An inclusive classroom welcomes students of all ability levels. There may be students with learning disabilities, students who are gifted and/or talented, students who work at grade level, and students who work below grade level in one class. How does a teacher not only provide instruction for such a wide variety of abilities, but also assess student growth and progress?
Accessing Curriculum
Teaching strategies such as Universal Design for Learning give teachers a way to deliver
instruction to these various learners. Methods of delivery such as differentiating curriculum,
allow teachers to present the subject material in several different ways. The intent
is to make concepts and content understandable for students who are auditory,
visual, or kinesthetic learners.
Assessing Students Who Work at Grade Level
Students, who work at grade-level, are expected to learn
pre-determined concepts and content through the course of the school year. These are generally known as achievement standards. In
the U.S., many states use The Common Core for guidance in determining achievement standards at each grade level.
Some students work at grade level but need support accessing
the curriculum. For example, students who have hearing issues will use a
hearing aid to listen to the lesson. Other students may require larger print
material for vision challenges or even a speech-to-text program if the student
has difficulty with written output.
These accommodations are always outlined in an official document called a 504 Plan. They are provided without any changes to the learning outcomes. Students who work at grade level, regardless of any accommodations, are graded using the same system as other students.
These accommodations are always outlined in an official document called a 504 Plan. They are provided without any changes to the learning outcomes. Students who work at grade level, regardless of any accommodations, are graded using the same system as other students.
Assessing Students Who Work Below Grade Level
The students who work below grade level in an inclusive
classroom are NOT expected to learn and achieve the exact same standards as their peers. Why? As we know, inclusive classrooms teach to the level of the student. By teaching to the student’s level, he or she stays in the classroom and has access to the same social, emotional and intellectual experiences as his or her classmates.
Lesson content and standards of achievement are modified to better suit the student’s needs. Modified goals are recorded in the student’s Individual Education Plan. States such as Wisconsin have gone so far as to create an alternate set of Common Core standards as guidance for students on modified programs.
Fair is not Equal
As mentioned above, teachers assess student progress in an
inclusive classroom based on their ability to meet the achievement standards. Therefore, teachers have to adopt fair assessment practices for all students.
Remember, inclusive classrooms do not operate on the “equal treatment” of students, rather they give every student what he or she needs to succeed. Thus, inclusive classrooms are “fair classrooms”.
Remember, inclusive classrooms do not operate on the “equal treatment” of students, rather they give every student what he or she needs to succeed. Thus, inclusive classrooms are “fair classrooms”.
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| Fair vs Equal |
10 Tips for Grading Students with Disabilities
Here are some tips for teachers to help grade students with disabilities in the inclusive class:
Here are some tips for teachers to help grade students with disabilities in the inclusive class:
1. Stay consistent with school grading policy.
2. Stay consistent
with the student’s Individual Education Plan.
3. Collaborate with the special education teacher and other related school staff to develop a grading system.
4. Ensure that the modified assessment and grading system are recorded in the student's IEP.
5. Plan for grading. Decide who is responsible for grading, reporting periods, and
grading methods.
6. Share student progress frequently with parents and not only during report card time.
7. Communicate achievement standards and grading systems with students at the beginning of the school year.
8. Use a variety of ways to get a comprehensive
understanding of student progress through the use of:
a) Daily assignments
a) Daily assignments
b) Multiple formats of quizzes/tests such as multiple choice, Yes/No answers, cloze technique, long answer, and long answer responses
c) Performance assessments based on portfolios, demonstrations, projects and presentations
d) Student self-assessment
e) Observation of student learning and growth
f) Checklists
9. Use grading adaptations when giving traditional assessments to students
on modified programs. Dennis Munk, Ph.D. from the University of Kansas provides an extraordinary resource for teachers that describes adapted grading. Below are some of his suggestions for teachers:
a) Prioritize assignments that will cover most of the material
b) Incorporate progress on IEP objectives
c) Grade on processes used to complete work
d) Grade student effort, changing weights and scales
e) Assess progress made over time
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| Example of Tool for Grading Source: Dennis Munk, Ph.D. University of Kansas |
10. Refer to helpful resources that support grading in the inclusive classroom. Some resources are:
Classroom Assessment - BC Ministry of Education
Amy Laurent's Adapted Grading Rubric with a video tutorial
Grading Students with Disabilities
A Flowchart for Grading Students in the Inclusive Class
Fair is Not Always Equal FREE Poster from Brookes Publishing
QUIO Learning Maps
What types of grading methods do you use in your inclusive classroom?
Classroom Assessment - BC Ministry of Education
Amy Laurent's Adapted Grading Rubric with a video tutorial
Grading Students with Disabilities
A Flowchart for Grading Students in the Inclusive Class
Fair is Not Always Equal FREE Poster from Brookes Publishing
QUIO Learning Maps
What types of grading methods do you use in your inclusive classroom?
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