Teaching Strategies

Diverse Teaching strategies are necessary if you are going to fully differentiate instruction for an inclusive classroom. In 3 Ways to Plan for Diverse Learners: What Teachers Do, John McCarthy relates differentiation of instruction to a spell, appearing intimidating and incomprehensible to some. However, McCarthy then details that in reality every teacher already has the tools to differentiate in powerful ways for all learners: we just have to know how. We can use this article, as well as other McCarthy had posted on edutopia to assist us in realizing what tools we already have and how to use them to prepare to best meet the needs of our future, diverse students. 

McCarthy, J. (2014, July 23). 3 Ways to Plan for Diverse Learners: What Teachers Do. Retrieved November 16, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy

Universal Design for Learning

The Universal Design for Learning

is a set of ideas and principles for curriculum and pedagogy that emphasizes the goal of giving all individuals (our students) equal opportunities to learn. These ideas are presented with rules and blueprints for educators to use to create instructional goals, methods, materials, and assessments that work for everyone with flexible approaches that can be customized and adjusted for individual needs. This is basically a designed “program” that does what we have been learning all semester in EDC 313; It differentiates Learning. These resources explain just why UDL is necessary and brings in Neuroscience and brain networking to help reveal just how unique every individual is when it comes to learning. We can use this in the classroom to help differentiate learning in a very laid out format.

What is Universal Design for Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017, from http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl

Types of Special Needs Students

As teachers we will encounter Special Needs students every year in and out of our classes.  The most common disabilities seen in schools today according to teAchnology.com are:

• ADD/ADHD

"Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder affects about 5% of schoolchildren - about two children in every class. Teachers and parents need to develop intervention and prevention skills for the sake not only of the affected child, but for the other students in the class who need a learning environment free from disruption."

• Aphasia/Dysphagia

"Dysphasia is a language disorder which is often called aphasia in the medical world to prevent confusion with a similar term dysphagia, a swallowing disorder. Aphasia then is the more commonly used term for a speech impairment which can vary from no speech at all, to a difficulty in naming some objects. Its more usual incidence is among adults who have suffered from stroke or other brain injury. Depending on the area and extent of the brain damage a person may be able to read but not write, or vice versa, able to sing but not to speak. The prognosis of those with aphasia varies widely and all too often, has been confused with other childhood learning disabilities such as deafness or autism."

• Apraxia/Dyspraxia

"Dyspraxia is also known as "motor learning disability". Once known as "clumsy child syndrome"dyspraxia often comes with language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with perception and thought. Dyspraxia does not affect a person's intelligence, but it can cause learning difficulties for children. Four out of every 5 children with evident dyspraxia are boys. If the average classroom has 30 children, there is probably one child with dyspraxia in almost each classroom."

• Auditory Processing

"Auditory Processing Disorders are often overlooked and as the condition is becoming more widely known, professionals are taking a closer look at how it affects children and their education. CAPD can affect children with perfectly normal hearing as well as those with hearing loss. Typically the child cannot process sound fast enough to be able to distinguish normal language. If a teacher or parent is talking to a child at 50 miles per hour but the child is processing at 45 miles per hour, there is a problem. The child gets tired of trying to keep up and tends to get frustrated and tune out. This is often described as "lazy" or "inattentive." The problem transfers from listening to reading. For children with normal vocabularies, reading is simply transposing a known language into a different format. But for children with CAPD, reading amounts to learning a whole new language."

• Autism/Aspergers

"Both Aspergers and Autism are increasingly referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) as a range of disorders exist affecting verbal and nonverbal communication, social interaction and imaginative or creative play. Aspergers is at the milder end of the range and symptoms usually appear in the first three years of a child's life. Children on the autism spectrum have trouble in the classroom communicating their needs or understanding instructions. Inappropriate social behavior leads to the child being bullied or isolated and their inability to decipher the world around makes it difficult for their teachers to meet their needs."

• Cystic Fibrosis

"Cystic Fibrosis is categorized under the handicapping condition of "Other Health Impaired." According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, an estimated 70,000 children worldwide have this disorder. It is a serious hereditary disease that affects the respiratory and the digestive systems. If both parents are a carrier of Cystic Fibrosis, then a child is at risk of inheriting this disease."

• Cerebral Palsy

"Approximately half a million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP). CP is a long-term physical condition caused by an abnormality of brain growth or a lesion to the brain, resulting in the impairment of muscular development and control. CP can occur if the mother experiences an injury or disease that affects the fetus, during a traumatic birth, or later in life due to an infection, disease or head trauma."

• Developmental Delays

"Children develop at their own pace, and what is considered "normal" has a wide range. Sosha might begin walking shortly after her first birthday, but might not speak a three word sentence until age three. Caleb might be a chatterbox at age two, but isn't toilet-trained at age four. If it appears that there is a significant delay in vision, motor skills, cognitive skills, speech, or social skills, early treatment is the best way to help a child make progress and be ready to enter school."

• Down Syndrome

"Down Syndrome is a medically diagnosed syndrome caused by the presence of an extra chromosome 21 and occurs in approximately one in 900 births. Distinctive physical characteristics include: small ears, upwardly slanting eyes, short stubby hands, a flattened facial profile, a large tongue, short stature, and a gap between the first and second toes. A child with Down Syndrome may also experience: visual or auditory problems, thyroid disease, decreased muscle tone, cardiac conditions or loose ligaments. Children with Down Syndrome typically function in the mild to moderate range of mental retardation (MR)."

• Dyslexia

"Dyslexia is a type of learning disability that alters the way the brain processes written material, causing reading, writing and/or spelling to be a challenge. Dyslexia varies from person to person. Most dyslexic students have average to above average intelligence and a reading level significantly low for their age."

• Emotional/Behavioral Disorders

"There is growing recognition that early intervention is necessary to prevent troublesome behaviors from escalating in the classroom. Prevention and best practices for dealing with behavior disorders can create a safe school environment for accelerating school performance, increasing readiness for learning and reducing problem behavior. Rather than leaving the responsibility to the individual teacher, it is being proved that schoolwide structural strategies are the key to success. Positive behavior management and social skills instruction should be implemented in each classroom, with a school culture of unified discipline and shared expectations of success based on academic enrichment."

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

"Children affected by FAS are a challenge in the classroom because they have difficulties with learning, paying attention, memory and problem solving. The term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is commonly used to cover the range of effects seen in children whose mothers drank alcohol during their pregnancy. FASD can include physical, mental, behavioral and learning disabilities, with developmental delays and possible lifetime implications. Most children with FASD have normal or above normal IQs (only 15% having IQs below 70) and the symptoms that show up in the classroom are first seen as 'behavior problems.'"

• Fragile "X"

"Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of mental impairment and the most common known cause of autism. While there is no cure for the condition, it is hoped that further understanding of underlying causes will lead to new therapies. Caused by a defect on the X chromosome, the symptoms may range from mild learning disability and hyperactivity to severe retardation and autism. Currently Fragile X syndrome is treated through behavioral therapy, special education and medication."

• Hearing Impaired

"Hearing impairment is an invisible and greatly misunderstood disability even though it affects one in ten Americans at some stage of their life. Hearing impaired children face prejudice and ignorance on a daily basis; 'if you are deaf, you are also dumb, if you wear a hearing aid or have a cochlear implant then you can hear perfectly, if you are deaf, you are not very bright and if you can speak, you cannot be deaf'. These common assumptions are the biggest handicap hearing impaired children must face as they go to school."

• Learning Disabilities

"Students with learning disabilities can be taught effective learning strategies that will help them adjust to mainstream classroom activities and prepare them for life as adults. Children who start school with difficulty in receiving and organizing information, remembering and expressing themselves need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. Otherwise they fall behind and this has a tragic snowball effect leading to behavioral and emotional problems. A child who is trying to learn becomes more and more frustrated in the face of repeated failure, leading to low self-esteem and bad behavior which greatly affect their social interactions."

• Mental Retardation

"There are many causes of mental retardation (MR) and in many cases, the cause is actually unknown. Mental retardation is a significant sub-average general intellectual functioning which impacts adaptive behavior. Most mentally retarded children fall under the "mild" or "moderate" category, while approximately 15% fall under "severe". Students with mild, moderate, or severe mental retardation are classified by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) and have Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs). Although many of these students will receive an IEP diploma, higher functioning MR students can achieve a regular high school diploma."

• Neurological Disabilities

"Neurological disabilities include a wide range of disorders, such as epilepsy, learning disabilities, neuromuscular disorders, autism, ADD, brain tumors, and cerebral palsy, just to name a few. Some neurological conditions are congenital, emerging before birth. Other conditions may be caused by tumors, degeneration, trauma, infections or structural defects. Regardless of the cause, all neurological disabilities result from damage to the nervous system. Depending on where the damage takes place, determines to what extent communication, vision, hearing, movement and cognition are impacted."

• Seizure Disorder

"For children with a seizure disorder, faculty/staff members need a clear understanding of the disorder and what to do should a seizure occur. Seizures result from imbalance in the electrical activity of the brain. Seizures are classified as simple partial, complex partial, absence, or grand mal, based on the intensity and symptoms of the seizure."

• Visual Impairment

"For a child to be classified as "Visually Impaired", there must be a medically verified visual impairment accompanied by limitation in sight. Furthermore, this impairment must interfere with acquiring information or interaction with the environment to the extent that special education and related services are needed."

LGBTQ Inclusion

https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/creating-an-lgbtinclusive-school-climate

LGBTQ Students are becoming increasingly prevalent within schools, and as such teachers are finding they need to figure out means of inclusion for them as they still remain a group that faces harassment in the school. Those inclusion methods involve both things to do and to not do in a school environment.

The Dos:
1. Allow a Gay Straight Alliance Club: They can educate students about diversity and support for LGBTQ, be a valuable resource to administrators, and can be easily controlled as they follow the same rules as all other clubs.

2. Praise Staff Members who promote Inclusion: Let faculty know that it is more than acceptable, if not commendable, that they are working to make the school more inclusive and safe for LGBTQ.

3.  Dress Code: Allow students to express their identity in dress code, but make sure it is enforced in equal measure throughout the school without discrimination.

4. Transgender and Intersex Students: Students may not identify as their gender or be born with a condition placing their gender in between a man and a woman. Making sure that their preferred gender is correctly listed and supported is beneficial for the school to correctly address them.

5. Gender Inclusive Language: Things like School dances and events are often difficult for LGBTQ students because they feel they are not designed to be inclusive of them. By changing some wording and means of promoting these events to allow gender inclusive language, they may feel more welcome and invited to go.

The Don'ts:
1. Don't Invade their privacy: respect their privacy as an individual, do not out them or reveal their sexual orientation without their explicit permission.

2. Don't Allow Bullying: If a student is to be included, they first need to be safe. Make sure you and your fellow teachers understand that bullying of any forms is not allowed, and that no exception should be made regarding the issue of Bullying LGBTQ students. They deserve the same protection as every other student.

3. Don't Allow Bullying hot spots: Bullying most often happens when and where a teacher or authority can't see it. Figure out where these locations are and how said bullying happens to prevent this from occurring.

4. Don't Allow Harassment Based on Religious beliefs: Everyone at school is entitled to their beliefs, but they are not allowed to use those beliefs to harass others at school.

5. Do Not Promote Conversion Therapy: These are not only implicit to the students that the person promoting thinks of them as "wrong," but the practice itself has been denounced by all medical association. Let every teacher and faculty member know that this is not only wrong but harmful to the student. If a student has been put through conversion therapy, be ready to support them.

Source: Creating an LGBT-inclusive School Climate. (2017, November 01). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/publications/creating-an-lgbtinclusive-school-climate

Strategies of ELL Instruction

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/strategies-for-ell-instruction/

One of the challenges of being a successful teacher in the classroom environment is to properly instruct English Language Leaner Students in tandem with the regular curriculum. For a newer teacher, figuring out such concepts on the fly can be very difficult, not to mention actually applying these concepts. Therefore the article "5 Key Strategies for ELL Instruction" can act as a good support for teachers who need a general refresher or base to build instruction ideas off of.

1. Scaffolding Understanding: A good concept to understand off the bat is that ELL Students are not totally helpless. While they may need increased help understanding the language at first, it will not be the case later on. Keeping this in mind, lesson plans involving a class with ELL students in it should design themselves to increase their autonomy over time, with projects and assignments that provide this freedom with slightly more advanced materials as their understanding progresses.

2. Grouping: Learning a language usually requires some sort of exposure to the native speakers whose language you are gaining an understanding of. By placing ELL students in groups of others with varying degrees of proficiency in the English, they gain a better range of vocabulary and applicable vernacular.

3. Background Knowledge: This method works for just about any group of students, and ELL is no exception. Providing the student with some easily understood context or background information of the subject they are studying will not only ease them into it better (like explaining an American cultural subject to someone who has never experienced it before), it may also improve their interest int he subject as well.

4. Extended Discussion: Allow them to talk with their classmates and with you about the subject you are teaching. They will not only get an opportunity to communicate but may also pick up on new vocabulary.

5 Value Linguistic Difference: Figure out what cultural backgrounds your ELL students come from, and treat those backgrounds and differences as something to be discussed and respected. The student learning ELL is the challenge, and their background is a valuable resource to understanding what needs to be done to properly educate them.

Source: 5 Key Strategies For ELL Instruction. (2015, March 31). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2013/10/25/strategies-for-ell-instruction/

Integrating ELL Students into General Education Classrooms

This article provides 4 good ways to be inclusive of English Language Learners in your general education classroom.

1. Use pre-test results to plan lessons and drive instruction. Pre-test results determine what areas to teach and review. "English language learners typically need practice in decoding, vocabulary, and early reading skills. With younger ELLs, oral instruction is the perfect method for creating and sustaining interest -- teachers can use their body language and voice in addition to songs, poems, jazz chants, role-plays, and dialogues." (Sasson, 2014)
2. "Get to know you" activities. Pre-assessing students with "get to know you" activities helps assess what they actually know, which determines instruction. One type of pre-assessment activity includes oral, reading, and writing questionnaires.
3. Use results of pre-tests to engage ELLs. You can change their future works depending on what they know and what they don't know. Meet their needs.
4. Differentiated reading lessons. In a differentiated reading lesson, the teacher can adapt the task to two or three different levels, enabling the student to choose the level at which they can work best.

Sasson, D. (2014). Integrating ELL Students in General Education Classes. [online] Edutopia. Available at: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/integrating-ells-general-education-classes-dorit-sasson [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017].

Low SES Learners

This is a brief over view of a book by Eric Jensen “Keeping Poverty in Mind When Teaching.” He talks about theory and research that people have found about how students involved with a low-income family impact their learning experiences.  He goes into detail about social and emotional skills that students will not acquire also due to being raised in an unsafe or unstable home. Not only can it affect the performance of students but it can also affect the behavior of the students. An emotional keyboard is shown to help students differentiate between their emotions causing them stay calm and focused in the classroom. There are several activities that can be conducted in the classroom to ensure that the students are stable in their environment so they are secure to learn. I would like to implement some of these activities such as personality surveys or this emotional keyboard that Jensen provides in to my classroom.

A.     (n.d.). Chapter 2. How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance. Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/109074/chapters/How-Poverty-Affects-Behavior-and-Academic-Performance.aspx

ELL Learners

This website has several things that can Help ELL learners in the classroom. This is bilingual website for not just teachers but parents as well. There is a resource library that has several books and other resources that can help an ELL learner, learn in and outside the classroom. There are also several articles on ELL planning, programs, readiness, learning, and news all that involve ELL learners. I think this is a great website to use in the classroom by pulling resources from it to use in the classroom as well as introducing this to the parents of an ELL learner so they can utilize this resources as well.

Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Language Tips. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/supporting-ells-mainstream-classroom-language-tips

Gifted Learners

What it means to teach gifted learners well is an article that discuses what gifted learners are. After briefing the audience on gifted learners the article goes in to great details of good and bad instruction for gifted learners. The article discusses how it is not ok to use gifted learners as another teacher nor is it ok to have them continue to work on the same content until al the other students are on the same page. These two bad instructions can lead the students to get bored when learning/ teaching the same content. Some solutions that the article discusses includes: Assigning gifted learners higher level content versus double the lower level content, and understanding “supported risk” of the gifted leaners to ensure that those students can take a risk by having support from teachers and parents to feel comfortable going above and beyond in the classroom.

What it Means to Teach Gifted Learners Well. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/gifted-education-practices/what-it-means-teach-gifted-learners-well

Bullying Among LGBTQ Students

According to an article by the New York Times, data from the 2015 New York City Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 24% of LGBTQ students experienced bullying on school property, compared with 13% of non-LGBTQ youth. AND compared to non-LGBTQ youth, more LGBTQ youth left home because they had been kicked out, had run away or had been abandoned, the report says. About 11% of LGBTQ kids polled in 2015 had left home, compared to about 7% of their non-LGBTQ peers. The report also found that about half of LGBTQ students polled had experienced depression, compared to about a quarter of their non-LGBTQ peers. “Schools must provide safe, inclusive and welcoming environments for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation” (Chapman, 2017).


Chapman, B. (2017). LGBTQ students more likely to face bullying, homelessness. [online] NY Daily News. Available at: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/lgbtq-students-face-bullying-homelessness-article-1.3509342 [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017].

Tips for Teaching Gifted Learners

This is a cite that provides 50 different tips for teaching gifted learners. Some of the advice includes:

• Share current events. Gifted students can learn and think about how to apply their skills and talents to the real world.
• Allow students to work alone or in groups. Some gifted students work better alone.
• Incorporate passions and interests.
• Provide clear end points and due dates.
• Teach decision making skills. Allow for gifted students to fully understand the pros and cons of their choices.
• Be patient. Gifted students are processing a lot in their minds.
• Use brain breaks. Offer gifted students a moment to let their brains relax.

Lyons, R. (2017). 50 Tips, Tricks and Ideas for Teaching Gifted Students. [online] WeAreTeachers. Available at: https://www.weareteachers.com/teaching-gifted-students/ [Accessed 6 Nov. 2017].

All About the Learners Continued (Gifted, Special Needs, SES)

The American Psychological Association details that Socioeconomic Status (SES) encompasses not just income but also educational attainment, financial security, and subjective perceptions of social status and social class. Socioeconomic status can affect our students’ learning and overall quality of life, something we must be aware of as educators to properly differentiate learning environments.

Education and Socioeconomic Status. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/education.aspx

The National Association for Gifted Children debunks common myths about Gifted Students that prevent educators from appropriately educating millions of advanced students, hindering these students, their parents, and schools. As educators, we can use these myths to address what we already thought about these students, seeing if our premonitions aligned with these myths. Then, we can use the “truths” to appropriately differentiate learning for these students.

Myths about Gifted Students. (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.nagc.org/myths-about-gifted-students

Teacher Vision details resources new teachers could use and advice on accommodating and modifying lessons to meet the needs of everyone, particularly Students with Special Needs. The “definition” of what Special Needs is tells us how we can identify Special Needs and then teaching strategies are given to help new teachers (any teacher, really) appropriately differentiate learning for our students with special needs. 

Teaching Students with Special Needs: Advice for Teachers (Grades K-12). (n.d.). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.teachervision.com/special-needs/teaching-students-special-needs

Students from Generational Poverty in the Classroom

https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/5-ways-help-students-affected-generational-poverty

Low SES students will more likely than not be present in class at some point in one's teaching career. Rather than reduce these students to a statistic or margin of error, it is highly implored that the teacher work to keep an inclusive atmosphere for these individuals instead of letting them fall by the wayside. For this reason I will elaborate on the use of the article, "5 Ways to Help Students Affected by Generational Poverty." The article states five seemingly innocuous sounding but incredibly vital methods to providing a caring and productive atmosphere for Low SES students.

1. Love the Student: The easiest to understand and hardest to apply, as student needs for this change with the individual. Low SES students will come from different backgrounds, different lifestyles, and will have much different ways to respond to instruction and discipline. The important factor in this is to figure out what they need and give it to them in a caring way to display that you are a support to them.

2. Expose them to Experiences: Low SES students may be severely limited in their ability to travel and experience much outside influence. See if you can provide this for them! Field Trips, books and material covering the subject of exotic and foreign lands, speakers from outside the general area. The students deserve

3. Give Plenty of Praise: Low SES students may struggle greatly with feeling included and accepted in the classroom environment, and praising them for their achievement and effort is a good way to counteract that! Be specific with it too: let the student know they're being praised for their actions in your class. "Good job" doesn't cut it, "I'm proud of your work on the literature project, It's genuinely well written." does.

4. DO NOT ASK FOR MONEY: This one should be more than obvious. No matter how much you might need for school supplies, you should never ask a student already in a potential struggle with their own family finances for economic assistance. It's nothing short of completely inappropriate.

5. Keep High Expectations: Low SES students should not be given a lower standard of achievement because of their status, but rather you as a teacher should work to bring them up to the standard regardless of what issue they have. They have the potential, the teacher simply needs to bring it out of them.

Source: 5 Ways to Help Students Affected by Generational Poverty. (2015, June 09). Retrieved November 06, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/5-ways-help-students-affected-generational-poverty

LGBTQ in the classroom

Blog#3- LGBTQ

Lesley Sammons

GLSEN is a website that dedicates themselves to ensuring that LBGTQ is integrated into the curriculum. There are lesson plans, books, and several articles on LGBTQ. The lessons plans cover several specific topics such as bullying, bias, or diversities within the LGBTQ community. It covers history, themes and important people involved in LGBTQ. A great way to integrate LGBTQ into the classroom is to use the activities and lesson plans on this website to get a great idea of what a specific classroom could learn about LGBTQ. For example reading your classroom a book involving LGBTQ and then conducting an activity about it afterwards allows the students to present their thoughts. A great activity to conduct is “Think, Pair, Share”

            First, the students start out with the “think” portion. During this section students take the time to think about the discussion or prompting question provided by the teacher. Once they have thought about their opinions about the topic, they discuss their answers with a partner or small group.  This part of the activity fulfills the “pair” part. They can discuss anything about the topic as long as it is school appropriate. The students can share what they like about the topic, what they dislike about the topic, and whether and why they agree or disagree with their peers. They collaborate to determine what each group member’s thoughts are. This also helps the students recognize what similarities and differences between each classmate's thoughts. This activity could even cause the students to change their opinion on topics after seeing the topic from a different perspective. After the discussion the students conduct the “share” portion, which is when the students are directed to write down their group’s thoughts on a large piece of paper to combine their thoughts together. Then each group will share out their discussions.

When completing this activity, students will get the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and opinions on the book that was read by the class, allowing students to really be confident in their opinion and gain perspectives in other categories. It teaches them that there are other opinions that people have, and it can help them see other perspectives when reading or learning a new topic. And it is important to respect others opinions in the classroom and outside the classroom.

LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2017, from https://www.glsen.org/educate/resources/curriculum   

Low-SES engagement in schools

Breanna Grant                                                                                 Low-SES Engagement

There are seven differences between middle-class students and low-income students in schools. By understanding these differences, teachers will be able to tackle the negative effects of poverty on students engagement in the classroom. There are 7 main problems when it comes to low-SES student engagement:

1.One reason that low income students struggle with classroom engagement is because of poor health and nutrition. Two neuroscientists performed studies and found that intelligence is linked to health (Jensen, 2013). The poor are less likely to exercise, go to the doctor, or receive any medicines needed for health issues. This can lead to untreated ear infections, lead exposure, and asthma which can affect memory, reasoning, attention, and learning (Jensen, 2013). Exercising feeds the brain oxygen. Slow stretching with deep breaths during class breaks is one simple way to integrate this. It is also important to not take away recess if a child has misbehaved. This can help students better manage themselves, as well as reduce some issues with poor nutrition and build student health.

2.The second reason that students struggle is because of low vocabulary. Low socioeconomic students have a smaller vocabulary than middle-class students. Children from low-income families hear about 13 million words by age 4, while children from middle-class families hear about 46 million words by age 4 (Jensen, 2013). When children do not know the meanings of words, they are more likely to be less motivated, tune out, and feel like school is not for them. There are many ways to build vocabulary among your students. You can integrate word practice into daily routines, have students play games with each other, or use enrichment to introduce new vocabulary.

3.The third reason is because of a lack of effort. Many students from poor families are unmotivated because of lack of hope and optimism. Students may give up because it is a learned helplessness from stress disorder and depression, which can be from family financial hardships. According to ASCD, research from 60 high-poverty schools says that the primary factor in student motivation is not the students home environment; it is the school and the teacher (Jensen, 2013). Effort can be taught and many teachers do this every day. If you think back, you probably remember a class where you worked harder because you liked the teacher and activity. To motivate students, a teacher needs to build strong relationships with their students. They also need to make connections to students’ worlds so that they see a reason to perform the task at hand. It is also important to make sure that you are giving as much positive feedback as you are negative feedback, if not more. Positive reinforcement and feedback challenges and encourages students to keep trying.

4.Low-income students usually think negatively rather than positively about their future events. When students think negatively, they may not even try or put in any effort. Use positive remarks to push students to achieve. Instead of saying something like “Don’t feel bad that you didn’t finish,” say something like “You can do it. Just keep trying a little longer and that brain power will begin flowing.” It is also not good to use comforting phrases that imply the student not being good at one thing and being better at another thing. Guide students into making better strategy choices and having a positive attitude.

5.Low-SES children show signs of short attention spans, high levels of distraction, and difficulty generating new solutions to problems (Jensen, 2013). Many children who struggle cognitively exhibit problem behaviors or show helplessness. When teaching, focus on the core academic skills that students need the most. You can begin with things like how to organize, take notes, prioritize, and remembering key ideas. Teach small then go deeper. Students will need encouragement, positive feedback, and persistence.

6.According to ASCD, three-quarters of all children from poverty have a single-parent caregiver (Jensen, 2013). This can lead to instability and uncertainty because the child is missing a role model. Parents also tend to give more negative reprimands than positive. This can be because the parents is worrying about paying the bills and may be grumpy. This can lead to insecurity and stress for the child. Because many students lack having both of their parents around as role models, it is important for their teachers, people they see eight hours a day, to be positive role models for them. We can do this by asking them about their family, hobbies, and what is important to them. We can also teach them what is right and wrong rather than just telling them. So if a student rolls their eyes at you, talk with them for a minute after class and explain the cons of behavior like this and how they should respond in a situation like this. Let them know that they are not in trouble and that you are just trying to teach and help them.

7.Children from low-income families gain chronic stress from their parents’ stress. This can affect their brain development, academic success, and social competence. Distressed children exhibit one of two behaviors: angry assertiveness (back talk, getting in the teacher’s face, inappropriate facial expressions) or disconnected passivity (not responding to questions, slumping/slouching, disconnection). Including fun and relaxing activities in the classroom can help some students relieve stress. It is also important to not be very controlling over the students’ life. Having a sense of control helps the student to diminish the effects of stress.

Jensen, E. (2013). How Poverty Affects Classroom Engagement. [online] ASCD. Available   at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-  leadership/may13/vol70/num08/How-Poverty-Affects-Classroom-  Engagement.aspx [Accessed 30 Oct. 2017].

What ELL Students Wish Teachers Knew

Although English Language Learners have been part of the fastest growing student subgroup in the United States for the past 10 years, many teachers report feeling unprepared to work with these students. Teachers are frustrated because of this, worrying about test averages and how to differentiate learning for these students. In a classroom project, Wendi Pillars, ELL teacher, asked her students what they wish other teachers knew about them and compiled a list. This list includes:

1. Remembering that ELL students are intelligent. Just because they aren't proficient in the English language—yet—doesn't mean they aren’t intelligent or don’t know how to pick up on body language/tone of voice. 
2. Being patient with ELL students. Giving them time to process, answer, complete their work, and think of the words they need. This will help them feel more confident and successful and let other students know they need to be patient with their peers as well.
3. Holding them accountable for their work and participation, providing constructive feedback and challenging them, not ignoring them or taking it easy on them.
4. Talking to them, or at least trying to. Talk to them about academics, but also non-academic things like their interests, dreams and goals. Don’t ignore them, build a relationship like you would with any other student. This helps us remember to see what they can do, rather than what they cannot do.

Pillars, W. (2016, June 22). What English-Language Learners Wish Teachers Knew. Retrieved October 30, 2017, from http://mobile.edweek.org/c.jsp?cid=25919971&bcid=25919971&rssid=25919961&item=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.edweek.org%2Fv1%2Ftm%2F%3Fuuid%3D891194C0-34C6-11E6-93DE-8E99B3743667

FAQ of Gifted Learners

https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-gifted-education

Gifted Education is a complex subject in the realm of special education in that it deals with students not requiring assistance to meet general education requirements but instead students requiring assistance to meet a higher proximal zone of development than average. For those who need a quick refresher lesson, this website offers answers to the more frequently asked questions about Gifted Learners in the American Education system.

The article covers subjects as: the general definition of being "gifted," the different ways gifted students receive service in the classroom, the level of teacher training on the subject of gifted students, federal funding and government programs for gifted students, and common myths about gifted learners. Each of these comes with sources and links to further information should one need more than the base knowledge.

Source: Frequently Asked Questions about Gifted Education. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2017, from https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-gifted-education

Easy Culturally Responsive Teaching Guidelines

Being culturally responsive in an educational setting shouldn't be impossible to do, it shouldn't even be that difficult to do. The competent teacher should understand that learning to be sensitive and understanding of student's cultures is important in providing them with a proper education. Therefore, "5 Steps to Becoming a Culturally Responsive Teacher" provides a great short reference for anyone looking to get a foothold onto the subject. It details 5 relatively easy methods of providing culturally appropriate teaching to a classroom, from understanding your own behavior to other cultures to adapting your style to types that need a different response. It's not an end all perfect reference for the subject, and any teacher looking to perfect the practice of cultural responsibility within their classroom should definitely search for more in depth searches to supplement this one. But, as a quick reference or starting point, this serves as an excellent source.

Source: Ferguson, Amanda. (2017, August 11). 5 steps to becoming a culturally responsive teacher. Retrieved October 06, 2017, from https://www.teachaway.com/2017/08/11/5-steps-becoming-culturally-responsive-teacher

Differentiation in Special Education

Differentiation in education is geared towards adapting your style so that every student can understand the curriculum. In some cases, teachers forget that even the children with IEPs can also fall under that umbrella with the rest of the class. The article "Differentiation in Special Education: Differentiating Instruction for Success" by Jerry Webster, goes over this idea in a way that gives examples of differentiation that gear themselves to work towards different types of exceptionalities in students. Things such as peer mentoring and multi-sensory approaches to reaching through student issues are all used within this article, functioning as a handy reference to the teacher who may need a quick idea to help a student with special needs who may need some extra assistance.

Source: Webster, J. (2017, April 23). How Can Special Ed Classes Be Most Successful? Retrieved October 06, 2017, from https://www.thoughtco.com/differentiation-instruction-in-special-education-3111026

Laura Stevens’ philosophy of Co-Teaching

Laura Stevens is an English teacher who works with ELL students in Oswego City, New York. This article, written by Stevens in 2015 details a change she made in her co-teaching philosophy. Instead of focusing on the teacher-teacher relationship in a co-teaching setting, student needs must become the focus. Stevens provides steps and objectives for creating a more student-centered co-teaching environment, sharing her techniques and experiences along the way. Though she focuses on teaching English, Laura is a great example of a teacher with a fantastic co-teaching philosophy.

Classroom Elements Differentiation

Differentiation, the process of individualizing instruction in the classroom to meet all learning needs, is a difficult task to complete. You can differentiate your instruction, however in a certain "format", differentiating content, the teaching process, products, and the learning environment. Content-wise, you can vary reading levels, types of material that pertain to types of learners (auditory, visual, kinesthetic), and meeting with students (gifted, ELL, special education) to individualize learning, etc. Process-wise,  you can use tiered activities, provide interest centers, developing personal agendas, offering manipulatives, and varying instruction lengths. Product-wise, you can let students decide how they will present the information learned and how they want to work (paired or alone). Learning environments can be differentiated through developing guidelines and having different learning environments set throughout the classroom.

What Is Differentiated Instruction? (2015, December 31). Retrieved September 25, 2017, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction

Differentiation

This website is called The Highly Effective Teachers. Although there is a lot of features to this website there a specific feature that is a very helpful resource to us as teachers that is a blog titled differentiation in the classroom. This specific blog entry gives the rundown on several ideas that teacher can use to cater to different learning styles, abilities, and interest of the students in the classroom by providing flexible and alternative learning experiences that engage the students.  Differentiation is important in our classrooms and it is beneficial to have multiple ways to teach content in order to help students be successful.

Amaro, M. (n.d.). Differentiation In The Classroom. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from http://thehighlyeffectiveteacher.com/differentiation-in-the-classroom/

Professional Learning Community

       

This Article is a great way to see how a Professional Learning Community can be formed in the classroom.  It discusses topics such as being taught in how to properly collaborate, creating an atmosphere of trust with in the community, and being broad and inclusive with each topic discussed.  It highly encourages outside help wheather it is someone else in the community the school or help involving research to help improve the classroom.  The article also has comments and feedback for other readers giving positives and negatives as well as sharing some of their personal experience in PLCs. Professional learning communities are helpful in the classroom. It is a matter of the teachers using this technique appropriately to collaborate together to discover new ways to engage their students learning.

Ullman, E. (2009, December 23). How to Create a Professional Learning Community. Retrieved September 19, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/professional-learning-communities-collaboration-how-to