ADAPTING AND MODIFYING CURRICULUM

1
ADAPTING AND MODIFYING CURRICULUM
2
TOPIC-------------------------------
K Know W Want to know L Learned

3
ADAPTING CURRICULUM

• In inclusive schools, the focus is not
  exclusively on how to help students fit into the
  existing, standard curriculum of the school.
• The curriculum in the regular education classroom
  is adapted, when necessary, to meet the needs of
  any student for whom the standard curriculum is
  inappropriate or could be better served through
  adaptation.(Brownlie/King)

4
Definition for an Adapted Program

• An adapted program retains the learning outcomes
  of the prescribed curriculum, but adaptations are
  provided so the student can participate in the
  program.
• These adaptations can include alternate formats
  (e.g. Braille, books-on-tape), instructional
  strategies (e.g. use of interpreters, visual cues
  and aids) and assessment procedures (e.g., oral
  exams, additional time).
• Students on adapted programs are assessed using
  the standards for the course/program and can
  receive full credit for their work. School
  personnel should document the adaptations
  provided for the student.
• Source British Columbia Ministry of
  Education (1994). Special Education A manual
  of policies, procedures and guidelines.
  Victoria Province of British Columbia, Ministry
  of Education.

5
Definition for a Modified Program

• A modified program has learning outcomes which
  are substantially
• different from the prescribed curriculum, and
  specifically selected to
• meet the students special needs.
• For example, a grade 9student in a
• modified math program could be focusing on
  functional computational
• skills in the context of handling money and
  personal budgeting. Or, in
• language arts, a grade 5 student could be working
  on recognizing
• common signs and using the phone.
• In these examples the learning
• outcomes are substantially different from those
  of the curriculum for
• most other students.
• The students program may include some courses
• that are modified and others that are adapted.
  The students
• transcript should indicate those courses that are
  modified.
• Source British Columbia Ministry of Education
  (1994). Special Education A manual of
  policies,
• procedures and guidelines. Victoria Province
  of British Columbia, Ministry of Education.

6
Adaptations/Modifications

• Adaptations
• For students whose learning outcomes are the same
  as the provincial curriculum
• Teaching methods, materials and/or evaluation
  methods are adapted and identified in the IEP
• Standard reports structured comments for the
  primary years and letter grades or percentages
  after grade 3
• May be awarded a Dogwood Graduation Diploma - in
  a few cases this may be a School Completion
  Certificate

• Modifications
• For students whose learning outcomes are
• different from or in addition to the provincial
  curriculum
• Individualized, personalized goals are developed
  and stated in the IEP
• Reports include structured written comments on
  individualized goals without letter grades or
  percentages
• May receive a School Completion Certificate after
  meeting the goals of their Student Learning
  Plan/IEP

7
Compare/Contrast Matrix
Adapted Programs Modified Programs
Definition
Curriculum
Instructional/curricular strategies
Assessment strategies
Adjudication
Graduation
8
9 TYPES OF CURRIC. ADAPTATIONS
QUANTITY Reduce items amount TIME Pace, less, more SUPPORT Peers, SEA, older student
INPUT Visual, concrete, text? DIFFICULTY Level, type, calculator, rules OUTPUT Verbal, scribe, demonstration
PARTICIPATION Individual, group, adapted task ALTERNATE GOALS Same materials CURRICULUM SUBSTITUTION Project goals
9
WHAT AND HOW CAN WE ADAPT?
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE NEW KNOWLEDGE
10
Demands of theSchoolSetting
11
Environmental Adaptations
12
Student Work Space

• Alternate spaces to complete work.
• In class or out of class?
• Control over stimuli.
• To stand or sit?

13
Communication

• FM systems
• Ambient noise levels
• Visuals
• Proximity touch
• Clutter
• visual, auditory, tactile distractibility

14
Environmental Design

• Student teacher placement
• Furniture
• Traffic areas
• Line-ups
• Unstructured time

15
Sensory

• Tactile manipulatives.
• Wiggle cushions.
• Reinforcement bin.
• Movement break schedule.
• Reduce stimuli (seating, gym).

16
Curricular/ Instructional Adaptations
17
An adaptation is made to ensure that the student
can access the information and that the student
can demonstrate knowledge.
Therefore we have to

• Change how they get the information (take it
  in) Change how they demonstrate they know (get it
  out)
• ie reader ie scribe
• taped version - oral exams (all or part)
• movies/films - shortened test/alternate
  format
• groups/environmental considerations - extra
  time/separate setting
• discussions - cueing/discussion
• choice of reading selections - demonstrations
• oral instructions/readings -
  models/portfolios
• photocopies/notes - time-lines/posters/scrapb
  ooks
• slower pacing/extra time - computer/spell
  check
• - calculator/math aids (charts, formulas)
• An adaptation (accommodation) allows the student
  to show competency and come to believe they are
  capable. It is not to draw attention to weakness
  or deficiency.

18
ADAPTATIONS OF CURRICULUM TEXTS

• HIGHLIGHT TEXTS
• PICK KEY SECTIONS
• USE OUTLINES/STUDY GUIDES
• PROVIDE NOVEL SUMMARIES
• PROVIDE TAPES

19
Task Organization

• Task completion checklists
• Start stop points
• Timers
• First, then schedules
• Photocopied text, near-point copies
• Graphic organizers
• Graph paper (math)
• Technology
• Binder or bin system

20
Following Directions

• Checklists
• Pair oral with written/visual instructions
• Graphic organizers

21
Motivation

• Personal Profiles
• Social, Activity, Material Reinforcers
• Reinforcement Bins
• Token Systems

22
Behavioural Adaptations
23
Self-Awareness

• Body visual
• Token economy
• Consequence maps
• Volume control

24
Self-Monitoring

• Incredible 5 Point Scale
• Take 5
• Vibrating pager
• Data sheets

25
Modified Programs

• Key issues
• All of the adaptations discussed may apply to
  students on modified programs.
• All lessons should be related to what others are
  learning only at a simpler level (parallel
  curricula).
• Use alternate textbooks on similar subject
  matter.
• Give more concrete assignments.
• Always search for ways for modified students to
  participate in some way.

26
Fairness means equal opportunity for
success Barbara Hoskins
27
CASE STUDIES
Heather is in grade 9. She has significant difficulties with reading and writing tasks. She reads accurately but very slowly and has difficulty with word meaning. She has problems generating ideas for writing. She is badly organized and has not done well on any in-class assignments or tests. Homework is not turned in. John is in grade 6. He has functional reading skills at about grade 3 but comprehension is lower than that. His concentration span is brief and he has significant issues with his vision. Writing tasks, beyond printed simple sentences, are difficult. He is socially inappropriate at times and has few friends.
28
ADAPTED V MODIFIED

• ADAPTED
• Teaching changes
• Retains PLOs
• Adapts instructional methods
• Letter grades given
• Exam adjudication e.g. reader/scribe/computer
• Dogwood graduation

• MODIFIED
• Substantial changes
• Different learning outcomes
• Functional skills
• IEP goals met written comments
• No provincial exams
• School Leaving Certificate

29
POINT TO PONDER

• Acknowledging that students learn at different
  speeds and that they differ widely in their
  ability to think abstractly or understand complex
  ideas is like acknowledging that students at any
  given age arent all the same height It is not
  a statement of worth, but of reality.
• To accommodate this reality, teachers can create
  a user-friendly environment, one in which they
  flexibly adapt pacing, approaches to learning and
  channels for expressing learning in response to
  their students differing needs.
• While the goal for each student is challenge and
  growth, teachers must often define challenge and
  growth differently in response to students
  varying interests and readiness levels.
• This includes using material from other grade
  levels.
• 
  (Tomlinson)