Designing from the Ground Floor: Alternate Assessment on Alternate Achievement Standards
Part V: Linking to content standards: Is it Reading? Is it Mathematics?
Purpose of Part V
The purpose of Part V is to apply strategies for linking to grade-level content instruction, to identify student work that reflects appropriate constructs in reading and mathematics, and to apply strategies for selecting reading and mathematics grade-level constructs to include in an alternate assessment.
Outcomes for Part V:
- apply strategies for linking to grade level content instruction
- identify student work that reflects appropriate constructs in reading and mathematics
- apply strategies for selecting reading and mathematics grade level constructs to include in an alternate assessment
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Alternate Assessment - Alternate Achievement Standards
Development Site Map
- Articulate policy guidance
- Define assessment effective practice
- Define population to be assessed
- Define a theory of learning for assessed population
- Review and articulate academic content standards
- Use tools from measurement
- Design the assessment blueprint
- Verify the design
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This section deals primarily with the cognition vertex of the assessment triangle as the content standards define what students should know and be able to do. It secondarily connects to the observation vertex by specifying what student performance(s) might look like.
Defining Linkage
Three questions must be asked when determining whether or not instruction is linked to the grade-level curriculum expectations. These questions are as follows:
- Is it content? – Is the focus of instruction from the English Language Arts or Mathematics curriculum?
- Does it access the grade level content standard? – Is the focus of instruction based on a content standard from the same grade of the student’s chronological age?
- Is it meaningful to the student? – Is the focus of instruction on a skill that is immediately useful or that will be useful in the near future?
The intent of the grade-level content standard must remain intact and instruction must occur using the same materials as all students (or an adapted version) and appropriate assistive technology.
Have You Checked All the Angles?
Grade Level Curriculum Instruction with Expectations for Content Area Learning
Is it "Square" and is it "Plumb"...?
A close look at what is taught …
- Is it really content?
- Does it access the grade level content standard?
- Is it meaningful?
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Grade Level Curriculum + Expectations
= Linkage
Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities:
- receive instruction on grade level content standards (may be at a lower complexity level) within the context of grade level curriculum ensuring that the intent of the grade level content standard remains intact
- use the same materials, or adapted version of the materials, and appropriate assistive technology to gain access
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Functionality
Historically, functionality has been defined as typical adult outcomes, or as skills that allow a student to perform in the community or adult life independently. As we become more familiar and skilled with the application of functionality, some professionals are beginning to question the interpretation or application of functionality and what is truly functional for students with the most significant cognitive and physical disabilities.
Additionally, many teachers question how to balance the traditional functional curriculum for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities with the need to assess and report student access to and progress within a state’s general curriculum. Teachers express concerns that the importance of the functional curriculum for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities will be lost and replaced solely by the general education curriculum. However, it is understood that many aspects of the functional curriculum continue to be extremely important for these students. There is no attempt to replace teaching of the functional curriculum solely with the general curriculum; instead to seek a balance of the two. NCLB 2002 requires us to only assess a student’s progress in the general curriculum. Functional skills are best addressed though the IEP.
Some Words about "Functionality"
Students with the most significant cognitive disabilities should:
- be taught skills that will enhance their independence in the next critical environment
- those skills must be embedded in natural routines and in socially valid contexts
- those skills might not be assessed
- be taught academic content because it is "functional" and socially valid
- not have to wait until they are able to make a bed before they are taught to read or identify initial letter sounds or before they are taught literature
- be presumed competent and not denied instruction offered to students of the same age (grade level content standards and curriculum)
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For discussion about functionality using an example of one student, see Power point speaker notes.
Disclaimer about individual state definitions of reading
Is it Reading?
- Individual states define reading in a variety of ways; some define reading comprehension separately from decoding. Please recognize that your state's definition may result in a different interpretation of the following slides.
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Linking to a State Standard
When trying to design instruction for all students, teachers should start with the content standard and determine what all students are expected to learn from the standard. Based on the standard, look at the instructional activities being taught and ask three questions about the instructional task: (1) Is this activity reading (or math, or science, etc.); (2) Is this activity meeting the grade level content standard for the chronological age of the student; (3) Is it meaningful to the student? The questions and process are the same whether we are looking at reading, math, science or social studies. However, we are focusing on reading and math.
Ensure that you read the speaker notes for the slides about linking to the state standards for Martha, Jordan, Sarah, and Josh.
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