EPY 402 Learning Differences and Assessment of Exceptional Children by Michele Brewer

Wilmington University College of Education

and Liberal Arts

EPY 402

Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education (B-2)

Course Number: EPY 402

Course Title: Learning Differences and Assessment of Exceptional Children

Faculty Contact Information:

Course Description: This course will provide students with a variety of teaching strategies that enhance teaching and learning in an inclusive, multi-cultural classroom including students with exceptionalities. Students will explore ways to better understand how context and culture affect teaching and learning and will acquire strategies to support learning for students whose first language is not English as well as for children of special needs. Emphasis will be placed on an understanding of how student learning is influenced by factors such as: poverty, prior learning, race, language of origin, culture, gender, health, family structure, religion, and community. A focus is placed on the use of a comprehensive assessment system including universal screening assessments, diagnostic assessments, and progress monitoring. Students will research types of reading disabilities in areas of oral expression, listening comprehension, written expression, basic reading skills, reading fluency skills, reading comprehension, and language-based disabilities including speech fluency, articulation connected speech intelligibility, receptive or expressive language, and voice quality.

Use of Video: The use of technology is an integral part of the teaching / learning process and a necessary skill for success in teaching. As such, teacher candidates will engage in multiple forms of assessment including but not limited to creating and uploading digital recordings of various forms for evaluation and guidance. Candidate work is uploaded into secure sites and is not available to the public.

Minimum Time Requirements (in clock hours):

College Education Program Attributes

The manner in which we prepare educational personnel is informed by eight essential attributes:

1. ensuring that programs are knowledge-based;

2. viewing educational personnel as learners, including a focus on deconstructing past experiences as learners in coursework and field experiences and developing appropriate knowledge of the content and discourse of the disciplines to be taught;

3. contextual and cultural sensitivity;

4. facilitating inquiry and reflection, i.e., providing structured opportunities for critical reflection on and acting in one’s daily work;

5. enabling authentic participation, collegiality and collaboration; 1 | Page

6. building an ongoing developmental program that allows for continuous improvement, experimentation, and professional growth;

7. ensuring that programs are standards-driven; and

8. ensuring that programs promote the effective use of technology.

Delaware Teacher Standards: Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC)

Specialized Professional Association Standards: NAEYC Professional Standard and Competencies

Council for Exceptional Children: CEC

Technology Standards: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Wilmington University Graduation Competencies: Undergraduate Educational Competencies

Dispositions: Model Code of Ethics for Educators

Delaware Teacher Growth and Support System: DTGSS

Global Awareness: Global awareness is knowledge of the interrelatedness of local, global, and international cultures. It is the understanding that our world is an interconnected system. Cultivating global awareness involves the ability to understand, respect, and get curious about challenges, trends, and systems present on a global level. College of Education and Liberal Arts Educator Preparation Programs foster global awareness by preparing and empowering teacher candidates to integrate that knowledge in their PreK - 12 classrooms. By promoting awareness and understanding of exceptional children's rights to education worldwide, candidates can contribute to positive change in educational systems.

Cultural Differences: Culturally responsive practices acknowledge and honor the experiences and perspectives of children and their families as a tool to support them more effectively. This practice emphasizes incorporation of different perspectives that create an inclusive, relevant, and supportive environment for learners from various backgrounds. The College of Education and Liberal Arts Educator Preparation Programs incorporate culturally relevant instruction that integrate a wide variety of instructional strategies connected to different approaches to learning. In this course, candidates implement effective practices through person-centered planning and culturally responsive teaming with students, families, staff, and the community.

Learning Methods: A variety of teaching methods including inquiry–based learning, game-based learning, personalized learning, differentiated instruction, collaborative projects, and class participation will be used in a student-centered approach to learning. Candidates will engage in observation, reflection and analysis of teacher practice. Candidates will utilize reflective practices in planning for and evaluating instruction. Candidates are encouraged to move from passive receivers of information to active participants in their own learning, where creativity and innovation are encouraged. The purposeful integration of technology is required.

Driving Question for the Course: How can teachers use formative and summative assessment data including IEP goals, screening and progress monitoring data points to plan classroom instruction designed to ensure that all students are successful within the general education curriculum?

To address this, we will consider these three related questions:

· How can we design instruction for diverse learners including English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with disabilities with the ultimate goal of promoting success and independence?

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· How can we develop IEP goals and select accommodations and/or modifications to meet academic, socialemotional, organizational and communication goals?

· What are best practices in Special Education related to Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and equity in education?

Learning Outcome 1: Understanding and Addressing Each Individual’s Developmental and Learning NeedsCandidates use their understanding of human growth and development, the multiple influences on development, individual differences, diversity, including exceptionalities, and families and communities to plan and implement inclusive learning environments and experiences that provide individuals with exceptionalities high quality learning experiences reflective of each individual’s strengths and needs.

Lesson Activities/Tasks:

1. Candidates use understanding of development and individual differences to respond to the needs of individuals with exceptionalities by researching various educational disability categories and presenting them on one selected disability category.

2. Candidates describe, analyze, and reflect on the different approaches to learning, increasing cultural diversity, strategies to support learning for students whose first language is not English, and other areas of exceptionality in learning in a research paper.

3. Candidates compose a research paper explaining the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to development of children and young adolescents and how to construct learning opportunities that support individual students' development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation.

4. Candidates reflect on the different approaches to learning, increasing cultural diversity, strategies to support learning for students whose first language is not English, and other areas of exceptionality in learning in a research paper.

Performance Tasks:

Candidates engage in presentations and discussions on disabilities in addition to demonstrating and defending their knowledge, understanding, and approach to working with diverse learners and families in a research paper.

Learning Outcome 2: Using Assessment to Understand the Learner and the Learning Environment for Data-based Decision Making - Candidates assess students’ learning, behavior, and the classroom environment in order to evaluate and support classroom and school-based problem-solving systems of intervention and instruction. Candidates evaluate students to determine their strengths and needs, contribute to students’ eligibility determination, communicate students’ progress, inform short and long-term instructional planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction using technology as appropriate.

Lesson Activities/Tasks:

1. Candidates use assessments to design and modify instruction to best meet learners’ needs through developing a goal setting, progress monitoring, and decision-making document and proposal.

2. Candidates identify the learning needs of case study students and develop differentiated learning experiences and write IEP PLEPS and annual goals.

3. Candidates create a goal-setting, progress monitoring, and decision-making document and proposal.

4. Candidates develop a comprehensive, collaborative transition plan for a case study individual with exceptionalities.

5. Candidates develop a presentation that outlines and details how they will ensure they are implementing students' IEPs with fidelity; candidates also explain the importance of and develop a system for progress monitoring students with IEP's on a regular basis.

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Performance Tasks:

Candidates use case studies to create documents that demonstrate their assessment skills, goal development, progress monitoring transition planning, and collaboration.

Learning Topic 3: Supporting Learning Using Effective Instruction - Candidates use knowledge of individuals’ development, learning needs, and assessment data to inform decisions about effective instruction. Candidates use explicit instructional strategies and employ strategies to promote active engagement and increased motivation to individualize instruction to support each individual. Candidates use whole group instruction, flexible grouping, small group instruction, and individual instruction. Candidates teach individuals to use meta-/cognitive strategies to support and self-regulate learning.

Lesson Activities/Tasks:

1. Candidates choose appropriate strategies and accommodations, resources, and materials to differentiate instruction for a case study student.

2. Candidates use formative and summative assessment data, progress monitoring data, prior learner knowledge, and learner interest in order to plan instruction and create IEP goals for a case study student.

3. Candidates evaluate plans in relation to short- and long-range goals and systematically adjust plans to meet a case study student’s learning needs and enhance learning.

4. Candidates review a case study student and explain and justify what practices are being used promote socialemotional learning (SEL), propose additional ways to incorporate SEL, and determine what strategies they will implement or adapt to their own practice.

5. Candidates distinguish between accommodations and modifications by completing a case study exercise and provide justification for their determinations.

6. Candidates explain and present why it is important to ensure students are placed in the LRE.

7. Candidates select an everyday task and use diagrams provided for most-to-least prompting and least-to-most prompting and list the steps for how they would help a case study student with exceptionalities to master that task.

8. Candidates discuss the importance of differentiating general education (Tier 1) curriculum in order to support students with exceptionalities and describe how they would alter a lesson plan in order to meet the needs of a student’s particular disability.

Performance Tasks:

Candidates use case studies to determine modifications and accommodations, create social-emotional learning opportunities, differentiate instruction, set and progress monitor goals, and prompt and fade for independent living tasks.

Learning Topic 4: Collaborating with Team Members- Candidates apply team processes and communication strategies to collaborate in a culturally responsive manner with families, paraprofessionals, and other professionals within the school, other educational settings, and the community to plan programs and access services for individuals with exceptionalities and their families.

Lesson Activities/Tasks:

1. Candidates reflect on their personal biases and access resources to deepen their understanding of cultural, ethnic, gender, and learning differences to build stronger relationships by creating more relevant learning experiences and then present and discuss them with peers.

2. Candidates develop a transition and collaboration plan for a case study student that includes colleagues, the student’s family, and related agencies. 4 | Page

Performance Tasks:

Candidates create presentations and engage in discussions as well as use a case study to demonstrate their plans for collaboration with students, families, agencies, and colleagues.

Week Week at a Glance Essential Questions

1 What is LRE and how do teachers provide equity and accessibility in the general education setting?

2 How do teachers complete curriculum-based assessments (CBAs) to create goals and progress monitoring?

3 How do teachers differentiate instruction using strategies and assessment?

4 What is SEL and how do teachers foster and teach independence in students with disabilities?

5 How do teachers write a comprehensive IEP?

6 How do teachers implement IEPs with fidelity?

7 How do teachers use person-centered planning, collaborating with families and the community, to promote self-determination and independence?

Assignments and Grading

1. Class Discussions: (10%)

2. Case Studies & Activities (25%)

3. IRIS Module Quizzes (20%)

4. Differentiated Lesson Plan (10%)

5. IEP Assignment (10%)

6. Learner Differences Paper (10%)

7. SEA –Transition Plan Project (15%)

These required projects are briefly described in the “Learning Outcomes” section of the syllabus. Additional details and resources, including Open Educational Resources (OERs), and the course outline, can be found on the course site.

Academic Policies

Procedure/Guidelines for Receiving Special Accommodations

College of Education and Liberal Arts Attendance Policy:

In the College of Education, faculty must approve all requests for absences that are exceptions to the University policy. Vacations are not considered legitimate reasons for missing classes. Faculty must be contacted prior to class in all cases except valid emergencies. Failure to obtain approval for exceptions may result in lowering the final passing grade or assigning a FA (failure due to absence).

Students who have registered for a course and never attended the class at all will receive a grade of NA (never attended). Early departures and late arrivals will be cumulative toward class absences. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and complete assignments on the due dates. Students who register and enter the course on the drop/add date have four days to complete the first week’s assignments.

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© 2024. Wilmington University. All Rights Reserved. This syllabus and its contents are the intellectual property of Wilmington University. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or modification, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without written permission from Wilmington University.

Course Materials: No textbook required

Course Reading List:

1. CASEL. (2021). Casel: Social and Emotional Learning. https://casel.org/

2. Delaware Disability Hub. (2021). Understanding My Disability. Delaware Disability Hub. https://deldhub.gacec.delaware.gov/

3. Delaware MTSS / Delaware MTSS Implementation & Resources. (2021). Delaware MTSS. https://www.doe.k12.de.us/domain/613

4. Edutopia. (2021). Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/

5. IRIS | IRIS Resource Locator. (2021). IRIS Resource Locator. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/resources/irisresource-locator/

6. National Center on Intensive Intervention. (2021). National Center of Intensive Intervention. https://intensiveintervention.org/

7. National Center on Secondary Education and Transition Web Site. (2021). NCSET. http://www.ncset.org/

Course Resource Links:

1. Delaware MTSS Framework

2. Delaware MTSS Implementation Guide

3. DE Regulation 508

4. DE MTSS Tier 1 Planning Guide

5. Intensifying Instructional Delivery

6. Tools Chart

7. Blueprint for Personalized Learning in Delaware

8. Bloom’s Taxonomy

9. Center on PBIS

10. Delaware Disability Hub

11. Delaware MTSS

12. How People Learn

13. Intensive Intervention

14. IRIS Learning Center

15. Motivating Students

16. National Association of School Psychologists SEA

Teacher candidates will write a paper (using correct APA Format, see rubric) that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of how student learning is influenced by factors such as; individual experiences, talents, and prior learning, as well as language, culture, gender, health, family, and community. Teacher candidates will describe, analyze, and reflect on the different approaches to learning, increasing cultural diversity, strategies to support learning for students whose first language is not English, other areas of exceptionality in learning, and how to access resources/services to meet special learning needs as well as to adapt instruction to successfully meet the needs of those students who have been so identified. Candidates must address the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to the development of children and young adolescents and how to construct learning opportunities that support individual students' development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation.

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SEA Rubric

Novice Emerging

NAEYC 4b- Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills critical for young children.

The paper identifies teaching practices that are core to working with young children.

The paper identifies teaching practices that are core to working with young children including differentiating instruction for groups of children and using teaching practices that build young children’s executive function skills.

Proficient (TARGET) Advanced Performance

The paper identifies teaching practices that are core to working with young children including differentiating instruction for individual children and groups of children, using play in teaching practices, and using teaching practices that build young children’s executive function skills.

The rationale for the inclusion of specific teaching practices and decision-making is included in the writing

NAEYC 5c: Modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating, and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge

The paper identifies recommendations for instruction including a general overview of accommodations and modifications to teaching practices

The paper identifies recommendations for instruction including accommodations and modifications to teaching practices by using their content knowledge i, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.

The paper identifies recommendations for instruction including accommodations and modifications to teaching practices by applying and integrating their content knowledge s, their knowledge of research-based curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge to meet the learning needs of all students.

The paper identifies recommendations for instruction including accommodations and modifications to teaching practices by applying and integrating their content knowledge, their knowledge of research-based curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge to meet the learning needs of all students.

A rationale explaining intentional decisions made for accommodations and modifications is included with the assignment.

NAEYC 2a- Collaborate as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.

NAEYC 1b- Understand and value each child as an individual

Assignment includes a plan for collaboration as partners with families.

Assignment includes a plan for collaboration as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful relationships and engagement.

Assignment includes a plan for collaboration as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.

The paper describes developmentally appropriate decisions and plans in response to

The paper describes developmentally appropriate decisions, plans and adjustments

Assignment includes a plan for collaboration as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement. The rationale for decisions is inclusion.

The paper describes developmentally appropriate decisions, plans and adjustments

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with unique developmental variations, experiences, strengths, interests, abilities, challenges, approaches to learning, and with the capacity to make choices.

individual, developmental, cultural and linguistic variations of young children.

to practice in response to individual, developmental, cultural and linguistic variations of young children.

to practice in response to individual, developmental, cultural and linguistic variations of young children including identifying factors and elements of second language acquisition processes and incorporates instructional strategies and resources to support language acquisition.

The rationale for the decisions is included and explained in the writing.

CEC 6- Candidates engage in ongoing planning and use flexible and embedded instructional and environmental arrangements and appropriate materials to support the use of interactions, interventions, and instruction addressing developmental and academic content domains, which are adapted to meet the needs of each and every child and their family.

Candidates include a plan to adapt instructions, interactions, interventions, or instruction to meet the needs of the group.

Candidates include a plan to adapt instructions, interactions, interventions, and instruction to meet the needs of the group.

Candidates include a plan to adapt instructions, interactions, interventions, and instruction to meet the needs of each child.

Candidates include a plan to adapt instructions, interactions, interventions, and instruction to meet the needs of each child. A rationale is included explaining decisions made.

Written Communication

• Write with clarity and precision using correct English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).

• Exhibit competence in writing for specific purposes, diverse audiences, and genres.

• Correctly and ethically presents scholarly writing utilizing the selected citation and writing style deemed appropriate for the student’s program of study.

Candidate demonstrates developing written communication skills:

• Writing is vague and unclear including errors in English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).

• The writing tone is informal

• Scholarly writing presents an opportunity for growth

Candidate demonstrates satisfactory written communication skills:

• Write with clarity and precision using correct English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).

• Exhibit competence in writing for specific purposes, diverse audiences, and genres.

Candidate demonstrates proficient written communication skills:

• Write with clarity and precision using correct English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).

• Exhibit competence in writing for specific purposes, diverse audiences, and genres.

• Correctly and ethically presents scholarly writing utilizing the selected citation and writing style deemed appropriate for the student’s program of study.

Candidate demonstrates exemplary written communication skills:

• Write with clarity and precision using correct English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).

• Exhibit competence in writing for specific purposes, diverse audiences, and genres.

• Correctly and ethically presents scholarly writing utilizing the selected citation and writing style deemed appropriate for the student’s program of study.

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