BELLE VERNON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

GENERAL SYLLABUS OUTLINE

**This syllabus is subject to change**

Course Name:

Instructional Support Team (I.S.T.)

Grade:

Targeting Early Intervention

1.)

Course Description:

The Instructional Support Team (I.S.T.) is an innovative program whose goals are to maximize individual

student success in the regular classroom, while at the same time serving as a screening process for

students who may be in need of special education services.

2.)

Learning Standards:

Reading Standards:

1.1

Learn to Read Independently

1.2

Reading Critically in All Content Areas

1.3

Read, Analyze, and Interpreting Literature

1.4

Types of Writing (narrative, informational, persuasive)

1.5

Quality of Writing

1.6

Speaking and Listening (including discussion and presentation)

1.7

Characteristics and Functions of the English Language

1.8

Research

Math Standards:

2.1

Numbers, Number Systems and Number Relationships

2.2

Computation and Estimation

2.3

Measurement and Estimation

2.4

Mathematical Reasoning and Connections

2.5

Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication

2.6

Statistics and Data Analysis

2.7

Probability and Predictions

2.8

Algebra and Functions

2.9

Geometry

2.10

Trigonometry

2.11

Concepts of Calculus

3.)

Student Objectives:

v  To meet the needs of students experiencing difficulties in school.

v  To serve as a mechanism for screening students who many be eligible for special education services.

4.)

Course Text:

v     Informational Pamphlet Outlining the Instructional Support Team Process

v     Parent Guide To the Instructional Support Team

v     Classroom Texts

5.)

Major Units or Themes:  (Include the following)

v     To gain information about curricular variables:

Instructional tasks used and instructional level

Classroom performance expectations

Instructional strategies in place

Opportunities for guided practice and independent practice

v     To gain information about student variables:

Performance of student compared to expectations

Academic skills and learning times

Coping skills

Learning strategies

Behavior

Teacher-student communication/interaction patterns

6.)

Teaching Methods:

v     The support teacher meets with the classroom teacher to gather information about the concern.

v     The support teacher collects information from the students' records, typically:  grades, attendance,

achievement test results, disciplinary records, failure notices, retentions in grades, health

screenings, and speech and language screenings.

v     The support teacher does observations of the student in the situation where the problems is occurring

v     The support teacher meets with the student to gather additional information for the Instructional

Support Team meeting.

v     The support teacher coordinates an Instructional Support Team meeting, including, the building

principal, the student's classroom teacher, the support teacher, and the parent(s) of the student.

(The parents are encouraged to participate as active partners in the process)

v     The support teacher may envoke the assistance of the school psychologist, guidance counselor,

Title I teachers (reading and/or math), speech pathologist, school nurse, and representatives from

community agencies.

v      The Instructional Support Team develops strategies based on congruence with the stated concern.

Strategies are considered according to their feasibility in the classroom and develop mental

appropriateness.

v     Based on outcome of observations, assessments and interventions, the instructional support team

and teacher may refer the student for a multi-disciplinary evaluation.  Students who are found to be

in need of further evaluation are referred for multi-disciplinary evaluation.

7.)

Assessment:

v     The support teacher conducts time on tack observations of the student.

v     The support teacher conducts Curriculum Based Assessment (CBA) which directly assess

the student performance within the regular course content for the purpose of defining instructional

needs.  Actual classroom materials are used to determine student comprehensions and to gauge

the student's instructional level.

v     The support teacher facilitates the Slosscon Oral Reading Test (SORT) to determine

student reading level.

v     Conner's Rating Scale

v     Burk's Rating Scale

v     Support teacher-made Kindergarten assessment

v     Behavior/academic checklists to classroom teacher and special area teachers.