LE2-4 - IEP and Assessment

A student with a LD profile that has an IEP will have various assessment accommodations and or assessment methods contained within their IEP.

Think about the following questions based on the sample IEPs posted below:

1. What type of assessment data may be included for a student with a LD profile?

In the Halton board, the Assessments section of our IEPs is divided into two sub-sections and is based on the information that was used to inform the creation of the IEP: clinical and academic. Clinical assessments for a child with an LD might include a psychoeducational assessment, medical diagnosis records from physicians (e.g., for ADHD, ASD, etc.), diagnosis records from other medical professionals (e.g., occupational therapist, audiologist, etc.). Academic assessments for a child with an LD might include a reading assessment (perhaps showing below grade level), other assessments completed by the SERT (Key Math, WFAS, etc.), standardized testing results (e.g., CCAT, EQAO).    

2. How does this assessment data relate to a student’s program?

All of the assessment data provided in an IEP is meant to inform the creation of the IEP as it highlights the strengths and struggles of the student. For example, the recommendations section of the psych ed assessment includes ideas for helping the student overcome their challenges. Those recommendations generally become accommodations or even performance tasks.  

3. What types of assessment accommodations might students have?

The assessment accommodations reflect the IEP team's understanding of how best to assess what the student can do and say based on their strengths and struggles. For example, if the student has trouble with fine motor skills, and needs to type answers or use speech-to-text to capture answers on a test, then this would be reflected in the assessment accommodations. If the student has ADHD and needs regular breaks, extra time, or frequent attention prompts in order to have the most success, then this is reflected in this section as well.   

4. What type of assessment methods are used for students’ learning expectations?

Assessment methods for IEP learning expectations also reflect the strengths of the student. For example, if the student has the most success with oral assessments, then they should not be give assessments that include heavy writing assignments. Beyond the "show what you know" type of expectation, the IEP could include methods that include assessment as learning to give the student an active role in the assessment process. For example, the assessment could include conferences for discussing checklists, self-assessments, anecdotal notes gathered by the teacher, which can be used in the ongoing monitoring of progress by the student and teacher.  

 

LE2-3 - Ongoing/Continuous Assessment Model

Note how each one of the assessment elements below can relate to literacy or numeracy or learning skills/work habits.

Assessment type	Relation to: Literacy or Numeracy or Learning Skills-Work Habits (Pick 1)
Observation- Analysis	Anecdotal notes about what the teacher sees in class where learning skills are concerned can be used by both the teacher and the student to monitor progress and set further goals and the teacher can use these to guide further instruction.
Conferencing	Ongoing/regular discussions between the teacher and student about goals, such as self-advocacy, can be used to create accountability.
Timely-Descriptive feedback	Verbal or written feedback provided in the format that's most useful for the student can be used in regular conferences to monitor progress regarding goals and discuss how well strategies are being used (or if new ones need to be tried).

In - school support team	Members of the in-school support team can help the classroom teacher come up with strategies for helping the students, especially when they seem to be struggling to make progress.
Out of School Support (ie. psych-ed consultant, social worker, community partners including parents-guardians etc….)	All of these have different perspectives to offer when it comes to assessing learning skills. The parents-guardians, for example, can try things at home and provide their observations to see how they compare with what is happening at school.

LE2-2 - Types of Assessment

 

Table B

	What is it...?	So what...?	Now what...?
Assessment for learning	Ongoing assessment to help the teacher determine how well students are learning and using what they are learning.	This type of assessment provides the information needed for differentiated instruction as we find out what the learner has learned, what still needs to be learned, and how to make that happen. This includes using diagnostic assessments before instruction begins and formative assessments at certain steps along the way to monitor/adjust learning goals.	This helps teachers keep a finger on the pulse of their teaching and their students' learning. For kids with LDs, this means that the teacher can monitor improvements at the student's pace of learning, sliding in new challenges as needed.  In my self-contained LD class I have already been warned that there is a lot of diagnostic assessment to do before I will have the information I need to write the IEPs for my students.
Assessment as learning	Helping children become active participants in the assessment process as they use feedback to adjust their thinking and expand their thinking.	This helps students develop an awareness of their own learning so they can monitor their own progress, set their own goals, reflect, etc.	This helps students become independent learners. Kids with LDs can reflect on their own learning and celebrate as their personal goals are met. Having regular conversations with the students about their learning will help us communicate about how to move them forward.
Assessment of learning	Summative assessment to determine how well students have accessed the curriculum material. This is information that ends up on report cards.	This is a snap shot in time after a period of learning. It can also be used to inform the next period(s) of instruction.	For students being diagnosed with LDs, this information will inform the team who is recommending and completing the assessments needed to diagnose.

LE2-1 - Understanding Assessment

 

Kelly Stevenson -- Response to Cartoon:

I’ve seen many variations on this cartoon in the ten years since I started teaching, and it is always an excellent reminder that every child is unique. Every child has gifts. Every child has things that they struggle with. I love that I went through teachers college in a time when a huge focus was on differentiation and universal design for learning. It’s such a different approach to what school looked like when I was a student -- when everyone received the same programming and those who were able to find a way to climb the proverbial tree were successful. The strengths of those kids who didn’t quite fit the mold were not celebrated. If we are to celebrate the gifts that make our kids so special, we need to find opportunities for them all to show us what they can do or say that reflect their strengths rather than highlight their challenges.    

A friend of mine liked this image on Twitter this morning, and it made so much sense to me. As educators working with kids who have LDs, we need to make sure we are paying close attention to the Assessment Accommodations sections of their IEPs. That is a great jumping off point for figuring out how to assess a child’s learning with an eye to their strengths and struggles. It doesn’t matter how they show us what they learned. It just matters that we care enough to make the effort to help them get there.

 

Kelly Stevenson -- Response to Tracy:  Hi Tracy! I love the panic zone, learning zone, comfort zone image -- definitely borrowing that -- so thanks for sharing. I think it is so important to remind educators that no learning will happen in a situation where a child is stressed out. A challenge is important, but expecting too much is not productive at all. This is the basis for the self-contained LD class that I’ll have in the fall. The kids have not been able to thrive in mainstream classrooms because mainstream classes don’t put them in the learning zone. My ah-ha moment here is that I always need to remember that they are all different and they are all going to need me to help them find that sweet spot where they are being challenged but not flung into a panic.

LE1 - Reflection

As I have completed the learning activities for the first module of this course, I have been reflecting on the work I did this past year as an intermediate SERT as well as how the information will be useful in my new job teaching a self-contained LD class in September. Because I already have some experience with special education, this learning has helped me to structure the course content in my schema in a way that I will be able to draw on it and apply it practically going forward. 

The most useful sections of the module were the ones in which we explored the different types of LDs, the challenges they pose for children, and the strategies that help. Of the sixty children on my caseload this year, a large percentage of them had LDs (some with comorbidities). I learned so much about how different LDs can look and the varied level of support that children need depending on the severity of their disabilities. I worked with kids who were so severely impacted that they couldn't produce any work without the support of an adult, and I worked with kids who didn't really need my help at all. As I read the course content about the different types of LDs, it was nice to be able to put some official language around what I was seeing with my kids this year.

In the fall, the eight kids in my class will be there because they all have significant LDs (several with ADHD and/or anxiety) that have made it difficult for them to thrive in regular classrooms with traditional interventions. I have seen the profiles that were created for me at their transition meetings in June, and they are all significantly different. These eight kids are the reason why I'm taking this course this summer (I already love them so much and I haven't even met some of them in person), and everything I take away going forward will be about doing the best job I can to plan and execute eight separate programs to meet their unique needs.

I have so many questions that I am hoping to find answers to while I navigate the content of this course. I have had tons of training around phonemic awareness and how to help kids fill in the blanks so they can learn how to read and write. (I'm currently procrastinating on reading my Kilpatrick manual because I want to give it my full attention in August.) I have very little experience in teaching math, and I'm hoping to find some useful guidance/resources to help me gain a deeper understanding of how to properly assess my kids and program for their success in math. I'm also hoping to find some help on how to have difficult discussions with my kids, such as what to say to them when they are feeling down on themselves or frustrated. I know that will come with experience, but I want to be as prepared as possible going in. 

Thus far, I have enjoyed the course very much. This is the first time I have taken a course to help me do my job better -- rather than to pad my resume -- and I'm surprising myself with how much easier it is to engage in something that means this much to me. I have created a blog (teachld.blogspot.com) to keep track of my journey through this course, and I am hoping to continue it as I walk through my days come September.  

      

LE1-8 - Inquire and Explore a Topic Related to LD

 Jul 11, 2021

Dear parents/guardians:

I am thrilled to be your child’s teacher this year in the self-contained learning disabilities classroom at Hawthorne Village Public School. The first week of classes has been wonderful and I have enjoyed getting acquainted with the children. I know the experience of parenting a child with a learning disability is quite new for many of you (and possibly quite overwhelming), and I would like to take this opportunity to share a web site that I think you will find useful. Learning disabilities are complex and every child has a unique experience, and the Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO) is a great starting point to support you as you support your child. Their web site is a great resource: https://www.ldao.ca. 

One of the most useful sections on the LDAO web site is called LDs/ADHD. Within this menu, you can find a wealth of information that will help to answer any questions you might still have, including: 

• What are Learning Disabilities? -- In this section, you can find a comprehensive resource to help you define and understand exactly what it means to have a learning disability. You can also read about the types of disabilities, which can impact academics, organization and focus, social life, and physical interactions with the world. 

• What is ADHD? -- Not all children with learning disabilities experience Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but it is not uncommon for the two to coexist. If ADHD is part of your child’s profile, this section will help you understand what it is and, most importantly, how it can be viewed as a gift.   

• What Helps? -- Learning disabilities can impact a child’s life at home and at school. In this section, you can read about a variety of strategies that are known to help navigate life with a learning disability. This includes strategies for using assistive technology, for managing relationships, and for working with school staff. 

• Who Helps? -- This section provides some direction if you need to reach out for help. There are many local branches of the LDAO, including one that provides support in the Halton area (https://www.ldahh.ca/). The Programs and Summer Programs sections outline some great programming available in the local area, which you might find useful at some point. And if you ever move to a different locale within Ontario, you can look up your nearest branch to find local options. I highly recommend joining the LDAHH email list, in which they send out lots of helpful bits of information about programs for children, conferences, and other resources that are available to support children with learning disabilities. Look for the link at the bottom of the main web site that says: Sign up for latest updates from LDAHH. 

I would also like to point out the Resources menu, which provides information about online courses, workshops, programs, and publications that might be useful for you. You will also find links to outside organizations who also provide support as well as books and videos and even scholarships that are available.

As we say at Hawthorne Village, it really does take a village to support a child in their learning journey. It is helpful to know that there are agencies out there to help families as they learn the ins and outs of learning disabilities.There are many community supports available that we may engage for support with our children, but the LDAO is a great place to start. 

Sincerely yours,

Kelly Stevenson