Mathematics Instruction for Students with Special Needs

Catalog description

Research-based practices for teaching mathematics skills to students with special needs. SPLED 409C Mathematics Instruction for Students with Special Needs (3) Research-based assessment, instruction, and intervention strategies for teaching mathematics skills to struggling students, students with learning disabilities, and chronically low performing students will be described in this course. Students will identify (a) the risk factors associated with mathematics disabilities, (b) effective prevention and remediation models of mathematics disabilities, (c) characteristics of scientifically based instruction in content-area skills (e.g., counting, addition, fractions, problem solving, geometry, algebra) for K-12 students with disabilities, and (d) how to effectively provide and assess the effects of such instruction while provided in general and special education classrooms. This course builds on prerequisite Special Education courses in curriculum and instructional methods. Students in SPLED 409C will have achieved mastery in assessment, curriculum, and instructional methods. The content offered in this course adds to the existing course content by specifically addressing how to teach content-area skills for students with special needs. Written responses and/or online discussion board posts for assigned readings will be required for the topic areas. Written evaluations, online quizzes, and class assignments will be given to assess student learning throughout the course time period. Students learning will be further evaluated through projects that demonstrate understanding of classroom-based assessment, curriculum development, and the instructional methods required to effectively teach content-area mathematics skills to students with special needs. Student applied projects, in coordination with practicum placement, for mathematics instruction will include: (1) the collection of baseline mathematics performance data for a student with special needs, (2) development of a curriculum scope and sequence, (3) development of a research validated instructional intervention, (4) implementation of the intervention, (5) on-going data collection throughout instruction and after instruction, and (6) development and implementation of an instructional plan for maintenance and generalization. To demonstrate understandings of teaching content area mathematics skills, students will prepare a lesson on a math concept for a teaching demonstration using the instructional strategies and techniques learned during the class.