Teacher Work Sample Standard 5
The needs of all students should be at the forefront of how each lesson is designed and implemented. Students learn in a variety of ways and it’s important that educators recognize this and adjust their teaching styles and lesson plans accordingly. Sometimes the way one student learns won’t necessarily be the way that another student will learn. It’s up to each educator to decide what teaching style will work best for his or her students. The educator’s teaching style may also vary from year to year according to the student demographic. It’s imperative that educators are willing to use modifications and enhancements to successfully teach all students the unit’s learning goals and objectives. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was implemented over the course of the unit to ensure all student’s learning needs were met.
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This approach allows educators to develop flexible learning environments to accommodate each student’s individual differences (CAST, Understood Founding Partner, 2018). This approach has three primary principles that are based on neuroscience research. The first principle is to provide multiple means of representation (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2012). The second principle is to provide multiple means of action and expression (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2012). The final principle is to provide multiple means of engagement (National Center on Universal Design for Learning, 2012). This approach provides an outline to create instructional goals, methods, learning materials and assessments that can work for all students (CAST, Understood Founding Partner,
In chapter four the focus switches away from assistive technology supporting students in one content area and focuses on the teaching profession and how assistive technology can assist teachers to employ a universal design for learning. The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) promote learning that best for the student and promoting students a variety of methods to express their knowledge.
However, through the passage of legislation, decisions handed down from courts, and a shift in societal mores, it is clear that such an approach will no longer be allowed. Education today is an institution that must meet the needs of all learners without exception. In response to this new belief structure, teachers have two choices: adapt the lessons they plan to meet these needs, or design the lessons universally from the start. The former approach is common, but proponents of universal design for learning hope that will change as acceptance of the latter grows. These proponents argue that universa...
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/udl/diffinstruction.asp
Personalizing learning for students takes the idea of differentiating instruction to fit the needs of your students is vitally important to fostering an environment that makes ...
Cloran (n.d.) suggest teachers need to have a broad understanding of giftedness and learning disabilities, a variety of identification measures and the ability to modify the curriculum and implement differentiated teaching strategies to meet the unique needs of all students. A graduate teacher recognises that students learn in their own way and should understand and be able to identify a number of teaching strategies to differentiate and meet the learning needs of all students. They may create groups based on previous assessment results and set clear or modified instructions for each group based on ability or learning styles. To address the specific learning needs of all student abilities, multi-sensory strategies using charts, diagrams, outside lessons and videos, as well as posters around the room or information on the desk could be used. Tomlinson (1999) suggests that differentiated instruction aims to build on student’s strengths and maximize their learning by adjusting instructional tasks to suit their individual needs. Ensuring teaching and instructions are clear, revising and prompting students during lessons and providing templates and assisting student in breaking down tasks into achievable, systematic chunks are some additional examples. Lucas, (2008) suggests highlighting key vocabulary within the text to focus students on the central concepts within the text. Quick finishing students should be provided with the opportunity to extend themselves with extension tasks that have a specific purpose and
A classroom of thirty is filled with a diverse group of students that think in all different ways. Each child’s brain processes informat...
The importance of having a curriculum that accommodates diverse learners, it allows the child to learn at their own level or ability. A child with emotional and intellectual challenges may not have the verbal or comprehension skills or the ability to control their body as their peers. With this in mind, classes with diverse learners can excel with an adjusted curriculum. An activity for example, using large Legos to teach the entire class their colors or numbers can help the intellectual challenge by asking to build a building by using on certain colors or amounts. By doing this activity the students can have fun and learn at the same time with using very little words. Also in a group activity the emoti...
Abstract This paper explores the theme of human vulnerability in Hermann Hesse’s Demian and C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters. We will be focusing on the protagonist's encounters with moral and spiritual challenges. Both novels talk about the concept of good and evil, and sin and temptation. Hesse, who was influenced by Jungian Philosophy while receiving therapy from Dr. Joseph Lang, writes a story that truly highlights that.
...ualized plan due to time constraints, it is reasonable to treat each student as they do have an individualized education. Teachers should know their students well enough to individualize the classroom activities so all students have strengths in each lesson. Through collaborative efforts, teachers can gain knowledge about the students and new ways to teach according to different learning styles. Working together, each student can receive an individualized education where their full potential is used.
“The universal design for learning involves the conscious and deliberate planning of lessons and outcomes that allow all students access to and participation in the same curricula.” (Ashman & Elkins, 2008, p. 248) When curricula, instruction and assessment are designed using UDL students are offered various approaches of; presentation, expression, and engagement (who, what and why of learning). Using the UDL teachers must allow students to present information and content in different ways, differentiate the ways that students can express what they know, and stimulate interest, engagement and motivation for learning. (Ashman & Elkins, 2...
How do teachers enable all students of varying abilities to reach the same goals and standards established for their grade level? Instruction begins with a concept of treating each student as a unique learner whose strengths and weaknesses ha...
Lev Vygotsky developed his theory of learning in the 1920’s but it was not until the late 1960’s that his ideas about learning became popular and were used to contribute to “Constructivism” as a method of teaching. (Krause [et al.] 2010 p. p81).
This standard requires a teacher to really understand his/her students especially through the ways they grow and develop. It is important for them to understand that every student is different and therefore, will learn in their own ways. The teacher then learns to meet the needs of all students specifically by creating learning experiences for all to comprehend. Differentiated instruction would be helpful in a classroom in order for the teacher to meet the needs of students who have differences when it comes to interests, readiness and learning needs.
My teaching career has been spent learning how to provide appropriate support, guidance, patience, & understanding, as well as to enhance academic growth & success, for all students. My purpose as a teacher is to enrich and inspire the lives of young students with moderate/intensive needs by providing access to information instead of functioning as the primary source of information for students to flourish. My teaching methods will be to create an environment ripe with opportunities for discovery and exploration which will allow all students to learn at their own pace, generate questions and construct knowledge, while providing hands-on practice of skills in authentic situations as well as to make learning intriguing and meaningful to all students. Carefully planned and constructed learning environment will also allow the teacher more time to meet the individual needs of each student. Another important factor to a well-prepared learning environment is to facilitate learning, and providing students with balance and consistency (2004). Young students require a balance between various classroom dimensions, including activities guided by the teacher and independent work, quiet work and active work, gross motor and fine motor activities, and open and closed aspects to the curriculum and classroom materials (2004). Consistency is also a required condition for learner success. Schedules (daily and weekly), the enforcement of classroom rules, and student expectations should not be in flux but remain consistent. Without a sense of consistency in the classroom, school life would lack the necessary feeling of safety and reliability young children need to focus, to take risks, and to t...
The understandings I have gained from this course have completely revamped my way of teaching. I have been using the unit plan and curriculum map I created in this course for the past two years, and my students enjoy it more and more each year. Learning the importance of using big ideas and essential questions in the classroom have made me a better educator and has assisted my students in learning content and skills that they can transfer to all academic areas and into their everyday lives. I now use big idea and essential questions in every ...