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Evidence- based Practices at School: A Guide for Parents

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Evidence- based Practices at School: A Guide for Parents

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This website covers an abundant amount of information, not just concerning evidence- based practices. For evidence- based practices it provides what is considered an evidence-based practice, how to make sure the students are receiving the best instruction, and additional websites to reference.

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References

Click the "References" link above to hide these references.

Beghetto, R. (2003). Scientifically Based Research. ERIC Digest. Accessed online February 9, 2011 at: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED474304.pdf.

Cook, B.G., Tankersley, M., & Landrum, T.J. (2009). Determining evidence-based practices in special education. Council for Exceptional Children, 75(3), 365-383.

Gersten, R. (2009). Types of research and their roles in improvement of practice. National Center for Learning Disabilities. Accessed online February 9, 2011 at: http://www.ncld.org/at-school/especially-for-teachers/effective-teaching-practices/types-of-research-and-their-roles-in-improvement-of-practice.

Turnbull, A., et al. (2010). Knowledge to action guides: Preparing families to be partners in making educational decisions. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. (2003). Prepared by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy. Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A User-Friendly Guide. Accessed online February 9, 2011 at: http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/rigorousevid/index.html.

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Evidence-Based Practices at School: A Guide for Parents

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All parents want their children to receive the best education possible. One way to help your child succeed is to know if the school is using effective teaching and intervention practices. But how can schools and parents know if a practice is effective?

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This website provides teachers with research based practices on an abundant amount of topics. If there is a certain area of struggle, this should be a go to website.

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Metacognition refers to the processes related to students' planning, monitoring, and assessing their understanding and performance. In metacognition, students are thinking about various learning strategies that they have at their disposal and which one will lead to the desired outcome. Fostering metacognitive skill development is not just about asking questions. Rather, it is about asking questions to get students to consider their thinking and approaches to learning in their discipline, and how they can adapt the latter for different contexts (Railean, Elci,& Elci, 2017).

One technique that is widely used is the wrapper. A wrapper is a series of questions that are asked of students at the end of project, exam, or assignment that encourages them to think about how they approach the opportunity and what they could do different to better attain the desired outcome. Other metacognitive strategies include pre and post assessments, as well as reflection activities. For more ideas and research on metacognition in the higher education context, please review the following resources:

1. Metacognition and Successful Learning Strategies in Higher Education

2. Thinking about One's Thinking

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Metacognition refers to the processes related to students' planning, monitoring, and assessing their understanding and performance. In metacognition, students are thinking about various learning strategies that they have at their disposal and which one will lead to the desired outcome. Fostering metacognitive skill development is not just about asking questions.

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This article is for educators. It discusses clarity and rapport being key foundations. They are to the point and is a quick read article that could change the way you run the classroom.

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Evidence Based Teaching Strategies | Clemson University, South Carolina

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IEP Meeting checklist and Agenda Guides for Special Educators 

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IEP Meeting checklist and Agenda Guides for Special Educators 

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This check list allows for educators to come to IEP meetings prepared. Allows for nothing to be forgotten. Covers before, during, and after the meeting.

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Printable Tools to Help Manage Your Child’s IEP 

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Printable Tools to Help Manage Your Child’s IEP 

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These are tools to help teachers and parents keep track of the students IEP. There is a goal tracker, communication log, and binder checklist.

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About the Author

About the Author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers, editors, and community moderators. Many of them learn and think differently, or have kids who do.

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Printable Tools to Help Manage Your Child's IEP

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The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers, editors, and community moderators. Many of them learn and think differently, or have kids who do.

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This is to help parents stay organized. Parents can print different resources to help them keep track of their students IEP needs and remember what was discussed in the meetings, along with helping parents not get overwhelmed.

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This blog uses affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.

Get ready to rock your child's IEP meetings with these helpful and free IEP resources for parents.

Advocating for your child can be exhausting and many parents - not just you - find the whole IEP process stressful, overwhelming, and maybe even frustrating.

There's multiple meetings, loads of paperwork, and probably a handful of face palm moments in between.

But getting the services your child needs and deserves requires a lot of advocating on your part. And it's worth it if you work together and collaborate with the IEP team. Putting together an IEP binder or toolkit of your own can be a great way to get a head start on the whole IEP process as you head into a new school year.

I already mentioned the paperwork, right?

So it's best to be organized!

You may find it helpful to have some kind of filing system in place. Or you might find having a binder to keep it all handy is just what you need. You could even try using a pre-made IEP organizer to save you the time and energy of putting your own together, if you can find one you like.

Regardless of what you choose, it's really about finding what is right for your family. And I hope you will find these free IEP resources for parents below helpful, either to use or as inspiration for creating something that fits your family.

Free IEP Binder Printables & IEP Resources

You can use these free IEP resources to put together your own IEP binder to hopefully make the whole process go a bit smoother. Let's take a look at these freebies first, shall we?

10. IEP Snapshot from School Bells N Whistles on Teachers Pay Teachers

This Canadian muggle might be a no-laugher (despite her energy vampire husband's jokesies), but Dyan's a fierce advocate for her two boys and passionate about all things hyperlexia and autism. She's an avid book reader, lifelong learner, and former piano teacher. She likes Toad as her Mario Kart driver and prefers to listen to audiobooks and podcasts at a minimum of 2.5x speed. Her idea of a perfect lunch is nachos. You can frequently catch her saying, "It's Dyan, not Dylan. There's no L."

Connect with Dyan on: Instagram - Pinterest - Facebook or Join The Hyperlexia Hub community!

Other IEP Resources & Advocacy Tips You'll Love

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This blog uses affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you. Get ready to rock your child's IEP meetings with these helpful and free IEP resources for parents.

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This is aimed towards parents but I believe that teachers could also benefit from this article. The article covers the IEP process, how services are delivered, who needs to be involved, and parents legal rights.

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What's an IEP?

Students who need extra help and support in school may be eligible for special education services in the form of anindividualized education program (IEP). This program is offered free of charge to families of kids in public schools and outlines the goals and any support services that may be needed for a child to succeed in school.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that parents and guardians of students with disabilities or special health care needs are important members of their child's education team. They should work with educators to develop a plan that helps kids succeed in school.

Understanding how to get and use these services will help your child be as successful as possible in school.

Who Needs an IEP?

Students who are eligible for special education services need an IEP. While there are many reasons that students could be eligible, some common conditions include:

How Are Services Offered?

In most cases, the services and goals outlined in an IEP can be offered in a general school environment. This can be done in the regular classroom (for example, a reading teacher helps a small group of children who need extra help while the other kids in the class work with the regular teacher.) The small group serves students with similar needs who are brought together for help.

Every effort is made to help kids learn alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. But sometimes the level of support needed can't be met in a general classroom, so students are educated in a specialized learning classroom that is more appropriate for their needs. These classes have fewer students per teacher and allow for more one-on-one instruction. The teacher usually has training in helping kids with special educational needs. Students spend most of their day in a small group classroom and join the regular classes whenever possible - for example lunch, gym, or the arts.

What's the Referral and Evaluation Process?

The referral process begins when a teacher, parent, or doctor is concerned that a child may be having trouble in the classroom, and the teacher notifies the school counselor or psychologist.

The first step is to gather specific information about the student's progress or academic problems. This may be done through:

a conference with parents

a conference with the student

watching the student in class to assess performance (attention, behavior, work completion, tests, classwork, homework, etc.)

This information helps school officials decide the best next step. Sometimes new classroom strategies are all that's needed to help a child become more successful. If this doesn't work, the child will get an educational assessment, which can find a specific learning disability or other health impairment.

Note: The presence of a disability doesn't automatically guarantee a child will get services. To be eligible, the disability must affect how the child does at school. To decide on a child's eligibility, a team of professionals will consider their observations, as well as how the child does on standardized tests and daily work such as tests, quizzes, classwork, and homework.

Who's On the Team?

As a guardian, you can decide whether to have your child assessed. If you choose to do so, you'll be asked to sign a permission form that will detail who is involved in the process and the types of tests they use. These tests might include measures of specific school skills, such as reading and math or developmental skills, like speech and language.

The professionals on the evaluation team can include:

When the team finishes the assessment, a comprehensive evaluation report is developed. This report includes an educational classification and outlines the skills and support the child will need.

You can review this report before an IEP is developed. If there is something that you don't agree with, work together with the team to come up with a plan that best meets your child's needs.

How Is an IEP Developed?

The next step is an IEP meeting with you and the team to decide what will go into the IEP. A regular teacher should also attend this meeting to offer suggestions for how the plan can help your child progress through the standard education curriculum.

At the meeting, the team will discuss your child's educational needs - as described in the evaluation report - and develop specific, measurable short-term and yearly goals for each of those needs. You can take an active role in developing the goals and determining which skills or areas will receive the most attention.

The cover page of the IEP outlines the support services your child will get and how often they will be provided (for example, occupational therapy twice a week). Support services might include:

Services might also include transportation, test help or modifications, participation in special programs, and the inclusion of transition planning beginning at age 14.

If the team recommends several services, the amount of time they take in the child's school schedule can seem overwhelming. To ease that load, a professional may talk with your child's teacher to come up with strategies that help but won't offer hands-on instruction. For example, an occupational therapist may suggest accommodations for a child with fine-motor problems that affect handwriting, and the classroom teacher would incorporate these suggestions into the handwriting lessons taught to the entire class.

Other services can be delivered right in the classroom, so the child's day isn't interrupted by therapy. The child who has trouble with handwriting might work one-on-one with an occupational therapist while everyone else practices their handwriting skills. When deciding how and where services are offered, the child's comfort and dignity should be a top priority.

Your child's IEP should be reviewed annually to update goals and make sure your child is getting the support that's needed. However, IEPs can be changed at any time on an as-needed basis. If you think your child needs more, fewer, or different services, you can request a meeting and bring the team together to discuss your concerns.

What Are My Legal Rights?

Guidelines (sometimes called procedural safeguards) outline your rights as a parent to control what happens to your child throughout the IEP process. For example, timelines ensure that the development of an IEP moves from referral to providing services as quickly as possible. When your child is referred, ask about this timeline and get a copy of your parents' rights.

The parents' rights also describe how you can proceed if you disagree with any part of the evaluation report or the IEP - mediation and hearings are some options. You can get information about low-cost or free legal representation from the school district or through early intervention programs.

Attorneys and paid advocates familiar with the IEP process will provide representation if you need it. You also may invite anyone who knows or works with your child whose input you feel would be helpful to join the IEP team. Federally supported programs in each state support parent-to-parent information and training activities for parents of children with special needs. The Parent Training and Information Projects conduct workshops, publish newsletters, and answer questions by phone or by mail about parent-to-parent activities.

What Else Should I Know?

Parents have the right to choose where their kids will be educated. This choice includes public or private elementary schools and secondary schools, including religious schools. It also includes charter schools and home schools.

But parents should know that the rights of children with disabilities who are placed in private elementary schools and secondary schools are not the same as children with disabilities who are enrolled in public schools.

Two major differences that parents, teachers, school staff, private school representatives, and kids need to know about are:

1. Children with disabilities who are placed by their parents in private schools may not get the same services they would get in a public school.

2. Not all kids with disabilities placed by their parents in private schools will get services.

The IEP process is complex, but it's also an effective way to address how your child learns. If you have concerns, be sure to ask about the evaluation findings or the goals recommended by your child's IEP team. You know your child best and should play a central role in creating a learning plan tailored to their specific needs.

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individuals with disabilities education act

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Some kids may be eligible for individualized education programs in public schools, free of charge. Understanding how to access these services can help you be an effective advocate for your child.

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Sources of Evidence- based practices in Special Education: A Brief Overview 

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Sources of Evidence- based practices in Special Education: A Brief Overview 

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Description:
This article provides teachers with 8 programs that have strong evidence of effectiveness. This is more of a research article, might take more time to dive in. There is also a spot for parents and how they can help their student succeed. Provides students a place to start looking for higher education.

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University of Hawaii 3/6/2011
Sources reviewed (i.e., Best Evidence Encyclopedia, journal articles, National Autism Center, National Center on Response to Intervention, National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, Promising Practices Network, What Works Clearinghouse) apply standards related to research design, methodological quality, quantity, and magnitude of effect of supporting research to identify effective or evidence-based practices for children and youth with disabilities.

I briefly review identified sources related to: name of organization and website, general purpose of organization, categorization scheme, specific evidence-based practices for children and youth with disabilities, additional features of website/ source. See websites for specific information on standards applied.
Best Evidence Encyclopedia http://www.bestevidence.org/ General
"The Best Evidence Encyclopedia is a free web site created by the Johns Hopkins University School of Education's Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education (CDDRE) under funding from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. It is intended to give educators and researchers fair and useful information about the strength of the evidence supporting a variety of programs available for students in grades K-12.
Categories
Practices are categorized as having strong, moderate, or limited (with strong evidence of modest effects, or with weak evidence of notable effects) effects.
Evidence-based Practices
Of particular relevance for special educators, one of the areas of review reported on the BEE is "struggling readers." The BEE identifies 8 programs as having strong evidence of effectiveness:

- Success for All

- Direct Instruction/ Corrective Reading

- Peer Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS)

- Reading Recovery

- Targeted Reading Intervention

- Quick Reads

- One-to-One Teacher Tutoring with Phonics Emphasis

- One-to-One Paraprofessional/ Volunteer Tutoring with Phonics Emphasis
Additional Features
Email contacts and website URLs are provided for each EBP. Links to Educator's Summaries or Guides, with details on the reviews conducted for each topic area (including effect sizes), are provided.
Journal Articles General
A variety of author teams have employed the standards proposed by Gersten et al. (2005) and Horner et al. (2005) for identifying evidence-based practices in special education on the basis of group experimental and single-subject research studies, respectively.
Categories
Gersten et al. (2005) provided standards to categorize practices as evidence-based and promising on the basis of group experimental research.

Horner et al. (2005) provided standards to categorize practices as evidence-based (or not evidence-based) on the basis of single-subject research.
Evidence-based Practices (with article reference)

Cognitive strategy instruction found to be an evidence-based practice for reading comprehension of expository text for students with LD.

Jitendra, A. K., Burgess, C., & Gajria, M. (2011). Cognitive strategy instruction for improving expository text comprehension of students with learning disabilities: The quality of evidence. Exceptional Children, 77, 135-159.

Self regulated strategy development (SRSD) for writing found to be an evidence-based practice for writing for students with or at-risk of LD.

Baker, S. K., Chard, D. J., Ketterlin-Geller, L. R., Apichatabutra, C., & Doabler, C. (2009). Teaching writing to at-risk students: The quality of evidence for self-regulated strategy development. Exceptional Children, 75, 303-320.

Time delay found to be an evidence-based practice for literacy for students with severe developmental disabilities.

Browder, D., Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., Spooner, F., Mims, P. J., & Baker, J. N. (2009). Using time delay to teach literacy to students with severe developmental disabilities. Exceptional Children, 75, 343-364.

Using a reduced set of quality indicators, found time delay (for sight word vocabulary and fluency) and pictures (for reading comprehension) as EBPs.

Browder, D. M., Wakeman, S. Y., Spooner, F., Ahlgrim-Delzell, L., & Algozzine, B. (2006), Research on reading instruction for individuals with significant cognitive disabilities. Exceptional Children, 72, 392-408.
Additional Features
Articles provided definitions and descriptions of practices, as well as descriptions of and references for research studies reviewed.
National Autism Center
http://www.nationalautismcenter.org/affiliates/reports.php
General
"The National Autism Center is May Institute's center for the promotion of evidence-based practice. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) by providing reliable information, promoting best practices, and offering comprehensive resources for families, practitioners, and communities.

In 2009, the National Autism Center completed an unprecedented multi-year project - the National Standards Project - to establish a set of standards for effective, research-validated educational and behavioral interventions for children on the spectrum. These standards identify treatments that effectively target the core symptoms of ASD."
Categories
The NAC identifies practices as established, emerging, unestablished, ineffective, and harmful.
Evidence-based Practices
Established Treatments:

Antecedent Package

Behavioral Package

Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment for Young Children

Joint Attention Intervention

Modeling

Naturalistic Teaching Strategies

Peer Training Package

Pivotal Response Treatment

Schedules

Self-management

Story-based Intervention Package

Emerging Treatments:

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Device

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention Package

Developmental Relationship-based Treatment

Exercise

Exposure Package

Imitation-based Interaction

Initiation Training

Language Training (Production)

Language Training (Production & Understanding)

Massage/Touch Therapy

Multi-component Package

Music Therapy

Peer-mediated Instructional Arrangement

Picture Exchange Communication System

Reductive Package

Scripting

Sign Instruction

Social Communication Intervention

Social Skills Package

Structured Teaching

Technology-based Treatment

Theory of Mind Training
Additional Features
Summary tables for each of the reviewed practices in the National Standards Report include treatment definition, skills increased and (undesirable) behaviors decreased by the treatment in the research, age range with which the treatment is effective, and diagnosis classification (i.e., autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, PDD-NOS).

The Evidence-Based Practice and Autism in the Schools Educator Manual (http://www.nationalautismcenter.org/pdf/NAC%20Ed%20Manual_FINAL.pdf) provides information on understanding Autism Spectrum Disorders, integrating professional judgments and data-based decision-making, incorporating family values and preferences, building and sustaining capacity to deliver treatments that work, and definitions and descriptions of each of the 11 established treatments.
National Center on Response to Intervention http://www.rti4success.org/ General
"The American Institutes for Research and researchers from Vanderbilt University and the University of Kansas - through funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) - have established the National Center on response to intervention. The Center's mission is to provide technical assistance to states and districts and building the capacity of states to assist districts in implementing proven models for RTI/EIS [early intervening services]."
Categories
The NCRTI does not categorize practices as evidence-based per se. Rather, the center rates various elements of studies on interventions that might be used as part of RTI (i.e., participants, research design, fidelity of implementation, and measures). Evidence related to participants is rated as convincing or unconvincing, whereas evidence for the other elements are rated as convincing, partially convincing, or unconvincing.

Additionally, information on effect sizes for reviewed studies are provided (i.e., number of outcome measures, mean effect sizes based on adjusted and unadjusted posttests, availability of disaggregated data).

Consumers can then determine the quality and level of research support for a particular practice based on this information.
Evidence-based Practices
- Stepping Stones to Literacy (2 studies rated as having convincing evidence across all areas with moderate/large effects for reading outcomes)

- Self-regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) for Writing (1 study rated as having convincing evidence across all areas; 2 other studies rated as having a partially convincing design but all other areas convincing with moderate to large effect sizes)

- Sound Partners Kindergarten (1 study rated as having convincing evidence across all areas; 1 study rated as having a partially convincing design but all other areas convincing with small to moderate effect sizes)
Additional Features
Provides information on each program/ practice related to descriptive information (general overview of how to implement the practice), usage (with whom and where the practice has been implemented), acquisition and cost, program specifications and requirements, and training. Citations for research studies reviewed provided. Site also includes ratings for progress monitoring and screening tools that can be used in RtI.
National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders
http://autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu/content/evidence-based-practices
General
"The National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders is a multi-university center to promote the use of evidence-based practice for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. The Center operates through three sites that include the FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the M.I.N.D. Institute at University of California at Davis Medical School, and the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Each year, three states are selected through a competitive application process for a two-year partnership with the Professional Development Center. The Center works in coordination with each state's Department of Education, Part C agency, and University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities to provide professional development to teachers and practitioners who serve individuals from birth through twenty-two years with autism spectrum disorders."
Categories
The NPDC on ASD uses a threshold approach in which practices are identified as EBPs or not.
Evidence-based Practices
* Antecedent-Based Interventions (ABI)

* Computer-Aided Instruction

* Differential Reinforcement

* Discrete Trial Training

* Extinction

* Functional Behavior Assessment

* Functional Communication Training

* Naturalistic Intervention

* Parent-Implemented Interventions

* Peer-Mediated Instruction and Intervention

* Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

* Pivotal Response Training

* Prompting

* Reinforcement

* Response Interruption/Redirection

* Self-Management

* Social Narratives

* Social Skills Groups

* Speech Generating Devices/VOCA

* Structured Work Systems

* Task Analysis

* Time Delay

* Video Modeling

* Visual Supports
Additional Features
After completing the free registration process at http://www.autisminternetmodules.org/user_reg.php, users can access autism internet modules that contain various information (e.g., videos) about the EBPs.

Links provided to EBP Briefs, which provide (a) an overview of the EBP (e.g., number of studies meeting criteria, age range for which EBP has been found to be effective in supporting research, skills or intervention goals addressed by the EBP in research, settings in which the EBP has been shown to be effective in research), (b) references for supporting research studies, (c) step by step instructions for implementation, (d) an implementation fidelity checklist, and (e) data collection forms to evaluate the effectiveness for each EBP.
National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
http://www.nsttac.org/ebp/ebp_main.aspx
General
"NSTTAC is a national Technical Assistance and Dissemination center funded from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2010 by the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) (Award #H326J050004)." Its purpose is "to assist states to build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities."

NSTTAC reviewed the literature to identify EBPs in 5 areas: student-focused planning, student development, interagency collaboration, family involvement, and program structure.
Categories
NSTTAC uses three categories to describe the level of evidence for causal inference (i.e., that a practice causes improved outcomes): Strong, moderate, and potential.
Evidence-based Practices
Student-focused planning: involving students in the IEP process, the Self-Advocacy Strategy, and the Self-Directed IEP all have moderate levels of evidence.

Student development: Teaching functional life skills and teaching purchasing skills have high levels of evidence. A number of areas of life skills instruction and (e.g., social skill training; teaching self-determination skills, banking skills, grocery shopping skills, safety skills) and employment skills instruction (e.g., self-management for employment, computer assisted instruction) have moderate levels of evidence.

Interagency collaboration: No practices identified.

Family involvement: Training families has a moderate level of evidence.

Program structure: Community-based instruction and extending services beyond secondary school have moderate levels of effect.
Additional Features
For each reviewed program, information is provided on "With whom is it implemented?" (i.e., disability categories, age range, gender, and ethnicity), "What is the practice?" (i.e., an overview of the practice), "How has the practice been implemented?" (i.e., steps involved in implementing the practice), "Where has it been implemented?" (i.e., settings in which the practice was implemented in reviewed research), "How does this practice related to national standards?", "Where is the best place to find out how to do this practice?" (i.e., links to useful information on implementing the practice), and "Reference(s) used to establish evidence base."
Promising Practices Network http://www.promisingpractices.net/ General
"The PPN website is a unique resource that offers credible, research-based information on what works to improve the lives of children and families." Practices examined in the following areas: Healthy and Safe Children, Children Ready for School, Children Succeeding in School, and Strong Families.
Categories
The PPN categorizes practices as proven, promising, or screened.
Evidence-based Practices
In the area of Children Succeeding in School:
Proven Practices:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Carolina Abecedarian Project

Child-Parent Centers

Class Wide Peer Tutoring Program

The Effective Learning Program

HighScope Perry Preschool Program

New Hope Project

Nurse Family Partnership
Promising Practices:
Accelerated Academics Academy (AAA)

Child Development Project

Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI)

Communities In Schools

Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition

Core Knowledge

Direct Instruction

Early Intervention in Reading

Parents as Teachers

Partners in Reading

Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies

Reading Recovery

Reciprocal Teaching

Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP)

Seattle Social Development Project

Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE)

Syracuse Family Development Research Program

Team Accelerated Instruction: Math

Teen Outreach Program
Additional Features
The PPN provides extensive information on the practices reviewed in the following areas: Program Info, Program Overview, Program Participants, Evaluation Methods, Key Evaluation Findings, Probable Implementers, Funding, Implementation Detail, Issues to Consider, Example Sites, Contact Information, Available Resources, Bibliography, (date) Last Reviewed
What Works Clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/ General
"Established in 2002, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is a central and trusted source of scientific evidence for what works in education. ... The WWC:

* Produces user-friendly practice guides for educators that address instructional challenges with research-based recommendations for schools and classrooms;

* Assesses the rigor of research evidence on the effectiveness of interventions (programs, products, practices, and policies), giving educators the tools to make informed decisions."

Topic areas include Adolescent Literacy, Beginning Reading, Early Childhood Education for Students with Disabilities, Elementary School Math, English Language Learners, High School Math, Middle School Math, Students with Learning Disabilities, Character Education, Dropout Prevention, Early Childhood Education, and Emotional or Behavioral Disorders (currently in progress).
Categories
Practices categorized as having positive, potentially positive, mixed, no discernible, potentially negative, or negative effects.
Evidence-based Practices
In the topic area of Early Childhood Education for Students with Disabilities, Dialogic Reading reported to have potentially positive effects on communication and language competencies; and Lovaas Model of Applied Behavior Analysis reported to have potentially positive effects on cognitive development.

In the topic area of Students with Learning Disabilities, The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) program reported to have potentially positive effects in alphabetics, reading fluency, and math; and Read Naturally ® reported to have potentially positive effects in writing.

Interventions with positive effects in other areas include:
Beginning Reading: DaisyQuest (for alphabetics), Earobics (for alphabetics), Fast ForWord (for alphabetics), Reading Recovery® (for alphabetics and reading achievement), Sound Partners (for alphabetics, reading comprehension, and reading fluency), SpellRead™ (for alphabetics), Stepping Stones to Literacy (for alphabetics), Success for All ® (for alphabetics)

Character Education: Positive Action (for academic achievement and behavior), Too Good for Drugs and Violence (for knowledge, attitudes, and values)

Drop out Prevention: Accelerated Middle Schools (for progressing in school), Check & Connect (for staying in school)

Early Childhood Education: Building Blocks for Math (SRA Real Math) (for mathematics achievement), DaisyQuest (for phonological processing), Dialogic Reading (for oral reading), Literacy Express (for oral language, phonological processing, and print knowledge), Phonological Awareness Training (for phonological processing), Phonological Awareness Training plus Letter Knowledge Training (for print knowledge), Pre-K Mathematics (for mathematics achievement)

English Language Learners: Peer Tutoring and Response Groups (for English language development)

Middle School Math: I CAN Learn® Pre-Algebra and Algebra (for mathematics achievement)
Additional Features
The WWC provides Intervention Reports on reviewed practices that include

- Program Description

- Additional Program Information (e.g., developer and contact information, teaching procedures, cost)

- Research (e.g., specific descriptions of studies that meet evidence standards with or without reservations, extent of evidence rating [small or medium to large depending on number and sample sizes of studies meeting evidence standards])

- Effectiveness (e.g., rating of effectiveness [positive, potentially positive, mixed, no discernible, potentially negative, or negative effects], improvement index [represents the difference between the percentile rank of the average student in the intervention condition and the percentile rank of the average student in the comparison condition]

- References (for studies reviewed that did or did not meet evidence standards)

Companion "Doing What Works" website ( http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/methods/whatworks/edpicks.jhtml) features information on implementing some of the practices promoted on the What Works Clearinghouse.

Download the article: Special Education EBPs

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Sources of Evidence-based Practices in Special Education: A Brief Overview

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University of Hawaii 3/6/2011 Sources reviewed (i.e., Best Evidence Encyclopedia, journal articles, National Autism Center, National Center on Response to Intervention, National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders, National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center, Promising Practices Network, What Works Clearinghouse) apply standards related to research design, methodological quality, quantity, and magnitude of effect of supporting research to identify effective or evidence-based practices for children and youth with disabilities.

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19 Simple Student Accommodations that Work 

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19 Simple Student Accommodations that Work 

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This article provides teachers with many little changes that can be made throughout the day. It provides a suggestion and then explains how that may look in the classroom.

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Whether you have students on IEPs or you're just looking for ways to informally help kids who are struggling in your class, here's a big list of student accommodations, adapted from Mentoring Minds' Accommodations Educator Wheel, that gives everyone in your class an opportunity to learn together and find success at school.

1. Begin with the end.
It can be hard for some kids to visualize what the end product of an assignment or project should look like. So whenever possible, show kids examples of the final product of the same assignment that was previously completed by former students. If that's not possible, try modeling your own example of the assignment.

2. Partner up.
Study buddies or lab partners can help copy assignments, transcribe oral answers, or read directions aloud to help clarify directions.

3. Talk it out.
If written answers are creating a major roadblock for students, consider allowing oral responses for class work or during tests. You can also let kids make audio-recorded responses of their homework.

4. Change up your tests.
If you know a kid has a really hard time concentrating at the end of the day, but an exam is scheduled for last period, try testing the student in the morning instead. If a large classroom full of students is too distracting, let the student sit at a study carrel in your classroom. You can also let them take the exam in a different room.

5. Sing a song.
When you put a tune to important information, it often makes it easier for kids to remember. You can make up your own songs or use some that have already been written-like these math music videos about everything from skip counting to geometry.

6. Use memory tricks.
There are the classic mnemonic devices-like ROY G BIV to remember the colors of the rainbow or Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally to recall the order of operations when solving an equation. You can also check out this list for some other cool memory tricks to use with your class. Maybe, if you're feeling creative, make up your own!

7. Get out your highlighter.
Highlight, italicize, or bold key words or phrases in textbooks, homework, study guides, and tests to help kids home in on the most important information. Eventually, kids may be able to highlight the text themselves before they start an assignment or exam.

8. Graph paper isn't just for graphing.
Lots of kids have trouble keeping numbers aligned when solving math problems. Show them how to use graph paper to organize and align the numbers in the correct columns.

9. Make a list.
It can be daunting to do assignments that require multiple steps. So, help put things into perspective by numbering the steps in a task and writing them on a piece of paper that students can keep at their desks. When students cross off completed items from the list, it helps keep them on track and also provides a sense of accomplishment.

10. Bounce out your wiggles.
Some students actually have trouble concentrating if they're required to sit still in a chair. For those kids, try letting them stand up while they're working. If you have access to a T-stool or a balance ball, it can be used to help kids get their wiggles out and get their work done.

11. Take a brain break.
Sometimes, kids need to put academics aside for a few minutes of physical activity to get back on track with their work. Try doing some simple yoga or stretching exercises. You can also check out GoNoodle for more brain break ideas.

12. Use audiobooks.
If you have struggling readers or ELL students, audiobooks are an invaluable tool to help them find their love of reading and stay engaged. Even if your school doesn't have a subscription to an audiobook website, there are some great free options!
13. Set up a cool-down station.
Designate a safe place where students can go to cool down or regroup when they become frustrated. This space could be a comfortable chair or a desk that's away from the group. You can also make a cool-down box with things like puzzles, Silly Putty, or other fidget toys to help kids de-stress.

14. Write in color.
Provide different kinds and colors of paper when students are writing or taking notes. Different color pens are especially helpful for organizing thoughts when writing (e.g., red for main idea, green for details, etc.).

15. Stay close.
If you have a student who has a hard time following directions, try standing next to them when you're giving directions, because sometimes, just being in close proximity helps the student better absorb the information.

16. Make up your own sign language.
You can avoid stopping your lesson and singling out students who need attention by coming up with pre-arranged, non-verbal signals or cues. For example, if a student needs to leave the room or has to cool off, the signal could be to raise two fingers.

17. Put fewer questions on the page.
Some students get overwhelmed and have difficulty concentrating when there are too many questions or problems on a worksheet. So, try putting only a few on each page to help them stay focused and complete the assignment.

18. Minimize noise.
Let kids wear noise-canceling headphones or earplugs while they're completing independent work. Some kids may even benefit from listening to classical music. You can also seat students in low-traffic areas of the classroom. Therefore, there are fewer distractions while they're trying to get their work done.

19. Make flash cards.
Flash cards aren't only helpful for learning math facts. You can also use them for subjects like science and social studies. If you're teaching a concept, like the lifecycle of a butterfly, try including graphics on each card to give kids an additional visual cue.

FREE E-BOOK! How to Build a 36-Week Character Education Program. S upport social-emotional learning through a critical thinking lens with 36 projects and activities plus tips, research, and more!

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19 Simple Student Accommodations That Work

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Whether you have students on IEPs or you're looking to help struggling kids in your class, this big list of student accommodations can help.

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This website provides educators with different articles on a variety of topics. Also provides many different perspectives on the topic.

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Valerie C. Williams joins the Department as director in the Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP) within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA).

Meedra Surratte is the Executive Director of Parent Information Center of Delaware, Inc. (PIC), serves as the aRPy Ambassador for Delaware and is a proud parent and grandparent. She represents the needs, concerns, and interests of children with disabilities and their families on several statewide councils. Her area of focus lies in education and capacity building, particularly in the areas of special education, family engagement, and strengthening sustaining partnerships between families and schools.

By Katherine (Katy) Neas, Deputy Assistant Secretary
Delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

This month marks 46 years since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA) was enacted. I couldn't let this anniversary pass without sharing some reflections about the importance of IDEA, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and reaffirming the commitment of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services ( OSERS) to upholding this landmark civil rights law.

While most coverage of Helen Keller freezes her as the "eternal child" in that "aha" moment at the water pump with teacher Anne Sullivan (immortalized in The Miracle Worker), this new documentary American Masters: Becoming Helen Keller shatters that disability myth, transcends that image, takes back the narrative, and unlocks multifaceted aspects of her life and commitment to social justice, disability rights, veterans with disabilities, women's rights, voting rights, civil rights, early support of the NAACP and ACLU, her involvement with setting up State Commissions for the Blind, "talking books," and her work as an international goodwill ambassador ... to name a few.

In fiscal year 2021, OSERS' Rehabilitation Services Administration ( RSA) provided over $134.9 million to fund programs that help to assist state and other agencies in providing vocational rehabilitation (VR) and other services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence and integration into the community and the competitive labor market.

In fiscal year 2021, OSERS' Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP) provided over $70.3 million to fund programs that help educate children and youth with disabilities to assist states and local districts to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21.

NOTE: October is Blindness Awareness Month as well as Learning Disabilities / Dyslexia / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month.

My name is Ella, and I'm a junior at Irondale High School in Minnesota. This school year, I'm busy studying for advanced placement courses, playing percussion and coordinating audio equipment in my school's band, and making time to read book recommendations from friends. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in fifth grade, and reading print books has always been challenging for me compared with most of my classmates. However, accessible digital books from Bookshare give me the same opportunities to learn, engage, and show what I know.

NOTE: October is National Blindness Awareness Month

In recognition of Blindness Awareness Month the National Instructional Materials Access Center ( NIMAC) is pleased to share experiences of students with visual impairments and their parents and teachers, highlighting how we are expanding access to reading and learning for students across the United States.

NOTE: October is Blindness Awareness Month

When typical textbooks don't meet the needs of students with reading disabilities, visual impairments, or physical disabilities, the OSEP-funded National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) helps ensure that these students can obtain the accessible formats they need to engage and contribute alongside their peers.

by Meriah Nichols

I really thought I knew disability. I thought I knew what it feels like to have a disability; I thought I knew how it is to navigate a world that often does not understand or appreciate the presence of disability. I thought I knew the feelings that a disability can bring with it: the hurt, the pain, the joy, and the delight. I really thought I knew it all.

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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Blog

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Valerie C. Williams joins the Department as director in the Office of Special Education Programs ( OSEP) within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA).

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More Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults 

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More Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults 

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Description:
This website gives hands on activities for educators to use in their classroom. These activities are planned out, no longer than 35 minutes, and get the class thinking about cultural diversity in their lives.

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Introduction

Why is appreciating diversity important for youth and adults?

The face of the United States and its workplace is changing. A growing number of neighborhoods and communities contain a complex mix of races, cultures, languages, and religious affiliations. At the same time, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is creating greater social class diversity. In addition, the U.S. population includes more than 43 million people with physical and mental challenges.

For these reasons, today's youth and adults are more likely to face the challenges of interacting and working with people different from themselves. The ability to relate well to all types of people in the workplace is a leadership skill that is becoming increasingly important. Understanding, accepting, and valuing diverse backgrounds can help young people and adults thrive in this ever-changing society.

How can these activities boost understanding of diversity?

Learning about diversity can be fun. The activities in this publication can help participants:

Recognize how we place self-imposed limits on the way we think.

Discover that, in many ways, people from different cultures and backgrounds hold similar values and beliefs.

Become more aware of our own cultural viewpoints and the stereotypes we may have inadvertently picked up.

Accept and respect the differences and similarities in people.

When and where should these activities be used?

The activities in this publication are appropriate for use by teachers, youth leaders, and child care professionals. While most of the activities are appropriate for older youth (middle school and above) and adults, some of the activities may be adapted for younger children. Decisions should be based on the facilitator's knowledge of the group's cognitive level and needs.

Some of the activities-including "Complimentary Round Table" and "Chocolate Milk and Shades of Skin Color"-can be used as discussion starters or icebreakers. Others such as "Is That a Fact?" may be the basis for an entire lesson. In either case, the facilitator should allow enough time for discussion at the end of each activity. Debriefing is important for dealing with unresolved feelings or misunderstandings. Conducting activities in an atmosphere of warmth, trust, and acceptance is equally as important.

Potato Activity

Goal

To help youth eliminate stereotyping and recognize the uniqueness of each individual.

Time

20-30 minutes

Materials

A brown paper bag, one potato for each student in the class, and one potato for the teacher.

Procedure

Select one potato for your demonstration and have a story in mind to describe your potato to the class. Hold up your potato in front of the class and say, "I have here a potato. I don't know about you, but I've never thought that much about potatoes. I've always taken them for granted. To me, potatoes are all pretty much alike. Sometimes I wonder if potatoes aren't a lot like people."

Pass around the bag of potatoes and ask each student to take one potato. Tell each student to "examine your potatoes, get to know its bumps, scars, and defects and make friends with it for about one minute or so in silence. Get to know your potato well enough to be able to introduce your 'friend' to the group."

After a few minutes, tell students that you'd like to start by introducing your "friend" to them. (Share a story about your potato and how it got its bumps.) Then tell students that the class would like to meet their friends. Ask who will introduce their friend first. (Ask for several, if not all, to tell the group about their potatoes.)

When enough students have introduced their "friends" to the class, take the bag around to each person. Ask them to please put their "friends" back into the bag.

Ask the class, "Would you agree with the statement 'all potatoes are the same'? Why or why not?"

Ask them to try to pick out their "friend." Mix up the potatoes and roll them out onto a table. Ask everyone to come up and pick out their potatoes.

After everyone has their potatoes and you have your "friend" back, say, "Well, perhaps potatoes are a little like people. Sometimes, we lump people of a group all together. When we think, 'They're all alike,' we are really saying that we haven't taken the time or thought it important enough to get to know the person. When we do, we find out everyone is different and special in some way, just like our potato friends."

Discussion

Ask students to think about groups at school or in the community that we tend to lump together. If they have trouble thinking of groups, you may want to prompt them with some of the following groups:

kids in band

kids who live in the trailer park

kids of a certain religion

kids in the gifted class

kids in special education classes

kids from a certain racial or ethnic group

kids who live in rural settings

kids who live in the city

all of the girls

all of the boys

Use groups that are relevant and meaningful for the school/community you are addressing.

Discuss answers to the following questions:

1. When we lump everyone from the same group together and assume they all have the same characteristics, what are we doing? What is this called?

2. Do you know a lot of people from the groups we tend to lump together? Do they all fit the stereotype?

3. Why are stereotypes dangerous?

Complimentary Round Table
Reprinted with permission of the author, Rose Guzauskas, of Gastonia.
Goal

To enhance social skills development by illustrating how our words affect people.

Time

15 minutes

Materials

Two apples and a knife

Procedure

Seat a group of six to eight participants at a round table. Take one apple, say something mean to it (for example, "I hate you." "I don't want to be around you."), and drop it to the floor. The next person picks up the apple, is mean to it, and drops it. This continues around the table a couple times as everyone takes turns being mean to it and dropping it. Cut that apple in half and lay it in the center of the table, allowing it to brown. Take the other apple and, as each participant takes a turn holding the apple, have everyone else in the group take turns complimenting or affirming the person holding the apple. Continue until everyone in the group has been complimented by everybody else.

Discussion

Lead the participants in a discussion of how being complimented feels. Were compliments easy to receive? Why or why not? Was it easier to be mean or to give compliments? Why?

Ask if anyone wants the brown, battered apple on the table. Of course, no one does. Discuss how a lot of people feel like that apple-all bruised and battered because they've heard mean things all their lives. They feel like no one cares about them and no one wants to be their friend. Explain that our words can make people feel like that apple.

Both youth and adults respond well to this activity. Youth and adults develop social skills as they become more sensitive to the feelings of others.

Unequal Resources

Goal

To examine people's attitudes toward and expectations of people with different economic backgrounds.

Time

30-35 minutes

Materials

Five large ziplock bags with the following art supplies for each of the five groups:

Group 1: Regular pencils and one colored pencil

Group 2: Regular pencils, colored pencils, crayons, assorted colored construction paper

Groups 3 and 4: Regular pencils, colored pencils, crayons, assorted colored construction paper, scissors, colored markers, glue.

Group 5: Regular pencils, colored pencils, crayons, assorted colored construction paper, scissors, rulers, colored markers, glue, tape, glitter, ribbons, stencils, and anything you can add to help this group

Procedure

Ask participants to form groups with three to five people in each. You want to have five groups. Tell participants that each group will make a poster to celebrate a holiday, season of the year, or other occasion (for example, Mother's Day, spring, fall, or Thanksgiving Day). All groups should make a poster about the same holiday or occasion. Tell them that each group will receive a bag of supplies to use in making their posters. They can use only the supplies given to their group; they may not borrow supplies from other groups. Tell them that their finished posters will be put on display and that they will have 15 or 20 minutes to complete their posters.

Give each group a large sheet of poster paper. Have the bags of supplies in view for all to see. Then give each group one of the bags. Hold up the bag (in an inconspicuous manner) so that all groups see the bag that is being given to each group. You need not comment on the contents of the bag. If participants ask why the contents are different, just say that these are the supplies available for your group. That's the way it is.

Give participants a five-minute warning. When the allotted time is up, ask participants to put their unused supplies back into their bags. One at a time, call each group to come up to the front of the room to display and explain their poster. After each presentation, applaud the group. When all groups have completed their presentations, engage the group in a discussion about this activity.

Discussion

1. How did you feel when you noticed that some people had more materials than you did?

2. How did you feel when you noticed that some people had fewer materials than you did?

3. In what ways did resources affect your project?

4. How would you have felt if I had judged your final products for a prize or for a grade? Would that be fair? Why or why not?

5. If other people saw your posters and were asked to pick the most talented students in the room, whom would they say? Would these posters necessarily be a fair assessment of what all of you can do?

6. Why do you think I set up this activity this way?

7. In what other situations do people have advantages over others? (Provide some examples to prompt the class.)

8. Is it important to consider individual circumstances and opportunities before judging a person's capabilities? Why or why not?

______________________________________________________

Adapted from: Byrnes, D. A. (1995). "Teacher, They Call Me a _____!" Confronting Prejudice and Discrimination in the Classroom. Logan: Utah State Office of Education.

Chocolate Milk and Shades of Skin Colors

Goal

To understand why people have different skin colors.

Time

5-10 minutes

Materials

one glass of white milk, a spoon, a package of powdered chocolate drink mix

Procedure

State that one way people differ is in their skin colors. Ask if anyone knows why people have different skin colors.

Pour a glass of milk and hold it up for the class to see. Ask if anyone in the room has skin as white as the milk in the glass. (The answer should be, "No," unless there is an albino in the class.)

Inform students that this is because all of us have something in our skin called "melanin," which is a black substance.

Hold up the package of chocolate powder. Ask students to pretend the chocolate is melanin. Make the following statements as you add chocolate to the glass:

White people have a small amount of melanin in their skin. (Put a little chocolate in the glass and stir.)

Brown people, such as those from India, have more melanin in their skin. (Put more chocolate in the glass and stir.)

Darker people, such as many African Americans, have even more melanin in their skin. (Put more chocolate in and stir.)

Ask students why we have different amounts of melanin in our skin. Inform then that melanin is like a curtain in our skin-it protects our skin from the sun's rays. We need some sun to help our bodies make and use vitamins, but too much sun will burn our skin. What color we are depends on our ancestry. White people originated in western European parts of the world, where it was colder; that area did not have much bright sunlight. So, people in that area developed skin with less melanin to take advantage of the smaller amount of available sunlight.

People who lived, let's say, in India, where it is hot and had a lot of sunlight, developed skin with more melanin to protect them from too much sun. And people who lived in Africa, where it is very hot, developed skin with even more melanin to protect them from the sun's hot rays.

Ask students which skin color burns faster in the summer sun. The answer is that people with lighter skin burn more and faster than people with darker skin.

Discussion

1. Does the color of people's skin make them good or bad, more intelligent or less intelligent, pretty or ugly?

2. What does the color of a person's skin tell you about the person?

______________________________________________

Adapted from: Byrnes, D. A. (1995). "Teacher, They Call Me a _____!" Confronting Prejudice and Discrimination in the Classroom. Logan: Utah State Office of Education.

People with Disabilities

Goal

To experience a condition similar to what some people with learning disabilities deal with regularly.

Time

15-20 minutes

Materials

One Reading Sheet for each student

Procedure-Part I

Hand out one Reading Sheet to each student. Ask for volunteers to read the sheet aloud in small sections. After students have struggled with this, read the passages from the answer sheet.

Discussion Ask students how trying to read this felt.

Tell students that this is an example of what reading might be like for people who have learning disabilities. People who have learning disabilities might have similar feelings to the ones you experienced.

Inform students that experts estimate that 6 to 10 percent of school-aged people in this country have learning disabilities. For people with learning disabilities, reading can be especially difficult, but that does not affect their intelligence. People with learning disabilities have average or above-average intelligence.

Procedure-Part II

Ask students which of the following people has/had a learning disability:

After they guess, read the description of each of these people. Emphasize that all of these people were very successful despite their learning disabilities.

Celebrities with Disabilities

Tom Cruise
He is a famous movie star. He learns his lines by listening to a tape because he suffers from dyslexia.

Walt Disney
He was slow in school work and did not have a successful school experience but later became a well-known movie producer and cartoonist.

Albert Einstein
As a child, he could not talk until the age of three. He did not learn to read until he was nine. His teachers considered him to be mentally slow, unsociable, and a dreamer. He failed the entrance examination for college. Ultimately, he developed the Theory of Relativity.

George Patton
When he was twelve years old he could not read, and he remained deficient in reading throughout his life. However, he could memorize entire lectures-this was how he got through school. He became a famous general during World War II.

_____________________________________________

Adapted from: Office of Affirmative Action (1996). Take a Walk in My Shoes. Oakland: Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.
Discussion

1. Should we judge people based on their learning disabilities?

2. Can people with learning disabilities make important contributions to society?

3. Can you think of other famous people who have disabilities

Answer sheet for "Reading":

It is difficult to learn to read when
the words don't stand still. Can you
imagine what it is like to read when the
words and letters move up and down
on the page? Reading is not my favorite
school activity. It helps to use my finger
or a ruler to keep my place so I can
read.

Answer Sheet for "Changes":

Changes are all around us.
Changes are a part of life.
Changes are a part of growing.
Just look how a sapling becomes a tree.
And in the fall, the leaves turn all different
colors.
Red, gold, amber, brown, orange, and
yellow.
Even though they're different colors,
They are all part of one tree,
And beautiful together.
And so, too, it is with people.
We are born, and we grow into adults
Who are different, but we are all part of
the same family.
If only we could just blend harmoniously
Like the leaves on the tree.
Well, there's still time for change.
-Jane Brucker

Famous People with Disabilities

Ludwig Van Beethoven, 1770-1827 Famous German composer and considered one of the greatest musicians of all times.

The last 30 years of his life were shaped by a series of personal crises, the first of which was the onset of deafness.

Cher, 1946- American singer and Academy Award- winning actress and director.

Dyslexic

Albert Einstein, 1879-1955 Mathematician and physicist; he developed the Theory of Relativity

He had a learning disability and did not speak until the age of three. He had a difficult time doing math in school and expressing himself through writing.

Whoopee Goldberg, 1949- Oscar- and Golden Globe Award-winning actress

Dyslexic

Bruce Jenner, 1949- 1976 Olympic Gold Metal Decathlon Champion

Dyslexic

Helen Keller, 1880-1968 Blind and deaf

Juliette Gordon Low, 1860-1927 She had severe hearing loss and was deaf by the time she founded the Girl Scouts of America.

Marlee Matlin, 1965- 1987 Academy Award winner-Best Actress for role in Children of a Lesser God. She was the first hearing-impaired actress to win an Oscar.

John Milton, 1608-1674 English author and poet who wrote some of the greatest and longest poems-"Paradise Lost," "Paradise Regained," and "Samson Agonestes"- in his head and dictated them to his daughter. He went completely blind in 1641.

George Patton, 1885-1945 U.S. General. Learning disabled. Did not learn to read until he was twelve years old; yet, he had learned to read military topographic maps by age seven.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1882-1945 U.S. President four times Paralyzed by polio

Harriet Tubman, 1820(?)-1913 Abolitionist and rescuer of hundreds of slaves on the Underground Railroad. As a child, she was struck by an overseer. The blow fractured her skull and resulted in narcolepsy.

George Washington, 1732-1799 First U.S. President. He had a learning disability and could barely write; also had very poor grammar skills.

Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924 U.S. President from 1913 to 1921; also governor, author, professor, and world statesman Severely dyslexic

Is That a Fact?

Goals

To articulate the difference= between fact and opinion and to identify ways to clarify or qualify statements of opinion.

Time

30 minutes

Materials

Sets of Fact/Opinion Statement Cards (see directions below)

Fact/Opinion Statement Cards

Create sets of Fact/Opinion Statement Cards by writing the following statements on blank index cards, one statement per card. Add or substitute statements of your choice.

Girls are smarter than boys.

Americans are friendly.

Some boys are good at sports.

Utah is a state in the United States.

The world is a better place now than it was 100 years ago.

Wheelchair users feel sorry for themselves.

The Nile is the longest river in the world.

Women make better teachers than men.

People with accents are not smart.

Most people in Africa live in urban areas.

The United States is the richest country in the world.

Americans love French fries.

Some rich people are stuck up.

There is more farmland in the United States than in any other country.

Homeless people are lazy.

In the United States, the sun comes up every day.

Men are usually taller than women.

This is the best school in the whole town. n Judaism is a religion.

China is the most populous country in the world.

Most people in Honduras are unhappy.

Introduction

Understanding the difference between fact and opinion is critical to our ability to examine our reactions to events and people. Stereotypes and prejudices are often based on opinions that are perceived as facts.

Procedure

Write three examples of facts on one side of the board and three examples of opinions on the other side of the board

Examples of facts:

George has blue eyes.

This room has four windows.

There are 50 states in the United States.

Examples of opinions:

This room is too warm.

Math class is boring.

The best cars are made in the United States.

Ask participants to identify the statements of fact and the statements of opinion. Label each group.

Have participants work with partners to come up with definitions for the words "fact" and "opinion." Choose a group definition (use a dictionary if necessary).

Divide participants into small groups of four to five people each. Provide each group with a set of Fact/Opinion Statement cards. Ask one person in each group to "deal" the cards out to the group members until all cards have been distributed.

Have each small group divide its work space into three areas, one labeled "Facts," another "Opinions," and the third "Need More Information." Have participants work together to place the statements in the appropriate areas according to the definitions they agreed on earlier.

Ask participants to examine the statements in the "Need More Information" category. Have them work together to identify sources of information that would prove or disprove the statements.

Discussion

When the small groups have completed their work, bring the whole group back together to discuss the process. Use the following questions to check the students' understanding of the difference between fact and opinion.

How can you tell whether something is a fact or an opinion?

What makes deciding if something is a fact or an opinion difficult?

When you were working in small groups, did everyone agree on which statements were fact and which were opinion? Could any of the opinion statements be considered facts if we had more information or if the statements were more specific?

If you're not sure whether something is a fact, what can you do?

Why is knowing whether something is a fact or an opinion important?

_____________________________________________

Used with permission from the Peace Corps.

Label Activity

Goal

To experience the effects of inclusion and exclusion in a simulated activity.

Time

15 minutes

Materials

Blank mailing labels or blank name tags, cut in half. Make as many labels as you have students. On the labels, write, "Smile at me," "Say, 'Hi,'" "Pat me on the back," "Shake my hand," "Give me five," and "Give me an "okay" sign." Use other responses that are typical for the group. On 10 percent of the labels, write, "Turn away from me."

Procedure

Begin the lesson by asking students if they think we sometimes label people because they belong to different groups. Tell them that the labels we put on people often limit their participation in groups.

Tell students that you are going to give them each a sticker. Tell them that you will put it on their foreheads so that they cannot see what it says. Distribute the labels randomly. Ask everyone to remain quiet and not reveal to each other what their labels say.

When everyone has a label, ask students to get up and mill around as if they were in the lunch room at school or at a party. Remind them that they should not reveal what is on anyone else's label. Let students mingle for 4 to 5 minutes, then ask them to return to their seats without looking at their labels.

Discussion

Ask students the following questions:

1. How were you feeling?

2. Without looking at your label, do you know what it says? How do you know?

3. All of you who think you have the "Turn away from me" label, please come and stand together in front of the room. How did you feel?

Allow students to look at their labels now. Explain that all of us have experienced times when we felt like we were wearing a "Turn away from me" label - when we felt left out or targeted. However, some groups experience this more than others, even regularly. What are some groups in your school that get targeted or left out? What groups in society seem to have a "Turn away from me" label on them? (Some examples include people with disabilities, people of a different religion, people of a different race, people who speak with an accent, and underprivileged people.)

Remind them that no one said anything negative to them; it was just in our nonverbal communication-our body language and our expressions. Without words, they got the message. Point out that 94 percent of all communication is nonverbal. We need to pay close attention to our body language and nonverbal expressions as well as our words.

End with the following additional questions:

What can we do to change our nonverbal behavior to help everyone feel included?

What do people from groups that are left out or excluded sometimes do? (Sometimes they get together and form their own groups and isolate themselves; perhaps this happened during this activity.)

Any new thoughts about why members of excluded groups act in society the way they do?

Any new insights on how being in an oppressed group feels?

_____________________________________________

Adapted from: O'Malley, Marion, and Tiffany Davis (1994). Dealing with Differences. Carrboro, N.C.: The Center for Peace Education.

Walk Apart--Walk Together

This activity is appropriate for a wide variety of ages, ranging from elementary school to adult. Since it requires no special materials, it can be conducted in almost any setting. It is a particularly good activity for groups that are just forming.

Goal

To help participants recognize the differences among people, as well as the many similarities people share.

Time

10-15 minutes

Materials

Open space large enough for two people to take a short walk

Procedure

Two "volunteers" come forward and stand with backs together. Ask the "audience" to call out things about these two volunteers that are different. Differences sometimes pull us apart. As each difference is called, the volunteers take one step apart. When they reach the end of the available space, have them turn and face each other. Now, ask the audience to call out similarities of the volunteers. As each similarity is called out, the volunteers take one step toward each other.

Discussion

1. Think about the things that were noted as differences. How many were things that we can easily see (gender, size, hair color, skin color, dress, wearing glasses or not, etc.)?

2. What were some of the similarities? While certain physical characteristics are similar, many other similarities are not so visible. Perhaps both "volunteers" are enthusiastic or both have similar interests or goals in life.

3. Talk about the importance of the differences and of the similarities among members of the group. Be sure to talk about the importance of accepting and welcoming all members into the group.

_____________________________________________

Adapted from the Scouting Web pages. Permission to reprint was granted by Kathie Little, Volunteer Girl Scouts of the Old 96 Council.

Lookism

When the word "diversity" is mentioned, several terms are likely to come to mind. Among these include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, physical and mental abilities, income, education, and sexual orientation. One dimension of diversity that does not always immediately come to mind is appearance. Bias based on appearance may be referred to as "lookism." Consciously or unconsciously, we often make judgments about people based on the way they look.

Goal

To help participants think about the concept of lookism and to identify how appearance affects bias.

Time

Approx. 45 minutes

Materials

Markers and one flipchart for each group

Procedure

Divide the class into small groups (four learners to a group) and issue each group a flipchart and markers. Each group will make two flipcharts-one will be titled "How prejudice and bias focus on the physical characteristics of people" and the other will be titled "How prejudices and bias focus on the dress and makeup of people." Under each title they will list how people are hindered for not meeting a group's or organization's standards (norms). Coach the groups as they work their way through the exercise. Some items that could be listed include:
Physical Characteristics

Too short

Overweight

Too light or too dark

Too young or too old

Disfigured

Not graced with "good looks"

Features that are less desirable than social or cultural norms

Dress and Makeup

Dresses out of fashion

Body piercing

Hair length

Informal dress

Impression of informality

Expression of cultural, ethnic, religion, generational, or personal standards

After the small groups have worked on the activity for about 25 minutes, bring the groups together and have them present their findings.

Discussion

Discuss what is fair and legitimate to ask of people about physical characteristics and appearance when it comes to workplace norms.

Ability to do the job

Loss of customers and money due to how an organization's employees look

Safety requirements

Loss of personnel because of bias about appearance

This activity is appropriate for adults and older youth. It can also be adapted so that the discussion focuses on inclusion in school, social groups, and other settings more relevant to the participant group.

_____________________________________________

Created by Donald R. Clark and reprinted with his permission.

Inclusion/Exclusion

Goal

To experience the frustrations of being left out of a group or being ignored by its members and to explore the factors associated with the behaviors of insiders and outsiders.

Time

15-20 minutes

Materials

One sheet of paper for each group of five or six students; each paper should have a large number on it (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.).

Procedure

Determine the number of students in the group and how many groups you can form with six or seven students in each group.

Begin by telling the group that you will need some volunteers. Select enough volunteers to equal the number of groups you determined earlier. (For example, assume you have 30 students in the class. That would allow for five groups of six students in each group. Therefore, you will need to select five volunteers.)

Ask the class to wait just a minute while you take the volunteers out into the hall. Tell the volunteers that you will be back to give them instructions in a minute.

Return to the large group and ask them to get into groups of five or six participants and form a circle. It is okay if a few groups have a smaller or larger number than five. Tell the students that the goal of each circle is to keep the volunteers from becoming a part of their group. They should pick any subject and talk to each other. The subject may be planning a party or some other special event; each group should appear to be having a good time. The groups can use any means possible, except violence, to keep the volunteer from becoming a part of the group. The group may chose to stand very close together so that the volunteer cannot get into the circle. The group members may simply ignore the volunteers and not talk to them. Give each group a sheet of paper with the number of their group on it.

Leave the larger group to form their circles and select their topics to talk about. Return to the volunteers in the hall. Tell the volunteers that their goal is to become a part of the circle that you will assign them to. Assign a number to each volunteer and remind then that their goal is to become a member of the group with that number. Bring the volunteers into the room and ask the circles to hold up their numbers. Allow the interaction to proceed for about three minutes. Then ask everyone to return to their seats.

Discussion

First, ask everyone to give the volunteers a round of applause for being brave enough to be volunteers for this activity. Thank them. Then lead them in a discussion of this activity. Ask volunteers:

1. How did you feel about being excluded by the group?

2. How hard did you try to become part of the group?

3. What did you do to try to get in?

4. What did the group say or do to you to keep you out?

Ask group members:

1. How did you feel about excluding the volunteer?

2. How far were you willing to go to keep the volunteer out?

Tell them that in this situation they were asked to keep the volunteers out of the group. But in real life people do get excluded from groups and a lot of the time it is because they are thought to be different from people in the group.

Can you think of a time when you felt different from everyone else? Maybe you were the only girl in a group that had all boys. Or maybe you were the only person who spoke English in a room full of people. Who can share a time when they felt different?

What is one word that best describes how you felt when you were the one who was different? (Write these on a blank overhead or wall sheet.)

Have you ever been excluded from some group that you wanted to join? Why did you want to join them, and how did they exclude you?

Think about some people at your school that you consider different from you or the kids you hang around with. I'm sure everyone can think of at least one person that you think of as being different. Do you have that person in mind? Raise your hand if you have that person in mind. Now, here comes the hard part: Think of at least two ways in which that person is the same as you. (Ask students to share.) So, as you can see, although we are all unique and are in many ways different from everyone else, we are also the same in many ways.

What is the most important thing you learned from this activity?

Based on your experience in this activity, would you change any of your behaviors at school?

How could we make it easier for outsiders to join our group?

Resources/References

The activities in this publication have been adapted from activities in a variety of resources. Information about specific sources will be provided upon request.

Byrnes, D. A. (1995). "Teacher, They Call Me a _______!" Confronting Prejudice and Discrimination in the Classroom. Logan: Utah State Office of Education.

Clark, Donald R. (1997-2000). Big Dog's Leadership Training and Development Outline.

Many Faces, One People: A Multicultural Training Guide (1993). Chevy Chase, Md.: Community CARES project funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation through National 4-H Council and the USDA Extension 4-H program.

Morita, Yuri (1996). Take a Walk in My Shoes: A Guide Book for Youth on Diversity Awareness Activities. Oakland: Office of Affirmative Action, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.

O'Malley, Marion, and Tiffany Davis (1994). Dealing with Differences. Carrboro, N.C.: The Center for Peace Education.

Prepared by Patreese D. Ingram, Assistant Dean of Multicultural Affairs, and professor of agricultural and extension education.

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More Diversity Activities for Youth and Adults

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The face of the United States and its workplace is changing. A growing number of neighborhoods and communities contain a complex mix of races, cultures, languages, and religious affiliations. At the same time, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is creating greater social class diversity. In addition, the U.S.

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Description:
This resource allows students to explore different countries, they can pick from any country and get an abundance of information on different aspects of the culture. There are also articles for educators and students interested in study abroad. There is a section which would help students explain study abroad to their parents, I think this would also be helpful for college students looking to go abroad.

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AFS-USA connects people across 90+ countries and territories. Search here to find more about the places, people, and perspectives you can find out there. Learn online about aspects of cultures like family dynamics, holidays, official languages, cuisines, and more.

Explore by region: Africa | Asia | Europe | Latin America | North America | Oceania

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Explore the World through Virtual Exchange | AFS-USA

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AFS-USA connects people across 90+ countries and territories. Search here to find more about the places, people, and perspectives you can find out there. Learn online about aspects of cultures like family dynamics, holidays, official languages, cuisines, and more.

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5 ways to bring cultural diversity into your classroom 

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5 ways to bring cultural diversity into your classroom 

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This article encourages educators to talk about cultural similarities and differences and rejecting stereotypes. They include 5 ways to bring culture into the classroom including: use a world map, build a background, highlight similarities, share a story, and use diverse reading materials.

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Resources for English Language Learners and Teachers | Pearson English

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Bringing cultural diversity into the classroom is becoming increasingly important. Our young learner and teen students are exposed to different ideas, traditions and voices from all over the world. This is thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram - among others.

This is a hugely positive advance because greater cultural understanding increases opportunities for studying and working abroad. However, with so many contradictions online, the world can also seem like a confusing place. It's our job as teachers to show students how to navigate and cope with the information they find.

By talking about cultural similarities and differences - and rejecting stereotypes - we help our students understand that the world is an extremely diverse and exciting place. In turn, this will encourage them to be more understanding and tolerant of others in the classroom, helping them to thrive in the future, if they enter an international working environment.

So here are 5 exciting ways you can bring cultural diversity into your classroom using maps, reading materials, images and the New Cornerstone and New Keystone coursebooks.

1. Use a world map

World maps are excellent classroom resources. You can use an online version projected on the Whiteboard, a poster-sized one from a school supplier, or one that you build on a bulletin board with A4 printed sheets.

Having the world literally at your fingertips suddenly makes a very large planet seem much more inviting and interesting. It's not just the places themselves but the distances, geography and diversity that can be displayed on a world map bringing new information and connections to the learners' attention.

Build on your map throughout the year. Encourage students to add information to the map to increase their knowledge of the world as you cover different themes. Add in cultural details relevant to where you teach, as well as new places students are learning about in class.

If you create a yearbook, add in a snap of the final map to show students the world that they have discovered over the past year.

2. Build a background

Build on a theme or topic covered in your coursebook by including photographs and/or commentary from students of a similar age from around the world. You can find authentic materials online using resources like Teacher Tube (a school-friendly video platform), or search for images or articles online. Themes you could cover include; musical instruments, animals, festivals, places of interest, and sports.

Then encourage students to share their own traditions or thoughts on how their experiences relate to those you have introduced. It's also a good idea to bring in items related to the theme that they recognize and talk through why they are important in their culture.

For example, if your theme is related to music, find a video or a set of images of children around the world playing (or talking about) traditional instruments. Bring in an instrument or two that your students would easily recognize. Ask them to share how the instruments are played and their cultural significance. They can then add their ideas to the map in the form of stories, photos or drawings.

3. Highlight similarities

Sometimes when we mention culture the outcome can be to highlight differences, but we can highlight similarities, too. Students can often be interested and even amazed at how similar lives across the world can be. Below are some of the Big Questions from Cornerstone (Level 1 and 2).

Who are the people who help in your community? Possible answers could include nurses/doctors, the police or fire service, teachers, bus drivers, etc. Compare images of these occupations from around the world and have students identify/discuss why they are similar.

What is your favorite way to celebrate? Look at what items (food, clothing, gifts) mark celebrations in different cultures - why are some things, like New Year celebrations and birthdays, universal?

What makes a good friend? Ask students if distance changes these characteristics.

Use string to link the countries to an image or word-list of similarities and add to this, as topics increase.

Note that while it's also important to show there are differences, you should be wary of stereotypes. If you are using a coursebook, take a look and see how many stereotypes are included - you might be surprised. Are the Inuit only shown living in igloos? Does everyone in Mexico have a sombrero? Is the most pasta eaten per person in Italy? (no, it's the USA).

Does the stereotype give the learner a better understanding of a country or culture? How can we present a balanced view?

4. Share a Story

Most cultures are rich in storytelling tradition. This means asking students to share a story should be stress-free. Nevertheless, they may well need help with the English words, so how do we prepare children to share their story?

This can be a good opportunity to build a home/school link. Help students to think about a story they want to share:

What words do they need to tell that story?

Can they act out parts of the story?

Could a picture, a clip of video, a piece of music help tell the story?

Give the students time to prepare so they can bring in photos, realia etc. from home. In some situations, it might be an opportunity to invite in parents/grandparents to help with the story.

If you have tablet computers in your class let a small group of students take it in turns to record the stories. Have other groups create a poster for each story to add to the world map.

5. Use culturally diverse reading materials

Providing diverse reading materials is an excellent way to introduce your students to cultures, ideas and traditions from all over the world. So perhaps it's time to review your class library. If you can't find authors from every continent, it might be time to update it.

While printed books are a nice resource to have, you are restricted by your shelf space. Digital readers, on the other hand, can help you solve that problem. With so many great titles available, there's no need to limit what you have available for your students to read.

Focus on one area of the world at a time and read adapted versions of books by authors from this region. Then ask students if they have a similar story in their culture.
Looking for other diverse stories to use in class? Check out our extensive range of Pearson English Graded Readers.
New Cornerstone (for primary aged children) and New Keystone (for lower secondary) use examples from across the globe. This includes images, stories and student commentaries. From familiar topics to science, social science and geographical themes, your students will find interesting facts that bring countries and cultures to life.

Some of the topics included in New Cornerstone and New Keystone include the world; animals and plants; festivals and celebrations; communities; homes and towns.

and see how you can make your classroom more diverse.

You can also join our Cornerstone and Keystone Teacher group on Facebook where we share ideas and resources with our teaching community from all over the world.

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5 ways to bring cultural diversity into your classroom

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Bringing cultural diversity into the classroom is becoming increasingly important. Our young learner and teen students are exposed to different ideas, traditions and voices from all over the world. This is thanks to social media platforms like YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram - among others.

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8 Strategies to Integrate Culture in the Classroom 

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8 Strategies to Integrate Culture in the Classroom 

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This resource is aimed at educators. A place where educators should reflect before they enter a classroom. It talks about understanding culture, integrating culture, and cultural factors. There are some strong lesson plan ideas included in the understanding culture section.

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Lori Truzy/Bluemango Images-used by permission

Bringing Culture Into the Classroom Matters

Culture is a part of who we are and everything we do: We cross cultures frequently without being aware of it. Some of the cultures we interact with on a daily basis include neighborhoods, businesses, and religious groups.

Our relationship with culture is mind-boggling and undeniable. And perhaps one of the most notable spaces where cultures intersect is in schools.

Quite simply, culture can be defined as the way things are done in a certain place, and schools have their own traditions, values, and expectations, just like any place else where humans gather. Furthermore, schools have groups that represent narrow subcultures of the general culture of the educational environment.

Think about these groups: teams, the cafeteria staff, and the administration, how they interact with each other, and how the students can be vastly different from school to school. For example, the culture of one school may be like this:

1. After every victory of the football team, the principal gives a speech in the auditorium where everybody gathers.

2. Before lunch, all of the students must line up single file to enter the cafeteria.

3. The principal expects all report cards to be returned to the teacher within a week with signatures from the parents.

Understanding Culture in the Classroom

Although educating students is the main goal of the school, teachers may have different variations on how to accomplish that goal. For this reason, another subculture in the school is the classroom where one teacher's preferences may not be shared by his/her colleagues.

Yet, culture influences how lessons are presented and how instruction proceeds. It impacts how students learn. With the student population projected to be mostly of nonwhite children by the year 2020 in America, culture has crucial ramifications for educators and the field of teaching. As a rehabilitation counselor with training in the teaching profession, I found these steps useful when delivering instruction to my students:

1. Understand who you are as a person. Remember: We all come from different backgrounds which can influence how we carry out instruction. (Should students raise their hands to ask questions? Should students be given rewards for performing well on tests or quizzes? Should topics be discussed openly in class or simply read about in the books?) We bring these expectations into the classroom.

2. Understand students learn in different ways. Essentially, every student is not the same. One style of instruction may fail to reach one student while helping another. A teacher must be flexible and use his/her skills to educate all of the students in the classroom.

3. Read about other cultures. This will help you understand your students better.

4. Step out of your comfort zone and talk to colleagues or visit settings where your students come from.

5. Recognize that an inclusive classroom assists with correcting the biases and prejudices in your nation.

Lori Truzy/Bluemango Images-used with permission

How to Integrate Culture Into the Classroom

Here are some methods I used in my classroom to approach culture in a thoughtful way:

Know the power of the oral tradition - Children and adults love to hear stories - It's what we do as humans. I shared stories relevant to the topic and engage in discussions with my students to help them learn the facts needed.

Use "geometry" to help you - I use the word geometry to describe setting up the classroom so that you maintain your students' attention. (I liked to use a circle with me in the middle. This is common in many cultures.) This was particularly useful when my students gave book reports.

Give your students time to work on projects as teams - This allows the more reserved students to interact more with their friends. Walk around and make suggestions as needed. Some cultures encourage group learning.

Give your students time to explore individually - This is important for students who come from societies where individuality is paramount. Using both team learning and individual learning strategies will encourage your students to adjust to different situations.

Invite speakers from different cultures - This allows students to hear about other cultures and see individuals who represent their particular culture.

Be courteous to your students - Remember: Your students are young human beings. Respect their names. Give them time to speak without interruption.

Incorporate different perspectives into lessons - It doesn't take much time to mention facts that would interest all of your students. For example, mentioning that there were black soldiers in the American Revolution as well as other conflicts can only enhance the respect that students build for each other and you.

Use technology - When appropriate, show films which include various types of cultures and people working together. For example, a film talking about women's participation in World War II could have a positive impact on how your students interact with each other and you. Always keep the focus on constructive dialogue and steer clear of detrimental debates.

Lori Truzy/Bluemango Images-used by permission

Intelligence: Cultural Factors and Instructional Implications

An often overlooked aspect of culture is how intelligence is perceived by students and teachers. For example, students who believe intelligence represents a "fixed quality," meaning intelligence cannot be changed because of various factors, prefer to do activities in which they are successful. By contrast, students who perceive intelligence as a quality that can expand tend to be more receptive to new ideas. Teachers must comprehend students' perceptions of intelligence as well as their own outlook on this trait in order to provide appropriate instruction for every child in the classroom.

For this reason, teachers must scrutinize their values about intelligence. Research has shown teachers who view intelligence as fixed treat students unequally and engage in bias. Such beliefs can have important ramifications for different student populations, particularly minorities and females. However, teachers who viewed intelligence as malleable demonstrated less bias and treated students more equally. In conclusion, to engage in best practices, teachers should encourage administrators to make culturally responsive training a part of ongoing professional growth and be willing to implement techniques that are evidence-based in the classroom. Ironically, culturally responsive teaching as a norm must be integrated into the culture of the school.

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8 Strategies to Integrate Culture in the Classroom

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Incorporating culture in the classroom is something that teachers sometimes struggle with. Here are eight ways to incorporate student culture into lessons to promote engagement.

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Description:
This is an article, it is 35 pages. There is a good table of contents, which is helpful. This article would be a good resource if the educator had a specific problem with being culturally responsive and was looking for ideas to work in the classroom. This article gives teachers practical ways to implement cultural responsiveness in the classroom. A large portion of this article covers teacher expectations and student achievement.

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The website is a resource for educators and describes culturally responsive teaching. They also list five characteristics of culturally responsive teaching. These are hyperlinked and give a what it looks like, why including it is important, and how they should be included.

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This collection holds materials from the Education Alliance at Brown University. The Education Alliance was a reform support organization committed to advancing equitable educational opportunities that prepare all student populations to succeed in the 21st century. From 1975-2021, the Alliance partnered with schools, districts and state departments of education to apply research findings in developing solutions to educational challenges. Its mission was to enhance learning for culturally and linguistically diverse students and focused on district and school improvement with special attention to underperformance and issues of equity and diversity. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26300/7eez-dz04

The Education Alliance archived website can be found here

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Brown Digital Repository | Collection | The Education ...

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This collection holds materials from the Education Alliance at Brown University. The Education Alliance was a reform support organization committed to advancing equitable educational opportunities that prepare all student populations to succeed in the 21st century. From 1975-2021, the Alliance partnered with schools, districts and state departments of education to apply research findings in developing solutions to educational challenges.

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Description:
This app is recommended for students who are visually impaired. The app allows for documents or readings to be scanned, and then reads the document. It also has the ability to read off scene recognition.

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The most common use for Seeing AI in the classroom will likely be reading text -- short, long, typed, or handwritten -- for students who are blind or have a visual impairment. However, the multiple channels open up many possibilities for use in and out of the classroom. Kids can start by taking pictures of their teachers and classmates and teaching the tool their names. Use the scanner to identify books from the classroom library or to differentiate between packaged food items at a class celebration. Or capture a scene with the scene reader to get a mental map of the layout of the classroom, gym, office, or playground. For younger students with or without a visual impairment, the tool could be a good fit for building vocabulary or identifying objects and colors: Just choose the channel you want, point your device at an object, and hear it described. This would work on a word wall, too, a novel way for kids to learn sight words.

Students can also work together to analyze content and websites for readability and use that data to write to companies and request better accessibility features. This serves to educate all students in some small way about what students with impairments experience, but more importantly, it empowers them to become advocates.

The developers are open about the fact that the tool is still in development, and they welcome suggestions for improvement. With this in mind, getting kids involved in design solutions might be a cool avenue for teachers to explore.

Continue reading

Seeing AI uses a combination of technologies to narrate text, people, objects, and scenes for blind or visually impaired kids. Main channels include a short text reader, document reader, scanner, and person identifier. Experimental channels include the scene, color, and handwriting readers. There are tutorials for every channel, but the tool's not hard to figure out. Just choose a channel, point your device at what you'd like to hear narrated, and tap the screen or wait for the capture.

Some channels guide students toward a target via sounds that increase in frequency as they get closer. Others, such as the document reader, would benefit from a similar feature -- it would help if there was a sound or voice guiding students toward the edges of a page, for instance. Screen reading can be unreliable, especially when pictures, text, and captions are mixed together; if a student doesn't have the device trained on one section, it may read text from anywhere on the page, interfering with intelligibility. Also, there's a way to pause but no way to go back, so if you miss something in a narration, there's no option to have just a part of the text reread.

Seeing AI has some definite advantages over other tools that assist blind or visually impaired students. The number of channels available allows students to use the tool in place of what previously took several different ones. Because it allows kids to recognize people, objects, colors, text, and scenery, there's a level of independence the tool promotes that can be life-changing for students who've grown accustomed to more limited resources.

Although Seeing AI was designed for people with a particular disability in mind, others can benefit as well. Kids with autism might like the people recognition tool, and kids who struggle with text-based tasks might benefit from narration. This is one of its most reliable features: While it's a little more robotic than some optical screen recognition (OCR) tools, it's portable and reads all kinds of text with a surprising degree of accuracy. Finally, younger learners can learn about objects, colors, vocabulary, and sight words using the same tool that their classmates who struggle with visual impairment are using. While they wouldn't be using the technology in the same way, students can help one another see things differently, promoting a level of collaboration and inclusivity they might not otherwise experience.

Learning Rating

Overall Rating

Students who are blind or visually impaired will appreciate the ease of having their surroundings narrated, and features like facial, color, and scene recognition will draw in their peers.

The narration is a bit monotone, and there are some issues with accuracy, but the chance to interact with text, peers, and the environment opens up tons of possibilities.

The clean, uncluttered design makes for easy use, and brief YouTube video tutorials come with every feature.

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Seeing AI Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education

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The most common use for Seeing AI in the classroom will likely be reading text -- short, long, typed, or handwritten -- for students who are blind or have a visual impairment. However, the multiple channels open up many possibilities for use in and out of the classroom.

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Description:
This app allows students or parents to plan out the day. It then puts the day into pictures for the student to visually see. The student can also rate how they felt about the activity.

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Description:
This is a device that uses pictures to help students communicate. Students click on the pictures and then it puts it into words and voices it. This app would be good for students who are nonverbal.

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Description:
This app allows students with speech problems to get practice while also completing a game. They can work on individual sounds or simple sentences.

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Learn how to pronounce and practice the consonantal sounds in the English language with 6 fantastic and engaging articulation activities!

Created by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, Articulation Station Classic is a full featured articulation application to help children as well as adults learn to speak and pronounce their sounds more clearly. Beautiful high quality images represent target words to be practiced in fun-filled activities with the assistance of a Speech-Language Pathologist, teacher or parent.

Articulation Station Classic offers practice at the WORD, PHRASE, SENTENCE and STORY levels all in one app! These activities are so fun your kids will love practicing their sounds and forget they are actually "working" on their articulation.

Each of the 22 sound programs target sounds in the initial, medial and final positions of words, sentences and stories. The majority of sounds (p,b,m,d,n,t,k,g,f,v,ch,j,z,sh,th) have 60 target words each. The l,r and s sound programs target blends as well. Additionally the r sound program has ALL the vocalic r's!

ARTICULATION STATION CLASSIC FEATURES:

- Quick tips for teaching each sound
- 20 target words per sound position (initial, medial, final)
- Beautiful high quality images
- Create custom word lists
- Shuffle multiple sounds
- Flashcard activity
- Matching activity
- Rotating Sentences (like carrier phrases)
- Unique Sentences
- Level 1 stories with picture prompts and comprehension questions
- Level 2 stories with comprehension questions
- In depth Scoring and data tracking for each child/student
- Student profiles
- Group sessions (Up to 6 students at one time!)
- Voice recording and playback feature for monitoring responses
- Save audio recordings
- Backup and restore your data

When ALL SOUNDS have been purchased:

- ADD YOUR OWN IMAGES!
- Over 1,200 target words
- 96 Rotating Sentences
- Over 1300 Unique Sentences
- 96 Level 1 stories
- 96 Level 2 stories

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

FLASHCARDS
Beautiful, easy to interpret, real life images with audio reinforcement.

MATCHING GAME
Exciting matching game that will keep everyone entertained!

ROTATING SENTENCES
Fixed sentence loaded with target sounds and paired with rotating target words.

UNIQUE SENTENCES
A new sentence for every target word with an average of three target sounds per sentence.

LEVEL 1 STORIES
Short, silly rhymes for each sound position with multiple target words, pictures and comprehension questions.

LEVEL 2 STORIES
Short, creative stories for each sound
position with multiple target words and comprehension questions.

Version 2.8.2

Bug fixes and improvements!

Transformed my therapy!

This is by far my favorite articulation app out there. From a functionality standpoint, the app is intuitive, has very few bugs, colorful and engaging. From a SLP standpoint, the app is thorough, has great targets and great data collection! I purchased all of the sounds because my caseload is heavy on articulation and phonology so now I'm always prepared for all sounds from the word level to stories. And I love the ability to track the data across sessions. I no longer have to sit there with a binder open writing plus or minus for their productions. We practice each target 10 times, I have them self-reflect on how they think thy did and then I tell them what I heard. My students also love to try to get the silly phrases ("ugly slide?! Hahahaha") on the rotating function. They also get a kick out of recording their trials and listening back. The only thing that would make it better: maybe a button to indicate when we gave a prompt! Overall though, this app is amazing and the best App Store purchase I have made.

Not-so-free, not even close

*The two star rating is not a reflection of the quality of this app but the unreasonable cost for family usage.
I have a child with special needs whose been in speech therapy for nearly 5 years with no end in sight. This app came highly recommended from an SLP after my child used it during a session and they actually engaged and had zero meltdowns!! Of course that alone made me want it immediately so, when I saw there was a pro version and a free version I assumed the pro version was aimed towards SLP's with advanced tools to record scores and such and the free version was more so for at home play for kids in speech. Well, my assumption was WAY wrong! We simply can't afford a $60 app when we already spend such an insane amount on therapy itself. I wish there was a cheaper option for families that didn't include paying +/- $5 per letter/sound.
It's abhorrent that everything targeted towards kids with special needs is priced super high because companies know that parents will ultimately pay the price because their child needs it.
For now I will seek out another app in hopes of finding something of similar quality and a more affordable price.

Best Articulation App

This really is the best Articulation app available! I am a speech language pathologist in private practice working with preschool and elementary school children. I own the Pro version because I need to work on a variety of sounds. But I really like that parents can buy the individual sounds that their child is working on in therapy.
The pictures are realistic and easily identified. Kids love many thing about this app. The most popular is the matching game! They also like just swiping to the next picture after producing the target sound correctly. Kids enjoy recording their productions and judging the correctness. They also enjoy saying the silly rotating sentences!
It is a well designed, effective, and entertaining app to help children improve their Articulation. I bought this app many years ago and continue to use it often!

The developer, Little Bee Speech, indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Compatibility

iPhone

Requires iOS 9.0 or later.

iPad

Requires iPadOS 9.0 or later.

iPod touch

Requires iOS 9.0 or later.

Languages

English, Spanish

Family Sharing

Some in‑app purchases, including subscriptions, may be shareable with your family group when Family Sharing is enabled.

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‎Learn how to pronounce and practice the consonantal sounds in the English language with 6 fantastic and engaging articulation activities! Created by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, Articulation Station Classic is a full featured articulation application to help children as well as adults...

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This is an app that students can use to help experience going places. This would give students a heads up of what might take place going to the playground, doctor, grocery store, and restaurant. They can now know what to expect.

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‎Model Me Going Places™ is a great visual teaching tool for helping your child learn to navigate challenging locations in the community. Each location contains a photo slideshow of children modeling appropriate behavior. LOCATIONS: - Hairdresser - Mall - Doctor - Playground - Grocery Store - Restau...

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This online resource allows for students to type or upload a document and have it read to them. It also has a variety of language options. This would technology would be helpful for students who are visually impaired or students who are not strong readers.

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Free Text to Speech Online with Realistic AI Voices

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Convert text into ultra-realistic audio. Have any text read aloud with AI Voices. AI text reader for pdfs, books, documents, and webpages.

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Jumpstart allows teachers to get a head start on their lesson plans. Providing teachers with activities, worksheets, and full lesson plans in many different subject areas. This resource is for teachers in younger grade levels.

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Resources for teachers are available for any subject and grade, and range from simpleworksheets to educational software for use in the classroom. They are especially useful these days with the increased standards in education and greater expectations from society.

JumpStart has its own collection of free teacher resources. Check them out:

Online Teacher Resources: A Teacher's Best Friend

Sharing classroom experiences and teaching material with other teachers is a great thing, but it may not be possible all the time. Coming up with one's own educational resources is time-consuming and tedious. It may be possible once in a while, but it is certainly difficult to do for every lesson. Moreover, with the number and variety of teachers' educational aids readily available online, why bother? Online teacher resources are collections of hundreds of teaching materials designed by experts or tried and found useful by other teachers. In many cases, making use of the online material may prove to be even more useful and effective than relying on those borrowed from fellow teachers at school. Regardless of one's teaching style and requirements, the huge amount of online collections ensures that teachers never go back without finding the resources they need.

The Different Kinds of Teacher Resources

It is astounding to see the variety of teacher resources available for immediate use for teachers across the country. The most basic ones are worksheets and lesson plans. Tons of these are available in multiple websites and teacher forums. There are also teaching ideas and classroom activities which teachers can make use of to liven up lessons and help students understand concepts better. Teachers can also find descriptions and reviews of various teaching tools - using these helps teachers make informed decisions about the educational material used in the classroom. Social networking sites for teachers allow teachers from across the country to share experiences and advice about teaching. Educational resources also include learning games, audio-visual teaching tools, and interactive educational software. Finally, there are websites that list and describe various sites that offer supplementary teaching material for teachers.

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Resources for teachers are available for any subject and grade, and range from simpleworksheets to educational software for use in the classroom. They are especially useful these days with the increased standards in education and greater expectations from society. JumpStart has its own collection of free teacher resources.

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This app allows educators to create engaging educational videos to provide to their students. Students can then access the video from everywhere. Students can also replay the video at anytime.

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Educreations is a community where anyone can teach what they know and learn what they don't. Our software turns any iPad or web browser into a recordable, interactive whiteboard, making it easy for teachers and experts to create engaging video lessons and share them on the web.

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This website provides educators with videos related to science and social studies. It allows students to get a visual experience without having to leave the classroom. These videos would be a great addition to an already set lesson plan or if there happens to be extra time available.

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Discovery Education | Your Daily Learning Platform

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Discovery Education inspires educators to go beyond traditional learning with award-winning digital content and professional development. Learn more today!

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10 of The Best Free Curriculum Resources For Teachers 

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10 of The Best Free Curriculum Resources For Teachers 

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These are free interactive activities that teachers can use to engage their students. Included are resources all throughout K-12. An educator could also provide this to parents for the purpose of if a kid needs some remediation in a particular area.

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Although most teachers are given loose parameters for their curriculum, including certain areas that must be mastered in time for testing, there is some leeway within these criteria for educators to create their own, unique lesson plans.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult to come up with creative lessons and activities that are both fun and educational. Luckily there are many free resources available to help teachers create or supplement curriculum. So, in addition to non-traditional content resources like YouTube or learnist, as well as for-pay sites like teacherspayteachers, below are 10 excellent resources for you and your classroom.

1. Jump Start
This is a good all-around educational tool that offers fun classroom activities and worksheets based on both subject and grade (for Kindergarten through elementary). So whether you're teaching second-grade math or fifth-grade science you should be able to find a few lesson-worthy ideas on this website.

The lessons offered on this site range from pre-Kindergarten through middle school, and include every subject. With extras like phonics, online calculators, holiday themes, and quizzes, every teacher will find something to love from this online resource.

Getting kids interested in reading and writing is not always easy, but the earlier they develop a love of language and literature, the better they're likely to perform in all subjects as they advance through school. Scholastic provides resources that help teachers to plan a reading curriculum as well as a slew of writing prompts in their Story Starters section.

This program from non-profit group Discovery Science Center offers not only lesson plans and classroom activities related to science, but also an online community of educators to interact with.

This is a pretty incredible resource for anyone who teaches history or social studies. In addition to providing links to more than 1,200 history websites that can supplement your lesson plans, it also offers links to hundreds of lesson plans, activities, games, quizzes, and more (for K-12 history classes) from a contributing community of teachers like yourself.

As you may have expected from the name of this website, you'll find plenty of free math worksheets here (estimated in the tens of thousands by their own count). Lessons range from simple addition and subtraction to money, fractions, and statistics. There are also flash cards and games like Sudoku to help kids learn in a fun way.

Physical education is about more than playing volleyball or soccer; it's about ensuring the health of our youth. And that entails not only fun physical activity, but also lessons in health and hygiene. This website asks members to contribute lessons and ideas for activities for the benefit of all. So sign up to partake and participate.

While there are all kinds of websites geared towards creating (or supplementing) lesson plans for younger kids, finding help for high school classrooms can be a bit more difficult. But HippoCampus has got you covered with lessons for advanced mathematics (algebra, geometry, calculus, and more), as well as sciences, social studies, and even humanities. What teachers will likely enjoy even more, however, is the fact that they can create lesson "playlists" and customize them to correlate with content from a textbook.

This website for the short-attention-span generation squeezes every lesson into bite-size segments (roughly 10-minute videos). The math, science, test prep, and other lessons are geared towards the high school and college crowd, but teachers can definitely use the videos provided to illustrate a point in class or as a resource for students that need extra help.

Not all lessons are of the academic variety. Whether students are planning to go to Harvard or peruse the options on or another website, they must first learn not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also how to behave in a safe and responsible manner both inside the classroom and in the outside world. This site offers lessons on pressing concerns like cyberbullying and internet safety that every teacher should probably address.
Leon Harris is a contributing writer for getarealdegree.com. Harris lives in Southern California, and enjoys eating healthy and exercising with his two Golden Retrievers; image attribution Grant Wiggins

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10 Of The Best Free Curriculum Resources For Teachers

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Although most teachers are given loose parameters for their curriculum, including certain areas that must be mastered in time for testing, there is some leeway within these criteria for educators to create their own, unique lesson plans. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to come up with creative lessons and activities that are both fun and educational.

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This resource provides educators with free lesson plans and worksheets. There are many different subjects covered as well. This would be a good go to when the educator runs out of activities.

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This document gives teachers some wonderful lesson plan ideas. Walking step by step through the lesson plan.

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Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary 

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Effective Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary 

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This blog shows teacher how to make vocabulary not daunting. Walk students through the process. There is great detail put into how this should work in the classroom.

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In a previous blog, we explored ways to teach vocabulary and why explicit instruction is necessary. This time we are going to look into strategies to give students a deeper understanding of vocabulary.

You likely understand that merely repeating definitions from a dictionary is not an effective way to teach vocabulary to your students, yet this practice is often the first method that comes to mind in the context of our classrooms.

In 2003, researcher E.D. Hirsch noted the importance of teaching literacy in schools: "It is now well accepted that the chief cause of the achievement gap between socioeconomic groups is a language gap." Consider vocabulary instruction as one way to level the playing field for all of your students.

Teaching vocabulary: strategies

1. Put yourself in your students' shoes

To teach your students vocabulary (or anything) effectively, you'll need to see things from their perspective. Because while you may have known the meanings of words like fortuitous or incremental, your students might not - consider your level of education and the number of years you've had to gain exposure to literature. If you're an avid reader, it's even more likely that you've developed a robust vocabulary.

According to Steven Stahl's publication on vocabulary learning, a person's understanding of various vocabulary words likely fits into four categories:

1. I have never seen that word before.

2. I don't know what it means, but I have heard of it.

3. The context helps me know if it has something to do with X.

4. I understand and use it.

Stahl uses an example cited from Atlantic Monthly so adult learners can remember what it feels like to be in that vocabulary acquisition process. Consider the word vicissitude in the following context:

"America's permanent election campaign, together with other aspects of American electoral politics, has one crucial consequence, little noticed but vitally important for the functioning of American democracy. Quite simply, the American electoral system places politicians in a highly vulnerable position. Individually and collectively they are more vulnerable, more of the time, to the vicissitudes of electoral politics than are the politicians of any other democratic country. Because they are more vulnerable, they devote more of their time to electioneering, and their conduct in office is more continuously governed by electoral considerations."

Which category from the list above do you fit in for the word vicissitude? Why? Can you gain any meaning from the context? What measures would need to be taken for you to fully understand and include the word in your writing and speech?

Vicissitude is described in the dictionary as "a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant." In a traditional classroom setting, you'd be expected to write the definition repeatedly, find it in a word puzzle, and then be tested, likely matching words to definitions. But that's ineffective - let's look at a better way.

2. Make direct vocabulary instruction fun and engaging

When introducing a new term, teachers should:

Supply illustrations, descriptions, examples, AND anecdotes - the keyword here is AND. Students need to interact with words in both an auditory and visual way. If possible, have students physically interact with the vocabulary, such as performing physical actions to represent the word. Kinesthetic learners would remember a word's meaning easier if there was a specific action tied to it. For example, for the word jocular, meaning characterized by joking, humorous, or playful, students could pantomime laughing uncontrollably. In the earlier example, finding other texts where vicissitude is used and comparing it to synonyms and antonyms could be helpful. A myriad of websites can help with this process. Here is one particular website that has vicissitude used in quotes, poetry, text, and in the news.

Consider ways to transition between grammatical forms, explicitly teaching roots and affixes of words. Think of connections to easily confused words related to the one at hand, and try to clear up any confusion your students might have. In our example, you'd review the root "vic" and find that it means change, substitute, and deputy; this would be a good start when looking for connections. Discussing the adjective form, vicissitudinary, can also help students connect affixes and possible uses of the word.

Have students develop their OWN connections, illustrations, and examples. In the final step of direct instruction, students need to personalize the information and capture experiences to develop a growing understanding of the contexts in which words can be used. For example, if a student heard the word wrangle used in one of their favorite movies, have them sketch the scene and describe why wrangle was chosen by the scriptwriters. For our term, I wondered if vicissitude had anything to do with victim. The prefix vic certainly helped me make this connection, but I can also see a loose connection based on the definitions of the two words. This simple inquiry could help me to both better understand and use the term vicissitude.

One graphic organizer that can help with direct vocabulary instruction is the Frayer model. This model asks students to define the word, give characteristics of the word, list examples and non-examples of the word, and, in some cases, create an illustration to accompany the word. As helpful as the Frayer Model is, this, too, can turn into a rote, ineffective practice if a teacher overuses it or neglects the best practices for direct vocabulary instruction.

3. Indirect vocabulary instruction is key

Students can learn vocabulary from hearing and seeing words repeatedly in different contexts. This includes exposure to vocabulary that is encountered in an independent reading book or heard in conversation, whether that be in person, in a movie, or online. Reading aloud to students, especially those with disabilities, can indirectly instruct vocabulary as well.

4. Create quality vocabulary practices

What are some ways students can practice vocabulary without just copying definitions from the dictionary? Let's take a look at a few.

Sorting - Guided word sorts consist of telling students the categories in which to sort a list of words. This could be "adjectives," "nouns," etc.. For example, students might sort words related to ancient Egypt into people, places, the process of mummification, religion, and agriculture based on the context of the word. The teacher can even give clues, such as "There should be four words in column one and three in column two."Free word sorts allow students to make categories themselves based on their own observations and methods of grouping. Some students may come up with a completely unique method of classifying the words, which helps them create their own understanding of the words. This works better with certain word lists and when students have experience with the sorting process.

On-purpose errors - The teacher or a member of a small group uses a vocabulary word incorrectly in a sentence (either aloud or in print). Students are then tasked with determining which word fixes the mistake and should replace the erroneous word in the sentence.
For example: "The vexed businessman was shocked at how quickly the value of his stocks rose." To fix the error, students would need to replacevexed with incredulous (or one of its synonyms).

Word races - Even older students like a good game. Have students line up in teams and set up the parameters of the game. Then, you could say the definition and have the students race to the whiteboard to write the word. You could make this more complex, too.
For example: "Write the adjective form of the word that means having a quality deserving of praise, honor or distinction." Students write: glorious (changing from the base word glory).

Mind mapping - Mind maps allow visual representations of connections through the use of branches (like a tree) or colors or pictures. Students can use pencil and paper or digital tools to create a semantic map of how they connect to the vocabulary words. Some might choose images. Some might choose song lyrics, colors, or a tree. This is where with instruction, individuals can develop their own creative methods of building a vocabulary.

Inquiries - Like my example above in step three of direct vocabulary instruction, sometimes allowing students to research their own questions about a word can help them build stronger connections. Find out what they're wondering about. See what they assume about or connect to the word (possibly erroneously!), and spend time researching any questions they have (if you don't already know the answers).

5. Vocabulary instruction can be engaging!

Vocabulary instruction is often overlooked as necessary or important in our classrooms. However, it can serve as an equalizer and an important asset for our learners. Moving away from the dictionary-copying model of instruction and toward explicit, direct instruction of vocabulary is a necessary change to empower our students for long-term academic success.
Photo credit: Ben Mullins; pulkit jain / Unsplash.com

At one point this spring, Emily Hamm was instructing students in elementary, middle, high school, and college on the same day. With a master's degree in educational technology, Emily now works as a remote educator, freelancer, instructional coach, and consultant. During her free time, she enjoys reading the newest YA fiction, exercising, and traveling.

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4 Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary to your Students - Classcraft Blog

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In a previous blog, we explored ways to teach vocabulary and why explicit instruction is necessary. This time we are going to look into strategies to give students a deeper understanding of vocabulary.

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This article allows for teachers to understand how Vocabulary instruction should be lead. It should include word connection, significance, context clues, and word- rich environment. It gives a definition of each and how to best implement them into the classroom.

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Communicator
May 2015, Volume 38, Issue 9

Vocabulary instruction might be the most studied facet of education because it has implications across the disciplines and subject areas. With all of that research comes just as many methods, strategies, and pedagogies. It's enough to confuse even the most seasoned educator.

There are, however, some universal truths to how students can best acquire word knowledge. According to Aradhana Mudambi, a principal in the Providence (Rhode Island) School District, these are the four components that are included in any successful vocabulary strategy.
1. Word Connection
Students need to be able to connect the words they are trying to acquire with words and concepts with which they are already familiar. According to research Mudambi conducted while at Harvard, lessons that related new words to existing concepts were judged to be the most helpful among any other vocabulary strategies.

When embarking on a schoolwide vocabulary strategy, organize the new words into a monthly coherent theme. Have classes post their evidence of learning, such as graphic organizers or pictures displaying the new words, in the hallways so students can start making the connections to the new vocabulary as they move around the school.

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2. Significance
The practice of defining unfamiliar words with other unfamiliar words is useless, yet that is what the common dictionary often does for a young student. The target vocabulary word has no significance to the student because the definition is also lacking in significance. Definitions should be written in age-appropriate language and accompanied with other tools with which the student can attach significance, such as pictures and narratives.

Warmup time is great for these kinds of activities. Break up the desired vocabulary into chunks of a word or two per day (provided with a friendly definition, of course). Then give students time to draw, write, and organize their thoughts about the word(s).
3. Context Clues
When a student is drowning in an ocean of unfamiliar words, it's often context clues that serve as the life preserver. But what if they were a lifeboat instead? We often use context clue strategies that only provide a sentence or two with no effective narrative. The truth is that if we provide a more complete narrative structure that serves as a series of context clues, the target word is more likely to be moved into long term memory.

Instead of a list of vocabulary words with definitions, consider organizing the words into a longer narrative structure. Then, not only are you providing deeper context clues, but you also have enough real estate to practice other strategies.
4. Word-Rich Environment
One-and-done is simply not effective when it comes to vocabulary instruction. Mudambi says students should be exposed to a new word at least six times, if not more. But repetitive strategies are also ineffective. Students should encounter the unfamiliar words as naturally as possible. That comes from a word-rich environment where words and literature are king.

This is why the word wall is such an effective tool. Students naturally find themselves looking at the wall multiple times during the day. In a schoolwide approach, that word wall needs to be in the cafeteria or the main entrance. Instruct your teachers to draw attention to the wall as much as possible, asking for the students to work with the words each time.

This article was adapted from Aradhana Mudambi's " When Old Becomes New." Read it for more strategies on integrating vocabulary instruction schoolwide.

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Copyright © 2015. National Association of Elementary School Principals. No part of the articles in NAESP magazines, newsletters, or website may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. For more information, view NAESP's reprint policy

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4 Components of Effective Vocabulary Instruction | NAESP

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Communicator May 2015, Volume 38, Issue 9 Vocabulary instruction might be the most studied facet of education because it has implications across the disciplines and subject areas. With all of that research comes just as many methods, strategies, and pedagogies. It's enough to confuse even the most seasoned educator.

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This project provides educators with UDL lesson plans. There are 3 different activities that one could use during class time.

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This page features Language Arts materials and mini-lessons that follow the principles of Universal Design for Learning.

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This website includes an abundance of strategies for engagement. There are some really awesome suggestions in the list. Strategies for many different types of students. It is aimed for educators to implement in their classrooms.

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7 Ways to Introduce UDL into your Classroom

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7 Ways to Introduce UDL into your Classroom

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This article provides educators with a way to make any lesson have a more UDL lense. Educators should use this to help them get UDL lesson plan ideas. Teachers could also compare their lesson plans to the ones provided in order to make their classroom the best UDL environment.

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7 Universal Design for Learning Examples and Strategies for the Classroom

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While UDL is a common phrase in many schools today, it can be difficult to practically implement in the classroom. To help with this, I’ve put together a list of 7 ideas to make introducing Universal Design for Learning into the classroom just a bit easier.

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This article is the most in depth out of the others. It provides step by step things to help create a UDL environment. They provide 13 different aspects to improve the classroom. This should be used to help educators improve their understanding of UDL and how they can incorporate UDL into their classroom.

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Jordan Nisbet

All Posts

Category

School Leaders

School Leadership

When something is universal, it applies to everyone. So, when hearing the term In this guide, you're going to learn that universal design for learning is focused on flexibility and This could mean getting some bean-bag chairs or exercise balls, or even standing desks, mats for the floor, or stools with high-top tables. universal design for learning (or UDL), it makes sense to imagine it as a blanket format that covers all students. But is that really what UDL is all about? But that's not all. adaptability to different types of students. You'll also discover: By the end of this article, you'll be completely equipped to use UDL in your school, for the benefit of teachers and students.

What is Universal Design for Learning?
To start, let's define universal design for learning. While the word 'universal' may make this seem like a one-size-fits-all program, that is actually the opposite of what UDL stands for. In everyday life, we constantly run into examples of universal design. This includes things like closed-captions, text-to-speech features on your smartphone, or other things that we normally label 'accessibility features'. In principle, universal design for learning is the same: it is an adaptive learning program that allows equal opportunity for all students. But, this raises a question: First, let me ask you this: have you ever used an automatic door? Let's face it: if you have two legs and two arms that work, you're not the person that door was designed for. However, if your hands are full of groceries, or you're at the end of an exhausting day of work, an automatic door is quite useful. The same idea applies in the classroom. While universal design for learning does greatly benefit students with learning and attention issues, it is also beneficial for the average student. Each student has their own specific strengths and weaknesses. This can have absolutely nothing to do with attention disorders or learning disabilities: it is simply how their unique brain takes in and processes information most easily. By applying universal design for learning in the classroom, all students are allowed to take in, digest, and express information in the way that is easiest for them. This improves the learning experience for everyone, and helps each individual student to expand his or her knowledge of the subject without the constraints of the traditional classroom. So, what makes up the basis for UDL? And how can you apply these principles in the classroom?

Are you a school leader? Prodigy aims to meet the needs of every student in the math classroom. It's the engaging, curriculum-aligned math platform loved by over 50 million students, teachers and administrators - with differentiated content. No cost, ever. Fill out the form below to see your building's users!

Basic principles of Universal Design for Learning
Is Universal Design for Learning only applicable to students with learning and attention issues?
Engagement: The why of learning
Everything starts with how students engage with the class and the subject. This principle encompasses the ideas of motivation, building on the interests of the students. The area of engagement also helps students to see the reasons why they should learn what they're learning, and makes it relevant to their life. This also includes helping students become self-motivated by guiding them through rubrics that allow for self-reflection and personal goals. The goal of engagement in UDL: To give students purpose and motivation to learn.
Representation: The what of learning
Allowing students to choose the methods by which they take in information allows for all types of students to thrive as they interact with subject materials. Customization is key here. This involves providing multiple ways to assimilate subject material, such as textbooks, audio files, digital books, or images and graphs. It also implies customization and flexibility within those formats. With this kind of flexibility, students have access to the material that best suits their needs. This is useful for children with disabilities such as dyslexia, as well as for average students who simply perform better when listening to instruction than when reading, for example. The goal of representation in UDL: To allow students to be more resourceful and knowledgeable.
Action and expression: The How of learning
Once students have taken in the information, it's time for them to express and show what they've learned. This principle of universal design for learning takes into account the differences of students' manner of expression. Flexibility is provided in the way that students show their knowledge of the subject, meaning they can choose not to perform a test and instead opt for a more adaptive expression that fits their strengths. Action and expression also touches on the idea of goal-setting for students. Here, teachers help students set goals for learning, and guide students through monitoring their own progress. The goal of action and expression in UDL: To help students to become more strategic and goal-directed.
Universal Design for Learning examples and guidelines
[caption id="attachment_3302" align="alignnone" width="600"] Credit: Pinterest[/caption] Are you ready to see what universal design for learning looks like in the classroom? Here are 13 different guidelines for how to use universal design for learning, along with examples that show what it looks like in practice. Follow these guidelines to make universal design for learning a part of your school.
Downloadable list of principles and examples of UDL
Fill out the form below to download and print and simplified list of the universal design for learning principles and examples to keep at your desk!
Engagement

1. Know the strengths and weaknesses of students
In order to correctly apply universal design for learning in the classroom, it's important for teachers to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each student. This can be as easy as asking each student how they want to learn that day's lesson, and offering different choices for the content used, the reward applied, the tools used for gathering information or producing results, or the order of tasks to be completed. It also may be helpful for teachers to take note of which students excel when using certain formats, or even to involve parents in helping find their children's strengths and weaknesses in learning.
2. Give students specific learning goals
Teachers have one very obvious goal: to help students to learn. In fact, within the lesson plan they may already have goals in mind for specific information that children should know by a certain point in the school year. To help motivate and engage students, why not include them in the goal process? A great example of this is posting lesson goals for all the students to see in the classroom. To do this, teachers must have one clear goal for each lesson. Then, they can discuss this goal with the class at the beginning of the lesson and write it out in a visible place for the whole class to see. That way, students know exactly what to expect from the lesson, and will feel more motivated to pay attention to complete the lesson goal.
3. Create and follow classroom routines
Helping students to feel safe in their learning environment is essential to a productive and motivated classroom. One great example of universal design for learning is creating classroom routines that help students feel secure. While this helps adapt to students with disabilities such as autism, it's good for all students to get used to classroom routines. This means structuring class time so that each student knows what they should be doing and when. This can still allow for flexibility in the order or time spent on subtasks, but helps students to know exactly where they are in the lesson.
4. Provide prompts that let students know it's time to ask for help
It's true that some students will have more trouble with certain aspects of a lesson than others. But, instead of simply getting frustrated and giving up, students need to know when to ask for help. Unfortunately, not all students will recognize when it's time to ask for help. That's where providing prompts comes in. For example, a math teacher could set a specific amount time that each student should spend on a problem. If they can't solve the problem in 2 minutes, for example, they should ask the teacher or a peer for help in understanding the problem. This helps students to avoid unnecessary frustration and continue learning effectively.
5. Group learners with common interests or learning strengths and weaknesses
By now, teachers should be aware of which students learn better through audio descriptions, which students have specific interests, etc. When there are several students who learn in the same way or who have common interests, these can be grouped together for specific activities in the classroom. For example, students who prefer to create a video instead of completing a written essay can be grouped together to create a video project together.
6. Provide flexible classrooms
Flexibility in the classroom also involves the physical space where students are learning. Try flexible seating by switching up the furniture arrangements to make students feel more comfortable (which, in turn, makes them more productive).
Representation

7. Display Information in a Flexible Format
Following the information above, teachers should now be aware of how their students learn best. So, it's time to provide flexible ways of learning. This could involve a number of different formats, including:

Traditional paper books

Digital books

Text-to-speech

Images or charts

Learning games

Videos

Music

Ideally, students should also have some flexibility within these different formats. For example, using a digital textbook allows students to adjust the size of the font or the color of the background. With a video, students should be able to adjust the speed and volume. This way, each student interacts with the information in the best way for his particular learning skills and strengths.

Introduced my students to @ProdigyGame today and they are hooked! They even asked to play it during indoor recess! Teacher win because they are actually practicing math, while having fun with their friends! @BrodnickiSchool #d109pride pic.twitter.com/mYapyWoVjb
- Molly Borst (@mborst21) February 1, 2019

8. Adapt information for multilingual students
Schools nowadays are becoming more and more international. When viewed in a positive light, this international flare can boost the atmosphere of a classroom. However, adaptive representation of information is essential in this aspect of universal design for learning. How can teachers apply this principle in a multilingual classroom? Whenever possible, all information should be available to students in both the dominant language of the school and in their own native language. Teachers can also provide visual aids to help clarify vocabulary that is unfamiliar to students, or provide multilingual students with dictionaries either in paper or digital format. Adaptability in this area also applies to deaf and hearing-impaired students. Teachers should ensure that there is a visual-only option for these students in all aspects of the classroom, such as captions under videos, automated speech-to-text software, or at best a sign language version of the information.
9. Prompt students to identify key ideas and relationships
In all aspects of life, students must learn to separate critical information from information that isn't as important. This aspect of universal design for learning can be used in the classroom when teachers prompt students to highlight important phrases from their textbooks, or summarize the important aspects of a video lesson in one sentence. Teachers should also guide students to build relationships between information they've already learned and what they're currently learning. For example, a math teacher could help students see the relationship between addition and multiplication, prompting them to draw on past experience to help them learn new concepts.
Expression

10. Create multiple options for expression and assignment completion
Once students have taken in the information, it's time for them to demonstrate their understanding. While a test is the traditional choice for expression, giving students a choice of how they'll complete assignments allows each student to demonstrate his knowledge in a way that is relevant to him or her. Some options could include:

Creating a video essay

Drawing a comic strip

Completing a test in digital format, or with audio questions

Putting on a group demonstration

Building a physical model

For example, a history teacher may want students to show an understanding of the events that led to World War 2. He could give his students the option to complete a written test, to create a video 'reporting' on the events, or to draw a comic strip that shows which main events led to the start of the war. That way, each student gets to complete the assignment in the way that is best for them, while all students demonstrate a reasonable understanding of the topic.
11. Give access to learning software
Software in the classroom is a great way to be adaptable to different students. For example, language teachers can use language-learning apps and games to help students learn while tracking their progress step-by-step. Math teachers also love learning software, like Prodigy, because it helps students get involved in the problems and work through the information in a way that is engaging and productive.
12. Provide multiple means for navigation and control
Being adaptable means allowing for adaptive software and hardware for students that have limitations. For example, with digital content on the computer, students can be allowed to control with voice, joystick, or an adaptive keyboard when necessary. Alternatives should also be available for students when it comes to the range of motor action required to interact with the materials used in the classroom.
13. Give regular feedback that helps students develop goals and strategies to reach them
Learners need to have a clear picture in their mind of the progress that they are making in class. With regular, personal feedback for students, they're able to see where they are, what progress they've made, and what they still need to accomplish. While grades are important in this discussion, they are not the only aspect of the student's feedback. Teachers should also include goal planning and achievement when giving feedback. Teachers should also help students through their own self-evaluation. For example, during feedback sessions they can ask questions as:

Do you feel like you reached the lesson goal for today?

How close do you think you got to reaching your goal?

What do you think you could've done differently to reach that goal?

What skills have you learned this week that you didn't know last week?

How do you plan on reaching our lesson goal for tomorrow?

This helps students to learn how to reflect on their own activities and make plans that help them reach their own learning goals.
Conclusion: Put Universal Design for Learning into Practice in your school in 2019!
[caption id="attachment_3316" align="alignnone" width="600"] Flexible seating helps students who have trouble sitting in one place, and gives all students the ability to choose their best workspace. Credit: Mundial Perspectives[/caption] Universal design for learning is an incredible tool in the classroom. As we've seen, using this method in your school will help all students to learn in the way that works best for them, improving their knowledge of the subjects they're learning. UDL also helps teachers focus their efforts on the students that need it most, while allowing all students to thrive in an equalized classroom. In a classroom using universal design for learning, there are no students with limitations, only students who accomplish the same tasks and learn the same information with different methods. Put universal design for learning into practice in your school this year, and your students will grow beyond your expectations.
School leader? If you'd like to Prodigy is a no-cost game-based learning platform that's loved by tons of teachers and admins! fill out the form below: see your building's users,

When something is universal, it applies to everyone. So, when hearing the term In this guide, you're going to learn that universal design for learning is focused on flexibility and This could mean getting some bean-bag chairs or exercise balls, or even standing desks, mats for the floor, or stools with high-top tables. universal design for learning (or UDL), it makes sense to imagine it as a blanket format that covers all students. But is that really what UDL is all about? But that's not all. adaptability to different types of students. You'll also discover: By the end of this article, you'll be completely equipped to use UDL in your school, for the benefit of teachers and students.
What is Universal Design for Learning?
To start, let's define universal design for learning. While the word 'universal' may make this seem like a one-size-fits-all program, that is actually the opposite of what UDL stands for. In everyday life, we constantly run into examples of universal design. This includes things like closed-captions, text-to-speech features on your smartphone, or other things that we normally label 'accessibility features'. In principle, universal design for learning is the same: it is an adaptive learning program that allows equal opportunity for all students. But, this raises a question: First, let me ask you this: have you ever used an automatic door? Let's face it: if you have two legs and two arms that work, you're not the person that door was designed for. However, if your hands are full of groceries, or you're at the end of an exhausting day of work, an automatic door is quite useful. The same idea applies in the classroom. While universal design for learning does greatly benefit students with learning and attention issues, it is also beneficial for the average student. Each student has their own specific strengths and weaknesses. This can have absolutely nothing to do with attention disorders or learning disabilities: it is simply how their unique brain takes in and processes information most easily. By applying universal design for learning in the classroom, all students are allowed to take in, digest, and express information in the way that is easiest for them. This improves the learning experience for everyone, and helps each individual student to expand his or her knowledge of the subject without the constraints of the traditional classroom. So, what makes up the basis for UDL? And how can you apply these principles in the classroom?

Are you a school leader? Prodigy aims to meet the needs of every student in the math classroom. It's the engaging, curriculum-aligned math platform loved by over 50 million students, teachers and administrators - with differentiated content. No cost, ever. Fill out the form below to see your building's users!

Basic principles of Universal Design for Learning
Is Universal Design for Learning only applicable to students with learning and attention issues?
Engagement: The why of learning
Everything starts with how students engage with the class and the subject. This principle encompasses the ideas of motivation, building on the interests of the students. The area of engagement also helps students to see the reasons why they should learn what they're learning, and makes it relevant to their life. This also includes helping students become self-motivated by guiding them through rubrics that allow for self-reflection and personal goals. The goal of engagement in UDL: To give students purpose and motivation to learn.
Representation: The what of learning
Allowing students to choose the methods by which they take in information allows for all types of students to thrive as they interact with subject materials. Customization is key here. This involves providing multiple ways to assimilate subject material, such as textbooks, audio files, digital books, or images and graphs. It also implies customization and flexibility within those formats. With this kind of flexibility, students have access to the material that best suits their needs. This is useful for children with disabilities such as dyslexia, as well as for average students who simply perform better when listening to instruction than when reading, for example. The goal of representation in UDL: To allow students to be more resourceful and knowledgeable.
Action and expression: The How of learning
Once students have taken in the information, it's time for them to express and show what they've learned. This principle of universal design for learning takes into account the differences of students' manner of expression. Flexibility is provided in the way that students show their knowledge of the subject, meaning they can choose not to perform a test and instead opt for a more adaptive expression that fits their strengths. Action and expression also touches on the idea of goal-setting for students. Here, teachers help students set goals for learning, and guide students through monitoring their own progress. The goal of action and expression in UDL: To help students to become more strategic and goal-directed.
Universal Design for Learning examples and guidelines
[caption id="attachment_3302" align="alignnone" width="600"] Credit: Pinterest[/caption] Are you ready to see what universal design for learning looks like in the classroom? Here are 13 different guidelines for how to use universal design for learning, along with examples that show what it looks like in practice. Follow these guidelines to make universal design for learning a part of your school.
Downloadable list of principles and examples of UDL
Fill out the form below to download and print and simplified list of the universal design for learning principles and examples to keep at your desk!
Engagement

1. Know the strengths and weaknesses of students
In order to correctly apply universal design for learning in the classroom, it's important for teachers to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of each student. This can be as easy as asking each student how they want to learn that day's lesson, and offering different choices for the content used, the reward applied, the tools used for gathering information or producing results, or the order of tasks to be completed. It also may be helpful for teachers to take note of which students excel when using certain formats, or even to involve parents in helping find their children's strengths and weaknesses in learning.
2. Give students specific learning goals
Teachers have one very obvious goal: to help students to learn. In fact, within the lesson plan they may already have goals in mind for specific information that children should know by a certain point in the school year. To help motivate and engage students, why not include them in the goal process? A great example of this is posting lesson goals for all the students to see in the classroom. To do this, teachers must have one clear goal for each lesson. Then, they can discuss this goal with the class at the beginning of the lesson and write it out in a visible place for the whole class to see. That way, students know exactly what to expect from the lesson, and will feel more motivated to pay attention to complete the lesson goal.
3. Create and follow classroom routines
Helping students to feel safe in their learning environment is essential to a productive and motivated classroom. One great example of universal design for learning is creating classroom routines that help students feel secure. While this helps adapt to students with disabilities such as autism, it's good for all students to get used to classroom routines. This means structuring class time so that each student knows what they should be doing and when. This can still allow for flexibility in the order or time spent on subtasks, but helps students to know exactly where they are in the lesson.
4. Provide prompts that let students know it's time to ask for help
It's true that some students will have more trouble with certain aspects of a lesson than others. But, instead of simply getting frustrated and giving up, students need to know when to ask for help. Unfortunately, not all students will recognize when it's time to ask for help. That's where providing prompts comes in. For example, a math teacher could set a specific amount time that each student should spend on a problem. If they can't solve the problem in 2 minutes, for example, they should ask the teacher or a peer for help in understanding the problem. This helps students to avoid unnecessary frustration and continue learning effectively.
5. Group learners with common interests or learning strengths and weaknesses
By now, teachers should be aware of which students learn better through audio descriptions, which students have specific interests, etc. When there are several students who learn in the same way or who have common interests, these can be grouped together for specific activities in the classroom. For example, students who prefer to create a video instead of completing a written essay can be grouped together to create a video project together.
6. Provide flexible classrooms
Flexibility in the classroom also involves the physical space where students are learning. Try flexible seating by switching up the furniture arrangements to make students feel more comfortable (which, in turn, makes them more productive).
Representation

7. Display Information in a Flexible Format
Following the information above, teachers should now be aware of how their students learn best. So, it's time to provide flexible ways of learning. This could involve a number of different formats, including:

Traditional paper books

Digital books

Text-to-speech

Images or charts

Learning games

Videos

Music

Ideally, students should also have some flexibility within these different formats. For example, using a digital textbook allows students to adjust the size of the font or the color of the background. With a video, students should be able to adjust the speed and volume. This way, each student interacts with the information in the best way for his particular learning skills and strengths.

Introduced my students to @ProdigyGame today and they are hooked! They even asked to play it during indoor recess! Teacher win because they are actually practicing math, while having fun with their friends! @BrodnickiSchool #d109pride pic.twitter.com/mYapyWoVjb
- Molly Borst (@mborst21) February 1, 2019

8. Adapt information for multilingual students
Schools nowadays are becoming more and more international. When viewed in a positive light, this international flare can boost the atmosphere of a classroom. However, adaptive representation of information is essential in this aspect of universal design for learning. How can teachers apply this principle in a multilingual classroom? Whenever possible, all information should be available to students in both the dominant language of the school and in their own native language. Teachers can also provide visual aids to help clarify vocabulary that is unfamiliar to students, or provide multilingual students with dictionaries either in paper or digital format. Adaptability in this area also applies to deaf and hearing-impaired students. Teachers should ensure that there is a visual-only option for these students in all aspects of the classroom, such as captions under videos, automated speech-to-text software, or at best a sign language version of the information.
9. Prompt students to identify key ideas and relationships
In all aspects of life, students must learn to separate critical information from information that isn't as important. This aspect of universal design for learning can be used in the classroom when teachers prompt students to highlight important phrases from their textbooks, or summarize the important aspects of a video lesson in one sentence. Teachers should also guide students to build relationships between information they've already learned and what they're currently learning. For example, a math teacher could help students see the relationship between addition and multiplication, prompting them to draw on past experience to help them learn new concepts.
Expression

10. Create multiple options for expression and assignment completion
Once students have taken in the information, it's time for them to demonstrate their understanding. While a test is the traditional choice for expression, giving students a choice of how they'll complete assignments allows each student to demonstrate his knowledge in a way that is relevant to him or her. Some options could include:

Creating a video essay

Drawing a comic strip

Completing a test in digital format, or with audio questions

Putting on a group demonstration

Building a physical model

For example, a history teacher may want students to show an understanding of the events that led to World War 2. He could give his students the option to complete a written test, to create a video 'reporting' on the events, or to draw a comic strip that shows which main events led to the start of the war. That way, each student gets to complete the assignment in the way that is best for them, while all students demonstrate a reasonable understanding of the topic.
11. Give access to learning software
Software in the classroom is a great way to be adaptable to different students. For example, language teachers can use language-learning apps and games to help students learn while tracking their progress step-by-step. Math teachers also love learning software, like Prodigy, because it helps students get involved in the problems and work through the information in a way that is engaging and productive.
12. Provide multiple means for navigation and control
Being adaptable means allowing for adaptive software and hardware for students that have limitations. For example, with digital content on the computer, students can be allowed to control with voice, joystick, or an adaptive keyboard when necessary. Alternatives should also be available for students when it comes to the range of motor action required to interact with the materials used in the classroom.
13. Give regular feedback that helps students develop goals and strategies to reach them
Learners need to have a clear picture in their mind of the progress that they are making in class. With regular, personal feedback for students, they're able to see where they are, what progress they've made, and what they still need to accomplish. While grades are important in this discussion, they are not the only aspect of the student's feedback. Teachers should also include goal planning and achievement when giving feedback. Teachers should also help students through their own self-evaluation. For example, during feedback sessions they can ask questions as:

Do you feel like you reached the lesson goal for today?

How close do you think you got to reaching your goal?

What do you think you could've done differently to reach that goal?

What skills have you learned this week that you didn't know last week?

How do you plan on reaching our lesson goal for tomorrow?

This helps students to learn how to reflect on their own activities and make plans that help them reach their own learning goals.
Conclusion: Put Universal Design for Learning into Practice in your school in 2019!
[caption id="attachment_3316" align="alignnone" width="600"] Flexible seating helps students who have trouble sitting in one place, and gives all students the ability to choose their best workspace. Credit: Mundial Perspectives[/caption] Universal design for learning is an incredible tool in the classroom. As we've seen, using this method in your school will help all students to learn in the way that works best for them, improving their knowledge of the subjects they're learning. UDL also helps teachers focus their efforts on the students that need it most, while allowing all students to thrive in an equalized classroom. In a classroom using universal design for learning, there are no students with limitations, only students who accomplish the same tasks and learn the same information with different methods. Put universal design for learning into practice in your school this year, and your students will grow beyond your expectations.
School leader? If you'd like to Prodigy is a no-cost game-based learning platform that's loved by tons of teachers and admins! fill out the form below: see your building's users,

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Universal Design for Learning: Principles and Examples for 2019

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Jordan Nisbet All Posts Category School Leaders School Leadership When something is universal, it applies to everyone. So, when hearing the term In this guide, you're going to learn that universal design for learning is focused on flexibility and This could mean getting some bean-bag chairs or exercise balls, or even standing desks, mats for the floor, or stools with high-top tables.

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Description:
This article describes examples of what makes universal design. The subheadings include Understanding UDL, Three main principles of UDL, and Learning and thinking differences and UDL. This is aimed towards educators. Educators now have the ability to check if their lesson plans meet the main principals. If educators are confused about UDL this website should help clear some of that up.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to teaching and learning that gives all students equal opportunity to succeed.

To understand what UDL is, it helps to understand what it's not. The word universal may throw you off. It may sound like UDL is about finding one way to teach all students. But UDL actually takes the opposite approach.

The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove any barriers to learning. It's about building in flexibility that can be adjusted for every person's strengths and needs. That's why UDL benefits all learners.

This approach to teaching or to workplace training doesn't specifically target people who learn and think differently. But it can be especially helpful for kids with these challenges - including those who have not been formally diagnosed. It can also be very helpful for English language learners.

Watch this video to see what UDL looks like in a fifth-grade classroom.

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What is Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching approach to help all learners be successful. Read about UDL principals and the benefits of UDL for students.

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Description:
This website provides guidelines educators to use universal design. Provides suggestions to implement into the classroom. This is an amazing source for many other topics as well. It would be worth the time exploring what Cast has to offer.

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1. Home

2. Our Impact

3. About Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

UDL at a Glance

Find out how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

UDL to Change the World

CAST created the Universal Design for Learning framework, and it remains one of our core levers of change to help make learning inclusive and transformative for everyone.

Universal Design for Learning Guidelines

The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Visit the UDL Guidelines

Engagement

For purposeful, motivated learners, stimulate interest and motivation for learning.

Explore Engagement

Representation

For resourceful, knowledgeable learners, present information and content in different ways.

Explore Representation

Action & Expression

For strategic, goal-directed learners, differentiate the ways that students can express what they know.

Explore Action & Expression

Top of Page

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Home Our Impact About Universal Design for Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Find out how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs.

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Description:
This is a website from an attorney written for teachers. It states reasons that teachers can be dismissed, contacts, teacher privacy rights, teacher pregnancy, and others.

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Teacher Rights

If you have any questions regarding Teacher Rights or School Staff Rights , please contact us for a FREE TEACHER OR STAFF RIGHTS CONSULTATION.

Teacher and School Staff Constitutional Rights.
Constitutional provisions provide protection to teachers and school staff at public schools that are generally not available to teachers at private schools. Since public schools are state entities, constitutional restrictions on state action limit some actions that public schools may take with respect to teachers or other employees.

Rights that are constitutional in nature include the following:
* Substantive and procedural due process rights, including the teacher right to receive notice of termination and right to hearing
* Freedom of expression and association provided by the First Amendment
* Academic freedom, a limited concept recognized by courts based on principles of the First Amendment
* Protection against unreasonable searches and seizures by school officials of a teacher's personal property

Though private school teachers do not generally enjoy as much of the constitutional protection as public school teachers, statutes may provide protection against discrimination. The CIVIL RIGHTS Act of 1964, for example, protects teachers at both public and private schools from racial, sexual, or religious discrimination. Private school teachers may also enjoy rights in their contracts that are similar to due process rights, including the inability of a private school to dismiss the teacher without cause, notice, or a hearing.

Denial or Revocation of Teaching Certificate.
Courts have held consistently that teaching certificates are not contracts. Thus, requirements to attain or maintain a certificate may be changed and applied to all teachers and prospective teachers. The certification process is administered by state certifying agencies in each state, and most of these agencies have been delegated significant authority with respect to the administration of these rules. Despite this broad delegation, however, the state agencies may not act arbitrarily, nor may these agencies deny or revoke certification on an arbitrary basis. Some state statutes provide that a certificate may be revoked for "just cause."

Other common statutory grounds include the following:
* Immoral conduct or indecent behavior
* Incompetency
* Violations of ethical standards
* Unprofessional conduct
* Misrepresentation or fraud
* Willful neglect of duty

Teacher Tenure.
Most states protect teachers in public schools from arbitrary dismissal through tenure statutes. Under these tenure statutes, once a teacher has attained tenure, his or her contract renews automatically each year. School districts may dismiss tenured teachers only by a showing of cause, after following such procedural requirements as providing notice to the teacher, specifying the charges against the teacher, and providing the teacher with a meaningful hearing. Most tenure statutes require teachers to remain employed during a probationary period for a certain number of years. Once this probationary period has ended, teachers in some states will earn tenure automatically. In other states, the local school board must take some action to grant tenure to the teacher, often at the conclusion of a review of the teacher's performance. Tenure also provides some protection for teachers against demotion, salary reductions, and other discipline. However, tenure does not guarantee that a teacher may retain a particular position, such as a coaching position, nor does it provide indefinite employment.

Prior to attaining tenure, a probationary teacher may be dismissed at the discretion of the school district, subject to contractual and constitutional restrictions. Laws other than those governing tenure will apply to determine whether a discharge of a teacher is wrongful. If a probationary teacher's dismissal does not involve discrimination or does not violate terms of the teacher's contract, the school district most likely does not need to provide notice, summary of charges, or a hearing to the teacher.

In the absence of a state tenure STATUTE, a teacher may still attain de facto tenure rights if the customs or circumstances of employment demonstrate that a teacher has a "legitimate claim of entitlement for job tenure." The United States Supreme Court recognized this right in the case of Perry v. Sindermann, which also held that where a teacher has attained de facto tenure, the teacher is entitled to due process prior to dismissal by the school district.

State laws do not govern the tenure process at private schools. However, a contract between a private school district and a teacher may provide tenure rights, though enforcement of these rights is related to the contract rights rather than rights granted through the state tenure statute.

Teacher Dismissal.
A school must show cause in order to dismiss a teacher who has attained tenure status. Some state statutes provide a list of circumstances where a school may dismiss a teacher. These circumstances are similar to those in which a state agency may revoke a teacher's certification.

Some causes for dismissal include the following:

* Immoral conduct
* Incompetence
* Neglect of duty
* Substantial noncompliance with school laws
* Conviction of a crime
* Insubordination
* Fraud or misrepresentation

Due Process Rights of Teachers and School Staff.
The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, like its counterpart in the Fifth Amendment, provides that no state may "deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." This clause applies to public school districts and provides the minimum procedural requirements that each public school district must satisfy when dismissing a teacher who has attained tenure. Note that in this context, due process does not prescribe the reasons why a teacher may be dismissed, but rather it prescribes the procedures a school must follow to dismiss a teacher. Note also that many state statutory provisions for dismissing a teacher actually exceed the minimum requirements under the Due Process Clause.

The United States Supreme Court case of Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill is the leading case involving the question of what process is due under the Constitution. This case provides that a tenured teacher must be given oral or written notice of the dismissal and the charges against him or her, an explanation of the EVIDENCE obtained by the employer, and an opportunity for a fair and meaningful hearing.

Teacher Contracts.
The law of contracts applies to contracts between teachers and school districts. This law includes the concepts of offer, acceptance, mutual ASSENT, and consideration. For a teacher to determine whether a contract exists, he or she should consult authority on the general law of contracts. This section focuses on contract laws specific to teaching and education.

Ratification of Contracts by School Districts.
Even if a school official offers a teacher a job and the teacher accepts this offer, many state laws require that the school board ratify the contract before it becomes binding. Thus, even if a principal of a school district informs a prospective teacher that the teacher has been hired, the contract is not final until the school district accepts or ratifies the contract. The same is true if a school district fails to follow proper procedures when determining whether to ratify a contract.

Teacher's Handbook as a Contract.
Some teachers have argued successfully that provisions in a teacher's handbook granted the teacher certain contractual rights. However, this is not common, as many employee handbooks include clauses stating that the handbook is not a contract. For a provision in a handbook to be legally binding, the teacher must demonstrate that the actions of the teacher and the school district were such that the elements for creating a contract were met.

Breach of Teacher Contract.
Either a teacher or a school district can breach a contract. Whether a breach has occurred depends on the facts of the case and the terms of the contract. Breach of contract cases between teachers and school districts arise because a school district has terminated the employment of a teacher, even though the teacher has not violated any of the terms of the employment agreement. In several of these cases, a teacher has taken a leave of absence, which did not violate the employment agreement, and the school district terminated the teacher due to the leave of absence. Similarly, a teacher may breach a contract by resigning from the district before the end of the contract term (usually the end of the school year).

Remedies for Breach of Contract.
The usual remedy for breach of contract between a school district and a teacher is monetary damages. If a school district has breached a contract, the teacher will usually receive the amount the teacher would have received under the contract, less the amount the teacher receives (or could receive) by attaining alternative employment. Other damages, such as the cost to the teacher in finding other employment, may also be available. Non-monetary remedies, such as a court requiring a school district to rehire a teacher or to comply with contract terms, are available in some circumstances, though courts are usually hesitant to order such remedies. If a teacher breaches a contract, damages may be the cost to the school district for finding a replacement. Many contracts contain provisions prescribing the amount of damages a teacher must pay if he or she terminates employment before the end of the contract.

Teacher Freedom from Discrimination.
The EQUAL PROTECTION Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution protects teachers at public schools from discrimination based on race, sex, and national origin. These forms of discrimination are also barred through the enactment of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was amended in 1972 to include educational institutions. This law provides that it is an unlawful employment practice for any employer to discriminate against an individual based on the race, color, religion, sex, or national origin of the individual. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides protection against discrimination based on sex at educational institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Title VII and IX also prohibit SEXUAL HARASSMENT in the workplace.

A teacher who has been subjected to discrimination has several causes of action, though proof in some of these cases may be difficult. A teacher may bring a cause of action under section 1983 of Title 42 of the United States Code for deprivation of rights under the Equal Protection Clause (or other constitutional provision). However, to succeed under this cause of action, the teacher would need to prove that the school had the deliberate intent to discriminate. Similarly, a teacher bringing a claim under Title VII must demonstrate that the reasons given by a school for an employment decision were false and that the actual reason for the decision was discrimination.

Teacher Academic Freedom.
Teachers in public schools have limited freedoms in the classroom to teach without undue restrictions on the content or subjects for discussion. These freedoms are based on rights to freedom of expression under the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. However, the concept of academic freedom is quite limited. The content taught by a teacher must be relevant to and consistent with the teacher's responsibilities, and a teacher cannot promote a personal or political agenda in the classroom. Factors such as the age, experience, and grade level of students affect the latitude in which a court will recognize the academic freedom of a teacher.

Teacher Freedom of Expression.
A leading case in First Amendment JURISPRUDENCE regarding protected forms of expression is Pickering v. Board of Education. This case involved a teacher whose job was terminated when he wrote to a local newspaper an editorial critical of the teacher's employer. The Supreme Court held that the school had unconstitutionally restricted the First Amendment rights of the teacher to speak on issues of public importance. Based on Pickering and similar cases, teachers generally enjoy rights to freedom of expression, though there are some restrictions. Teachers may not materially disrupt the educational interest of the school district, nor may teachers undermine authority or adversely affect working relationships at the school.

Teacher Freedom of Association.
Similar to rights to freedom of expression, public school teachers enjoy rights to freedom of association, based on the First Amendment's provision that grants citizens the right to peaceful assembly. These rights generally permit public school teachers to join professional, labor, or similar organizations; run for public office; and similar forms of association. However, teachers may be required to ensure that participation in these activities is completely independent from their responsibilities to the school.

Teacher Freedom of Religion.
The First Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provide protection against religious discrimination by school districts against teachers. Teaches may exercise their religious rights, though there are certain restrictions to such rights. This existence of restrictions is particularly relevant to the public schools, since public schools are restricted from teaching religion through the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Thus, for example, a teacher is free to be a practicing Christian, yet the teacher cannot preach Christianity in the classroom.

Teacher Privacy Rights.
Teachers enjoy limited rights to personal privacy, though courts will often support disciplinary action taken by a school district when a teacher's private life affects the integrity of the school district or the effectiveness by which a teacher can teach. Thus, for example, a teacher may be terminated from his or her position for such acts as ADULTERY or other sexual conduct outside marriage, and courts will be hesitant to overrule the decisions of the school board.

Teacher Age.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, with its subsequent amendments, provides protection for teachers over the age of 40 against age discrimination. Under this act, age may not be the sole factor when a school district terminates the employment of a teacher. If a teacher charges a school district with age discrimination, the school district has the burden to show that some factor other than age influenced its decision.

Teacher Pregnancy.
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 provides protection for teachers who are pregnant. Under this act, a school district may not dismiss or demote a pregnant teacher on the basis of her pregnancy, nor may a district deny a job or deny a promotion to a pregnant teacher on the basis of her pregnancy.

Illinois Laws Regarding Teachers' Rights.
Each state provides laws governing education agencies, hiring and termination of teachers, tenure of teachers, and similar laws. Teachers should consult with statutes and education regulations in their respective states, as well as the education agencies that enforce these rules, for additional information regarding teachers' rights. Moreover, teachers should review their contracts, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, and/or employee handbook for specific provisions that may have been included in an agreement. In Illinois, th Teacher's certificate may be revoked or suspended for immorality, health condition detrimental to students, incompetence, unprofessional conduct, neglect of duty, willful failure to report CHILD ABUSE, conviction of certain sex or narcotics offenses, or other just cause. Teachers may be dismissed on similar grounds.

Additional Teacher Rights Resources.
* Deskbook Encyclopedia of American School Law. Oakstone Legal Publishing, 2001.
* Education Law. Rapp, James A., Lexis Publishing, 2001.
* Education Law, Second Edition. Imber, Michael, and Tyll Van Geel, 2000.
* The Law of Public Education, 4th Ed. Reutter, E. Edmund, Jr., Foundation Press, 1994.
* Private School Law in America, 12th Ed. Oakstone Legal and Business Publishing, 2000.
* School Law and the Public Schools: A Practical Guide for Educational Leaders. Essex, et al., 1999.
* Teachers and the Law. Louis, Schimmel, and Kelly, Addison Wesley Longman, 1999.

Teacher Rights Organizations.
* American Association of School Administrators
*American Federation of Teachers
*Education Law Association
*Education Policy Institute
-National Education Association

If you feel that one of your Teacher Rights or School Staff Rights has been violated, please contact us for aFREE TEACHER RIGHTS OR SCHHOL STAFF CONSULTATION.

Teacher Rights Links

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Teacher Rights experience for teachers seeking free Teacher Rights consultation from best in class Teacher Rights expert and Teacher Rights attorney

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FERPA Do’s and Don’ts Guide for Teachers 

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FERPA Do’s and Don’ts Guide for Teachers 

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This is an easy break down for teachers to refer to when they might be unsure of FERPA laws. It allows for teachers to know exactly what is allowed and what is not. This is more of a think about before a teacher does an action in class.

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This website allows for teachers to know their rights. Most of the topics covered here include teacher contracts. Unions are also covered. Some topics are also broken down by State laws.

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Welcome to FindLaw's Teacher's Rights section, where you can find information and resources on the rights of teachers in public schools. Teachers have the same basic rights as others -- such as the right to be free from discrimination based on race, sex, and national origin -- as well as the right to academic freedom to teach without undue restrictions on content or subject matter. Educators, like other employees, also have the right to collectively bargain through teachers' unions. This section includes articles on the process of joining a teacher's union and resolving union conflicts. Also included are articles on contracts, tenure, dismissal, and much more.

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Welcome to FindLaw's Teacher's Rights section, where you can find information and resources on the rights of teachers in public schools. Teachers have the same basic rights as others -- such as the right to be free from discrimination based on race, sex, and national origin -- as well as the right to academic freedom to teach without undue restrictions on content or subject matter.

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This provides teachers with free webinars, allows teachers to track student growth, and covers different subjects. These are great day by day lesson plans and cover many different ages. They could help educators have a guide on something to cover, so they are not starting from nothing.

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No matter what format your school takes this year, IXL is here to support you. From catch-up lesson plans to on-demand assessments, we have everything you need for a successful fall and beyond.

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This website provides 547 free lesson plans, covering many different curricula topics. This lesson plans range all throughout age levels.

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How does popular culture engage history? In this lesson plan, students will examine The Searchers, one of the most widely acclaimed Western movies of all time, to explore interpretations of race, gender, and family-both in the time period depicted by the film and the time period in which the film was produced.

This lesson plan uses A. A. Lamb's painting Emancipation Proclamation and resources from BlackPast to explore the successes and shortcomings of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Reconstruction amendments, as well as the roles played by Black people in securing their own freedom.

Use Aaron Douglas's mural Into Bondage to introduce the stories of famous Harlem Renaissance figures, including Langston Hughes, and to explore the history and importance of Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the end of Black enslavement in the United States.

Kerry James Marshall's painting Voyager, depicting two partially obscured Black figures standing aboard a ship, refers to an actual ship, Wanderer, which was among the last slave ships in the United States, illegally transporting more than 400 individuals from West Africa to Georgia in 1858-even though the importation of enslaved people had been banned in 1808. Use the painting as an entry point to discuss the Transatlantic slave trade and introduce students to the NEH-funded database Slave Voyages project.

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How does popular culture engage history? In this lesson plan, students will examine The Searchers, one of the most widely acclaimed Western movies of all time, to explore interpretations of race, gender, and family-both in the time period depicted by the film and the time period in which the film was produced.

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This website provides students with access to free works of literature. It also teaches them how to use a public library. The books range from picture books to chapter books. There are also a good amount of antique books included. This website would be a strong source to allow students to explore different types of literature, literature that it might be hard to get their hands on.

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ICDL - International Children’s Digital Library

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This website gives videos for different subjects. Allows someone to help teachers explain concepts. There are also videos talking about social concepts that could arise in the classroom.

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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This website provides teachers with many different ideas to bring into the classroom. Ideas that could refresh the classroom setting. They have ideas for majority of subjects.

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ProTeacher! Teaching ideas and resources For Elementary School Teachers

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A professional community and web directory for elementary school teachers in grades PreK-8. Early childhood, elementary and middle school lesson plans, activities, teaching ideas, discussions and resources for the classroom teacher.

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Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

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Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

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This website offers many different topics that can be discussed in the classroom. Many of these topics cover social studies or cultural topics. Provided are terms that should be covered or a direction that the lesson should head, there are no direct lesson plans.

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Evidence- based Practices - Special Education:

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Evidence- based Practices - Special Education:

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Evidence- based Practices- General Education:

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Evidence- based Practices- General Education:

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Culturally Responsive or Abolitionist Teaching Resources:

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Culturally Responsive or Abolitionist Teaching Resources: