Teachers, what does your school do?

[taximomfor4]

Long story, but there is ugliness at DH's work (a public high school). Something is being changed, and he is wondering what other schools do.

Say you have a student with an IEP, who needs tests read to them aloud. Where/when is that done? Regular classroom by regular teacher during the test (when other kids, esp ADHD kids, need quiet), Resource room by SpEd teacher (during another class period, meaning the regular teacher should make an alternate test), Resource roomn by SpEd teacher (during the test, so that student isn't in the regular classroom that period at all), or in the Regular classroom by the regular teacher (some other time of the day, like that teacher's planning period or something).

In the midst of so much political junk going on in his district right now, this is what killed his mood today.

 

[Tinijocaro]

My dh is a high school band director and for final exams at the end of the year he had to read an exam to a student.

 

[Liberty Belle]

The child would be taken somewhere (probably the resource room) and given the test alone.

 

[teacherforhi]

Regular ed teachers have the responsibility of following the IEP--the same as anyone else on the team. If the student gets assignments read aloud, then the regular ed teacher needs to do it.

I've told teachers that they don't necessarily need to stand in front of the class and read it straight through. They could periodically walk by that student's desk and read the next question to them quietly, if that works better in that particular class.

If the student takes the test at another time, what does he or she do while their class is taking the test? Also, resource time needs to be spend working on IEP goals, not taking a test from another class.

 

[taximomfor4]

now if in that same class you have 2 students whose IEP reads that they must take tests in a non-distracting environment (as in, verbal tests they were given in writing in the resource room, up till now)...do THOSE 2 kids take the test somewhere else so they aren't distracted? BTW, if this makes a difference, this is high school so tests generally take the entire class period.

 

[golfgal]

Regular ed teachers have the responsibility of following the IEP--the same as anyone else on the team. If the student gets assignments read aloud, then the regular ed teacher needs to do it.

I've told teachers that they don't necessarily need to stand in front of the class and read it straight through. They could periodically walk by that student's desk and read the next question to them quietly, if that works better in that particular class.

If the student takes the test at another time, what does he or she do while their class is taking the test? Also, resource time needs to be spend working on IEP goals, not taking a test from another class.

So this one child's needs outweighs the rest of the room? There is nothing more distracting then someone talking during a test. In our schools the kids are taken to a resource room and read the test by a SPED aide as it should be.

 

[AshleyW]

I'm not a teacher, but I knew a few kids in high school (about 5 years ago for me) that had tests read to them. Our school had a testing center, where kids could make up tests or take them in advance if they were going to be on vacation, etc. The student would go to class like normal, then when it was time to take the test, they would walk to the testing center and someone in the testing center would read it to them, then they would come back to class after taking the test.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

there's a push where I am to NOT have IEP kids miss their time in resource room working on goals to take the tests. hmmm. so resource teachers give the tests, but not during their regular pull out time. it's kinda a nightmare for scheduling during testing. if you are to give the test when their class is testing, you're probably missing another group of a different grade level.

we sped teachers are supposed to be magicians, I swear

oh yeah, and paras were cut, so they can't help cover kids, no money, ya know...

 

[jam217]

In my district, the child would come out of the regular ed. classroom and take the test in a learning support classroom with a learning support para or a LS teacher who would read the test. The regular ed. teacher would not be responsible for doing that.

 

[teacherforhi]

So this one child's needs outweighs the rest of the room? There is nothing more distracting then someone talking during a test. In our schools the kids are taking to a resource room and read the test by a SPED aide as it should be.

As I said, the teacher can walk by and quietly read to that particular student if it works better in that classroom. I'll also add that it hurts no one to listen to the test being read; it definitely hurts the child that can't read it if no one reads to him or her.

 

[teacherforhi]

now if in that same class you have 2 students whose IEP reads that they must take tests in a non-distracting environment (as in, verbal tests they were given in writing in the resource room, up till now)...do THOSE 2 kids take the test somewhere else so they aren't distracted? BTW, if this makes a difference, this is high school so tests generally take the entire class period.

That's different. I have a student that must be tested one-on-one because he has difficulty focusing and may need the same question read multiple times before he grasps it. For that, something has to be worked out between the regular and special ed teachers. That's completely separate from simple read aloud.

 

[Liberty Belle]

As I said, the teacher can walk by and quietly read to that particular student if it works better in that classroom. I'll also add that it hurts no one to listen to the test being read; it definitely hurts the child that can't read it if no one reads to him or her.

But all the children might not be on the same question and that would be confusing, especially to kids with ADHD. I'm glad we don't do it like that in our school.

 

[Rora]

I'm an Elementary teacher but my Mom is a High School teacher. I can give two perspectives.

In my Elementary school, the student would go to a special room with their SpEd assistant where they would administer the test during the time in which I am giving the in-classroom test. He returns to class when he's finished.

In my mom's High school, depending on the child's disability, the student arranges a time for the student to meet with the teacher and take the test (typically during lunch). The student stays in classroom while the other students take the test and does work quietly. Now, if the student has a very bad disability, they would do the same thing my Elementary student would do, where they are assisted by the SpEd specialist.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

As I said, the teacher can walk by and quietly read to that particular student if it works better in that classroom. I'll also add that it hurts no one to listen to the test being read; it definitely hurts the child that can't read it if no one reads to him or her.

Presumably this would be true for children taking an oral test at the same pace.

But if it were a math test for example....

I know there are kids who require the whole test to be read aloud--but if the student can request this only when he/she needs it, it might not be distracting.

However it is unfair to other students to be disturbed on a written test while a teacher reads the full exam to another student. It is unfair to presume that children would not be "hurt" by the teacher doing that and it could hinder their results--especially on a standardized test.

 

[horseshowmom]

So this one child's needs outweighs the rest of the room? There is nothing more distracting then someone talking during a test. In our schools the kids are taking to a resource room and read the test by a SPED aide as it should be.

Same here.
(BTW, this also applies to standardized testing.)

But all the children might not be on the same question and that would be confusing, especially to kids with ADHD. I'm glad we don't do it like that in our school.

I agree. I don't have ADHD, but I would still find it to be very distracting. If you're reading it loud enough for the student to hear it, the others around him/her are going to hear it too.

 

[taximomfor4]

so would the best answer be that from now on, the teacher should just read the test to the whole class? That way, everyone is on the same question so when it's read aloud nearby, the words don't distract anyone? What if the student who needs tests read out to them also require extra time (almost every single one does, in fact). How does that work? The test is over when the bell rings? I can see why the loss of para/aides stressed everyone so much!

 

[MM27]

I have 5 kids in one of my classes this year that were in self contained special ed classes last year. The push in my district is to eventually have full inclusion. Those 5 kids have a special ed certified inclusion teacher that travels with them between my room and their literacy class. She keeps them in the room for everything, but will pull them to a table to do tests and quizzes if needed or to make modifications. The only thing they are to be pulled out for is when we do our state testing in May because they get extended time.

Even our Title I program, which used to be pull out, is now entirely in the classroom.

 

[imabrat]

I'm not a teacher, but I am a public high school student with a 504. When we did the 504 meeting, IEPs were discussed but weren't needed. (I lost 40% of my hearing due to chemo. I have hearing aids, but even with them most background noises are an issue.)
Anyway, in my district the child will be taken out of the classroom and into another room (I think it's the library) with a learning support teacher or SPED aide who reads them the test.

 

[aristocatz]

So this one child's needs outweighs the rest of the room? There is nothing more distracting then someone talking during a test. In our schools the kids are taking to a resource room and read the test by a SPED aide as it should be.

I work in special education and I have NEVER heard of a student do a read aloud test or a scribe right in the middle of the classroom.

At our school, the paraprofessional will sit with the child in the back of the classroom, in the hallway at a desk, or in a separate room. If the student does not have a para, a sped teacher will do it. We've never had an issue doing this.

I've never heard of the general ed teacher acting as the scribe or reading aloud-they have the rest of the class to monitor while the test is going on. That is the role of the support person. If there is no support person listed on their IEP, than I'm not sure what would happen.

 

[taximomfor4]

I have 5 kids in one of my classes this year that were in self contained special ed classes last year. The push in my district is to eventually have full inclusion. Those 5 kids have a special ed certified inclusion teacher that travels with them between my room and their literacy class. She keeps them in the room for everything, but will pull them to a table to do tests and quizzes if needed or to make modifications. The only thing they are to be pulled out for is when we do our state testing in May because they get extended time.

Even our Title I program, which used to be pull out, is now entirely in the classroom.

So this works because your school has someone there to help out. Does it ever happen when there is nobody to take them to a table? Or do all the kids who needs tests read aloud have inclusion teachers?