How we collected evidence that our students with significant disabilities made literacy gains

June 14, 2013

How we collected evidence that our students with significant disabilities made literacy gains

Writing name with shaving cream tactile letter formation.

Learning, identifying and writing his last name learning it through song.

Writing his name independently.

School A

This student drives the car around the block as he says the beginning sound of the word. Physical movement while saying the sound proved to increase his retention.

Bingo dauber letters. Find all the Rrs and say the sound as you bingo dauber them.

School A

 This is my second year using a `pensieve` to record my notes during one-on-one conferences with my students and to hold my benchmark assessments

School B

Conferencing Student modeling & demonstrations Increased student confidence Increased reading levels Observations Increased time for successful Read To Self and Read To Someone
School C

Evidence of literacy gains.

STAMINA all of my students understand what this word means and they demonstrate their stamina on a daily basis. INDEPENDENCE I have seen an increase in making choices, self-engagement, confidence, and to initiate and sustain social interactions.

One of my grade eight students really got hooked on reading this year. He was reading one of his favorites, Big Nate, when the recess bell rang. Shane continued reading, snuggled in the bean bag, when his two friends arrived. One of them remarked, You like to read? I thought you only played video games. Shane told them he loved to read and finished his chapter before leaving with his friends. QUIET When I asked my students what was the best part of the Daily 5, almost all of them told me they liked being able to read by themselves quietly. They all mentioned the quiet atmosphere.

Kaitlyn signed book. She only signs a few words and book is one of her new ones. She uses her PECS to choose her favorite books and indicate her desire to read. Kaitlyn attempts more interactions and communication with her peers and adults. She displays a genuine love of books and especially reading with a friend. I used the Emerging Literacy Behaviours Checklist

School D

Collecting evidence that our students made literacy gains!!

Checklists, running records, work samples, rubrics and the Fountas and Pinnell benchmark assessment kit have all been very helpful for documenting and collecting evidence about our students growth!! We are also using the Emerging Literacy Behaviours Checklist for two of our students. Learning portfolios have been the best tool to help organize our assessments, checklists, rubrics and work samples. The students also help select their best work to show off in their portfolios! Parents LOVE to see these Learning Portfolios where we have lots of pictures of our learning in action!!

School E

How I collected evidence that my students made literacy gains

Benchmark Assessment Kit Work on Writing Notebook Pensieve

School F

How we collected evidence that our students with significant disabilities experienced success

Observation of participation, and willingness to read and write. Teaching and monitoring use of self-monitoring strategies Conferencing during read to self. Fountas and Pinnell Reading Assessments

School G

Observation and anecdotal records were kept as evidence of improvement. School H

Evidence of Literacy Gains

DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) Writing Samples Increased Vocabulary Improved classroom/social interactions Stamina

School I

Literacy Gains
Initiating and participating in literacy related choice making

Increased Engagement Increased stamina for attending to literacy based activities School J

Collecting evidence...

assessments including running records, retellings and sight word recognition

Fountas and Pinnell

Comparing writing samples

School K

Evaluating Literacy Gains

Conferring with
students about

Reading and Writing.

DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment) Comparative Writing Samples
School L

How I collected evidence...

I used benchmark assessments to gauge student learning. I conferred with the students and engaged in one-on-one assessment interviews

School M

THANK YOU to the teachers who participated in the 2012 2013 Numeracy for All community of practice. The teachers were from the following school authorities: Battle River Regional Division Black Gold Regional Division Buffalo Trail Public Schools Edmonton Public Schools Foothills School Division Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School District Fort McMurray Public School District Grande Prairie School District Medicine Hat Catholic Separate Regional Division St. Albert Public Schools