The Content Mastery (CM) Program is designed to assist identified learning disabled students achieve their maximum potential in the mainstream. There are two underlying principles of the program that are essential to its success. (1) Learning disabled students can learn and succeed in the mainstream with appropriate accommodations and support. (2) To be successful in the mainstream, the learning disabled student may need special help in all subject areas - not just reading and/or math.

Content Mastery is:

• a consultative model offering support to the classroom teacher.
• aimed at keeping the special needs student in his/her regular classroom for the majority of the school day and for all content presentations; this should become more prevalent with 90-minute periods. Content Mastery students should not go to CM until at least 2/3 of the class time is over.
• a way to provide special tutorial and instructional help to support learning the content being taught in the classroom.
• a way to encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. This is done by getting the student to identify and to seek help when difficulty in learning arises.

A student how has been identified as eligible for special education services and recommended for content mastery by the ARD committee may be sent to the CM room for the following:

1. To complete a reading or written assignment.
2. To receive extended instruction of a new concept through prepared materials.
3. For guided instruction while studying for a test.
4. To take a written test with modification (ex. teacher-read, modified test length / word bank, fewer choices, etc.).

The student must bring with him/her clearly written assignments. The CM teachers could have 1 to 25 students in any given class period. Therefore, if the teacher does not understand what the student is to do without time-consuming questioning and research, the CM teacher will send the student back to the regular classroom.

The CM teacher will be attempting to assist students in all subjects that require reading, written, or mathematical activities, and CM teachers are not as experienced in some fields as the regular teachers. Also, CM teachers are not primary instructors. The students receive all instruction in regular classrooms and receive guided instruction and/or modified materials in the CM room when needed. To be successful, the CM teachers must have all other teachers' cooperation and open communication between the CM room and the regular classroom.

Regular Education Teacher's Obligations

1. Teachers must always send the student with an appropriate pass.
2. Teachers must always provide an answer key for a quiz, test, or written assignment.
3. Teachers must always send clear instructions with the student.
4. Teachers must share their lesson plans with the CM teachers so that they may know when to expect students and can plan modifications. Also, teachers must let CM teachers know when students are behind so they may help students turn in lost homework.
5. Teachers must keep communication lines open regarding student successes, needs, or ways CM teachers can improve their program.
6. Teachers must discuss with CM teachers methods that do not work.
7. Teachers must accept a returned student without question. CM teachers will communicate with regular teachers about a problem.

Content Mastery Teachers' Obligations

1. CM teachers help students achieve to their maximum potential.
2. CM teachers help the regular education teachers with any modifications needed for students.

Content Mastery Services

• taped novels
• hi-lighted materials (textbooks, worksheets, etc.)
• reading tests to students and/or assisting teachers with test adaptation
• help with a packet, worksheet, written assignment, or anything involving textbooks
• study for tests (tutorial time)
• discussing individual student's strengths and weaknesses with regular teachers
• monitoring student progress and placement
• aiding in student organization
• help with vocabulary for specific content areas
• modified materials
• test-taking skills
• developing student responsibilities and good study skills

Note-Taking Assistance

Students will have various levels of note-taking skills. Some may be able to take some notes, and others may not be able to take notes at all. Some students may write well enough to take notes but need guidance in gathering the important concepts from the lecture; they have trouble sorting out the details from the main issues. Students should be instructed that their first responsibility is to listen to what the teacher is saying. If note-taking begins to interfere with the student's ability to listen, the student should stop taking notes. Student note-taking should be checked on a daily basis so any difficulty students may have can be dealt with immediately.

The following techniques may be used to aid note-taking:

• Listening guide/partial outline. The student is given an outline guide of the lecture at the beginning of the period. The outline is designed so the student can easily correlate what was heard with empty spaces on the guide.
• Framing. A "frame" of the lecture can be made for the student where key terms are left out of the guide to be filled in by the student as the lecture is given.
• Buddy system. For students who can take only a few notes or none at all, a buddy system can be developed where a student with good note-taking skills provides a copy of his/her notes. In some cases, it may be more suitable for the teacher to provide a copy of notes the student needs.
• Graphic organizers. Note-taking skills may need to be taught to students. Giving them a structured format to use when taking notes or organizing information in their notes will be helpful. Graphic organizers can assist students who have difficulty taking notes, organizing information, or focusing on key points.
• NHS students. Teachers know which students in their classes take good notes and may ask NHS students for copies of their notes to help out other students.