When beginning a CID rating form, whether it is included within a curriculum or used as a stand-alone tool, start with data on the student. Observe the student over time and gather information related to the area of development addressed by the form: auditory, vocabulary, language, pragmatics, etc. For each objective, determine the student’s current ability and use that information to identify both present levels and appropriate instructional goals.
Determine Present Levels
Use the data to identify which skills are mastered, emerging, and not yet seen. Skills that are established and used consistently, typically at 80% accuracy or according to the mastery criterion of the form, are marked with a full X. Skills that are emerging but not yet consistent, typically around 50% accuracy, are marked with a \. Skills the student is not yet attempting are left blank.
Set Goals
Once present levels are established, use the form to determine which objectives are reasonable instructional goals for the rating period. Begin with skills that are already emerging. Consider if the student will work to master those skills or not at this time. Next review skills that are not yet developing. Decide whether each skill should be targeted for mastery, targeted to emerge, or not formally addressed during this rating period. Add hash objective marks when the goal is for the student to master or emerge in development of those skills.
You will not address every objective within a rating period, and that is expected.
At this point, the form may include several combinations of markings. The categories below move from skills that are mastered to skills that are not currently targeted.
- Mastered – The student uses the skill consistently and with fluency across settings or meets the mastery criterion identified on the form.
- Emerging but not a goal – The skill is developing, but it is not being selected as a goal for this rating period. This may be because the skill emerged late in the year, other goals are a higher priority, or the skill is not yet developmentally appropriate.
- Emerging and goaled to master – This skill is developing and teaching and practice will focus on moving this into mastery.
- Goaled to emerge and master – The skill is not yet emerging, but it has been identified as a priority. Instruction and practice will focus on developing the skill and moving it toward mastery.
- Goaled to emerge – The skill is not yet developing, but progress is expected. Mastery is not expected within the current rating period.
- Not a goal – The skill is not yet developing and will not be formally targeted during this rating period.
Continue collecting data and update the form at regular intervals.
Using different colors can make progress easier to see over time. Use black for the initial rating to show present levels. Use green at the midpoint to compare progress from the beginning to the midpoint of the rating period. Use red at the end of the period to demonstrate progress throughout the entire rating period.
This form and visual record can support clear conversations with families and professionals during IEP meetings, evaluations, and team discussions. It helps teams document growth, prioritize instruction, and communicate progress in the area across the rating period.
Abby Zoia is currently serving as the Director of the Emerson Center for Professional Development at CID – Central Institute for the Deaf. Ms. Zoia holds a Missouri teacher of the deaf certificate (K-12), professional certification from the national Council of Education of the Deaf, as well as Listening and Spoken Language Specialist certification from the AG Bell Academy. She has served as a teacher at various age-levels for more than 16 years and was recently the Coordinator of the Virginia J. Browning Primary School at CID. In addition to presenting at numerous CID workshops, Ms. Zoia has presented at the international conventions of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
