DIVERSITY & DIFFERENTIATION:

TEACHING CHILDREN WITH

SPECIAL CONCERNS

Dr. Laura McLaughlin

Taddei (Adapted)From Dr. Megan

Scranton

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ADDRESSING THE LITERACY NEEDS OF A DIVERSE

MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Demographics of U.S. Population: Becoming more racially & ethnically diverse

Today: 1 in every 3 children is from a different ethnic or racial group

Today: More than 15 million ESL students

By 2030: 40 - 50% of school-age population in U.S. will be ELLs

Over 400 different languages spoken in U.S.

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STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK

Diverse backgrounds

Speak a language other than English - ESL

Learning Disabled

Physical Impairments

Poverty – live in poor, disadvantaged homes; about 55% of children below the poverty level read below grade level

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ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Research says if English is not a child’s first language, that child is less likely to be successful than a native English speaker

Why?

1) Lack of acceptance & inclusion of a student’s home culture in the schools

2) Complex nature of learning a 2nd language

3) Low socioeconomic status (SES)

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PROVISION OF A CULTURALLY RELEVANT

EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS

Develop understanding of multiethnic groups

Respect students’ ethnic identities, heritages, traditions, & beliefs – Be aware of own as well

Multiculturalism – Refers to race & ethnicity as well as class, culture, religion, sex, & age

Cultural Diversity – Refers to the wide variety of backgrounds, languages, customs, & environments represented within the larger society or a given classroom

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GOALS FOR A CULTURALLY DIVERSE

CLASSROOM1) Children need to feel comfortable with their ethnic identities

2) Children need to learn to function in other cultures (particularly in the dominant culture)

3) Children need to relate positively with individuals from varied ethnic backgrounds

4) Children who do not speak English or standard English must learn English, but they should also retain & value their first language(s) & culture(s)

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HELPING ELLS IN THE CLASSROOM

Diverse language abilities of children – from little or no English to monolingual in English

Immerse in language-rich classrooms

Provide natural opportunities to communicate with each other – purposeful pairings

Respect & value native languages

Include plenty of words, phrases, & texts in the native languages of ESL students

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TYPES OF INSTRUCTION FOR ELLS

1) English Immersion: English-only instruction; effective with young children who are able to acquire new languages easily

2) English as a Second Language (ESL): Children are taken out of their classroom (pull-out) by a different teacher & taught English

3) Primary Language Instruction: Develops literacy in primary language first before shifting to bilingual or English-only instruction

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TYPES OF INSTRUCTION FOR ELLS, CONT…

4) Bilingual Education

a) Transitional Approach: Promotes subtractive bilingualism; English eventually replaces the student’s native language

b) Maintenance Approach: Promotes additive bilingualism; students learn English while maintaining their first language

c) Two-way Bilingual Approach: Used in classrooms with a mix of English & Non-English speakers; half of curriculum taught in English & Half in other language

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STUDENT DIFFERENCES

Gifted/Gifted And Talented (GAT) – Demonstrating exceptional ability; have an intelligence quotient (IQ) of approximately 130 or more; often have special talents

Learning Disabled – Demonstrating significant difficulty in the acquisition & use of reading, writing, listening, speaking, &/or mathematical skills; perform below age and/or grade level; usually normal IQ but perform below their ability level

ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) – A problem with inattentiveness, overactivity, impulsivity, or a combination; must be out of the normal range for the child’s age & development; due to chemical imbalance; causes learning problems 10

STUDENT DIFFERENCES, CONT…

Physical Impairments

1) Visual Impairments – Legally blind, have no useful vision, or very limited sight – use of auditory & tactile strategies

2) Hearing Impairments – Completely deaf or have some useful limited hearing – use of visual & tactile methods

3) Mobility Impairments – Mobility difficulties – congenital or acquired during childhood (i.e., cerebral palsy)

4) Communication Disorders – Speech or language difficulties; a) Speech – articulation, voice, fluency

b) Language – expressive (production) or

receptive (understanding) 11

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Meet the individual needs of students Respond to student differences Respond to student interests Respond to student achievement levels & learning needs Consider multiple intelligences (Gardner) & modes of learning Assess students to design instruction to meet their needs Keep their instruction flexible & make quick changes if necessary Continually progress monitor Select appropriate materials Move at an appropriate pace 12

4 MODES OF LEARNING

1) Type 1: Imaginative Learning – Making connections – Feeling & watching, seeking personal associations, meaning, involvement – The key question is WHY?

2) Type 2: Analytic Learning – Formulating ideas – Listening to & thinking about info., seeking facts, thinking things through, learning what the experts think – The key question is WHAT?

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4 MODES OF LEARNING, CONT…

3) Type 3: Common Sense Learning – Applying ideas – Thinking & doing, experimenting, building, creating usability – The key question is HOW?

4) Type 4: Dynamic Learning – Creating Adaptations – Seeking hidden possibilities, exploring, learning by trial & error, self-discovery – The key question is IF?

Turn & Talk: Which type best describes you?

Which type does traditional instruction rely

primarily on? Why?14

INTERVENTION PROGRAMS

Early Intervention (EI): Preventative; for children (birth – age 5); for those with special needs or “at risk”; provide developmentally appropriate instruction; educate caregivers/parents

Inclusion: Students receive support in the regular classroom from a “resource” teacher

Pull-Out Programs: Students are taken out of the regular classroom for remediation or enrichment

Response to Intervention (RtI): An approach that integrates assessment & intervention within a multi-level prevention system to maximize student achievement & to reduce behavior problems 15

RTI AS A PREVENTATIVE FRAMEWORK

RtI is a multi-level instructional framework aimed at improving outcomes for ALL students

RtI is preventive and provides immediate support to students who are at risk for poor learning outcomes

RtI may be a component of a comprehensive evaluation for students with learning disabilities

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RTI (RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION)

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DIFFERENTIATION

Concept of teaching in a variety of ways to meet the needs of all students

Accommodations, Modifications, Enrichment

Use of a variety of strategies, groupings, assessments, & support

Differ in learning style, cultural heritage, primary language, skills/abilities, interests

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USE A VARIETY OF COLLABORATIVE GROUPINGS

Partners: “Turn and Talk,” “Think-Pair-Share” – can increase participation & engagement – use of talking partners, reading partners, writing partners, …

Literature Circles (Book Clubs): 4 - 6 students who read the same book (often a chapter book) & frequently gather to discuss & do activities related to that book – consider book choice, group assignments, how lit circles read the book, roles (i.e., Discussion Director, Passage Master, Vocabulary Enricher, Connector, Illustrator)

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COACHING GROUPS

Short (10 – 15 minutes)

Coach students to apply what they have learned

Teach steps for “How to figure out a hard word”: 1) Put your finger on the word & say all the letter 2) Use the letters & picture clues 3) Look for a rhyme you know

4) Keep your finger on the word & finish the sentence; then pretend it’s the covered word

Coach when miss/skip words – teach self-monitoring & fix-up strategies

Make time for coaching groups (“after-lunch bunch,” center) 20

OTHER SUPPORT

Partner older struggling readers to tutor younger struggling readers Find & train a tutor for your most needy child Coordinate with Reading & other Specialists Use the latest technology Increase the support you provide your English Language Learners Allow for choice Increase the quantity of reading & writing activities (include literacy activities in all content areas)

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SUMMARY: DIFFERENTIATION

Key = Variety

Variety of strategies & techniques

Variety of grouping structures

Variety of lesson formats

Variety of assessments (Bloom)

Variety of modalities (multiple intelligences)

Variety of supports

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