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FOUNDATIONAL CLASS
This class will be held in two separate one hour sessions per week.
There are multiple foundational components necessary for learning that do not have to be taught in a one-on-one setting. Students can be on different levels in the same materials efficiently and effectively. By pulling these skills out of a student’s one-on-one plan, it will provide for more one-on-one instruction to be directed towards customized reading and/or math plans. These skills remain very important because they are foundational and will vary according to age group, including everything from learning to tell time to foundational modules which develop cognitive skills, auditory and visual memory, evaluation skills, convergent production or problem solving skills and divergent production or creativity skills; building vocabulary; comprehension skills; oral language skills; thinking skills; handwriting instruction; spatial manipulatives keyboarding and/or logical thinking.
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LANGUAGE ARTS IEP -- GROUP LITERATURE CLASSES – HIGH SCHOOL LITERATURE – NOVEL STUDIES
Language Arts instruction includes teaching decoding, reading fluency, reading comprehension, listening, speaking, spelling, handwriting, grammar and the writing process.
Reading (decoding, comprehension, fluency)
Teaching someone to read and understand what they are reading is one of the most important things that we do. Utilizing the test results provided upon entrance we determine the best method for teaching each individual student (a figural, symbolic or semantic program) to read. In addition, students move at such varied paces when learning to read that we have made a conscious decision to provide one-on-one instruction when necessary in order for a student to learn how to read. When appropriate, additional instruction will take place in small groups.
The teaching of decoding skills is necessary, but not sufficient to achieve the goal of full literacy. While systematically teaching decoding leads to improved performance on early reading evaluations which focus on decoding skills, it is equally important that students understand what they read. Current research suggests that teaching reading strategies has value in helping students recognize the purpose for reading and may lead to a slight boost in reading comprehension scores but not the sustained improvement that would be indicative of true literacy. What is missing is background knowledge. In order to understand what is read, students need to know something about the subject matter. And that does not mean that they need to know just the vocabulary – they need to have the right knowledge of the world. The importance of background knowledge to reading comprehension cannot be overstated. General reading comprehension is much more than comprehension strategies. It requires a definite range of general knowledge. Comprehension strategies (finding the main ideas, fact and opinion, cause and effect, etc.) are taught as needed no matter what age – usually one-on-one – however, a concerted effort to teach background knowledge in a sequential, sequenced manner is being made in both social studies/science classes at all levels and for elementary and middle school students, in a Group Literature Class. High School students receive this same emphasis through American literature, English literature, and/or novel studies. This frequently includes reading aloud to students.
Why read to students? Research done by Thomas Sticht in 1984 determined that student’s listening comprehension outpaces reading comprehension until the middle school years. Students are very capable of learning information before they learn to read themselves and/or they are capable of learning information at a higher level than they are currently reading themselves. When being read to, students can experience the complexities of written language without expending energy decoding. For example, a student may be reading very simple sentences about “Bob” or the “goat on the load of coal,” but they can be read a book at a much higher level with more advanced content. When they are reading ten page books, they can listen to fifty page chapter books. High school students reading on a ninth grade level can learn material on a much higher level when presented orally. Learning new knowledge and enjoying literature is what makes learning to read worth the time and effort. It’s enjoyable. In addition, written text makes use of richer vocabulary and more complex syntax than conversational language. It is important that students be exposed not only to the language of everyday conversations, but also to the richer and more formal language of books. The Core Knowledge Foundation emphasizes that all students need a base of core knowledge. This shared base of knowledge enables more students to learn advanced material. It is like velcro. One experience allows additional experiences to “stick.” By reading to students, the proverbial playing field is being leveled – they all have access to knowledge instead of having to wait for their own reading skills to evolve, allowing them access to information.
Finally, independent reading is also encouraged at the appropriate level and a huge part of success when being asked to read independently includes reading fluency. Reading fluency not only affects the ability to efficiently complete reading assignments, it also affects comprehension. Strategies determined to be effective for reading fluency are taught one-on-one until a student is reading at the appropriate rate on their grade level.
Listening & Speaking Skills
A case has already been made for the importance of reading aloud to students and discussing what is learned is the ultimate development of independent reading skills – becoming a lifelong reader. A case can also be made for the progression to writing skills. The ability to read and write written language is highly correlated with students’ oral language proficiency, and the ability to understand a text read aloud is a prerequisite for making sense of the same text in printed form. It is essential that students build listening and speaking competency while also developing reading and writing skills. Researchers who study the development of language point out that oral language development precedes and is the foundation for written language development. Oral language competence is strongly predictive of a student’s facility in learning to read and write.
The Writing Process (including spelling, grammar & composition)
There are many components to the writing process. Students must be fluent with ideas. Building fluency for those students who need it can be accomplished through foundational modules in “Foundations Class” for elementary and middle school students or “Study Group” for high school students. It can also be strengthened through choice of curriculum. Once fluency is in place, spelling and grammar matter. We have found that individuals who do not spell well are frequently impeded when writing – they won’t. Spelling instruction is part of every student’s one-on-one plan for as long as it needs to be there. A structured sequential program is utilized and our goal is for every student to successfully complete enough levels that they are able to correctly spell 95% of the words ever utilized for writing. In addition, for many students, an important component to not writing papers full of run-on sentences, fragments, incorrect subject-verb agreement, etc., is to teach them grammar through a very structured approach. The English language is very ambiguous, so we start with a very controlled grammar program. This continues with a more traditional curriculum which spirals from beginning level to high school level reviewing grammar and teaching about sentences, the format of paragraphs, different types of paragraphs and ultimately how to write a variety of five paragraph papers. A majority of these program are taught in one-on-one classes. Beyond this, when and if students are ready, they are taught the writing process in group classes, including summarizing, revising and editing, writing research papers, etc. At this level, students learn quickly that the writing process is truly a process of writing, revising, editing, proofreading, writing, revising, editing, proofreading, and so on. They finally understand that it is very unusual to write and hand in a paper once. It is frequently a process of anywhere from three to ten revisions. Small classes of three to ten students allow for constant feedback.
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MATH IEP
Our philosophy regarding math instruction originates with the idea that although dependent on each other, arithmetic and mathematics should also be differentiated from each other because they require very different and specific learning abilities to be in place for success. These foundational learning abilities (including auditory memory and patterning) have been identified through research done by the late Dr. Mary Meeker and her husband, Dr. Robert Meeker, and mastery of them is required prior to teaching the actual arithmetic and/or mathematics skills. Any deficits are identified during entrance testing and addressed in Foundational Class/Study Group and/or during one-on-one arithmetic/math instruction. This is true for all students, no matter what their age.
Once the foundational abilities for arithmetic are in place, an appropriate arithmetic program is chosen to teach arithmetic skills either one-on-on or in very small (two-three student) groups. We have multiple programs which we choose from. For the most part, arithmetic skills are taught in elementary and middle school. They include the four operations, (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) fractions, decimals and percents, as well as problem solving where one needs to know not only how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, but when to add, subtract, multiply and divide and in what order to perform the appropriate operations whether dealing with whole numbers, fractions or decimals. Our experience has been that although these skills are taught in elementary and middle school, there is no guarantee that they are mastered. If foundational abilities were not in place when the skills were taught, if a class moves too quickly, or if a student is pushed forward with less than 100% mastery, many students are left behind. (As mentioned earlier, in most learning settings, 70% mastery is acceptable; when 30% of math skills and/or concepts are not mastered year after year, the gaps eventually prevent students from moving forward.) Therefore, we teach arithmetic skills to younger students who have not had the opportunity to learn them, and we teach arithmetic skills to older students who have not previously mastered them. The Core Knowledge Foundation’s philosophy agrees with the Meeker’s research – the idea that it is vitally important to learn [arithmetic] math in the appropriate sequence. For example, while there may be more than one approach to teaching division, no approach will be effective until multiplication has been mastered. It is imperative to have a “sound grasp of basic facts, and an automatic fluency with fundamental operations” (Core Knowledge Foundation). Without these skills in place students cannot successfully move from arithmetic to mathematics.
To move successfully from arithmetic to mathematics, arithmetic skills need to have been mastered (as previously stated) and additional learning abilities are required. These learning abilities include “tolerance for ambiguous situations,” “spatial relations,” and “logic and reasoning.” Diagnostic testing can also identify whether these abilities are in place, enabling us to address any deficits prior to moving into mathematics instruction. Once we have verified that the appropriate arithmetic skills and learning abilities for math are in place, new concepts and procedures can be successfully introduced and ultimately mastered. These new concepts can be introduced through multiple approaches based on each student’s strengths whether in algebra, geometry, pre-calculus or trigonometry.
In conclusion, in the subject area of arithmetic/mathematics, students are not taught 3rd grade skills or 11th grade skills, but prerequisite skills, no matter what their age. We are committed to determining where our students’ existing skills fall on the continuum and teaching, reteaching and providing appropriate practice until mastery occurs, providing for successful movement along the continuum.
In addition to the traditional upper level high school math courses mentioned above, we offer Math Models, Foundational Math, Business Math, Personal Math and the Financial Peace program.
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SOCIAL STUDIES/SCIENCE CLASS
In elementary school through middle school Cedar Hill Preparatory Academy currently teaches integrated social studies and science in mixed age groups: primary, intermediate, and middle school. We utilize the Core Knowledge Sequence to determine which topics are taught in each of the groups. The Core Knowledge Sequence is distinguished from other approaches by its specificity. While other standards provide general guidelines concerning what students should be able to do, they typically offer little help in detailing specific content or skills. In contrast, the Sequence offers a coherent plan that builds year by year. E.D. Hirsch’s Core Knowledge Foundation has identified a body of widely used knowledge which is necessary for learning in our culture and delineated appropriate age related topics. The knowledge students learn about particular topics in early groups are expanded and developed further in subsequent groups to ensure an increasingly deeper understanding of topics. By building upon prior knowledge, we can make more efficient progress from one year to the next. Utilizing the Sequence also helps prevent the many repetitions and gaps in instruction that often result from vague curricular guidelines. Because our students are in mixed-age groups, there is a rotational sequence so that students do not repeat units. The Core Knowledge Sequence is also flexible enough to not exclude locally determined or other required content and skills.
Transition to High School Social Studies/Science
Core Knowledge is not intended to be a “preparatory” curriculum for any specific high-school curriculum. Rather, Core Knowledge should serve as a good preparation for all sorts of different high school curricula. The broad base of knowledge students acquire when utilizing the Core Knowledge Sequence through 8th grade is an excellent foundation for students who follow a college preparation track, but it is also suitable for students who follow a general education track. Students who have learned the Core Knowledge content in grades K-8 should be able to read newspapers, understand important documents, and participate in democratic political processes. The whole point of the Core Knowledge Sequence is to provide students the core background knowledge needed by every adult for full participation in the general American society and culture. This is the great democratic ideal that rests at the core of Core Knowledge. In high school, we choose to follow the guidelines set forth in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) because many of our students choose to go on to college. We choose from several different programs according to our student’s abilities. We teach fewer courses at a time and accelerate those courses so that they can be repeated more frequently based on our current students’ needs.
Social Studies courses include: World Geography, U.S. History, World History, and Government. (Economics – while not officially a social studies course – is also taught. Most individuals think of it as Social Studies because it is taught opposite of Government.)
Science courses include: IPC, Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. (Physics and Chemistry have upper level math prerequisites. We do not teach Physics unless a student has successfully completed Algebra I. We do not teach Chemistry unless a student is at least enrolled in Algebra II.) We also offer Basic Earth Science and Earth Science Mastery.
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CLASS GROUP
(Mixed-age groups are utilized in S.S./Science classes also.)
Class group time will be held for one hour a week.
It is difficult to find class time to utilize for certain types of activities. Other assignments always seem to take precedence, even when the importance of said activities is acknowledged. For this reason, one hour a week has been set aside to work jigsaw puzzles, play board games or card games, and so that the older students will have time to use Highlight’s Top Secret and Which Way U.S.A.? materials which enrich the social studies/science integrated units. These will all be age appropriate with the appropriate amount of challenges. In addition, age appropriate group physical activities and/or cooperative games will be utilized.
Why work jigsaw puzzles? They require excellent visual discrimination skills, as well as, spatial abilities which ultimately translate into reading and math skills. Students who have weaknesses in these areas tend to shy away from puzzles because they are not very good at them. Teacher-directed activities will enable the students to learn the rules to successfully working a puzzle, like locating corners and edge pieces, separating pieces into categories, and tackling one section at a time. In addition, vs. trying every piece in every space, looking at the partial shape that is there and eliminating pieces that can’t possibly fit first, can save time. In addition, starting with fewer pieces and methodically moving up can create success. Finally, working on puzzles increases attention to detail. Note: The students are not just set at tables to work puzzles and fend for themselves. This is a teacher-directed activity where the teacher will be involved with the students.
Why play board games or card games? When used appropriately, board games teach cooperation, following directions, winning and losing appropriately, developing strategies, paying attention and multiple skills from one-to-one correspondence to sequencing and/or math skills to reading skills. Note: These games will be chosen purposefully to meet the needs of the students and will, once again, be teacher-directed.
Highlight’s Top Secret and Which Way U.S.A.? materials are not only appropriate for our 4th graders and up, but they make learning fun. The students enjoy them, but we have not always had time to do them. Dealing with social studies content, including research and map skills, the students will now have time to incorporate these materials to correlate with social studies units they are doing during their social studies/science class.
Group physical activities are necessary for application and practice of the skills learned in individual I.P.P. classes. Included will be activities for developing left/right, hitting a target, balancing, hopping, skipping, jumping rope, etc. A spatial course will be utilized as well as bean bags, jump ropes, zoom balls, games such as Simon Says, etc. Obviously, these will be teacher-directed activities and age appropriate.
Many of these skills are not obtained or practiced via video games which are the predominant games played by students today.
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