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.

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!

Testing non-verbal students

I have a range of students in my class and my biggest struggle is finding an appropriate and reliable method to test their skills. I have had an influx of new students in my class this term and whenever I get a new student my first question is, "how do I test what they already know?"

In the past I have success with one of my students using an alphabet programme I made on my smart board. However when i tried this method for my three new students I found it was not suitable. They starting popping all of the balloons not just the letter i was calling out. 

This week i have spent some time teaching my new students to "point to" or "give me" a flashcard. This isn't the most reliable method because when they make a choice out of 3 they may accidentally pick the correct card. With this method i will usually retest them multiple times to make sure my data is correct. However testing alphabet and sound knowledge can take a very long time. Most of my students are still learning to attend and sit for extended periods of time which means testing is done in short mini-sessions. 

When researching other appropriate methods i came across a blog that shared the exact sturggles that I have been having with my students. In this blog there were some excellent suggestions for testing phonological awareness. I have a number of students who can identify both upper case, lower case letters and letter sounds but i am unsure if they are able to link this sound awareness to a word.

With the remainder of the term i am going to try assessing their phonological awareness using the testing strategies outlined in the blog (linked above). I am hoping this will give me more insight into their reading skills. 

Colourful Somantics

I posted last year on my blog about colourful semantics and how well it can work for students with communication needs.

You can see the previous post by clicking here.

I have started to use the same resources i used last year however i have simplified the activities by focusing on ONE key area. I am going to include colourful semantics activities in my writing rotation.
My students are working on answering questions about the story, for students who do not yet have the language or are non-verbal then using visuals allows them the chance to be able to communicate their answer.
In this activity, the student is working on answering "who" using pictures from the story. Using the colourful semantics system, "who" is coloured orange. He has to look at the picture and choose the correct visual to identify characters from the story.
I will use this programme in my writing rotation as well.

There is plenty of resources avalibale online. you can find more information by clicking here. 

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

 

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.

Implementing AAC

In my clasroom I am fortunate to have a diverse range of students with a range of communication tools. This term many of my students are trialing different communication systems to find the best system which allows those students who are non-verbal to communicate. 

My current challenge is implementing all of the different devices into my class programme to ensure they are getting ample opportunities to communicate. A trial is usually a maximum of a few weeks if they are trialing a device that is in high demand. 

In my class i currently have:

- 2 verbal students, one with wide range of vocabulary and another who uses key words to communicate

- 1 nonverbal student has trialed a ipad mini with touch chat installed (the student presses the symbol / button which reads out the words). We are awaiting his device to be funded and in the meantime we are using a paper version of the ipad. 

- 1 nonverbal student is trialing a Go Talk 9 which is a system which you have to pre record language you want to use. 

- 1 nonverbal student is trialing a core board where he is learning to point to the symbols.

- 2 nonverbal students are awaiting a communication system  but are currently learning to use visuals in the classroom before moving to a complete system.

        

Over the next few weeks my aim is to integrate these systems into my reading programme to show how multiple systems can be used in one classroom to model language and encourage my students to use their AAC systems to communicate. I am looking forward to seeing what my students have to say with the chance to now be able to do so.

Lastly i wanted to share a powerful blog i came across. It really encouraged me to think of my learners and how they must feel with limited means of communicating. In the chaos of a special needs classroom with so much going on it can be difficult to walk across the room to get their device when it took so long to finally get settled in the activity. However after reading this blog it has driven me to do what i can to give my students a voice.  

Blog link here

Practice makes Perfect!

Each afternoon I do individual reading with each of my students. Some students are able to sit and attend to a story and others are not yet ready to read. 

I have a student called Benjmain who has recently been able to show me many of the skills he has. After 9 weeks at school he is now able to sit at his seat for the majority of circle time, attend to a shared reading book and complete a work task. I knew that if i persevered with trying to get him to participate in reading he would become familiar with what is expected. 

After 2 weeks of bringing him to the table and getting him to point to the words and turn the page, he started to stay in his seat for longer and longer. At first he would turn one page and walk off; over time he increased the sitting time and participated more and more. 

Benjamin will now sit and participate in individual reading for the duration of a story. 

I am also able to send his reading book home so that he can read at home. His family commented that they were surprised he was able to sit for the length of time as he had never shown much interest in books. For the family, this was a huge milestone and one they were able to see him achieve at both home and school. 

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

Alternative testing techniques

In special education we learn to get creative with how we deliver our teaching and test our students. I have a group of students in my class who i have struggled to formally test. I have used many different techniques to find out if they know their alphabet. For a teacher who has a student who is non-verbal it can be challenging to find out what they know.
Usually i would get them to choose out of 3 cards "show me ___" however what if they cannot yet make choices or don't understand the task? What if they cannot respond to simple instructions like "point to", "show me" or "give me"?
I have a student who i have attempted to test 8 times, ive tried everything from building alphabet towers and getting them to find the correct alphabet block to using  letter stencils to make letters in play dough.
Benjamin (part of my focus group) works well with technology however i couldn't find an app or game that was suitable. I have access to a smart board in my classroom so i made a game where Banjamin had to pop the balloons with the letters on them.
I used peer modelling initially to teach him the task. I used a student who had good alphabet knowledge and as i read out the letter, he would pop the balloon. When it was his turn he completed the task correctly, i was astounded that he knew all his lower case alphabet. I tested him twice to ensure that my data was correct and managed to capture some evidence on video to show his family.
Now that i have found a method to test him, i look forward to finding out what else he knows.

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!

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.  

Elkonin Boxes

Two of my students currently struggle with decoding words during writing and sounding out words during reading. I saw Anita (http://sfsanitaunka.blogspot.co.nz/) use Elkonin boxes with a group of ESOL students in her classroom. I have yet to visit her in action but i couldn't wait to implement them as part of my reading programme.
After a bit of research online i found a strategy that i thought would be beneficial for James in particular as he has recently moved up to yellow. James is frequently appealing for help as he is overwhelmed with the amount of words in his current books (he was stuck on Magenta for many years).
If he is stuck on a word he uses a red dot to put in each Elkonin box as he sounds out the word slowly. Next he is given some cut up letters and has to put them in the boxes to spell the word out. Already i can see James gaining confidence in his reading again as he is reading with more flow.

Article i used as a guide : http://www.readingrockets.org/content/pdfs/Phonics-Sound-Elkonin-Boxes.pdf

Working with Words

Evan is a very competent reader but has limited understanding about grammar. I am working on "filling in the gaps" in his understanding he can  however  get anxious when learning anything new if he doesn't immediately know the answer.

I found a resource in our library with printable games to teach different skills which fits in with his literacy goals this term. They are games that are motivating and engaging, Evan was unaware that he was learning a new skill. Towards the end of the lesson he was able to circle the adjective in each sentence after playing the game. 

Below is a video of how Evan used the adjective cards to make an appropriate sentence with the winter picture scene. 

Term 3 Reflection

This term my class have been settled and calm. The current behavior strategies are working and my students are thriving. I have seen growth across all curriculum areas but especially reading. We read 1:1 four afternoons a week; all of my students know the routine therefore reading in my classroom is generally the calmest part of the day. This goes to prove that there is a significant link between managing self and accelerated shift in reading.
Next term i wanted to have a class focus on another key competency which is part of my inquiry. My students struggle with the key competency "relating to others".

The reason i have not addressed this particular key competency is because i wanted the students to be able to manage themselves before focusing on social skills.
In the last year my classroom have integrated into the mainstream playground during playtime. This is a very challenging part of our day as the students can be unpredictable in social situations as they navigate how to interact with their peers. Next term I will be implementing strategies to help my students understand social interactions to be able to build relationships.

Where to from here?

This week I attended our CoL Hui where all of the teachers in our CoL displayed our inquires. It was a great opportunity to share my journey with other professionals and see how other teachers were progressing with their inquiries. What a wonderful experience to reflect on my practice and my inquiry as many of the visitors to my display asked me some interesting and valid questions; the main question?

My students are improving and moving up reading levels (2/3 students). If they haven't shifted reading levels then they have increased their sight word knowledge and gaining confidence in reading. The strategies that i have implemented to improve the Key Competency - Managing Self are working. My students can work for longer periods of time and are more willing to take risks with their reading. Below is an outline of what i am wanting to achieve by the end of the term with my students reading and behavior management. As each student is so different there is not a "one size fits all" approach.
I will update my blog on the success of the following:

• James : attempt to sound out a word he doesn't know. I am going to try Elkonin boxes with him as seen on another colleagues blog. James will say "i don't know" and ask "whats this" when coming across a unfamiliar word. 
• Evan : Attend 2x mainstream classes a week for reading. At the moment Evan goes once a week. He is allowed to return to class whenever he is ready as sometimes he doesn't cope. I will implement some form of communication symbol that he can show to the support person to indicate that he wants to leave the class. 
• Toby : implement a programme suggested by my schools SLT to teach Toby comprehension. At the moment Toby can point to symbols to answer questions but often repeats your question rather than answering the question. He has to be taught how to answer a question. Currently he can answer "who" questions with support.