Time for Literacy Instruction and Itinerant Service Delivery: Workload Implications
Adam Wilton, TVI, COMS
Nanaimo/Ladysmith School District
British Columbia, Canada
Outline for the Presentation
Background and Context – Self-Determination
Terminology – caseload vs. workload
Evidence base for instructional time
Advocacy Toolkit
Current study – Workload determination for TSVIs in inclusive settings: Administrator perspectives.
Literacy in the General Education Classroom
Careful use of instructional time (from ReadingRockets.org)
•"While language arts practice occurs throughout the entire school day, significant time must be protected for and dedicated to reading and language arts instruction. Schools dedicate a substantial amount of time each morning for reading and language arts instruction (e.g., 90 minutes or more)."
•"Language arts instruction includes daily reading aloud and discussion of high-quality literature, both fiction and nonfiction."
•"Systematic instruction in reading begins as early as kindergarten and continues throughout the primary grades. This careful, consistent instruction is based on thoughtful evaluation of data obtained from classroom observations, formal and informal assessments, and samples of student work."
Literacy in the General Education Classroom
Additional instructional time is associated with progress on early reading measures for struggling readers (Harn, Linan-Thompson, & Roberts, 2008).
Many popular reading programs/approaches prescribe periods of time to certain literacy activities (e.g., The Daily 5, The Four Blocks Literacy Model).
"Caseload"
oA "caseload" refers to the number of students with VI to which the TSVI provides service in accordance with goals and objectives collaboratively developed by the educational team and stated in the Individualized Education Plan or Program.
oMany studies and policy statements use caseload as a proxy for TSVI workload.
"Workload"
•Some communities of itinerant professionals in the K-12 education system instead refer to a professional's "workload."
oAmerican Speech-Language-Hearing Association - Workload refers to "all activities required and performed by school-based SLPs. SLP workloads include considerable time for face-to-face direct services to students. Workloads also include many other activities necessary to support students' education programs, implement best practices for school speech-language services, and ensure compliance with IDEA and other mandates."
Consequences of Unmanageable Workloads - Students
•Limited outcome data for students with visual impairment.
oJohnstone et al. (2009) report a significant negative correlation between caseload size and the percentage of students using reading accommodations on these assessments (e.g., CCTVs, screen-reading software).
oOutcome studies indicate that students served by SLPs with caseloads of less than 40 were significantly more likely (87%) to improve one functional level on articulation skills than students served by SLPs with caseloads of 60 and above (63%; Woltmann & Camron, 2009).
Consequences of Unmanageable Workloads - Teachers
•28% of early career special education professionals report workloads that are either not at all manageable, or manageable to a minimal extent (Billingsley, Carter, & Klein, 2008).
•Places teachers at greater risk for burnout and attrition (Embich, 2001).
•Role dissonance is a strong predictor of job-related stress for special education teachers (Gersten et al., 2001).
oChallenges associated with itinerant service may put TSVIs at risk for role dissonance.
Advocacy Toolkit
Formal
Stakeholder position statements
Caseload analysis tools
Peer-reviewed research
State/Provincial policy documents
Informal
Video documentation
Site visits
Student work products
Stakeholder Perspectives
•In the United States, Goal Statement #4 of the National Agenda (1998, 2004) states that "service providers will determine caseloads based on the needs of students."
•In Canada, the Canadian National Standards (2003) state that "the type and frequency of instruction and the services provided by the teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired will be based on the assessed needs of the student and the level of support required within both the home and school environments."
Caseload Analysis Tools
Tools to quantify itinerant service levels for individual students.
Ex: Michigan Severity Scales, VISSIT.
Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments: What Are They Teaching?
Wolffe, et al. (2002)
oObservational study of TSVIs from six states.
oParticipants spent most time engaged in academically oriented activities (27%) or tutoring (14%).
oLess time spent teaching areas of the Expanded Core Curriculum (7-9%/area).
Take Away: Limited instructional time may result in greater focus on core academics at the expense of ECC instruction.
Literacy for Students with Low Vision: A Framework for Delivering Instruction
•Corn & Koenig (2002)
oUsed Delphi method to survey experts on service levels required to teach literacy skills.
o35% of sample worked as itinerant staff.
oRecognition that students with low vision have specific instructional needs beyond general education curriculum.
oRecommendations for knowledge and skills requiring direct instruction, consultative service, or both.
Take Away: Students with low vision require considerations for literacy instruction beyond ensuring sensory access.
Ensuring High-Quality Literacy Instruction for Students in Braille Literacy Programs.
•Koenig & Holbrook (2000)
oUsed Delphi method to survey experts on service level required to deliver literacy programming in braille.
o30 teachers from variety of service delivery models plus 10 recognized experts.
oDeveloped recommendations for intensity/frequency of service at various stages of literacy skills development.
Take Away: High-quality literacy programming for students reading braille requires direct, sustained instruction across the student's academic career.
Current Study
•What are the important factors that special education administrators consider when determining TSVI workload?
oExamining education programming, legislative/policy, and personnel factors.
•Using the Delphi approach, surveying administrators at school district and state/provincial levels.
•Goal: To identify the administrative-level factors that enter into the process for determining itinerant TSVI workloads.
References
Billingsley, B., Carlson, E., & Klein, S. (2004). The working conditions and induction support of early career special educators. Exceptional Children, 70, 333-347.
Corn, A. L., & Huebner, K. M. (Eds.). (1998). A report to the nation: The national agenda for the education of children and youths with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities. New York: AFB Press.
Corn, A. L., & Koenig, A. J. (2002). Literacy for students with low vision: A framework for delivering instruction. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 96, 303-321.
Embich, J. L. (2001). The relationship of secondary special education teachers' roles and factors that lead to professional burnout. Teacher Education and Special Education, 24, 58-69. doi: 10.1177/088840640102400109
Harn, B. A., Linan-Thompson, S., & Roberts, G. (2008). Intensifying instruction: Does additional instructional time make a difference for the most at-risk first graders? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41, 115-125.
Johnstone, C., Thurlow, M., Altman, J., Timmons, J., & Kato, K. (2009). Assistive technology approaches for large-scale assessment: Perceptions of teachers of students with visual impairments. Exceptionality, 17, 66-75. doi: 10.1080/09362830902805756
Koenig, A. J., & Holbrook, M. C. (2000a). Ensuring high-quality instruction for students in braille literacy programs. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 94, 677-694.
National Coalition for Vision Health (2003). Canadian national standards for the education of children and youth who are blind or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities. Toronto, ON: Author. Retrieved Nov. 11, 2012 from
Wolffe, K. E., Sacks, S. Z., Corn, A. L., Erin, J. N., Huebner, K. M., & Lewis, S. (2002). Teachers of students with visual impairments: What are they teaching?. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 96, 293-304.
Woltmann, J., & Camron, S. (2009). Use of Workload Analysis for Caseload Establishment in the Recruitment and Retention of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists. Journal of Disability Policy Studies. Retrieved from