Teaching All Students
Diversity in thinking fosters creativity, innovation, and novel ideas. I want my classroom to be a place where every student is welcomed, supported to be the best learner they can be, and empowered to find their own way of solving problems. As part of the Tufts MAT program, I am currently working towards obtaining an initial licensure in moderate disabilities. The following Competency Review shows the requirements of Massachusetts in teaching students with moderate disabilities that I have met. It highlights my experience, classwork, and thinking about teaching all students.
Competency 1: Educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities
Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, introduced me to terminologies associated with mild to moderate disabilities that have helped me better prepare to support students with learning disabilities in my teaching practice. The articles listed below challenged me to think about what constitutes as a learning disability, learn about the history and development of the term "learning disabilities", and know more about the various learning disabilities.
Specifically the articles had me thinking about how federal law, rules, and guidelines define disabilities and my responsibilities as a teacher to accommodate students with disabilities. It was useful to gain more knowledge on the various learning disabilities, such as the characteristics and the diagnosis of different learning disabilities, the challenges a student may have, and the different methods and approaches suggested to help the student in the classroom. One of the most important take-aways is that although a student may have a particular learning disability, he or she, like every student, also has strengths that I can leverage and develop as a responsive teacher.
I saw the incredible ability of a person with dyslexia in my case study from Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142. Click HERE to read the case study.
Competency 2: Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
At TechBoston Academy, I taught and helped in 4 full-inclusion classes. One of them in particular is a small class with mostly students on IEPs. As their teacher, I made sure when I planned lessons that would provide accommodations to meet individuals' IEP including, graphic organizers, frequently breaks, chunking, providing more context, special seating arrangements, etc.
One example is a of a student who was on an IEP whose main areas of concerns were around the student's reading ability, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The IEP stated that some of the accommodations the student should have included oral directions and frequent check-ins. I would make sure that the student received instruction verbally, whether it would be me reading out loud in front of the class, one-on-one with the student individually, having different students read out loud, playing a video, or having him use a text reader. I would also as well as, making sure to check how he was doing after instructions were given, especially during individual work periods where there was more reading and less oral communication.
My cooperating teacher this year is a SPED liaison at TechBoston. I was able to join him in reevaluating one my students, see how the test was graded, and sat in on the student's IEP meeting on 12/7/12. Click HERE for this meeting's attendance sheet.
Additionally, I attended an annual review for another one of my students on 5/2/2013. Click HERE for this meeting's attendance sheet.
The two meetings were very different. Besides one being a testing year vs. an annual review, in one meeting, only the parent was present, and in the other, only the student. Also in one, the student desired to move off of an IEP, whereas in the other, the student continued to be on an IEP, but it was modified, and the student was able to input his or her thoughts for goals for the following years.
Competency 3: Design or modification of curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities.
Introduction to Work Lesson
In this particular lesson, I provided scaffolding to help every student have something to contribute to a discussion of when is there "work" present in a situation. Thinking about "What is 'work'?" is abstract, which is a documented struggle for many of my students on IEPs. Hence, in this lesson, I used pictures of situations that the students would be familiar with (ex. lifting a box) to help bring context and make the topic more relatable and tangible. Additionally, I utilized multiple modes of engagement by having pictures, word descriptions of what was occurring in the pictures, and acted out the scenarios. Students could utilize their different strengths (reading, listening, kinesthetic comprehension) to engage in the lesson. The structure of the lesson also allowed for frequent movement and breaks. What I liked most about the lesson is that I felt like I scaffold in a way where I was not giving away the answer of how to go about the question, instead, the scaffolding allowed students to think more critically about the question.
Please Click HERE to see the lesson. At the bottom of the page, there are samples of student work. Sample A and C were by students on IEPs.
Energy Lessons with CAST
For much of the Unit on Energy, I used a technology-centered physics curriculum by CAST, whose main goal is to create lessons with Universal Design for Learning. They site includes many supports to make the curriculum assessable by removing barriers for those with learning disabilities, such as:
One of the best parts about the curriculum is that there are a lot of visuals and embedded video. I remember one particular lesson where a couple of the students on IEPs kept rewatching the same four videos on a page. Though they may not have been truly following the lesson plan of reading and answering the questions on the rest of the page, when I went over to them and genuinely asked them about what they were watching, they were excited to tell me about the various videos and connected the videos back to the topic that we were working on. The purpose of CAST is to provide many ways and to engage them in some way, not that every student uses all the ways. The particular lesson was able to impart the information needed through video alone for these particular students. Different for every student, for some, the text reader and hints were the most useful to help them learn the content.
Competency 4: Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies
Having worked with students using augmentative communication technologies and reading the research papers listed below, I have been made me more aware of the benefits and limitations provided by supports. The most salient point I have learned is that taking the time upfront to really understand the needs of the individuals to figure out which assistive technologies, or combination of technologies, best fit into their lifestyles will greatly help the adoption of using the support or supports. By increasing adoption, the more benefits are provided to those that need them. I believe, used appropriately, assistive technologies, can really help with students actively participate, communicate, and learn.
This year, I was trained on Solo 6, an assistive technology literacy suite, which includes a text reader, graphic organizer, talking word processor, and word prediction. I was lucky enough this year to have enough laptops for each student this year so I allowed students to choose to use Solo 6 when they wanted to. Many of the files could be uploaded to Solo 6 to be read. This was a really useful tool for students who had strong listening comprehension and I found that many students, regardless if they were on an IEP, liked to use the program.
With InterLACE, I noticed that students who have a hard time finding the words to describe what they wanted, participated more with InterLACE because they could upload pictures or direct others to websites that would reveal their thought process. Although InterLACE is not formally an assistive technology, it allows for a different ways for students to showcase their understanding and knowledge of various topics.
In talking to a Special Education and Student Services Coordinator at TechBoston Academy, the coordinator mentioned the use of Kurzweil (text to speech software), word processors, Dragon (speech recognition software) , Bookshare (accessible books for individuals with print disabilities).
Competency 5: Ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms; for example, use of behavioral management principles
In Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, we discussed a variety of topics around how to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for the general education classroom. Here are some of the main items I took away from the class:
Additionally, in the class, we read many articles that lent multiple perspectives to thinking about students with disabilities in general education classrooms. These following articles made me revisit my assumptions about students that "act out" and how I can assist these students in my classroom:
Greene argues that "inflexible-explosive behaviors" are not intentional and purposeful. In a situation with a difficult student, I need to be open-minded and not quick to judge. Also, realizing that the cause may not be deliberate, I will find ways to work with students rather than trying to assert dominance, which often does not work..
Conrad critically looks at how the medication of "deviant behavior" have caused society to blame student behavior on an illness, looking at it as if it originated from the individual, instead of seeing the increase in these behaviors in many students as a symptomatic problems in the overarching social system. The article made me aware that I have to constantly be reflective and see if there is something that may be systematically amiss that can be changed to help each and all, of my students.
Mather and Goldstein list best practices for working with students. Some of their advice include: tell what to do and not what not to do, give clear and concise directions, have students repeat rules and instructions, structure transition times, provide rules, have consistent routines, let students have a choice in tasks, and give immediate feedback when possible. These suggestions I have found this year, beneficial all students, not just those with disabilities.
Competency 6: Knowledge of services provided by other agencies
In Introduction to Teaching, ED 101, I interviewed many members from the community in and around TechBoston Academy and Codman Square in Dorchester, MA for a community project. The project helped me know more about and explore the community my students live in. Because of the project, I feel more connected to the community there.
During an interview, one of the student support staff at TechBoston Academy elaborated on the programs in the area that are focused on students. She stated, "I am most proud of this part of Dorchester, Codman Square, because the community is doing a lot to keep youth engaged. There are programs like B.O.L.D, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Friday Outdoor Movie Nights, and the YMCA... they are not there just to be there, they are responding, being conscious, and being proactive by being open at strategic times."
Click on the links above to find out more about the organizations that the student support staff mentioned.
Competency 7: Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education
Below is documentation of my participation in IEP meetings this year:
The two meetings were very different. Besides one being a testing year vs. an annual review, in one meeting, only the parent was present, and in the other, only the student. Also in one, the student desired to move off of an IEP, whereas in the other, the student continued to be on an IEP, but it was modified, and the student was able to input his or her thoughts for goals for the following years.
The Special Education and Student Services Coordinator at TechBoston Academy reiterated that "teachers, special ed licensed or not, should abide by all laws pertaining to special education, that is why they are put in place. IEPs are legal contracts and need to be upheld by all staff not just teachers who are licensed." She said that every teacher is given information about the federal laws and student IEPs at the beginning of each year.
Competency 8: Science laboratory work
Each science teacher at TechBoston is in charge of the safety regulations for lab work in their classroom. Click on the different teachers below to see how each approaches safety.
Competency 9: Child Development1) Basic theories of cognitive, social, emotional, language, and physical development from childhood through adolescence.
In Human Development and Learning, ED 130, I learned about major theorists and their theories on child development. Some of the theorists include Piaget, Skinner, Gardner, and Vygotsy. I also learned what typical cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical development look like so that we would be aware of situations when they are not usual to be able to address them.
I particularly enjoyed thinking and learning about child development and spherically thinking about how best I can help my students grow. What I learned from Human Development and Learning, ED140, is that as teachers, we need to adapt and provide space to allow for student thinking and ideas. I want my class to be where students can ask bizzare questions and have wonderful ideas. Additionally, I believe that students can learn a lot from each other. The readings below helped me develop my point of view on student growth in the classroom:
One of my assignments for Human Development and Learning, ED 130, my partner, Anya, and I worked together interviewing two individuals from different disciplines. We then examined how they approached the same task and related their problem solving strategies to theories presented by Duckworth, Gardner, Piaget, and Dweck.
Click HERE to read our write-up.
2) Characteristics and instructional implications of moderately and severely disabling conditions.
In one of the many provoking discussions in Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, we talked about the word "disabled". We discussed how "disabled" labels certain people as different and that it tends to mean that the specified people or person has a deficit, something that needs to be fixed. This prevailing association, that they "lack an ability", often makes us fail to notice the abilities and strengths that they have. The articles below, that I chose, are those whose approaches are that all students are able and teachers should build on students' strengths, for example, utilizing how they communicate and learn best.
Competency 1: Educational terminology for students with mild to moderate disabilities
Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, introduced me to terminologies associated with mild to moderate disabilities that have helped me better prepare to support students with learning disabilities in my teaching practice. The articles listed below challenged me to think about what constitutes as a learning disability, learn about the history and development of the term "learning disabilities", and know more about the various learning disabilities.
Specifically the articles had me thinking about how federal law, rules, and guidelines define disabilities and my responsibilities as a teacher to accommodate students with disabilities. It was useful to gain more knowledge on the various learning disabilities, such as the characteristics and the diagnosis of different learning disabilities, the challenges a student may have, and the different methods and approaches suggested to help the student in the classroom. One of the most important take-aways is that although a student may have a particular learning disability, he or she, like every student, also has strengths that I can leverage and develop as a responsive teacher.
- Lyon, G. R. (1996). Learning disabilities. The Future of Children: Special Education for Students with Disabilities, 6, 56-76.
- Buckley, S., & Sacks, B. (2002). An overview of the development of teenagers with Down syndrome (11-16 years). Down Syndrome Education Online. Retrieved May 26, 2013 from http://www.down-syndrome.org/information/development/adolescent/?page=3. doi: 10.3104/9781903806043
- Geary, D. C. (2004). Mathematics and learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 4-15.
- Wickelgren, I. (2005). Autistic brains out of sync? Science, 308, 1956-1858.
I saw the incredible ability of a person with dyslexia in my case study from Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142. Click HERE to read the case study.
Competency 2: Preparation, implementation, and evaluation of Individualized Education Programs (IEP)
At TechBoston Academy, I taught and helped in 4 full-inclusion classes. One of them in particular is a small class with mostly students on IEPs. As their teacher, I made sure when I planned lessons that would provide accommodations to meet individuals' IEP including, graphic organizers, frequently breaks, chunking, providing more context, special seating arrangements, etc.
One example is a of a student who was on an IEP whose main areas of concerns were around the student's reading ability, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The IEP stated that some of the accommodations the student should have included oral directions and frequent check-ins. I would make sure that the student received instruction verbally, whether it would be me reading out loud in front of the class, one-on-one with the student individually, having different students read out loud, playing a video, or having him use a text reader. I would also as well as, making sure to check how he was doing after instructions were given, especially during individual work periods where there was more reading and less oral communication.
My cooperating teacher this year is a SPED liaison at TechBoston. I was able to join him in reevaluating one my students, see how the test was graded, and sat in on the student's IEP meeting on 12/7/12. Click HERE for this meeting's attendance sheet.
Additionally, I attended an annual review for another one of my students on 5/2/2013. Click HERE for this meeting's attendance sheet.
The two meetings were very different. Besides one being a testing year vs. an annual review, in one meeting, only the parent was present, and in the other, only the student. Also in one, the student desired to move off of an IEP, whereas in the other, the student continued to be on an IEP, but it was modified, and the student was able to input his or her thoughts for goals for the following years.
Competency 3: Design or modification of curriculum, instructional materials, and general education classroom environments for students with moderate disabilities.
Introduction to Work Lesson
In this particular lesson, I provided scaffolding to help every student have something to contribute to a discussion of when is there "work" present in a situation. Thinking about "What is 'work'?" is abstract, which is a documented struggle for many of my students on IEPs. Hence, in this lesson, I used pictures of situations that the students would be familiar with (ex. lifting a box) to help bring context and make the topic more relatable and tangible. Additionally, I utilized multiple modes of engagement by having pictures, word descriptions of what was occurring in the pictures, and acted out the scenarios. Students could utilize their different strengths (reading, listening, kinesthetic comprehension) to engage in the lesson. The structure of the lesson also allowed for frequent movement and breaks. What I liked most about the lesson is that I felt like I scaffold in a way where I was not giving away the answer of how to go about the question, instead, the scaffolding allowed students to think more critically about the question.
Please Click HERE to see the lesson. At the bottom of the page, there are samples of student work. Sample A and C were by students on IEPs.
Energy Lessons with CAST
For much of the Unit on Energy, I used a technology-centered physics curriculum by CAST, whose main goal is to create lessons with Universal Design for Learning. They site includes many supports to make the curriculum assessable by removing barriers for those with learning disabilities, such as:
- Multiple modes of engagement (audio, visual, and written)
- Text to speech reader
- Immediate feedback on question
- Ability to provide hints
- Sentence starters
- A place to take notes
One of the best parts about the curriculum is that there are a lot of visuals and embedded video. I remember one particular lesson where a couple of the students on IEPs kept rewatching the same four videos on a page. Though they may not have been truly following the lesson plan of reading and answering the questions on the rest of the page, when I went over to them and genuinely asked them about what they were watching, they were excited to tell me about the various videos and connected the videos back to the topic that we were working on. The purpose of CAST is to provide many ways and to engage them in some way, not that every student uses all the ways. The particular lesson was able to impart the information needed through video alone for these particular students. Different for every student, for some, the text reader and hints were the most useful to help them learn the content.
Competency 4: Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies
Having worked with students using augmentative communication technologies and reading the research papers listed below, I have been made me more aware of the benefits and limitations provided by supports. The most salient point I have learned is that taking the time upfront to really understand the needs of the individuals to figure out which assistive technologies, or combination of technologies, best fit into their lifestyles will greatly help the adoption of using the support or supports. By increasing adoption, the more benefits are provided to those that need them. I believe, used appropriately, assistive technologies, can really help with students actively participate, communicate, and learn.
- Kintsch, Anja, and Rogerio DePaula. "A framework for the adoption of assistive technology." SWAAAC 2002: Supporting Learning Through Assistive Technology (2002): E3.
- Light, Janice, and Kathryn Drager. "AAC technologies for young children with complex communication needs: State of the science and future research directions." Augmentative and alternative communication 23.3 (2007): 204-216.
- Mirenda, Pat. "Toward functional augmentative and alternative communication for students with autism: Manual signs, graphic symbols, and voice output communication aids." Language, speech, and hearing services in schools 34.3 (2003): 203.
This year, I was trained on Solo 6, an assistive technology literacy suite, which includes a text reader, graphic organizer, talking word processor, and word prediction. I was lucky enough this year to have enough laptops for each student this year so I allowed students to choose to use Solo 6 when they wanted to. Many of the files could be uploaded to Solo 6 to be read. This was a really useful tool for students who had strong listening comprehension and I found that many students, regardless if they were on an IEP, liked to use the program.
With InterLACE, I noticed that students who have a hard time finding the words to describe what they wanted, participated more with InterLACE because they could upload pictures or direct others to websites that would reveal their thought process. Although InterLACE is not formally an assistive technology, it allows for a different ways for students to showcase their understanding and knowledge of various topics.
In talking to a Special Education and Student Services Coordinator at TechBoston Academy, the coordinator mentioned the use of Kurzweil (text to speech software), word processors, Dragon (speech recognition software) , Bookshare (accessible books for individuals with print disabilities).
Competency 5: Ways to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for general education classrooms; for example, use of behavioral management principles
In Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, we discussed a variety of topics around how to prepare and maintain students with disabilities for the general education classroom. Here are some of the main items I took away from the class:
- Children will learn if they can (we need to seek to understand what is preventing them from learning if they are not doing so)
- Accommodations are often beneficial for all students, not just the one or few on IEPs
- Keep in mind a growth mindset: the belief that everyone can develop their abilities through dedication and hard work
- Develop lessons and curriculum that utilize and develop the strengths of my students
Additionally, in the class, we read many articles that lent multiple perspectives to thinking about students with disabilities in general education classrooms. These following articles made me revisit my assumptions about students that "act out" and how I can assist these students in my classroom:
- Conrad, P. (1975). The discovery of hyperkinesis: Notes on the medicalization of deviant behavior. Social Problems, 12-21.
- Greene, R. (1998) Chapter 2: Terrible beyond two (pp 9-25). The explosive child: A new approach for understanding and parenting easily frustrated, “chronically inflexible” children. HarperCollins.
- Mather, N. & Goldstein, S. (2008) Interactive Issues (in children with ADHD) (pp 101-109). Learning disabilities and challenging behaviors: a guide to intervention and classroom management, Second Edition. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Greene argues that "inflexible-explosive behaviors" are not intentional and purposeful. In a situation with a difficult student, I need to be open-minded and not quick to judge. Also, realizing that the cause may not be deliberate, I will find ways to work with students rather than trying to assert dominance, which often does not work..
Conrad critically looks at how the medication of "deviant behavior" have caused society to blame student behavior on an illness, looking at it as if it originated from the individual, instead of seeing the increase in these behaviors in many students as a symptomatic problems in the overarching social system. The article made me aware that I have to constantly be reflective and see if there is something that may be systematically amiss that can be changed to help each and all, of my students.
Mather and Goldstein list best practices for working with students. Some of their advice include: tell what to do and not what not to do, give clear and concise directions, have students repeat rules and instructions, structure transition times, provide rules, have consistent routines, let students have a choice in tasks, and give immediate feedback when possible. These suggestions I have found this year, beneficial all students, not just those with disabilities.
Competency 6: Knowledge of services provided by other agencies
In Introduction to Teaching, ED 101, I interviewed many members from the community in and around TechBoston Academy and Codman Square in Dorchester, MA for a community project. The project helped me know more about and explore the community my students live in. Because of the project, I feel more connected to the community there.
During an interview, one of the student support staff at TechBoston Academy elaborated on the programs in the area that are focused on students. She stated, "I am most proud of this part of Dorchester, Codman Square, because the community is doing a lot to keep youth engaged. There are programs like B.O.L.D, Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation, Friday Outdoor Movie Nights, and the YMCA... they are not there just to be there, they are responding, being conscious, and being proactive by being open at strategic times."
Click on the links above to find out more about the organizations that the student support staff mentioned.
Competency 7: Federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to special education
Below is documentation of my participation in IEP meetings this year:
- One of the IEP meetings included results of an triennial reevaluation and took place on 12/7/12. Click HERE to access the attendance sheet for this IEP.
- The second IEP was an annual review. It took place on 5/2/2013. Click HERE to access the attendance sheet for this IEP.
The two meetings were very different. Besides one being a testing year vs. an annual review, in one meeting, only the parent was present, and in the other, only the student. Also in one, the student desired to move off of an IEP, whereas in the other, the student continued to be on an IEP, but it was modified, and the student was able to input his or her thoughts for goals for the following years.
The Special Education and Student Services Coordinator at TechBoston Academy reiterated that "teachers, special ed licensed or not, should abide by all laws pertaining to special education, that is why they are put in place. IEPs are legal contracts and need to be upheld by all staff not just teachers who are licensed." She said that every teacher is given information about the federal laws and student IEPs at the beginning of each year.
Competency 8: Science laboratory work
Each science teacher at TechBoston is in charge of the safety regulations for lab work in their classroom. Click on the different teachers below to see how each approaches safety.
- 6th Grade Science Teacher
- 7th/8th Grade Science Teacher
- High School Biology Teacher
- High School Physics Teacher
Competency 9: Child Development1) Basic theories of cognitive, social, emotional, language, and physical development from childhood through adolescence.
In Human Development and Learning, ED 130, I learned about major theorists and their theories on child development. Some of the theorists include Piaget, Skinner, Gardner, and Vygotsy. I also learned what typical cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical development look like so that we would be aware of situations when they are not usual to be able to address them.
I particularly enjoyed thinking and learning about child development and spherically thinking about how best I can help my students grow. What I learned from Human Development and Learning, ED140, is that as teachers, we need to adapt and provide space to allow for student thinking and ideas. I want my class to be where students can ask bizzare questions and have wonderful ideas. Additionally, I believe that students can learn a lot from each other. The readings below helped me develop my point of view on student growth in the classroom:
- Duckworth, E. (1996). The having of wonderful ideas. & other essays on teaching & learning, 2.
- Hughes, M., & Grieve, R. (1980). On asking children bizarre questions. First Language, 1(2), 149-160.
- Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Readings on the development of children, 34-41.
One of my assignments for Human Development and Learning, ED 130, my partner, Anya, and I worked together interviewing two individuals from different disciplines. We then examined how they approached the same task and related their problem solving strategies to theories presented by Duckworth, Gardner, Piaget, and Dweck.
Click HERE to read our write-up.
2) Characteristics and instructional implications of moderately and severely disabling conditions.
In one of the many provoking discussions in Education of the Exceptional Child, ED 142, we talked about the word "disabled". We discussed how "disabled" labels certain people as different and that it tends to mean that the specified people or person has a deficit, something that needs to be fixed. This prevailing association, that they "lack an ability", often makes us fail to notice the abilities and strengths that they have. The articles below, that I chose, are those whose approaches are that all students are able and teachers should build on students' strengths, for example, utilizing how they communicate and learn best.
- Gardner, H. (1999). The theory of multiple intelligences: A personal perspective (Chapter 3). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. Basic Books (AZ).
- Scherer, M. (2006) Celebrate strengths, nurture affinities: A conversation with Mel Levine. Educational Leadership, 64(1), 8-15.
- Sizer, TR. (1999) No two are quite alike. Educational Leadership, 57(1), 6-11.