The competent teacher has foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication within the content area and recognizes and addresses student reading, writing, and oral communication needs to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge.
I created a unit plan based on the picture book Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson. This unit plan was created for a 2nd-grade classroom in order to exhibit a foundational knowledge of reading, writing, and oral communication as stated in the Illinois Professional Teaching Standard Number 6. In this unit plan, I created pre-reading, during reading and after reading activities as well as comprehension questions in order to demonstrate "varied instructional approaches.. including those that develop word knowledge, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency and strategy use in the content area" (6A). These activities and questions encourage students to engage prior knowledge, connect with personal experiences, discuss with their peers and analyze the characters, their feelings and the message of the book.
Throughout my unit plan, the students demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of the lesson by responding in many different ways including through a technology-based GoFormative assessment question, discussion questions with a peer, characters webs, and an interactive activity. These responses require students to think both individually and with a group as well as respond in both written and oral methods. All of these demonstrations provide me with data, both formally and informally, through the students written and oral responses, showing an understanding of "using a variety of formal and informal assessments to recognize and address the reading, writing and oral communication needs to each student" (6H).
During the unit plan, there are multiple instances of teacher modeling while reading by thinking out loud, asking "I wonder" questions, making predictions and saying how I feel out loud while reading. I then have students demonstrate these skills by breaking into small groups and practicing this themselves. While students are discussing in small groups, there are instances for probing questions and feedback related to their discussion. During the class grand discussion, there are opportunities to summarize thoughts, explain difficult concepts and relay feedback to students comments and ideas, asking more probing and challenging questions to continue to encourage their thought processes. By doing these actions, I demonstrate using "modeling, explanation, practice, and feedback to teach students to monitor and apply comprehension strategies independently, appropriate to the content learning" (6M).
By creating this unit plan, I have engaged in planning for my students reading, writing and oral needs in a wide variety of ways. I have addressed the whole classroom but have made modifications for individual students and made sure that each activity allows for students growth and learning to the best of their abilities.
Through creating this unit plan, I learned how to think about the overall theme, message, and content of a unit plan. I also learned how to plan and prepare for a literature unit plan, using only one book but having it the same theme carried on through several activities. I learned how to create activities that would span over various messages of the book as well as meet the needs of all learners in the classroom. By creating this unit plan I increased my knowledge of planning and creating materials in the areas of reading, writing, and oral communication.
This research paper was written in the spring of 2017 and focuses on students with learning disabilities using assistive technology in the areas of reading and writing as stated in Illinois Professional Teaching Standard Number 6. In this research paper I discuss why students with learning disabilities could benefit from assistive technology, current research on the issue and how my findings impact my beliefs of learning and teaching.
These assistive technology items can increase comprehension, lower the time it takes to read and write, improve independence, and increase self-confidence. These strategies focus on word knowledge, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency and writing. While improving students inclusion in the general education it does not decrease the standards or expectations a student must meet. By doing so, I show that I "understand appropriate and varied instructional approaches used before, during, and after reading, including those that develop word knowledge, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and strategy use in the content areas" (IPTS 6A).
Through the creation of this research paper I investigated and evaluated many different types of assistive technology devices which could be used in the classroom. I used best practices, theory and research to support why the assistive technology devices I picked would be appropriate to use for students with learning disabilities. Through this evaluation process, I show that I "understand how to design, select, modify, and evaluate a wide range of materials for the content areas and the reading needs of the student" (IPTS 6G).
In order to choose an appropriate assistive technology device for a student, a teacher must know the students area of need and goal areas. In this research paper I discuss how to choose devices based on specific areas of need, show that I am able to "select, modify, and use a wide range of printed, visual, or auditory materials, and online resources appropriate to the content areas and the reading needs and levels of each student (including ELLs, and struggling and advanced readers)" (IPTS 6J).
While creating this research paper, I learned about the areas of reading and writing in which students with learning disabilities struggle, how to support them and their learning and what types of assistive technology could be used to increase their participation and independence. By gaining this information I feel more prepared to assist students with learning disabilities in my future classroom, especially in the areas of reading and writing.