Danielle Chemello Instructional Program-Math 10/1/12 Student: T Skills: Math Initiator: Danielle Chemello Context for Instruction: Both

instruction and assessment will occur during second periods functional math class. The classroom is room 007 of Central High School located in the basement. The smart board will be used to project the worksheet that the student has a copy of as well as the calculator. The document reader will be hooked up to the computer so that the document will be projected onto the smart board. Students will have a highlighter, pencil, calculator, worksheet, family information packet, and their operations sheet. There will be two to four other students in the classroom at this time who are receiving the same instruction. The cooperating teacher, Tara Miller, will be in the cafeteria working with a small group of students on the same content during this same time period. Research Articles: (articles attached to end of instructional program) In Mathematics Reform Curricula and Special Education: Identifying Intersections and Implications for Practice, Sayeski and Paulsen discuss the importance of explicit instruction. This teaching method helps students learn what to do in each math problem. By showing students how to do a problem right away, they are more likely to generate the same skills in later problems as well as generalize the way to solve similar problems. The following key aspects of direct instruction are ways to ensure student success: a task analysis of what to do at each problem, ample practice opportunities, and cumulative review that mixes many types of problems. The tools provided by the functional math curriculum do just that. There are many opportunities to practice real life problems as well as worksheets that use all operations. By providing a task analysis on how to solve each type of problem, the students will be able to successfully solve the word problems. The task analysis provided to my students will consist of (1) Highlight the key words, (2) Decide what operation(s) are needed to solve the problem, and (3) Solve the problem (show your work). By providing this task analysis, students will be more likely to remember how to solve each problem. Also stressed in the article is the importance of thinking aloud. When I am teaching I will be sure to explain how I would tackle each problem. This will provide the students strategies that will help them to solve each problem. Students will be encouraged to share what they are thinking too. Solving these math problems will be a student-led activity as well. In Use of a Self-Regulated Strategy Intervention to Improve Word Problem-Solving Skills of Students with Mild Disabilties, authors Cassel and Reid explain the importance of students self-regulating while solving math word problems. They conducted a study that involved four students in a resource math class. The intervention involved the teacher modeling the nine step self-regulating strategy at first and then allowing the students to practice it in groups and on their own. This nine step strategy involved the following points: (1) read the problem aloud, (2) find and highlight the question then write the answers label, (3) ask what are the parts of the problem and then circle the numbers needed, (4) set up the problem by writing and labeling the numbers, (5) reread the problem and decide operation, (6) check the operation,

(7) read the equation, (8) solve the equation, and finally (9) write the answer and check by asking if the answer makes sense. This checklist allowed the students to increase their ability to solve word problems in the classroom. The part that I think is important in the success of the program would be the teacher modeling aspect. Students will be able to better understand the checklist and how to use it when the teacher uses self-talk and self-questioning through questions such as, What is it I have to do? and How can I solve this problem? Students will be able to repeat these questions when solving the problems both in groups and independently. I will be sure to use a checklist such as this when teaching the students how to solve the functional math word problems. Skill Sequence: See attached skill sequence. Program Objective: When given a functional math assessment at the end of a given unit, T will be able to highlight key information, determine the correct operation(s), and use the word problems given information to solve and show work for each problem. Criteria will be met when T can gain each of these three points for each problem on the functional math assessment scoring her a 100% on this assessment. Criterion will be met when she earns a 100% on 5 consecutive unit assessments. Generalization: Since T will be graduating after this year, she has been motivated to succeed in all of her classes in order to both learn as much as she can and to earn credits to graduate. This drive has caused her to be incredibly motivated in her academics. By learning the skills needed for life and graduation, T will be self-reinforced when she is able to do math problems independently. The generalization strategy is to introduce naturally maintaining contingencies. T is excited by her successes and will generalize this feeling to learning more functional math skills. This excitement will push her to learn more and feel accomplished when using the same skills in community or the home settings. Rationale: Since T is currently a senior, she should learn as many functional math skills as possible before graduation. This is her last year for instruction on these skills so she needs not only to acquire them, but to maintain them for living in the real world. Skills such as time will be able to help her plan her daily schedule, while money skills will help her determine how much money she should make or spend in a given situation. These skills are necessary for independent living. Assessment Procedures: Make sure T has all of the following materials: highlighter, pencil or pen, calculator, family packet, and operations sheet. 2. Pass out the quiz and remind students that this is an independent test and they are to take it quietly. Tell them to raise their hands if they need help or have questions. 3. Allow students time to finish the entire test using their provided materials. 4. Have students turn in their assessment when they are finished. 5. Give specific verbal praise that validates the students effort. 6. Mark a + in each area that the student was able to convey understanding. 7. Divide the number of +s by the total number of opportunities to convey understanding. Then, multiply this quotient by 100 to determine the percentage of correct answers. 1.

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After the assessment is graded, allow the student to redo the problems she missed so that she is able to understand her mistakes in order to apply them into real life situations. Assessment Schedule: Assessments will be given at the midpoint and at the end of each unit. There is not a specified number of instructional days, but the students are typically prepared for a mid-unit quiz after 2-3 days of instruction. They are usually prepared for a final quiz after 5-8 days of instruction.

Instructional Procedures: 1. Provide students with all necessary materials for instruction (worksheet, family packet, pencil or pen, highlighter, calculator). 2. Allow students to fill out the first page of family packet independently or with a partner. This part allows students to familiarize themselves with the new family and their budget. 3. Begin instruction on the second page of the family packet. With each of the problems on page two, allow the students to determine each part of the checklist with me. The problems on this page are review so the students should know how to do each one. [You do] 4. Read aloud each problem. Find and write the answers unit. Highlight the words that determine the operation and the numbers that will be used in the equation. Set up the problem by labeling each number. Decide the operation based on the key words. Solve the equation. Check to see if the operation makes sense. 5. Elicit answers from the students by asking students to read aloud the problem, find the unit, highlight key words, etc. With each of the problems on page three, allow students to give answers to points on checklist as well as offer suggestions for points on checklist when students are not giving answers within 8 seconds. This page has problems that students have done before, but they may not have remembered exactly how to do each step to each problem. [We do] 6. Read aloud each problem. Find and write the answers unit. Highlight the words that determine the operation and the numbers that will be used in the equation. Set up the problem by labeling each number. Decide the operation based on the key words. Solve the equation. Check to see if the operation makes sense. 7. Elicit answers from the students by asking students to read aloud the problem, find the unit, highlight key words, etc. However, if students do not answer within 8 seconds, give answer. With each of the problems on page four and five, instruct students on how to solve each word problem using the self-talk and self-questioning technique as described in the research rationale. This ensures that students will have errorless learning. Allow students 4 seconds to answer each self-question. Provide students with answers if they have not responded within 4 seconds. [I do] 8. Read aloud each problem. Find and write the answers unit. Highlight the words that determine the operation and the numbers that will be used in the equation. Set up the problem by labeling each number. Decide the operation based on the key words. Solve the equation. Check to see if the operation makes sense.

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Elicit answers from the students by asking them to read aloud the problem, find the unit, highlight key words, etc. However, if students do not answer within 4 seconds, provide answer for errorless learning. Reinforcement: Reinforcement will come in the form of direct verbal praise such as, T, great job answering number x by showing me and your classmates how to ____________________. T will receive praise after each correct demonstration of a math problem. Since the math skills vary from unit to unit, T will be praised after each correct answer. No fading will be used. Maintenance: Maintenance is embedded in each unit. The skills learned in the prior unit serve as a base in the next unit. Each of the skills practiced in the previous lesson will be used in the current. Due to this, maintenance will be assessed each day during the instructional time. If T starts forgetting or missing the previous skills, I will review them with her during a one on one session in a time other than in the second hour class. This review session will occur at another time than the class due to the other students in the classroom. They may not need the review, so I do not want to take the class time to have them review the skills. However, if the majority of the class are missing these skills, review instruction will occur in the classroom. Data Recording Table: Content Area Understanding Conveyed Total Opportunities to Convey Understanding Percentage Correct Per Content Area

highlighting key information determining operation solving the problem while showing work varies... varies... varies... Total

Skill Sequence:

Intervention Results: