Chapter 11 EVALUATING STUDENTS LEARNING

ACCOMMODATIONS
BEFORE THE TEST

You can do a number of
things before a test
to help students
with disabilities.

1. ANALYZE the action words
in question by reading the
question carefully and
underlining the key words.

2. NOTICE the requirements
of the question. Mark each
and change the question
into your own words.

3. SET up an outline listing
your main ideas for the
essay question.

4. WORK in detail by adding
important details to the
outline that you plan to
include in your essay.

5. ENGINEER your answer by
including an introductory
sentence and detailed
sentences about each of the
main ideas in your outline.

6. REVIEW your answer by
checking that all parts of
the question have been
answered and edit your
essay.

ACCOMMONDATIONS
DURING THE TEST

If changes in the test
construction are intended
for a whole, class, they can
be incorporated into the
original test file before
printing.

ACCOMMODATIONS
AFTER THE TEST

You also may need to
use alternative test-
grading criteria, and
using alternatives to
traditional letters and
numbers.

GRADING PRACTICES
THAT BENEFITS ALL
STUDNETS

Grading practices that
benefit all of your
students include using
differentiated report
cards, avoiding grades
of zero, and reporting
students progress
more frequently.

USING INDIVIDUALIZED
GRADING WITH STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES

Using Standards-
Based Grades

In standard-based
grading, the IEP,
team first reviews
grade-level standards
to determine whether
an accommodation or
modification is needed.

Basing All or Part
of the Grade on
Progress on IEP
Objectives

Grading on the basis
of progress on IEP
objectives would have
been appropriate.

1. ALLOWS THE TEAM TO
CONSIDER HOW AND
WHEN IEP OBJECTIVES
CAN BE ADDRESSED IN
THE GENERAL EDUCATION
CLASSROOM.

2. INFORMS STUDENTS,
PARENTS, AND TEACHERS
WHICH OBJECTIVES ARE
IMPORTANT AND HOW
SUPPORTS CAN BE
PROVIDED.

3. ENSURES THAT A STUDENT'S
GRADE REFLECTS PROGRESS
ON SKILLS THAT HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AS MOST
IMPORTANT FOR THEM BY THE
TEAM .

4. ELIMINATES THE
REDUNDANCY OF
REPORTING GRADES
SEPARATELY FROM
PROGRESS ON IEP
OBJECTIVES.

5. IMPORVES COMMUNICATION
AMONG PARENTS, STUDENTS,
AND TEACHERS ABOUT
GRADING IN THE GENERAL
EDUCATION CLASSROOM.

LEGALITIES OF
INDIVIDUALIZED
GRADING

Individualizing grading
is legal for students with
disabilities as long as the
modifications that
comprise them appear on
studnets' IEPs.

Using performance-based
tests also are not subject
to the same time constraints
as traditional tests.

Students with disabilities
also may have particular
difficulty making the
connection between
school tasks and tasks
in the real world.

Portfolios can be very helpful
for teachers working with
students with disabilities.

You may have to make
accommodations when
using portfolios with
students with disabilities,
particularly in selecting
and evaluating portfolio
pieces.