ELECTRICITY!!! Glen Grove Talent Show 2012 For the remainder of the 2011-12 school year, we'll be learning all about ... Energy!! We made our very own irruption of snowy owls at Glen Grove!  CLICK HERE to make your own paper owl!  Glen Grove ELS Language Curriculum Vision Statement: Our Mission: Recognizing the needs of each child and believing all children can learn, the mission of Glenview School District 34 is to empower children to be responsible learners and decision makers in a changing society. Education, after all, is the interactive process of moving through life, acquiring useful information. To acquire information, we must remain open minded and willing to change. When we encounter a challenge or new situation, we are given an opportunity to learn from our experience. We must remember all children can learn from their experiences. Providing students with learning opportunities that are relevant to the contemporary times is the best way for them to transfer their training to daily life (Tyler, 1949, p 17).
We remain open minded to the endless possibilities for growth, and respect each person we encounter in our learning communities as a living, growing individual, who adapts and grows toward independence. Additionally, we look at our daily situations as lessons in life, therefore grow and learn through them with those around us.
Rao and Gagie (2006) note that given the proper visual supports, all students can learn new concepts, skills, and vocabulary. With the supports and connections across environments, students will learn a variety of vocabulary and skills to assist them in expanding their expressive and receptive communication with their teachers, peers, community members, and families.
Language challenges are one of the most persistent hurdles for students to overcome in the Education and Life Skills class. When students are excited to learn and interactive in the process, they are able to take their communication to other areas of literacy development such as reading. Hay (2007) found that exposing children to more opportunities for expressive and receptive language gave them a greater chance of developing their reading skills as a result of rich language exposure. The language curriculum for the Education and Life Skills class is designed to do that as well as provide skills for daily living.
Universal Design for Learning: The Learning- Affective Networks How students are engaged and motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions—the "why" of learning. The Teaching-Multiple Means of Representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge
Understanding by Design Component Course Design- Anchors assessment of understanding with authentic performance tasks calling for students to demonstrate their understanding and apply knowledge and skills. The Teacher -Hooks and holds students' interest while they examine and explore big ideas and essential questions.The learner--Are engaged in activities that help them to learn the big ideas and answer the essential questions. In the Classroom Environment-All students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect.
Learning Goal 1: Students will gain new vocabulary connected with the general education curriculum and peers and community .
Universal
Design for Learning: - Recognition networks Gathering facts. How we identify and categorize what we see, hear, and read. Identifying letters, words, or an author's style are recognition tasks—the "what" of learning.Multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge.
Understanding by Design Component - Course Design-Anchors assessment of understanding with authentic performance tasks calling for students to demonstrate their understanding and apply knowledge and skills. The Teacher-Teaches basic knowledge and skills in the context of big ideas and explores essential questions. The learner-Can explain what they are doing and why (i.e., how today's work relates to the larger unit or course goals). In the Classroom Environment-The big ideas and essential questions are central to the work of the students, the classroom activity, and the norms and culture of the classroom.
Learning Goal 2: Students will develop fine and gross motor skills and use them to gain greater understanding of language.
Universal
Design for Learning: -Strategic networksPlanning and performing tasks. How we organize and express our ideas. Writing an essay or solving a math problem are strategic tasks—the "how" of learning.Multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know. Understanding by Design Component - Course Design - Incorporates instruction and assessment that reflects the six facets of understanding -- the design provides opportunities for students to explain, interpret, apply, shift perspective, empathize, and self-assess. The Teacher-Uses a variety of strategies to promote deeper understanding of subject matter. The learner-Are engaged in activities that promote explanation, interpretation, application, perspective taking, empathy, and self-assessment (the six facets). In the Classroom Environment-All students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect.
Learning Goal 3: Students will gain an understanding of big ideas and be able to answer questions or make comments. Universal
Design for Learning: - Multiple means of representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge Multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know Understanding by Design Component Course Design- Incorporates instruction and assessment that reflects the six facets of understanding -- the design provides opportunities for students to explain, interpret, apply, shift perspective, empathize, and self-assess. The Teacher - Facilitates students' active construction of meaning (rather than simply telling).The learner-Are engaged in activities that help them to learn the big ideas and answer the essential questions. In the Classroom Environment-The big ideas and essential questions are central to the work of the students, the classroom activity, and the norms and culture of the classroom.
Learning Goal 4: Students will share what they have learned with peers and family. Universal
Design for Learning: - Affective networksHow students are engaged and motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions—the "why" of learning. Multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know. Understanding
by Design Component - Course Design -
Incorporates instruction and assessment that reflects the six facets of
understanding -- the design provides opportunities for students to
explain, interpret, apply, shift perspective, empathize, and
self-assess. The Teacher-Facilitates students' active construction of meaning (rather than simply telling). The learner-Are engaged in activities that promote explanation, interpretation, application, perspective taking, empathy, and self-assessment (the six facets). In the Classroom
Environment-All students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect. Samples or models of student work are made visible.
Management/Support Goal: Students will grow toward greater independence in classroom behavior. Example: Develop a system and plan for classroom management (both proactive and reactive) that is congruent with my teaching philosophy and an informed understanding of students’ development. Universal
Design for Learning: - Affective networksHow students are engaged and motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions—the "why" of learning. Multiple means of expression to provide learners alternatives for demonstrating what they know, and Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners' interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn Understanding
by Design Component - Course Design - Anchors assessment of understanding with authentic performance tasks calling for students to demonstrate their understanding and apply knowledge and skills. The Teacher-Informs students of the big ideas and essential questions, performance requirements, and evaluative criteria at the beginning of the unit or course. The learner- Are engaged in activities that promote explanation, interpretation, application, perspective taking, empathy, and self-assessment (the six facets). Demonstrate that they are learning the background knowledge and skills that support the big ideas and essential questions. In the Classroom
Environment-There are high expectations and incentives for all students to come to understand the big ideas and answer the essential questions. All students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect. Big ideas, essential questions, and criteria or scoring rubrics are posted. Samples or models of student work are made visible.
Reflection: Over the past twenty years as a special educator, I have grown through continual reflection on my teaching practices. Developing this curriculum for one component of the literacy rich education environment my teamand I have developed in our Education and Life Skills class at Glen Grove School has pushed me to look deeper into my practices. I hold tight to the overall mission of the district" Recognizing the needs of each child and believing all children can learn, the mission of Glenview School District 34 is to empower children to be responsible learners and decision makers in a changing society. My understanding of the District's curriculum, and curriculum development overall, has definitely shaped my view on the "what and why" of teaching and learning. The bulk of my practices and reflections have traditionally focused on the "how" of teaching. To continue to grow in my position, it is necessary to look at all of the curriculum development and practices outlined by Eisner" goals and their priorities, curriculum content, types of learning opportunities and their organization, organization of content areas, modes of presentation and response, and evaluation (Eisner, 2002, p. 133-153). I have found the greatest satisfaction in drafting and prioritizing goals to mold the overt and covert curriculum so that when my students leave Glen Grove ELS, their received curriculum will be useful to them for years to come. I will continue to grow and change as a part of the Glen Grove learning community through reflective practices. I will look to others in the profession to provide support, structure, rules and build choices for students, as Swanson suggests is critical (Swanson, 2005). As an experienced teacher, I, too, will continue to support my colleagues and educate my parents and general education team members in the importance of meaningful curriculum that connects our learners to the learning community and the community at large. Universal Design for Learning: The Learning- Affective Networks How students are engaged and motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions—the "why" of learning. The Teaching-Multiple Means of Representation to give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge
Understanding by Design Component Course Design- Anchors assessment of understanding with authentic performance tasks calling for students to demonstrate their understanding and apply knowledge and skills. The Teacher -Hooks and holds students' interest while they examine and explore big ideas and essential questions.The learner--Are engaged in activities that help them to learn the big ideas and answer the essential questions. In the Classroom Environment-All students and their ideas are treated with dignity and respect.
References Instruction of Students with Special Needs/Academic Vocabulary
Gallavan, N.P. & E. Kottler (2007). Eight types of graphic organizers for empowering social studies students and teachers. The Social Studies. 117-123. Retrieved February 9, 2010 Academic Search Premier Database. Gallavan and Kottler provide many examples of how to use graphic organizers to teach concepts in the social studies curriculum. Graphic organizers to check for prior knowledge, teach new concepts, and organize thoughts are provided. They also encourage teachers and students to combine techniques or come up with organizers that fit individual student needs as well. Hay, I. (2007). Gordon Elias, Ruth Fielding-Barnsley, Ross Homel, and Kate Freiberg. Language delays, reading delays, and learning difficulties: interactive elements requiring multidimensional programming. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(5). 400-409. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. This article explains a research study of students with language delays and the relationship to reading delays. They promote the idea of exposing children to more opportunities for expressive and receptive language. This develops their language now and gives them a greater chance of developing their reading skills as a result of rich language exposure. The study found a correlation between the language development and improved reading. Hickey, T.M. (2007). Fluency in Reading Irish as L1 or L2: Promoting High-frequency Word Recognition in Emergent Readers. The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(4), 471-493. Retrieved February 9, 2010 Academic Search Premier Database. The importance of acquiring high frequency words and sight words to improve reading fluency is described in this Irish study. Hickey explains how miscues and lack of a good high frequency and sight word base influence student ability to read and pick up information through reading. This study focuses on the acquisition of Irish words, but can easily be applied to standard English words in student reading and other learning materials. Rao, S.M. & B. Gagie (2006). Learning through seeing and doing visual supports for children with autism. Teaching Exceptional Children. 26-33. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. The authors of this article give many examples of types of visual supports for students with autism. They use specific techniques such as visual schedules, TEACCH (a prescribed structure for setting up tasks to promote independence) and PECS (a picture exchange communication system used to further expressive language) to provide the essential visual supports needed for students with such language disorders to follow classroom structures and obtain new communication skills. Swanson, T.C. (2005). Provide structure for children with learning and behavior problems. Intervention in School & Clinic, 40(3), 182-187. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. Swanson gives useful tips to teachers working with students with learning and behavior problems to minimize anxiety and maximize ability to learn. She breaks down her helpful hints into the following categories: Environment, Schedules, Starting and Finishing, Activities, Rules and Changes in Routine, and Providing Choices. Swanson provides the reader with sample schedules, graphic organizers, and environmental supports. Universal Design for Learning/Curriculum/Goals Eisner, E.W. (2002) The educational imagination on the design and evaluation of school programs. London: Pearson Education. Text for coursework on curriculum design and evaluation. Eisner describes theory and trends in curriculum development in schools. Several examples are given throughout this text. Hawkins, V. J. (2007). Narrowing gaps for special-needs students. Educational Leadership, 61-63. Retrieved February 9, 2010 Academic Search Premier Database. Hawkins provides a comprehensive list of supports for schools to reach all learners. Professional development and effective classroom practices are included. The importance of involving parents, analyzing student work, differentiating instructional practices, and increasing instructional time in the areas of literacy are stressed. Hernández-Ramos, P. & S. De La Paz. (2009). Learning history in middle school by designing multimedia in a project-based learning experience. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(2). 151-170. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. Hernandez and De La Paz ask three important questions about student learning outcomes and the use of multimedia project based learning in the areas of social studies. Through their study, they found the use of these types of learning experiences provide for improvements in achievement and deeper understanding and appreciation if subjects, while pointing to the importance of further research in this area. Johnston, S.S. (2008) A.P. McDonnell, and L. S. Hawken. Enhancing outcomes in early literacy for young children with disabilities: Strategies for success. Intervention in School and Clinic, 43(4), 210-217. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. Helpful strategy and accommodation checklists are particularly helpful in this article. The authors discuss the importance of providing a literacy-rich environment for language and literacy development in students with disabilities including communication disorders. They break down the areas of literacy and give examples of classroom activities for students to develop skills. Lynch, S. & P. Adams. (2008). Developing standards-based individualized education program objectives for students with significant needs. Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(3). 36-39. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from Academic Search Premier Database. The authors of this article explain how to write goals for students with significant special needs as they relate to the outcomes in the general education curriculum. They discuss the importance of considerations when writing goals that include student needs and student symbolic level. Making curriculum functional for students at this developmental level was stressed.
Odom, S.L. (2003). W. H. Brown, T. Frey, N. Karasu, L. L. Smith-Canter, and P. S. Strain. Evidence-based practices for young children with autism: Contributions for single-subject design research , 18(3). 166-175. Retrieved February 9, 2010 from EBSCO. This article reviews nearly forty
studies looking at the use of instructional techniques and interventions used
with children with autism. It
rates interventions as Well Established, Emerging & Effective, and Probably
Efficacious. These interventions should
be considered when developing classroom practices and instructional techniques
in schools serving students with autism. Tyler, R.W. (1949) Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Text
for coursework on curriculum design and evaluation. Tyler describes the components of curriculum development.
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Education and Life Skills |
