As teachers we talk about proving our students’ full access to information in the curriculum and that should mean how that student is able to view the material and in what format. Is our students understanding and comprehending what they need to learn? If the student is able to show that he/she is able to take the information they were given and use that information to produce a product or solve a problem then we may say that the student has process that information to some degree and learning has taken place.
Universal design talks about the well design lesson but what good is a well design lesson if the students do not understand what they need to do. That means the students must not only have access to the curriculum, but understanding of the curriculum as well. It is important before any lesson to unpack the standards, thus giving students a chance to see and express any concerns they may have. After expressing their concerns teachers may decide that scaffolding for some students is necessary for learning to takes place.
As a Middle School Special Education teacher I make sure I provide a great deal of modeling for my students and this is usually done with manipulative and graphic organizers. My students then are able to become a part of the lesson. They can now feel, touch and gain a mental picture of the task to be completed. As I read and viewed all the videos it has confirmed in me as a teacher the importance of taking a wide-range of approaches in the delivery of my instruction and the evaluation of what type of learning has taken place within the classroom.
You make excellent points. Not being a teacher I have truly had eye opening experiences taking these Lesley courses and seeing the different approaches necessary and available to educators. Most of them are not utilized in my schools, it is much more the traditional approach.
ReplyDeleteWhen teaching my ESOL students it is very important for me to scaffold my lessons. I model, model, model everything. In my guided reading lessons I love using graphic organizers. You are creating a wonderful blog with valuable information.
ReplyDeleteWayne, I agree, different approaches have to be taken no matter who you are teaching. Everyone doesn't learn the same way. Modeling and using manipulatives is so important to help students see and develop that deep understanding of what we are teaching.
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