Including Special Education Students in Algebra 1 and

Algebra 2

Lisa MillerNapa High School

lzmiller@nvusd.k12.ca.us

Agenda1. Why is this important?2. Accommodations:

- Special Ed specific- Good for all students

3. Other Helpful Strategies:- Differentiation- Progress Monitoring

4. IEP’s5. Access to Common Core6. Co-teaching

Why Is This Important?Napa High Math Data

Year 2007-2008 2012-2013Number of Students in Special Ed Math Classes

100 15

Number of Students in General Algebra

150 35

CST Percent Proficient 17% 27%Percent Tenth Graders Passing CAHSEE Math

80% 88%

Why Is This Important?

Types of Special Ed Students in Math

1. Students who have a disability in math

2. Students who have good math skills, but are in special education because of a language/reading/writing disability

3. Students who don’t do “school” well – homework, attendance, effort in class, etc…

Accommodations – Special Ed Specific

• Preferential Seating – Sit up front:- Often easy to follow-Obstacle - too many students may

have this accommodation: - Special education, English Language

Learners, AVID students, football players.

Accommodations – Special Ed Specific

• Use of Notes for Classroom Test– Agreement with student – Take the test the first

time without notes. If student doesn’t do well, he or she will get to use notes on the retake.

– If there is enough practice in class, notes are not often necessary.

– On Report Card – the grade is reported with accommodations if notes are used.

Accommodations – Special Ed Specific

• Reduced/Shortened Assignments:– Tell students the problems they must finish.– Have extra credit for students who finish early.– Usually once students get started, they are okay.

It is getting them started that is crucial.

• Use of Calculator – still take integer time tests, but untimed. Try a number line and multiplication table first.

Accommodations – Good For All Students

• Use assignment notebook planner

• Communicate with parents

• Note Taking SupportCues/prompts/reminders to stay on task

• Instructions repeated/rephrased

Accommodations – Good For All Students

• Check for Understanding – before beginning independent work or homework.

• Guided Practice

Bottom Line of Accommodations• Following the accommodations is just good teaching.• What do parents really want? They want their child

to be successful.

Differentiation

First level of reteach:- Use a no stakes or low stakes quiz to see which students need help with which learning outcomes.- Should happen in the regular classroom during the regular school day.

- Should happen before the unit assessment.

Differentiation

• Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery.

• Students are required to show they have relearned the material before they retake the assessment:– Participate in a reteach session.– Make corrections on original assessment.– Complete a practice test and review answers with

a teacher or peer tutor.

Progress Monitoring

Students will be more engaged in the learning and feel more successful if they can monitor their progress.

- Time Tests- Homework- Unit Check Off- Grade Reflection

Integer Time Test

Grade Report

IEP’s

• The obstacle is that if you have many special education students it takes time to fill out appraisal forms and to go to IEP meetings.

• Communicate with case carriers regularly.• Communicate with parents.

Common Core

Model a real world situation using an algebraic expression.

Common Core – Math Practices

Students create their own real world problems and create their own equations.

Make it accessible:- brainstorm topics- write examples together as a class- allow students to work with a group

- …then have students write and solve their own problems.

Common Core – Use Real World DataIs this relation a function?

x 13,400 14,000 14,000 35,200

y 36 30 40 23

Co-teaching

• Most Crucial – Both teachers agree on and follow through with what they believe about how students should be treated.

• Both teachers need to back each other up in the classroom.

• Both teachers need to be seen by the students as teachers.

• Both teachers should plan together and share the grading, student follow ups, and whatever else needs to be done to help the students be successful.

Two Co-teaching Models

• Complementary: • Challenges• benefits

• Side by Side:• It works very well

when teaching students two different ways to solve a problem.

Opportunities with Co-teaching

1. When one teacher is instructing, the other teacher can observe the students.

2. Differentiation – This should happen often and be fluid. It should be based on specific skills that students need extra help with.

Opportunity