Page 19 - FDLRS Focus Winter 2021

SIM

A Crosswalk: High-Leverage Practices in Special Education and
Strategic Instruction Model (SIM™) Instructional Tools and Interventions

The University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning
(KUCRL) has developed this crosswalk to assist educators
in understanding the relationship between the High-Leverage
Practices in Special Education (HLPs) and the elements and
processes used when implementing the Strategic Instruction
Model (SIM™). These comparisons demonstrate how SIM
can empower all teachers with evidence-based instructional tools and interventions which embed HLPs shown
by research to improve achievement for students with disabilities. Likewise, these comparisons demonstrate
how fluency in the use of HLPs provides a solid foundation with which to implement evidence-based practices,
such as SIM. The practices promoted by CEC’s endorsed HLP effort and the instructional process built into SIM
have complimentary and related research foundations showing effectiveness to improve outcomes for students.
The High-Leverage Practices in Special Education were determined by a writing group of
practitioners and scholars and are endorsed by the CEEDAR Center at the University of Florida
and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Twenty-two HLPs are organized into sets related
to practice: 1) collaboration, 2) assessment, 3) social/emotional/behavioral, and 4) instruction.
HLPs were determined based on the following criteria: focus directly on instructional practice,
occur with high frequency in teaching, research based and known to foster student engagement
and learning, broadly applicable and usable in any content area or approach to teaching, and skillful execution is
fundamental to effective teaching. In sum, they represent the most critical practices that K-12 special educators
should be ready to implement on Day 1 of their teaching assignment. Great potential exists for using these HLPs
as a framework for delivering instruction to pre-service teachers as well ongoing professional learning within
school divisions. For more information, visit www.highleveragepractices.org.
The Strategic Instruction Model is a comprehensive approach to adolescent literacy, including an evidence-
based set of instructional tools and interventions that empower teachers and enable students to better succeed
in school and beyond. Strategic schools and teachers select instructional tools and interventions to meet their
student needs, and strategic students have options for matching an approach to a task. Since 1978, researchers
from KUCRL have partnered with classroom teachers to design SIM instructional tools, materials, and
interventions. The research-based components of these tools have been tested and approved by teachers to
become evidence-based practices shown to be effective in varied school and classroom contexts. SIM includes
two arms that work together to improve literacy: Learning Strategies (LS) and Content Enhancement Routines
(CER). LS use explicit and systematic instructional procedures. CER implementation is supported by the
SMARTER Instructional Cycle, an instructional planning cycle that promotes effective teaching and learning of
critical content. Schools and teachers may implement a combination of LS and/or CER. SIM also includes two
comprehensive reading programs, designed based on the science of reading: Fusion Reading (FR) and Xtreme
Reading (XR). For more information, visit www.sim.ku.edu.

To view this plus additional Crosswalks, go to https://www.fdlrsalpha.org/professional-
developmenthrd/strategic-instruction-model-sim

For questions please contact Julie Drewes, SIM Professional Developer, FDLRS Alpha
julie.drewes@palmbeachschools.org

Volume 42 Issue 1 Page 19