[Pibe-division] Feedback on Nemeth IEP goals

[Greg Aikens]

Hi Marianne and all,
Thanks for your thoughts.  Counting up the nemeth symbols she will need is a good idea.  Her baseline will be fairly high because of the way they are teaching math now using common core, but this does allow me to measure her progress toward an annual goal.  She has been introduced to most of the major Nemeth symbols that you need before algebra already.  

I had a 4th grader last year and I found that most of our instructional time was spent exploring spatial layouts for the different common core strategies and understanding concepts like writing out the multiple steps to solve a problem and show your work.    These items take up such a substantial part of my instruction that it seems appropriate to keep track of it with an objective if possible.  Does anyone have any thoughts on how I might do this?

As to not writing a Nemeth goal at all: Even though she currently has no deficits in Nemeth, she will require Nemeth instruction as new concepts and symbols arise.  It is my understanding that if I am going to give a student service time, best practice would be to have that time attached to a goal or objective.  

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.

Greg Aikens, M. Ed.
Teacher of students who are blind and visually impaired
Cobb County School District
gpaikens at gmail.com



On Sep 8, 2013, at 10:06 AM, Marianne Denning <marianne at denningweb.com> wrote:

> Could you identify the new nemeth symbols she will learn and indicate
> she will read and braille these symbols with a percentage of accuracy
> on a number of tries?  I am not sure I would even write a nemeth goal
> for her since it does not appear to be an issue.  Nemeth is her method
> of completing math just like all of the math symbols are how sighted
> children complete math and we don't write goals for sighted children
> unless they are having specific problems.  Just my personal thoughts.
> 
> On 9/8/13, Greg Aikens <gpaikens at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hello colleagues,
>> I'm looking for input on how others write IEP goals for nemeth in elementary
>> grades, or even for older students.  What I currently do is write a generic
>> goal to improve Nemeth skills and then write specific objectives defining
>> what I will measure etc.  I choose these objectives by selecting a handful
>> of math skills covered in that grade.  For example, 1st grade common core
>> standards include writing from 1-100 and so I would write a Nemeth objective
>> for the same.  However, I generally only select topics that will be Nemeth
>> code intensive, such as working problems in vertical format.  Because I am
>> not a math specialist though, this feels arbitrary to me and inevitably,
>> some of my objectives are only addressed during one quarter of the year.
>> 
>> The above method works for many of my students who have demonstrated
>> deficits and needs in particular parts of Nemeth instruction.  However, I am
>> working on an IEP for a student who has excelled with every
>> Nemeth/abacus/math related concept I have introduced in braille.  My only
>> specific goal for her this next year is to master the Nemeth concepts
>> necessary to complete the 4th grade math curriculum, but I'm having a hard
>> time putting that in a measurable form.
>> 
>> Any advice or input would be appreciated.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Greg Aikens, M. Ed.
>> Teacher of students who are blind and visually impaired
>> Cobb County School District
>> gpaikens at gmail.com
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
> (513) 607-6053
> 
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