Dear Teaching to Diversity Discussion Group members,

Below please find the first three responses to the query
re “adapted” versus “modified” – how the terms are
understood and actualized in our schools/districts.

1st response)
1)  How are the two terms understood in your
school/district? In the middle school where I work,
students on adapted programs complete the same PLOs as
their classmates and receive letter grades with a notation
about 'adaptations as noted in the IEP.'

Students on modified programs do not meet some or all of
the PLOs for their grade and subject.  Instead, they are
assessed for their performance in relation to specific
learning outcomes tailored to thier individual learning
needs.  They receive a grade of 'IEP' on their report
cards with a notation indicating that a modified program
is in place.

2)  Is there confusion re understanding the terms and/or
their application? Teachers have trouble keeping them
straight so every year as we prepare report cards, I
remind the staff that "A" is a valid letter grade,
therefore adapted students get letter grades.  Since "M"
is not a valid letter grade, modified students are
assessed on their IEP goals and get "IEP" on the report
card.

3)  How are these terms put into practice?  At my school,
almost all students are initially given the opportunity to
attempt regular course work, and can be on an adapted
program as long as they are meeting 49.7% of the PLOs.
Adaptations commonly used include extra time, oral
assessment, scribes, readers, reduced workload, open book
, cue cards or reference material, handouts during
note-taking, use of computers and spellcheckers...

4)  Are there students who are not designated as students
with special needs, who are being provided with a modified
program? We sometimes have students with such huge
learning gaps (often from frequent moves) that they are
functioning well below grade level and require a modified
program as a result of their skills deficit.  No learning
disability or cognitive impairment has been identified,
but again, the family's transient lifestyle may have
interfered with the previous schools' ability to conduct
assessment.

5)  What procedures are followed when a student is placed
on a modified program?  (Perhaps you could describe one
scenario)
Student attempts regular grade level coursework, and fails
despite 1:1 help and a variety of adaptations.  Alternate
work in a simplified format is tried next, then we do some
in-house testing if the student is still struggling. The
student may be discussed at the School Based Team meetings
and a plan of action devised, which generally includes
assessment by the LAT department. Assessment includes
Woodcock Johnson III tests of Achievement, San Diego Quick
Reading assessment and a math diagnostic tool.  When
in-house testing identifies serious concerns, students are
typically referred for a psycho-educational assessment.

Since the testing process does not happen quickly, the
teacher and LAT may decide to use modified materials that
seem within the students grasp in order to promote
successful learning.  The subject-area teacher is
ultimately responsible for devising the actual assignments
that address the learning goals set out in the IEP. Where
a psych-ed report identifies a Specific Learning
Disability, the recommendations for the student's
programming generally come from the school psychologist if
the student is to be placed on a modified program.

  At the middle school level, we aim for adapted programs
wherever possible so that students can enter high school
prepared to graduate with a normal Dogwood certificate.
While we have general procedural guidelines, the
individual situation determines the approach taken by the
School-Based Team.
Gail

2)  Yes, this is a consistent concern and difficulty in
this district:

1. The two terms can be best expressed with the attachment
I sent earlier
  (access on the Teaching to Diversity site under
    http://www.bctf.ca/issues/resources.aspx?id=10834
Questions and Answers on the topic of Adaptations and
Modifications by Lavana Heel. PDF file; Acrobat Reader
required.)

2. There is a lot of confusion and variety re:
understanding the terms and application (as well as the
implications)

3. Yes, there are students not designated who are placed
on modified programs

4. The procedures vary from school to school as to how a
student is placed on a modified program. I have
recommended that the decision not be done in isolation but
with a team (SBT) with the attendance/input of the
administration and the parent recognizing the implications
of a modified program (se document attached). However, the
grey area of exactly when the student does not meet
performance standards is quite difficult and negotiable in
some cases. I have suggested that just being two grade
levels below in a test is not sufficient to make this
decision.
Lavana

3) What I really think is that the Ministry people looking
after this issue mustn't have a helluva lot of background
in ESL since the best way they can come up with to spend
their time is to equivocate between terms like this
instead of planning real policy and guidelines for ESL
delivery and putting efforts into getting expertise to
improve curriculum and teacher supports for ESL.
I mean really - get a grip guys.
These are smoke and mirror strategies to cover up a lack
of knowledge and expertise in a particular field, this
one, ELL.
They get a salary for that!!!!!  THAT'S THE BEST USE OF
THEIR SKILLS!!!!!
Oh man, are we in trouble - but not as much as the ELL
themselves.
Is this group going to play along, or give the Ministry
direction and reiterate the real needs as advocates for
our ELL???
Mary

********************************************************************
Marilyn Miller, Moderator
Teaching to Diversity Discussion Group
Teaching to Diversity Website Content Coordinator
http://www.bctf.ca/IssuesInEducation.aspx?id=10564
bctf-diversity@list...

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