Planning Commentary Template - Marist College



Planning Commentary Directions: Respond to the prompts below (no more than 11 single-spaced pages, including prompts) by typing your responses within the brackets following each prompt. Do not delete or alter the prompts; both the prompts and your responses are included in the total page count allowed. Refer to the evidence chart in the handbook to ensure that this document complies with all format specifications. Pages exceeding the maximum will not be scored.

1. Focus Learner Information

a. Describe the focus learner’s primary disability as identified in the iep. Describe the learner’s strengths and challenges and their potential impact on instruction for the learning targets.

[My focus learner’s primary disability as identified in his Individualized Education Plan is Autism. However, he also has a language disorder and an anxiety disorder. One of my focus learner’s primary strengths is his fine motor skills. He is able to cut, trace and use glue independently. He also is able to build structures from blocks and other construction items. Due to his fine motor abilities, I will be incorporating many hands on activities into my learning segment lessons. In addition to his fine motor skills, my focus learner has strengths in English Language Arts. In regards to writing, he is able to write the letters of the alphabet, write numbers up to twenty, and draw shapes. His fine motor and writing strengths will be exercised during various activities within my lessons. These activities will consist of labeling pictures (with use of a word bank), tracing words, cutting, and matching pictures by gluing them to the appropriate term. In regards to spelling, he is able to independently write his own name. He also has some sound spell ability; he is currently practicing spelling CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant words). Although he does have some sound spell ability, he is unable to read texts. My focus learner’s primary challenges concern his social development and behavior. My focus learner takes things from both adults and his peers without asking for permission. He also becomes extremely upset when he is denied something that he desires; this behavior escalates quickly and often develops into a tantrum. Also, my focus learner struggles with complying with learning tasks. He will use task avoidance techniques such as trying to sit on the laps of other adults in the classroom and stating that he is “scared”. Therefore, this behavior could potentially obstruct my instruction for the learning targets. If this occurs, appropriate behavioral management techniques will be enforced. In addition, my focus learner struggles with distractibility and sitting down for long periods of time. To prevent these difficulties from impeding on his ability to comprehend material and participate in activities, my cooperating teacher and I use refocusing prompts, repetition and short activities as essential components of his classroom instruction. Therefore, all of my lessons will consist of short activities that allow my focus learner to apply the same essential concepts in a different manner. This form of repetition will help him gain a deeper understanding of the new learning material. ]

b. Identify the two learning targets (primary and supporting/secondary) selected for the learning segment.

[Primary: After listening to scientific texts about animals, that are read-aloud, my focus learner will successfully answer comprehension questions and effectively complete the corresponding activities with minimal prompting.

Secondary: My focus learner will use appropriate social communication and behavior when asked to complete a learning task; for example, he will speak politely and comply to all learning demands with minimal prompting.]

c. List the goals and/or benchmarks in the focus learner’s iep relevant to achieving either learning target.

[One of my focus learner’s annual goals for reading from his Individualized Education Plan states that he will be able to demonstrate comprehension of a text when an emergent reader text is read aloud to him. Therefore, answering comprehension questions about texts that contain scientific concepts will help him practice this skill. In addition, completing comprehension activities related to the text will help my focus learner apply and build upon his understandings. This will help him draw connections and deepen his knowledge. Another reading annual goal, related to comprehension, listed in my focus learner’s Individualized Education Plan states that he will be able to retell a story that was read aloud by recalling the main ideas. This goal will also be supported by the learning tasks within my lessons. My focus learner will have to recall the main ideas from the text in order to successfully complete the activities within each lesson. One of my focus learner’s annual goals for behavior states that his tantrums will decrease and he will learn to compromise more effectively. This annual goal will be directly supported by my focus learner’s secondary learning target because the behavioral management techniques and prompts used during the learning segment lessons will enforce positive communication and behaviors during instructional time. ]

d. List the early childhood standard, academic content standard, modified standard, or alternative standard related to each learning target (Note: Please list the number and text of each standard that is being addressed. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the part or parts that are relevant.) Indicate if there are no relevant standards for your learner.

[New York State Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects:

2.R.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

2.R.11 Make connections between self, text, and the world around them.

2.SL.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

New York State Elementary Science Core Curriculum:

Standard 4:

3.1a Each animal has different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.

5.1b An organism’s external physical features can enable it to carry out life functions in its particular environment

1.1a Animals need air, water and food in order to live and thrive.

5.2f Some animal behaviors are influenced by environmental conditions. These behaviors may include: nest building, hibernating, hunting, migrating, and communicating.

5.3a Humans need a variety of healthy foods, exercise, and rest in order to grow and maintain good health.

4.1a Plants and animals have life cycles. These may include beginning of a life, development into an adult, reproduction as an adult, and eventually death.

4.1e Each generation of animals goes through changes in form from young to adult. This completed sequence of changes in form is called a life cycle. Some insects change from egg to larva to pupa to adult.

4.1f Each kind of animal goes through its own stages of growth and development during its life span.

New York State Learning Standards and Alternate Performance Indicators for Students with Severe Disabilities:

Standard 2 A Safe and Healthy Environment: (1) Students will demonstrate personally and socially responsible behaviors. They will care for and respect themselves and others (e.g. communicate their feelings of happiness, sadness, fear, anger, etc. to the person making them feel that way and adapt to changes in routine or environment).]

e. List any special accommodations or modifications in the learning environment, instruction, or assessment required by the iep and relevant to the learning targets.

[The scores of the learning tasks that my focus learner will complete during the learning segment will be recorded on checklists and used as daily assessments. He will then have a final assessment at the conclusion of the learning segment that follows a similar format as all three lessons. His scores on the final assessment activities will also be recorded on a checklist. Therefore, his instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications will be the same because on-going formative assessment will be utilized. My focus learner participates in alternate state assessments. In regards to instructional and assessment accommodations and modifications, my focus learner’s Individualized Education Plan requires that a Picture Exchange Communication System is used to support his learning and his expression of his learning during all lessons. Therefore, I will adapt texts by inserting symbols on top of corresponding words. In addition, when my focus learner is required to answer a comprehension question during each lesson, he will be given the option to point to the picture/word that demonstrates the correct answer if he begins to struggle expressing himself orally. Icons will be placed on his embedded schedule, and on his computer positive reinforcement chart. In addition, I will integrate as many visuals as possible into all instructional materials. The use of this low-tech assistive technology facilitates my focus learner’s ability to understand expectations, follow directions, and participate in requesting, responding and commenting tasks. My focus learner’s Individualized Education Plan requires that assessments are conducted in a flexible setting and that breaks are utilized. These accommodations allow for movement and will help decrease my focus learner’s distractibility and restlessness. Therefore, if my student becomes restless or highly distracted, I will allow him to complete the lesson standing up or let him jump up and down to release excess energy. Furthermore, his IEP requires that I must use on-task focusing prompts, simplify the language of the text, and read all directions/text aloud to my focus learner in order to support his successful completion of the assessment tasks. During instructional procedures, I will use prompt supports to help meet the needs of my focus learner; however, I will keep these prompts as minimal as possible because I do not want to interfere with my focus learner’s learning. If my focus learner is struggling with a learning task, I will start with verbal prompts, such as a step-by-step explanation of the procedure or a full model of the concept, and move toward gestural prompts, such as pointing. Fading prompts will help guide my focus learner towards independence during the lesson. ]

f. Describe any behavior management plans relevant for the focus learner.

[To support positive behavior during lessons, I will be using a computer positive reinforcement chart and an embedded schedule. The embedded schedule will contain number icons. Each number (e.g. 1, 2, 3, and 4) will represent one of the learning tasks in the lesson. Once a task is completed, a number will be removed from the schedule and placed in the “All Done” envelope. After all of the numbers are placed in the envelope, all of the learning tasks have been completed. This schedule will make my focus learner aware of how many tasks he has left to complete and will help him track his progress. This will help keep my focus learner motivated to complete each activity and will prevent my focus learner from becoming too overwhelmed from instruction. This embedded schedule will be used as a tool for decreasing my focus learner’s task avoidance tactics. In addition to the embedded schedule, a computer positive reinforcement chart will be used during each lesson. This chart will be made from a large computer icon. For each task that my focus learner successfully/appropriately completes, he will receive a small computer icon. These small icons will be placed on the large computer icon chart. If he receives all possible icons that could be acquired for that particular lesson, he will be rewarded with “laptop time” at the conclusion of the lesson. To further illustrate that he will earn computer after completing one-to-one, I will have a “First and Then” sign displayed during my lesson. This sign will have a one-to-one icon under the “First” column and a computer icon under the “Then” column. This will help my focus learner know that his positive behavior will be reinforced. My focus learner really enjoys using a laptop and requests to play on one frequently; therefore, this reinforcement mechanism will be a strong motivational tool for him. Since “laptop time” will be used as a form of reinforcement, my cooperating teacher does not want me using technology during my instructional time. These positive reinforcement approaches will used to decrease his disruptions during instruction and will make achieving both learning targets more attainable.]

2. Planning for Alignment and Development of Knowledge and Skills

a. Explain how the focus learner’s iep goals and benchmarks align with your learning targets. If you selected a learning target that addresses a support skill not reflected in the iep, justify why it is appropriate for the focus learner at this time.

[While my focus learner does have some foundational strength in English Language Arts, his IEP’s annual goals focus on growth in his comprehension abilities. In regards to reading, his benchmarks illustrate that he is able to decode some CVC words but he struggles in attaining an overall understanding of the story and recalling main ideas from the text. Therefore, to help deepen my focus learner’s comprehension, I will create adapted articles from the Grade 2 Science Fusion textbook that contain an abundance of visuals to help aid my focus learner in grasping the scientific concepts relayed in the text. At the beginning of each lesson, I will do an active read-aloud with these texts and then my focus learner will answer comprehension questions and complete corresponding activities. These tasks will directly support my focus learner’s primary learning target of comprehension. My focus learner’s main IEP annual goal for social/behavior development regards decreasing the frequency of his tantrums and increasing his abilities to compromise effectively. His benchmarks illustrate that he is able to communicate his feelings and desires; however, if the teacher does not give him what he wants, he will begin to scream, refuse to sit at his desk and/or use task avoidance mechanisms such as running up to other adults and stating “please help me, I’m scared”. Therefore, I aligned my focus learner’s secondary learning target with these goals and benchmarks to help him gain greater access to the general education curriculum. I will be supporting my secondary learning target with different behavioral management techniques such as use of an embedded schedule and a positive reinforcement chart. I will also model appropriate social communication for my student when he is acting inappropriately. I will have him repeat what I am saying and/or view icons that represent appropriate behaviors in order to teach him appropriate social communication skills during instruction. These approaches will help him complete a lesson with fewer disruptions and misbehaviors. ]

b. Explain how the lesson objectives, learning tasks, and materials are sequenced to:

← Move the focus learner toward achievement of the iep goals, standards (as appropriate), and learning targets

← Build connections between the focus learner’s prior learning and experiences and new learning

← Move the focus learner toward generalized, maintained, and/or self-directed use of knowledge and/or skills

[In order to move my focus learner toward achievement of his IEP goals, standards, and learning targets, my lessons will focus on demonstrating comprehension of scientific texts and using appropriate social communication. Comprehension and positive social/behavior development are two of my focus learner’s Individualized Education Plan goals. The content taught in my lesson will be aligned to the New York State Science Core Curriculum and the New York State Common Core Literacy Standards for second grade students. However; because my focus learner functions on a Kindergarten level, I will be adapting this academic content to best meet his learning needs. Since my focus learner cannot read, I will be reading all texts aloud to him. However, these will be active reading sessions where I ask my focus learner to point to various pictures and to “help me” sound out some small CVC words. This active learning approach will help deepen his comprehension of the scientific concepts discussed within the text. My focus learner will exercise his comprehension by completing activities that incorporate the use of his fine motor skills, a major strength discussed in his IEP. Throughout all lessons, I will be prompting my focus learner to act appropriately during learning. Also, I will model examples of appropriate behavior and use positive reinforcement techniques to keep this behavior enforced. My focus learner has had some previous practice with animal recognition and animal growth. He also has had practice with labeling and matching pictures. I will build upon this prior knowledge by teaching my focus learner about animal characteristics, what animals need for survival, and about animal life cycles through the use of different hands-on activities. I will help my focus learner draw personal connections to this material to help deepen his new learning. For example, when learning about animals’ physical characteristics, I will help him draw connections to his own physical characteristics. When learning about some of animals’ basic survival needs, I will teach him that humans have these same needs in order to help him draw connections to his own life. Also, when discussing the life cycle of a butterfly, I will help him compare the butterfly’s life cycle to his own life cycle. In regards to his social/behavior development, if he is displaying inappropriate behavior, I will give examples of how he can act more appropriately by displaying icons of appropriate behavior; for example, I will use a “quiet” icon if he begins throwing a tantrum. I will also remind him that he will earn computer if he successfully completes all of his learning tasks. If my focus learner is displaying appropriate behavior, I will use praise and his computer icon chart as constant forms of reinforcement. I will help my focus learner generalize his knowledge and skills by having him apply the information to his own experiences and to the world around him. In order to help my focus learner maintain his knowledge and skills, repetition will be a large component of each lesson. This is how my focus learner learns best so this will be an approach I use to help him retain his new learning. After modeling and guided practice occurs during each lesson, I will help move my focus learner toward self-directed use of his knowledge and skills by giving him learning activities that require him to apply the information that was learned from the adapted text (prompting will be used whenever necessary). Furthermore, during Lessons 1 and 2, my focus learned will answer the question: “What was the story about?” using captioned pictures as prompts. However, during Lesson 3, he will be answering this question using only written prompts, to move him towards a more self-directed method of expressing his understanding. ]

3. Knowledge of Focus Learner to Inform Teaching of the Learning Segment

For each of the categories listed below (3a–d), describe what you know about the focus learner’s strengths and challenges as related to the lesson objectives of the learning segment in relation to BOTH learning targets. What does the learner know? What can s/he do? What is s/he learning to do?

Refer to baseline data obtained prior to the beginning of the learning segment.

a. Prior learning and experiences, including prerequisite knowledge and skills related to the lesson objectives.

[In regards to the science content addressed in this learning segment, my focus learner has previously learned how to sort animals by their living environments (e.g. zoo animals, farm animals, jungle animals, pond animals and ocean animals). Therefore, he has basic animal recognition and understands that animals live in different types of environments. Also, he has had some practice with the life cycle of a butterfly because we have read the “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” in our classroom. In addition to the science content, my focus learner has had many prior learning experiences with sorting and matching activities, two large components of my lessons. Furthermore, my focus learner has some basic sight word recognition for Kindergarten leveled terms. He also has had some practice decoding basic CVC words. Therefore, I will encourage him to help me sound out these types of words when I am reading the adapted texts. During the life cycle of a butterfly lesson, I will ask my focus learner to complete sequencing activities. He has had prior learning experiences with this mathematical concept and is familiar with ordinal numbers. When given a pre-assessment on animal’s physical characteristics, my focus learner was able to accurately match zebra stripes to a zebra, giraffe spots to a giraffe, an elephant trunk to an elephant, fins to a fish, feathers to a bird, and a turtle shell to a turtle when given a full visual prompt of each of these animals. However, he was not able to independently match these characteristics to the name of each animal without these prompts. When given a pre-assessment on animals’ and humans’ basic needs for survival, my focus learner received a score of 0%. When given pictures of four items [e.g. water, food, a house (shelter), and a chair (distractor item)], my focus learner was not able to identify which items were necessary for animal and human survival. He circled each picture, instead of identifying the water, food, and house (shelter) pictures as the correct answers. . When given a pre-assessment on the life cycle of a butterfly, my focus learner was able to independently match the terms “eggs”, “caterpillar”, “cocoon” and “butterfly” to their pictorial representations with 75% accuracy. Therefore to extend his learning and to increase his mastery on the topic, this lesson will teach my focus learner the scientific terms for a butterfly’s life stages. He will learn that a caterpillar is called a “larva” and a cocoon is called a “pupa”. When the baseline data was collected on my focus learner’s use of appropriate social communication and compliance, he did not independently comply with completing 4 out of the 5 one-to-one lessons observed. However, when given moderate prompting, he was able to participate in 3 out of the 5 lessons. In regards to comprehension, my focus learner was not independently able to determine the main idea (modified version) of 5 texts. For 2 out of the 5 “What was the book about?” questions (one for each text), he identified one item that was discussed in the reading but this item did not correctly answer this question. However, when given visual supports and verbal prompts such as “Was this story about little ducks or penguins?” he was able to identify 3 out of the 5 (modified) main ideas correctly.]

b. Social and emotional development (e.g., impulse control, ability to interact and express themselves and their feelings in constructive ways, ability to engage and persist in individual and collaborative learning, social connectedness).

[My focus learner is able to express what he wants to do. However, if he is denied something that he wants, he is not able to express himself in a constructive manner. He is also able to express his feelings. However, he sometimes exaggerates his feelings as a task avoidance technique. For example, if he is feeling upset or frustrated because he does not want to complete his work, he will state things such as “I’m scared.” He will use a more severe emotion to describe how he is feeling in order to get out of completing his work. My focus learner struggles with impulse control. He tends to jump out of his seat and begin walking around the classroom. He also tends to make stemming noises when he is completing his work. He is able to engage in individual learning sessions; however, it is often a challenge having him sit down and begin the work because of his task avoidance tendencies. Also, while he is completing individual work, he is easily distractible and often refuses to do certain tasks. Therefore, short activities work best for him as a learner. My focus learner is unable to work in a collaborative setting because he requires one-to-one instruction and he struggles with social connectedness because of his limited expressive and receptive abilities. ]

c. Personal, family, community, and cultural assets (e.g., the focus learner’s interests and strengths, relevant lived experiences, and self-management skills; family supports or resources; cultural expectations; community supports or resources).

[My focus learner is extremely interested in technology. However, he loves to use computers to play educational games so it can be a major distraction for him because he is unable to understand that he is only allotted a certain amount of time on the computer. Therefore, instead of using a computer during my instructional time, “laptop time” will be used as a form of positive reinforcement that will occur at the conclusion of each lesson. It is unfortunate that the school I am student teaching in does not have SmartBoards because I believe that this would have been a strong educational tool for my learner. My focus learner’s fine motor and writing strengths will be utilized during my lessons through the use of many hands-on activities. These activities will include gluing, tracing, and matching items. My focus learner comes from a close-knit family. His family has had the privilege of completing a lot of traveling. My focus learner has traveled to places such as Florida and Ecuador. Therefore, I will incorporate his lived experiences into relevant pieces of my lessons. For example, when discussing water animals, I will draw connections to his vacations at the beach. My focus learner struggles with self-management skills therefore, I will help him take responsibility of his learning and behavior by asking him if he believes that he should earn a computer icon on his chart for talking nicely and completing all of his work. This will help him reflect on his behavior and encourage him to act in a more responsible manner during future learning tasks and lessons. ]

d. If relevant, any other information about the focus learner that will influence your instructional planning (e.g., other needs and strengths in areas such as motor skills or communication).

[My focus learner is an extremely active little boy. His energy often gets bottled up inside of him and he has trouble focusing on his learning tasks. Therefore, throughout each lesson, I will judge when it is necessary to let him complete his work standing up, let him take a quick walk around the classroom, or let him jump up and down a couple of times to release some of this excess energy. This is a technique that is used within our classroom and it has proven to yield positive results. Furthermore, my focus learner’s IEP lists “flexible setting” and the “use of breaks” under his assessment accommodations; therefore, these accommodations will be integrated into all lessons.]

4. Supporting Learning

Respond to prompts 4a–e below. As needed, refer to the instructional materials you have included to support your explanations. Your explanation should address both learning targets for the focus learner.

a. If there is not at least one learning target linked to the general education or early childhood curriculum, justify why that is not appropriate for the focus learner’s needs.

[My primary learning target is linked to the general education curriculum. This learning target aligns with both the school’s second grade science standards and the New York State Science Core Curriculum. In addition, since this learning target focuses on my focus learner’s comprehension, this target also aligns with a Grade 2 New York State Common Core Standards for English Language Arts.]

b. Describe how the learning tasks, materials, and supports capitalize on your focus learner’s strengths and interests.

[The learning tasks of my lesson plans will be directly aligned with my focus learner’s strengths and interests. My focus learner does his best work during short activities because he is easily distractible and often becomes restless. Therefore, my lessons will be composed of a four short activities. These activities will consist of similar and repeating concepts because my focus learner learns best from repetition. These learning tasks will include many hands-on activities such as pointing, cutting, gluing, matching, and tracing. One of my focus learner’s primary strengths and interests is fine motor activities; therefore, I will be capitalizing on these strengths during my lessons. My learning activities will contain many visuals to help assist my learner in comprehending material and successfully completing comprehension activities. In addition, I will be creating adapted articles from the Grade 2 Science Fusion textbook to read to my focus learner. These articles will also contain many visual supports. Throughout each lesson, I will base the level of support I give to my focus learner according to his ability to complete each task. If I observe that he is struggling with a particular concept, I will use both verbal and gestural prompts to help guide him toward an understanding of the material. I will create a learning environment where my focus learner is given the appropriate amount of challenge but is still set up for success. I will pay careful attention to my focus learner’s feelings during each lesson because I know that he has a tendency to shut down if he feels overwhelmed or if he does not want to complete a task. For this reason, structuring my lessons according to my focus learner’s strengths and interests is essential for his achievement of both learning targets.]

c. Justify your choices of learning tasks, materials, and supports based on the focus learner’s strengths, needs, and principles of research/theory.

[Lev Vygotsky (1978) argued that two developmental levels must be distinguished in order to understand the relationship between development and learning. These levels are the accomplishments that a child can perform independently and the accomplishments that a child can achieve with assistance. The difference between these two levels is called the Zone of Proximal Development. He explained the importance of adult assistance and of teaching children within this zone, especially children with disabilities. He proposed that children with disabilities should receive instruction that provides social interaction and adequate forms of education to develop alternative but equivalent roads for development. Holding on to Vygotsky’s theory, I will teach my focus learner Grade 2 academic content in order to provide him with the least restrictive environment by giving him access to the general education curriculum. However, I will teach my focus learner this content within his Zone of Proximal Development. After collecting baseline data, I was able to determine that my focus learner is able to independently achieve certain components of the Grade level 2 content. However, in order to work towards greater achievement, he will require levels of prompting and scaffolding. Providing my focus learner with these shared learning endeavors will help him make meaning of the material and will help stretch his achievement of more complex tasks. My one-to-one instruction with my focus learner will also complement the importance of shared learning experiences and adult assistance when instructing students with disabilities. Furthermore, the prompting and scaffolding used during this one-to-one instruction will ensure that I am teaching within my focus learner’s Zone of Proximal Development and not setting him up for defeat by requiring him to independently complete too complex of learning tasks. My instructional guidance will help him to create a deeper understanding of the concepts relayed during each lesson. Carol Tomlinson (2001) explains that differentiated instruction is a teaching theory based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and should be adapted in relation to the diversity of all learners. No children are exactly the same; therefore, not all children are alike in regards to learning. Tomlinson’s work highlights that teachers should adjust the curriculum and presentation of information in relation to the learners instead of expecting them to modify themselves for the curriculum. Therefore, I will differentiate my instruction throughout this learning segment. I will read the text aloud to my focus learner because he cannot read. This will serve as forms of learning profile and process differentiation. Also, during all comprehension learning tasks, my focus learner will use pointing, matching, and sorting to express his learning. He struggles with expressive language; therefore, this will differentiate product for my learner by allowing him to express his understanding in alternative manners. Additionally, since my focus learner functions on the level of a Kindergartener, his readiness will be differentiated through the use of my prompting and scaffold supports.]

d. Explain how, throughout the learning segment, you will help the focus learner to generalize, maintain, or self-manage the knowledge, skills, and supports.

[When reading each of the adapted texts aloud to my focus learner, I will help him draw many self-connections to the material. I will also help him relate the material to things in the world around him in order to help him generalize the knowledge gained during each lesson. For example, I will have him compare animal’s physical characteristics to his own physical characteristics, highlight that animals and people need the same things for survival, and have him relate the life cycle of a butterfly to his own growth during his lifetime. These connections and generalizations will help him maintain his knowledge because it helps him produce deeper understandings of the new information that he has gained. In addition, when modeling and enforcing appropriate social communication, I will demonstrate the behavior he should be exhibiting during lessons in order to show him how he speak and act during all learning experiences. ]

5. Supporting the Focus Learner’s Use of Expressive and/or Receptive Communication

Respond to the prompts 5a–e below to explain how your plans support the focus learner’s use of a communication skill related to the primary learning target.

a. Communication Skill (Function). Identify and describe one communication skill (function) that

← the focus learner needs to access instruction and/or demonstrate learning for the primary learning target

← includes the language of the discipline associated with the academic learning target, as appropriate

Examples include retelling a story, explaining a mathematics problem-solving strategy, answering open-ended questions, stating an opinion, supporting a position with evidence, following directions, signaling or initiating a turn during peer discussion, appropriately expressing frustration, participating in a conversation, answering a question, selecting the right sign, indicating preference with an eye gaze, requesting assistance, selecting a picture or other visual representation, starting or stopping communication, responding to an environmental cue, or signaling/communicating needs.

[One communication skill that my focus learner needs to access instruction and demonstrate learning for the primary learning target is ‘answering a question’. He will answer comprehension questions and complete corresponding activities to relay his understanding of the text.]

b. Describe how the focus learner will use the communication skill (function) to participate in learning tasks and/or demonstrate learning in relation to the primary learning target.

[After I complete the active read aloud, I will ask my focus learner questions about the text. He will also be required to complete comprehension activities that ask questions about the new information that he has learned about animals. These questions will require responses in various formats. Some questions will require a verbal response; however, most questions will require pointing to the correct choice or matching items together because these are the response methods that work best for my focus learner. During my lessons, I want to ensure that I am doing everything I can to support my focus learner in achieving his learning targets.]

c. Given the communication skill (function) identified in 5a, describe the expressive and/or receptive communication demands that the focus learner needs to use in order to participate in learning tasks and/or demonstrate learning.

← Vocabulary Demands: Spoken, written, or demonstrated words, symbols, signs, or behaviors representing information, concepts and meanings, or feelings.

← Other Communication Demands: Additional expressive and/or receptive communication demands needed to participate in learning tasks and/or demonstrate learning. Additional communication demands include syntax, social use of communication, or situational expectations for oral, written, or demonstrated communication.

[In regards to receptive language demands, my focus learner needs to be able to understand the meaning of the vocabulary terms being discussed during the lesson and must have the ability to interpret a comprehension question as a question. To help support the spoken and written vocabulary demands of each lesson, many visuals will be used to aid my focus learner with his new learning. In regards to expressive language demands, my focus learner needs to be able to express his understanding and wants/needs during each lesson. For example, he needs to be able to express that he doesn’t understand a comprehension question being asked or state that he needs a short break from instruction to jump up and down etc. He must also be able to communicate his learning. My focus learner will be allowed to state his answers orally, point to the correct picture, or match pictures in order to demonstrate his comprehension during the different learning activities. This will provide him with an effective method of maintaining and self-directing his expressive abilities. Additional Communication demands needed to participate in learning tasks and demonstrate learning include situational demands and social use of communication. My focus learner must use appropriate language during all instructional time. He must not yell and throw tantrums when he is upset and must express himself in a constructive manner.]

d. Describe the focus learner’s expressive and/or receptive communication skills and needs relative to the targeted communication skill (function) and other communication demands identified in 5a and 5c. What does the learner know, what can the learner do, and what is s/he learning to do?

[In regards to the targeted communication skill of answering a question, my focus learner will be learning how to demonstrate his comprehension by expressing an answer to the questions being asked. My focus learner is usually able to interpret a question as a question but struggles with expressing his answer. Therefore, while he will be given the option to answer questions orally, he will also be given the option to point to the correct picture as a way of selecting his answer. Also, many activities incorporate matching two items together in order to help him express his understanding of a concept. Furthermore, to demonstrate I am verbally asking a question during closure activities of lessons, I will give my focus learner two choices to select from so he understands that I am requiring an answer. For example I will say: “Is it an elephant or a fish?” These methods will differentiate process for my learner and help me structure my lessons in a way that best supports his learning needs.]

e. Describe the instructional supports that help the focus learner acquire, generalize, maintain, and successfully use the targeted expressive and/or receptive communication skill (function), vocabulary demands, and other communication demands identified in prompts 5a and 5c.

[I will be using a Picture Exchange Communication System to help support my focus learner in acquiring, generalizing, maintaining and successfully using the targeted communication function of answering a question. In addition to asking my focus learner questions orally, I will be showing him the question as I am stating it. Above the text of the question, I will place corresponding picture icons to help assist my focus learning in understanding the question. In order to express his answers, he mostly will be asked to point to the correct picture as a way of demonstrating his answer or to match a picture to a corresponding concept in order to relay his thinking. Icons will also be displayed on my focus learner’s embedded schedule and positive reinforcement “laptop” chart. These icons will be used to help encourage my focus learner to use appropriate social communication while answering the questions during learning (situational and social communication demands of this lesson).]

6. Monitoring Learning

a. Explain how the assessments and the daily assessment record (including baseline data) will provide evidence of

← the focus learner’s progress toward both learning targets through the lesson objectives

← the level of support and challenge appropriate for the focus learner’s needs

[The baseline data collected during my focus learner’s pre-assessments illustrated my focus learner’s current knowledge of animal characteristics, items animals need for survival, and animal life cycles. This baseline data also displays my focus learner’s comprehension abilities and general behavior during one-to-one instructional periods. During my learning segment lessons, I will be teaching my focus learner about animal’s characteristics, what animals need for survival, and about animal life cycles. Throughout each lesson, formative assessment will occur through questioning and the use of different hands-on activities. Observation will be the daily assessment method being used for these lessons. I will create an observation chart for each lesson that will be used to track my learner’s progress toward meeting both learning targets through assessing his mastery of the lesson’s objectives. My assessment methods will be tailored to meet my focus learner’s needs. Since my focus learner struggles with expressing himself orally, assessment will consist mostly of pointing to correct answers and matching appropriate pictures to the correct item. These assessment methods will be on the appropriate level of challenge for my focus learner and will provide him with an effective method of instructional support for achieving his learning targets. I will use my checklist to record the amount of questions my focus learner answered correctly and the prompts that were needed to complete the activity. After analyzing the amount of prompts used and calculating my focus learner’s accuracy, I will determine if my focus learner has achieved all lesson objectives.]

b. Explain how you plan to involve the focus learner in monitoring his/her own learning progress.

[After my focus learner completes the comprehension activities implemented into each lesson, I will prompt him to look back in the adapted text to evaluate his own work. This will allow him to check his answers, and will help increase his self-confidence because he will be able to see that he chose the correct choices. After each learning task, I will also award him with a computer icon depending on his use of appropriate social communication. During this time, I will ask him questions like: “Do you think you earned an icon because you talked nicely and listened?” This will help him self-evaluate his own behavior.]

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