Impact Story

This year i focused on achievement challenge 5: 

Improve the achievement of students with additional needs in the learning areas of English/key competency using language symbols and texts

My inquiry question was:

Will increasing the Key Competency “Managing Self” improve student achievement in reading?

This year i continued my inquiry from the previous year but implemented the process I undertook with a new group of learners. Last year i had a group of high functioning boys with Autism, this year i had a group of new entrant students with a range of disabilities. Due to the nature of my classroom where some students spent a short period of time with me before transitioning out to a satellite class (at a mainstream school), my focus group of students changes each term which made my inquiry more challenging.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY LEARNERS?

- All students increased their ability to remain seated.

- All students were able to engage in self selected reading (SSR) independently.

- All students learnt pre reading skills such as turning the page, pointing to the words and using visuals.

- Non-verbal students were able to attend to their AAC (augmentative and alternative communication).

- 2 students were able to recognise some high frequency words by the end of the year.

- All students were able to follow the classroom routine.

- 1 student in my focus group transitioned to a satellite successfully and moved up 1 reading level.

- Parents commented on how they were able to enjoy a reading book at home with their child.

WHAT EVIDENCE DO I HAVE?

Due to the nature of my students, much of this year was spent building a rapport and transitioning them into school routines. I wasn't able to do much formative assessment as they were not able to sit and attend to the assessment. Many of them were not sure how to point so i was unsure of how to test their current skills. However as the year went on I was able to find out how each student could be tested and that is how i gathered my data. I also gathered evidence by noting how long they were able to attend or sit for as well as follow classroom routines.

WHAT DID I DO?

- Built strong relationships with both the students and their families by sending home a questionnaire.

- I used this information to make personalised books about their hobbies and interests.

- I implemented a sensory curriculum to engage them in learning tasks (a transitional programme from kindy to school).

- I put structure and routines in place so that the routine in class was predictable, this took out any anxiety about what was going to happen at school each day. All students were introduced to an individual timetable.

- Reading packs were set up: 1x book per week with individualised activities that went home each day.

WHERE TO NEXT?

This year went very differently to last year as my students last year already had foundation reading skills. This year i have had to teach them alphabet knowledge and for some students, how to use a book. While many of my students were not able to move up a reading level, their pre reading skills improved.

My wanderings about where to next is, how do we test those students who are nonverbal? How can we tell if they are reading in their head? How do we teach them to point in order to answer comprehension questions. This is one of the biggest challenges i have faced this year as the majority of my class are non-verbal or have restricted language.

As i write my end of year reflection, I feel proud of what my students have accomplished but also how i have grown as a teacher. I feel fortunate to have been a part of this journey for two years. I hope you have enjoyed being part of the ride and learnt something from my blog this year.

What have i implemented this year?

Here is a short video summary of what i have implemented this year as part of my 2018 inquiry.
This year has been a huge learning curve for me. I have always had students who had come to me with foundation reading skills but this year i have had the opportunity to teach those skills to students who have not had much exposure to a structured class setting. While much of the year has been spent on teaching skills such as engagement, communication and increased work time, I have still seen huge shifts in my students reading. As i write my end of year reflections I am proud of all the students who have hit so many milestones, not only starting school but gaining skills in areas where they have not previously excelled.

Reading Sucess

One student in my focus group has done particularly well this year. At the beginning of the year he was unable to attend to a task for long periods of time. He is now able to sit and work for up to 20 minutes (previously he wasnt able to sit longer than 1 minute at a non-preferred activity).

Through predictable classroom routines, implementing a visual schedule, a work/reward system and regular sensory breaks we saw a huge increase of on task engagement.

While he has stayed on level 1 Magenta he has learnt many foundation pre reading skills which are the building blocks for learning how to read. Skills such as:

- pointing to the words

- reading aloud

- turning the page

- recognising high frequency words

- looking at the pictures for decoding words

- attempting to read words that look the same (eg look and like)

One of the biggest achievements for this student has been feedback from his family who are now able to enjoy reading a book together at home.

Where to next?

Where to next???

Term 4 is a short and very busy term. I will have a new student starting school and my class will have grown to 9 students which is the most i have had in a special education setting.
I will need to work on my classroom management to ensure that i am able to manage the amount of students in the class. I have decided to split my class into two groups during work time to see if i can spend more 1:1 time to work on individual literacy goals.
I also have 4 new students in the class, some have started taking reading packs home and the others will start this term.

Oliver: implement behavior programme outlined by the student who was working with Oliver last term. I also want to see how many letters of the alphabet he can recognise as I have tried testing multiple times but all my testing has come up with different results.

Benjamin: work on reading aloud, learning high frequency words and comprehension.

Progress update - Term 3

This term has been a hectic and busy one and unfortunately i have not been able to trial as many interventions as i initially planned. I have had a huge influx of new students who started during term 3 and each child takes a few weeks to settle. My programme has been disrupted and i haven't had the opportunity to develop behavior strategies to improve my students reading practice.
Here is a brief outline about what i was able to achieve this term in regards to changing my practice and what strategies i put in place to improve the key competency "managing self".

Oliver: This term Oliver has been unsettled due to his family going away for a few weeks of the term and having his routine out of place. In the classroom he is not able to attend and focus like he was during term 2. However a behavior therapy student has been working with Oliver 1:1 to find the cause of his behavior and to set up a behavior plan for the remainder of the year. We are continuing to follow the behavior plan we have put in place and it continues to work well for him. I am looking forward to trialing more interventions for him next term.

Conner: Conner progressed so well during term 1 and 2 that he has been moved to a satellite class in a mainstream school. He has transitioned well to his new class.

Benjamin: Benjamin has made the most progress this term. He is calm, happy, settled and compliant. He is started to vocalise as he is reading rather than just pointing to the words as an adult reads. This is huge progress to Benjamin being able to read by himself as he can already recognise many high frequency words.

Testing Success!

This term i have focused hugely on assessment. I now have a good relationship with my students and a good grasp of their current skills.
I have a few students who i find challenging to assess. I have tried many different assessment techniques and the data remains inconclusive.

Getting accurate testing information from students who are unable to verbalize the answer is complex. After attempting alphabet testing with one particular student multiple times with no success I was unsure about what to do next. Some times he was able to show me that he knew some letters and other times I thought he was just guessing. Over the weekend i decided to download some new iPad apps which were motivating and easy to use.
Not only did he get almost all of them correct but I had finally found a testing method for a student who was difficult to test. Now i can use the same method to test letter sounds and high frequency words. Finding alternative testing techniques has been the biggest breakthrough in my inquiry this term.
This year has definitely taught me to try and if something fails....try again!

Personalised books

Reading should be highly engaging, especially for new and emergent readers. Often the language used in Magenta readers are simple to encourage high frequency word recognition at an early stage. Many of my new students that arrive at school are unable to attend for long periods of time let alone taking part in a shared reading experience at mat time.

To overcome this challenge I have split my class into two groups. 

- One group reads 1:1 with an adult on their individual reading which includes activities i have shared on this blog. Activities include; responding to visuals, identifying high frequency words, matching visuals to the pictures/words and colorful semantics. 

- One group to work on foundation reading tasks such as turning the page, pointing to the words, looking at the book, pointing to pictures and engaging in a story. For this group i have had to adapt my resources to suit their interests. 

At the beginning of the year I always send home a questionnaire  to ask about the students and their interest. Using this information I made lots of books that the students would be interested in so they can choose a book for silent reading. I have had a breakthrough with one of my students who has taken much longer to settle this year. She is now choosing to read a book to read and turning the pages on her own. 

Student Sucess

This term one of my focus students, Conner, has excelled since starting school. Next term he will be attending one of our satellite classes. It is a good opportunity for him to be able to integrate with his mainstream peers.

In the two terms since he has started school he has learnt to;
- join group activities in the classroom
- complete his morning routine
- write his name
- use his individual timetable so that he understands what he is meant to be doing
- attend to learning activities for an extended period of time (from 5 minutes to 30 minutes). This was a goal for him in the classroom as part of my inquiry.
- reading skills: turning the page, pointing to the words, recognising high frequency words, retelling the story line, identifying the title, answering comprehension questions.
- he has moved from a Level 1 Magenta reader to Level 3 Red reader.
- his high frequency word recognition has increased (see graph).

I look forward to hearing how he progresses in his new classroom. I have two new students starting next term so i will choose another student to add to my focus group.

Progress update - Term 2

Term 2 has been a successful one for my students, especially the ones i have outlined in my focus group. When reflecting on this term and what made it successful it has been a combination of building relationships, having high expectations, building predictable routines and implementing a sensory curriculum including opportunities for movement breaks.

Oliver: I have the behavior team on board to assist with his behavior in the classroom, mainly around compliance for non-prefurred tasks. With a behavior plan put in place, Oliver is now more settled. He can complete tasks in a familiar routine such as unpacking his bag and writing his name. He will now sit and attend to his individual reader for short periods of time. I have not been able to assess his alphabet knowledge as of yet however i am hoping that next term i will be able to test him.

Conner: Conner has made the most progress this term. He joins all class group activities and has gone up two reading levels! He is now reading at red level 3 with excellent comprehension. He understands that he needs to complete all work tasks before he is allowed to play and has stopped leaving the table in the middle of a work block.

Benjamin: We have seen a huge increase of functional language being used throughout the day. Benjamin is like a sponge and just soaks up any learning, even when it appears he is not attending to the lesson he is able to show us that he understands the task. Benjamin still continues to run multiple times in circle time but during work tasks he is on task for the duration of the lesson. This term i was able to identify how many high frequency words he can recognise, this is a big breakthrough!

Next term i am keeping my programme relativly similar with a focus on comprehension during reading tasks using visuals to aide understanding of the text.

Implementing a sensory curriculum

As my students are new to school and routines, I am working on extending the time they will engage in seated activities. As part of my writing, handwriting and math's programme i implement sensory based learning activities as well as seated work tasks so that students who are unable to focus for long periods of time get a "sensory break".
There are heaps of ideas on Pinterest for "sensory tubs". This week i put the "letter of the week" in a tub with jelly balls (can be found at most $2 shops), and words we are learning from our word wall in shredded paper (purchased from looksharp). Other sensory tubs i have used in the past are:
-shaving foam
-flour
-colored rice
-sand
-sago
-kinetic sand

 

Addressing sensory needs

My students need regular sensory input throughout the day in order to focus for extended periods of time. For some students this means implementing a "sensory diet".

"A sensory diet is a carefully designed, personalized activity plan that provides the sensory input a person needs to stay focused  and organised throughout the day." (Patricia Wilbager, OT)

When i look across my group of students i can recognize that most of my class are sensory seeking;  weather it is rocking on their chairs, walking around the room before sitting down, jumping off the chairs, or seeking tactile stimulation. I have worked with students in the past who were tactile defensive (refusal to explore tactile surroundings) and the class OT (occupational therapist) implemented a Wilbarger brush programme as part of a sensory diet. I was amazed at the success of using a brush to stimulate the skin in order to increase active exploration.

My class programme caters to the sensory needs in my classroom with regular sensory breaks offered to my students in order to increase their focus during work tasks. I timetable a movement break every 30 minutes. The breaks vary from jumping on the trampoline, going for a run, sensory play, swing and a exercise circuit. Some of my students such as Benjamin need more breaks in order to remain on task in the classroom. I make sure he goes on the swing for 2 minutes before he is expected to sit.

I am currently trialing a few alternative seating alongside the OT that works in my classroom. If you have a student who struggles to focus you could try using a swiss ball to sit on, inflatable cushion, fake grass under their feet, weighted blankets for pressure or a fiddle toy to maintain focus.

Making reading accessible through AAC

As mentioned in previous posts, i now have 4 out of 7 students using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). I am working on implementing all devices into my class programme which is no easy feat considering one person needs to work individually with that child while using their device and i only have 3 staff members.

However creating opportunities for communication while it should come naturally i have found it is best to plan sessions where i will use each device. I am trying to get my students to carry their devices with them so that they can take ownership over their own communication as well.

Each week i make an activity specific language board to go with their communication device for a student to use while they are reading. This particular student was trialing a device that has sound output and recordable buttons. I used language from their weekly reader and recorded the symbols on the device. For the first time, this student was able to answer questions about the story, and  they were able to answer correctly! Because of the success we had during reading, this student is going to trial a similar device with more icons available. From 9 icons on a screen to 32!

Planning communication opportunities isn't always easy in the chaos of a busy classroom however making it part of your new "normal" makes it manageable; especially when you start to see success for that student.

Engaging students in reading

Since introducing personalised books into my class library i have seen an increase of independent reading by a student who otherwise would have refused to read.
By engaging her in books about topics that she is interested I have been able to assess her pre-reading skills. I know that she is able to hold the book correctly and turn the page. When looking at the book she can look at the pictures and words on the left and then on the right which shows me she knows the left to right direction that text is read.

I download most of my individualised books from a website called Taheel Reader (link is supplied). Taheel Reader is a fantastic resource where people make books and upload them online. They are switch adaptable if you have a student with limited mobility who uses switches and they can also be used on a touch screen. I download and print them out to put in my library however last year my students were able to access them on the computer during independent reading time. I usually always have books in my library printed that are based on my topic as well.

Managing self - Key Competencies

As my inquiry is related to increasing my students managing self skills i wanted to look more closely at the Key Competencies to see where they fit, i will readdress this later in the year to see where they have progressed using the Key Competency pathway. By linking my inquiry to the Key Competencies it has enabled me to identify my next steps and track my students progress throughout my inquiry.

https://nz-curriculum.wikispaces.com/2+Approaches

Oliver : He struggles to follow instructions when it is a non-preferred activity. This becomes challenging when it is time for work as he will show signs of refusal (lying on the floor or throwing his work), it has been difficult to see where his current reading skills. His behavior is a barrier to his learning, with the help of first / then visual supports we have seen his behavior decrease. 
Current Skills: KCI 4 / Manage my behavior : Attend to adult led activities with support
Next Steps : KCI 5 / Manage my behavior : Show awareness that actions have consequences

Conner : He has anxiety about joining in with unfamiliar groups, he will now join in group activities with out class but when we join with other classes he walks off and observes from a distance. Occasionally he refuses to come back to the classroom when we are outdoors but generally he listens well. 
Current Skills: KCI 5 / Take Risks : Use acquired skills in a familiar group
Next Steps : KCI 6 / Take Risks : Use acquired skills with an unfamiliar person

Benjamin : He needs to be familiar with a routine in order to remain on task and do what is expected of him. if the routine/environment is unfamiliar then he will walk away, run to a different activity or cry.  
Current Skills: KCI 4 / Persevere : Participate in a familiar activity that has been set for me with support
Next Steps : KCI 5 / Persevere : Anticipate and follow the next step in my learning programme that has been set for me

Focus Group 2018

I currently have 8 students in my classroom, all with varied skills and strengths. When choosing the students in my focus group I wanted to choose students that were showing signs of being ready to read (can sit for a short period of time, attend for the length of a story) but needed strategies to be put in place to be able to progress further.

Here is a brief outline of the students i have chosen in my focus group. 

I am currently completing assessments to have baseline data, i am in the process of finding the most suitable assessments to suit my students needs as well as how to assess them (I often need to get creative to assess my students).

Oliver : Age 5 yr, 1 mth, speaks and understands both English and Chinese, speaks using 1-3 keywords, very social and interactive but reliant on adult support as he likes 1:1 attention, has difficulty with compliance with non-preferred activities, good receptive language skills and understanding, minimal alphabet recognition, weak fine motor skills due to low muscle tone

Conner : Age 5 yr, 4 mth, excellent communication skills both verbal and receptive, he is very social and can initiate a conversation with others, he has difficulty joining group activities however this is improving, he can struggle at times to attend to a task when he wants to do something else,  he can recognise all upper and lower case letters and most letter sounds and he has instant recognition of many high frequency words

Benjamin : Age 5 yr, 3 mth, has some words but not using them yet appropriately to request items or comment. He has difficulty following instructions, sitting for extended periods of time and completely non-preferred activities. I am still in the process of working out what letters he can recognise. He doesn't show an interest in books and is unable to sit for extended periods of time. 

I have already started implementing strategies for all the students in my class - mainly around independence and managing themselves day to day in the classroom (unpacking their bag, sitting for increasing periods of time, using the first - then visual sequence, following routines). I am looking forward to working on specific strategies for each student and their learning needs. 

Watch this space!

Learning Intentions for Shared Reading

Having a clear learning intention prior to every lesson is important for students of any level. Visuals are a great way of sharing what it is you are wanting them to learn. 

We are fortunate to have received training at Sommerville from Sally Clendon. She teaches that having specific learning targets shared prior to a lesson means that your students only have to focus on one aspect of the lesson rather than trying to retain information about everything you are reading. 

I had great success in my last classroom by writing down on the whiteboard what they were learning that particular day. In my new classroom I have had to adapt the way I teach and deliver content. I made these learning intention boards which i have printed and laminated to use during shared reading. For some books i will make specific learning intentions to go with that story, Eg: we are learning to find out what happened to the mouse.

For each book i make a activity core board which has language from the story in visual form so that my non verbal students can answer questions about the story. 

Here are some examples: 

Letter of the Week

Like most classrooms, my class has a huge variety of learners with differing skill levels. It can be challenging to build individualised programmes to cater to their needs.

Here is how i have planned my alphabet and phonics programme to suit my students:

- introducing letter : what does it look like, feel like (tactile letters are great) and sound like. A Colleague of mine has made excellent smart board resources which she has kindly shared with me. I use them as an introduction to our letter of the week. They have to find the letter and when they press the letter a video will play.

- Sensory tubs :  finding the letter of the week letters in sand, rice etc and matching them on a alphabet board

- Magnetic letters :  finding the letter of the week

- Dot to dot letters (link to worksheets below): students can color the letters in stickers (excellent fine motor activity), bingo dabbers, fingerprints, crayons

http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2012/12/a-z-do-a-dot-worksheets.html 

- letter sound sorts (link is below)

https://www.themeasuredmom.com/free-sorting-mats-for-learning-consonant-sounds/

- Feely bag :  put objects that begin with that letter inside the bag and students can pull them out to find objects. 

- Alphabet books (link is below)

https://www.themeasuredmom.com/free-letter-books/

- Can you find ....? :  Have large printed letters on the floor or wall (I write the letters with chalk on the carpet or concrete), students to throw the mini bean bag at the letter of the week. 

- Cut and paste sound sorting activities (link is below)

https://www.primarytreasurechest.com/teachingresources/category/phonics-letter-sounds.html

Building Relationships

As i settle into the start of a new year my main focus is getting to know my students. What better way than to ask the people that know them the best - their parents and/or carers.
At the start of the year i sent home a questionnaire asking the following questions...

What activities does your child enjoy (this could include TV shows, songs, places to visit, iPad apps )
What are you child's strengths?
What skills would you like your child to learn?
What concerns / challenges do you have (if any)?
Do you have computer access at home? Would you like to see information on a school blog?
is there any other important information you would like me to know?

While i work out which students will be part of my focus group i am working on developing their ability to manage themselves in the classroom.
The responses from the questionnaire has provided me with valuable information which i have used to help settle them into school. For one student i made a peppa pig laminated card for him to hold while sitting at circle time so that he could join the class group. Another student enjoys sensory play so i made sure there were plenty of sensory activities on our choosing board. 

The information i have collected has enabled me to better know my students so i can plan for the needs. 

Transition to school

I have 8 new entrant learners with a variety of special needs. They are all transitioning from daycare or kindergarten where there was limited routine and frequent free play where they could explore their surroundings on their own accord.
School is a very different place and can be a huge adjustment for any learner. While I am getting to know my students and what my programme will look like I have ensured that I am setting up routines that will encourage their independence while they settle.

Here are some of the routines and strategies i have set up over the first 2 weeks to increase the key competency "managing self". Most teachers at our school would have these strategies set up in their classes as they are key components of any special education classroom however these strategies may also be helpful to other teachers who have students with additional needs in the classroom.

• using a timer to finish an activity - this assists with their independence so they can pack up the activity on their own. It also prepares them that an activity is going to finish which is particularly helpful when they have to leave a preferred activity
• individual timetables - this also assists with their independence so they know where they need to be in the classroom so that you don't have to tell them. Timetables are especially helpful for children who are non-verbal and cannot ask what is happening throughout the day.
• first - then visual sequence (see previous post for more information http://ssslaurencol.blogspot.co.nz/2017/05/using-first-then-visual-sequence.html)

I have already seen a shift with their independence, compliance and willingness to join the class for group activities.  

New Year - New Class - New Challenges

2018 is going to be a big year...

I have been given the opportunity to move to our base school to set up a new entrant class. I am excited for the challenge that this will bring; not knowing what skills my learners will come to school with but also being given the chance to provide them with the skills they need to become enthusiastic, motivated and independent young people.

My inquiry this year will remain the same as last years, "will increasing managing self skills improve their reading?"

My blog however will look quite different. Why? My students last year came to my class with existing reading skills that we built upon.
This year I will have to work on building foundation reading skills that all pre-readers need before they are ready to read.
My students will need to learn how to attend to a task, sit for longer periods of time, focus on a activity and engage before they start reading. Many mainstream new entrant classes focus on "reading readiness" which will be a huge focus on my blog this year.
I am looking forward to seeing if i have the same positive results that I had in my inquiry last year.