Inclusion Resource Guide for English

Language Arts

Starr Ritchie
Promoting Inclusion with Classroom Peers

• Build community with Circle of Friends (178)

◦ Ask students to create four circles, the first with their parents in it, the second with their best

friends, the third with other people they enjoy playing with and the fourth with someone

paid to take care of them. Ask students how they would feel if they only had the first circle

full and none of the others.

◦ Circle of Friends is a good way to get students who might not have ever moved or been to a

different school to understand the feelings an incoming student might be feeling. I would

use this in a classroom where there might be a new student, or even just to show that

everyone has similarities in their circles and build it as a connecting point.

• Train students in peer assistance (179)

◦ Determine which students would be good for peer assistance. Provide training to students

who will be peer assistance in different areas, such as helping with classroom activities,

written materials, how to identify a situation that needs assistance, and match peers and

buddies on a friendly level.

◦ The idea behind training students is so that anyone that needs help will be able to get it from

their classmates is a solid one. This would be a good strategy for a student who is good at

the work, but sometimes has problems focusing. Giving them a little time to get up and get

papers for someone or read instructions aloud lets them loosen up a bit and get back on

track in a positive way. This could also be used if there is a paper a student has to write and

they have difficulty typing on the computer. A fellow student could help them with typing

or, vice versa, with hand writing, depending on the requirements.

• Evaluate individual and group efforts (192)

◦ Evaluation is something that should happen often and with purpose. Check up on groups
 and make sure that students understand what is required of them, how they are doing, how

well they are working together, how well the work is that is being done, etc. Give the groups

feedback on both their process and product.

◦ Group and individual evaluation is something that can be difficult and time consuming, yet

it turns out for the better in most cases. Focusing on a group and the work different students

are doing, while evaluating and giving feedback not only lets the teacher know who is doing

the work, but how well each student is doing. This would be ideal to use each time there is

any group work going on, for all students. Specifically in the English classroom, it could be

used during group reading discussions.

• Use peer mediation strategies to resolve conflicts (194)

◦ Have students go through a check list to identify a classroom problem and the possible

solutions to that problem. Use students who are neutral as well as the students who are

having the problem.

◦ Peer mediation could be used so that students can work out their own problems as a whole.

When they get out into the world and join a workforce there won't be a teacher telling them

that they have to get along (though there may be a boss) and they will have to work through

their own problems with other people. Having a basis like the peer mediation will work on

those problem solving skills and encourage students to figure out their own problems. This

can be used in any classroom setting.

• Use class wide peer tutoring at the secondary level. (188-189)

◦ Have students teach the subject material to their fellow students as a way to turn short term

memory into long term memory. Also, if a student is absent, a peer tutor can be used to

catch that student up on what they missed the day before. Peer tutors can be supplements to

a lesson that they excel in and can reinforce the basic principles of any given area.
 ◦ Class peer tutoring is something that is very beneficial to all students. Not only does it give

students a break from listening to the teacher talk, but it reinforces the learning that other

students have had. Those who are teaching their peers the material, be it reading or writing,

reaffirm their own information and convert it to long term memory, but the way they

understood it might be easier for their peers to follow along with than a teacher's sometimes

complicated explanations of terms and definitions, such as metaphors and similes.

Teaching Study Skills

• Task analysis to organize assignments (253)

◦ Give students a planner or to-do list where they can put down the date of their assignments,

what subject, when they were assigned them, what they have to do, and when they're due.

Also add a section of when they are turned in and have both the teacher and student sign off

on it.

◦ Teaching students how to organize assignments will help them in several classes and later

on in the work force where things have to be done in a certain order. In an ELA classroom,

helping students organize their assignments and when they are due in order will help them

to turn things in on time. It will also keep them accountable because they will have to write

all assignments down when they are given, so they can't say that they were never told they

had an assignment to turn in.

• Teach listening skills (258-260)

◦ Keeping the lessons interesting, help students to determine what is important information

they should learn while someone is speaking. Teach them key phrases such as “first, second,

third, and next,” or “I want you to remember” as a start to learning what is important to

write down. Also teach them to pick out important information such as dates, time frames,
 keywords, definitions, plots, characters, etc.

◦ In an ELA classroom, students do a lot of reading but also have to listen as the teacher or

classmate explains certain things that are going on in a story. Knowing when to write things

down or commit them to memory will help them later on in testing and state exams.

• Teach note-taking skills and strategies (261-265)

◦ Teach students how to take good notes by giving them time to write down information,

gradually speeding up as the class is more comfortable with weeding through information.

Also, give them guided notes, slowly taking away what is already filled in until they can do

it on their own. Teach them to group information together in a clear and coherent way that

can easily be read and referenced to if needed. Teach abbreviations and how to write short

summaries of the information given. Also teach students how to study by linking what they

read to something else with meaning.

◦ Going along with the listening skills, note-taking skills are also important for students to

have in an ELA classroom. If they are unable to write down what is important and be able to

read it later, it won't be able to help them remember or have a reference sheet. Giving

students a list of characters, or guided notes of the plot of a story that they have to fill in is a

good way to start, until students can do the work on their own.

• Teach skills in computerized literature searches (267-268)

◦ Teach students how to differentiate between fact and opinion, good sources and bad sources,

as well as where to find information, how to cite it, and how to save it.

◦ In today's world, students are on the computer more and more each day. They are on sites

like Facebook, Wikipedia, Myspace, Twitter, and many other sites that are throwing

information at them constantly. Teaching students how to sort through that information and

get to sites that will give them factual information that can be used in research papers. It will
 also make students aware that not everything they read on the internet is true and teach them

how to sift through the junk to find the gold.

• Revise, rewrite, proof, and edit final version (270)

◦ Teach students how to comb their work for mistakes. Teach them to read line by line for

fluidity, grammar, coherence, and semantics while also explaining that editing is something

that is necessary for even a teacher.

◦ Students who can write a good paper will also be able to articulate their thoughts in a

coherent manner. In an ELA classroom, students will be writing many different types of

papers, including stories. To have them edit their work for errors will free up their work and

make it easier for others to follow and will help them later on if they decide to go onto

college.

Teaching Students with Higher-Incidence Disabilities

• Adapt evaluation (speech or language) (55)

◦ Give students who require more time to complete assignments or change what is required of

them to do, giving them options to do different projects while still keeping the objective the

same.

◦ Some students have difficulty articulating their view in presentations and anything that

requires them to speak aloud. Students who have to do a presentation on poets, writers or

other topics in an ELA classroom could be given the opportunity to create their presentation

in a group or with a partner, or record it and present their information to the class.

• Adapt the instructional procedures (learning disabilities) (59)

◦ Give students what they need to learn. If you find students in your class need directions

repeated or review information, then by all means do so. Find what works with specific
 students and implement various ways of doing it.

◦ In an ELA classroom, student learning styles will vary. Some may need to have the

information written down, while others may have to have it read aloud. Covering all

different angles of learning ensures that you're not just teaching to one learning style and

only reaching half your students.

• Monitor peer relationships (64)

◦ Teachers should watch to make sure that students with disabilities, or any student, are not

being bullied or picked on. Careful monitoring of students will help to spot problems before

they become even more problematic.

◦ In any classroom, teachers should watch for students whose patterns change. If a student is

usually very outgoing and friendly with a lot of people and suddenly start refusing to read

aloud or become very quiet, chances are something is wrong. It could be something as

simple as not feeling well, but teachers should be attentive to their students and their

personalities to catch problems early on.

• Prepare the class (67)

◦ Keep your students in the loop. Right at the beginning of the class when you are

establishing classroom rules, inform students the proper way to respond to disruptions in

classrooms and keep a calm and clear head yourself.

◦ If you have a student in any classroom that is disruptive, give them something to do. It can

be as simple as letting them get up to grab something or pass out papers. A lot of students

get restless and giving them a chance to stretch and move around will work out those jitters.

• Implement behavioral interventions. (73-74)

◦ Give students a chance to move around or find ways to keep them on task that won't disturb

others in the class. Give small amounts of work, make tasks interesting, allow breaks, allow
 doodling, and standing during class, keep rules and directions simple, the list goes on. There

are many ways to keep a student focused and finding the ones that work for your specific

students are key.

◦ Students are stuck in a classroom for a good length of time. Most can sit without too many

problems while others are unable to pay attention for very long. Varying the classroom

between lecture and other activities gives all students a chance to take a break from the

traditional learning style. Instead of reading a scene from a play, have the students act it out

in the front of the class. Let them mock sword play with Nerf swords while keeping strict

rules about hitting and how to behave.

Teaching Students with Lower-Incidence Disabilities

• Adapt the physical environment (physical disabilities & other health impairments) (85)

◦ Be aware of the arrangement of your classroom.

◦ Make sure there is enough room between desks for students with wheel chairs, leg braces,

crutches, etc. If there is a student in your classroom that needs accommodations, provide

them in accordance to what they need. Speak with your student to see if there is anything

else that they need you as a teacher to adapt so that they can learn.

• Establish effective communication (87-88)

◦ Find a way to effectively communicate with all students. If a student needs a Picture

Exchange Communication System, then learn how to properly use one. The same can be

said of students who use ASL and learning the basic alphabet can increase communication

between student and teacher.

◦ Communication is key in an ELA classroom, as it is the main component to what is being

taught. If a teacher is unable to communicate with their students, then learning will not
 occur. Be attentive to what student's needs are and accommodate them.

• Conceptualize inclusive instruction (93)

◦ Use differentiated instruction, curriculum overlapping, and activities that all students can

do.

◦ Differentiated instruction and curriculum overlapping can easily be implemented in an ELA

classroom. Varying product, procedure, student interest or using essay assignments from

social studies or science can do multiple things. It gives students a choice in how they learn,

focusing on their different learning styles, they will want to learn more and learn more

effectively. A way to differentiate learning could be that students could create a power point,

poster board, sculpture, etc., of a book presentation. They still have to have the same

information but they way they present it could be differentiated.

• Adapt instructional materials (visual impairments) (95-96)

◦ Enlarge or enhance printed materials, including size of fonts. Increase visibility of materials,

which might include bold-lined paper and magnification lenses. Different technologies can

be used to read instructions and papers aloud for students have difficulty in reading due to

visual impairments. Read papers aloud when possible for all students.

◦ Students who have problems with reading small print in books or plays could be allowed to

listen to an audio book. Having sound clips of the teacher reading assignments aloud at

work stations so that students who need to be read aloud to can go to them and listen to the

clips. They can also be added to a website where students can listen to them outside of class.

• Adapt instruction (hearing impairments) (98-100)

◦ Reiterate major points, write down things on a chalk board, give out guided notes, use

assistant technologies such as a sound system for student who have difficulty hearing.

◦ Instead of lecturing on Romeo and Juliet (or any other play/book), have students follow a
 worksheet where the information is on the sheet and they have to read it themselves. Split

them up into small groups where they can move to secluded areas so that they don't have to

compete with other voices. Having material printed out as well as read aloud for those who

have difficulty following audio learning.

Teaching Literacy in an Inclusive Classroom

• Implement Reading Recovery for struggling readers (301)

◦ Provide students who are at risk for reading failure with a 30 minute block period.

Depending on the student's weaknesses, teach them letter recognition, writing and reading

sentences and stories, assembling cut-up stories, and introduce the process of reading a new

book. Keep daily records of students' reading progress and provide feedback.

◦ This strategy can be used even in the higher levels, where students who have difficulty

might have just been pushed through the lower grades without learning the basics. Take time

to provide students with the skills they need through the texts that are appropriate for them

and slowly build up to the grade reading level they should be at. If a student is struggling in

class, don't let them fall on the wayside.

• Use strategies for promoting basic sight vocabulary (306-307)

◦ Using lists of basic sight vocabulary, put up charts so that students can become familiar with

the words. In higher grades, put up lists of vocabulary words around the room with

definitions and pronunciations so that students see them often and have a better chance at

retaining them.

◦ In higher grades, use that week(s) spelling and vocabulary list and put the words around the

room. Add the definitions and slowly move them away from their word to see if students

can match them up. Having repeated visuals that students can see will help them retain the
 information better than trying to memorize the word by simply repeating it.

• Use software programs (308)

◦ Software for computers can provide different means of practicing reading, decoding, and

fluency-building activities that students are drawn to do to the game-like style of learning.

◦ Games that require students to learn vocab and decoding messages are more interesting to

students than having teachers stand at the front of the class and lecture. Some software

programs allow you to add your own lists so if you're trying to teach things like simile and

metaphor, students can focus on those particular games.

• Use assistant technology to support secondary reading (317-318)

◦ both low key and high key technologies can help students learn.

◦ Some high key technologies include Scan pens that allow a student to highlight a sentence

in a book, Write; Outloud assists with reading and writing while Book Share can scan in

textbooks and turn them into word documents that can be read aloud with a text indicator.

◦ Low key technologies include things such as dry-erase boards that students can write on,

magnetic printer paper/tape for reviewing vocab, and highlighters on word processors for

students to highlight important information.

• Strategies for implementing primary interventions (Tier 1) (318)

◦ This includes research-based instructional strategies, such as practice in building reading

fluency, instruction in relevant reading vocabulary, use of a variety of texts, and effective

comprehension-enhancing activities.

◦ Giving students the opportunity to read varied versions of the same thing, such as

Shakespeare work books versus the entire play, or just sections of the play to supplement

their readings, as well as building their vocabulary with unfamiliar words depending on

their skill level.

• Strategies for implementing secondary interventions (Tier 2) (318)

◦ These strategies are directed at students who are risk for academic problems and require

more targeted instruction to close the gap between their current performance and expected

performance.

◦ Strategies include focusing on phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, writing, fluency,

vocabulary instruction, and comprehension enhancement. Building a student up in the are

that they are weakest at so that they can get up to level with what they are supposed to be

able to do at a certain grade level.

• Strategies for implementing tertiary interventions (Tier 3) (318)

◦ Focus solely on a single student and their needs. More intensive learning and working with

just one student so that they are able to learn. This usually includes out of the classroom

learning in resource rooms with special education teachers. Determining if a student needs

one on one teaching is a long process that occurs after all other methods in the previous tiers

have been tried.

• Use materials to develop manuscript and cursive writing (319-320)

◦ Using both worksheets and new software that is available for students to learn how to write

legibly and quickly. However, there is the debate about needing to learn both styles of

writing, and a third that is emerging in having computers do the writing for students. For

students who have difficulty with writing legibly, there are word processors that allow them

to get their point across without having to rely on spending hours to hand write an essay that

the teacher can read.

◦ Allowing students to use whatever style is appropriate for them in hand written assignments,

such as essays, will give students the freedom to use whichever style they have the easiest

time writing in a legible and quick manner. Limiting students to one form or another
 promotes anxiety and sometimes even behavioral problems if a student has difficulty with

the style you've chosen for them. The probability that they would do the assignment is

decreased by limiting them.

• Modify instruction based upon analysis of spelling errors (321)

◦ Evaluate the common misspellings in essays or other writings to determine where the

underlying problem is and then teach to the problem. If it is a case of identification of what

certain letter combinations make what sounds, teach to that area. If it is a lack of spelling

rules, teach the rules. Directing instruction to specific individual errors in effective to

promote good spelling.

◦ This is key in any classroom, though especially in ELA classrooms. If students are unable to

spell properly, the probability of them being able to recognize the word in a reading

diminishes. Teaching students how to spell in turn teaches them to read better.

• Teach Self-Regulated Strategy Development (326)

◦ Teach students how to go through the process of writing a paper or any other assignment.

Encourage them to think the process through themselves before asking for assistance. Have

them define the problem or assignment, plan how they will confront it, what strategies they

will use, evaluate their work, correct it, and praise themselves when they do complete the

assignment.

◦ This can be used in several instances. Both in individual reading where the student creates

their own meaning through the reading, and in writing of essays or creative writing.

Teaching them how to write and evaluate their work will help them later on when they are

trying to figure out problem solving in life.

Teacher-directed (direct) Instruction

• Introduction (anticipatory set)

◦ Giving students an anticipatory set gives them a chance to get ready for that day's lesson.

The anticipatory set usually includes something related to the objective, if it isn't stated

directly.

◦ An anticipatory set gives students warning of what is to come. If students were going to be

learning about flash fiction, I might have a picture of The Flash on the board to catch their

attention, or a small animation of a student running back and forth across the screen as he

tried to figure out what flash fiction was.

• Teaching (modeling, checking for understanding)

◦ Model for your students how you want them to answer. Model the behavior, knowledge, or

skill, that students are supposed to demonstrate.

◦ Teach the students what you want them to know. Using the pervious example of flash

fiction, I would ask students what they thought flash fiction was, given the context, and the

proceed to tell them that it similar to something they already knew (short stories) and

proceed from there with review of what elements make up a story.

• Guided Practice

◦ Show students how to do what you want them to demonstrate to you.

◦ Students won't know how to do something unless you show them how to do. Continuing

with flash fiction, show students an example of a flash fiction story the teacher wrote or one

that was previously published before asking students to try to write one on their own.

Review the stories through peer workshops and continue on writing.

• Independent Practice

◦ One students know what to do and how to do it, give students a chance to practice those

skills.
 ◦ Once students have done a few flash fiction stories as a class or with class feedback, have

them go home and write their own to share in class the next day or so. The stories should

have improved from the first ones they wrote and if they didn't, retrace your steps and teach

again.

• Evaluation

◦ Clear and coherent evaluation with a rubric on what exactly the teacher is looking for is key.

If students don't know what you want them to do, how can we get frustrated if they do it

wrong?

◦ Give students a rubric that lists the elements of a flash fiction piece, previously discussed as

a class. This will not only keep students on track, but remind them of the things covered in

class.

Differentiated Instruction

• Base instruction on specific prioritized objectives. (126-127)

◦ All content should be focused around specific objectives that students must accomplish. If

the teacher doesn't know what students should be learning, then they can not expect the

students to know either.

◦ If the objective of the class is to learn the characteristics of a short story, then state it at the

beginning of the class. The objectives don't have to be hidden from the students and

supplement the class by giving students a clear goal and focal point of what they have to

learn.

• Base instruction adaptations on student characteristics. (128-129)

◦ Each student is different, therefore their learning should be different. Varying student

learning based on learning style, personal preference, physical ability, language, literacy,

and emotional/behavioral characteristics enhance student learning.

 ◦ If students are required to write a book report, give them a choice on what they want to read.

Make the environment safe for all students to speak. If a student has a visual or auditory

impairment, allow them to learn by adapting to what they need by giving audio/written

work.

• Maximize academic engagement. (136-138)

◦ Students need to be engaged in the material in order to learn it. They need to be able to

spend time on the material to absorb and turn it into long term memory. Keeping students on

task by reiterating information and having students reiterate information back to you, as

well as questioning students to keep them engaged with the material instead of being

passive listeners.

◦ Take a text and have students write a summary of what happened in each chapter. Teach

them to pick out the main ideas and write them in their own words to commit it from short

term memory into long term memory. Have them actively work with partners to figure out

what the main ideas of a story or chapter are and have a group discussion. Make sure each

student is held accountable by a worksheet or summary that they have to turn in.

• Monitor and evaluate practice activities. (145-146)

◦ Using both guided and independent practice, allow students to practice new skills. First by

observing and practicing with the teacher, and then on their own either in class or as

homework.

◦ Students need to practice to commit information from short term to long term memory. If

you teach students how to write a thesis statement, have them do several ones as a class and

then on their own for several different topics until they are able to do them on their own

with ease.

• Provide helpful feedback. (140-141)

 ◦ Give students feedback on everything they do. Whether it is verbal feedback on verbal

questioning or written feedback on papers and tests, give them acknowledgment

◦ Providing students with feedback on what they learned is essential. If a student doesn't

know whether or not their answers were correct, or that they were learning the material

properly, they will be left with questions. During rapid fire questioning, giving a simple yes

is acceptable to an answer, but for more in depth learning and questioning, such as what the

plot time line was in Hamlet, ask students questions and reiterate the question.

Assessment in an Inclusive Classroom

• Teach test-taking skills (276-277)

◦ Teaching students the format to the test is half the battle with learning test-taking skills. A

student can know the correct information and still do poorly on test because they don't know

the format and study the wrong things. We spend so much time teaching students what the

regents exam looks like but when it comes to giving our own tests, we don't prepare them.

◦ If you are a teacher who uses tests to evaluate students knowledge, preparing them for your

testing format the beginning of the year will help them focus on the main aspects they

should learn. Not only does this help them pinpoint information, but it gives you objectives

as a teacher to concentrate on. For example, if you are teaching students Romeo and Juliet,

you can ask them the main point during the lesson and then quiz/test them on the same

question on paper.

• Adapt portfolio assessment for students with special needs. (286-288)

◦ Portfolios are a great way to asses students because they don't focus on what level the

student should be at, rather they focus on if the students have improved and by how much.

We can't always expect students to reach a certain level if they are too far behind to
 intellectually grow enough to miraculously catch up with their classmates. Instead,

portfolios allow us as educators to see the growth that a student did accomplish.

◦ Students who have portfolios usually have one of two kinds. The first being strictly

academic papers, including research based papers and reports. The second consists of

creative writing, which is a little harder to assess outside of grammatical errors. Students

who show improvement are graded on that improvement rather than where they should be.

• Teach general strategies for standardized tests (289)

◦ Teach students about separate answer sheets, elimination strategies, guessing, and using

time wisely.

◦ Giving students a practice test or using a similar format in your classroom will enable

students to become familiar with types of testing. Giving them separate answer sheets to

answer multiple choice questions instead of circling on the the paper will breed familiarity.

Teach them how to eliminate answers that they know are wrong and to take an educated

guess on the remaining answers rather than leaving it blank. Teaching them how to manage

their time will help when they might have spent a little too much time on a question they're

only half sure of and instead get them to move on instead of second guessing themselves.

• Teach specific strategies for standardized tests (289-290)

◦ Teach students about reading comprehension sub-tests, decoding sub-tests,and written tests.

◦ Encourage students to read the entire passage and give them opportunities to practice in

class on past tests rather than tests the teacher made up themselves to allow students to

become familiar with the testing format. The same can be said of decoding the tests, and

encouraging students to read everything before answering. When it comes to writing

segments, have students create a quick outline before beginning to write.

• Implement and adapt performance assessment (283-285)

◦ Set up what it is exactly that you want students to know how to do and set up materials and

a rubric for how they will be assessed. Giving students questions where they can use

graphics to explain what they did is another way to observe if they did everything properly

and if they learned the different parts that you wanted them to learn.

◦ In an ELA classroom, students could do a skit on a section of Hamlet, told in modern times,

that they found important. The teacher can assess them not on their actual performance but

if they have all the information needed to portray the scene properly. The information, rather

than the student's abilities to act, become the assessment.

 Reference page

Direct Instruction resources: Hand out on direct instruction given by Sarah Hackett

A., Margo, and Thomas E. The inclusive classroom: strategies for effective differentiated instruction.
4th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.