From: Soozi.Miller@f17.n3400.z1.fidonet.org (Soozi Miller)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.special
Subject: Accomodating
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 92 18:19:03 PDT
Organization: FidoNet node 1:3400/17 - MET NET BBS, Helena MT


 > >  Can you task analyze your course to come up with differing outcomes
 > >  for those with special needs?

 >    Could I do it?  Yes.  Would I be able to teach it that
 > way?  I  envision the complaints from other students and their
 > parents..."We are all getting "average" credit for this course.  Why do
 > I have to  do X amount or X activity when THEY (special needs
 > students) don't  have to ?

       From your information, then your school uses "tracking" to vary the skill level of each course. Still, differing outcomes can happen, you just don't make it general knowledge.  The identified special education students can have these differences written into their IEP (education program), at least that's one way to do it, and then that's between you and the student's education team/parents.  The "They don't have to do it" question really doesn't happen if confidentiality is kept.  Using individual c
ontracts has also worked when its set up as a very private agreement between teacher/student/parents.  But, each situation is different.  Tracking does add an interesting piece to this puzzle.
 > >  Will your administration allow you to use differential grading?

 >    Doubtful, as different levels are provided in most
 > subjects: fundamental, average, enriched, honors (this is apart from
 > self-contained).  Their GPAs and class rankings are
 > adjusted somehow based on this.

    Well, again this complicates matters...but the identified students with IEP's can have differential grading written into their program individually for each course situation...as sometimes they can't perform as others in lower skill classes.  There are alot of differential grading ideas, including 1). using the standard 10-point scale (90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, or extending the C D range to some lower point such as 65-79=C, 50-64=D..; 2). taking a baseline of grades over the first quarter, o
r first 20 teaching days (which ever works) and then drawing up an individualized grading scale. You average all of the daily work scores and arrive at a number, you average all of the quiz/test scores and arrive at a number.  You use those as the guidelines to determine where the P/F line is drawn and then determine your letter grade system from there.  3). contracting for grades where you set up the standards/requirements individually...maybe even a point system....and the kid decides what grade he wants
 and works for it. 4). Pass/Fail which is often frowned upon, but is helpful in some situations...again setting up an individualized p/f line.  5). Weighting certain projects differently for certain students because of their individual strengths/weaknesses. These are some of my differential grading ideas which many secondary teachers have tried and find helpful.
    I haven't had time to visit with the French teacher I mentioned, and won't see her until mid-January.  I hope to have some ideas from her then.  Be aware that I put your question on several different areas on the K-12 Net hoping to get an answer.  I hope some of the other teachers have been in contact through this net because of it.  Soozi


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