Welcome• While we are gathering…– Enjoy some breakfast– Introduce yourself to someone you don’t

know– Jot down 3 barriers that prevent your

students from being successful in Algebra–Complete the math problem – Tynan’s

Blocks

Success In Algebra

February 28, 2013Leitchfield, KY

Facilitated by the P12 Math and Science Outreach Unit of PIMSER, UKFunding provided by Council on Post Secondary Ed

ACCESSIBILITY

ASSESSMENT

MATH CONTENT

STUDENT

ENGAGEMENT

Grant Specifics

SIA Specifics

Simulation: No N Story

Goal• To step into the shoes of someone who experiences difficulty

Directions1. Add to the story but do not use any words that contain the letter

“n.”For example, do not use the words Notebook or Student or Then

2. Each person needs to add a full sentence to the story.

There was a boy called Jack who…

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Whole GroupDiscussion

• How did it feel to do the simulation?

• What did you think about when you were waiting for your turn?

• How did your group respond when someone said a word with the letter “n”?

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As We Move Forward…

• Keep in mind what it might be like to be a student with a learning disability.

• These students need to work extra hard to do some tasks that come easily to others.

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What is involved in a Math Task?

• Conceptual• Language• Visual-Spatial• Organization• Memory• Attention• Other– Fine motor, social skills, perseverance, …

Barrier Discussion

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

Randy PauschThe Last Lecture

Break15 minutes

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What Do We Mean by “Accessibility”?

• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) builds on principles in architecture– Accessible building design: Wheelchair ramps that are part of the initial

design compared to those that were added later

– Broad benefits of accessibility: many people benefit from curb cuts

• Physical access is not enough. Students with disabilities need access to learning significant mathematics.

• Students with disabilities are part of a continuum of learner differences, not a separate category. Plan for a continuum of learners.

Source: www.cast.org

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Retrofitting vs. Integrated Design

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Goals and Cautions for Accessibility Strategies

Goals• Improve student learning by making the math more

accessible• Address students’ needs and build on their strengths• Increase student success and independence

Cautions• Do NOT lose the integrity of the mathematics• Do NOT set expectations too low for students

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Math Accessibility Framework

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Align StrategiesPlan and Implement Evaluate and Revise as Needed

Identify Barriers

Consider theMath Student

Patterns ProblemTynan used small squares to make each figure shown in the pattern below.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

• If the pattern continues, how many small squares will be in Figure 10?

• Based on this pattern, how could you figure out the number of small squares in any figure number?

• Write an expression to find the number of squares in Figure n.

Part 1a - Consider the Math

First Question:

1. What are the math goals?• If we don’t know the goals then we

could make accommodations that take away important mathematics.

Talk with a partner and fill out the first part of the top left box of the Accessibility Framework.

Possible Math Goals

• Identify and extend a pattern• Generalize about a pattern• Write an expression to represent a pattern• Math Standards:– Solve mathematical problems using numerical and

algebraic expressions– Make sense of problems and persevere in solving

them– Look for and make use of structure

Part 1b - Consider the Math

Second Question:

2. What are the task demands on students?• We need to consider what students need to

do to solve the problem and whether those tasks might cause barriers to learning the math.• Conceptual, Language, Visual-Spatial• Organization, Attention, Memory, Other

Talk with a partner and complete the top left box of the Accessibility Framework.

Possible Task Demands

• Conceptual Demands– Figure out how the pattern is growing and extend it– Generalize about the pattern– Write an algebraic equation to represent the pattern

• Language Demands– Understand the meaning of an equation and the difference

between an expression and equation– Understand what the phrase ‘any figure’ means and what

‘figure n’ means– Write an explanation

• Visual-Spatial Demands– Interpret a visual representation of the pattern– Draw the next figure in the pattern

Math Goals

• Solve the Fundraising Problem

• Apply understanding of part to whole relationship in fractions

• Represent mathematical relationships with expressions

• Translate a written description into an algebraic equation

• Use an equation to solve for several unknowns

Task Demands

• Conceptual• Language• Visual-Spatial• Organization• Memory• Attention• Other

• Conceptual– Write an equation to

represent a verbal description– Understand what the variable

“n” means

• Language– Read and understand the clues– Write an explanation

• Visual-Spatial– Represent the fraction visually

by shading in part of the bar

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Part 2: Consider the Student• Meet with your district group. Each person in the

group chooses a different student. – Celia– Victoria– Owen– Larry

• Complete the top right portion of the Accessibility Framework with the strengths and difficulties of your student.

• Discuss your student with your team.24

Part 3: Identify Potential Barriers

• What potential difficulties do you think your sample student would have with this math problem?

• Discuss with a partner and write these in the middle section of the Accessibility Framework.

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Part 4: Align Strategies

1. Each person gets 4 strategy cards.

2. Find 2 strategies that are a good match to your student and the math problem.– Trade for new cards.– Rejected cards go face up in the middle so others can use them.– Work together to find good strategies for each student.

3. Discuss the strategies. • What strategies did you pick? • Why are they a good match?

4. Write your strategies in the bottom section of the Accessibility Framework.

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Group Strategy Discussion

• Divide into 4 groups by student:Celia Victoria Owen Larry

• Bring the 2 strategy cards you chose• Discuss:– What strategies did you select? Why?– What strategies do you use with similar students?

• Be prepared to share 2 ideas with the whole group.

What if you had all these students?

You probably do!• Many strategies are helpful for all students, not just

those with disabilities• Many strategies can be used throughout the year• Alignment is key!

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Lunch

Student Engagement Strategies

Active Participation AND

Cognitive Engagement

Fluency and How it Connects to Being Successful in Algebra

Mastering the Basic Facts

“The Common Core State Standards carefully state that students will know ‘from memory’ their facts. This is a result of repeated experiences with reasoning strategies and not because of time spent memorizing.”

Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Teaching Developmentally

The Professional Development Editionpp 183-184

Students who continue to struggle with the facts often fail to understand higher mathematical concepts; their cognitive energy gets pulled into computation when it should be focusing on the more sophisticated concept being developed (Forbringer & Fahsl, 2010).

Elementary and Middle School Mathematics Teaching Developmentally

The Professional Development Editionp 184

What to Do and What Not to Do when Teaching Basic Facts

• With your district level team complete the card sort activity

• Be prepared to share one insight with the whole group.

Fact Remediation

• Count off by 7 to create seven groups.• Each group discuss the corresponding Fact

Remediation statement from pages186-187.• Share with whole group

Multiple Means of Practice

• Games – see page 187• Salute! • Bowl a Fact

Multiplication/Division Strategies

• Read Van de Walle book pages 181-183• Complete the Reasoning Strategies for

Multiplication and Division Facts Handout• With your building level partner use the TPT of

Confer, Compare and Clarify

Follow-up/

Coaching Visits

Homework

• Choose a Focal Student– Pick a student with a learning disability who:• Struggles in math• Engages in class work and attempts to solve problems• Is willing to work with you• Has regular attendance

– Complete the Focal Student Planner, Part 1 and 2

• With your district liaison and Karen set a date for Coaching Visit 1

Session Reflection and Feedback

Future Dates

• March 22, 2013• June 25-27, 2013• Fall dates TBA• Coaching dates to be scheduled