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. 

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.

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.

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: 

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. 

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. 

Morning Message

Each day I write a message to my students. They help to choose a greeting at the start of the message , they use words from the word wall to help to spell words and assist with sounding unfamiliar words out. Once the message has been written the students read the message back. Sometimes we read the message in a funny voice.
My students are always engaged during morning message as they enjoy helping me to write the message and finding out what my message will say.
Some students with learning difficulties associate writing with specific writing tasks, the morning message shows them a functional writing task that has purpose as it conveys an important message. They can also see the link between writing and reading.

Positive Behaviour Strategies

At Sommerville we use a positive behavior approach to manage challenging behavior in the classroom.
Sometimes the function of the behavior is unclear and we need to collect observational data to find out what is causing the behavior. I have been using the same system for over a year and i have found it very useful for students with challenging behavior because it is student driven and allows them the opportunity to think about their own behavior to earn rewards.
Each of my students focuses on a specific and individualized learning goal to manage their own  behavior in the classroom such as..
- using a quiet voice in the classroom
- using "gentle hands"
- being kind to my friends
The students earn stars on their charts to earn free play at the end of the day. They need 4/5 or a full 5 stars to earn free play. Most of the students manage their own charts by themselves, however if they do not earn a star we do not focus on the negative behavior, instead we focus on how many more they need to earn free play.
There are some excellent resources available on the TKI website.
http://pb4l.tki.org.nz/Encourage-Positive-Behaviours/Support-material

Teaching Comprehension

Teaching comprehension is a challenging task, especially if the student has special needs or communication difficulties. Comprehension is one of the main reasons why my students are unable to move up to higher reading levels. As the books get harder, they find it more challenging to recall information or follow the main story line. Sometimes my students do not have the vocabulary to be able to answer questions about the book however it doesn't mean that they don't understand the text they have read. 

I have started using multi choice question activities and true/false activities when working with James who has recently moved from Magenta to Red books which have much more content. 

Below are some examples of activities i have made to go with each reader to increase his comprehension skills. 

 

Student Self Assessment

As part of my focusing inquiry i am looking at the Key Competency "Managing Self". Part of managing themselves is getting our students to think about their own learning and to reflect on the work they have done. Self Assessment in special education can be very challenging to achieve when many of the students have communication difficulties. 

" In self-assessment a learner evaluates their own work, and thinks about their own learning. This helps them to make sense of what the teacher says, relate it to previous learning and use this for new learning" 
https://cambridge-community.org.uk/professional-development/gswafl/index.html

A colleague of mine, Lidia shared a self assessment resource with me that she has started to use with her group of students to teach meta-cognition. I have adapted her version which i am going to be using for differentiated instruction during 1:1 teaching time during literacy and maths. To start with my students may not make the connection between their learning and what the smiley faces indicate, however, over time I am hoping that they will be able to provide feedback on how they think their learning went. 

To download a copy of this resource click HERE

Visual Checklists

A visual checklist provides the individual with ownership over their own learning and the ability for them to manage themselves. Those familiar with AFL (Assessment For Learning) will recognise the importance of allowing students the opportunity to participate in assessing their own learning. Students who use self assessment strategies become more independent and motivated learners.
bsolum, M. (2006). Clarity in the classroom. Auckland: Hodder Education.pp 98–117.

Whilst this is particularly challenging with students who have communication difficulties; a visual checklist will allow them to be able to participate and it is a good starting point.
My students use many different checklists throughout the day to identify what they have to do at each step and what to do next.
Students who are not yet able to read or associate meaning to written words will find a visual checklist particularly useful.
This is a photo of one of my students using a self assessment checklist to assess his writing.

Visuals and Assessment

One of my students is able to use key words to express himself and request items. He does not yet have the spoken language to be able to answer questions about the text during guided reading sessions.

To overcome this hurdle I am using a reading core board which is a board of core vocabulary from the text which they can use to answer questions. The visuals i have displayed on this board have both correct and incorrect answers. 

Usually my core-board's would contain colour coded prompts used in a programme called "Colourful Somantics" however i have taken them off this core-board for the function of a running record. 

Once the text has been read I will ask him questions about the story and he will point to the appropriate picture. I make sure that he has a core board for every guided reading book so that he is given the opportunity to answer questions about the story or comment on the book. 

Using a "First - Then" visual sequence

One of my student's biggest challenge is engaging in a task for extended periods of time.
The purpose of a First - Then board is to provide an expectation on the work task as well as the reward for completing the set work task. The reward should be a preferred activity (my students choose from our choosing board).

https://www.erinoakkids.ca/getattachment/Resources/Growing-Up/Autism/Visual-Supports/First-Then-Board.pdf.aspx 

In my classroom, the First- Then board is presented at the start of the activity. The student will choose an activity to work towards and put it on the board. We use the language, "first reading- then ipad."
Once completing the activity they can then move onto their chosen task for a set amount of time.
My students can cope with the amount of visuals i have displayed in my classroom but other students may find as many choices overwhelming; something to remember when setting up a choosing board.


http://help.bcotb.com/blog/7-tips-for-successfully-dining-out-with-children-on-the-spectrum/

Word Wall - is it worth it?

I first set up my word wall last year, however my students were not able to attend for long enough periods to make it worthwhile.
This year however my word wall is going strong and i can vouch for its success with the noticeable changes in my students sight word recognition. I am now a converted word wall advocate.
Dr Sally Clendon uses a word wall to "teach words that you don't want students to have to work to decode or spell." Sally recommends adding 5 new words a week however in my classroom i add 2 new words a week. Sally Recommends cutting around the shape of the word and having a different colored background on each word.

Above slide is an exert from Dr Sally Clendon's workshop notes. 

We play a different word wall game each day and each student focuses on different skills within our session. My students love our word wall so much they like to play our games as a reward for completing work!

Lighting the Literacy Fire

At our school we have been under Dr Sally Clendon's guidance to implement literacy strategies in both reading and writing.
I have been making my way through Jill Eggleton's book "Lighting the Literacy Fire" and many of her teachings marry well with Sally Clendon's.

I have been using Jill's book to inquire into my own reading programme. In her book she outlines a list of "teacher targets" which i am working towards this term to ensure my reading programme has all the qualities of growing skilled readers. She suggests that in order to establish a balanced reading programme students should have opportunities to "read with, to and by students daily".  Sally Clendon spreads the same message however some texts need to be adapted for my learners so they are accessible. 

Why a reading inquiry?

I have been in special education for 6 years, 4 of which were in a PMLD (profound and multiple disabilities) classroom. I moved to Sommerville Special School with the hope of a new challenge and that is exactly what i have in my current classroom. I have a class of five energetic boys with Autism aged 7-10 years old. I have spent a year implementing routines and research based strategy in my class to achieve a environment where my boys have thrived. 

http://www.inspiremykids.com/2017/20-inspiring-quotes-about-reading-for-kids-and-students/

At Sommerville we have been fortunate enough to have Dr Sally Clendon take professional development over the last few years. As a result of Sally Clendon's guidance as well as strong routines and behavior support i have noticed a huge shift in my students reading skills. 

My students need to learn how to manage themselves as a prerequisite to becoming engaged in learning. They also need to be able to relate to others in order to participate in group work and social situations and of course participating and contributing is reliant on all of these. 

My inquiry will be focusing on improving these Key Competencies to see a shift in my students reading.