This document outlines a capstone proposal to create a professional development workshop for general education teachers on modifying writing curriculum for upper elementary students with special needs. The workshop will provide teachers with tools and techniques for scaffolding writing instruction, using modified assignments and materials to help students meet grade-level standards, and differentiating instruction. By helping teachers modify curriculum to each student's instructional level, the project aims to improve student achievement, motivation, and teacher efficacy in differentiated writing instruction.

1. Capstone Proposal
Modification of Writing Curriculum
for
Students with Special Needs
Upper Elementary Level
By Jan Mauzy
EDRG 697
July 5, 2013

2. Topic Summary
Many times in Resource classes the focus is on helping
students increase their decoding and fluency skills, with a
nod to comprehension. Resource class time is short and
focused. Students who struggle with reading also
typically struggle with writing. Students with global
delays also struggle with both reading and writing.
When working with students with learning disabilities in the
general education classroom, modification of assignments
should be at the student's instructional level. When
working with writing and with an eye toward writing
benchmarks this can be challenging for both teacher and
student.
I propose to create a professional development workshop to
give general education teachers tools to modify
curriculurm to help students achieve benchmarks in
writing whilst working with their students at instructional
levels.

3. Statement of Relevance to Literacy Curriculum and/or Instruction
My research will include:

Effective techniques for scaffolding writing instruction which
can be used with a variety of curricula and a vareity of levels
of students who are the upper elementary age.

Effective techniques of using modified assignments and
materials to reach grade level benchmark standards in
writing at the upper elementary level.

Collection of tools and examples of modifications which can
be used in the classroom with a variety of levels of students.

Review of some current writing curricula which is targeted to
struggling leaners

Review of some current writing curricula which may be
modified for use with struggling learners

4. Project idea in relation to this topic with
a plan for completion
In creating a professional development presentation, I will:

Seek out research and articles which focus on increasing the
writing skills of students with learning disabilities

Review the research and articles I find with an eye toward use of
the related information in a professional development training

Research and review information on how to prepare an effective
professional development training

Create a draft presentation of the professional development training

Present this draft to the class for feedback

Refine the presentation, to be submitted in final form

Create an introduction and conclusion to the presentation

Submit the presentation prior to the deadline

5. How this project will improve teaching
and intervention practices.
When students are asked to work at instructional level,
they perform better, have better behavior and are able
to complete projects with greater independence than
when expected to work significantly above
instructional level. Students who successfully
complete work with a sense of accomplishment and
satisfaction have greater motivation to increase
performance.
This project will help teachers increase their ability
and comfort levels when modifying writing curriculum
to differentiate writing instruction. Teachers will be
able to differentiate more effectively with increased
scaffolding. The techniques for modified assignments
and scaffolding will increase student achievement and
motivation. The techniques will also increase teacher
efficiency in teaching differentiated instruction.

6. How this project will improve teaching
and intervention practices.
When students are asked to work at instructional level,
they perform better, have better behavior and are able
to complete projects with greater independence than
when expected to work significantly above
instructional level. Students who successfully
complete work with a sense of accomplishment and
satisfaction have greater motivation to increase
performance.
This project will help teachers increase their ability
and comfort levels when modifying writing curriculum
to differentiate writing instruction. Teachers will be
able to differentiate more effectively with increased
scaffolding. The techniques for modified assignments
and scaffolding will increase student achievement and
motivation. The techniques will also increase teacher
efficiency in teaching differentiated instruction.