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Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

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BY ROSHANDA M. JOHNSON Reaching Academically Diverse Learners
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Page 1: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

BYROSHANDA M. JOHNSON

Reaching Academically Diverse Learners

Page 2: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

D o y o u h a v e a n y o f t h e f o l l o w i n g s t u d en t s i n y o u r c l a s s ?S tu d en t s :

• w i th l e a r n i n g d i s a b i l i t i e s ?• w i th r e ad i n g d i ff i c u l t i e s ?• w h o a r e h ig h a c h i e v i n g ?

• w h o a r e E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e l e a r n e r s ?• f r o m d i v e r s e c u l t u r e ?

• f r o m v a r i e d ec o n o m i c b a c k g r o u n d s ?• o f b o t h g en d er s ?

• s t u d e n t s w i t h d iff e r in g d e g r ee s o f m o t i v a t i o n , i n t e r e s t s , a n d s k i l l s ?

T h e s e s t ud e n t s a r e d i v e r s e l ea r n er s a n d t e a c h e r s a r e s h o u l d u n d e r s t a n d th e i r d iff er en c e s a n d t r y t o r ea c h a l l

s t u d e n t s (S c ho l a s t i c , n . d . ) .

What are academically diverse learners?

Page 3: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

• Assessment . As s e s s m e n t h e l p s d e t e r m i n e s t u d e n t n e e d s a n d g u i d e s i n s t r u c t i o n .

• Flex ib le Group ing . Va r i e d g r o u p i n g i s a g r e a t w a y t o m e e t t h e a c a d e m i c , s o c i a l , a n d e m o t i o n a l n e e d s o f e a c h s t u d e n t , a n d i t a l l o w s t e a c h e r t o f o c u s o n s p e c i fi c n e e d s t h e s t u d e n t s ( To m l i n s o n , 2 0 1 3 ) .

• Different ia ted Ins t ruc t ion . I n s t r u c t i o n s h o u l d n o t b e “ o n e s i z e fi t s a l l ” b u t i n s t e a d b e r e s p o n s i v e t o i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t n e e d s ( To m l i n s o n , 2 0 1 3 ) .

• Response to In te rvent ion . L i n k a s s e s s m e n t d a t a t o s p e c i fi c i n s t r u c t i o n . T h e R t I t e a m w i t h i n a s c h o o l s h o u l d w or k t o c l o s e g a p s i n p r i m a r y r e a d i n g d i ff i c u l t i e s a n d f o c u s o n p r o v i d i n g t h e m o r e d e v e l o p m e n t a l l y a p p r o p r i a t e i n s t r u c t i o n t h a t s t r u g g l i n g r e a d e r s n e e d ( L a u r e a te E d u c a t i o n , 2 0 1 4 f ) .

How can teachers address the needs of academically diverse students?

Page 4: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

• Progress Moni tor ing . Pr og res s m on i t o r i n g a n d d a t a ev a l u a t i o n a ff ec t s t h e i n s t ru c t i o na l d ec i s i o ns th a t t ea ch e rs m a k e , a n d th e g o a l s ho u l d be t o c on t i n u o us l y mo n i to r t he re s ea rc h ba s ed s t ra t eg i e s be i n g u s ed f o r t he i r effe c t i ve n es s ( J e nk i ns & Te r j e s o n , 2 01 1 ) .

• Col laborat ion . O n e wa y t o co l l a bo ra te w i th o th e r p r o f e s s i on a l s i s t h ro ug h effe c t i ve l e a r n i ng t e a m s . J o l l y ( 20 13 ) p ro c l a i ms th a t l ea rn i n g t e a m s c on s i de r s t ud en t n eed s , s e t s t a n da r ds f o r the i r wor k w i t h l ea rn ers , a nd co l l a bo ra te t o p l a n s t ep s t o e ns ur e q ua l i t y i n s t ru c t i on .

How can teachers address the needs of academically diverse students?

Con’d

Page 5: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

What is a Literacy Team?A literacy team is a group of educators who collaborate on issues of literacy, develop and redefine literacy instruction and curriculum, create methods to assess and further develop plans for literacy learners, establish a literacy vision for the school, and support one other (Frost, Buhle, and Blachowicz, C, 2009).

Page 6: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

• Discuss s t ra teg ies and in tervent ions for d i verse lea rners .

• Discover ways to cha l lenge h igh ach iev ing s tudents .

• Col laborate on chang ing or improv ing curr icu lum.

• Research the bes t prac t ices for fos ter ing s tudent growth .

• Communica te v i s ion and purpose to o ther pro fess iona l s in the schoo l se t t ing .

WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE

LEADERSHIP AND IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING (SPARKS,2013) .

Responsibilities of the Literacy Team

Page 7: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

Benefits Conflicts

Opportunities to provide and receive feedback.

Collaborating to analyze data and inform instruction.

Learning from one another.

Ogle (2007) suggests that agreeing on goals, sharing learning, and working together to solve problems should be the norm for effective teams.

Being consistent about meeting (Finding time).

Finding ways to share data with every teacher that works with a student.

Staying on task during meetings to ensure that time is maximized.

Personality conflicts.

Working With Literacy Teams

Page 8: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

• TIME. Ta k e a d v a n t a g e o f a n y f r e e t i m e d u r i n g t h e d a y t o i n f o r m a l l y m e e t w i t h t e a m m a t e s . 1 0 m i n u t e s t o g e t h e r e v e r y d a y i s b e t t e r t h a n n o m i n u t e s t o g e t h e r a n y d a y.

• SHA RING DATA . U s e Te a c h e r Po r t a l o r o t h e r s e c u r e o n l i n e s h a r i n g m e c h a n i s m s t o s h a r e d a t a a m o n g s t t e a c h e r s ( H a r v a r d Fa m i l y R e s e a r c h P r o j e c t , 2 0 1 3 ) .

• STAYING ON TASK. S o u t h e r n Po v e r t y L a w C e n t e r ( 2 0 1 3 ) r e c o m m e n d s t h a t t e a c h e r s a s s e s s t e a m p r o g r e s s a n d g i v e m e m b e r s m a n y o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o e v a l u a t e h o w w e l l t h e y a r e w o r k i n g t o g e t h e r a n d w h e r e t h e y m i g h t n e e d t o m a k e a d j u s t m e n t s .

• PERSONALITY CONFLICTS . B e o p e n a n d w i l l i n g t o c o m p r o m i s e . D i s c u s s d i ff e r e n c e s b u t d e c i d e t h a t s t u d e n t s u c c e s s i s a p r i o r i t y. U s e y o u r w o r k w i t h d i ff e r i n g p e r s o n a l i t i e s a s a c h a n c e t o p r a c t i c e a d a p t a t i o n .

How can we overcome the challenges of working in literacy

teams so that we can reap the benefits?

Page 9: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

Research proves that when famil ies are actively involved in their chi ldren’s learning, students get better grades, score higher on tests , have consistent attendance, drop out less, have high ambit ions and exhibit a posit ive att i tudes toward school (Scholastic Inc. , 2013) .

Community Outreach

Page 10: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

• S e t a n a t m o s p h e r e o f c o m m un i t y.• Ma k e p a r e n t s f e e l w e l c o m e . Pa r e n t s w o n ’ t g e t i n v o l ve d un l e s s t h e y f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e , r e s p e c t e d , t r u s t e d , h e ar d , a ndne e d e d ( S c ho la s t i c I nc . , 2 0 1 3 ) .• J us t a s s t ud e n t s ha v e d i v e r s e n e e d s , s o d o p a r e n t s . C o ns u l t w i t h a s m a l l g r o u p o f r e p r e se n t a t i v e p a r e n t s t o d e t e r m in e t he i r n e e d s a nd c o nc e r ns ( S c h o l a s t i c I n c . , 2 0 1 3 ) .• K n o w t he d e m o g r a p h i c o u t l i n e o f yo u r l e a r n e r s a nd t h e i r c o m m u n i t y.• Es t a b l i sh g o a l s w i t h p a r e n t s a nd s ha r e i d e a s a b o u t r e a c h i n g t he m s o t ha t e ve r yo ne i s o n t h e s a m e p a g e .• G e t t h e w h o l e c a m p us i n vo l ve d i n c o m m u n i t y o u t r e a c h .

Ways to Collaborate with the Community:

Page 11: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

Shar ing our knowledge i s in tegra l to promot ing pos i t i ve soc ia l change .

Our goal as l i teracy teachers i s to c reate a des i re for l i fe long learn ing in each o f our academica l l y d i verse

s tudents . This shou ld a l so be a goa l we have for ourse lves and our co l leagues . When we share our

knowledge , we influence the pract i ces o f our co l l eagues and they in turn teach in more d i verse and cu l tura l l y respons ive ways . Transformat ive ins truct ion leads to

t rans format ive l earning . Transformat ive l earning leads to t rans format ive lead ing. Ul t imate l y, our shar ing wi l l

t rans form our s tudents in to c i t i zens who lead the future in powerfu l and innovat i ve ways .

Promoting Social Change

Page 12: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

Shar ing our knowledge wi th in the schoo l and communi ty ensures tha t a l l a re equ ipped wi th

bes t prac t ices for assur ing our s tudents learn . We can he lp one another l earn and

grow in the same ways we he lp our s tudents .However, in order for soc ia l change to not

on ly occur but be sus ta ined our shar ing must inc lude :

• Being support i ve as our co l l eagues find the i r ident i t ies w i th in a community o f

learners ,• Remain ing pers is tent in ho ld ing our

co l l eagues accountab le , and• Having the tough conversat ions ins tead o f

avo id ing confl ic t (F isher and Rogan , 2012) .

Promoting Social Change in the School and Community

Page 13: Reacing Academically Diverse Learners

References Fisher, M., & Rogan, P. M. (2012). K–12 and university educators working together toward change:

Initiating a conversation about practice. The Teacher Educator, 47(2), 123–143.

Frost, S., Buhle, R. and Blachowicz, C. (2009). Creating a school literacy team. Retrieved from http:/ /

www.ascd.org/publications/books/109044/chapters/Creating-a-School-Literacy-Team.aspx

Jenkins, J ., & Terjeson, K. J . (2011). Monitoring reading growth: Goal setting, measurement frequency,

and methods of evaluation. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 26(1), 28–35.

Harvard Family Research Project. (2013). Tips how to share data effectively for administrators,

teachers, and families: How to share data effectively. Retrieved from http:/ /www.hfrp.org/

var/hfrp/storage/ fckeditor/File/7-DataSharingTipSheets-HarvardFamilyResearchProject.pdf.

Jolly, A. (2013). Create a learning team road map. Journal of Staff Development, 34(2), 32-37.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2014f). Informal reading assessment [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Ogle, D. (2007). Teachers reading together. In Coming together as readers: Building literacy teams

(pp25-28). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Scholastic, Inc. (n.d.). Reaching all students. Retrieved April 21, 2016, from http:/ / teacher.scholastic.

com/professional/selfassessment/checklist/allstudents.pdf

Scholastic, Inc. (2013). Family involvement. Retrieved from http:/ / teacher.scholastic.com/products/

face/pdf/research-compendium/family-involvement.pdf.

Southern Poverty Law Center. (2013). Ten steps to implementing a teacher team initiative at your

school. Retrieved from http:/ /www.tolerance.org/ ten-steps-implementing-teacher-team-initiative-your-school

Sparks, D. (2013). Strong teams, strong schools: Teacher-to-teacher collaboration creates synergy

that benefits students. Journal of Staff Development, 34(2), 28–30.

Tomlinson, C. (2013). Defensible differentiation: Why, what, and how. Retrieved fromhttp:/ /www.carol

tomlinson.com/Presentations/Tomlinson%20ASL%20Institute%206-13%20V2.pdf.


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