In choosing lesson plans to examine it was determined to use lesson plans bases around a science topic. It is believe that science tends to allow for flexible lessons plans that are engaging for students. Lesson plans from 9th grade, 7th Grade, and Kindergarten were review that evaluated aspects of plant life. In the initial review of the three lesson plans they all seem fun and well put together for students learning experience. After further review based on the objective of this lesson there we seen some areas that would deem challenging for children with learning disability and/or communication disabilities. These areas will be illustrated in this assignment.
Helping Elements for children with Learning or Communication Disability
Children with learning and/or communication disability are capable of learning like children without disabilities, but often times need additional assistance in their learning process. These lesson plans though there were limited elements that were viewed as being helpful for children with LD or CD, elements that did exist were the fact the lessons had some variations of activities. Having this variation from lecture, to worksheet, videos being viewed, and hands on experiments helps children to be able to obtain and process the information in different ways. Additionally, there appears to be flexibility in the amount of time spent of the lesson objectives with the teacher have designated steps in how they will stop and ensure that students area understanding the concepts. In looking at this, a teacher would be able to take this extra time for a student with LD or CD to implement assistive technology that may be needed. For example a microscope that projects objects larger. Lastly, each lesson plan ...
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...or CD traditional testing method of lesson plan objectives may not be the best method so teacher have to be able to adjust the assessment methods to meet students learning needs.
In conclusion, all students have the capability of learning. It is our job as educators to think outside of the box and find what method works best for a student with special needs.
References:
Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2010). Exceptional lives: Special education in today’s schools. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
(1998). New Jersey Science Curriculum Framework: Special Education team science framework. New Jersey Department of Education: Division of Information and Management Services Publications and Distribution Services. Retrieved from http://www.state.nj.us/education/frameworks/science/chap9.pdf
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
Field Experience Description (Preamble/Introduction/Background): the following field experience observation took place at Plainfield Connecticut’s Shepard Hill Elementary School, 234 Shepard Hill Rd, Plainfield, CT 06374, herein S.H.E., during the fall of 2017, and was conducted by Sacred Heart University M.Ed. candidate Peter Scott Harmyk, Esq. Because of confidentiality requirements per request of the interviewees, specifically the classroom teacher and the special education teacher, herein “Ms. Teacher” and “Ms. Special Ed” the two students observed for the purpose of this essay shall also remain anonymous; further, this candidate was respectfully denied access to the appropriate IEP and 504 documentation corresponding to the two first-grade
In modern times, special education refers to individualized instruction provided by school districts that fit the needs of a student’s exceptionality (Turnbull, Turnbull, Wehmeyer & Shogren, 2013). Special education is a rewarding field that encompasses the success of all learners with exceptionalities. Consequently, professionals in this discipline have to exhibit characteristics such as patience, ardor, and empathy. These individuals also have to be “self-aware culturally,” and by meeting that idea, they have to “become aware of [their] stereotypes, biases, and prejudices” (Turnbull et al., 2013, p. 74).
My personal philosophy of special education drives not from teaching in the field, but from, observations, and personal experience, and the workshops I attended. I have had the opportunity to work with individuals with special needs in many different settings, all this help cultivate my knowledge in handling the needs of the special needed student. Special needs students have the ability to learn, to function, to grow, and most importantly to succeed. The difference comes into how they learn or how they need to be taught. There are as many beliefs about the "hows" as there are teachers and each of us forms our own philosophy through our experiences and research. As a student in a special education teachers’ program, learners with special needs includes all students in special education programs in the public school system or other appropriate settings. However, the students I would like to focus on in my career are students with learning disabilities and therefore when thinking about learners with special needs, my mind focuses on this population.
Instructional planners should design a variety of experiences that will allow active participation of the learners. The gap that exist between the level at which students with learning disabilities perform as well as the demands of the curriculum that they normally are expected to cover is wide. As a result, incorporating instruction design and technology in their learning will certainly go a long way. Ginsberg and Karen (2008)argues that technology, whether instructional or assistive, has however, played uneven role within the individuals with learning disabilities since it was started. Moreover, technology can be said to be in a constant state of flux, and consequently, several authors have indicated the need to have appropriate experimental testing of the interventions. Currently, a number of schools are seeking to improve learning outcomes of the students while employing certain instructional design and technology theories not only to guide but also to enrich the literacy instruction for the students with disabilities. This article hence discusses the common instructional design and technology theories and models relevant for individuals with disability.
Researching the US National Standards of Science Education and the New York State Science Standards gave our group valuable information about any science curriculum in New York State. We searched the Web and the New York State Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology booklet. Conducting an interview with both Ethanie Holl, kindergarten teacher, and Dr. LaChance, professor, were also very helpful.
The Unit titled “Learning Disabilities (LD)” draws attention to this particular category of special education and goes in depth about the successes and aggravation of educating these children. The unit first gives an overview of the statistics of children with LD and includes the IDEA definition of LD which is “a disorder in the processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.” (P. 30) It includes an article that explains how a tutorial program, implemented by Brookline High School (BHS) in Boston, Massachusetts, has drastically reduced numbers
Horn, W.F. & Tynan, D. (2001) Revamping special education. Public Interest 144, 36. Retrieved November 6, 2002 from ERIC/EBSCO database.
First of all, it is important to understand the different types of disabilities. As seen from the definition of a child with a disability above, there are several kinds of disabilities. The disabilities are based on the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and each disability involves cases in which a child’s educational performance is negatively affected (National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities, 2010). Some of the disabilities are more common than others, but it is important that teachers are familiar with each type of disability. Once...
According to Kroesbergen & Van Luit (2003) “self-instruction and direct instruction seem to be adequate methods for students with special needs. Direct instruction is most effective for learning basic math facts, and self-instruction approaches are an effective way of learning problem-solving skills.” Technology is an important tool to use in education. Technology is beneficial to motivate student to practice skills. The computer cannot take the place of the educator for instruction. (Weis, 2014)
When a child doesn’t seem to be learning, some teachers and parents in his/her life might criticize the child and think of them as stupid, or maybe just too lazy to want to learn. What they don’t realize is that the child might have a learning disability. But how are these children being helped? There are many programs, special schools and facilities, home teaching methods and many other ways in which children with Learning Disabilities are being helped.
Teaching children with exceptional learning needs requires an understanding of the core characteristics of their disabilities. Through understanding these characteristics, teachers have the ability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of each student. Alejandra and Gianna are two
First, parents need to educate themselves on the advantage of special education and resources available at their school districts that could be of significant assistant for their children. On the other hand, teachers need to be prepared to help parents make the most suitable decision for their children, as they need to diagnose their children as needing special education or not. After all, both decisions will prove to be fundamental in the lives of these students, because when deciding against special education parents are neglecting their children of additional opportunities to succeed socially or academically. Conversely, by accepting the diagnoses parents will require dealing with social issues related to the stigma of being diagnosed as having a disability, but on the other hand, they will be gearing their special children with tools that will help them achieve independent
The field of education has been becoming quite diverse and expanding with students, technology, and teaching techniques. In Secondary Education, there are content areas such as English, Science, and Social Studies, and an educator that teaches any of these content areas and more, must be able to utilize varied techniques or practices in order to meet students’ needs and learning styles. In regards to Science teaching in particular, not only does the teacher must be able to know and teach the concepts of the content area effectively, but he/she must be able to convey to the students the applications and vocabulary with those scientific concepts. Although there is an abundant of array of effective practices in Science teaching available for a teacher to use in his/her instruction, there are three strategies that are well-known and greatly documented to have improved student learning, vocabulary, and developing student-to-student and student-to-teacher interactions. These effective practices are: Cooperative Learning, Word Games (Vocabulary Strategies), and Graphic Organizers.
Education is a profession which requires a teacher to be able to communicate with a multitude of students on a variety of levels. There is not a class, or student for that matter, that is identical. Therefore, teachers must be able to identify and help educate students from all different types of backgrounds and at different levels. Teaching a singular subject presents difficulties, but teaching students with disabilities should not be one. There are three main teaching areas that need to be focused on when teaching a student with a learning disability. Teachers need to focus on the strategies that will assist students with reading comprehension skills, writing skills, and maintaining appropriate behaviors in a classroom setting.