Special Class
Special class placement provides students with a smaller student- to -teacher ratio (15:1:1) than the general education classroom, so that students may have a greater level of support within the classroom in the areas of science, social studies, math and ELA. A student may be placed in one , or all of these classes, based on the recommendation of the CSE and the development of the IEP. The placement of a student in a special class setting ( also called; Self-contained) is designed to help individuals with special needs meet their learning goals by the teacher's differentiating materials used during instruction, and the teacher's varying of the approaches to conveying content, based on a thorough understanding the student's unique learning styles . However, the core ideas, and the skills of the curriculum being taught, are fully in-line with the expectations of what the general education classroom teaches, and the common core. Students in special class placements receive a full exposure, and rigorous exploration of the curriculum, but with a more intensive level of teacher to student support.
READ 180
Students in special class ELA utilize the Scholastic reading program, READ 180. READ 180 is a reading intervention program that provides individualized instruction to meet each student’s reading needs. The students utilize classroom technology ( computer stations, or Chrome books) that allows them to work at their own pace, which also allows for the teacher to collect data based on their individual responses to each question the student responds to. The program then adjusts instruction to meet each students’ needs at their level, allowing them to make consistent progress towards mastering their reading goals.
Teachers typically begin, or end, each class session with whole-group instruction, administered away from the computer- based instruction. During this phase of instruction, students break into one of three rotations. First, the teacher leads small-group instruction, using the READ 180 work-text called the rBook, teachers monitor reading and differentiate instruction based on students’ needs. Second, students work independently in the READ 180 software. The software allows students to move through five Learning Zones: the Reading Zone, the Word Zone, the Spelling Zone, the Success Zone, and the Writing Zone. Third, the students read on their own in Independent Reading phase. Teachers may work wholly within the framework of materials in the program, or augment with their own selections, based on observed reading levels, and student interests to provide students with appropriate independent reading materials.
READ 180 is taught in a two- block ( two class period) session, to allow for the independent computer time, and the whole-group instruction, to take place.