1. Purpose
New requirements in special education law are mandating changes in the way special educators write Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals and objectives for special education students. We are being requested to write goals and objectives that are more specific and measurable and are stated in a way that links them to the general curriculum in coordination with the new Standards in language arts.
Last year, I was able to complete an IDEA grant that linked language therapy and curricular goals. At this time I would like to expand upon this project by creating a series of assessments which meet special education law reporting requirements and coincide with the curricular units I use to meet student goals and objectives. In addition, I would like to create a series of Parent Pages which would give parents of children with language disabilities (as well as typical students) specific suggestions on ways to help their children succeed in academic areas. Sets of strategies would coincide with the IEP goal(s) being addressed.
Why an IDEA grant? What are the benefits of the completed project?
Each assessment document would provide parents and teachers with specific information on student gains. Each Parent Page would provide parents with strategies to use immediately to help their child meet curricular requirements while developing important language skills.
Further, each assessment document would be used for documentation of student success and for purposes of progress reporting.
2. Project Objectives
Specific objectives that I intend to accomplish through this project are:• creating an assessment of language therapy IEP goals which coincide with the curriculum
• sharing student progress with parents and teachers, and providing concrete feedback to students
• empowering parents to help their children become more proficient at learning and using the language of the curriculum (via communication through the Parent Pages)
An example of an IEP language goal , a typical assessment tool and a coinciding Parent Page is located in Appendix A.
3. Project Plan
The activities and timeline for each activity which will be carried out to achieve the objectives of this project include:
Day 1: Review and update material (IEP goals and objectives, and curricular information for grades 2 through 5)
Day 2: Complete assessments for semantic goal objectives.
I plan to create 60 separate assessment pieces as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade = 12 semantic assessment areas
12 semantic assessment areas x 5 objectives =60 assessment pieces
Day 3: Complete 12 Parent Pages on semantic development as
calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade level =12 parent pages
Day 4: Complete assessments for expressive language goal objectives. I plan to create 60 separate assessment pieces as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade = 12 expressive language assessment areas
12 expressive language assessment areas x 5 objectives =60 assessment pieces
Day 5: Complete 12 Parent Pages to help develop expressive language as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade level =12 parent pages
Day 6: Complete assessments for language processing goal objectives. I plan to create 60 separate assessment pieces as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade = 12 language processing assessment areas
12 language processing assessment areas x 5 objectives =60 assessment pieces
Day 7: Complete 12 parent pages to help develop language processing as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade level =12 parent pages
Day 8: Complete 30 assessments on pragmatic skills (social language). Complete 30 assessments for developing communication strategies for school success. I plan to create 30 pragmatic assessment pieces as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade = 6 pragmatic skill assessments
6 pragmatic skill assessment areas x 5 objectives =30 assessment pieces and
30 separate school success assessment pieces as calculated by the following formula:
4 grade levels x 3 units per grade = 6 school success strategy assessments
6 school success assessment areas x 5 objectives =30 assessment pieces
Day 9: Complete 16 Parent Pages to help develop pragmatic and school success strategies.
4 grade levels x 2 pragmatic skill Parent Pages = 8
4 grade levels x 2 strategies for school success Parent Pages = 8
Day 10: Edit and proofread final draft. Make copies and bind.
4. Innovation and Renewal
This project is innovative in three ways. First, it coincides with a project that I completed last year and have been using successfully with students. Assessments of the skills being taught through this project is a natural and necessary addition to it.
Secondly, while more specific reporting of student progress on the IEP is a new state education mandate, documentation of this progress in regard to specific skills, and how the progress was assessed has not been developed. Further, the assessments I am proposing to develop can provide more concrete evidence of student growth.
Finally, the Parent Pages that will be developed will update parents on the current language demands of the curriculum while providing them with strategies to enhance their child’s learning.
5. Evaluation
The effectiveness of this project will be evaluated in an ongoing manner. I will use the assessments to share information on student growth with parents and teachers. Minor changes will be made on each assessment as necessary.
I will request feedback from the parents who receive the
Parent Pages and ask for suggestions of ways to make them even more effective.
6. Dissemination
Parents and teachers will receive assessments and
Parent Pages as the school year progresses.
District speech and language pathologists are invited to use the materials in this project.
7. Budget
See attached form.
Appendix A
Categorization Assessment : 1999-2000
Semester: Fall ‘99 Curricular Area: Crayfish
Student:___________ Grade: 4th
GOAL: The student will demonstrate understanding of 30 new vocabulary concepts by the end of fourth grade.
OBJECTIVE: The student will categorize a set of topic related curricular vocabulary words, given a
list of words, by stating how two or more words can go together to form a category, with 90% accuracy,
once per marking period through his fourth grade year.
Directions: Look at the crayfish words on this page. Think about ways in
which some of these words can be related, or “go together”. Write each
group that you come up with below. Then tell how each group of words is
related. If you can not read any of these words, I will read them for you.
1. regeneration
2. molt
3. mandible
4. hibernation
5. gills
6. pincers
7. observation
8. defend
9. shelter
10.predator
Word Groups
_________________ ______________ ___________
_________________ ______________ ___________
_________________ ______________ ___________
A sample of a speech and language IEP goal and objective of a fourth grade student who is having difficulty listening and attending in his classroom and subsequently struggles with grade level curricular content.
Listening: 1999-2000
Student:___________
Grade: 4th
Date: __________
