Discuss the reading: Connecting Teachers, Students, and Standards: Strategies for Success in Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms

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Write a 3-4 page paper describing the Response to Intervention process used in K-12 education to address the needs of struggling and diverse learners. Include the purpose, the process, the role of the teacher, and the role of the parents/families in the process.

Assignment Expectations

Your work should be written with the following in mind.

  1. This Case Assignment should be at least 3-4 pages, not counting the title page and references.
  2. A clear introduction that orients a reader to the essay main content, and the main points discussed.
  3. A well-developed, well balanced essay body that develops each point in its own paragraph.
  4. A concise conclusion that summarizes the whole essay.
  5. Include at least three references. Quoted material should not exceed 10% of the total paper (since the focus of these assignments is critical thinking). Use your own words and build on the ideas of others. When material is copied verbatim from external sources, it MUST be enclosed in quotes. The references should be cited within the text and also listed at the end of the assignment in the References section. Follow the APA Style® format, see www.apastyle.org.
  6. At least one in-text citation for each reference.
  7. General format/mechanics.
  8. A reference page which follows APA requirements.
  9. Organized in a clear and coherent manner.
  10. Double spaced with font size of 12.
  11. Your writing should:
    1. Be clear, logical and precise;
    2. Have breadth and depth;
    3. Show critical thinking skills.

Module 3 SLP:

 

The session long project for this course will involve writing a curriculum assessment plan. For each module, you will complete a different section of the plan. See sample in Module 1. You may use this format or use narrative format, however all areas must be addressed.

Module 3 Section Three – Complete the Following:

  • Curriculum Being Assessed (done in Module 1)
  • Name (done in Module 1)
  • Those involved in the Assessment Process (done in Module 1)
  • Materials Used (done in Module 1)
  • Complete information for the third outcome including
    1. Name of Outcome
    2. Method of Assessing the Outcome (formative and summative, include any alternative assessments such as RTI)
    3. Expectations of Mastery
    4. Assessment Results (how will you gather and represent those?)
    5. How you would use results for program or instruction improvement?

SLP Assignment Expectations

Your assessment plan should be detailed, professional looking, and free of spelling errors.

Module 3 Discussion:
Discuss the reading: Connecting Teachers, Students, and Standards: Strategies for Success in Diverse and Inclusive Classrooms. What challenges do teachers and leaders face when ensuring equitable and fair assessment and instruction in today’s learning diverse classrooms? Describe some strategies that will help to ensure fair and equitable assessments for all learners.

Please ensure that your initial response is a substantive post that is at least 150 words and provides at least 2 references.

You will need to respond to or evaluate 2 peer postings, with at least a 125-word response, which will cause you and your peers to promote deeper thinking and advance the conversation. In this forum, you need to post a minimum of 3 postings to receive the full credit.

Explain      the importance of readiness and its relevance to creating a differentiated      classroom.

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Differentiated instruction doesn’t start with teaching, it starts with building relationships in a safe, positive classroom environment. This week you will create a differentiated classroom framework based on a design that was originally constructed to assist teachers in meeting the new Common Core State Standards in an inclusion classroom (Voltz, Sims, Nelson, & Bivens, 2005). This framework will be shared with other teachers in your Professional Learning Community (PLC) with the shared vision of creating a strong school vision that is student-centered through the foundations of differentiation.

Assignment Instructions:
You will design a differentiated classroom environment plan that includes a physical layout along with pro-social strategies for encouraging positive behaviors. This may be presented as a Prezi or PowerPoint, in a Voicethread with audio narration, blog space, or using a standard Word document. The length of presentation style will be determined by your choice of presentation tool. Each section below must be thoroughly addressed. The minimum length requirements are listed below.
Demographics – Describe your current (or fictional) classroom including:

· Grade Level and Subject Area

· Total number of students – ability levels, gender, students with special needs, English Language Learners (ELLs)

· Other relevant information (such as socioeconomic status, family background, recurring behavior issues, etc.)

Classroom Environment – Discuss how you will use foundational concepts of differentiated instruction to design your classroom’s physical layout to meet the demographics you’ve outlined. Be sure to include:

· Furniture arrangement (this includes students desks, teacher’s desk, computers, reading corner, library, pets, quiet zone)

· Architecture (this includes immobile objects and structures such as doors, windows, bathroom, sink, bulletin boards, chalk/ white boards)

You must include at least one scholarly, research-based article to support your design. You must also include either a diagram, photos, or illustration along with a written (three to four paragraphs) or narrated explanation (one to two minutes) of why you chose this particular layout and how it relates to your class demographics.
Classroom Environment – Minimum Length Requirements:

· Prezi or PowerPoint – three slides

· Blog or Standard word document – three to four paragraphs

· Narrated Voicethread – one to two minutes

Positive Behavior Environment – Describe how you will encourage positive behavior using proactive differentiated strategies based on current (within the last five years) research. Be sure to include:

· Rules and routines that maximize success

· Value individual differences

· Emotionally safe environment

· Specific behaviors are expected (respect, listening, problem solving)

Positive Behavior Environment – Minimum Length Requirements:

· Prezi or PowerPoint – six slides

· Blog or Standard Word document – six paragraphs

· Narrated Voicethread – three minutes

Use your course text and at least two scholarly articles from the Ashford University Library or Google Scholar to support your research. Be sure to provide proper APA citations at the end of your assignment for the sources that you use (e.g., at the bottom of the blog or last slide of PowerPoint). If writing a paper, APA format should be followed including title and reference pages.

Instructor Guidance

Week 2

This week you will:

  1. Explain      the importance of readiness and its relevance to creating a differentiated      classroom.
  2. Interpret      learning styles and multiple intelligences as a foundation for      differentiated instruction.
  3. Analyze      classroom behavior management strategies that address diverse student      populations.

Congratulations for completing the first week of class! Next, we will move on to Week Two where you will explore how to evaluate readiness prior to starting a new lesson, and its importance for preparing students for success. You will also review how learning styles influence your students’ engagement in your lesson and its impact on information retention. Finally, you will learn how to create a classroom management system that encompasses diverse student populations.

 

Discussion Board

The ‘Multiple Intelligence’ theory was created by Howard Gardner in 1983. With this theory, he explained that people learn using various behaviors that can be translated into ‘intelligences’; in other words, learning strengths. The behaviors we use to learn new information are not isolated but include a mix of the following: musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic (Gardner, 2011). In addition to having intelligence strengths that influence our learning, we also have preferential learning styles. Although there is no universally accepted ‘learning styles’ method or specific characteristic list, there are commonly held traits that are universally accepted that include: visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic (Fleming & Mills, 1992). By discovering patterns of learning styles and intelligence preferences among your students, you can create either homogeneous or heterogeneous groups for collaborative learning environments or tailor independent learning activities.

 

Assignment

The Environment
Building on last week’s idea of creating a physical environment that is conducive to learning, we will take a closer look at the classroom, including how to make the most of fixed structures such as windows, doors, white boards, and instructional technology devices. Imagine your dream classroom: what would it look like? Would it have windows? What kind of technology would be built in? Would you have one large classroom or divide it into small group centers? What would be on the walls? Hanging from the ceiling? Would you have class pets? If so, what would you have?
Remember that your students have different learning styles and intelligence strengths and your room must be welcoming to everyone. Think about how you work best. Do you find music invigorating or distracting? Does sitting next to a window cause you to daydream or is the sunlight refreshing? How will you determine each student’s placement in the classroom?
Your Management Style
One of the biggest fears of new teachers is how to manage the behaviors of a classroom full of students. It can be, and is, intimidating, so having a firm plan in place before the first day of school will set the tone for the remainder of the school year. According to Tomlinson (2011), every teacher must be aware of three critical questions to help guide them in classroom management: What is the difference between leading and managing, what are effective leadership steps, and what are the strategies involved in effective and efficient differentiation?
The following webinar at the bottom of this website explains this in more detail. You may click play on the webpage and also download a pdf handout that goes along with the video.
The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (Links to an external site.)

 

References

Fleming, N. & Mills, C. (1992). Not another inventory, rather a catalyst for reflection. To Improve the Academy, 11, 137-155.
Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
McKnight, H. (2011, November 14). Multiple intelligences (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf6lqfNTmaM
Tomlinson, C. (2014, May 15). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/professional-development/webinars/revisiting-the-differentiated-classroom-webinar.aspx

Required Resources 

Required Text

Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

  • Chapter      7: Differentiation by Student Characteristic
  • Chapter      8: Differentiating Content

Articles 

Voltz, D., Sims, M., Nelson, B., & Bivens, C. (2005). A framework for inclusion in the context of standards-based reform. Retrieved from http://teachingld.net/pdf/m2ecca.pdf

Multimedia

Nieding , K., & Meyer, K. (n.d.). Taking differentiation by learning profile to the next level. (Links to an external site.) Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/jeremyvrtis/differentiation-by-lp-20

Websites

SurveyMonkey (Links to an external site.) (https://www.surveymonkey.com)

Recommended Resources 

Articles

CCSSO. (2011, April). Intasc model core teaching standards: A resource for state dialogue. (Links to an external site.) Retrieved from http://www.ccsso.org/documents/2011/intasc_model_core_teaching_standards_2011.pdf

King-Shaver, B., & Hunter, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction in the english classroomPreview the document. Retrieved from http://www.heinemann.com/shared/onlineresources/E00577/chapter4.pdf

Lui, A. (2012). White paper: Teaching in the zone: An introduction to working within the zone of proximal development (zpd) to drive effective early childhood instructionPreview the document. Retrieved from http://sowamslibrary.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/0/7/23079404/teaching_in_the_zone.pdf

Tomlinson, C. (n.d.). Strategies for managing a differentiated classroomPreview the document. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/books/tomlinson2001_chapter6_errata.pdf

Yatvin, Joanne. (2004).  A room with a differentiated viewPreview the document. (Links to an external site.) Retrieved from http://www.nrcs.usda.nj.gov_www.fountasandpinnellleveledbooks.com/shared/onlineresources/E00669/chapter2.pdf

Multimedia

Tomlinson, C. [QEP VideoCoursesForTeacher]. (2011, October 5). Carol Tomlinson on Differentiation: Response Teaching. (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01798frimeQ

Tomlinson, C. (2012, May 6). Tips for Configuring Your Classroom for Differentiation. (Links to an external site.) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://inservice.ascd.org/educational-leadership/tips-for-configuring-your-classroom-for-differentiation/

Web Page

Ashford University. (n.d.). APA key elements (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://writingcenter.ashford.edu/introduction-apa

How to overcome your laziness

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Do you find it difficult to write an excellent term paper? Actually, it is not, and I will try to prove it to you.

First of all, let us discuss why students fail their term papers. Putting off writing…academic overloading…lack of inspiration and, finally, the lack of belief in personal abilities. Do you think this all is not possible to overcome? Then read the article up to the end.

Putting off writing. Why does it happen? Because of your laziness! How to overcome your laziness? Try to motivate yourself. For example, if you write your term paper, at least several paragraphs, you will be awarded by your favorite chocolate candies;

Academic overloading. To solve this problem and write a good term paper, learn to balance between your study and leisure. Learn to set priorities if you want to write your term paper perfectly. Plan your actions, it IS possible to organize your time properly, trust me!

Lack of inspiration. Actually, it is one more excuse in order not to write your term paper. To start writing your term paper, you do not actually need inspiration. What you need is ideas. You can get them from any books, supervisor, pre written samples online, friends – from everywhere. Just get a mood to write your term paper;

Lack of belief in personal abilities. Are you not confident? That is not fair! Just say to yourself “I can write my term paper qualitatively! There is nothing impossible in our life! ” Set a purpose and apply all efforts to achieve it.

I guess now you see that the problem is actually in your personal desire to write an excellent term paper.

What has research shown about the self-efficacy of members of these groups

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As we explain in this chapter, self-efficacy beliefs are based heavily on experiences—mastery, vicarious (or observed) mastery, and social persuasion. Research has found that these experiences are effective in a wide variety of situations, such as making decisions about careers, performing tasks at work, choosing courses at school, deciding whether to join after-school sports teams, and planning effective instruction as a teacher (Allison, Dwyer, & Makin, 1999; Bandura, 1997; Goddard, Hoy, & Hoy, 2004). Because it has proved valid in so many situations, self-efficacy seems relatively universal cognitive process—as if it “works” everywhere, for everyone.
But does it? The very fact that self-efficacy is based on experience should make us suspicious of its limits, since there are few experiences that are literally shared by all people in all places or societies. And the wide diversity among students in most schools should lead to similar skepticism. Maybe it is true that self-efficacy promotes motivation for many students, or even for most, but does it do so for all students? And if it does not, then what are the reasons?
These questions prompted a psychologist named Lori Lindley to investigate whether self-efficacy has in fact proved useful and valid for understanding motivation in unusually diverse populations (Lindley, 2006). She searched the research literature for studies about self-efficacy in each of the following groups:
(a) women with careers

(b) ethnic minorities living in the United States

(c) societies and cultures outside the United States

(d) self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals

(e) people with disabilities

What has research shown about the self-efficacy of members of these groups? Compared to the “classic” research about this concept, is self-efficacy higher, lower, confined to just limited areas of activity, or not even a meaningful idea?
What Lindley found was that self-efficacy beliefs were (like the people she studied) complex and varied. Women, for example, were just as likely to express high self-efficacy and low motivation about using computers, as to express low self-efficacy and high motivation to use them. Among ethnic minority students (Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and African Americans), some studies found lower self-efficacy about choosing careers than among white students. But other studies found no differences.

Among societies outside the United States, however, high self-efficacy seemed to predict motivation, much as it does in the “classic” research with white American populations—though again with some differences. Among Italian high school students, for example, self-efficacy beliefs about career choice are strongly associated with the students’ interest in and choice of career (Lent, et al., 2003). Yet the connection between self-efficacy and motivation was found to have a different character for students from Taiwan (Mau, 2000): for them high self-efficacy was associated not with being highly motivated, but with relying heavily on others to assist with making decisions and with being highly rational or logical in making them. Self-efficacy, under these conditions, was not so much a belief in yourself as a belief in your community.
Among the remaining groups—the gay/lesbian/bisexual individuals and the people with disabilities—research was especially scarce and conclusions were therefore hard to reach. The publications that did exist emphasized a belief in the potential value of self-efficacy for these groups, but they did not report research studies describing whether in fact self-efficacy in fact motivated the individuals, or even existed consistently and meaningfully as a concept or belief.
What does the diversity of these findings suggest (beyond Grandmother’s rule that “sometimes one thing happens, and sometimes another”)? Lindley noted two points, both of which were hinted at by some of the studies that she reviewed. The first point is that self-efficacy may be a belief about personal capacity only for some individuals in some situations. For others, efficacy may really be a belief in the group or community, such as your family, classroom, or workplace. Self-efficacy may really be collective self-efficacy—a belief that your group can accomplish its goals. Believing primarily in the group may be quite motivating, but also be quite a different experience from believing primarily in yourself. In recent years some psychologists and educators have acknowledged this possibility and begun studying the dynamics of collective self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997; Gordon, Hoy, & Hoy, 2004).
Lindley’s second point is that for some groups, the main barriers to success are not beliefs in personal capacity, but real, external obstacles independent of personal beliefs. Imagine, for example, that a person encounters daily, real social prejudice because he or she is non-white, homosexual, or has a disability. For that person, self-confidence may only go part of the way to insuring success, and removing the real social barriers may be needed to go the rest of the way.
For teachers, three implications of this research seem clear. First, individual self-efficacy beliefs do often motivate students, and teachers should therefore encourage them in these students. Second, some students may see their personal capacity in terms of the capacity of groups to which they belong. Teachers can motivate these students by strengthening the capacity of their groups— perhaps using strategies like the ones described in this chapter and the next. Third, some students rightly perceive genuine injustices in their world which limit their chances of success; teachers should not deny the importance of these injustices, but recognize them and do what they can to reduce them.

Questions:

➢ Think about your own belief in your capacity to teach well, as well as your doubts and
worries about your capacity. You might call this your teaching self-efficacy. What is that belief primarily based on, and what would it take to raise that belief even higher?
➢ Suppose your students consisted of about equal numbers who believed in individual self-
efficacy and in collective self-efficacy. Imagine and describe one advantage of having such a mix in your class, as well as one potential source of conflict that you might have to deal with between the two groups.