Teachers, what does your school do?

[golfgal]

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.

It hurts everyone as it is difficult to concentrate when someone is talking through the test. It is very distracting even for those without ADHD/ADD or any other LD. If I am on question 10 and the SPED student is on question 2, that helps no one but the SPED kid. Sorry, I disagree that a test should be read outloud to one child while the other 30 kids are trying to concentrate on their test. Even without the SPED factor is is just rude and inconsiderate.

 

[MushyMushy]

Both of my kids were/are on IEPs and when either of them needed to either take the test in a non-distracting environment or have the test read aloud, they went to a resource room.

When I had my long-term sub assignment I had an inclusion teacher in 4 of my 6 classes and she took the read-aloud kids out to the hallway or into her own classroom for the test. However, she wasn't always available. When there were no subs, she would get pulled out of my classes to cover for absent teachers. IMO that is so wrong and should be illegal. On those days, I'd read the test out loud to the entire class, and then would go check on the kids with IEPs (which is what she recommended).

You do the best you can do with what you've got.

 

[MM27]

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?

The only time that there is an issue is when the SPED teacher is absent or pulled for meetings. If she's absent they don't get a sub and I'm in the room alone with the class and I have to make sure those kids get their modifications as outlined in their IEP. It is hard because many of our students have behavior issues as well and it does take away from the rest of the class when you have to focus on one or two students entirely.

 

[lajones81]

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.

At my elementary school, students with "read aloud" accomodations take their test with the special education teacher in the special education classroom while the rest of the class is taking their test with me.

 

[aprilgail2]

It hurts everyone as it is difficult to concentrate when someone is talking through the test. It is very distracting even for those without ADHD/ADD or any other LD. If I am on question 10 and the SPED student is on question 2, that helps no one but the SPED kid. Sorry, I disagree that a test should be read outloud to one child while the other 30 kids are trying to concentrate on their test. Even without the SPED factor is is just rude and inconsiderate.

 

[Sparx]

i used to be a reader.

i would be in the resource room, and students would arrive (in their test period) with their test, and the teacher would just put a post it on it that said "read aloud."

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have been called in as a sub specifically to read tests - but they were state tests that took half a day. I would have a small group, in a seperate room from the rest of their classes.

 

[mtomlin66]

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.

If this were me, I would make sure that whatever the procedure was, that it is spelled out in the IEP or some district / school document.

In my experience, if it violates what should be appropriate practices / student rights, too often the district will not want to accept responsibility for not having the correct procedures in place when they are monitored by the DOE or a parent questions it. They will claim they have no knowledge of what was happening or that it is not a district directive / mandate for testing to be administered in this way. Having some type of written documentation, even if it is only a memo, email or meeting minutes could be an important step toward making sure that appropriate procedures are implemented.

If it is a change in past practices, I'm surprised that the union is not involved in clarifying the situation, especially since it seems to be a possible change of duties/work conditions.

 

[Linzybrooke]

Students go to the resource room and have the test administered by a SPED faculty member, or a volunteer who has conference that period. If I had to adminster a test aloud to a student in my room while my other students were testing then I would not be able to activly administer that test to my remaining students. One, they would not have the quiet the deserve, and two, the opportunity to cheat because my attention is focused elsewhere would be much easier.

 

[eduk8r26]

As a resource specialist when I write IEP's, I write is as an accommodation the student will take tests in the resource room when necessary and they come during the test time and I read to them if I need to, also for the state tests, although we are not allowed to read a reading test if it is a state test.

 

[3boymthr]

Not a teacher but mother to a children with IEP/504s. If my oldest DS had to take a test in a class where the test was being read aloud to another child at the same time he would fail the test, no ifs ands or buts about it because he'd never finish. Admittedly he is allowed extra time because of his distractability, but that then cuts into his class time for his other subjects thus causing him to be behind in those classes so he'd leave the test unfinished.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

So this one child's needs outweighs the rest of the room? There is nothing more distracting then someone talking during a test.

I agree.

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.

It absolutely does.

It hurts everyone as it is difficult to concentrate when someone is talking through the test. It is very distracting even for those without ADHD/ADD or any other LD. If I am on question 10 and the SPED student is on question 2, that helps no one but the SPED kid. Sorry, I disagree that a test should be read outloud to one child while the other 30 kids are trying to concentrate on their test. Even without the SPED factor is is just rude and inconsiderate.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Just throwing a random idea out there. It is nothing I have seen done, just soemthing I think would work in high school.

Assuming the accomidation is truly just to "read aloud" and NOT go into additional explanaition, etc., here is what I would try do:
As the teacher, record myself reading the test aloud. Leave decent sized pauses between questions so it is easy to hit pause without missing anything between each one. Better yet if you have the technology (and maybe the school needs to get it), put it on an iPOD or other MP3 with each question recorded as an individual track. The student can wear headphones and listen to the questions while taking the test during class time with the rest of the class.

 

[bumbershoot]

Was going to suggest what NHdisneylover just said.

Although hubby was never diagnosed with dyslexia (hadn't heard the term until I mentioned it to him after a discussion about how he reads) he probably should have been, and having a test read to him would have been the single most incredible thing that could have happened to him in his school years. (being allowed to answer the test verbally would have been even better)


It's so nice that schools let kids do these things now...

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My 9th grade son has the read aloud modification on his IEP. The teacher reads the question only if he feels he needs help with a word. Some of his classes have up to 14 inclusion students. It would be difficult to test all of those students separately.