Assessment 3 Thematic Planning
A brief description of the assessment and its use in the program (one sentence may be sufficient)
In the course SPEDE 774 Reading and Writing for Students with Special Education Needs, Grades
K–2, candidates prepare a two-week theme with a web plan and schedule with detailed description
five lesson plans, including choice of vocabulary, books, songs, and rhymes, that integrate
language and literacy across the curriculum. The assignment is used to assess that candidates can
effectively plan classroom-based instruction and activities.
A description of how this assessment specifically aligns with the standards
The key assessment aligns with the standards in the following ways:
Key Assessment Task
1 Prepare a two week theme that:
a) Incorporates activities that can be modified and used for different levels and are the
activities developmentally appropriate
b) Considers effects of cultural and linguistic differences on growth and development during
the web planning and selected activities, books, songs, rhymes and vocabulary are included on
the web
c) Considers children whose primary language is not the dominant one
d) Develops instructional content, resources, and strategies that respond to cultural, linguistic,
and gender differences
e) Defines objectives for each activity relevant to exceptional and diverse primary grade
children from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds
f) Includes activities that are motivating, interesting and support generalization of skills
2. Produce a graphic organizer/conceptual web that includes:
a) Thematically relevant concepts, vocabulary and activities with attention to cultural and
linguistic differences
b) Instructional activities that are developmentally relevant for primary grade children and
curricular activities can be adapted to meet the individual needs of children with differing
developmental needs
3. Ensure effective use of instructional time by using a weekly schedule form with days and
times to organize the activities you have planned to teach
In the schedule form, fill in all the activities selected for your theme over a two-week period of
time. When planning the two weeks and completing the schedule you must also specify
whether the activities will be conducted individually, in small groups or in large groups and
whether the method of teaching/learning is cooperative learning, inquiry experiences or
systematic instruction. In addition, the environmental routines taught must also be included,
i.e. children wash their hands after snack.
4. Incorporate teaching strategies to support and enhance communication skills as well as
augmentative and assistive communication strategies.
5. Select routine activities that developmentally and functionally appropriate; develop social
interaction skills in addition to activities that support intercultural experiences.
Alignment
with Standard
Std 4 (CC4S3)
Std 6 (CC6K1)
Std 6 (CC6S2)
Std 7 (CC7S8)
Std 6 (CC6K2)
Std 4 (CC4S4)
Std 3 (EC3S1,
CC3K5).
Std 7 (EC7S2).
Std 7 (CC7S10
and CC7S12).
Std 7 (EC7S4)
Std 7 (CC6S1
and CC6K4).
Std 5 (CC5S13,
CC5S12,
EC5S3).
In the table, for each activity, include:
a) A brief description of the activity
b) Targeted concepts
c) Targeted vocabulary
d) Objectives to be achieved during each of the two weeks, with a focus on language and
communication
e) Titles of the songs or books used for a song or story time
Std 7 (CC7S11
and CC7S12)
The assessment tool or description of the assignment
Assignment Instructions
Case study
You are the teacher of a class of 20 children in a Kindergarten classroom. You are certified in
early childhood education and early childhood special education. There are two assistant teachers
working with you. The children attend the full school day and come from culturally and
linguistically diverse backgrounds where, for some of the children, English is not their dominant
home language. You have four children with IEPS who are diagnosed with either language delays
or general developmental delays that impact their language and literacy learning as well as delays
in other developmental domains as well (i.e. motor, adaptive or cognition).
Assignment
You will complete the steps listed below to prepare a two-week theme for your class of
Kindergarteners. Consider the following questions:
1. Is the theme chosen developmentally appropriate?
2. Can the activities selected be modified and used for different levels and are the activities
developmentally appropriate? (CC4S3)
3. Are the language and communication goals clearly indicated in the description of the
activities?
4. Have the effects of cultural and linguistic differences on growth and development been
considered during the web planning and are the selected activities, books, songs, rhymes
and vocabulary included on the web? (CC6K1)
5. Have considerations been made when planning for children whose primary language is not
the dominant one? (CC6S2)
6. Have instructional content, resources, and strategies been developed and selected to
respond to cultural, linguistic, and gender differences? (CC7S8)
7. Are two or more developmental domains taught in one activity?
8. Are the objectives for each activity relevant to exceptional and diverse Kindergarteners
from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds? (CC6K2)
9. Will the choice of activities be motivating, interesting and support generalization of skills?
(CC4S4)
Steps to completing the assignment:
1. Read pages 84-89 in chapter 4 from Early Childhood Special Education–0 to 8 Years: Strategies
for Positive Outcomes by Sharon A. Raver (2008) which was handed out in class.
2. Select a theme appropriate for a Kindergarten classroom.
3. Produce a graphic organizer/conceptual web:
Using the web planning technique done as a group in class, and keeping in mind the diverse
cultural and linguistic background of the children, ‘map’ out your chosen theme using a similar
format to the diagram above. Your web will be one of the documents submitted.
The web must include:
a) Thematically relevant concepts, vocabulary and activities with attention to cultural and
linguistic differences (EC3S1, CC3K5).
b) The activities must be planned to be developmentally relevant for Kindergarten children. In
addition the activities must be adapted to meet the individual needs of children with differing
developmental needs (EC7S2).
4. To ensure effective use of instructional time, complete a weekly schedule form with days and
times, organize the activities you have planned to teach (CC7S10 and CC7S12). Fill in all the
activities selected for your theme over a two-week period of time. When planning the two weeks
and completing the schedule you must also specify whether the activities will be conducted
individually, in small groups or in large groups, and whether the method of teaching/learning is
cooperative learning, inquiry experiences or systematic instruction. In addition, the environmental
routines taught must also be included, i.e. children wash their hands after snack (EC7S4).
Consider teaching strategies to support and enhance communication demand/skills as well as
augmentative and assistive communication strategies. This can include offering choices during
snack, i.e. holding up the objects and asking the individual child what they want; using a picture
schedule to support the routine of the day; or using gestures, signs or specific phrases to help the
children with transitions, comprehension of instructions and to keep them on task. For example,
when an activity ends the teachers will give a verbal and visual cue, e.g. “There is one minute left
and we will tidy up”, teacher counts from 1-10 and then says “tidy-up”, followed by singing a
‘clean-up’ song Or when an activity ends the teacher says “Finished….(painting)” and uses the
sign for finish (CC6S1 and CC6K4).
For each activity in the table you must also prepare and include the following, as in the example
below (CC7S11 and CC7S12):
a) A brief description of the activity,
b) Targeted concepts
c) Targeted vocabulary
d) Specify the objectives to be achieved during each of the two weeks, with a focus on
language and literacy.
e) If you are scheduling song or story time you must also write down the titles of the songs or
books used.
f) The table must also include routine activities that are developmentally and functionally
appropriate; activities which develop social interaction skills in addition to activities that
support intercultural experiences. Intercultural experiences can be the choice of songs,
books or tools used. For example, during snack time children bring in a snack from home
to share (CC5S13, CC5S12 and EC5S3).
5. In a separate document, select five of the activities listed in your table and for these activities:
a) Create a lesson plan in accordance to Hunter College’s lesson plan format. This includes
(1) listing the materials selected, (2) detailing how the activity will be managed and taught,
(3) writing the objectives that will be taught during this activity and (4) including
modifications that can be made to support children at different levels of functioning.
b) Describe how the activity addresses cultural and linguistic accommodations, which could
be by the choice of the book/story or the choice of song or the objects/games selected and
used.
The scoring guide for the assessment
CEC Standard
and Early
Childhood
Component
Standard #3:
Individual
Learning
Differences
Differing ways of
learning. Use of
strategies and
respect for family,
culture, and
linguistic diversity
(EC3S1 and
CC3K5).
Standard #4:
Instructional
Strategies
Select, adapt, use
strategies and
materials
according to
characteristics of
the individual with
exceptional
learning needs
(CC4S3).
Assessment
Indicator(s)
Web plan, choice
of activities and
description of
activities.
Schedule and
detailed
description of the
five activities.
Does not Meet Standard
(1)
Meets Standard (2)
Exceeds Standard (3)
The activities selected are not
appropriate for children from
culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds and
intervention strategies are not
included for addressing these
differences.
Most of the activities selected are
appropriate for children from
culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds and
intervention strategies are
included to address these
differences.
All activities are specifically chosen
to be appropriate for children from
culturally and linguistically diverse
backgrounds, examples are provided
and informed intervention strategies
are included to address these
differences. The teacher candidate
uses an example of a diverse group
and they tailor their examples to
this. For example a group of
children who are exposed to
Spanish and English.
The schedule, materials and
instructional strategies are not
selected according to
characteristics of the individual
Kindergarteners with
exceptional learning needs.
The schedule, materials and
instructional strategies are
selected according to
characteristics of the individual
Kindergarteners with exceptional
learning needs. This knowledge is
demonstrated in the description of
the activities which are also
relevant to the theme. At least two
examples per activity are provided
as to how an activity can be
modified to meet to meet the
language and literacy needs of
children at differing
developmental levels.
It is clear from the schedule that all
materials and activities are relevant
to the theme. The instructional
strategies selected are informed
according to characteristics of the
individual Kindergarteners with
exceptional learning needs. At least
three examples are provided as to
how an activity can be modified to
meet to meet the language and
literacy needs of children at
differing developmental levels.
Standard #4:
Instructional
Strategies
Maintenance and
generalization of
skills across
environments
(CC4S4).
Standard #5:
Learning
Environments
and Social
Interactions
Design and
manage daily
routines to assure
developmental and
functional
appropriateness.
Learning
environments and
social interactions.
Organize and
develop
environments that
support
intercultural
experiences.
(CC5S13, CC5S12
and EC5S3)
Standard #6:
Language
Schedule and
detailed
description of
activities
The schedule of activities does
not reflect strategies, which
facilitate maintenance and
generalization of skills across
learning environments.
The schedule, choice and
description of most activities
reflect strategies which facilitate
maintenance and generalization of
skills across learning
environments.
The schedule and all activity
descriptions are planned with a
focus on facilitating maintenance
and generalization of skills across
learning environments. The
identified vocabulary and concepts
are being taught across different
activities to ensure generalization,
as well as using differing teaching
styles.
Schedule and
detailed
description of
activities
The schedule and description
of activities are not well
organized and are not
developmentally appropriate.
The schedule and description of
activities are organized and the
activities are developmentally
appropriate.
The schedule and description of
activities are well organized, the
activities are developmentally and
functionally appropriate.
Intercultural variations are
considered in the choice of
activities. The parents are asked to
provide or share information
regarding their culture at home
relevant to the theme.
Collaborative
web plan
The strategies selected are
inappropriate for enhancing
Most of the web plan includes
activities and some strategies to
All of activities in the web plan
clearly reflect knowledge of
Strategies to
support and
enhance
communication
skills.
Augmentative and
assistive
communication
strategies (CC6S1
and CC6K4).
Standard #6:
Language
Culture and
linguistic
differences
(CC6K1 and
CC6K2)
Standard #6:
Language
Strategies for
students whose
primary language
is not the dominant
one (CC6S2).
communication skills. No
considerations are made when
planning the activities for those
children with exceptional needs
who are using augmentative
and assistive communication
strategies.
Collaborative
web plan and
choice of
vocabulary,
books, songs, and
rhymes.
Collaborative
web plan and
choice of
vocabulary,
books, songs, and
rhymes.
support and enhance
communication skills.
Considerations are apparent for
those children with exceptional
needs including those who are
using augmentative and assistive
communication strategies. When
describing the activities at least
two examples of augmentative
communication strategies are
included for at least two of the
activities
differing communicative strategies
required for children with
exceptional needs including those
who may be using augmentative and
assistive communication strategies.
When describing the activities at
least two examples of augmentative
communication strategies are
included for at least four activities.
There is no consideration of
cultural and linguistic diversity
in the selection of books,
songs, rhyme and activity
choices.
Most of vocabulary, songs,
rhymes, and books selected may
be used in consideration of
cultural and linguistic diversity.
All the vocabulary, songs, rhymes,
and books selected demonstrate
knowledge of cultural and linguistic
diversity and this is reflected in the
web plan.
Communication strategies and
materials are not selected to
facilitate the understanding of
concepts for children whose
primary language is not the
dominant one used in class.
The teachers base their planning,
choice of activities, choice of
vocabulary and books on a pretend
Communication strategies and
group of children where they have
materials are selected to facilitate identified the languages the children
the understanding of concepts for are exposed to. Accordingly they
children whose primary language plan their communication strategies,
is not the dominant one. These are choice of vocabulary and choice of
described in the separate
songs and books. The materials are
document where the five activities selected to facilitate the
are described.
understanding of concepts for
children whose primary language is
not the dominant language used in
class. Cultural and linguistic
modifications are represented on the
schedule and description of
activities.
Standard #7:
Instructional
Planning
Develop and select
content, resources,
and strategies that
respond cultural,
linguistic and
gender differences
(CC7S8)
Standard #7:
Instructional
Planning
Prepare lessons,
prepare and
organize materials
to implement daily
lesson plans and
use instructional
time effectively
(CC7S10,
CC7S11, and
CC7S12)
Standard #7:
Instructional
Planning
Developmentally
and individually
appropriate
curriculum.
Activities include
group, individual,
Schedule and
description of
activities
Web plan and the
schedule
Schedule, web
plan, choice of
vocabulary,
books, songs,
rhymes and
description of
activities.
The activities are inappropriate
and not informed with
knowledge of cultural,
linguistic and gender
differences in the classroom.
The materials selected cannot
be used with children from
culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds.
Some of the activities described
are informed with knowledge of
cultural, linguistic and gender
differences that are in the
classroom. Some of the materials
selected can appropriately be used
with children from culturally and
linguistically diverse
backgrounds.
The two-week schedule
The web plan and the twodemonstrates knowledge of
week schedule do not reflect
planning lessons and how to
knowledge of efficient and
manage and use time effectively.
effective lesson planning. The
The scheduling includes time for
scheduling does not include
organizing and planning materials
time for organizing and
as well as indicating which adult
planning materials as well as
will lead the activity and which
indicating which adult will lead
adult will be responsible for
the activity and which adult
material preparation.
will be responsible.
The selected schedule,
vocabulary, concepts, and
activities are not relevant to
preschool children with
exceptional learning needs. The
range of activities, do not
include multi-sensory learning.
The selected vocabulary and
concepts are relevant to preschool
children with exceptional learning
needs. The activities selected are
used to teach skills across more
than two developmental domains
and the key objectives for the
activity are specified. The
activities use multi-sensory
Most of the activities selected are
informed with the knowledge of
cultural, linguistic and gender
differences that would be present in
the classroom. Most of the materials
selected can be used with children
from culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds.
The two-week schedule reflects
knowledge and ability to plan
lessons, as well as how to manage
and use time effectively. Station
planning includes either time spent
at each station or how children will
rotate between activities. The
scheduling includes time for
organizing and planning materials
as well as indicating which adult
will lead the activity and which
adult will be responsible for
material preparation.
The selected vocabulary and
concepts are relevant to preschool
children with exceptional learning
needs. The activities selected are
used to teach skills across more than
three developmental domains (i.e.
language, motor and cognition) and
the key objectives for the activity
are specified. Strategies and
environmental
routines,
cooperative
learning and
inquiry
experiences
(EC7S2 and
EC7S4)
learning experiences.
examples are included to modify the
activities depending upon the
differing levels of functioning. In
addition, multi-sensory leaning
experiences are included the
detailed description of the activities
for most of the group activities.