Presentation (Transcript) Curricular Design

Transcript for Lesson 1 Presentation: Rationale and Requirements for Accommodations

	Middle and High School Education and Diversity Middle and high school educators teaching students in today’s schools are challenged to effectively respond to a variety of curricular pressures and student diversity. Some proponents of high standards for all students believe that public schools are not currently doing all that can and should be done to ensure that students progress successfully through curriculum. Secondary students are expected to achieve satisfactory scores on national, state, or local assessments, and graduate from high school with a diploma signifying that each student is prepared to become a productive career-oriented citizen. While some educators believe in the quest for high standards for all students, many seem confounded by the multitude of and sometimes competing--curriculum standards they are expected to teach to the range of diverse learning needs of students in their classrooms (Matlock, Fielder, & Walsh, 2001; McLaughlin, Nolet, Rhim, & Henderson, 1999). For example, it is not extraordinary to observe secondary classrooms where students with labels such as gifted and talented, average learners, students with learning disabilities or emotional disturbance, students at-risk for school failure, or students who are learning English as a second language are together. Faced with such a heterogeneous group of students, and it is understandable that both novice and experienced educators find it challenging to respond to each student’s needs (King-Sears, in press; Santos & Rettig, 1999). In the next section, two laws that impact general educators and the need to adequately convey curriculum content to learners with mild disabilities are described.
	Overview of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 and Section 504 Requirements Federal legislation, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997 (IDEA ’97), reiterates some of the basic components of the original law (passed in 1975) for students with disabilities: The delivery of a free and appropriate public education for students. The use of supplementary aids and services in delivering that education Students receive their education in the least restrictive environment. Teachers provide accommodations as noted on the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP). Several components of IDEA ’97 significantly impact general education teachers who may have been teaching students with mild disabilities only when they were ready to do the same work as the other students in the curriculum. Indeed, in previous years, students may not have received their education in the general education classroom as the least restrictive environment (LRE) unless they were prepared to do the same work in the same way as their typical peers. The components of IDEA ’97 that impact general educators are as follows: All students must have access to the general education curriculum. If a different curriculum or modified curriculum is appropriately challenging for an individual student, that information must be written on the student’s special education plan (IEP). At least one general education teacher must be present at a student’s IEP meeting. Students participate in the state’s high-stakes assessment, or an alternative state-wide assessment program. Educators provide the student with accommodations as necessary for him/her to achieve IEP goals set forth. If you would like more information on all of the disability categories in IDEA ’97, please refer to Handout #1. For more information related to IDEA ’97 (i.e., IEPs, information for teachers), two websites are recommended: ideapractices and the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY). Middle and high school general educators already find it challenging to address the needs of students in their classrooms who have diverse learning needs. Moreover, some students may not be eligible under IDEA ’97 criteria for special education services, but may be for accommodations eligible under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504. Providing additional accommodations so that students with disabilities can access the general education curriculum seems, to some secondary educators, unreasonable given the complex instructional contexts and students they are already dealing with. However, it is a non-negotiable requirement that if a student is found eligible for special education services and requires accommodations in order to access the general education curriculum the educators comply with that requirement. Moreover, in recent years a plethora of research has become available to not only inform educators about how to enhance their curriculum’s structure and delivery for students with disabilities, but also to present evidence that when teachers use these methods, students without disabilities benefit too.
	For example, one popular instructional framework that general educators use is called the Dimensions of Learning (Marzano, 1992). Marzano encourages teachers to promote the five dimensions for all students. The five dimensions are: (a) positive attitude and perceptions of learning; (b) acquiring and integrating knowledge; (c) extending and refining knowledge; (d) using knowledge meaningfully; and (e) promoting productive thinking and reflecting skills. Middle and high school educators who are familiar with ways to accomplish these dimensions with typical and gifted students find it more of a challenge when students with mild disabilities do not take in, remember, and express curriculum content in the same way as other students. However, students with mild disabilities are capable of acquiring more proficiency relative to their present level of performance and knowledge base with curriculum content when their teachers know and use techniques that are responsive to students’ learning needs. Subsequent lessons in this module provide descriptions of techniques that are varied and responsive to students’ learning needs (e.g., multiple ways of presenting new content to students; linking content to be learned to students’ background knowledge). In the next section, some basic effective teaching methods are overviewed as the foundation from which teachers are building in more varied techniques described in subsequent lessons.
	Effective Teaching Methods for All Learners Effective teachers, whether teaching 11th grade physical science, 3rd grade reading, or 7th grade social studies, regularly and routinely use methods that have been proven to increase learners’ motivation, learning, interests, and focus on the content to be learned (Anderson, 1989; Fuchs & Fuchs, 2001a; Mason, Schroeter, Combs, & Washington, 1992; Pressley, Harris, & Marks, 1992; Rosenshine, 1986; Rosenshine & Stevens, 1986; Treddlie, Kirby, & Stringfield, 1989). Note that many of these methods further describe how to accomplish Marzano’s five dimensions of learning (1992). Please refer to Handout #2 for these methods. Some of these effective methods involve preplanning and organizing for student learning, while others involve on-the-spot responses and decisions. Still other effective methods have to do with the pace and variety of activities that occur within and across lessons. For example, some teachers provide ample time for all students to complete warm-up problems at the beginning of class sessions. King-Sears and Eldridge (2001) found that the transition and problem completion time could be reduced from approximately 12 minutes to 5 minutes when a more structured format was in place. Teachers are encouraged to self-evaluate their teaching, acknowledge the effective behaviors that they already engage in, and set goals for themselves on areas they would like to add to their repertoire of effective methods they use regularly and routinely. In fact, some school systems use similar items on checklists or other formats used to evaluate teacher performance. Moreover, many school systems require teachers to develop annual professional development plans for themselves based on their administrator’s rating as well as self-evaluation. Content here and throughout this module can be used for individual teachers’ professional development goals. Subsequent lessons in this module describe research-based practices that educators can use in their diverse secondary classrooms. Emphasis will be on how to use effective teaching methods that work for typical students as well as methods responsive to students with mild disabilities (i.e., learning disabilities, emotional disturbance). Many students with mild disabilities have both the intellect and potential to achieve comparably to their peers who do not have a disability label--when their teachers are knowledgeable about and skilled with a variety of ways of presenting and assessing content learning. However, some students with mild disabilities require accommodations for learning and showing what they know, or adaptations that somewhat modifies the amount or level of learning. Because the quantity and quality of such accommodations and adaptations are minimized when teachers select critical content to teach and are flexible and varied in presentation and performance areas, this module also describes universally applicable planning and teaching methods.
	Conclusion In summary, Lesson 1 contains some reasons why teachers feel pressure and overwhelmed by having to teach diverse students in secondary content classrooms. Acknowledging the enormous demands on teachers, it is understandable that if teachers do not find more ways to effectively respond to those demands, having to transmit massive curriculum content to students, particularly students with mild disabilities who require accommodations, exacerbates the situation. By law, students who require accommodations must receive them. Teachers who employ and increase their repertoire of effective teaching methods for all learners have a stronger foundation from which to more naturally build into their instruction techniques described in this module. In the remaining lessons of this module, content focuses on ways that teachers can incorporate into their planning and delivery lessons that can enable them to more effectively incorporate accommodations. Moreover, focus is on ways to analyze the curriculum and organize it more coherently for students. Lesson 2 presents an overview of accommodations and other terms that are used to describe accommodations. Within this lesson, characteristics of learners who require accommodations and sources for finding out about a specific student’s accommodations are described. In Lesson 3, traditional accommodations are described, and multiple examples across secondary content areas are provided. Lesson 4 presents a more comprehensive perspective on curriculum and instructional factors that influence what and how secondary teachers teach. Lesson 5 describes the prospect of secondary teachers enhancing curriculum and instruction for all students, including students with disabilities. Techniques that have been used in secondary classrooms with a variety of content and diverse learners are described. Finally, Lesson 6 focuses on assessment practices and grading issues.