Common Core Accommodations - "Are Ya Ready?"

This last week I participated in presenting a "technology" overview of the PARCC test Accommodations as they relate to technology.

One of the "take-aways" for me wasn't the actual accommodations but the realization of the stamina and focus our students will need to have to be successful in completing the test.  So I have a couple of recommendations for teachers to help their students prepare for the test.

Remember this year "All" 3rd through 11th grade students will be required to take the exam.

1. Schedule into your weekly lesson plans at least 1 (more is better) activity related to the PARCC test.  The more you can integrate the technology skills into your lesson the better prepared students will be.
• There are 3 skills that would help students be prepared - and more than using them would be to introduce the terminology and the concept so when they read it on the test they already know what it means.
1. Drag & Drop - this is a heavily used function on the test.
2. Keyboarding - students are going to be required to type text into boxes to express their answers
3. Research - students will be required to find information in a lengthy text to justify their answer. - so the ability to find key text.
2. Utilize the PARCC website and their sample tests for your grade level
• Use this link http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/# to access either the ELA or the Mathematics sample test for your grade level.
• You can take the sample exams and get a foundational knowledge of what will be expected which will "inform" your lesson plans.
• You can have all students take a practice exam, so they will have an idea of what will be expected.  I would spread these practice session out over the next few months so the actual exam will be "old hat" when the actual exam time comes.
3. Learn the accessibility features that "all" students have, ie:
• Answer Masking • Audio Amplification • Eliminate Answer Choices • Flag Items for Review • Highlight Tool  --- etc... in Table 1 accessibility for all students
• Take a class and explore these prior to having the students take a practice exam.
4. Learn the accessibility accommodations that are required to be identified in advance for students that will require them.
• this has to be identified in advance and loaded into a students Personal Needs Profile (PNP)
• Work with your schools test coordinator to ensure your students PNP's are accurate and loaded correctly - trying to do so the day of the test will not work!
5. Learn the Accommodations required for students on an IEP a 504 plan or that are ELL.
• These need to be documented in their plans as well as in their PNP prior to testing in order to be allowed.
6. Here are a couple of valuable links to use as teacher resources
1. Teacher resources:  http://www.parcconline.org/for-educators
2. Accommodations Manual:  http://www.parcconline.org/parcc-accessibility-features-and-accommodations-manual

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Bryan's Technology App of the week

• 11-12.W.6    Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback,including new arguments or information.
• Use your imagination and create a lesson using google docs for a collaborative writing assignment among small groups using 5 words for each group member in the writing assignment from the Quizzitive APP.

Quizzitive: Great App for students preparing for the SAT. Increase your vocabulary by using 4 different activities.

Web Resource of the week - Newsela.com - Newsela is still in "free beta" so go sign up now and use it with your classes.  Grade level is more for upper grades maybe 8th thru 12th grade.  Incredible source for current events non fictional text about current events in the world.  Articles are current and broken out by content area - students read the article then take an assessment afterwards at a grade level specified by you.

You can supplement the tool by creating a writing assignment from the content. - Use google apps to have students share their writing back to you electronically.