Differentiating Instruction

This week we learned about differentiating instruction. I learned the importance of recognizing the needs of all your students and doing your best to make accommodations for all of your students who have disabilities.

I liked how the book talked about the different ways you can make accommodations for your students. First, is basic instruction, this includes teaching pre-skills, including sequencing,and sequencing examples, deciding the rate of introducing new skills, providing direct instruction and opportunities for practice and review.

Second, How can you make accommodations for students with special needs when teaching subject-area content? We can do this by, Activating background knowledge, Organizing Content, Employing cue words for organizational patterns, Constructing study guides Creating Graphic Organizers.

Third, Teaching terms and concepts. We can do this by Using definitions, Making concept diagrams, Communicating clearly, Communicate clearly in writing and orally.

Lastly, What accommodations can you make for students to help them succeed in independent practice?We can differentiating seat work assignments, and differentiating homework assignments to help the student better grasp the concepts we are trying to teach.

Students with Special Needs Other than Disabilities

This Week we learned about children with special needs other than disabilities. Children in this category can be considered under something called the 504. the 504 is any student struggling with attention problems, drug addictions, chronic health problems, communicable diseases, temporary disabilities resulting from accidents or injury, environmental illnesses, and alcoholism. This means that they can get help for any of these problems if they are determined eligible.

Who is eligible? Pretty much anyone with any of the above stated problems as long as they have proof of the problem.

Helping a child with ADHD. It is very important that when a child has ADHD that we are patient with them. We should allow extra time on tests, have them focus on comprehending short passegesses rather than long ones, give extended periods of time for math, In large group instruction keep the pace perky and allow for many opportunities for student participation.

Planning Instruction by Analyzing Classroom and Student Needs

This week we learned about planning instruction by analyzing classroom and student needs. I honestly hadn't really thought about teachers ever doing this but after reading the material and watching the videos for this week teachers do this quite often.

Before a student even steps into the room a teacher has to look at his or her classroom and "manage the classroom." Meaning, they need consider physical organization of the room itself, routines for academic and non-academic activities, classroom climate, or attitudes toward individual differences, and note the use of time for instructional and non-instructional activities.

Once the student walks in the room the teacher has to consider academics for them so he or she can document progress. Some of the things teachers consider with their students are basic learning skills (reading, math, oral and written language), cognitive and learning strategies "learning how to learn"- memorization, textbook reading, note taking, test taking, and general problem solving, and survival skills- (skills practiced by students regularly) attending school regularly, being organized, completing tasks in and out of school, being independent, taking an interest in school, and displaying positive interpersonal skills.

I honestly didn't realize teachers considered all of these factors when a child with disabilities. When I was in high school I was in "study skills" and had an IEP but I don't remember any of my teachers every doing any of these things.

I learned a lot this week, there are a lot to consider when you are working with special needs children and you need to make sure you are prepared each and every day.

~Kolbey