Level of Instruction I C E L Barrier to Learning Hypotheses to Explore During Problem Solving Consider… Is instructional-level curriculum presented to the student? Is the student missing foundational skills in the area that instruction is presented? Example of second portion of hypothesis statement: Possible RIOT data to collect to support or refute hypothesis: (Student) is not (target behavior) because… R Review I Interview Rate of Instruction Presentation of Instruction O Observe T Test …curriculum content is at a frustrational level Survey level assessment data Instructional level curriculum should be presented …Jane is missing prerequisite skills for higher level learning. Analysis of acquisition of prerequisite skills needed (e.g., administer early literacy measures to determine if these skills are mastered); Review earlier grades in area Observational data Targeted instruction in foundational skills should be provided Instruction Possible intervention characteristics needed: Is the curriculum presented at a rate that exceeds the student’s capacity for retention? …curriculum content is presented in too large of chunks for retention. Does the student need more practice and repetition of material prior to delivery of higher level material? …instruction does not provide review and practice of previously learned material prior to delivery of higher level material Observational data teacher interview experimental trials using strategy Provide student with time to review and practice skills from earlier instruction prior to presentation of new material Is the student receiving frequent enough corrective feedback? Error analysis of permanent products and observation data Are learning sessions too long in duration for the student to remain actively engaged? …student does not receive frequent enough correction of errors and thus practices incorrectly learned strategies or content. …instructional sessions are too long in duration for student to remain academically engaged. Is learning made meaningful for the student? …instructional content is not meaningful for the student. Observation of academic engagement during long and short instructional units Student interview Provide more frequent checks of student learning and feedback either corrective or reinforcing about student learning. Provide instruction in smaller but more frequent chunks of time. Break up instructional presentation into smaller chunks presented more frequently (distributed and sustained practice). Highlight relevant characteristics of content to real-world experiences and how these skills link to higher level needs (e.g., blending and segmenting words builds skills for spelling or Medical Factors Expectations, Beliefs/Attitudes about School Instruction (continued) Environment Are directions clarified so that the student can complete activities? Are intrinsic reinforcements embedded in instructional presentation? Are high levels of active responding to instruction present? Is scaffolding and prompting provided at levels that align with stages of acquisition of skills? Do parents value academics and learning? …student does not understand the directions for completing tasks presented. …student does not find efforts are rewarded. Student interview and observation Student interview …student is not actively engaged in the instructional content. …student is at the acquisition stage of learning the targeted skill and scaffolding is cueing student how to respond more fluently. …academics are not reinforced outside the school setting Observation of active and passive levels of instructional engagement Observation Parent interview Social history Is the parent relationship with the school favorable? …parents do not reinforce schools awareness of student’s needs Parent interview Review of records Social history data Do peers support academic success? …student’s peers do not support doing well in school. Student interview Observation Record reviews Are diagnosed illnesses, syndromes, irritants, allergies, medication side effects, impacting the student’s exposure to instruction (need to leave classroom for medical issues, upper respiratory issues keeping the student from hearing or attending to instruction, etc.)? Are nutrition, hunger-thirst sleep issues limiting the …student misses instruction due to medical or health needs. Record reviews Parent interview Medical records …student misses academic instruction due to health distractions. Observation Review of records sounding out unfamiliar. Clarify and ask student to paraphrase the steps for completing an assignment. Self-monitoring and rewards built in to gains in skills or accuracy Include hands-on activities and physical activity embedded in instruction Adjust scaffolding and instruction to focus on where the student is in the learning hierarchy (acquisition, fluency, generalization, adaptation) Linkages between academics and future goals and needs should be reinforced Work with parents to identify their needs and find additional time in the school day to provide student with supports not available outside the school Work with student to identify goal(s) for his or her own self that can motivate academic success; find linkages between academic success and future goals or community needs. Provide additional support during the school day to catch student up on missed content; provide suggestions for outside assistance via tutoring or homework that can increase opportunities to practice Provide opportunities to address health distractions and additional Parent interview Student interview Observation Student interview Record reviews Record review of absences Survey level assessment Interviews Record reviews Error analysis …teachers have not had time to identify if instruction is working for a student Record reviews Allow time to gather data to evaluate the student’s level of skill and any gaps or errors in skills …student is missing exposure to curriculum content due to frequent absences Record review of absences Provide time during non-academic content to provide exposure to missed content Does the number of students in the classroom limit the student in the delivery of praise, corrective feedback, etc? Does the number of students in the classroom limit the student from being exposed to effective role models in performance in basic skills? …student does not receive frequent enough feedback (corrective or praise) to know if he or she is accurate in their learning. Observation Provide direct and frequent feedback to guide student in either correcting for understanding his or her approach to a task was accurate …student does not observe students perform the skills accurately. Observation Interview Are central necessary skills receiving high levels of attention during instruction? …skills needed by the student for the targeted instructional tasks do not receive review and attention prior to introduction of new material …skills needed by the student for the targeted instructional tasks are not firmly entrenched in the student’s Observation Review of materials Provide role models and thinking out loud of problem solving steps needed to complete an instruction task. (e.g., allow student to frequently see and hear examples of fluent reading or steps in solving a math problem) Provide review segments of skills that need to be primed prior to introducing new content Survey level assessment Review of permanent products student’s ability to focus on instruction? Is the student overly fatigued? Transience Attendance /Tardiness Curriculum Content Curriculum Class Size Environment (continued) Has the student missed instruction due to absences? Has the student experienced mis-alignment of curriculum due to changing schools and being exposed to different elements of instruction? Has the student not attended a school long enough for teachers to be able to identify how the child learns best? Has the student missed critical elements or instruction and pre-requisite skills due to absences or tardiness? Is a review of previous and precursor skills included in the instructional session? …student misses instruction due to fatigue …student is missing exposure to curriculum content due to frequent absences …student has gaps in skills remediation time during nonacademic portions of the day Provide instruction in smaller chunks and offer alternate times for rest Provide time during non-academic content to provide exposure to missed content Provide instruction in content that supports current instruction as well as in areas that serve as a foundation for the current or future learning Provide additional instruction in precursor skills Instructional Materials Organization/Study Skills Abilities and Impairments Internally vs. Externally Motivated Performance vs. Skill Deficit History of Instruction Curriculum (Con’t) Learner skill set Are materials used able to maintain student’s focus and academic engagement? …student does not remain engaged during instruction Are materials presented at an instructional level for the student? …materials presented are above the student’s instructional level. Are gaps in skills or education identified and aligned with curriculum? …skills needed by the student for the targeted instructional tasks are not firmly entrenched in the student’s skill set Are issues about performance (won’t do) vs. skill (can’t do) deficits identified? …student is not motivated to complete tasks presented Survey level assessment Review of materials Review of scope and sequence of instructional materials Survey level assessment Review of permanent products Task analysis of current targeted skills Observation Student interview Are both internal and external forms of reinforcement tied to acquisition of skills? Are reinforcers meaningful to the student? Are there any physical, perceptual, sensory, impairments impeding the student’s learning (e.g., failed vision or hearing, verbal difficulties responding to verbally-based tasks)? Does the student lack organizational skills? …student is not internally and/or externally motivated to acquire skills Observation Student interview …student is not motivated by reinforcers offered …student has failed vision screening and, as a result, is missing exposure to curriculum and instruction Student interview Reinforcement survey Record reviews Medical screening reports …student has difficulty organizing thoughts on paper (e.g., note taking), which hinders his or her studying content discussed in class. …student does not know how to review and study independently Review of permanent product and notes from class Student interview Student interview Does the student lack study skills? Task analysis of current targeted skills Observation Review of materials Student interview Provide materials that offer various presentation dimensions (e.g., colorful, hands-on, oral responses, written responses) Provide additional instruction using instructional level materials and preteaching vocabulary and content of materials presented in classroom environment Provide additional instruction in precursor skills Establish a self-monitoring, graphing, and reinforcement system Establish a reinforcement system to reward effort, accuracy, and/or performance on academic tasks Identify rewards the student would like to receive Work with student to identify alternate avenues along which to deliver and provide practice on academic tasks to the student Provide student with materials to help organize work (diagrams, study maps). Provide instruction and guidance in study skills