Southern Maine Parent Awareness has great resources for parents and professionals about the iep process-rights and responsibilities of all the parties involved. I especially like the guides.
The Maine Department of Education also has a website which provides guidance
The literacy program at the high school
My approach is highly individualized and focused on the needs and interests of the students. I do not have a specific program. Rather I use a variety of resources to address the learning needs of each student. I work towards aligning my teaching with the new Common Core Standards.
I want to speak first to best practices and philosophical underpinnings. My belief is that children learn language best when teachers believe they can learn and foster a close relationship. Students need to see themselves as active participants and that’s what I strive to see happen in my classroom.
These are practices which I find effective TODAY
dialogue journals
reading to students
language experience approach
guided reading and writing
These practices are contained in Clerc_Center Literacy- It all Connects.
Programs which I have used –Word by Word Vocabulary building via picture dictionaries and workbooks, read write think, quizlet website, leveled reading bins for guided and independent reading, Fairview dolch word and bridging lists, grammar instruction via ELL materials such as English at your Command – a visual guide to English.
Assessments: Picture prompts each quarter, Six Traits, PAAP assessments, informal reading inventories, wida assessments and leveled reading via reading A to Z. 
Beneficial points—Highly individualized and geared towards each student’s iep, the learning centers on the student’s interests.
Negative points– Despite resources, instruction feels scattered and less research based. Instruction and activities don’t have a cohesive sense of instruction especially if ELA is presented every other day.
Challenges: How does one teach English when students don’t fully grasp American Sign Language? With older language learners has the window of opportunity closed? Dislike words out of context which is what the fairview approach seems to be. I am not fully trained to give reading and writing assessments.
What’s missing? Student buy-in and ownership, consistency, training in assessment and a tried and true program of instruction- too busy putting out the fires.
What do these standards have to do with my teaching? Standard means a level of quality and attainment. So standards help guide me in my expectations and quality of teaching. Even if I teach students who have not acquired basic fluency in English, I still must have standards. Maine’s Department of Education has lots of resources for teachers on Common Core Standards. I will be reviewing them especially in preparation for our school’s literacy discussion.
Today I returned to work. It was great to be back. In my absence, Loretta and Matt have done a great job. Everyday block 1 and 2 students have been reading or being read to. The emphasis is how to retell a story, identify key vocabulary and details. Another activity has been working on dialogue journals.
How do we determine students are ready to use dialogue journals. Writing is about the most complicated linguistic task for native English speakers. H-O-W do we promote writing to those students who are still grappling with ASL?
Usually I turn to the internet for some assistance. My colleagues at Clerc Center offered guidance for students like modeling and think alouds. I think those strategies are fine for students who need a nudge but these particular students aren’t a little behind…they are language deficient. Perhaps NTID can provide some information.
This is a favorite photo of the Maine Coast. Do you know where it is?
Blocks 1 and 2 –students continue to work on literacy
Block 3 working on driving safety. Students will be putting together Public Service Announcements. Click on Don’t text and Drive to view one in ASL.
Your blogger teacher has been out for surgery. Doctors extracted a myxopapillary ependymoma. There’s an actual U Tube video of the procedure done at Duke University’s Medical Center. Yikes.. I’m not a anatomy teacher!
5 weeks post op and I am feeling so much better. One of my goals is to write on the blog on a regular basis -for students, parents and anyone interested in literacy and Deaf kids.
So come back and visit often.
Starting second quarter students will be graded using the following rubric:
Daily Rubric Student: __________ Date: __________ Block: __________ Grade for the day: ________
Criteria
4 93 to 100%
3 85 to 92 %
2 78 to 84 %
1 77 to 0%
FOCUS
always shows eye contact, watches the signer
usually shows eye contact, watches the signer
sometimes shows eye contact, watches the signer
seldom shows eye contact, watches the signer
FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
always does what the teachers says
usually does what the teachers says
sometimes does what the teachers says
seldom does what the teachers says
STAY ON TASK
always works in class, talk is related to topic
usually works in class, talk is often related to topic
sometimes works in class, talk is sometimes related to topic
seldom works in class, talk is not related to topic
BRINGS HOMEWORK
always
usually
sometimes
no homework
USES PLANNER
always
usually
sometimes
does not
COMPLETES PROJECTS
thoroughly
very good work
good some info missing
missing
I find that I haven’t updated my blog in over a month! Well…things are going well for all students. Our block 1 and 2 daily functional reading and writing class has been working hard at learning the language of the classroom. Each student now has a gmail account and we use google docs as a means of sharing, editing and revising. This is especially beneficial with the use of the smart board.
We also spend time distinguishing between written English and ASL. It’s been great to apply the concepts learned in Dr. Kegl’s ASL class to the teaching of English. What a great opportunity! Promise more to come!
Students in blocks 1 and 2–functional reading and writing worked hard at learning the language of the classroom. Students enjoyed using quizlet to reinforce their work. Block 3 students worked at main idea and supporting details as well as some idiom work.
Students are working hard and completing work. It’s been a great year so far!
