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TEACHING TO THE TEST?USING THE SOLS AND SOL TESTS TO IDENTIFY NEEDED LANGUAGE SKILLS
Lissa Power-deFur, Ph.D.January 31, 2011 Blackwell Talk
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Objectives
Review illustrative language expectations of general curriculum.
Review illustrative language expectations of SOL assessments.
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What is the general curriculum …
Is it the same for students with disabilities?
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The general curriculum is the curriculum adopted by the school for all children from preschool through secondary school
In Virginia … the Standards of Learning
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Why should do we need to align our intervention and instruction with the general curriculum?
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Effect of Speech-Language Impairment on Academic Success 40% preschool/K children with
SLI do not stay with K cohort in later years
Many preschool/K children with SLI are dismissed from services, yet are later found re-eligible when reading difficulties emerge
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Children with significant speech sound errors demonstrate phonological awareness difficulties, a foundational skill for reading
Vocabulary Acquisition at Home(Hart and Risley, 1995)
Conclusion: need 40 hours/week of experience to make up for this difference
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Children in welfare families exposed to a portion of vocabulary of working class and professional families about 70% of working class about 45% of professional families
Vocabulary is different Welfare families primary
prohibitions, working class and professional families primarily use affirmations.
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Vocabulary Growth
Students need to encounter new vocabulary in context repeatedly Average child needs 15 exposures for a new word to become automatic
Child with language impairment needs 50 – 100 exposures
Direct instruction in new words enhances instruction
Marzano, et al (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
Vocabulary Size
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Grade 1: 2,703 – 26,000 words
Grade 7: 4, 760 – 51,000 words
Grade 12: 17,000 – 45,000 words
(Marzano, 2004)
1,150 to 3,150 new words per year for 12 years!
Learning Vocabulary (Marzano, 2004)
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Chances of learning new word from context alone is 8 – 19% for all children
Students with large store of academic knowledge have greater chance of learning new words
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Everyday discourse
Informal style (declaratives) Modify language to child’s
understanding (vocabulary, sentence length, contextual info, explanation of references)
Shared assumptions Discrete amounts of information Ongoing checks for understanding
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Instructional discourse demands
Common language level for all children Often with complex sentence, tangents
Assume shared assumptions and general knowledge
Large volumes of information Frequent reference to prior
information without checking for comprehension
Decontextualized language
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What if we don’t use the curriculum as the foundation of our intervention?
Romantic style: what are the important things I want to convey to this child?
Functional style: what are the essential things I think the child needs?
Idiosyncratic style: What materials I have in my cabinets?
Judy Montgomery, 2000
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The general education teacher is responsible for teaching the content of the curriculum.
The specialists use content to instruct the student.
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Illustrative 3rd grade concepts(with thanks to Barbara Scott)
This story is most likely about … Add ful to the word beauty What happens just after How many in all Which number is replaced by Which _____ is least ? Which is true for all of these
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Illustrative 5th grade concepts Relevant and irrelevant information Why words would be written in italics The best description, the best summary The most helpful, the most current The main idea, the main purpose Which of these is not Double negatives Subject-verb agreement
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Academic instruction is full of metalinguistic verbsCircle 5 words you’ll start using in intervention
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AnalyzeAnswerBrainstormChallengeChooseClarifyCollaborateCompareConcludeConnectConsiderConstructCreate
DebateDefineDemonstrateDraftExplainEvaluateFindGenerateIdentifyIllustrateLabelList
LabelListMap relationshipsNameObserveOrganizePracticePredictQuestionRecallRefineReflect
RephraseResearchReviseRhymeSelectShowSpellSupportSolveSuggestVisualize
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Aligning with the general curriculum
Content – Standards Curriculum framework Enhanced scope and sequence District pacing guide
Emphasis – Test blueprints
Format – Released test items
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Examples of SOLs, Curriculum Framework, Released Test Items
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SOL Standard
K.4 Oral Language, Kindergarten, Objective 4
The student will hear, say, and manipulate phonemes (small units of sound) of spoken language
Identify orally words that rhyme
Identify words orally according to shared beginning or ending sounds
Blend sounds orally to make words or syllables
Divide one-syllable words into sounds (phonemes)
Divide words into syllables
Required Language Skills:Phonology Identifying words that
rhyme Identifying sounds in
different places in words Blending sounds to make
syllables and words Dividing one syllable
words into sounds Dividing words into
syllablesSyntax Dividing words into
syllables
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SOL Standard
K.6 Health: Community Health and Wellness, Kindergarten, Objective 6
The student will identify expectations for personal behavior in school and social settings. Key concepts/skills include: a.) acceptable behavior in classrooms and during play; b.) respect for the property and rights of others; c.) respect for the personal space of others.
Required Language Skills:
Semantics vocabulary of acceptable,
respect, property, rights, personal space
double meanings of the terms space and right
Pragmatics knowledge of expected
classroom and play behaviors
knowledge of personal space
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SOL Standard
1.15 Math, Geometry, Grade 1, Objective 15
The student will describe the proximity of objects in space (near, far, close by, below, above, up, down, beside, and next to).
Required Language Skills:
Semantics spatial concepts near,
far, close by, below, above, up, down, beside, and next to
double meaning of the term space
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SOL Standard
2.18 Math, Measurement, Grade 2, Objective 18
The student will use calendar language
appropriately (e.g., months, today, yesterday, next week, last week);
determine past and future days of the week; and
identify specific dates on a given calendar.
Required Language Skills:
Semantics time-concepts today,
yesterday, next week, last week, before, after, earlier, and later
Syntax Subject-verb structures
for present, past, or future calendar events; Tuesday was two days ago. vs. Saturday is two days from now.
Morphology appropriate
morphological markers for past, present, and future tense; Monday I will walk to school. vs. Last Monday I walked to school.
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SOL Standard
2.6 English, Reading, Grade 2, Objective 6
The student will use language structure to expand vocabulary when reading.
a.) use knowledge of prefixes and suffixes
b.) use knowledge of contractions and singular possessives
c.) use knowledge of simple abbreviations
d.) use knowledge of antonyms and synonyms
Required Language Skills: Morphology morphological markers and
their meanings for many prefixes, suffixes, contractions, and singular possessives ; Sally’s sister is the tallest girl in her class.
Semantics awareness of and ability to
apply meaning to simple abbreviations; Mr. is the abbreviation for mister and means a man
working lexicon of words with similar and opposite meanings
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SOL Standard
4.1 Oral Language, Grade 4, Objective 1
The student will use effective oral
communication skills in a variety
of settings. Present accurate directions to
individuals and small groups, Contribute to group
discussions, Seek ideas and opinions of
others, Use evidence to support
opinions, Use grammatically correct
language and specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
Required Language Skills:Syntax Ability to use appropriate
conjunctions or temporal sequences in delivery of directions
Ability to orally formulate a grammatically correct statement
Ability to order words appropriately to form questions and statements
Morphology appropriate morphological markers
for agreement (i.e. person and tense) in oral statements
Semantics Use appropriate expressive vocabulary
to support opinions or that which pertain to the conversation
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SOL Standard
4.1 (continued)The student will use effective oral communication skills in a varietyof settings. Present accurate directions to
individuals and small groups, Contribute to group discussions, Seek ideas and opinions of
others, Use evidence to support
opinions, Use grammatically correct
language and specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.
Required Language Skills: (continued)
Pragmatics
Ability to sequence directions so listener can comprehend meaning and intent
Use appropriate register when delivering directions to a group
Follow turn taking and topic maintenance while in a group
Formulate appropriate questions which pertain to topic for clarification or additional information
Provide sufficient background information for listener comprehension
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SOL Standard
6.1 Science, Grade 6, Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic, Objective 1
The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
observations are made involving fine discrimination between similar objects and organisms;
a classification system is developed based on multiple attributes;
precise and approximate measurements are recorded;
a method is devised to test the validity of predictions and inferences;
data are collected, recorded, analyzed, and reported using appropriate metric measurements
Required Language Skills:Semantics Knowledge of and ability to make
associations between weather terms the student must be able to
associate meters with distance and kilograms with weight
Syntax and Morphology apply correct verb tenses and
morphological markersMetacognitive Skills write or speak about their ideas,
thought processes, and conclusions the ability to identify details,
summarize, and apply systems of categories
the ability to compare and contrast
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SOL Standard
M.10, Fine Arts, Middle School Theater
Judgment and Criticism
The student will give constructive and objective criticism of class performances, using appropriate theatre arts vocabulary.
Required Language Skills:
Syntax Ability to use declarative
sentences to describe class performances
Semantics Understanding and ability to
use theater arts vocabulary
Pragmatics Ability to communicate with
class appropriately when giving constructive criticism Identify audience Manners/politeness
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SOL Standard
WHI.2, World History, Grade 9 - 12
The student will demonstrate knowledge of early development of humankind from the Paleolithic Era to the agriculture revolution by: Explaining the impact of
geographic environment on hunter-gatherer societies,
Listing characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies, including their use of tools and fire,
Describing technological and social advancements that gave rise to stable communities,
Explaining how archaeological discoveries are changing present-day knowledge of early peoples.
Required Language Skills:Syntax Ability to formulate an organized,
sequential expository explanation about topic
Appropriate use of adjectives to compare and explain
Morphology Use appropriate morphological
markers to denote past vs. present in descriptions or explanations
Semantics Expressive vocabulary of topic Use of appropriate comparative,
contrastive, and relational terminology
Appropriate use and knowledge of adjectives to compare and explain
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VDOE Curriculum Framework Reading Grades 2 through 8
“Because reading skills build upon one another, the reading process that is learned in one grade carried over into the next grade and creates a spirally effect …
The technical assistant documents serve as a resource that depict the building process of the reading standards.
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Va. Department of Education Curriculum Framework
Standard K.1 Strand: Oral Language Grade Level K
K.1 The student will demonstrate growth in the use of oral language.a) Listen to a variety of literary forms, including stories and poems.b)Participate in choral speaking and recite short poems, rhymes, songs, and stories with repeated patterns.c) Participate in creative dramatics.d)Begin to discriminate between spoken sentences, words, and syllables.e) Recognize rhyming words.f) Generate rhyming words in a rhyming pattern.
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Curriculum Framework
UNDERSTANDING THE STANDARD
(Teacher Notes)
ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND PROCESSES
The intent of this standard is that students will expand their oral language vocabulary by listening to and participating in a variety of literary experiences, including fiction and nonfiction print materials and trade books that reflect the Virginia Standards of Learning in English, history and social science, science, and mathematics.
These interactions provide opportunities for students to mimic language and experiment with new words, word patterns, and rhymes in order to expand their working vocabularies.
All students should
understand that oral language entertains and communicates information
understand that a spoken sentence is made up of individual words.
To be successful with this standard, students are expected to
listen to a variety of literary forms, including predictable texts, patterned texts, poems, fairy tales, legends, stories, and informational texts found in fiction and nonfiction print materials and trade books that reflect the Virginia Standards of Learning in English, history and social science, science, and mathematics
participate in choral speaking and echo reading of short poems, rhymes, songs, and stories with repeated patterns and refrains
use drama to retell familiar stories, rhymes, and poems
discriminate between large phonological units of running speech, sentences, words, and syllables
demonstrate the concept of word by dividing spoken sentences into individual words
identify words that rhyme
generate rhyming words based on a given rhyming pattern
supply an appropriate rhyming word to complete a familiar nursery rhyme or a predictable text with rhyming lines.
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English SOL Aligned Curriculum: K Act out story class is studying Play barrier games Create obstacle course, directions
highlight spatial prepositions Practice 1- & 2-step directions with
“Simon Says” Show and Tell Mr. Microphone (turn-taking)
from VDOE web site
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Assessment blueprint
Guide to identify SOLs Included Excluded Subsumed
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Blueprint example
Grade 3 Reading SOL 3.4 The student will use strategies to
read a variety of fiction and nonfiction materials Apply meaning clues, language structure, and
phonetic strategies Use context to clarify meaning of unfamiliar
words
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Grade 3 Reading
Grade 2 SOL Subsumed The student will read and demonstrate
comprehension of fiction and nonfiction Make predictions about content Read to confirm predictions Ask and answer questions about what is read Locate information to answer questions
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SOL Released Test Item
Social Studies
Grade 3 (2007)
Wagons, Trains, Ships
These are examples of —
A. supplies
B. architecture
C. directions
D. transportation
Required Language Skills:
Semantics Student must understand
referent “these” Student must understand
how to categorize items
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SOL Released Test Item
Science Grade 3 (2007)(with picture of a globe on
its axis)Which of the following describes the motion of
Earth shown in this picture?A. VibratingB. RotatingC. RevolvingD. Falling
Required Language Skills:Semantics Understand which, describe, and
motion Understand concepts: of the
following, vibrating, rotating, revolving, and falling
Morphology Understand present progressive –ing
endings the Earth is vibrating
Understand obligating the use of the present participle as an adjective vibrating motion
Syntax Understand question sentence
structure For example, “Which picture
shows…”
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SOL Released Test Item
Math Grade 3
The Parents’ Club sold
2,487 tickets to the winter festival.
What is 2,487 rounded to
the nearest hundred?
Required language skills:Semantics Understanding of rounded
as it relates to mathematics and numbers
Morphology Understanding of
morphemes (est, plural s)Syntax Understanding of
interrogative sentence structure
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SOL Released Test Item
Math Grade 5
There are 914 students enrolled
in Lakeview Elementary School.
Frederich Elementary School
has 276 fewer students
enrolled. How many students
are enrolled at Frederich
Elementary School?
A. 1,190
B. 726
C. 642
D. 638
Required Language Skills:Semantics Comprehension of
comparative adjectives, fewer
Morphology Understanding of modified
adjective due to –er suffix (fewer)
Syntax Understand question format
after a series of statements Understand an if-then
syntactic format relationship
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SOL Released Test Item
Grade 5, Science (2007)
Which form of energy is being used by the toaster?
A. Chemical B. Electrical C. Solar D. Nuclear
Required Language Skills: Semantics understands “which” understands the vocabulary of
energy, chemical, electrical, solar, nuclear
knowledge of the multiple meaning of the term “form”
Morphology meaning of the morphemes “ed”
and “ing”
Syntax ability to recognize an ongoing
action passive tense
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SOL Released Test Item
Reading Grade 6
If the author added a sentence at the end of paragraph 4, which of these would fit best?
A The seagull’s threatening behavior was unusual and bewildering.
B Another time Jeff was chased down an alley by a little dog.
C There was nothing more lovely than seagulls at the beach, flying over the water.
D Sunset was Jeff’s favorite time of day at the beach in Sebastian Cove.
Required language skills:Morphology Understanding of morphemes (ed,
ing, un, ly, s)Semantics Understanding of meaning and
purpose of article in order to add another sentence that makes sense with the paragraph
Syntax Understanding of possessive
markers Understanding of threaten and
bewilder as adjectives Understanding of complex
declarative sentences with phrases, prepositions, and passive voice
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SOL Released Test Item
Biology Grade 9 – 12
Fungi, such as mushrooms and molds, get their nutrition primarily byA. Producing food by
chemosynthesisB. Decomposing dead organic
matterC. Preying on other organic
matterD. Parasitic relationships with
plants
Required Language Skills:Syntax
Understanding of dependent clause
Understanding of incomplete sentence structure of question
Morphology Understanding of present
participle –ing Understanding of morpheme “-ic” to make parasite an
adjectiveSemantics
Understanding content specific vocabulary and grade level appropriate vocabulary
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SOL Released Test Item
US History to 1877
By the mid 1700s, American colonists were unhappy with English rule because-
A. England refused to protect them from the French
B. They thought the British king was weak
C. England would not buy colonial-made goods
D. They had no representation in Parliament
Required language skills:Morphology Understanding of plural s
morpheme Understanding of morpheme un Understanding of morpheme edSemantics Vocabulary of because, colonists,
refuse, protect, weak, colonial, goods, representation, Parliament
Understanding of the abbreviation mid
Understanding of pronouns they and them
Syntax Understanding of sentence
structure as incomplete
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SOL Released Test Item
Civics and Economics Grade 9 – 12
This World War II poster
appeals to which trait of an
American citizen?
Required Language Skills:
Syntax Understand question formatSemantics Requires understanding of
content specific vocabulary Ability to comprehend the
abstract message of the question on poster
Morphology Understand meaning of
prefixes, suffixes, and derivational morphemes “-ness”, “-ism”, and “-y”
A. TrustworthinessB. PatriotismC. CourtesyD. Honesty
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47 Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas Edison
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Align materials
Need for rich experiences with vocabulary and assessment styles.
Everyday classroom and specialists experiences need to align with the vocabulary, concepts, and test formats of the SOLs and assessements to enable transfer