Diagnostic Tasks in the Diagnostic Tasks in the Special Education Special Education

ClassroomClassroom

WERA ConferenceWERA Conference

March 2009March 2009

IntroductionsIntroductions

Who are we?Who are we?– Sasha HammondSasha Hammond

Math Coordinator, ESD 105Math Coordinator, ESD 105

– Dee Dee GaubDee Dee GaubSpecial Education Teacher, East Valley S.D.Special Education Teacher, East Valley S.D.

– Shawn MortonShawn MortonSpecial Education Teacher, East Valley S.D.Special Education Teacher, East Valley S.D.

Who are you?Who are you?

What was our dilemma?What was our dilemma? How do we implement the research from our How do we implement the research from our

trainings into our classrooms?trainings into our classrooms? How do we create goals and objectives that How do we create goals and objectives that

match the student data provided by the school match the student data provided by the school psychologist?psychologist?

How do we measure progress towards these goals How do we measure progress towards these goals and objectives in an ongoing and efficient way?and objectives in an ongoing and efficient way?

How do we align materials to the state standards, How do we align materials to the state standards, the goals and objectives, the goals and objectives, and individual and individual student needsstudent needs??

How do we differentiate between reasoning and How do we differentiate between reasoning and calculation in mathematics?calculation in mathematics?

Our ProcessOur Process

So far…..So far…..

Step 1: Step 1: Examining the Current AssessmentsExamining the Current Assessments

Why are they not working?Why are they not working?– CumbersomeCumbersome– Time ConsumingTime Consuming– Inconsistent Inconsistent

What else could we use?What else could we use?– Examined FSiM Diagnostic tasks Examined FSiM Diagnostic tasks – Identified tasks that met our students’ Identified tasks that met our students’

needsneeds

Step 2:Step 2:Aligning Diagnostic TasksAligning Diagnostic Tasks

Alignment to the strands of mathAlignment to the strands of math– Sorting within the strandsSorting within the strands

Aligned to student needsAligned to student needs– What were the goals and objectives needed to What were the goals and objectives needed to

fulfill IEP’s?fulfill IEP’s?

Alignment to StandardsAlignment to Standards– Created rubrics that crossed the grade levels.Created rubrics that crossed the grade levels.

Step 3:Step 3:Examine Psychologists’ EvaluationExamine Psychologists’ Evaluation

– Note: We wish we would have done this first!Note: We wish we would have done this first!

What is being classified as calculation?What is being classified as calculation? What is classified as reasoning?What is classified as reasoning? What is the testing protocol?What is the testing protocol? What is not tested?What is not tested? What input did the school psychologist What input did the school psychologist

have to help with our process?have to help with our process? How can we work together better as a How can we work together better as a

team?team?

Step 4:Step 4:Separating Calculation from ReasoningSeparating Calculation from Reasoning

Separation was based on WIAT-II Separation was based on WIAT-II evaluation.evaluation.

Determined we would start with Determined we would start with calculation because our program, calculation because our program, Connecting Math Concepts, had this Connecting Math Concepts, had this focus.focus.

Identified other resources for Identified other resources for reasoning.reasoning.

Step 5:Step 5:CalculationCalculation

Examined program assessments for Examined program assessments for placement.placement.

Matched those skills to the skills Matched those skills to the skills identified in the psychologist’s identified in the psychologist’s report.report.

Differentiated skills into levels.Differentiated skills into levels. Determined the program covered all Determined the program covered all

of the skills identified as calculation.of the skills identified as calculation.

Step 6:Step 6:Periodic Assessments for CalculationPeriodic Assessments for Calculation

Identified where skills were assessed throughout Identified where skills were assessed throughout math program.math program.

Determined what was taught in the program that Determined what was taught in the program that could be de-emphasized.could be de-emphasized.

Allowed us to focus our intervention on the Allowed us to focus our intervention on the concepts identified as student objectives.concepts identified as student objectives.

The program placement aligned with The program placement aligned with psychologist’s evaluation.psychologist’s evaluation.

Discovered that other resources would need to be Discovered that other resources would need to be used for reasoning.used for reasoning.

Filled in gaps in the program’s assessments.Filled in gaps in the program’s assessments. Aligned calculation objectives to state standards.Aligned calculation objectives to state standards.

Step 7:Step 7:Tackling ReasoningTackling Reasoning

What resources do we have access What resources do we have access to?to?

What resources might we need?What resources might we need? How are the concepts broken down How are the concepts broken down

within the strands?within the strands? How do the concepts grow through How do the concepts grow through

the developmental phases?the developmental phases? How will we measure this growth?How will we measure this growth?

Our ResourcesOur Resources

Groundworks, Creative PublicationsGroundworks, Creative Publications Think Tanks, Origo Think Tanks, Origo FSiMFSiM Math WhizzMath Whizz Teacher to TeacherTeacher to Teacher

Breaking Down the StrandsBreaking Down the Strands

Reasoning with NumbersReasoning with Numbers– RepresentationRepresentation– Number SenseNumber Sense– Ratio and ProportionRatio and Proportion– Number TheoryNumber Theory– ComputationComputation

Cont.Cont.

MeasurementMeasurement– UnitsUnits– Measurement SenseMeasurement Sense– ConversionsConversions– ScaleScale– FormulasFormulas

Cont.Cont.

Reasoning with GeometryReasoning with Geometry– Attributes of ShapesAttributes of Shapes– Composing and Decomposing ShapesComposing and Decomposing Shapes– Spatial ReasoningSpatial Reasoning– TransformationsTransformations– Relationships Among ShapesRelationships Among Shapes

Cont.Cont.

Reasoning with AlgebraReasoning with Algebra– RepresentationsRepresentations– Proportional ReasoningProportional Reasoning– BalanceBalance– FunctionFunction– Inductive ReasoningInductive Reasoning

Cont.Cont.

Reasoning with Probability and Reasoning with Probability and StatisticsStatistics– Ways to CountWays to Count– ProbabilityProbability– Interpret DataInterpret Data– Organize DataOrganize Data– Describe DataDescribe Data

Developmental Progression of Developmental Progression of ConceptsConcepts

FSiM alignment of concepts as they FSiM alignment of concepts as they progress through the resources.progress through the resources.

Alignment of diagnostic tasks to the Alignment of diagnostic tasks to the progression of concepts.progression of concepts.

Alignment to psychologist’s Alignment to psychologist’s evaluation and reporting.evaluation and reporting.

Creation of clear, consistent, Creation of clear, consistent, measurable goals and objectives.measurable goals and objectives.

Examining the DiagnosticsExamining the Diagnostics

How we use diagnostic tasks to How we use diagnostic tasks to understand student thinking and understand student thinking and measure student progress.measure student progress.

Where we are going with this…Where we are going with this…

Finish the alignment work.Finish the alignment work. Pilot the diagnostic tasks.Pilot the diagnostic tasks. Share the work throughout the Share the work throughout the

district.district. Fill in the gaps.Fill in the gaps. Figure out what else we’ve missed!Figure out what else we’ve missed!

QuestionsQuestions

and Suggestionsand Suggestions