I would like to see goals set for reading accuracy, comprehension, fluency and word attack skills that are based on an objective test such as Gray Oral Reading Test with a benchmark mid year and a test at the end of the year. Can you give me an example of what these IEP goals would look like? Which test or tests will measure these things?
Every one of my son’s (age 10, 5th grade) goals at the beginning of last year were based on 70% daily work & informal tests. I was told that he was reading at grade level 2.5 and he achieved the goals they set for blending and decoding which was listed at level 2.5. I asked the teacher a few weeks before school was out to retest but she did not. Now, of course, I see that just knowing a reading grade level does not adequately measure a reader’s abilities. Also, she lowered is spelling words from grade level 3.0 to 2.0 without talking to me!!!
In my letter, I also asked if they would be willing to do the REWARDS program and Sequential Spelling. What are my chances? We are in a Texas public school.
My son did the Sound Reading software for Elementary, & PhonoGraphix and Quick Reads starting with Level B and we are on C and moving through it very nicely. I think he will shortly be at a beginning fourth grade level reading comprehension.
Thanks for your advice, Caran
Sue
Hi Sue,
I saw that you post on the yahoo forum for PG. Someone asked about giving a presentation and I thought about one of the opening lines I sometimes use in presentations - wishing that we could do a Vulcan Mind Meld and they could have everything I know and I could learn everything they know. I’ve noticed though that I’m getting younger audiences of parents and they don’t always get it! So, I was delighted to see your references to.
know known none of this addresses the subject. I’m sick with a miserable cold. Your advice is good and I’ll look up your website. I do have a book called “From Emotions to Advocacy” that got me thinking about the way these goals were written.
Long ago, my brother had severe learning disabilities. My parents spent all their energy fighting with the school to get certain things. I decided to spend my energy to find out what programs and methods of instruction will work to help my child and help him myself if I can or take him to a tutor who can really help him. This will probably be his last year of public school and then, I will either homeschool for a year or find a private school but I don’t think there are private schools in our area that can meet his needs.
I posted on the yahoo BRI forum today, a results of the QRI that I learned about from someone. According to this, I know that his independent level of reading is 2nd grade and his instructional level is 3rd.
He is Resource for 3 hours (2 for language arts and one for math). That’s 15 hours a week! It kills me to have this valuable time be wasted. Miracles could happen if it was handled well.
Live Long & Prosper, :lol: Caran
Re: Sue
>sometimes use in presentations - wishing that we could do a Vulcan Mind Meld and they could have everything I know and I could learn
According to the Vulcan Mind Meld, Johnny (Kirk?) will….
:-)
>Live Long & Prosper, :lol: Caran[/quote]
Peace and Long Life (ducking and running),
—des
Re: IEP Reading Goals
Oh, no… Star Trek meets IEPs….
About 10 years ago, there was a middle/high school play that was a comedy/mystery. At the point of discovery of the corpse, the young actor looked up at another character and said in utter seriousness, “He’s dead, Jim.”
I don’t think he understood why 40% of the audience was laughing, but a better imitation of Dr. McCoy I have never heard.
Goals and objectives, in my experience & opinion, shouldn’t be based on a test — they should be based on what you’re teachingt the child. SOme of the more structured ones that I used are at http://www.resourceroom.net/iepgoals.htm — these are sort of a menu, and depending on the student, I would include different goals (but they’re pretty much in order of how we taught them). You’ll see in an instant that they’re ‘way beyond “will read at a higher grade level, based on student work and infomral testing.”
It sounds like they’re not necessarily teaching your child — at least not in any way they want to be held accountable for!
The kind of language they’re using in the IEP has *not* held up well for schools in due procedss situations. I would send a cooly polite, formal letter to the school explaining that you are concerned abouit your child’s progress in reading, especially since your request last year for a test of progress at the end of the year was denied. You are concerned that the goals and objectives are vague and are not measured by objective, standardized measures. You recognize that informal testing is invaluable, and that indeed, the daily work and teacher observation thereof is really important, and you’re very glad this is included. However, without *some* objective measurement, there is simply no way to know how much your child has really learned and retained. Performance on day-to-day tasks sometimes doesn’t transfer into long-term learning.
The BIG question though, is, are they really teaching reading? I mean, could be all they really need to do is be a little more structured in keeping records, and need to find the time and infrastructural support to do that testing. It does take personnel and time and usually at a crazy time of year.
Or… could be like most systems they’ve really all but stopped instruction in reading, and there’s a “reading teacher” who really doesn’t have specific training in how to *teach* fifth graders who aren’t already reading how to read.
THen there’s the personalities and politics —you do want to avoid making it look like you’re telling them how to do their jobs, even though that’s what you may well have to do. Who’s the reading teacher, and what’s s/he like? How many kids are in the class? You might get a lot further by asking things like “You probably knkow this already, but I heard abouit it on this LD OnLine website — there’s a program for teaching longer words called REWARDS??”