Developing a Learning Progression for Making Inferences 1

Minnesota’s Story 1997 Access to the General Curriculum Language in IDEA 2001 NCLB Legislation 2007 Regulations of NCLB – – IEP Goals based on Grade-Level Academic Content Standards 2008 MDE Decides on MCA-Modified 2009 Standards-based IEP Workgroup 2010 Training Materials 2

The Big Question What do we do for those students who are currently performing multiple years below grade-level? 3

Consider Learning Progressions A sequenced set of subskills and bodies of enabling knowledge that students must master en route to mastering a more remote standard -Adapted from Popham, Transformative Assessment (2008) 4

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Invitation to Margaret Heritage 6

Characteristics of Learning Progressions progressions lay out in successive, sequenced steps, increasingly more sophisticated understandings of core concepts and principles in a domain progressions are based on research and conceptual analysis progressions describe development over an extended period of time. Are conceptually coherent (Heritage, M. 2009) 7

In Theory 8

Polling Question What is the practical difference between a learning progression and task analysis? 9

In Practice 10

First Attempt 11

Next Iteration 12

Polling Question Did you have an aha moment here? 13

Next Iteration 14

Almost There 15

A1A1 A1A1 A2A2 A2A2 A3A3 A3A3 A4A4 A4A4 A5A5 A5A5 A6A6 A6A6 A7A7 A7A7 A8A8 A8A8 A9A9 A9A9 B1B1 B1B1 B2B2 B2B2 B3B3 B3B3 B4B4 B4B4 B5B5 B5B5 C1C1 C1C1 C2C2 C2C2 C3C3 C3C3 C4C4 C4C4 C5C5 C5C5 C6C6 C6C6 C7C7 C7C7 C8C8 C8C8 C9C9 C9C9 D1D1 D1D1 D2D2 D2D2 D3D3 D3D3 D4D4 D4D4 D5D5 D5D5 Legend Extended text and discourse knowledge Phrase and sentence level knowledge Word level knowledge Experiences and prior knowledge 16

A1A1 A1A1 A2A2 A2A2 A3A3 A3A3 A4A4 A4A4 A5A5 A5A5 A6A6 A6A6 A7A7 A7A7 A8A8 A8A8 A9A9 A9A9 B1B1 B1B1 B2B2 B2B2 B3B3 B3B3 B4B4 B4B4 B5B5 B5B5 C1C1 C1C1 C2C2 C2C2 C3C3 C3C3 C4C4 C4C4 C5C5 C5C5 C6C6 C6C6 C7C7 C7C7 C8C8 C8C8 C9C9 C9C9 D1D1 D1D1 D2D2 D2D2 D3D3 D3D3 D4D4 D4D4 D5D5 D5D5 Menu Definition and Rationale Assessment Strategies Connecting Understandings Developing Understanding 17

Using Learning Progressions for Writing Standards-based IEP Goals 18

What We Had to Work With: Legal Requirements A. Legal requirement to create SB-IEP goal for a student who is significantly below grade level taking MCA Modified B. Standards and benchmarks skills between the grade 3 and 5 benchmark that enable an inference? 19

What We Had to Work With: Models of Good Reader Behaviors Questioning Making Connections Background Knowledge Predictions Imagination/ Visualization Analysis of Text Drawing conclusions Inferencing 20

Visual Input Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge Linguistic System Phonology, Syntax, Morphology Orthographic System Mapping to phonology Orthograph ic Units Phonological Units Word Identification Lexicon Meaning Morphology Syntax - argument structure - thematic roles Meaning and Form Selection Parser Comprehension Processes Situation model Text Representation Inferences NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge Perfetti (1999); Perfetti, Landi & Oakhill, 2005 What We Had to Work With: Theoretical Models and Research 21

What We Had to Work With: The Notion of a Learning Progression Characteristics of a Progression: Lays out a map/sequence of steps or increasingly more sophisticated understandings of core concepts/principles/skills in a domain Based on research and conceptual analysis of core ideas/principles/skills required for expertise Describe development over an extended period of time Are conceptually coherent Heritage,

Using Learning Progressions: Getting to a Realistic SB-IEP Goal 1.Create a progression in an IEP meeting to derive an IEP goal 2.Create a progression prior to the IEP meeting 3.Create progressions that are validated and useful for team discussions (feedback from experts) 4.Create a progression that tackles a high leverage skill – Hardest to learn & hardest to teach= Inferencing Works for All kids but identifies what is impacted for kids with different disabilities Accounts for inferencing as a life skill not just a literacy skill Moves us from functional to academic goals 23

We See a Progression as a Useful Tool in Pinpointing the Learning Integrates multiple disciplines of knowledge into understanding inferencing Becomes a team tool for discussion – Shared vocabulary in understanding performance data as well as talking about the skill of inferencing – Facilitates selection and design of SB-IEP goals for inferencing across multiple standards – Shared instructional responsibility for goals 24

Expert Feedback on the Progression Sent to National Experts to Review – Learning Disabilities – Reading – Speech Language Pathology – Education Psychology One Verbal & Four Written Responses Responses Reviewed & Integrated More Research Considered 25

Let’s Look at the Progression 26

Inferencing is Situated in Multiple Standards 27

Inferencing is Situated in Multiple Standards 28

Inferencing is Situated in Multiple Standards 29

Understandings Necessary for Making an Inference Critical Knowledge The headers are the understandings that have to come together every time to make an inference from text For IEP goals we are looking for patterns beyond a single experience with text Anticipating where understandings can be insufficient or break down informs assessment and instruction Fluid reasoning, working memory and attention a requisite cognitive skills that can be over-whelmed anywhere along the way 30

Vertical Progressions: Build in Complexity and Depth A.1-A.12 Takes us from concrete to abstract (roots of reasoning, abstracting, etc.) Initial experiences build to patterns then from patterns into generalizable or abstracted understandings We build with experience and engaging with others Typical breakdowns occur when personal knowledge and experience are not accessed 31

Inferences Require Fluent Activation and Integration Across the Progression 32

Let’s Practice with The Progression Unpacking examples of some students with disabilities 33

Fluent Activation and Integration Across the Progression is not Linear Ramona knows that her feet are getting bigger, but she doesn't think that they are comparable to those of the ten-feet tall mythical creature. " Superfoot to you, Yard Ape," she retorts. 34

Learning Progressions Are Not Disability Specific: A Student with Pragmatic Language Deficits Ramona knows that her feet are getting bigger, but she doesn't think that they are comparable to those of the ten-feet tall mythical creature. " Superfoot to you, Yard Ape," she retorts. 35

One Example of Breakdown in Performance: Weaknesses in Sustaining Attention 36

One Example of Breakdown in Performance: Retrieval Weakness Lack of quick and efficient activation at these points can cause a break in coherence making it difficult to maintain comprehension across an experience or piece of text Teachers must help mitigate breaks in coherence with instruction, compensatory strategies, and/or accommodations. 37

Presume Breakdown is in Language: The Progression Isn’t Just About Text What understanding is required to determine if this is funny? Students can have breakdowns in inferencing ability unrelated to text. 38

Can the Progression Work for Kids with Severe Cognitive Disabilities? Students can be working on the skill of inferencing at the earliest stage of a progression. This may be a functional goal that via a progression translate into an academic goal Where is the highest level of inferencing produced? 39

Discussion Question Is the learning progression a viable option for students with severe cognitive disabilities? 40

Evolving Iterations Would you be interested in joining the Community of Practice? 41