Putting What We Know Into Practice

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editorial2015

TCXXXX10.1177/0040059915580116Council for Exceptional ChildrenTeaching Exceptional Children

Editorial

Putting What We Know Into Practice

TEACHING Exceptional Children, Vol. 47, No. 5, pp. 243­–244. Copyright 2015 The Author(s). DOI: 10.1177/0040059915580116

Kristin Sayeski, Editor Reviewing past issues of TEACHING Exceptional Children (TEC) reminds me of a quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it” (Hughes, 1986). What seems to move rapidly in education are the ideas of the day— concepts such as standards, accountability, differentiation, scientifically based instruction, positive behavior support, and response to intervention are just some of the topics that have been frequently invoked in pages of TEC. These ideas exert great influence on practice and yet, like all big ideas, can hold different meaning for different groups and individuals. When an idea captures the imagination of large groups, it can be transformed and morphed as it moves along. Sometimes we need to stop, take a look around, and reconnect with the first principles of an idea to ensure that we are putting into practice what has been demonstrated as effective in research. Enter evidence-based practice. Stopping and taking a look around to determine what makes a practice effective requires an understanding of what the “first principles” of that practice are. The term evidence-based practice has been applied to observable, specific teacher behaviors and to more amorphous ideas—ideas that can serve as guideposts but are less clearly operationalized than specific behaviors. This raises questions: Can a standard be an evidence-based practice? Can an idea or philosophy be an evidencebased practice? Unless these ideas are tied to practices that can be

implemented in a particular manner (i.e., with fidelity), big ideas, in and of themselves, will not necessarily bring about positive changes in student outcomes. When big ideas, however, are tied to specific components or elements (those first principles) that have been demonstrated in research as effective, we can begin to apply what is known and create transformative practice. Thankfully, a great deal of research on very specific practices has been conducted in both controlled and applied settings. As Odom (2009) recommended, paying attention to structure (the elements or components of the evidence-based practice identified as important) and process (the quality of implementation) maximizes the likelihood of positive outcomes. The goal of TEC is to distill what is known from research and translate that into specific guidance for practitioners. Indeed, as Oreskes, a science historian, noted “Just because we don’t know everything, that doesn’t mean we know nothing” (as cited in Shermer, 2015). In this issue, authors strive to translate what is known into recommendations for practice. In the first article, Swain-Bradway, Pinkney, and Flannery provide guidance on how to implement schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS) in high schools. They identify the barriers and challenges to implementation and offer strategies for addressing these challenges. Pairing guidance from research on SWPBIS with real-world examples, the authors provide insights for teachers and administrators

seeking to create successful SWPBIS at the high school level. Nagro acknowledges the important role that home–school communication plays when one is working with families. An important aspect of home–school communication is providing clear communication. The PROSE Checklist provides guidance for educators on how to improve the quality of home–school communication by creating easy-to-read written communication. Next, Baker and colleagues report on early intervention research in the area of vocabulary instruction. The authors present strategies that have been demonstrated as being effective for supporting vocabulary acquisition of students with disabilities, English learners, and students who may come to school with limited prior language and vocabulary experiences. Detailed guidance is included on how to implement several activities that were developed as part of a larger research study on early vocabulary instruction. Cannella-Malone, Konrad, and Pennington use the mnemonic “ACCESS” as a guide for supporting writing instruction for students with intellectual disabilities. Given the importance of written expression, the authors identify key considerations for supporting writing: accommodations and assistive technology, concrete topics, critical skills, explicit instruction, strategy instruction, and systematic evaluation. They tie each element of their mnemonic to specific research and provide examples of how each element could be implemented in practice.

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Finally, Pence and Dymond share ideas for using extracurricular clubs as an avenue for extending learning opportunities for students with significant or pervasive support needs. Noting the benefits of participation in extracurricular activities, the authors outline five steps for addressing academic and functional curricular needs via extracurricular clubs. Such experiences can promote the generalization of skills and, as the authors note, be fun for students. Professions define and redefine themselves continually. This process is

guided by an evaluation of what is known and by an examination of how we, as a profession, can do a better job of doing what we know works. The iterative process of development, implementation, and refinement strengthens our practice and ultimately defines us as educators. References

science, and outcomes for children. Topics In Early Childhood Special Education, 29(1), 53–61. Shermer, M. (2015, February 17). What can be done about pseudoskepticism? Scientific American, 312(3). TEACHING Exceptional Children, Vol. 47, No. 5, pp. 243–244. Copyright 2015 The Author(s).

Hughes, J. (Writer & Director). (1986). Ferris Bueller’s day off [Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures. Odom, S. L. (2009). The tie that binds: Evidence-based practice, implementation

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