Using an Activities Planning Matrix

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Using an Activities Planning Matrix

• Mary Reed

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the education of children with disabilities can
be made more effective by having high
expectations for such children and ensuring their
access to the general curriculum to the maximum
extent possible.
All students should have access to the general
education curriculum.
Special education is a resource.
The general education classroom is the first
consideration for all students.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
1997
not a place.
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Instructional Priorities for Students with Autism
serve same
function as the problem behavior

• Replacement Skills
• General Skills
• Coping and Tolerance Skills

broad skills that alter
problem behaviors and prevent the need for
additional support

learning to tolerate difficult situations and
cope with frustration
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James needs to learn so many skills that arent
addressed specifically in our academic
curriculum. How do I determine which of his
targeted skills to focus on for each activity?
What adaptations will James need to meet his
academic goals?
I am accountable for the learning of all my
students, including Maria, though her educational
goals are very different from those of the
others. How can I make sure Maria has enough
opportunities and support to meet her goals
throughout the activities of our weekly schedule,
but without compromising the learning of the
other students?
There are many times I feel Nicole could learn
things so much better if I could just provide
more individual instruction and additional
practice for her. But with so many other
students in class each day, its nearly
impossible to make this happen.
Its difficult to create an individualized, yet
predictable schedule for Miguel that provides a
suitable balance of participation in the
community, vocational, social and academic
activities. How can this be achieved?
Reactions from Teachers
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What is an Activities Matrix?
Targeted Individual Skills
  .a tool that can be used to identify
opportunities and plan for the instruction of
students with individual educational goals within
the context of typical educational activities.
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Identify potential opportunities to address
specific educational goals
Targeted Individual Skills
Instructional Outcomes

• Emphasizes the benefits of inclusion
• Clarifies successful outcomes for all students

Participate in lunch conversation
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Individualizing the activity for the learning
characteristics and needs of the focus student.
Because I used an activity planning matrix, I
knew our seed planting activity would be a good
opportunity to address Marias social goals.
The activity planning matrix made it a lot
easier to then think about the supports she would
need in it to be successful in the activity.

• Plan instructional activities
• Develop curricular adaptations
• Utilize environmental supports

leaves
stem

• Environmental supports
• Curricular adaptations

roots
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Identify opportunities to incorporate the
students unique strengths and interests into
instructional activities
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James JANUARY 20-25
Raise hand to particpate or respond
Work without disruptions
Completing work on the computer
Gather work materials
Record assignments in planner
Working independently
Language arts

• Academics goals
• Self management goals
• Social goals

Reading
Insure all goals and objectives have been
addressed adequately
spelling
Specials
Math
Social studies
Science
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Manage Additional Resources and Supports
ESE teacher, MWF
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What is an Activities Matrix?
Targeted Individual Skills
  .a tool that can be used to identify
opportunities and plan for the instruction of
students with individual educational goals within
the context of typical educational activities.
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Develop an individualized schedule for the
student

• Supports individualized scheduling
• Insures balance across instructional areas
• Promotes team based planning

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Provide Accountability

• Consistent supervision and instruction across
  team members
• Provides a written record

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How Do I Do It?

• A blank activity planning matrix
• The daily classroom schedule
• Students IEP
• A curriculum guide
• Time

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List the sequence of daily school activities down
the left hand column

• Include any regularly occurring,
  non-instructional activities
• Specialized services
• Instructional activities outside the classroom
• Community participation activities
• Work experience

Activity choice
130-205
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List the students instructional goals and
objectives across the top

• Address current top priorities
• Address others as needed
• Some goals and objectives will be addressed
  consistently across all activities
• Others are associated with very specific times
  and places

Targeted Individual Skills
Activity choice
130-205
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Decide the students level of participation in
each activity

• Determine extent top learning priorities can be
  addressed within the proposed activity
• Not every activity will provide the right
  circumstances
• Creative solutions
• Alternative activity or setting
• Instruction at home

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Determine the necessary accommodations,
modifications and supports

• How can the students learning priorities, such a
  making friends or gaining better independence, be
  addressed through this activity?
• What changes either in the activity itself or the
  classroom environment, may be needed to meet the
  students instructional goal?
• Are there any other supports that will be
  necessary in order for the student to be
  successful?

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How Do I Know If Its Working?

• Is the student meeting the learning outcomes
  youve set for them in each activity?
• Do you feel the accommodations, modifications and
  supports youve created are promoting the
  students learning and success?
• Have you gathered data that demonstrates an
  increase in targeted skills?
• Do other team members feel the student is being
  successful in their activities and interactions?
• Do you and your team members feel the Activities
  Planning Matrix allows you to plan in a more
  precise, efficient yet creative manner?

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Where Can I Learn More?
Doyle, M.B. (1997). The paraprofessionals guide
to the inclusive classroom working as a team.
Baltimore Paul H. Brookes . Falvey, M., Coots,
J., Bishop, K., Grenot-Scheyer, M. (1989).
Educational and curricular adaptations. In S.
Stainback, W. Stainback M. Forest. (Eds.).
Educating all Students in the mainstream of
regular education (pp. 143-158). Baltimore, MD
Brookes. Giangreco, M.F., Cloninger, C.J.,
Iverson, V.S. (1993). Choosing options and
accommodations for children a guide to planning
inclusive education. Baltimore, MD
Brookes. Rainforth, B., York, J., MacDonald,
C. (1992). Collaborative teams for students with
severe disabilities. Baltimore, MD
Brookes. Williams, W. Fox, T. (1989).
Individual program design series. Burlington
Center for Developmental Disabilities, University
of Vermont.
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Blank Forms

• Planning matrix
• Completed example
• Planning matrix with instructional outcomes
• Completed example
• Planning matrix with support codes
• Completed example