[etni] english teacher LD forms
- From: Sharon Tzur <sharontzu5@xxxxxxx>
- To: granny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 15:49:55 +0200
Visit the ETNI site - http://www.etni.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dear Etniers:
As someone who has just completed a year's hishtalmut on the subject "School
LD Coordinators", I'd like to bring to the attention of the Etni community a
fact that might surprise you. Iris writes that she feels it's unfair for
English teachers to fill out forms for their LD students because "we are not
the ones who have decided whether a pupil should or should not enjoy the
hatatmot." Well, the surprising fact is that, YES, WE are the ones who
decide the Hatamot (except for oral testing and "mituam", which are
determined by a regional committee.)
It is the pedagogical council of the school which is empowered to determine
all the other Hatamot. Yes, the student needs to have an "Ivchun"
(=diagnostic testing??)- but the Ivchun is not the be-all and end-all. The
Hatamot are supposed to be given only after the teachers have determined
that the student needs the hatamot, and that the hatamot actually help
assess the student more fairly. For example, if you have a student whose
ivchun says "extra time", but the student always finishes exams before the
other students - then the moatsa pedogogit should not give the student that
hatama. (Or, it can give extra time only in those subjects where the student
does need it.). Similarly, if you have a student do a regular exam and
compare the results to an exam in which the student had HaKraat Sheilon -
and the student shows no improvement at all, then he/she is not a suitable
candidate for HaKraat Shilon - even if the ivchun lists such a
recommendation.
In other words, we, the teachers, are supposed to be an integral part of the
process of determining the HaTamot. Even in the case of the oral exam and
Mituam - the pedagogical council is supposed to meet, and to collect
evidence that the student needs oral testing (or mituam) and that oral
testing leads to a better result than regular testing - and send along the
evidence and the recommendation to the regional committee, which makes the
final determination.
Furthermore, all of the above is supposed to be DOCUMENTED. In other words,
the school is supposed to collect samples and evidence of the effectiveness
of the Hatamot. For example - an exam done without HaKraat Sheilon and
another exam of the same level done with - etc. etc.
True, we have so many LD students that schools often cut corners on the
process - they simply look at the recommendations of the Ivchun, and copy
them down for all the subjects. However, this is NOT what the process is
supposed to be.
BTW - over the years, I've come across many examples of recommendations that
had nothing to do with the students' problems. I remember one student who
was given HaKraat Sheilon, who had NO need for it, but he did need to
dictate his answers to a tape, due to a tremendous gap between his oral and
written skills. So our input is very important.
Yes, filling out forms is a burden, but it is the best way to make sure that
teachers are actually actively involved in the process of determining
Hatamot.
I agree with Irit about the Hatama of dictating answers. It's very
problematic, and typing would answer the needs of many students.
Sharon Tzur
##### To send a message to the ETNI list email: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx #####
##### Send queries and questions to: ask@xxxxxxxx #####
Other related posts: