High Quality Core Instruction

High-quality core instruction is 1) standards-based and utilizes 2) evidence-based practices. 

A standards-based curriculum is one that focuses on the mathematical content considered important.  In Pennsylvania, this means that schools’ grade level scopes and sequences, pacing guides, and instructional materials should support student achievement with PA math standards. 

The use of evidence-based practices is also critical to high quality core instruction.  Using instructional practices shown to be effective in research means identifying such practices and implementing them with fidelity.  

IES Guides - The Institute of Educations Sciences (IES) provides useful practice guides that can support the identification of evidence-based practices for math and in other areas (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuides). 

High-Leverage Practices – The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and the CEEDAR Center published a resource titled High-Leverage Practice (HLP) in Special Education that covers practices involving collaboration, assessment, social/emotional learning and Instruction.  A free download is available (https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/portfolio/ccsc-2017-high-leverage-practices/#content) or you can access the HLP website for more information (https://highleveragepractices.org/). 

 

Maybe include a summary of our focus: 

  • Using formative assessment to match instruction within Systematic Instruction sequence 
  • Explicitness through visuals, CRA 
  • Explicitness through Schema/Self-regulation 
  • Feedback 
  • Fluency 

With a focus on grades 1-3, classwide intervention options will be described with emphasis on peer mediated activities. Participants will learn of the empirical and theoretical basis for using a peer-mediated approach to address advanced computation skills. Explicit steps for arranging peer mediated activities will be provided. Participants will have the opportunity to plan and practice with intervention materials and protocols.