SPED 2 Portfolio: Sharing What I've Learned

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 It took me a few days away from this course to let everything sink in, and I think I can finally put into words what I have learned. This course has built on the knowledge that I have had a fairly superficial understanding of and helped me have a better understanding of theory and application.  Learning through the subject areas in modules 3-5 has aided in my understanding of how to use differentiated instruction and UDL within those areas and design plans that everyone in my class can access. 

I have a greater understanding of the importance of using tools to learn more about students and design learning to meet their needs. The tools in “Module 2.4: What works for students?” are great resources and will absolutely be utilized in my future planning. 

Thank you, Vanessa, for designing and facilitating the learning throughout this course and thoughtfully planning the material and topics for discussion. When I think about the design of this course and the learning opportunities I was presented with, I feel it is truly applying UDL. Seeing it in action as a learner has helped me understand how it works and the benefits. The course represented content in multiple ways, provided opportunities for collaboration and independent work, provided learners with choice in ways to express their learning AND choice to follow interests to some degree. I really appreciated being able to choose articles that I found interesting within a topic, especially during module 3 on reading where I was able to explore the science of reading-related materials. The feedback from you was thorough, personal, and positive! I can see how UDL can motivate students and foster engagement. 

I’ve also appreciated interacting and sharing work, experiences, and feedback with everyone over the past couple of months. It has always felt like a big risk for me to share my work and my thinking with people, so receiving feedback that is both positive and productive has really encouraged me to feel more comfortable. I’m always thanking my students for taking risks to share their ideas and work and know I should be modeling that. 

I look forward to expanding on what I’ve learned during the “Specialist” course in September, continuously adding to my portfolio (this blog), and practicing applying UDL and DI more thoughtfully into my future plans. -JW

SPED 2 Portfolio: Mastery-oriented Feedback

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According to Cast (2018), mastery-oriented feedback is the feedback that “guides learners toward mastery rather than a fixed notion of performance or compliance.” This sounds a lot like Dweck’s strategy feedback which was eye-opening. I know that feedback and praise are important, but I didn’t realize that the feedback and praise I have been providing hasn’t always been mastery-oriented. 

As I read Dweck's work on how praise and feedback impact outcomes, I found myself questioning if I had been providing comfort-oriented feedback or strategy feedback. I often praise students saying, "Wow! I can tell you worked really hard at (skill)" recognizing effort, but I think mastery-oriented feedback where I help students incorporate different strategies for improving their work is a goal to work towards. 

Cast (2018) gives some examples of mastery-oriented feedback. I have put them into two groups: “Strengths" -feedback that I feel I am providing well and "Stretches" for feedback I feel I can make a goal of providing more readily.

Strengths

• “Provide feedback that emphasizes effort, improvement, and achieving a standard rather than on relative performance” 
• “Provide feedback that is frequent, timely, and specific” 

Stretches

•  “Provide feedback that models how to incorporate evaluation, including identifying patterns of errors and wrong answers, into positive strategies for future success” 
• “Provide feedback that is substantive and informative rather than comparative or competitive” 
• "Provide feedback that encourages perseverance, focuses on the development of efficacy and self-awareness, and encourages the use of specific supports and strategies in the face of challenge"

References:

CAST. (2018, January 12). Checkpoint 8.4 increase mastery oriented feedback. UDL. http://udlguidelines.cast.org/engagement/effort-persistence/mastery-oriented-feedback.

Mindsetworks. How Praise and Feedback Impact Student Outcomes. https://www.mindsetworks.com/Science/Teacher-Practices.

SPED 2 Portfolio: What is a growth mindset?

What is a growth mindset?

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I created this poster to share with families about developing a growth mindset. I've added it to this post because I think it helps to bring understanding to what a growth mindset is and how it is developed.

Image retrieved from Whitman Elementary

The graphic above is a graphic I thought really illustrated the idea of a growth mindset. I think this is an effective chart for grades 1 to 3 because it directly connects the words we use to talk about our learning with the growth of our brains. It's also very visually appealing and provides examples of language we can use to have a growth mindset. The different elements, colours, and contrasts clearly show the difference behind a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. On the left,  the brain is dull with no colour, which to me means no synapses firing up and few connections being made, and beside it are phrases that show a fixed mindset that you are innately good or bad at something. On the right, we have a brain that is full of colour -new connections are being made and synapses are lighting up! Beside this brain are phrases that are positive and show that this brain believes that it can become smarter and learn new things. The brain on the right puts forth an effort and doesn't give up easily; this is a growth mindset!

Some anchor books to help students develop a growth mindset include:

Growth Mindset Anchor Books	Growth Mindset Books (Grades K-3)
“The Book of Mistakes”  By Corinna Luyken	This book is about working through mistakes. In the story, a child makes mistakes when drawing, but instead of getting hung up on the mistakes, they decide to use the mistakes and create new things from them. With every mistake the child makes, they are able to rework it into something that makes the picture more magical.
“What Do You Do with a Problem?” By Kobi Yamada	This book is about confronting challenges. In this story, a little boy discovers he has a problem. He thinks about his problem all the time and his worry consumes him. The more he worries the bigger his problem becomes. He tries ignoring and avoiding his problem, but that doesn’t help. Finally, he bravely faces his problem! In facing his problem he learns that the problem actually helps him learn and grow!
“The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do” By Ashley Spires	This is a book about overcoming a fixed mindset and being open to new challenges. In this story, Lou and her friends are always going on adventures, then, one day when playing outside, her friends decide they want to play pirates IN A TREE! Lou has never climbed a tree before and she doesn’t even want to climb that tree anyway… or does she? Lou notices her friends having so much fun and she starts to feel like she is missing out. Eventually, Lou musters up some courage and tries her hardest to climb the tree. She doesn’t make it this time, but she’s not giving up.
Calm App	While this isn't an anchor book, I've added it in to help students with mindfulness because it can encourage self-awareness. This app is a meditation and mindfulness app free for teachers that provides a variety of calming sounds, instrumental music, stories, and guided meditation. The guided meditation tracks vary in lengths from 3 to 6 mins leading children through breathing exercises and more. They are organized by age range. The calming sounds and instrumental music are great for music listening activities or to have on low volume in the classroom as background noise.

I have been working on a unit plan for the month of September to help my future grades develop a growth mindset. Please have a look and feel free to use it, adapt it, or share it! 

Growth Mindset Unit Plan <-----

References:

Decades of Scientific Research that Started a Growth Mindset Revolution. https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/Default.

The Impact of a Growth Mindset. Science Impact. https://www.mindsetworks.com/Science/Impact.

Montanez, A. (2017, August 18). Remembering marian c. diamond [blog]. Scientific american. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/sa-visual/remembering-marian-c-diamond/

SPED 2 Portfolio: 4 Study Strategies to Boost Memory

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The reason for studying is usually to help students practice a skill or become familiar with a concept in order for them to be able to recall and apply it later on. Memory is important to recall, so how do we help students make their learning stick so that they can recall it later?  I've compiled a list of some of the tips I found interesting shared by Anne Hoover on LD Online(n.d.) and explored each tip a little more to find out what science says about it. These tips can be used to support all students, not just learners with exceptionalities.

Hoover says that learners should make drawings, timelines, or visual aids to aid in memory and pay attention to visuals in books and charts. Researchers have linked drawing of information to double the increased recall! (Terada, 2019) For myself and many other learners, even the action of writing out notes that may never be used or read again is helpful in retaining information. According to one study, that's because drawing activates large networks of the brain. (Microsoft reporter, 2016) Next time students are studying, encourage them to add hand-drawn pictures and words to notes!

Adding movements such as pacing, writing, or throwing enhances memory for learners who need to learn kinesthetically, says Hoover. (n.d.) This is one I have heard before. The Jolly Phonics method utilizes movement to teach the brain to remember phonemes. When this strategy is applied to learning language or vocabulary, it's called Total Physical Response (TPR).  (Asher, 1969) Hoover also mentions activities like jumping or throwing a ball to increase memory perhaps eluding to exercise. A paper entitled "Using actions to enhance memory: effects of enactment, gestures, and exercise on human memory" by Madan and Singhal discussed multiple studies showing that people who exercise regularly have better recall and are at lower risk of Alzheimer's. (2012)  How can we use movement for studying? Students can use movement, either through exercise or applying gestures to vocabulary words to increase their chances of remembering them.

Students are encouraged to learn something "visually, verbally, and kinesthetically," says Hoover, and that sometimes students need to combine sense. (n.d.) This aligns with the work of Edgar Dale who theorized that students learn through different senses noting that "verbalizing" and "doing" or verbal and experiential learning have the best learning outcome. (Anderson, n.d.) See the diagram below representing Dale's work. In sum, students should try studying with resources from a variety of modalities and express their ideas about their learning in a variety of modalities to increase their chances of remembering. 

Image retrieved from Google Images

"Information stays in memory longer if it is related to something novel or interesting," says Hoover.  This is further confirmed through a study that revealed: "humor systematically activates the brain's dopamine reward system, and cognitive studies show that dopamine is important for both goal-oriented motivation and long-term memory." (Goal & Dolan in Henderson, 2015) How should students use this information to study? Link their learning to something humorous! Create memes using new information! 

Example:

References:

Andersen, H.M. Dale's cone of experience. https://www.queensu.ca/teachingandlearning/modules/active/documents/Dales_Cone_of_Experience_summary.pdf

Asher, J. (1969). The Total Physical Response Approach to Second Language Learning. The Modern Language Journal, 53(1), 3-17. doi:10.2307/322091

Henderson, S. (2015, March 31). Laughter and Learning: Humor Boosts Retention. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/laughter-learning-humor-boosts-retention-sarah-henderson.

Hoover, A. Memory Tips for Students. Memory Tips for Students | LD Topics | LD OnLine. http://www.ldonline.org/article/5894/.

Microsoft Reporter. (2016, July 8). The pen is mightier than the keyboard. Microsoft News Centre Europe. https://news.microsoft.com/europe/features/new-research-underlines-the-power-of-the-pen-in-learning/.

Madan, C. R., & Singhal, A. (2012). Using actions to enhance memory: effects of enactment, gestures, and exercise on human memory. Frontiers in psychology, 3, 507. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00507

Terada, Y. (2019, March 14). The Science of Drawing and Memory. https://www.edutopia.org/article/science-drawing-and-memory.

SPED 2 Portfolio: DI in Arts and Drama

 

Differentiated instruction is defined by Tomlinson as differentiating the content, process, product, or environment in order to meet learners' individual needs. (2019) We differentiate in subjects like math and language arts readily, but do we consider differentiating in the arts? If we are using differentiated instruction in one subject and know it to be useful in meeting students' needs, why would we not apply it to subjects that are not as academic?  Clive Hulme notes that "Differentiation occurs when there is planned intervention by the teacher with the intention of maximizing the achievements of pupils based on their differing individual needs." (2019, p. 2) How can one intervene in arts and drama? 

Here are 5 ideas to consider for differentiated instruction in arts and drama:

1. Content- Arts and drama can be differentiated through the resources (the content) that is provided to support the learning objective. Content that is differentiated is represented in many ways and is appropriate to learners' readiness. What does this look like in art and drama?

In art, the teacher can use a variety of materials to illustrate a technique they are teaching, provide multiple examples, use words, and modeling. For instance, if a teacher is teaching about different elements of design, the teacher can use many materials to show lines.

In drama, resources for an activity may include video, audio, closed caption, subtitles, and breaking down of a scene into chunks to help learners access the content, and then modeling. 

2. Process- there activities students participate in to understand the task -exploring and practicing a new skill. In both art and drama, students can explore new skills through activities with varying degrees of complexity and support, have extra time, and utilize hands-on supports.

In art, this might look like a student with fine motor challenges using a whiteboard and whiteboard marker to play with elements of design rather than a pencil, which may be hard to grasp and doesn't move across the paper easily, and paper which may be more difficult to erase on. 

In drama, this could look like parts or scripts with fewer lines to support varying reading levels and levels of comfort performing.

3. Product-The things we ask students to do to show their learning can be differentiated to incorporate interests, allow for choice, and suitability for students. 

In art, the teacher could allow students to choose their subject for an art project that interests them and incorporate certain art techniques or have a choice in the materials they use. I'll use the example of elements of design using different lines, students can create a zentangle of something that interests them for instance. 

In drama, students may choose themes or scripts that they enjoy or be encouraged to work their interests into a drama assignment. Students may have to portray certain emotions in a tableau but can create a scene or setting using their own interests. For instance, creating a tableau that showcases the emotion of disappointment might be set at a hockey game. 

4. Environment- The space can have a huge impact on learners! Designing learning spaces for arts and drama that accommodate a variety of learners' needs can be tricky but can be really helpful.

In art, teachers can create a flexible workspace by providing clipboards so students can work where they are comfortable. Of course, this may be impacted by the art projects and materials available. 

In drama, spaces for students to practice that have fewer viewers may allow shy students to feel more comfortable. Handing students a timer and allowing the use of other spaces around the school if the classroom cannot accommodate this, can be an ideal solution.

Suggestions are always welcome! What are some ways you have differentiated art or drama in your class?

References:

Hulme, C. (2019). Differentiation in Drama: A Guide for Teachers. Arts on the Move. https://www.artsonthemove.co.uk/e_shop/resources/differentiation-in-drama.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2019, September 25). What Is Differentiated Instruction? https://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction.

SPED 2 Portfolio: DI in Lesson Plans

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 I chose a lesson I did a few years ago on the water cycle to revise and apply DI. After applying some adjustments with DI the lesson would probably be best separated into two lessons but could potentially be used over an afternoon period without problems because there are movement activities embedded in the lesson. Please see below for the lesson with revisions made in purple. 

Reference for DI:

Tomlinson, C. A. (n.d.) What is differentiated instruction?. Reading rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction

SPED 2 Portfolio: Social Studies Book Selection About Diversity

 

Image retrieved from Good Reads

Book: A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

Author: Marlon Bundo and Jill Twiss

Description: This story is about a boy bunny, Marlon, who has a very lonely life until one day when he meets another bunny boy bunny, Wesley, who he falls for. Marlon and Wesley enjoy spending time together and decide that they want to get married but encounter trouble when the presidential figure, the Stink Bug, says boy bunnies can’t marry boy bunnies. Marlon and Wesley along with their friends take on the Stink Bug through a vote that dismantles the Stink Bug as the decision-maker. Love wins in the adorable tale and with the support of their friends, Marlon and Wesley get married and start a family.

How it illustrates diversity:

I have used this book in my classroom for the past two years to teach about family and relationship diversity and acceptance. This book provides an opportunity for students to see themselves or their family structures reflected in literature or other kinds of family structures helping them build understanding and empathy for others.

Resource for "A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo":

Human Rights Campaign Foundation

SPED 2 Portfolio: Reciprocal Teaching Strategy

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According to Hutchinson (2017) in "Inclusion of Exceptional Learners," reciprocal reading is when students are instructed on teaching each other by taking turns leading small group discussions. In this strategy, every student has a role to play. For instance, one student will summarize, one will question, one will clarify, and one will lead the predicting. In order for this strategy to work, it must be taught explicitly, modeled, and scaffolded carefully.

Reciprocal teaching helps students dig deeper to understand a text and allows students to learn from each other. Students with exceptionalities can be included in a group and have a role to play and their group members will support them. 

I found this video from Bay States Reading Institure (2015) of second-grade students engaged in reciprocal teaching. You can see students participating actively in their role and helping group members make sense of the text. 

Reciprocal teaching can be used in many subjects besides English Language Arts and Social Studies. I have seen it used in math too! I think it's amazing watching these students take ownership of their learning and share their understanding with one another. 

References:

Hutchinson, N. L. (2017). chapter 8: universal design for learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction (DI). In Inclusion of exceptional learners in Canadian schools: a practical handbook for teachers (pp. 245–247). Pearson.

Bay states reading institute. (2015, March 4). BSRI Best Practices: Second Grade Reciprocal Teaching [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZnnxv4i4kA

SPED 2 Portfolio: Inquiry in Inclusive Science Classrooms

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The article "Preparing for Successful Inquiry in Inclusive Science Classrooms" by Maroney, Finson, and Beaver (2003) describes a  professional development project that introduced general education teachers along with a science teacher from the same school to using science inquiry in inclusive classrooms. The project was divided into a series of courses that teachers attended which focused on building teachers’ skills in teaching science through inquiry and ensuring inquiry activities were designed to set up all students for success. To complete the project, teachers designed a handbook featuring information, procedures, and activity recommendations for teachers implementing science inquiry in inclusive classrooms. The article summarizes some suggestions and pertinent information for successful scientific inquiry in inclusive classrooms and a very useful tool, the SRSI form.

Maroney, Finson, & Beaver (2003) share how to prepare to teach science inquiry if new to the process by:

• Observing a teacher that teaches scientific inquiry

• Following-up observation with discussion and reflection 

• Reflecting on and engaging in experimentation of inquiry activities

• Building personal inquiry skills by investigating a topic of interest

• While in the inquiry process, documenting expected and unexpected events (observations, roadblocks, etc.)

These steps are demonstrated through the explanation of an inquiry project on “Mystery Powder” in the article. 

Maroney, Finson, & Beaver(2003) describe the importance of preparing the classroom environment for scientific inquiry by teaching social-emotional skills that allow students to share their ideas comfortably. Some of the ways to do this include:

• Beginning the school year with SEL 

• Guiding students toward answers without providing answers

• Responding supportively toward ideas even if they are incorrect. For instance, a teacher can say, “That’s one idea! Does anyone have any other ideas.” etc.

• Encouraging risk-taking and self-evaluating

• Encouraging social interaction so students can share and compare ideas, defend with evidence, and come to a conclusion themselves without the teacher answering the questions

• Motivating students to make value judgments and not interfering or evaluating the quality of an idea -let students do this.

 

Teachers can also prepare the physical environment which includes setting aside time and materials needed to engage in the inquiry process. This can be done, according to Maroney, Finson, & Beaver (2003), through the following :

• Conducting the inquiry activity themselves to make sure they prepare all materials needed

• Considering needs of students who for instance may have challenges with manipulating materials and providing them time to practice with the materials or materials of less complexity

• Providing clear instructions for students

• All materials needed for inquiry should be set up prior to activity. Color-coding and labeling materials can allow for more time to engage in inquiry. 

• Use of accommodations such as calculators, dictionaries, assistive technology etc. should be considered

• Safety needs to be considered -explicitly teach classroom traffic, how to manipulate materials, how to store materials and transport them

• Managing time by providing a detailed schedule of activity

• Share the timetable before an activity, post-it so students can refer back to it, and provide a visual timer 

• Provide students with ample workspace and consider students who may need specialized workspaces

• Reduce or increase lighting to support students 

• Reduce noise and classroom traffic to minimize distraction

 

Teachers can prepare students for inquiry by:

• Assessing students' skills and skills needed for the activity -you can use a checklist for Skills Required for Success in Inquiry (SRSI) attached for assessment.

• Preparing for accommodation or  additional instruction by using the SRSI to evaluate students’ individual needs

• Ensuring there is support for students that need it to follow instructions and think before acting (a volunteer or peer support)

• Using the SRSI to evaluate student progress over time and to plan easily for future inquiry activities

Reference: 
Maroney, S. A., Finson, K. D., & Beaver, J. B. (2003). Preparing for Successful Inquiry in Inclusive Science Classrooms. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36(1), 18–25.

• SRSI-Preparing for Successful Inquiry in Inclusive Science Classrooms_.pdf

  (376.44 KB)

SPED 2 Portfolio: Science Inquiry Resource -Evidence and Explanation!

From Edutopia: The Five Features of Science Inquiry: How do you know?

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-science-inquiry-based

Grade consideration: Applicable to all grades k-12 

      I chose this article because I’m interested in strengthening my teaching through inquiry. 

      Summary: STEM blogger, Eric Brunsell, moves that learning science through inquiry is a great way to spark curiosity in our students and to make science more engaging. As teachers, educating ourselves on how to best introduce and guide inquiry in our classrooms is crucial for achieving an optimal learning environment. Brunsell says that to really understand where to start with inquiry, we must review the key features of inquiry as defined by the National Science Council(NRC) (in Brunsell, 2010):

● Learner Engages in Scientifically Oriented Questions

● Learner Gives Priority to Evidence in Responding to

Questions

● Learner Formulates Explanations from Evidence

● Learner Connects Explanations to Scientific Knowledge

● Learner Communicates and Justifies Explanations

Brunsell highlighted how “explanation” and “evidence” appear multiple times in the definition and how crucial these components  saying, “Helping students use evidence to create explanations for natural phenomena is central to science inquiry.” (2010) He further emphasizes how using explanations with evidence is an important feature constructing or critiquing arguments which students should be encouraged to do. We can support our students' understanding of the importance of evidence-based explanations in our classes by asking our students, “How do you know?” and having them respond orally or in writing with evidence or by presenting and critiquing evidence in science news, reports, and other media. 

Classroom Examples of Collecting Evidence for Explanations:

High school- Lab requirement to document evidence that supports the conclusion and connection of rationale to the claim.

Intermediate grades -collecting evidence from a story to prove why an event occurred

Elementary grades- collecting evidence through activities and observations on a given topic or inquiry question such as “Does air take up space?” and document evidence in a template “evidence bucket” or as a class on chart paper AFTER explicitly teaching what evidence is.

Reference:

Brunsell, E. (2010, September 29). The Five Features of Science Inquiry: How do you know?. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-science-inquiry-based

SPED 2 Portfolio: Using Play to Teach Math

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 In “Using Play to Teach Math” Matthew Oldridge (2019) encourages teachers to utilize play in teaching math. He discusses some of the misconceptions of play being an acceptable pedagogy only for the early primary years and suggests that allowing children guided play when working through math can be “a productive way to “open students’ minds to better understand difficult mathematical concepts.” ( Oldridge, 2019) 

 

Olderidge has three tips for teachers curious about using play in math. 

1) Embrace and Incorporate Play

• Working on interesting problems through play can allow for students to get into what he terms “flow” and come up with creative solutions. 

• Make math lessons engaging rather than rote memorization, apply “talk, think, reason, and wonder” through collaborative problem-solving

• Provoke interest through the use of daily math prompts: www.visualpatterns.org , www.fractiontalks.com, and www.estimation180.com 

 

2)Lean into the Unknown

• Be open to students’ different ways of thinking to foster playful curiosity which he says improves students understanding of complex concepts. 

• Understand that problem-solving can be messy and you may need to make some changes. 

• Observe students while working and listen to them talk making adaptations and giving feedback when necessary.

 

3) Use Concrete Methods

• Use digital or concrete manipulatives for students to practice representation and basic skills

• Designate 1 day per week for purposeful play with basic skills

• Use playful visual presentation

                                                                                             (Oldridge, 2019)

According to Reading Well (n.d.), using multisensory math teaching methods, technology, and feedback cycles can help support students with dyscalculia, therefore, engaging in play with manipulatives both concrete and digital, and observing and supporting with feedback as Oldridge mentioned are important for supporting students with dyscalculia and those who have challenges with mathematics. 

 

References: 

Oldridge, M. (2019, July 24). Using play to teach math. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/playful-approach-math

 

Reading well. (n.d.). Dyscalculia. https://www.dyslexia-reading-well.com/dyscalculia.html