Syllabus

Educational Support Syllabus


COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The educational support class is an elective course for students who have an active Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The goal of the educational support course is mastery of IEP goals and improving academic performance in core academic and elective courses. Students are enrolled in one block, typically both semesters of the academic school year. Students earn an elective unit of credit per semester.

INSTRUCTIONAL PHILOSOPHY:

The 90 minute educational support class is comprised of direct instruction, small group learning, and individualized instruction. During direct instructional time, students are taught learning strategies to help improve academic performance in core academic courses. The time remaining in the tutorial setting is devoted to small group and individualized instruction, self-directed learning, and assistance with core content class work. Strategies of instruction are individualized according to the student’s learning style and academic areas of need. Computers, writers, graphic organizers, verbal and visual cues, and peer learning are used to support deficit areas.

Time Management (How classroom is organized for student learning):

15 Minutes: Preview and Review

30 Minutes: Direct Instruction and Group Activity

45 Minutes: Small Group and Individualized Instruction

Learning activities in the classroom include:

  • Teacher-led instruction, cooperative learning, differentiated learning, strategy instruction, and computer based practice varied for different types of learners.
  • Utilization of technology in order to increase student achievement.
  • Classroom seating arranged based on student need and class activity.
  • Students with small group, oral, and extended time accommodations will be provided time in the tutorial setting to ensure accommodations are provided in accordance with their IEPs.

COURSE GOALS / POWER STANDARDS:

  • Meet the goals of the individual education plans (IEPs).
  • Support the academics of the student: End of Course Exams (EOC’s), core academic courses, and elective courses.
  • Strengthen and enhance organizational skills.
  • Application of learning strategies proven to enhance individual student’s processing and storing of curriculum content.

*These standards are based on South Carolina English and Mathematics Standards.

TSW means “the student will” and TSWBAT means “the student will be able to”:

ELA Reading and Writing Standards:

1. TSW cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

2. TSW determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

3. TSW write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

4. TSW write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

5. TSW produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Mathematics Standards:

6. TSWBAT use a variety of mathematical tools in an efficient way to arrive at a solution to a given problem.

7. TSWBAT comprehend how rigid motion assists in the understanding of the definition of congruency.

8. TSWBAT analyze the many roles of a proof, emphasis is placed on making viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others through multiple representations.

9. TSWBAT understand how algebra can be used to efficiently & effectively describe & apply geometric properties.

10. TSWBAT understand proportional relationships between similar figures can be applied when describing a real-world context.

COURSE GOALS / LITERACY STANDARDS:

  • Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
  • Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

MAJOR COURSE ASSESSMENTS AND PROJECTS:

Unit 1: Learning Strategies

  • Organizational Skills
  • Test Taking Strategies
  • Using Close Reading Strategies to Support the Common Core
    • Number the paragraphs
    • Chunk the text
    • Underline/highlight the text
    • Use the left margin
    • Use the right margin
  • Building vocabulary
  • Organizing and developing a paragraph
  • Using the reading text to support your writing
  • Organizing and developing a paper

Unit 2: ELA (English IV)

  • Differentiated and small group instruction aligned to English IV course pacing.

Unit 3: Math

  • Differentiated and small group instruction aligned to math course pacing.

Unit 4: Transition

  • What are my IEP transition goals and why?
  • Career Surveys
  • Utilizing outside resources
  • Postsecondary Plans Research Project


ASSESSMENT AND GRADING PLAN:

Quarter Grade: Determined by the weighted average of assessments during the quarter. The assessments are classified as a minor assessment or major assessment.

Major Assessments: 60% (4 Major Assessments)

1. Learning Strategies

2. English (correlated with English 4 course)

3. Math (correlated with regular ed math course)

4. Transition (correlated with each student's IEP goals)

Minor Assessments: 40% (8 Minor Assessments)

Students will earn a weekly grade for 8 weeks each quarter for completed classwork in learning strategies, English, Math, and transition skills. Week 9 will be used for review and exams.

Mid-term Exams:

1st Semester: Will cover 1st quarter material.

2nd Semester: Will cover 3rd quarter material.

Final Course Grade:

1st Semester: 1st Quarter Grade (40%), 2nd Quarter Grade (40%), Final Exam Grade (20%)

2nd Semester: 3rd Quarter Grade (40%), 4th Quarter Grade (40%), Final Exam Grade (20%


*For more information regarding Common Core State Standards, please visit

http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards.