“What am I going to do about my student?” The student was Charlie. He was a seventh grader with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a general education language arts teacher, I didn’t think I had the experience necessary to help Charlie. I was frustrated with his behavior and thought he would be better served by the special education teacher.
However, I learned that students like Charlie are no longer the exception in the classroom; he is the norm. More students with individual education plans (IEPs) are placed in general education classrooms. I had to learn how to advocate for Charlie and students like him in my class. To do that, I had to be able to read an IEP. I decided to seek help from an expert, and the school special education coordinator was happy to assist me.
What is an IEP?
Individual education plans (IEPs) are legal contracts between schools, districts, and parents of students with identified special needs, and they are agreed to by general and special education teachers.
What can I do?
Ask for help. Special education teachers are more adept at reading IEPs than general education teachers and, as a new teacher, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help. You’re the only one who can be an advocate for your students and their needs.
Read the present levels of performance (PLOP).
This section is explicit in its description of how the student performs academically, socially, and emotionally. Charlie’s assessment data showed that he was reading at a first-grade level. Collaborating with the special education teacher, I learned how to adjust my instruction so that it would be appropriate for Charlie.
Look at the accommodations and modifications.
Accommodations are changes to the general education curriculum that do not change the learning goal (Jung, 2017). Modifications change the learning goal (Jung, 2017). Charlie does not like to write. The process frustrates him. A modification was included in his IEP so he could provide oral responses rather than writing five-paragraph essays. Since the focus is writing, this changes the learning goal—a modification. Charlie acted out because I placed expectations on him that he could not meet (writing a five-paragraph essay). Additional collaboration with the special education teacher showed me appropriate modifications that Charlie needed so he could learn.
Students with special needs are in the general education classroom more than ever before. Teachers need to know their levels of performance and make the correct modifications and accommodations for them. Reading the IEP and collaborating with the special education teacher is crucial for the success of the student.
Now, when I have students like Charlie in my class, I know what I must do to ensure their success.
Accommodations vs. Modifications
| Adaptation |
Accommodation |
Modification |
| Extended time |
When rate or speed is not the skill being measured
Example: Measures of reading comprehension or content-area knowledge |
When rate or speed is fundamental to the skill being measured
Example: Measures of reading or math fluency |
| Completing tasks orally |
When writing is not the skill being measured and reported
Example: Long-form answer on a social studies assessment |
Any time writing skills are being measured and reported
Example: Research paper in language arts |
| Fewer questions |
Questions should measure the same skill and be of comparable difficulty
Example: Removing half of the four-digit multiplication problems on a math task |
Taking away the harder questions or omitting one of the skills measured Example: Taking away the higher-level analysis essay questions and leaving the recall questions |
| Prompts and cues |
When the prompts and cues support a skill other than the skill being measured and reported
Example: A graphic organizer that helps a student plan an essay that will measure knowledge in a history class |
Any time the prompts and cues support the skill that is being measured and reported
Example: Feedback on a student’s use of math operations while the student completes a task designed to assess ability to select the correct operations |
(Jung, 2017, p. 45)
Resources
Special Education Guide
Smart Kids With Learning Disabilities
Understood for Learning and Attention Issues
Present Levels: The Foundation of the IEP
By David Rago and Cristina Salinas Grandy
Dr. Salinas Grandy is a first-grade teacher at Calk-Wilson Elementary in Corpus Christi, Texas. Returning to the classroom has given her new perspectives on the daily lives of teachers and students. Her research interests are in improving reflection in teacher candidates and improving the student experience.
Dr. Rago is an Associate Professor and Department Chair for the Special Education Department at National University. He teaches courses on assessment, trends and issues in special education, and methods. His research interest is in evidence-based writing strategies for students with special needs.
Reference
Jung, L. A. (2017). In providing support for students, language matters. Educational Leadership, 74(7), 42–45.