scholarly journals A Guide for Evaluating the Mathematics Programs Used by Special Education Teachers

2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian T. Doabler ◽  
Jean Louise M. Smith ◽  
Nancy J. Nelson ◽  
Ben Clarke ◽  
Tricia Berg ◽  
...  

A primary aim of mathematics programs is to accelerate the achievement of all students, including students with or at risk for learning disabilities (LD) in mathematics. Yet research suggests that many programs fail to incorporate the instructional design and delivery principles that have been validated to meet the learning needs of students with or at risk for LD in mathematics. This article provides special education teachers with a practical guide for assessing and evaluating the extent to which mathematics programs contain validated principles of explicit mathematics instruction. An example illustrates how teachers can apply the evaluation guide and use the results to address potential instructional shortfalls of mathematics programs.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey Peltier ◽  
Tiffany K Peltier ◽  
Taylor Werthen ◽  
Andy Heuer

Access to high-quality resources is integral for educators to provide research-aligned mathematics instruction. Identifying the supplemental resources educators use to plan mathematics instruction can inform the ways researchers and organizations disseminate research-based practices. The goal of this study was to identify the frequency in which early childhood educators (i.e., pre-Kindergarten through third grade) reported using various resources to plan for mathematics instruction. Furthermore, we investigated whether differences were observed based on teacher factors (i.e., general or special education, route to certification, years of experience) and locale (i.e., rural, urban, suburban). We retained data from 917 teachers for data analysis. The three most frequently reported resources by educators were colleagues, Teachers Pay Teachers, and Google/Yahoo. The three least frequently reported resources were the typical outlets researchers use to reach teachers: What Works Clearinghouse, Teaching Exceptional Children, and Teaching Children Mathematics. General and special education teachers differed on their self-reported usage of five resources: colleagues, Google/Yahoo, teaching blogs, Teaching Exceptional Children, and the What Works Clearinghouse. Rural educators self-reported that they were less likely than suburban educators to use colleagues or specialists at the district to plan instruction. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lefki Kourea ◽  
Lenwood Gibson ◽  
Robai Werunga

As student populations are becoming more diverse in ability and ethnicity across American classrooms, teachers are faced with instructional challenges in meeting their students’ learning needs. Challenges are heightened for general and special education teachers who teach students with learning disabilities (LD) and have a culturally and linguistically diverse background. This article analyzes three main domains of culturally responsive reading instruction for students with LD: (a) instructional delivery, (b) environmental support, and (c) curriculum context. Specific strategies and teaching tools are described in each domain to assist teachers in making their daily reading instruction more culturally responsive and relevant to the needs of their students.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Egija Laganovska ◽  

The situation in general education in Latvia has changed since the spring semester of 2020. On the 13th of March 2020 Latvia temporarily introduced remote training at all stages of education. The government regularly monitored the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the number of infections, so restrictions in different areas have changed frequently. Educational institutions for students of 1st–12th grade (ages 6–17) in the 2020/2021 school year worked under fluctuating circumstances, and most of the learning process took place remotely. For most of the 2020/2021 school year, teaching and learning were thus largely based on technology and online teaching. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on various aspects of life, such as the economy, education, and social life. This time has led to challenges as well as opportunities for students, teachers, and parents. It has also affected the learning process for students with learning disabilities. For grades 1–12, the Individualised Education Plan (IEP) was developed in Latvia for students with learning disabilities. The IEP had to be adapted to the broader situation, and to work towards its betterment special education teachers participated in the preparation and organisation of the IEP. The aim of this study is to explore the opinions of special education teachers and to examine what support measures are provided for students with learning disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. What are the challenges (barriers, obstacles) and what are the opportunities (benefits) of remote learning? Our research methods involved a literature analysis, a survey of special education teachers from Latvia, and a data collection effort and analysis. The study was conducted by distributing questionnaires via Google Forms. During this research, 70 special education teachers were surveyed.


1992 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen S. Stump ◽  
Thomas C. Lovitt ◽  
Susan Fister ◽  
Karen Kemp ◽  
Rickey Moore ◽  
...  

A research-translation project introduced a precision-teaching vocabulary intervention to 36 general and special education teachers through two workshops over a two-year period. (The teachers, in turn, introduced the approach to 694 students, 125 of whom were youth with learning disabilities). The goals of the project were threefold: (a) to determine if, after attending one-day training sessions, teachers were able to implement the vocabulary approach with their students; (b) to evaluate the degree to which the intervention influenced student performance, especially that of pupils with learning disabilities; and (c) to gather teacher and student reactions to the approach. Project outcomes revealed that (a) all but one teacher who received training implemented the approach and collected student performance data; (b) the majority of students, whether general or special education youth attending mainstream or special education settings, demonstrated increased accuracy and fluency on timed vocabulary quizzes; and (c) both teachers and students found the approach worthwhile and enjoyable.


1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 263-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanis Bryan ◽  
Karen Sullivan Burstein

Three studies are reported in which we worked collaboratively with teachers across a 2-year period to systematically assess strategies to improve spelling and math homework completion and weekly quiz performance. Eleven elementary and special education teachers sorted 123 students into four groups: (a) students with learning disabilities and homework problems, (b) students with learning disabilities and no homework problems, (c) average-achieving students with homework problems, and (d) average-achieving students without homework problems. Teachers reviewed the extant research on homework, selected homework strategies, designed the methods by which they would implement and evaluate the effects of introducing the strategies to students, and evaluated the results. Three strategies resulted in significant increases in homework completion: (a) giving students real-life assignments (i.e., assignments that connected homework to events or activities in the home) plus reinforcements, (b) using homework planners, and (c) graphing homework completion. The interventions benefited students with learning disabilities and avaerage-achieving students with homework problems more than it did the average-achieving students with no homework problems. Two years following the end of the study, the team continues to use homework planners and graphing on a regular basis, and continues to work as a team on other projects.


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