5 SECRETS TO TEACHING ALTERNATE ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS WITHOUT SPENDING YOUR VALUABLE TIME CREATING MATERIAL
Teaching special education can be challenging, am I right? To make it even more difficult some have to teach alternate achievement standards without curriculum and a pacing guide {insert my hand raised real high}.
Teaching The Alabama Alternate Achievement standards
New Alternate Achievement standards have a lot of rigor to teach to children with significant cognitive disabilities. In my case, however, my state standards have changed several times in my short teaching curriculum. Unfortunately there aren’t textbooks and pacing guides given for these Alabama Alternate Achievement standards.
Alternate assessments for students with disabilities
Moreover, have you found yourself looking for simple yet essential special education curriculum for the Alabama Alternate Assessment Standards that will enable special education teachers to spend less time planning and more time teaching? I know I sure have! I also spend countless hours creating material that specifically focused on the targeted alternate achievements standards.
Alabama alternate assessment worksheets
Secret #1
First, Start early planning a curriculum map for your classroom. Think about the goals and standards you want to achieve with your students during this calendar year. Make sure to incorporate Community Based Instruction Trips/ Field Trip too!
Practice and teach for the Alternate Assessment examples
Secret #2
Next, gather printable material for the major and minor grades you will work on with your students. Also have a list of activities for each IEP goal so it’s readily available to work with when the time comes.
Train your staff on the standards Alabama Alternate standards
Secret #3
In addition, train your staff of routines and expectations for the classroom before the kids start. Work hard on routines and procedures the first month of school. It will be so beneficial to everyone in your room.
Be flexible when teaching the Alternate standards
Secret #4
Next, let it be known that you MUST be flexible in changing the schedule, the layout of your room and group pairings based on the student’s needs. We are problem solvers! If it doesn’t work like you want it to, don’t be afraid to change it up. In addition, find a community on social media that have similarity to your position to bounce ideas off of and gain insight. Find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
In addition, if the students take a state assessment no matter if it’s the alternate assessment, have the students become familiar with the format and what is expected of them to help reduce anxiety.
Here are some resources to help prep the students for the testing experience:
- Here are Item specs for ELA
- These Item specs for Math
- Item specs for Science
Special education and autism resources
Secret #5
Finally, use technology and task boxes during whole group and center time. It helps to reinforce and maintain Alternate Assessment examples and skills that are taught throughout the year. There are so many internet games and songs that focus on the standards you are expected to teach.
Have fun teaching the Alternate Achievement Standards
Last but not lease, you are an amazing special education teacher. I am cheering for you over here in my little corner of the internet. Start small, plan yet be flexible, and work hard with your team to establish a routine and it will be so worth it! If you are in need of more insight make sure to drop your email on the list below and follow me on social media.
