Supporting Students Who Are Low Achieving Bice see ie ees out cmon a matey with a uniquely varied learning profile. Uncovering how each child thinks and feels about mathematics is one ofthe most fulfilling and rewarding opportuni- ties we have as teachers, Among those students with identified lesming challenges, no two are ever she same, though some may share certain ‘similar leaming patterns such as difficulty with efficient and organized thinking or trouble retrieving what they know (Swanson é Deshler, 2003) However, two students diagnosed with attentional and memory difficul- ties may have entirely different readiness skis in different areas of math. “Although familiarity with each child’s learning profile is valuable, it is ‘equally important to know simply what each child can and cannot do for leach specific math unit because our preconceptions about their diagnosed Gificulties may bias us, and students often surprise us in wonderful and. tunexpected ways. Since the varying units, such as algebra versus geometry, draw on. diverse underlying capabilites (symbolic thinking, language skill, or ‘visual reasoning), students need opportunities, such as diagnostic preas- seasments and continuous formative assessments, to show what they Ihave and have not yet mastered before and during each separate unit. ‘Then based on what teachers learn from these assessments, differentiated 79content supors can be offered to dress student’ lamin ned Jet leering needs and to help them Be more stage in how they lem overale, However tome sens with or cover ape or leening challenges wil rue ‘mor than the Lindo of eustrents recommended fa Ina sense, we Iay need fo intent ou efor to diferente how we tach ther [Atdough dliferenation finer Bus copter the empha ‘eran on promoting sltdiracton and having sodents papas in Gircting the nent stops nese for to leg ab mucha thy can One caveat to keepin mind teoughout his chapter and book sth a “sent may fly master al ita earings mah me Jeph, but taming a level of proficency on each of thee sho always be the goal. ® us Beyond addressing diferencs in readiness levels for ech specie i id itv hp cher cnn aw ey rena supprt for the undrying mor serous diel den ‘may have in three areas: ae 1 Basie facts + Concepts * Procedures Response to Intervention Tier Il Interventions Described in This Chapter Basie Facts: + aie t's dep asptnae ates + Wace aelnow bale sony se pee teal eens {obuld btc fat nega lege we drome ad eres « Ue end opens Concept Knowedge Gat ety spp ee cdo cts np Cnc ho ming Present information in graphic organizers. ay Dre tech gen rie rota hein opine Prcedres ' reassess procedures to develop systematic Ist to address Use dstributed pracice over me rather than massed practice at once. + Hove students create cheklss of procedural steps. Teach heurss Design sce, SurPoRTING sTUBENTS WHO ARELOW AcHiEMING BT DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION IN BASIC FACTS Beverly knows her basi fcs but res them slowly. She dreads beng exked i front of the class to workout problems because sh’ even slower to recall them when anous. Steer, onthe ther han, never quite mastered the basic fc Sobing 6x7 can take o few minutes she lborously ada up seven 6s Both of them have trouble with Tonge caleations Beeuse they cannot pull yp their base fot quickly. ‘By middle school, students particularly disike drilling basic facts. However research suggests it is crcl that they know and do these effort- Iesuly to free up their mental resources, organize and monitor their think- ing, and focus on the higher order aspects of middle school math (Delazar o.,2003). This may also be important if students are not given certain kinds of accommodations. Teachers do need to advocate forthe small per- ‘centage of students who simply cennot master the basic fats because that { part oftheir disability and they should be allowed to use calculators, in line with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) guide lines. For those who can learn basic facts yet use calculators, the research Js mixed on whether accommodstions such as calculator usage increase the performance of these students (Tindal & Ketterin-Geller, 2008). AS students want tobe independent at this age and research shows fostering, self-direciness enhances achievernent (Montague, 2007), they respond well to support that allows them to take charge oftheir learning ofthese facts, in the following ways. To determine which students need support with basic facts, students ean take the preassessrient shown in Figure 4.1, and teachers an note when it is turned in, The timing should be discret—for ‘example, use a timer on a small computer screen—or it might heighten anxiety. Teachers should have the entire class do this, and note time rheeded on each. Then class ncrms can be used to determine which Students perform these most slowly and so would need practice to ‘nerease their speed "To differentiate which students know the facts, but are slow, from those who lack conceptual strategies for solving them, the last question asks them to explain strategies for solving various problems. Students fan self-score these preassessments with blue ink (“all pencils away”) land then ereate a plan for how they will learn the strategies and increase their speed (see Figure 4.2). Students should be given the ‘opportunity to retake alternate versions of the test every 2 weeks before oF after school or during a lab or fre period. When they ask to set up. fan appointment to retake the quiz, they must bring a log of how and ‘when they practiced (see Figize 4.3). Some teachers have difficulty setting students to make an effort to improve and retake the quiz every 3 weeks, so they mark down a student's homework grade.Basic Facts 1 exe oon 3 sue . os me are oxs see 4 ex? a * se tex? goa . oe ts 1-7 woe 6 ar es ves , aise 3x6 axe a esa ae ‘plan how a person who ca rca fact can she: or aoe My Plan to Improve My Basic Calculations SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO ARE Low acHievina BB speed of acauney (cre oe) esd en my poeesacament, Ik to imerove: “Te probios | gured ot most slowly or cout ea wer: My pan to improv is eouress: Webster: Distt res prac: