What grade level are these materials?
That’s a good question.
Here is how we address this with our modified curriculum materials:
There isn’t a specific grade level for Austin & Lily materials, but they are aligned with grade-level standards.
Students with an intellectual disability (ID) require curriculum that follows the standards. The complexity required of the standards is modified to a level that meets the academic needs of the student and is part of the student’s IEP. The goal is to learn as close as possible the same information that peers are learning.
We have two levels of modified units.
*Look at cognitive abilities, not reading levels. Many people with an ID can function higher than their reading level.
Level Two/Three: Our units at the 2nd-3rd grade reading level have the most academic content. Students with mild and moderate IQs do very well with these units. We provide talking points for each page of each book so that the educator can guide students through processing and filing the material. Whether the student can read or not is irrelevant. The decision to use this level should be based on whether the student can engage with the content in a meaningful way. Students ranging from 2nd grade to adult are currently using this level.
Level One: The books for these units are written at a 1st grade level, which naturally reduces the content in these units. They are designed for students who require less demanding concepts. Whether the student can read or not is irrelevant. This level is great for younger students or students with a moderate IQ who can’t manage the information in the Level Two-Three Units. These units are intended for students of all ages.
Our general education materials are modified to meet the needs of students who are not able to keep up with the complexity of grade level standards. We modify standards-based curriculum so that students with disabilities can access general education curriculum at their level.
For example, the American Revolution may be taught in 2nd grade, 4th grade , 7th grade, and then again in high school.
Students with an ID can use our modified units to learn quite a bit about the American Revolution. In our Level Two Units, students learn about important people involved in the war, the taxes, tea party, the Quartering Act, Paul Revere warning the colonists in Concord, and the first shot fired in Lexington. In our George Washington unit, they learn about what happened after the war, and how George Washington was involved in meetings to establish the government rules, and then went on to be the first president.
For some students with an ID, the Level Two Units need to be further modified. This is where our Level One Units come into play. Examples of Level One books on the American Revolution might include The 4th of July or a biography of George Washington.
We are busy making Level One books behind the scenes right now. We will be uploading new materials on a regular basis.
