Many students with learning disabilities (LD) struggle to develop text-writing fluency: the skill of accurately and efficiently composing multiple words into sentences and passages understandable to readers. In prior studies, researchers have used instructional assessments to control for task difficulty and identify precise areas of text-writing…

Students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) struggle to acquire and develop writing skills. To support their students' unique needs, it is important for teachers to monitor student writing progress to make instructional decisions based on data. In this article we describe methods for progress monitoring focused on…

"Inclusive Assessment" presents the complex procedures of the assessment process using an easy-to-follow, step-by-step approach. Each step includes practice exercises that introduce portions of assessment instruments, protocols, and scoring tables. You are given the background, guidance and tools you need to participate in the…

"Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum" emphasizes the how, what and why of curriculum development to help you create the most effective programs for young children ages 3 through 8. It's an all-in-one guide that brings together everything pre-service teachers need to implement an integrated, developmental approach to curriculum-based…

"Assessment of Gifted and High-Ability Learners" equips readers with the knowledge and skills to evaluate and document student progress using a cyclical systematic process. This book: (1) Highlights and explains the importance of curriculum-based assessments; (2) Connects classroom content with the assessment process; (3) Includes sample…

Intervention dosage is an often-overlooked aspect of implementation fidelity. Tracking intervention dosage is critical for ensuring students with disabilities were present for and received the intervention for as many minutes as intended. Used in tandem with student performance data, intervention dosage can provide a clearer picture of…

Although different authors define the SMART acronym differently, an IEP-related interpretation of the acronym is as follows: specific, measurable, action verbs, realistic, and time limited. In addition to these features, well-written IEP goals reflect students' unique strengths and needs. This article discusses how educators can produce specific,…

Reading proficiency is fundamental to school success. However, up to 50% of students with reading disabilities are not making adequate progress. Students who demonstrate persistent and severe reading difficulties require increasingly intensive instruction individualized to meet their instructional needs Individualizing instruction with…

This brief is intended to provide State Education Agency (SEA) and Local Education Agency (LEA) educators with a brief overview of key components of Michigan's Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi), a project designed to help schools develop schoolwide support systems in reading and behavior. The MiBLSi is helping districts…

This ERS "Focus On" discusses curriculum-based measurement (CBM), the most widely used research-based method for student progress monitoring, which is required in Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches. CBM is supported by nearly 30 years of empirical evidence of its effectiveness in monitoring student progress to increase…

Mandates emphasizing student achievement have increased the importance of appropriate assessment techniques for students in general and special education classrooms. Informal reading inventories (IRIs), designed by classroom teachers, have been proven to be an efficient and effective way to determine students' strengths, weaknesses, and strategies…

Three times a year, all students at one elementary school are universally screened using Curriculum-Based Measurements (CBM). This process allows school-based reading intervention and data teams to determine how students are responding to core reading instruction and which students would benefit from additional instructional support. This type of…

The most effective way to understand what a child knows about the reading process is to take a running record. In "Running Records", Mary Shea demonstrates how teachers can use this powerful tool to design lessons that decrease reading difficulties, build on strengths, and stimulate motivation, ensuring that children develop self-sustaining…

Children in general education are classified by measures of oral reading fluency (ORF) to determine the level of support needed for reading. In addition, teachers use ORF measures with children who receive special education services to determine whether they are making progress toward their reading goals. In this descriptive study, the authors…

This book focuses on how to provide effective instruction to K-12 students who find writing challenging, including English language learners and those with learning disabilities or language impairments. Prominent experts illuminate the nature of writing difficulties and offer practical suggestions for building students' skills at the word,…