Learners Project ACCEPT Lecture Presentation Instruction in the General Education Classroom The content parameters of the general curriculum usually cannot be altered. Efforts to promote individual learning must not inhibit or detract from the learning of other students in the class, and to the maximum extent possible, should benefit all or the majority of students in the class. The preparation, implementation, and evaluation of efforts must be easily integrated in on-going instructional efforts and time-frames Those efforts must be sufficiently powerful to influence the performance of low-achieving students in the context of the general education classroom setting (Deshler, Ellis & Lenz, 1996). Five Key Skill Areas Students Need to Perform Independently Gain information from text and materials Listening to directions, taking notes Retrieving information Remembering task and how to carry it out Expressing information Taking tests and writing essays Self advocacy Setting goals, developing and carrying out Managing time Effort toward reaching goal Adaptations The goal of adaptations is to provide all students with the opportunity to participate to the maximum extent possible in typical activities in the classroom (Deschenes, Ebeling, & Sprague, 1994, p.13). The use of adaptations enhances learning for all students, not only those with learning and behavior problems (Roller, 2002). Three Categories of Adaptations Instructional design Example: accessing resources, collaborating with other professionals Instructional and curricular Example: making learning visible and explicit, using clear simple language, breaking a task or activity into steps Behavioral support Example: teaching alternative behaviors, being consistent, providing structure (Bos & Vaughn, 2006). Instructional Trends for Students with Disabilities in the Inclusive Classroom Effective teaching practice Promoting active learning Scaffolded instruction Reciprocal learning strategies Learning strategy instruction Procedures Effective Teachers of Students with Disabilities Use Explicit instruction Give praise and use good management Offer a good attention & emotional climate Provide opportunities for responding time Use active learning strategies (Learner, 2000). Promoting Active Learning Active learners: attend to instruction, attribute results to their own efforts, relate tasks and materials to their knowledge and experience, and actively construct meaning during learning. Instruction for active learning capitalizes on the childs interests, stresses the importance of building background knowledge prior to teaching and encourages the active involvement of students (Lerner, 2000). Scaffolded Instruction Teacher supports at the initial stage of a students learning of a task Supports are removed when no longer necessary Scaffolding procedure uses an ongoing interaction in which the teacher provides carefully calibrated assistance at the childs leading edge of competence (Stone, 1998). Supports and Scaffolds to Help Student with Identify and Understand Content Information Advance organizers Information presented verbally and/or visually that makes content more understandable by putting it within a more general framework Cue words for organizational patterns Words that represent the most common patterns of information Study guides Outlines, abstracts, or questions that emphasize important information in text Graphic Organizers Visual format to organize thoughts while looking for main ideas from content information (Friend & Bursuck, 2006).
Reciprocal Teaching An instructional method designed to promote metacognitive understanding of the materials through a structured dialog between the teacher and the students. This method focuses on the things the teacher can do to facilitate the students use of metacognitive strategy planning (Bender, 2001).
Common goals of each member: Prediction Question generation Summarizing Clarifying Learning Strategies The goal of the learning strategies approach is to teach adolescents with learning disabilities to become involved, active, and independent learners. After identifying the demands of the curriculum that the student cannot meet, the teacher provides instruction to meet those demands. The cognitive aspects of learning rather than specific subject matter content are emphasized (Bos & Vaughn, 2006). What is a Learning Strategy?
Learning strategies are techniques, principles, or rules that enable a student to solve problems and complete tasks independently (Lenz, Ellis, & Scanlon, 1996; Schumaker, Deshler, & Denton, 1984).
Why Uses Learning Strategies? Research indicates: Students with learning disabilities have trouble with processing information independently at a high level of cognition Students have difficulty generalizing information learned to new learning situations Students lack strategies to apply learning and rely on random answers Using specific cognitive strategies to improve learning has shown to be successful Essential Strategies to Teach Computation and problem solving Verbalization, visualization, chunking, making associations, use of cues Memory Visualization, verbalization, mnemonics (strategy or device that assists memory), making associations chunking (grouping information into sets in order to allow working memory to handle more pieces of information) Productivity Verbalization, self-monitoring, visualization, use of cues Reading accuracy and fluency Sounding out unknown words, self-questioning for accuracy, chunking, using contextual cues Reading comprehension Visualization, questioning, re-reading, predicting Writing Steps to Using Strategy Instruction 1. Choose a strategy that matches a task or setting demand for the student. 2. Assess the students current level of strategy use and teach a strategy that is needed to increase their performance level. 3. Have students set goals about what they intend to learn and how they will use the strategy. 4. Describe the strategy, give examples, and discuss its applications.
Using Strategy Instruction (cont.) 5. Model the strategy for the students. Verbalize your own thinking and problem solving, including ways you monitor, make corrections, and adjust your task approach and completion. 6. Make sure students can confidently name and explain the strategy. 7. Give sufficient practice of the strategy with materials that are controlled for level of difficulty before expecting use of the strategy in advanced materials. 8. Have students practice the strategy in materials from classes in which they are placed for instruction. 9. Make sure students give examples and actually practice the strategy in various settings in school, at home, and in the community (Day & Elksnin, 1994). Examples of Learning Strategies Reading comprehension: SCROL Written expression: WRITER, PLAN/WRITE Math problem solving: DRAW, SOLVE Homework organization: ADAPT
Instructional Techniques that Promote Content Enhancement Devices Instructional tools teachers use to enhance learning They enable teachers to focus on specific points make learning explicit, prompt elaboration on a point Routines Instructional procedures designed to involve students in constructing or using a device and processing the information the device targets Helps students learn the content and the thinking process that can be generalized to other areas Procedures associated with strategic teaching Informing students about the use of the devices and routines, teaching content explicitly with the devices and routines Arranging for student interaction and involvement in the learning process. Using Strategies Independently Self-Instruction Learners are taught to guide their performance Self-Monitoring Students watch and check themselves to make sure they have performed targeted behaviors Self-Questioning A form of self-instruction in which students guide their performance by asking themselves questions Self-Reinforcement Occurs when students reward themselves for behaving appropriately or achieving success in the learning task (Friend & Bursuck, 2006). How to Teach a Learning Strategy Provide rational for learning a new strategy Model the strategy using think aloud Monitor student during guided practice Provide and opportunity for independent practice Assess usage on a regular basis Resources Bender, W.N. (2001) Learning disabilities: Characteristics, identification, and teaching strategies (4 th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Bender, W.N. (2002) Differentiating instruction for students with learning disabilities: Best teaching practices for general and special educators. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press. Friend, M. & Bursuck, W.D. (2006) Including students with special needs: a practical guide for classroom teachers (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Lerner, J., (2000) Learning disabilities: Theories, diagnosis, and teaching strategies (8 th ed.) Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Mercer, C.D. & Mercer, A.R. (2005). Teaching students with learning problems (7 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Dennis, Again here is information I thought we might use be did not find a great place to put it in the power point.
Had difficulty getting slides to jump correctly, please call me on this slide set.
K CSI Instruction in learning strategies is based on a cognitive approach to teaching
What happens internally (cognitively) is just as important as what happens externally (learning process)
Cognitive approach to teaching is providing instruction consistent with how a student thinks in the context of the learning process (Deshler, ???)
Teachers job to find the perfect example, experience or analogy to help students magically connect new information What is Cognitive Strategy Instruction? (CSI) Teaching students about strategies Teaching them how and when to use the strategies Assisting students in identifying strategies to individual personal learning styles Encouraging student to make behaviors part of their learning Regular Educators and CSI How can you adapt basic skills instruction for students with special needs? 1. Teach pre-skills 2. Select sequencing examples 3. Decide the rate of introduction of the new skill 4. Provide direct instruction and opportunities for practice and review Benefits of Cognitive Strategy Instruction Students trust their minds Students know theres more than one right way to do things They acknowledge their mistakes and try to rectify them They evaluate their products and behavior Memories are enhanced Learning increases Self esteem increases Students feel a sense of power Students become more responsible Work completion and accuracy improve Students develop and use a personal study process They know how to try On-task time increases; students are more engaged Sources Mercer C. D., & Mercer, A. R. (2005). Teaching students with learning problems (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Deschenes, C., Ebeling, D. G., & Sprague, J. (1994). Adapting curriculum and instruction in inclusive classrooms: A teachers desk reference. Bloomington, IN. ISDD-CSCI. Lenz, B. K., Ellis, E. S., & Scanton, D. (1996). Teaching learning strategies to adolescents and adults with learning disabilities. Austin, TX: ProEd. Mercer C. D., & Mercer, A. R. (2005). Teaching students with learning problems (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Deschenes, C., Ebeling, D. G., & Sprague, J. (1994). Adapting curriculum and instruction in inclusive classrooms: A teachers desk reference. Bloomington, IN. ISDD-CSCI. Lenz, B. K., Ellis, E. S., & Scanton, D. (1996). Teaching learning strategies to adolescents and adults with learning disabilities. Austin, TX: ProEd.