Week 5 Keystone Assignment

Gloria Wade Gabb 
Week 5 Assignment # 3
Case Study & SETSS Forms

Special Education Teacher Support Services (SETSS) is a specially designed program that serves students with disabilities who are placed in General Education classrooms. For the purpose of this keystone assignment, a student with disability was identified via case study, the SETSS framework was applied and three lesson plans were created to facilitate the student's need.

Student Profile
Jerome B is a 10 year old student in Grade 4. His learning disability is classified primarily as Cognitive Disabilities/ Executive functioning. He has identified problems in planning, organization, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space. 
His strength includes drawing, talking to close friends and playing video games. Jerome B. is currently functioning below his chronological age on the area of academic and cognitive ability, language and receptive development and social speech development. He also reads below his grade level.  His learning style is multi-sensory learning style. As a result of this, he needs to be taught using more than one modality. He requires individualized, and small group instruction. He needs a variety of learning materials on his reading level. He needs strategies that will help him to remain focus and task oriented as means of helping him to complete tasks and pay attention to details. Jerome B. needs full time general education placement with moderate support through special education.

Classroom Environment
Jerome is in a General Education classroom which consists of 24 students ranging from ages 10-11. Of this 16 are females and 9 males. The class is not racially diverse; 22 of the students are African or Black American. Two students are English Language Learners (ELL) and both receive ESL services. One female has a 504 Plan. There is one student with disabilities who is eligible for and receives Special Education Services. This class has a total of 5 students who are unusually demanding of time and energy who are not identified in other categories. A total of 3 males are disruptive, withdrawn, and defiant. A total of 2 females are unusually demanding, needing constant supervision and encouragement to stay on task and motivated. On average the number of disruptions is 3 to 4 per class. The type of disruptions range from small issues like talking while giving instruction, going over instructions multiple times due to distractions, and students not following instructions that lead to mistakes within their personal work to major disruptions like throwing and breaking pencils, misuse and abuse of materials, and malicious destruction of another students’ work. Having a well-equipped and organized classroom is essential to the successful delivery of an instruction. Having supplies out at each table is necessary but couldn’t be done because students are distracted by them. A small portion (5 minutes) is spent on wait time due to talking and the redirection of inappropriate behavior.

Technology Application & Accomodation
Jerome B. needs individual chromebook or Ipad with updated software programs with accompanying headphones on a daily basis to help him learn.  Instructional tasks include taking notes during video presentations, completing graphic organizers, reading, comprehending and summarizing texts and, presenting thoughts clearly in group discussions. Jerome B. requires testing in small groups in a separate location with minimal distractions. 

Click below for access to SETSS forms and lesson plans in reference to Jerome B.

Form 1- Consideration of AT Needs

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dxRd3AU5AI3nMWNeqHYKRX5yudNwYwYT/view

Form 2- Identifying & Prioritizing Tools

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EXktm-uG71-hCKbXjUGEGXlxF2OSTNmv/view

Form 3- Data Gathering

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nFeuzaCvEDwIvBCz0fduSWskqJU8lpzU/view

Form 4- Implementation & Evaluation Planning

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OrM0qoRbMQ8oZpQLbwocXlOBSrfjoSOl/view

UDL Lesson Plan 1- Natural Disasters
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d6dQLCw2KlEp2H_6GJKqcwgqh-BlyBp1QKREmV5aDVM/edit

UDL Lesson Plan 2- Earth's Water
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jB4qeXFlV1MSK6uuLIwnLCNCap3iEl555O6tklXKFkc/edit

UDL Lesson Plan 3- Water Cycle
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wr0F45pDrz5WTuMyBYiHtYjmZGcAe10ko_VqtG9mJq0/edit

Week 5 Assignment #2 Special Education News

Gloria Wade Gabb
Week 5 Assignment # 2
Special Education News

“Thousands of City Children Not Getting Special Education Help” by Elizabeth Harris (2017) painted a grim reality of what has been happening with special education services in our schools. According to the article published by the New York Times, tens of thousands of children did not receive mandated educational services in 2017. Students are supposed to receive services for difficulties like speech impairment, emotional disturbances or learning disabilities but their needs are unmet despite reports made by the chancellor’s office on major investments made in hiring more staff, opening new programs and expanding partnerships with providers.

If a school does not have staff to provide special education services, it has to look for a contractor who can deliver the services. If one cannot be found, vouchers are issued to parents whose responsibility is to find a provider and have the child seen outside the school. Many families who were given vouchers for special education services, however, were unable to use them simply because there weren’t enough therapists available to service the number of students emerging with special needs. This continued lack of support and availability shows up in academic results, especially in standardized test scores.

The above has dire implication for teaching, learning and technology as many special needs’ children are included in general education classrooms where teachers are not sufficiently trained to address their disabilities. Also, assistive technologies required for some special needs’ children may be unavailable in general education classrooms. No doubt, students with disabilities can master general-education content if they receive educational supports. Supports, depending on the level of need, can include basic adjustments such as having test questions read aloud, or being allowed to sit in a certain part of the classroom or even differentiation of content and process when teaching.

The need for all teachers to have both the knowledge and the ability to teach special-education students is more critical today than ever before. Teachers must have the time, support, and training to provide a high-quality education based on a student’s needs.

Consistent on-the-job training for the already certified general education teacher is one possible way for equipping the teacher to deal with inclusion while efforts are continuously made to increase the number of special education providers.

Week 4- A3 UDL Lesson Plans & Reflection

Gloria Wade Gabb
Week 4 Assignment #3
UDL Lesson Plans & Reflection

In this assignment I used the UDL template to create a unit on Earth's Resources. The topics explored are Weathering and Erosion. There are two lessons lasting 40 minutes each that are included.

Recognition -The What of Learning
In this unit entitled Earth's Resources, students will explore the science of weathering and erosion to understand how Earth’s surface changes. They will discover what happens during weathering, and the different ways materials are moved through erosion.

Strategic- The How of Learning
In order to ensure that students attain a rich conceptual understanding of this unit, they will be provided with a variety of options. They will be exploring the concepts through through experiments, discussions, group activities, note-taking and videos.

Affective- The Why of Learning
Students should be able to use their understanding of changes to Earth's resources to explain how a volcanic eruption results in the formation of rocks

Click to gain access to two lesson plans created using the UDL template. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DErGAY8S_GokoWiqT7KUgWHM-hB1fqFvM-5OVqlmeBU/edit#

Week 4- Assignment # 2 ELL & Technology News

loria Wade Gabb

Week 4 Assignment # 2

ELL & Technology

“Where do English Language Learners fit Into the Ed Tech Revolution?” by Jefferey Knutson (2015) is an interesting read.  According to this article, English Language Learners (ELL) are a growing yet underserved segment of the U.S. student population. The diversity of learners among ELL student populations remains one of the greatest challenges facing the teachers of ELLs. Diversity emerges in the form of language and ethnicity, but also in the wide variety of educational backgrounds these students bring to the classroom. Teaching these diverse learners presents teachers with a host of unique and very complex challenges. While Ed-tech resources for English Language Learners do exist, they are scarce. This scarcity presents the ed-tech industry with a challenge given the fact that the number of EL Learners are increasing. As this happens, the need for qualified teachers and teaching resources -- like quality ed-tech tools for ELLs become an issue.

When ELL teachers look to the ed-tech industry for solutions that specifically address their students' needs, they often come up empty-handed. Apps, tools and resources for nearly every grade level, subject area and skill imaginable are available, but tools for ELL students and their teachers often seem to be missing. Teachers can access language-learning apps and programs available, but few, if any of them are suitable for young learners in a classroom setting. There are plenty of games and apps, like digital-storytelling platforms, that can be applicable in an ELL classroom, but they don't explicitly offer support for language learners. In light of this, teachers are bound to continue using and repurposing these types of tools and other digital resources in creative and useful ways to try and make students acquire the language. ELL teachers regularly employ a variety of specialized and unique teaching strategies and best practices aimed at helping their students acquire English and thrive academically.

This news article brings to my awareness the sad reality in our schools today.  Even sadder is that there seems to be no sense of urgency in addressing ed-tech resources for ELLs, despite the increasing population.  A few emerging companies are starting to develop some promising and exciting, new ed-tech innovations, but given the level of need, and the growth of ELL populations in schools, the ed-tech industry does not seem to be coping with the demand to bridge the digital divide. This also brings to memory a previous news article read exposing the lack of resources in schools where ELL population is high.  If we are serious about addressing diversity in our schools, then we all have to be urgent in our efforts.

Week 3 Assignment 3 Lesson Analysis

Gloria Wade Gabb
Week 3 Assignment 3
Lesson Plan Analysis Using UDL

Day one of the science lesson entitled "Rocks and their Properties" is an introductory lesson, however, has incorporated the elements/principles of Universal Design Learning (UDL). Click on link for access to the selected lesson plan. http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/explore.php?op=static&pid=rocks_1

The Why of Learning
In the Day One Lesson Plan, the learners' interest will be stimulated through a "thumbs up thumbs down" activity to initiate a discussion on rocks. The teacher will share a number of statements on rocks. Students will indicate by showing thumbs up if the statements are true or thumbs down if they are false. Students then turn and talk, sharing why they chose the responses they did.

The What of Learning
The lesson plan indicates that the information will be presented to the students in different ways. First, the teacher will expose students to key vocabulary words by using the blackboard, overhead projector or PowerPoint slides. Teacher will highlight the words and meanings so students can get visual representation. Teacher will then provide guided practice for the students by first modeling how they will compare and contrast the rocks using simple tools. Teacher will be providing support and scaffolding to students while in conducting investigation in their groups.

The How of Learning
Based on the lesson plan, students will be provided with different options of engagement in the lesson. They get to turn and talk to each other. They will participate in groups. They engage in a think, pair and share activity where they will discuss a question posed by the teacher and then share out their responses. During their grouping activity students get to compare and contrast in different ways. Some will be using hand lens to observe the rocks closely, others will scratching the rocks with fingernail or penny, others will be weighing or measuring the rocks.

The above introductory lesson is a springboard to subsequent lessons in the unit and indicates usage of UDL for diverse students in a classroom setting.

Week 3 Assignment 3- UDL Defined

Gloria Wade GabbWeek 3 Assignment#3
Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework that is geared to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all students. Essentially, the teacher designs learning experiences in flexible ways to meet the learning needs of all learners, thereby enhancing diversity. The three main principles of UDL include “What” students learn, “How” students learn and “Why” students learn. In UDL there must be multiple means of representation. The information must be presented in various ways for the learner. There must also be multiple means of expression where the learners are given alternatives to demonstrate what they know. Finally, there must be multiple means of engagement. The lessons must tap into learners' interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.

Week 3 Assignment #2 Diversity News

Gloria Wade Gabb

Week 3 Assignment #3

Diversity News

Clause 4 of New York’s Diversity policy entitled “Equity and Excellence for All: Diversity in New York City’s Public Schools” speaks to expanding diversity in admission pilots. Summarized below, is an educational news article from the Chalkbeat that demonstrates how two schools, through their pilot admission, made considerable steps towards diversification.

In the news article entitled “It’s Not About Quotas: The Real Story Behind How Two Brooklyn Schools Have Begun to Diversify”, the authors Greenberg, O’Reilly and Quester (2016), reported on two incidences of schools not serving the minority students living in their respective communities.  Though both schools have made prior commitments to be diverse and inclusive they failed to deliver on such, having been affected greatly by gentrification. Increasing populations of affluent parents have moved into the diverse communities and clustered in a relatively small number of schools, leaving very few seats available for anyone else. According to the news article, due to the “blind” lottery admission systems in place, affluent families dominated the applicant pools.

With the implementation of a pilot program for school admission mandated by the New York City Department of Education, the schools were afforded an opportunity to increase the chances of admission for disadvantaged applicants in school-choice systems.  This was done by reserving a certain percentage of seats for those priority applicant groups in a lottery. If they don’t gain acceptance through an initial lottery, the priority applicants will have a second chance in the general lottery open to all applicants. 

By limiting the disproportionate clustering of more affluent applicants at the schools, the pilot program presented one way to ameliorate segregation in schools, thereby boosting diversity. Having a more diverse student and subsequent parent body will further enhance recruitment efforts and foster an increasingly inviting school culture. Schools will become more representative of the communities they were meant to serve. While we still have a very long way to go in establishment diversification in schools, the pilot is a modest first step.  All schools should come on board and make similar changes to their admission systems.

Week 2 Assignment 2- Video & Reflection

Gloria Gabb

Week 2: Assignment #2

Reflection on Multicultural Video Presentation

In my video presentation on multiculturalism (see video at https://www.renderforest.com/watch-17871916),  I explained what multiculturalism is, what it entails and provide an example of a lesson that can be used in its integration.  I thoroughly enjoyed researching this topic and preparing the lesson. However, making the video was challenging for me as I am not technologically gifted.  Coming from a different ethnic and cultural background makes me even more interested in multiculturalism and welcome any possible opportunities for adjustments in the classroom.  

Due to shifting society and subsequent changes in our classrooms (classrooms are becoming increasingly multicultural), I believe educators need to be more vigilant on the topic of multiculturalism.  It has great implications for teaching and learning.  Students’ learning increase significantly when they are able to make connections to their outside world and their experiences through multiculturalism.

What was most outstanding to me while preparing the video is the level of simplicity required for integration in our classrooms and lessons.  The simple act of transforming our library to include various cultural books that kids can connect to and providing additional enrichment activities that are culturally relatable can make a significant difference.  Therefore, to not venture into the aforementioned educational agenda is inexcusable for educators today. The world is changing and so should we!

Gloria Wade Gabb

Week 1: Assignment #1

Video Review -Teaching Diverse Learners

According to Strickland’s video, knowing about students’ diverse background is vastly important. Students are unique individuals. They come with many different ideas.  They are diverse learners. Only in knowing about their background, including who they are, their interests and what they bring to the classroom, can teachers effectively instruct them.  Background knowledge is essentially a springboard to curriculum planning.    It helps teachers to better communicate with their students in meaningful ways that they can understand and appreciate. Students will feel respected and included.  It helps teachers to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and the real world, thus making instruction more meaningful.  In teaching comprehension for instance, background knowledge is important. Students learn better when connection can be made to their own personal lives. Their background play an important role in how they comprehend text.

According to this video, when we as teachers prematurely assign characteristics to students, we do a disservice to them. We prejudge them and not allow them time to manifest who they really are. We become blindsided and this hinders the teaching and learning process.  We ought to foster respect for the various cultures and diversities of our students by making the effort to reach out to them. Express an interest in their ethnic background. An example pointed out in this video is learning a few words from their language.  And, when they respond to questions in ways we do not comprehend, we ought to question them even more.  Find out why they respond the way they do.  Their responses oftentimes than not are tied to their cultural background.  Having many forms of multicultural literature in our classroom also achieve this aim. Let children see the connection between what they do in school and their real lives.

According to Strickland the kind of instruction practices that addresses the range of students’ needs are multilevel instruction and scaffolding. Multi-level instruction is where one lesson is taught to an entire group of students while meeting the individual needs of each student. The same writing prompt may be used for all students, for example. Scaffolding means to render support to students in order to enhance learning and mastery of tasks. In scaffolding, the learning material may be broken into chunks and a tool or structure is provided with each chunk.

Scaffolding strategies can be used in multilevel instruction in many ways. One way is to model for the students what you expect them to do.  And as you model you use think-alouds.  You tap into their previous knowledge, as evidenced repeatedly in the video.  Let them share their own experiences, hunches and ideas on the content.  Give them time to talk and process the new information or ideas. Let them rehearse in their small groups. Have high expectations for them.  Challenge their learning by giving high level tasks. Use visual aids.  Pictures, graphic organizers or charts are good scaffolding tools.  Pause and ask well thought out open-ended questions. Take time to get the students to learn. 

Differentiated instruction (combining multilevel instruction and scaffolding) in my view is necessary to accommodate our diverse learners; however, it is challenging to execute.  Firstly, it requires extensive planning on our part as teachers. Planning is time consuming.  It also requires a lot of resources which unfortunately, we do not have in our schools.   Improvisation is needed to get as close to differentiated instruction as possible as this may be the only way to reach all students whether high, medium or low.

My aim as a teacher then is to incorporate more scaffolding in my practice in ways that are articulated above.  In doing so, I will be catering for my diverse learners.

Week 2- Reflection on Multiculturalism and Diversity

Gloria Gabb

Week 2: Assignment #2

Reflection on Multiculturalism & Diversity

The “Conversation” is an Australian media outlet which published an article entitled “Why Teachers Shouldn’t be Afraid of Other Languages Being Spoken in the Classroom” dated May 21, 2018.  According to this article, more than 360 languages are spoken in British classrooms. However, in mainstream schools in the United Kingdom the home languages of students are either shelved or prohibited, notwithstanding the fact that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child mandates that children from linguistic minorities should not be “denied the right” to use their own languages.

 There appears to be some level of fear associated with the use of “home” languages especially among the typically white, monolingual demographic of the teaching profession in the UK. In fact, one teacher interviewed in a study entitled “The Inappropriateness of Language” openly confessed her belief that children only use other languages when they want to be rude or exclude others.  The underlying problem seems to be that in integrating home languages teachers feel that they are losing control of aspects of the learning process. This pose challenges for teachers. Additionally, substantial amount of resources (funding and time) are required to facilitate other languages in the classroom.  Some also maintained the view that using home languages in classrooms can delay transition to English due to the mixing of languages known as “code switching”. Still others maintained that the responsibility of maintaining home languages lies with the minority language communities.

Celebrating languages and cultures foster multiculturalism and diversity in schools.  Preserving languages is an extremely important characteristic of the above-mentioned. Essentially, it’s part of people’s culture.  It’s who they are. It’s what they are, and it’s what makes them unique. There are indeed positive outcomes associated with the use of multiple languages in schools.

Schools ought to strive to avoid language loss. Our schools need to incorporate and bolster English as a Second Language programs to encourage diverse linguistic setups in classrooms. It has been proven that children learn best in their home language, so if we are advocating for effective teaching and learning in schools, we need inclusion. Schools need not invest in a comprehensive expensive curriculum programs that affect their budget.  There are numerous online resources for curriculum-based work to provide tailored teaching materials for children in need of them. It can happen and, in a less costly, effective way. All in all, minority children should be able to access the curriculum in the ways others can, so they can experience inclusion.