5456 assessment
Candyy31
Response15456assessment.docxResponse 1
FridayJul 8 at 7:03am
In 1975, Congress enacted the Education for All Handicap Children Act to provide more resources to students who are impaired. This did not require that disabled students be tested the same as their peers. Then in 2001, Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) to provide resources to students who are not meeting age-appropriate standards, not just disabled students (Colker, 2013). In addition, NCLB aims to gain full educational information about all students in an attempt to address deficiencies that may be present in programs (Fuchs et al., 2017). In 2004, under the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEA), Congress allowed for 15% of resources to go towards response to intervention (RTI). Colker (2013), describes IDEA and NCLB together as a collision between two acts. One advantage to testing the same curriculum is that it prevents embarrassment. For example, a ninth-grade student taking a fourth-grade test might make the student feel inadequate, while their peers are testing on grade level. Another advantage is that they are provided the accommodations they need. A disadvantage is that the material they are being tested on and taught might be too challenging for them if they are grade levels behind. This could also lead to them being embarrassed or frustrated. Another disadvantage is that being pulled from a regular general education classroom to receive accommodations can make the students feel inadequate. Formative assessments can be a great tool to address student deficits for both the teacher and the student. For the teacher, they can find deficiencies in the students’ learning and adapt their lessons to meet those needs. This can only happen if tests are measuring the students’ knowledge and not their test-taking abilities. Also, these teachers can use these formative assessments to discuss graded work with the student (Polloway et al., 2017). They can review an exam with them and possibly ask them to explain their answer choices, which can shed even more light on what the student is not understanding.
References
Colker, R. (2013). Politics trump science: The collision between No Child Left Behind and the Individuals With Disabilities Act. Journal of Law & Education, 42(4), 585–631.
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., & Capizzi, A. M. (2017). Identifying appropriate test accommodations for students with learning disabilities. Focus on Exceptional Children, 37(6). https://doi.org/10.17161/foec.v37i6.6812
Polloway, E., Patton, J., Serna, L., & Bailey, J. (2017).Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs (Eleventh Edition).Pearson Publishers
Response 2
FridayJul 8 at 12:36pm
One advantage of the requirement that students with disabilities should be given the same curriculum and assessments as non-disabled students is that they are exposed to the things that will help them function successful citizens who can work and support themselves. A disadvantage could be the rigor associated with grade-level work as it relates to the student's disability. Some of them might feel overwhelmed or embarrassed because in some areas they may be working below grade-level.
When IDEA was re-aligned in 2004, Congress tried to unite it with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Wright 2021). I believe this effort was in response to the low-level of special education given to students with disabilities and their subsequent inability to become productive, self-sufficient adults. Many years ago, before I went back to school to earn my degree in education, I was a substitute teacher at my local high school. I subbed in a special education class, which was a pure joy for me. I remember asking myself "How are these students going to be successful after high school?" Many will receive a diploma, but still won't be independent or able to work.
Formative assessments help students practice and get feedback that drives future lesson-planning by the teacher (Renaissance 2022). It's a quick way to help teachers find deficits in learning (Polloway 2022). Last year, I used The Jigsaw Method, which was a group activity in which students met in a "home" group, then separated into "expert" groups using different topics. After several minutes of collaborating, the students went back to their "home" group to teach the members what they learned. I believe it's important to make these activities fun, which keeps students engaged.
References
Wright, P. W., & Wright, P. D. W. (2021, October 18). The History of Special Education Law in the United States. Wrightslaw.Com. Retrieved July 8, 2022, from https://www.wrightslaw.com/law/art/history.spec.ed.law.htm (Links to an external site.)
What is a Formative Assessment. (2022). Renaissance Learning. Retrieved July 8, 2022, from https://www.renaissance.com/edword/formative-assessment/ (Links to an external site.)
Polloway, E. A., Patton, J. M., Serna, L., & Bailey, J. W. (2018). Strategies for Teaching Learners with Special Needs (2-downloads) (11th ed.). Pearson.
