ECC-DHH Functional Skills for Educ. Success

Students who effectively use a planner to organize school assignments, learn how to take effective notes, and use reliable sources to obtain information tend to be more successful than those who don’t. “Teachers need to model how to structure and organize daily activities” (Anday-Porter, 2000, p. 24). The functional skills are integrated into the general education curricula; however, students who are deaf or hard of hearing focus on the content information therefore missing out on these “how to” skills. Many general education students internalize study and organizational skills through incidental learning in the classroom. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing often need direct instruction in these skills in order to help them be successful. Some examples are supplementing the general curricula by pre-teaching vocabulary, clarifying concepts, accessing and organizing information, and expanding background knowledge (Luckner & Muir, 2001). “The crucial factor that promotes or hinders success in today’s society is the ability to access, understand, and use different types of information. Our job as educators is to help students develop the appropriate attitudes, knowledge, and skills that will enable them to become proficient readers and writers” (Cooney, Good-Muir, Luckner, Sebald & Young, 2005-2006, p. 456). Students with hearing loss need to have the time and appropriate models to learn how to organize their assignments, schedules, contacts and events.

The area of Functional Skills for Educational Success includes: Concept Development, Comprehension, and Study and Organization.

Concept Development

• “Listens” to stories read in their mode of communication • Knows words in a book tell a thought/ story • Understands the difference between letters and numbers • Understands how to follow picture/simple school schedule • Uses problem solving skills to meet personal needs (“I want that toy”) • Identifies and uses features of a text to aid comprehension in content areas (subtitles, table of contents, diagrams, glossary, etc) • Identifies key words, dates, definitions in textbooks, and in discussions • Understands and uses graphic organizers and outlines • Selects appropriate resources to complete assignments (encyclopedia, dictionary, internet, etc) • Understands how to read and follow simple schedules, charts, tables, diagrams, outlines, maps, etc • Uses problem solving skills to meet personal needs and resolve conflicts • Understands and uses graphic organizers and outlines • Recognizes and understands universal symbols and trademarks • Understands how to read and use schedules,

charts, tables, diagrams, outlines, maps, etc • Selects appropriate resource to complete assignments (encyclopedia, dictionary, internet, etc) • Uses problem solving skills to meet personal needs, resolve conflicts and make decisions • Uses schedules, charts, tables, diagrams, outlines, maps, etc • Selects appropriate resource to complete assignments (encyclopedia, dictionary, internet, etc) • Uses problem solving skills to meet personal needs, resolve conflicts and make decisions

COMprehension

“Listens” to stories read in his/her mode of communication • Uses features of a book to aid comprehension of a reading passage (pictures) • Participates in experiences that increase vocabulary and background knowledge to improve comprehension • Acquires sight word vocabulary • Identify first/beginning and last/ending and retell sequence • Attempts to make inferences based on information read and “heard” • Recognizes and understands universal symbols and trademarks • Uses features of a book to aid comprehension of a reading passage (titles, pictures, and context clues) • Participates in experiences that increase vocabulary and background knowledge to improve comprehension • Recognizes sight word vocabulary • Identify and retell sequence • Makes inferences based on information read and discussed • Recognizes and understands universal symbols and trademarks • Uses features of a book to aid comprehension of a reading passage (titles, pictures, and context clues) • Participates in experiences that increase vocabulary and background knowledge to improve comprehension • Able to summarize passage, identify and retell sequence • Makes inferences based on information read • Recognizes and understands universal symbols and trademarks • Participates in experiences that increase vocabulary and background knowledge to improve comprehension • Access background knowledge related to a topic or book • Makes inferences based on background knowledge and information read • Recognizes and understands universal symbols and trademarks

study and organization

Demonstrates attending skills with direction (i.e. watches speaker, sits quietly, responds) • Gains attention appropriately • Stays on task during independent work with redirection • Demonstrates attending skills independently (i.e. watches speaker, sits quietly, responds ) • Indicates a need for help • Stays on task during independent work with redirection • Appropriately seeks help and/or clarification for concepts, assignments, tests, and due dates • Stays on task during independent work • Ignores distractions • Follows multi- step oral and written directions • Uses interpreter appropriately • Appropriately seeks help and/or clarification for concepts, assignments, tests, and due dates • Completes task independently • Ignores distractions with assistance • Follows oral directions • Accepts feedback • Knows where classroom items are kept • Completes tasks • Knows where to put completed products • Participates in classroom activities • Follows a picture schedule • Ignores distractions with less assistance • Follows oral and written directions • Accepts feedback and makes corrections • Knows where classroom items are kept and returns items to appropriate place • Records assignments and tests in an assignment book • Completes and returns homework in a timely manner • Contributes to group work • Participates in classroom discussions when called upon • Understands the grading system and requirements for assignments • Follows schedules, charts, tables, diagrams, and maps • Begins to understand and use test taking strategies • Uses study guides to aid comprehension and test preparation • Makes necessary corrections when given teacher feedback • Labels, organizes, and maintains a system of organization for supplies and personal items • Maintains and records assignments and tests in an assignment book • Brings appropriate materials (paper, pencil, HA, FM) to class/school/homework setting • Identifies barriers to study and homework completion and implements strategies to overcome barriers • Competes and returns homework in a timely manner • Participates in classroom discussions voluntarily or when called upon • Contributes to group work to complete a project • Understands the grading system and requirements for assignments and projects • Understands and uses study and research skills to complete assignments • Understands and uses test taking strategies • Follows oral and written directions • Analyzes academic performance based on test scores, teacher feedback and grades, etc • Labels, organizes, and maintains an organization for supplies and personal items • Maintains and records assignments and tests in an assignment book • Brings appropriate materials (paper, pencil, HA, FM, homework) to class or school setting • Identifies barriers to study and homework completion and implements strategies to overcome barriers • Understands how to break down assignments and complete them systematically • Participates in classroom discussions voluntarily or when called upon • Collaborates in a group to complete a project • Understands the grading system and requirements for assignments, projects and graduation • Uses study guides to aid comprehension and test preparation • Knows which papers to keep and keeps them in an appropriate notebook/file • Understands and uses study and research skills to complete assignments • Knows how to access daily news/announcements • Recognizes and indicates a need for accommodations (note-taker, voice-to-print, etc) • Knows which notes and assignments to keep and files them appropriately • Understands and uses test taking strategies • Knows how to access daily news/announcements and how it impacts him/her

functional skills for educational success – Assessments:

Bracken Basic Concept Scale 3-Expressive

Age Range: 3 years 0 months – 6 years 11 months

Bracken Basic Concept Scale 3-Receptive

Age Range: 2 years 6 months – 7 years 11 months

Listening Inventory for Education (L.I.F.E.)

Age Range: School Age

Oral and Written Language Scales (OWLS)

Age Range: 5 years – 21 years

Preschool Language Assessment Instrument (PLAI)

Age Range: 3 years – 8 years

Receptive-Expressive Emerging Language Scale (REEL-3)

Age Range: Birth – 3 years

Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risk, Preschool (Preschool SIFTER)

Age Range: 3 years – 6 years

Screening Instrument for Targeting Educational Risk (SIFTER)

Age Range: 6 years – up

Screening Instrument for Targeting Education Risk, Secondary (Secondary SIFTER)

Age Range: Middle and High School

Stanford Achievement Test for the Hearing Impaired (SAT-HI)

Age Range: K – 12th

Test of Early Reading Ability-Deaf or Hard of Hearing (TERA-D/HH)

Age Range: 3 years – 13 years 11 months

Test of Early Written Language 2nd (TEWL-2)

Age Range: 3 years – 10 years 11 months

Test of Problem Solving- Adolescents (TOPS-2)

Age Range: Adolescent 10 – 19

Test of Problem Solving- Elementary (TOPS-3)

Age Range: 5 years – 12 years

Test of Reading Comprehension (TORC-3)

Age Range: 7 years – 17 years 11 months

Test of Written Language-3 (TOWL-3)

Age Range: 7 years 6 months – 17 years 11 months

Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests- Revised (WRMT-R)

Grade K – 16