Supporting Diverse Learners Within the Classroom

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Supporting Diverse Learners Within the Classroom. Programming using Differentiated Instruction: Getting to Know Your Students. Chinook’s Edge School Division Presenter: Dawn Normoyle. Reaching Students Who Learn in Different Ways . Animal School. Today’s Outcomes:. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Programming using Differentiated Instruction: Getting to Know Your StudentsSupporting Diverse Learners Within the ClassroomChinooks Edge School Division Presenter: Dawn NormoyleIntroduction my past, my present position Setting the Direction

5 min1Reaching Students Who Learn in Different Ways Animal School

Do you know the story about the Animal School?It goes something like this:Once upon a time there was a school for animals. The teachers were certain it had a very comprehensive curriculum but somehow all of the students were failing. The duck was the star in the class for swimming but flunking tree climbing.The monkey was great at tree climbing, but was getting Fs in swimming.The chickens excelled in grain research, but disrupted the tree climbing so much that they were sent to the principals office daily.The rabbits were sensational in running, but had to have private tutoring in swimming.Saddest of all were the turtles, who, after many diagnostic tests, were diagnosed as having a cognitively disability. Yes, they were sent to a special education class in a remote gopher hole.Like the animals in the story, each student is unique with there own interests, ways of learning, strengths and challenges.The question becomes: All are not tree climbers, but are great swimmers or runners doomed to failure because they are in a system designed solely for a different type of animal. 5 min 102Todays Outcomes:Understand some key elements of differentiated instructionImprove understanding of mild/moderate disabilitiesAppreciate the importance of knowing your students when programming Learn some strategies to get a deeper understanding of your studentsDiscover inclusionary strategies to support the programming of all studentsReflection on your own practice

1 min 11 3Graffiti ActivityWith the others at your table create your graffiti using words, phrases, and graphics that represent your tables thinkingLeave your sheet behind, and rotate to the other tables to add your comments/visualsDiscuss added comments and summarizeShare as a group

Questions on chart paper:Differentiated instruction is notDifferentiated instruction is notSome ways I already differentiate in my classroom areSome of the fears/ concerns/ questions I have around differentiated instruction areSome things I would be interested in knowing more about differentiated instruction would be

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20 min (3 min per group) 35 min

4Differentiated instruction is a philosophy and anapproach to teaching in which teachers andschool communities actively work to support the learning of all students through strategic assessment, thoughtful planning and targeted, flexible instruction.

Making a Difference: Meeting Diverse Learning Needs with Differentiated Instruction37 min5Fairness is not everyone getting the same thing.

It is when everyone gets what they need!

42 min6Why Differentiate?BenefitsEffective for all students including those with disabilitiesOffers multiple pathways to learningStarts where students are atProvides meaningful choiceCreates opportunities to demonstrate their interests and skills Helps students understand what theyre expected to learn, evaluate their own progress, and express their learning strengths, challenges and interestsIncreases engagement, motivation, self-confidence and willingness to assume responsibilityGives them strategies to figure out and cope within the world when things are not differentiated

45 min7Programming for All Learners:Key ElementsCollaboration- learning team involvement; parents, teachers, studentsPurposeful Planning- knowing your students (needs, strengths, learning styles), understanding the curriculum, multiple pathways of learning, tasks respectful of each learner, flexible and reflective teachingOngoing assessment- wide range of approaches, pre-assessment, profiles, FOR/OF, grade for growth, Assessment informs practice, and we take action. (Rick Wormelli)Transition planning- between grades, leaving high schoolSelf advocacy- sharing responsibility, creating independence

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45 min8Classroom Elements to DifferentiateAffect/ Learning EnvironmentContentProcess- how students make sense of learningProduct- how students demonstrate learning

47 min9Various DisabilitiesCognitive DisabilitiesEmotional/Behavioural DisabilitiesLearning Disabilities Hearing/ Visual/ Communication DisabilitiesCommunication DisabilityPhysical/ Medical Disability (i.e. cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol, autism)

Briefly discuss main disabilities we see in the classroomSome strategies- connect diagnosis to differentiation ideas

55 min10Programming:Diverse Learning NeedsDiagnosis may have implications for educational programming, social and emotional learning and overall well-beingKnowledge can help teachers align supports and strategies with students needs and strengthsKnowledge helps teachers know what to look for in ongoing assessments (what the student can do and potential barriers)

* Critical to get to know your students11Find diagnosis in Cum file- important to understandAccess to special education liaisons in all schools

60 min3 Minute uzzzz

Use the sheet to reflect on your learning sofar

Reflection sheet

Allow students: to reflect individually, in pairs, small groups, as a whole groupTo tell about, draw, write

1 hour 5 min12Start with AssessmentRich ongoing source of informationHelps teachers identify and begin to address student strengths and needsHelps plan meaningful learning activitiesEstablishes organizational and grouping structuresMold the classroom environmentOngoingRequires a photo album approach to assessment, as opposed to a snapshot (Wiggins and McTighe,2005)

1 hour 10 min13Assessment:OngoingDifferentiated assessment informs differentiated instructionprovides information about readiness, strengths and needs in relation to particular outcomes or activities. This shapes your planning.

Differentiated instruction leads to differentiated assessmentstudents work toward learning outcomes at different paces and in different ways so you will need assessment tools and strategies that accommodate diversity while still usefully measuring learning outcomes.

Teaching in the dark is a questionable business!

1 hour 15 min14Knowing Your Students:Student Learner ProfilesDescribes ways a student learns best Reveals students unique knowledge, prior experience, abilities, learning strengths and needs, interests, learning preferences and styles, attitudes, gender, culture, personalityHelps teachers choose responsive and meaningful supports, planningDynamic, as individual learners constantly grow and changeFor students with disabilities it is an opportunity to get to know that student and to see beyond the students disabilities 1 hour 20 min15Learner Profiles:GoalsFind out as much as possible about how a student learnsNot to label students as certain kinds of learnersHelp them develop multiple pathways for learningCreate more confidence and motivation when working on unfamiliar and/or challenging tasks 1 hour 22 min16Learning preferences and styles:EnvironmentTypically refers general environment where student learns bestExamples:quiet vs. noisy busy with lots to look at/ interact with vs. bare with few distractionsmovement friendly vs. sitting still flexible schedule vs. fixed schedulewarm vs. cool 1 hour 25 min17Types of intelligenceBrain-based predisposition to excel in particular area

Howard Gardner (1994):identified eight intelligences individuals possess varying combinations

Thomas Armstrong (1994):student-friendly terms for each intelligenceverbal-linguistic intelligence (or word smarts)logical-mathematical intelligence (or number smarts)interpersonal intelligence (or people smarts)intrapersonal intelligence (or self smarts)spatial intelligence (or picture smarts)musical-rhythmic intelligence (or music smarts)bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (or body smarts)naturalistic intelligence (or nature smarts)1 hour 27 min18Gender, Culture & PersonalityCan influence learningExamples:expressive or reserved in class interactionscompetition or collaborationwork individually or in a groupcreative or practical way of thinkingpart-to-whole or whole-to-part learningcontextual and personal learning or learning that is discrete and impersonaltime as fixed and rigid or fluid and flexibleimpulsive or reflective in ones thinking and actionsvaluing creativity or conformity

1 hour 30 min19InterestsCreates motivation and engagement

Identifying interests in learner profiles helps in planning when varying projects, themes and examples

1 hour 37 min20Gathering informationInventories, surveys, conferencing, interviews Learner preference inventoriesReading inventoriesSocial inventoriesInterest inventories

Assessment informationClassroom assessments (interviews, observation, assignments, etc.)Cumulative recordsIndividualized program plans (IPP)Standardized assessmentsParentsPrevious teachers and other school staff involved with the student1 hour 40 min21Learner Profile ExamplesShare examples of Learner profiles

1 hour 50 min22Using the Learning Profile toDifferentiate ContentDifferentiate ProcessDifferentiate Products Present material in visual, auditory, and/or kinesthetic modesUse applications , examples, and illustrations from a wide range of intelligences and both genders Use wait time Allow for student reflection Allow multiple options for how students will show learning Encourage a variety of groupings (individual, pairs, small groups, large group) Balance competitive, collegial, and independent work arrangements Create activities seeking multiple perspectives on topics and issues Encourage a variety of groupings Teach how to use a wide range of product formats Provide visual;, auditory, and kinesthetic product options Provide analytic, creative, and practical options

Flexible Grouping: Appointment ClockThis is a tool that can be used to differentiate groups in your classroom!

24My Appointment ClockRationale: This is an activity that will create partners within the classroom. There partnerships arebased on student choice, readiness, interest, and learning profiles (which are assessed at the beginningof the year).

If students are all doing the same activity use choice partners, if ability is needed use readiness, if wantto promote interest use interest, and if want to focus on how they learn best use learning profile.Use this in building your lesson plans.Example of Partners1:00 Interest based2:00 Readiness based3:00 Learner profile4:00 Students choice5:00 Interest based6:00 Readiness based 7:00 Learner profile8:00 Students choice9:00 Interest based 10:00 Readiness based 11:00 Learner profile 12:00 Students choiceHave students find choice partners for 4:00, 8:00, and 12:00. Collect them and fill in the rest of thepartnerships based on the assessment material that you have gathered. Copy and keep in keep in a duoor binder. Hand back the originals to the students and have them put in the front of their binders forquick access.

25Heres What, So What, Now What?? Heres WhatI LearnedSo WhatMy interpretation of this learningNow What?My action Plan to build on this new learningWhat is the most important thing I learned?How can I explain DI (tell, write, draw it)?What was the most difficult part? The easiest part?

What do I need to learn next?

Differentiation of todays PresentationLearning ProfilesORInstructional Strategies

27RESOURCES