will come up. MC: I also agree that repetition can be the key, but that those struggling students also need support and encouragement from all their teachers, not just their special ed teachers, as well as from their parents, which a lot of lower economic students really don't receive. That makes me sad.


 * Mandy's ?s**

1. What percentage of your students actually read "on grade level", and how many students either read below or above average? TH: Well....almost all of my kids read below grade level because they have difficulty with the vocabulary on grade level. By the time they are regularly reading on grade level, they have usually already tested out of my program. AW: Off hand, about 30% read on grade level, 10% read below grade level, and the remaining 60% read above grade level. Remember, I teach private, so my kids are able to handle a faster pace and we don't accept those students with needs or disabilities.

2. Do your students that read below grade level have a learning disability? TH: Most of my kids have a "vocabulary disability." When we do determine a child has a learning disability, they get services from our LD teacher rather than me. (Let me qualify that: I try to continue to serve my younger kids, K-2, so they receive double services. However, when my classes get too full, those are the first kids to stop receiving services. My 3-5th graders are pulled out of their classroom so much that I don't attempt to serve them - because language has to be ruled out as the primary problem prior to qualifying for special education.) AW: Usually, no. They are just behind the others. Maybe they didn't have preschool or they didn't have active parental support in reading. Other causes might be as simple as a lack of exposure. Most of our students catch up quickly.

3. What reading interventions do you see to "catch up" your below level readers? Do you do enrichment activities for your average and above average readers? TH: Since almost every one of my kids is below level, everything I do is an intervention. We work on vocabulary, vocabulary, vocabulary primarily. AW: Reading interventions are the same for all my students. I work with small groups detailing individual and group needs. If some are deficient in short vowels, then we work on that. The same is true of my above level students. We work on harder vowel patterns, etc.

Toni's ?s 1. How is a learning disability determined in your school? AW: We use the Gates-MacGinitie test in first grade and the SATs in 2nd-5th. If students score somewhere below 50th percentile (perhaps, 44th, I can't remember), then they qualify for services. VI-S: Teachers are asked to show that they have modified for the students and they are still failing. They also have to show that modifications in the regular classroom have not been working over a period of time and other remediation efforts didn't work. Then they can request testing with parental approval. Our district has a school psychologist who then gives the WoodCock-Johnson III. If they have a severe discrepancy and the team feels they need the support then they are qualified. MC: Most of our middle school students are labeled before they make it to our campus. Teachers recommend the student go through a TAT process, and if that process indicates that the student continues to be unsuccessful the student is referred to special services for testing. Once the school psychologist tests the student, he/she is able to determine if the student qualifies for any part of special services. If the student qualifies, then we meet with the parents. If the student doesn't qualify and there is any reason for one, we offer the student a 504.

2. Do you think the small-group add-on design of remedial and/or special education intervention is more or less beneficial than an inclusion type intervention? Why?  AW: I believe this to be the best situation. However, I should state that this is the only type I have been involved in, but still I think it works. During student teaching practicums, I dealt with other kinds of special ed interventions, but currently we use this type of pull-out design. I believe if you follow a routine of having 3-5 kids reading an appropriate texts with the right readability and teach skills explicitly, then you will have the best scenario possible. VI-S: I struggle with this. I think small groups pulled out is very benifical to my students. Each situation is different. I do my best to make sure they could not improve in the regular classroom with modifications. MC: I struggle with this, too. I try to do some small group pull out, and I also try to pull out in larger groups (10 or so) depending on what the lesson is, and what I am working with the students on.  VI-S: Not sure. MC: I'm not really sure either. Stumper! <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">AW: How can our students be reading superbly one year and now there are tons of problems and our students are failing and doing so badly? I think scores can be interpreted however you want! However, reading levels are at an all time high, because reading instruction is at an all time high in how it's being taught and the importance being placed on it's significance. I think most reports are bunk! I don't really care what the NAEP says about reading! Sorry! But, I think we put too much emphasize on that and don't look to our students. On the other hand, there is more need than ever for students with disabilities and learning problems and those with language deficiencies. Therefore, maybe the shift in scores in warranted. There's really no way to know.
 * 3. The book spent a great deal of time discussing the NAEP achievement levels. How do you interpret the validity of the NAEP results?


 * Vanessa's ?s**

1. In your school, what is the process for a failing student (ex: tutoring, repeat grade, then test for special education)? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">AW: We look at test scores and overall performance for the year. Also, teacher observation goes a long way in deciding for children to repeat or needed tutoring. I think teacher observation can show more than any test can show. Still, with a score for the parent and then added teacher recommendation (in the form of paperwork), teachers can provide a solid case for any placement. However, the parents still have a say -so. But, only for a while. If repeated reading struggles, failing grades, etc. continue to prevail, the principal steps in and takes over. ​ TH: Failing students receive additional interventions in the classroom by the classroom teacher. They should be receiving add-on instruction from the Reading Specialists in Reading lab and the paraprofessional in the Math lab. If they aren't - it is usually because parents have denied the services. The child must receive 3 retention notices (which parents have the right to make an appointment to refuse). So, any child who is in danger of failing for the year receives the first notice. Usually, that gets parents fired up - and they get on the ball with their child. Those still in danger of failing will receive the second retention notice (about a month later). By the third notice, the child will be retained unless the parents have come for a conference and denied in writing. All those retention notices go in the child's CUM folder for the next teacher to see (because it usually happens several years in a row). My Principal will override retention denials occasionally, but usually not until 2nd grade. If a child is being tested for Special Education, they are NOT retained. MC: We have an academic report that the students go on if they are making below an F. Currently, other than calling their parents we really don't do much. It seems to be up to each individual teacher concerning what to do about a student's grade. I usually try to see what my file kids need help with, and try to help them get caught up. The student's are restricted from participating in extracurricular activities until they are passing. The retention issue is handled by teachers making recommendations, and then it is up to the parents to make the final decision.

2. Does your school have a long-term instructional support for struggling students? How do you feel about it? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">AW: We have a reading specialist for struggling or below level readers. I am very happy with the program. My students test for the class and then receive 30 minutes of extra reading support everyday. Most of my children do very well and graduate from the program in less than two years. We don't have the same kids going every year to the same teacher for the same help. She works individually with each child to hit his needs. She differentiates instruction for each student and it shows. TH: We have 2 full time and 1 part time Reading Specialists. Each one of them sees different children because they each have a different "preferred" style of teaching. (For example, one of our RS LOVES fluency - so her program mainly works with kids with fluency problems. The other full-time RS prefers to work on strategies - so her kids get that most of the time. Our part time RS works with the "bubble kids.") We also have a full time Special Education teacher. In addition, we have a full-time paraprofessional who works on Math skills. I don't know if we will have our two Title I paraprofessionals this coming year or not - but they saw children who didn't go to any of the RS. We also have and ESL program for our ELL students (who do not get "double-dipped.") Our kids should receive additional help next year as we have been approved for school-wide Title I status for next year! MC: We currently do not have a reading specialist. That position was cut from our building before last school year.

3. What do you feel about inclusion vs pull-out programs? <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">AW: I prefer pull-out programs. I think the kids need that extra support separate from peers that don't need it. I think they need the time away from the kids to feel successful with peers that are equivalent to them. TH: I have seen both work. However, I prefer the pull-out program. I think it better serves the students - as they are in small groups, receiving intensive instruction on their needs. They have an opportunity to work with other students experiencing the same struggles. The inclusion method is better for the classroom teacher, as she doesn't have to plan time for the child to be out of the room. The inclusion teacher reinforces what the classroom teacher has taught - also usually in small groups. However, it is difficult to exclude children who also might need help (if the inclusion teacher is targeting specific children). MC: I am currently part of both, and I think they are both advantageous depending on the needs of the student or the lesson being taught.