EDUC 596: Topic Six

***Using Data-Based Instruction to Improve the Learning Outcomes of Students Who are Difficult to Teach***
Description	Assignments	Grades	Progress	Roadmap	Lecture Hall	DBI Examples	E-Mail

Focus Questions for Topic 6 What makes these examples of data-based instruction effective?

There are five tables showing 28 examples of applying data-based instruction for individual students with specific types of disabilities as well as at the whole-class level. Please select three examples. Read and analyze each one carefully by applying the information on the ABCs of DBI from Topic 5 and the information on methods to monitor student progress from Topic 4. E-mail your answer to the focus question to your instructor.

**Table 6.1: Examples of Data-Based Instruction**
Grade Level	Type of Special Need	Curriculum Area	Author of DBI
Elementary	Three 4th Grade Boys with *Learning Disabilities*	Vocabulary	"Margaret"
Middle School/ Junior High	7th Grade Boy with *Learning Disabilities*	Work Completion	"Elissa"
High School	17 year old Hispanic male with *Learning Disabilities*	Mathematics and Life Skills	"Pat"
Elementary	2nd grade boy with *Emotional Handicaps*	Anger Management	"Heidie"
Middle School/ Junior High	12 year old 7th grade boy with *Emotional Handicaps*	Organization	"Cathy"
High School	16 year old male with *Emotional Handicaps*	Self Monitoring	"Art"
Elementary	6 year old girl with *Mental Retardation*	Communication	"Suzie"
Middle School/Junior High	12 year old girl with *Mental Retardation*	Vocabulary	"Steve"
High School	16 year old male with *Cognitive Disability*	Time Management Telling Time	"Patricia"

Table 6.2: Data-Based Instruction at the Whole-Class Level

High School American History Class	An Example from a Multicultural District
Junior High School Mathematics Class	The Impact of Cooperative Learning
Elementary Computer Problem Solving	Metacognition and Partner Learning

Table 6.3: Adapting Cooperative Learning

Grade Level	Type of Special Need	Curriculum Area	Author
Elementary (1st grade)	6 year old boy with visual impairment	Science	"MK"
Upper Elementary (6th grade)	11 year old boy with gifts and talents and abrasive interpersonal skills	Math Problem Solving	"CCP"
Junior High	13 year old girl with behavior disorders	Language Arts	"CCP"
Senior High	3 16 year old males with disruptive behaviors	Mathematics	"Chris & Eric"

Table 6.4: Applying Best Special Education Practices Summer 1997 Data-Based Instruction Projects

Special Learning Characteristics	Curriculum Area	DBI Author
*Six Boys with Learning Disabilities* in an ESL 2nd Grade Classroom**	Reading, Vocabulary, Work Completion, and Cooperation	"Rita"
4th Grade NonReader with Learning Disabilities	Improving Vocabulary and Spelling Acquisition	"Suzanne"
Kindergarten boy with Emotional Handicaps	Improving Self Esteem and Academic Competence through Instructional Supports	"DebbieL"
11 year old boy with Learning Disabilities and Emotional Handicaps	Improving Reading Comprehension and Written Expression	"DebbyZ"
Kindergarten ESL boy with Slow Acquisition and Low Retention	Improving Alphabet-Phonics Recognition	"Iris"
12 year old ESL boy with Learning Disabilities	Improving Mathematics, Reading, and Written Expression	"Michael"
5th Grade Boy with Gifts & Talents	Metacognitive Preplanning Prethinking & Self Recording to Improve Independent Research Skills	"Susan"
5th Grade Girl with Learning Disabilities	Improving Social Skills, Attention and Achievement in Mathematics Long Division	"Nancy"
7th Grade ESL Girl with Low Self Esteem and Participation	Improving Work Completion and Participation in Science Class	"Tacey"
17 year old High School Student with Attention Problems	Improving Performance in a Summer Spanish Class	"Mariela"

Table 6.5: Data-Based Instruction Examples from California State University San Marcos

Grade Level	Type of Disability	Curriculum Area	DBI Author
Elementary	3rd grade girl with Limited English Profiency and Low Self Confidence	Mathematics Skills, Vocabulary and Reasoning	"Robin "
Elementary	8 year old girl with Down Syndrome	Reading	"Toni"

Key Thought Take Action!

The secret to success in data-based instruction is to "take action" --to put into motion the instructional plans you have designed. The secret to knowing when my action as a teacher is effective is to monitor the learner's progress. As Tom Lovitt (1991) notes, "teachers should select the simplest and most natural ways to measure important behaviors. Moreover, they should measure them rather often; once is not enough" (p. 488). You should evaluate important behaviors at least twice: once before you take action; and once after. In this way, you will always know whether or not your instruction is effective.

Which DBI Examples Did You Summarize?

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