Grading Students with Grading Students with Disabilities in General Disabilities in General

Physical EducationPhysical Education

Kristi Roth, PhDKristi Roth, PhDUniversity of Wisconsin Stevens PointUniversity of Wisconsin Stevens Point

2009 National AAHPERD Convention2009 National AAHPERD ConventionTampa, FLTampa, FL

March 31, 2009March 31, 2009

Legal Requirements

• IDEA – must report grades with the same frequency as students without disabilities.– If a modified grading system is going to be

used, it should be identified on the student’s IEP

• Section 504 and Title II of the ADA– Cannot treat students differently– Can use a modified grading system if it is

available to all students– Can differentiate in grading if the class is taken

for no credit

Legal Requirements

• If a student earns a failing grade, yet meets IEP goals, justification must be provided in the progress report.

• It is the responsibility of the school district to ‘reasonably calculate’ the student’s IEP so they may advance from grade to grade.– Rowley v. Board of Ed. Of Hendrick Hudson

Preliminary Steps

• Review the general physical education current assessment practices. Are they assessing current district, state, and NASPE standards.

• Establish the purpose of assessment– Gather evidence of learning– Evaluate instructional practices and

programming– Student motivation

Grading Systems

• Numeric/Letter Grades• Checklist/Rating Scales• Portfolio• Pass/Fail• Mastery Level• Multiple Grading

– Participation, skills testing,

• Contract Grading• IEP Reporting

Salend, 2001Salend, 2001

Rationale

• District requirements to report a letter grade.

• Methods to align with current assessment practices.

• Involvement of students• Improve and broaden current grading

practices.

Modified Grading System

• Weighting of grade components

• Verifiable effort grade• Weighting of skills• Assignment of difficulty level• Achievement grade• Attainment grade• Level of independence grade

Elijah

Elijah is an eighth grade student with Down syndrome. He attends physical education with his same age peers without disabilities. He is a very happy boy who enjoys and gets along with his classmates. He is able to participate in all activities with modifications

Weighting of ComponentsWeighting of Components

• Average class: 50% participation, Average class: 50% participation, 25% skills, 25% cognitive25% skills, 25% cognitive

• Elijah: 70% participation, 15% skills, Elijah: 70% participation, 15% skills, 15% cognitive15% cognitive

What’s My Score?What’s My Score?85 participation, 60 skills, 55 85 participation, 60 skills, 55

cognitive cognitive (70, 15, 15)(70, 15, 15)

82 66 73 90

25% 25%25%25%

1.1. 8282

2.2. 6666

3.3. 7373

4.4. 9090

Advantages and Disadvantages

EasyCan change based on student

X Participation is a subjective measurement

X Reduces emphasis on skill performance – busy, happy, good syndrome

Veritable Effort GradeVeritable Effort Grade

• Measurable ways of assessing effort: Measurable ways of assessing effort: minutes on task, pedometer steps, minutes on task, pedometer steps, minutes in zoneminutes in zone

• Set a goal with the student and Set a goal with the student and divide the final score or average by divide the final score or average by the goal at the end of the unit or the goal at the end of the unit or semester.semester.

Set a goal with Elijah: 15 minutes on task per class. Set a goal with Elijah: 15 minutes on task per class. At the end of the semester Elijah averages 12 At the end of the semester Elijah averages 12

minutes on task. What would his participation grade minutes on task. What would his participation grade equal?equal?

80%

76%

45%

73%

25% 25%25%25%

1.1. 80%80%

2.2. 76%76%

3.3. 45%45%

4.4. 73%73%

Plus and Minus

Personal determinationMotivational toolFairly simple

X Documentation of time on task

Weight Components of the Weight Components of the UnitUnit

• Use when you have a particular unit that Use when you have a particular unit that may be difficult.may be difficult.

• Example: Badminton Assessment = skills Example: Badminton Assessment = skills (20%), history and rules test (10%), and (20%), history and rules test (10%), and participation (70%).participation (70%).

• For Elijah, weight skills 20%, oral history and For Elijah, weight skills 20%, oral history and rules test 5%, part. 75%rules test 5%, part. 75%

Good and Bad

EasyCan tailor parts of the curriculum

X Need to know the student

Weight Units DifferentlyWeight Units Differently

• Use when the student has noted units of Use when the student has noted units of weakness due to inherent disability.weakness due to inherent disability.

• Example: A child with autism may struggle Example: A child with autism may struggle with team activities, yet thrive in individual with team activities, yet thrive in individual sports. Weight basketball, flag football, and sports. Weight basketball, flag football, and ultimate frisbee 10% of the overall grade and ultimate frisbee 10% of the overall grade and wall climbing, tennis, and badminton 30%.wall climbing, tennis, and badminton 30%.

Badminton Checklist Observed Consistently2 pts

Observed Occasionally1 pt

Not observed 0 pts Student Score

Rules (30%)

Student calls score X

Student uses appropriate court lines X

Correct serve rotation X

Rules Grade 2/6 or 10

Affective (50%)

Student exhibits good sportsmanship X

Student exhibits teamwork in doubles play

X

Affective Grade 3/4 or 37.5

Skills (20%)

Student uses proper serving form X

Serves consistently land in proper box X

Exhibits defensive strategies X

Exhibits offensive strategies X

Consistently make contact with the shuttlecock

X

Skills Grade 4/10 or 8

Total

Table 1 – What’s My Score?Table 1 – What’s My Score?

65.5

33.5

55.5

85.5

25% 25%25%25%1.1. 65.565.5

2.2. 33.533.5

3.3. 55.555.5

4.4. 85.585.5

Apples and Oranges

Can assess in all domainsCan individualize

X TimeX Have to know the studentX Helpful if you already use rubrics

Level of Difficulty RatingLevel of Difficulty Rating

• Give level of difficulty to the skills within a unit. Give level of difficulty to the skills within a unit. Should fall between 1.0-2.0. Established by the Should fall between 1.0-2.0. Established by the physical educator and student if possible. physical educator and student if possible. Higher rank = more difficult skills. Score on test Higher rank = more difficult skills. Score on test is multiplied by the level of difficulty rank.is multiplied by the level of difficulty rank.

• Tennis serve, level of difficulty rank = 1.5 – 60 Tennis serve, level of difficulty rank = 1.5 – 60 (student test score) x1.5 = 90(student test score) x1.5 = 90

• Tennis forehand, level of difficulty 1.0: 80X1.0 Tennis forehand, level of difficulty 1.0: 80X1.0 = 80= 80

Skill Level of Difficulty Rank

Skills Test Score

Final Score(Rank x Total score)

Forehand Stroke 1.0 92 92

Serve 1.2 80 96

Backhand Stroke 1.3 73 94.9

Volley 1.3 70 91

Return Hit 1.6 50 80

Tennis Skills Test Average 91

What’s my score? Tennis serve, level of What’s my score? Tennis serve, level of difficulty rank = 1.5. Student test score was difficulty rank = 1.5. Student test score was

6060

85 60 70 90

25% 25%25%25%

1.1. 8585

2.2. 6060

3.3. 7070

4.4. 9090

Sweet and SourCan individualizeMany optionsHelps teacher to

organize curriculumCan involve student in

determination

X Requires pretesting or knowing the student

X Can be time intensive – especially the first time

Points Per Skill MethodPoints Per Skill Method

• Assign a point number to each skill. Assign a point number to each skill. The more difficult the skill, the lower The more difficult the skill, the lower the point value they can earn UP TO.the point value they can earn UP TO.

• Add up total number of points on the Add up total number of points on the assessment and divide by the assessment and divide by the number of possible points.number of possible points.

VolleyballSkills

Consistent Functional

Performance(5 points)

Observed Occasionally(3 points)

Not Observed(0 points)

Point Value

More Difficult Skills (5 pts each)

Overhand Serve X 0

Spike X 3

Offensive strategy X 0

Moderately Difficult Skills (10 pts each)

(10 points) (5 points) (0 points)

Underhand Serve X 10

Rotation X 10

Dig X 5

Bump X 5

Easier Skills (15 pts each)

(15 points) (8 points) (0 points)

Block X 8

Set X 15

Ready Position X 15

Total Pts EarnedTotal Possible Points: 100

/100

What’s My Score?

71%

86%

62%

45%

25% 25%25%25%1. 71%2. 86%3. 62%4. 45%

Student Goal SettingStudent Goal Setting

• Have a checklist of skills to attain in a unit.Have a checklist of skills to attain in a unit.• The student and teacher agree how many the The student and teacher agree how many the

student should attain by the end of the unit student should attain by the end of the unit for an ‘A’.for an ‘A’.

• Can categorize as functional and not observed Can categorize as functional and not observed or as initial and mature movement.or as initial and mature movement.

• Divide the number attained by the goal Divide the number attained by the goal number.number.

Entry Skills Functional Not Observed

1. Ladder Entry  X  

2. Jump In  X  

3. Kneel Dive  X  

4. Front Dive    X

Water Orientation

5. Washes Face X  

6. Puts Mouth/Nose In  X  

7. Puts face In  X  

8. Blows Bubbles  X  

9. Bobs 5X  X  Front Propulsion

10. Pushes off side – face in  X  

11. Arm stroke under water recovery – 5’  X  

12. Arm stroke over water recovery - 15’    X

13. Arm stroke with kick 20’ X  

14. Front crawl with rhythmic breathing – 20’    X

Propulsion on Back

15. Back float 5 sec.  X  

16. Back glide 20’  X  

17. Back glide with finning or sculling 10’  X  

18. Back crawl with arms    X

19. Back crawl arms with kick 20’    X

Number of Skills Attained 13

Elijah’s Goal 15 Skills

Attainment Percentage 13/15 = 87%

Table 4 – What’s My Score?Table 4 – What’s My Score?

49%

87%

85%

92%

25% 25%25%25%

1.1. 49%49%

2.2. 87%87%

3.3. 85%85%

4.4. 92%92%

Achievement GradingAchievement Grading

• Set a scale prior to testing with Set a scale prior to testing with ‘improvement points’.‘improvement points’.

• Example: 15-20 better on the post Example: 15-20 better on the post test = 100% for the skills grade.test = 100% for the skills grade.

• Averaged in with the other Averaged in with the other components (skills, participation)components (skills, participation)

Pre to Post Test Score Improvement

Percentage Grade

15-20 Points 100%

10-14 Points 85%

5-9 Points 75%

1-5 Points 60%

0 Points 40%

What’s My Score? I improved 8 What’s My Score? I improved 8 points from my pre to post test points from my pre to post test

(refer to table 5)(refer to table 5)

100% 85

%75%

60%

40%

20% 20% 20%20%20%

1.1. 100%100%

2.2. 85%85%

3.3. 75%75%

4.4. 60%60%

5.5. 40%40%

Achievement Grading cont.Achievement Grading cont.

• Can use this by weighting also.Can use this by weighting also.

• Set a goal and a scale for improvement Set a goal and a scale for improvement points from the pre to post test. The points from the pre to post test. The numbers are given weights. Eg 18-20 = numbers are given weights. Eg 18-20 = weight of .9. The student improves 19 weight of .9. The student improves 19 points from the pre to post test, so the post points from the pre to post test, so the post test score is multiplied by the weight value test score is multiplied by the weight value (.9) and that is added to the post test score.(.9) and that is added to the post test score.

Improvement Points Weighted Points

18-20 .9

15-17 .8

12-14 .7

8-11 .6

4-7 .5

1-3 .4

Elijah improved 16 points from his pre Elijah improved 16 points from his pre to post test in archery. His post test to post test in archery. His post test

score was 45. What is his score? Refer score was 45. What is his score? Refer to Table 6to Table 6

77 95 81 42

25% 25%25%25%

1.1. 7777

2.2. 9595

3.3. 8181

4.4. 4242

Independence GradeIndependence Grade

• For example: skills (40%), For example: skills (40%), participation (30%), cognitive (10%), participation (30%), cognitive (10%), independence (20%)independence (20%)

• Can evaluate with number of Can evaluate with number of minutes, units, or skillsminutes, units, or skills

• Develop a Target ChartDevelop a Target Chart

Current minutes of independent participation: 7 per class periodIndependent Participation equals 20% of final grade

Final Avg. Participation Minutes Letter Grade Percentage Grade

25-30 minutes A 95%

20-24 minutes B 85%

15-19 minutes C 75%

10-14 minutes D 65%

Pros and Cons

Ultimate goal is for participation as independently as possible anyway.Student motivation can increase.‘Participation’ becomes less subjective

Need to establish current levels.Requires documentation throughout each class.

Supplemental Report Card Supplemental Report Card InformationInformation

• Utilize open ended statements:Utilize open ended statements:• Average minutes on task per class:Average minutes on task per class:• Number of days per week dressed out:Number of days per week dressed out:• Number of activities with functional participation:Number of activities with functional participation:• Functionally participated in the following units:Functionally participated in the following units:• Did not functionally participate in the following Did not functionally participate in the following

units:units:

• Can place expected amount or accommodations Can place expected amount or accommodations in parenthesesin parentheses

Closing Thoughts

• Many methods become easier with time

• Involve the student and, if applicable the IEP team in the grading system(s) selected.

Nontraditional AssessmentNontraditional Assessment

• Portfolios: Descriptive grading, video Portfolios: Descriptive grading, video clips, picturesclips, pictures

• IEP grading: Based on level of attainmentIEP grading: Based on level of attainment

References

Duchane, K., & French, R. (1998). Attitudes and grading practices of secondary physical educators in regular education settings. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly,15(4), 370-380.

Halstad, D.N., & Lacy, A.C. (1998). Measurement and evaluation in physical education and exercise science (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Piletic, C. (2007). Grading processes used by physical educators for students with and without disabilities. Unpublished manuscript.

Salend, S. (2002). Grading students in inclusive settings. Teaching Exceptional Children, 34(3), 8.