Final

Diverse Learners Take Home Final Exam            Name Erin Marie Walsh

Differentiated Instruction Guide                             Grade Level & Content Area 4^th Grade, Language Arts

Instructions for Completing IRIS Star Legacy Module

Universal Design for Learning: Creating a Learning Environment that Challenges and Engages All Students

            As the Diverse Learners course draws to a conclusion, contemplate what you have learned about differentiated instruction to meet the learning needs of ALL of your students.   Utilizing the numerous multimedia resources shared and your class roll, you will complete the guide below and devise a plan for differentiation for one subject area (mathematics, language arts, or middle school concentration) in your classroom.

            To accomplish the goal, review the entire IRIS module on differentiated instruction by completing the guide below.  The module highlights one middle school’s journey as they transformed their programs to better meet the needs of all of their students.  As you explore the module, pay attention to critical steps that were taken to successfully develop a model differentiated instruction program.  Ideas from the module and other course resources should be used to assist you as you develop your plan. 

            NOTE: There are two parts to the assignment.  First, you will react to the module. Then, you will apply ideas for your class and the content area (mathematics, language arts or middle school concentration area) you have selected.  The exam is to be completed individually without collaboration with your classmates.  Upload your work to OAKS and your inclusion guide by December 14, 2010.  We will not meet in class on December 14.   Hard copy is not required.  (You may change the background color to white or to a color you prefer. )

Steps to Complete:

1.     Follow link to IRIS website - http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/udl/chalcycle.htm

2.     READ—“How to Use a Module”—Link is on right side of homepage

3.     BEGIN with the “Challenge.” Either view the video or read the transcript.

4.     GO TO the “Thoughts” section. In the space below, jot down your initial reactions to the following questions.

a.     How can teachers at Sycamore Middle School meet the educational needs of all of their students?  

a.     Teachers can reach the different needs of their students by differentiating their instruction so that all students have the chance to succeed. By making accommodations, teachers can be sure to engage each student in the lesson.

 

b.   To meet the needs of the widest range of students, what should teachers consider when planning their instruction?

b.     Teachers should consider the different learning styles, accommodations, and interests of all their students when planning instruction. Every lesson should engage and encourage success for all students. 

1.     GO TO the “Perspectives & Resources” section. Read the “Objectives” and consider the first question before you click on Page 1— Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Read entire page, including the links to information about Universal Design for Learning (UDL).   Also, listen (or read the transcripts) to David Rose, CAST founder; Chief Scientist, Cognition & Learning and Grace Meo, CAST Director of Professional Development & Outreach Services as they describe UDL.

2.     GO TO Page 2—UDL Principles - Read the entire page.  Utilizing the class roll provided to you in class and one identified content area (either language arts, mathematics or middle school concentration), jot down at least five (5) examples per category of ways you can apply UDL in your lesson plans.  

Representation Principle 1	Action and Expression Principle 2	Engagement Principle 3
Presenting information and course content in multiple formats so that all students can access it	Allowing students alternatives to express or demonstrate their learning	Stimulating students' interests and motivation for learning in a variety of ways

 

Your Examples (5)	Your Examples (5)	Your Examples (5)
1.     For my visually impaired student, texts will be provided in audio form on the computer. 2.     I will activate the prior knowledge of all my students through KWL charts and other activities. 3.     The “sketch to stretch” concept will be used to deepen students’ understanding of vocabulary and concepts (they will illustrate the meaning of new words). 4.     I will go over Angela’s weak areas (such as suffixes and prefixes, and common misspellings she makes) with her individually before the lesson so that these problems do not hinder her content comprehension. 5.     When presenting literature we will discuss as a class the illustrations and story as we go to make sure everyone understands major concepts.	1.     As Angela has no problems knowing the information, only with retrieving it on command, her assessments may be more independent and not timed within the classroom setting. 2.     My visually impaired student Evan can choose to complete his assessments orally or through typing instead of writing by hand. 3.     When students complete research projects or story writing projects, they can write, create a digital story, make a graphic novel, or choose another format that promotes their interest and creativity. 4.     Through the jigsaw method, students can work in groups and share their information with the class in whatever format they choose. 5.     Responses to free reading can take any format the student wants – an illustration, poem, journal entry, etc. to show his/her reflections on the text.	1.     At the beginning of the year, students will be encouraged to create an “idea web” with different topics that interest them from which they can pull when stumped during creative writing. 2.     If students are not interested in a book that they choose for free reading, they are allowed to switch to material that interests them. 3.     Current events will be inspiration for our reading and writing material to make it relevant. 4.     Students will be encouraged to work in groups and pairs to enrich their understanding and promote creativity. 5.     Students can decide if there are any special projects they’d like to work on together based on their interests (i.e. a school-wide campaign about lunch options, etc.)

 

GO TO Page 4 – Goals. Complete the activity in the box at the bottom of the page.  Check your response by clicking the link.  Include your response in the chart below.

Given the traditionally stated goal below, help the teachers at Sycamore Middle School to a) identify potential barriers that might make it difficult for some students to achieve the goal and b) rewrite the goal so that it incorporates UDL principles. In this case, the intent of the project is for students to learn about a child's experience during the Holocaust and to present this information to the class.

Goal: The students will read the book The Diary of Anne Frank and give a five-minute oral presentation about the author's experiences.

Include at least 4 barriers that might make it difficult for some students to achieve this goal in the table below.
 

Representation barriers: 1.     Some students with visual impairments may be unable to read the chosen book. 2.     Students at various reading levels may be unable to comprehend the book.   Action and Expression barriers: 1.     Many students may be uncomfortable and therefore not produce their best work due to the oral presentation assessment.  2.   Some students may be unable to clearly speak for five minutes in front of the entire class. Revised Goal: The student will access a book about a child in the Holocaust and present his/her reflections to the class in one of a variety of formats (written report, presentation, diorama, digital story, etc.)   GO TO Page 5—Instructional Materials.   Read entire page. Click the link to listen (or read the transcript) of David Rose.  According to Rose, “…What UDL does is say we need to build curricular and environments for learning that have enough flexibility to say the challenge can be varied. We're all going to do this same lesson but you're going do it in this way that is quite challenging, and another student will do it in a slightly different way that is the right challenge for them. Similarly, we're going to say we're going to get you supported before you begin this lesson so you're prepared to be at your best. We challenge both lowest and highest performing. We set challenges for everybody and supports wherever they're needed.”  Complete the activity at the bottom of the page, then consider flexible materials (UDL) for students in your class. · Consider three (3) materials you might use, listing at least one potential barrier for each. 3 Traditional Materials – Content Area Potential Barriers Books  Students need to see, be able to comprehend meaning from words, and understand visual information.  Lecture  Students need to hear, take notes, and find key points from oral presentation. Pencil and Paper  Students need to control handwriting, and be able to express themselves effectively using this method. List at least three possible universally designed materials or media that you can use and explain why each will more flexibly meet your students' needs. UDL Materials (3) Rationale for Use  Digital books Allow students with reading disabilities or visual impairments to listen to the book rather than have to access written text.  Graphic organizers and/or slides Help students identify key points and take effective notes.  Word-processing program Can lead to quicker, neater work and the student can focus on creativity and output first, then spelling and grammar. GO TO Page 6—Instructional Methods. Read and consider the examples regarding selection of differentiated instructional methods.        After completing the activity at the bottom of the page, conduct a similar analysis with one of your ELA, Mathematics, or Middle School lesson plans.   Check off boxes that apply and write comments. (Attach your lesson plan). Representation Provide multiple examples ü    Highlight important information ü    Present content utilizing multiple media and formats ü    Build or activate background knowledge Action and Expression Model skills in a variety of ways ü    Provide opportunities to practice with scaffolds and supports ü    Provide corrective feedback ü    Allow alternatives for students to express or demonstrate their learning Engagement Offer choices of content and tools Provide adjustable levels of challenge ü    Allow students to choose from a variety of reinforcers Allow options for the learning environment or context Utilize flexible grouping 3 Traditional Assessments 3 Alternative Assessments to Consider for your Content Area  Written paper Digital Story or Visual Presentation Essay and short answer test Discussion with the teacher about content to display learning  Book report  Diorama or poster GO TO Page 8: UDL in Practice.  Read the page and complete the chart below as it pertains your content area.  Include a minimum of 10 multisensory strategies you plan to use. Learning Style 10 Examples  -  From Your Content Area Visual Learners - Printed Text - Images that relate to reading material - Class presentations of dioramas, posters, and other visual products Auditory Learners - Class and group discussions - Lectures - Digitally read texts Tactile Learners - Actual objects referred to in reading material to be passed around and examined. - Descriptive writing practice by using one of the senses and writing about what is experienced (i.e., put your hand in a bag and write about what you feel). Kinesthetic Learners - Observation walks that inspire creative writing (around school grounds, field trips, etc.) - Act out stories written and/or read in class. 3 Possible Implementation Issues – Your Content Area 1. Not being aware of resources available on the web or through the school district to make learning more interactive and less reliant on written text. 2. Not having financial assistance from administrators to buy equipment or provide access to out-of-school events or places. 3. Lacking parental support of alternative teaching techniques. Differentiated Instruction Resources & Rationale for Use 1. The Access Center provides comprehensive and useful information about all types of exceptionalities that can assist the classroom teacher in UDL implementation. 2. The Center for Universal Design outlines the principles of UDL and how it applies to the everyday classroom. 3. National Center for Learning Disabilities has a useful list of facts and ideas for educators in an easy-to-use Q&A format. 4. Salend’s “Creating Inclusive Classrooms” is an extremely useful text for creating an inclusive classroom environment. 5. The Iris Center has applicable ideas and strategies for promoting UDL in the classroom.   1.     Briefly describe Universal Design for Learning. Make sure to include the three principles of UDL.                   Universal Design for Learning is a framework for teachers to provide flexible instruction and materials when presenting information to their students to ensure that all students can succeed.  By focusing on access for each person, challenging every student regardless of ability, and allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge as they choose, UDL ensures that all students can perform at their best.  The three principles of UDL are: -       Representation Principle (Giving information and content in multiple formats so that all students can access it) -       Action and Expression Principle (Allow students to demonstrate their learning in alternative ways)  -    Engagement Principle (Stimulate learning in a variety of ways) 2. When they develop goals using the principles of UDL, what is the main thing that teachers need to keep in mind? Teachers need to keep in mind the potential barriers in their learning goals and instructional methods. Replacing traditional techniques with UDL methods, strategies, and materials will ensure that all students have access to content and are set up for success. Being flexible with materials and formats used in the lessons and assessment can create an environment that suits the needs of many students with diverse strengths and weaknesses.     From the WRAP UP section, choose a learning style format at the bottom of the page to help you summarize what you have learned about UDL. UDL is not a method or strategy in itself, but a framework of how to think about teaching and learning.  By embracing diversity, UDL allows all students to “bring their own uniqueness to the lesson.” Recognizing the different experiences and abilities that each student brings to the lesson allows the teacher to plan a lesson that will reach the needs of all students by incorporating scaffolding and support.  The three things a teacher must know to design an effective lesson are what the student already knows; what skills he/she already has; and what will motivate the student to learn.