NYSED Quality Review and Resource Guides for Literacy and Learners with Moderate/Severe Disabilities

Teachers in New York State may be utilizing the Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides for Literacy (attached below) as a frame for planning and implementing effective literacy practices at the classroom, team and school level. Teacher preparation programs in New York are also likely to be referencing these guides to support pre-service teachers' development as literacy professionals.

This site can help teachers and pre-service teachers to plan and implement literacy instruction for students with moderate and severe disabilities which reflect the Quality Indicators from the Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides for Literacy. Students described as having moderate or severe disabilities would certainly be among those who require "Specially Designed Intensive Reading Instruction."

The resources from the Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides for Literacy related to "Specially Designed Intensive Reading Instruction for Students with Disabilities" organizes indicators of quality literacy programs into the following Components:

•  EXPLICIT AND COMPREHENSIVE

What instructional routines exist that include a direct instruction model; modeling, guided practice, student independent practice and application with feedback, and generalization of skill?

How is intensive reading instruction more explicit and focused than typical reading instruction?

• ASSESSMENT AND BENCHMARKING

What process has been used to identify and document individual skills and targeted needs unique to each student?

How is instruction in individual skills presented at the student's instructional level?

How often and in what ways is student progress in targeted skills monitored?

• INTENSIVE PROGRAMMING

How are interventions selected to target student specific deficits?

What structures are in place to increase instructional time and/or reduce teacher student ratio?

•   SCHOOL-WIDE SUPPORTS

What school-wide supports are utilized to target at-risk students' individual needs?

What supports teaching of metacognitive and self-regulation strategies are planned to assist struggling students?

How are interventions informed by results of assessment, aligned with assessment results implemented with fidelity and consistently monitored?

• MOTIVATION AND ENGAGEMENT

What motivation/engagement strategies are employed to enhance student's investment in literacy?

How does professional staff effect and monitor student engagement?

For more information, See Table 1, Quality Indicator Review and Resource Guides for Literacy: Specially Designed Intensive Reading Instruction for Students with Disabilities and Considerations for Learners with Moderate/ Severe Disabilities