Instructional Practices in Preparation for NCSC Assessment

Jill Omer, Speech, Language, and Autism CoordinatorAlison Gauld, Behavior and Low Incidence Coordinator

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High Expectations, Not Impossible Ones

Video of self-advocate

College

Career

Community

CurriculumCommon Standards

Core Content ConnectorsGraduated Understandings

InstructionGrade-level Lessons

AccommodationsSystematic Instruction

AssessmentFormative

InterimSummative

3Communicative Competence

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NCSC Communicative Competence Goal

All students have a communication system in place by Kindergarten

and are able to gain and demonstrate knowledge using that communication system

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Communication Overview

Intent, Mode, Partner(s)

Focus on communicating, not just being verbal.

Focus on initiating and protesting, not just answering questions/requesting.

All communication systems must be with the STUDENT at all times

Meet the student where he or she is, with regard to communication level. Teach students the vocabulary needed to use their communication systems.

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Communication Review

Communication, regardless of age is a developmental process that follows a continuum of stages:

1. Pre-communicative2. Communicative3. Linguistic4. Conversational

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Scripted Lessons

Comprehensive and well-planned lessons include:

• Introduction• A Problem/Skill to Explore• Instruction, including Modeling and/or Demonstration• Student Exploration and Practice• Assessment to Determine Student Understanding

Student deficit skills must also be considered in the planning of the lesson, beginning with communication competence

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Scripted Lessons cont.

A Few Benefits of a Scripted Lesson format:

1. Guides instructor to include the elements of a lesson2. Systematically plans increasing understanding and depth

of thinking for the student(s)3. Creates a “habit” of instructional delivery4. Provides a “routine” for students5. Provides a model for paraprofessionals or other school

personnel supporting the student’s learning

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NCSC Provided MASSI/LASSI

The NCSC Assessment tool provides teachers a variety of support materials including the Math Scripted Systematic Instruction (MASSI) and Language Arts Systematic Scripted Instruction (LASSI) examples

There are not sufficient examples to build an entire core curriculum. They are intended to guide you in creating instruction within your school and classroom

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Breaking Down a Standard

All students can and should participate in grade level core instruction.

Core instruction is defined by the standards in ELA and math.

All teachers, general education and special education, must break down the standards.

When breaking down a standard, critically examine the smaller, requisite skills a student must understand in order to achieve mastery of the rich, rigorous standard.

Breaking down the standards assists in the development of daily core instruction lessons that IEP goals and objectives can later be woven into or support.

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Breaking Down a Standard

Modeled by the facilitator

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Developing a MASSI/LASSI

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Learner Profile

Your Learner Characteristics Profile will be determined by selecting from each of the 5 bags:

1. Stage of Communication (Pre-communicative, Communicative, Linguistic, Conversational)

2. English Language Arts or Math3. Student’s current academic level (Significantly below

grade level—Tier 1, Moderately below grade level—Tier 2, Mildly below grade level—Tier 3)

4. Visual impairment or no visual impairment5. Gross and fine motor skills (significantly impacted,

moderately impacted, average skills/mildly impacted)

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Developing the Lesson

Your small group will develop a comprehensive scripted lesson for the student defined by the randomly selected Learner Profile characteristics

The group can decide the grade level and standard(s) within the selected content area for the lesson

Once the standard(s) is selected, your first step will be to break down that standard

The lesson must include:• All the elements of a lesson• A script• A communication plan for the student to be an active and

engaged learner

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Share Your Lessons

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Lunch

On Your Own

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Communication Competence

Why use visuals?• Auditory information is transient and abstract (once spoken, it is gone)• Visual information is permanent and more representative (it can be

repeatedly viewed)• It does not matter if a student is verbal or nonverbal – visual strategies

help to enhance understanding for students at all levels

Visuals:

• Mode of communication• Show how language works/facilitate development of grammar• Aid in word retrieval• Connect meaning between objects/actions and their referents• Ease transitions• Outline behavioral expectations• Explain social situations and “rules”

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Visual supports

Body language (gestures)

Traditional tools for organization/giving information• Calendars, schedules, maps

Natural environmental cues• Signs, labels, menus, directions on packages

Specially designed tools to meet specific needs• Social scripts, choice boards, topic boards, reinforcement strips

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Visual Symbols Hierarchy

Small group activity

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Nobody’s Perfect

Video of first Don’t Limit Me

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Scaffolding a Lesson

Students within a grade level are a heterogeneous group

No matter which setting the core instruction is taking place, the lesson must include differentiation and/or scaffolding in order for all students to access and participate within the curriculum

Scaffolding and differentiation are powerful strategies in instruction within any setting, content, or grade

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Scaffolding Your Lesson

You will now select two new profile characteristics to guide the scaffolding of your lesson

– One level up or one level down in academics– One level up or one level down in communication

Use your previously written lesson and modify it for your new Learner Profile

Chart for the group what changes were needed to scaffold for this student

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Share Out

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Questions

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Next Steps

NCSC is being given to students in other states by May 2015.

After the first operational test, there will be more information released from NCSC that will be used by Lori Nixon to create the next training series.

The training Lori will provide in the 2015-2016 school year will focus on:• How to enter the Learner Characteristics Profile • How to administer the assessment• Using accommodations and modifications within the NCSC

assessment

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Next Steps

Support as you work to incorporate standards based core instruction into each student’s day, wherever that instruction may occur can be found through the:

• NCSC Blueprint

• http://ncscpartners.org/Media/Default/PDFs/Resources/NCSC-Operational-Test-Blueprint-12-10-14.pdf

• Or Goggle “NCSC Blueprint”, the link to the operational blueprint on the wiki will come up in the search

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Alison Gauld, Behavior and Low Incidence Coordinator

Alison.Gauld@tn.gov

Jill OmerSpeech, Language and Autism Coordinator

Jill.Omer@tn.gov

Lori NixonDirector, Assessment Design

Lori.Nixon@tn.gov