overlapping strategies to meet the language, learning, and literacy needs of a diverse student...

OverlappingStrategies

TO MEET THE LANGUAGE, LEARNING, AND LITERACY

NEEDS OF A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION

Linda ChampneyUniversity of Colorado at Denver

[email protected]

Dr. Nancy ShanklinUniversity of Colorado at [email protected]

Content Literacy Pyramid

MEETING THE LANGUAGE, LEARNING, AND LITERACY

NEEDS OF A DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION

Linda ChampneyUniversity of Colorado at Denver

[email protected]

Dr. Nancy ShanklinUniversity of Colorado at [email protected]

The Learning, Language, & Literacy Special Populations in Public Schools in the United States

• Students with Learning Disabilities. The national statistics from the U.S. Department of Education from 2002-2003 report that 6,449,904 or 13.4% (National Center for Education Statistics, 2004) of public school children are served under the Individuals With Disabilities Act.

• Students with Limited English Proficiency. 42% of all public school teachers in 2002 have at least one limited English proficient student in their classes and only 30% of those teachers have received any training in how to teach those students (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003).

• Struggling Readers. The National Assessment of Educational Progress cites 69% of 4th graders, 69% of 8th graders and 66% of 12th graders were below the proficient level in reading in 2002. Only 5% of the 12 th graders could elaborate or extend the ideas they were reading about (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2002).

Focus of Content Literacy Pyramid Research

SYSTEMIC CHANGE FRAMEWORK

Ferguson, D. L., Kozleski, E. B., Smith, A. (2003). Transformed, Inclusive Schools: A Framework to Guide Fundamental Change in Urban Schools. Effective Education for Learners with Exceptionalities, 15, Elsevieer Science, pp. 43-74.

PRIORKNOWLEDGE

ELABORATION

ENGAGEMENT

METACOGNITION

VOCABULARY ORGANIZERS

CONTENT LITERACY PYRAMID

STRUGGLING

READERS

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING

DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS

CONTENT LITERACY: READING, WRITING, SPEAKING, LISTENING, VIEWING TO LEARN CONTENT

Recommendations for General Education Students in Content Classrooms

The Learner-Centered Principles Work Group of the American PsychologicalAssociation Board of Educational Affairs (1997) generated the following list ofprinciples of effective instruction for all students:• Learning needs to be an intentional process of constructing meaning• Goals must be personally relevant to the student• Learner must be able to connect new knowledge to prior knowledge in meaningful ways • Learner exercises control over his/her thinking by creating and using strategies where appropriate• Learner uses metacognitive strategies• Instructional practices and the classroom environment must be appropriate for the learners• Motivation to learn is influenced by the student’s background and prior experiences with learning and

must be taken into consideration• Intrinsic motivation to learn is enhanced when students are interested in the subject under discussion,

are given a degree of personal choice and control, and are able to see the relevance of what they are learning to real life

• Unless students are motivated, they will not learn. They need a purpose for learning• Individuals learn best when material is appropriate to their developmental level and is presented in an

enjoyable and interesting way• Learning can be enhanced when the learner has an opportunity to interact and to collaborate with others

on instructional tasks • Educators need to help students examine their learning preferences and expand or modify them, if

necessary • When learners perceive that their individual differences in abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and

experiences are valued, respected, and accommodated in learning tasks and contexts, levels of motivation and achievement are enhanced

• Assessment provides important information to both the learner and teacher at all stages of the learning process

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The Learner -Centered Principles Work Group of the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs (1997) generated the following list of principles of effective instruction for all

students:

Learning needs to be an intentional process of constructing meaning metacognition

Goals must be personally relevant to the student engagement

Learner must be able to connect new knowledge to prior knowledge in meaningful ways prior knowledge

Learner exercises control over his/her thinking by creating and using strategies where appropriate

metacognition

Learner uses metacognitive strategies metacognition

Instructional practices and the classroom environment must be appropriate for the learners

engagement

Intrinsic motivation to learn is enhanced when students are interested in the subject under discussion, are given a degree of personal choice and control, and are able to see the relevance of what they are learning to real life

engagement

Unless students are motivated, they will not learn. They need a purpose for learning engagement

Motivation to learn is influenced by the student’s background and prior experiences with learning and must be taken into consideration

engagement

Individuals learn best when material is appropriate to their developmental level and is presented in an enjoyable and interesting way

engagement

Learning can be enhanced when the learner has an opportunity to interact and to collaborate with others on instructional tasks

engagement

Educators need to help students examine their learning preferences and expand or modify them, if necessary

metacognition

When learners perceive that their individual differences in abilities, backgrounds, cultures, and experiences are valued, respected, and accommodated in learning tasks and contexts, levels of motivation and achievement are enhanced

engagement

Assessment provides important information to both the learner and teacher at all stages of the learning process

N/A

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A list of the principles of good reading comprehension instruction as published by the RAND Reading Study Group in 2002 includes the following :

Instruction in reading fluency

vocabulary metacognition

Instruction in strategies to promote reading for a purpose and active monitoring of their own progress

metacognition

Explicit teaching of comprehension.

prior knowledge metacognition

vocabulary organizers

Prereading instruction to provide background knowledge, key concepts, and vocabulary; the use of graphic organizers during reading; pre - and post -writing activities; and elaboration activities before and after reading have all demonstrated benefits for struggling readers

organizers elaboration

prior knowledge vocabulary

Vocabulary instruction

vocabulary

Reading instruction embedded in content area instruction metacognition

Reading instruction using a variety of genres of text to focus attention on structure

engagement

Student choices, challenges, and co llaboration contribute to motivation

engagement

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In her book entitled Enriching Content Classes for Secondary ESOL Students, Judith Jameson from the Center for Language Acquisition advocates the use of the following approaches and strategies for students with limited English proficiency:

Activate background knowledge by using Lesson Anticipation Guides and Teaching the Text Backwards

prior knowledge

Teach vocabulary and practice for fluency.

vocabulary

Use cooperative learning activities to give students t ime to think, share ideas in a less -risky environment, and then confidently share with the whole class.

elaboration

Create an environment that facilitates active learning.

elaboration

Adjust the way students are addressed to enhance communication: face the students, check for understanding frequently, clearly indicate important ideas.

engagement

Support language development by asking questions, being a good listener, provide encouragement to continue (1998).

elaboration

Valuable strategies includ e learning logs, role play, student self -ratings, graphic organizers, projects and performance assessments, and portfolios .

organizers metacognition

elaboration

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Inclusive Education for the 21 st Century (Sands, et al., 2002) provides a good basic understanding of the needs of students with learning disabilities. Some of the teaching guidelines recommended for students with learning disabilities include the foll owing:

Sometimes learning limitations mean that a student may not be able to learn a specific skill without direct instruction, even though he or she may be perfectly capable of learning other skills that are not part of the school curriculum.

N/A

Students learn what is relevant in their world.

engagement

Learning executive control (metacognition) strategies are important in managing the use of strategies to understand concepts and solve problems.

metacognition

It is important to establish routines and procedures so expectations and consequences are clearly understood.

metacognition

Instruction in an inclusive classroom should encompass the following features: clarity in focus and presentation, match between learning objectives and methods of teaching, balance between teacher and student talk; and a range in the types of questions asked

elaboration engagement

Specific strategies might include the following (p. 259): (a) KWL charts, (b) content/ materials suggested by students, (c) schema activation, (d) discovery learning, (e) experiential educational opportunities, (f) cooperative learning outcomes, (g) peer tutoring, (h) redundancy, (i) webbing, and (j) variation in outcomes by interest /

prior knowledge elaboration engagement

contract grades

N/A

pre and post assessment

N/A

Write lesson plans to support a progression of skills or knowledge that (a) lead to intended goals and outcomes of the unit (and therefore school outcomes) that reflect objectives that can be met and demonstrated in many ways, (c) connect new information to previous knowledge or skills, (d) engage students through multiple forms of learning, (e) incorporate physical, affective, cognitive and communicative skills and knowledge in the objectives, and (f) match instruction, content and assessment (p.312).

organizers prior knowledge

engagement

Components of Content Literacy Pyramid

Definition Sample Strategy

Prior

Knowledge

Making connections to students’ crystallized and fluid knowledge (on each topic discussed, every example given in class, or any approach needed to know how to learn or solve a problem) enables all learners to participate effectively in a lesson.

CREATING KWL CHARTS

ACCESSING BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCES

QUESTIONING

Engagement

Instruction should be planned to capture student interest and engagement by making connections to student backgrounds, by allowing student choices, and by using different methods to address a variety of learning modalities. Planning for student engagement is designed to motivate students to expend the necessary effort to acquire the skills and knowledge essential to his/her goals and to meet the education standards of the institution.

GIVING STUDENT CHOICES

INQUIRY LEARNING

USING LEVELED TEXTS

USING CONCEPT-ORIENTED READING INSTRUCTION

(CORI)

Metacognition

Teaching students to control their own use of strategies and to understand which ones work best for them leads to independent learning.

FOCUSING ON THINKING STRATEGIES

JOURNAL WRITING

Vocabulary

Since the brain records non-experiential learning as words, vocabulary acquisition is essential to storing, accessing, and processing information.

CONNECTING COGNATES

CLARIFICATION

Organizers

Organizing related text and information into hierarchical or visual format eases both the storing and the accessing of information for all learners.

CREATING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

STORY MAPPING

Elaboration

Elaboration should be planned to encourage students to elaborate upon new information and ideas in order to understand, work through dissonance, and incorporate new learning into old beliefs.

SUMMARIZING

ELABORATIVE INTERROGATION

Champney & Shanklin, 2005

CCOONNTTEENNTT LLIITTEERRAACCYY PPYYRRAAMMIIDD Elaboration: Elaboration includes all the strategies and activities that require students to actively

participate in creating meaning.

General Education Students

Chamberlain, A., Hurley, E., Madden, N., &

Slavin, R. (2001). E ffects of success for all of TAAS reading scores: A Texas statewide evaluation. Phi Delta Kappan, 82 (10), 750.

quantitative - N = 111

Howard, C. (1999). An evaluation of the

accelerated reader program in grades 3-5 on reading vocabulary, comprehe nsion, and attitude in an urban southeater school district in Virginia. [Diss]. quantitative - N = 755

VanKeer, H. (2004). Fostering reading

comprehension in fifth grade by explicit instruction in reading startegies and peer tutoring. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74(1), 37-70.

quantitative N=454 students & 22 teachers

Struggling

Readers

Greenleaf, C., Muerller, F., & Cziko, C. (2003). Impact of the pilot academic Literacy course on 9th grade students Reading development: Academic year 1996 -1997 (WestEd No. ED 473 949; CS 511 809). San Francisco, CA: Strategic Literacy Initiative, West Ed.

qualitative quantitative N = 8 N = 30

Jacobson, J., Thorpe, L., Fisher, D., Lapp, D.,

Frey, N., & Flood, J. (2001). Cross -age tutoring: A literacy improvement approach for struggling adolescent readers. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44 (6), 528. Retrieved 6/4/04, from Questia databas e, http://www.questia.com .

qualitative / quantitative - N = 103

Rose, D., Parks, M., Androes, K., &

McMahon, S. (2000, September/October). Imagery -based learning: Improving elementary studetns' reading comp rehension with drama techniques. The Journal of Educational Research, 94 (1), 55-63.

quantitative - N=179

English

Language

Learners

Cardona, C., & Artiles, A. (1998, 15 -18/April).

Adapting classwide instruction for student diversity in math. Pre sented at the Annual Convention of the Council for Exceptional Children, Minneapolis, MN.

quantitative - N= 19

Doherty, R., Hilberg, R., Pinal, A., & Tharp, R.

(2003, Winter). Five Standards and Student Achievement. NABE Journal of Research and Pr actice, pp. 1-24.

quantitative - N = 15 teachers; 266 students

Greenwood, C., Arreaga -Mayer, C., Utley, C.,

Gavin, K., & Terry, B. (2001, January/February). ClassWide Peer Tutoring Learning Management System: Applications with Elementary -Level English Language Learners. Remedial and Special Education, 22 (1), 34-47

quantitative - N = 117 students;5 teachers

Students

With

Learning

Disabilities

Allsopp, D. (1997, Nov/Dec). Using classwide

peer tutoring to teach beginning algebra problem -solving ski lls in heterogeneous classrooms. Remedial & Special Education, 18 (6), 367+.

quantitative - N=262 8th graders

Englert, C., Garmon, A., Mariage, Rozendal, M., Tarrant, K., & Urba, J. 1995). The early literacy project: Connecting across the literacy curriculum. Learning Disability Quarterly, 18, 253-275

mixed qualitative and quantitative 1st study 2nd study 3rd study

N = 19 N = 205 N=22

Saenz, L., & Fuchs, L. (2002,

January/February). Examining the reading difficulty of secondary students with learning disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 23(1), 31-41. quantitative - N = 111

PRIORKNOWLEDGE

ELABORATION

ENGAGEMENT

METACOGNITION



STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


The Content Literacy Pyramid is to teachers who are planning content lessons as the USDA food pyramid is to moms who are choosing foods to sustain an active, healthy family.

*Whether choosing to eat an apple as part of the fruits and vegetable category of the food pyramid or completing an anticipation guide as part of the prior knowledge category of the Content Literacy Pyramid, the participant is moving toward the goal.

*Not all parts need to be consumed every day, but all parts need to be addressed over the long run in order to reach the goal.

PRIORKNOWLEDGE

ELABORATION

ENGAGEMENT

METACOGNITION



STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


PRIORKNOWLEDGE


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


ACCESSING PREVIOUS LEARNING

CREATING KWL CHARTS

QUESTIONING

USING PICTURES

LISTENING TO NARRATIVES

PREREADING

PREDICTING

ENGAGEMENT


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


LEARNING BY INQUIRY

GIVING PRAISE & RECOGNITION

GIVING STUDENT CHOICES

ACCESSING BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCES

CONSIDERING STUDENT INTERESTS

PROVIDING LEVELED TEXTS

USING CONCEPT-ORIENTED READING INSTRUCTION (CORI)

METACOGNITION


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


THINKING ALOUD

SELF-MONITORING OF UNKNOWN WORDS & COMPREHENSION

USING JOURNALS / LEARNING LOGS

REFLECTING / SHARING

VOCABULARY


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


CONNECTING COGNATES

CLARIFYING

NOTING WORD STRUCTURE

CREATING MNEMONICS (Using Pictures & Story

Cues)

USING CONTEXT CLUES

RECOGNIZING EMBEDDED MEANINGS

ORGANIZERS


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


CREATING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

STORY MAPPING

WEBBING/MAPPING

OUTLINING

MAKING VENN DIAGRAMS

SKETCHING

ELABORATION


STRUGGLING

READERS


DISABILITIES

STUDENT S WITH

LIMITED ENGLISH

PROFICIENCY

GENERAL EDUCATIO

N STUDENTS


SUMMARIZING

USING ELABORATIVE INTERROGATION

DRAMATIZING

VISUALIZING

DEMONSTRATING

LEARNING COOPERATIVELY

IMPLEMENTING RECIPROCAL TEACHING ETC.

CLP Classroom Observation Form

School Name Sample Middle School Observer Name: Champney Date of Observation: 3/14/05

Teacher Name: Student Teacher #1 Grade Level: 7th Subject Area: Social Studies

Student Populations: Struggling Rdrs - 8 Special Ed - 15 Eng Lang Lrnrs - 0 Gen. Ed. - 3

prior knowledge x vocabulary organizers elaboration x engagement metacognition

District or Colorado Model Content Standard(s): Geography Standard: 4 -Students understand how economic, political, cult ural, and social processes interact to shape patterns of human populations, interdependence, cooperation and conflict. Reading & Writing Standard: 1 -Students read and understand a variety of materials.

Objective/Purpose for Today’s Lesson : 1. Student s will be able to describe some beliefs of Islam and its effect on life in North Africa. 2. Students will be able to explain how North Africa’s Mediterranean location has influenced its culture. 3. Students will define the term culture and explain how it u nites people in North Africa.

Resources/Materials -Overhead -Overhead transparency with “Starter -Overhead transparency for Structured Overview

-Student’s notebooks -26 Africa books -26 pieces of blue paper for “Five Pillars of being a Good Student”

Pre -Assessment (as appropriate): N/A

Introduction of Lesson: -Student s answer “starter” question: “List three cultural characteristics that you think the people in North Africa might share.” -Today as a class we are going to talk about North Africa. Unlik e the United States where there are many cultures living together, North Africa has essentially its own culture and many people have the same heritage. I want you to read about North Africa today

Body of Lesson Now open your Africa book to page 63. Wit h a partner, you are going to take notes. Take turns reading one section at a time and then add the most important information into your notes.

Closing of Lesson: -The teacher points out the chart in the book and asks students to describe the 5 Pillars of Islam. She advises them to write those descriptions into their journals.

Post-Assessment (if appropriate)

Other (Information on blackboard or displayed around room, student work, posters, etc.) On board: (1) Agenda for Today

*NOT USING CONTENT LITERACY PYRAMID

CLP Observation Measure Meeting the Needs of a Diverse Student Population



Student Populations: Struggling Rdrs- 8 Special Ed- 15 Eng Lang Lrnrs- 0 Gen. Ed.- 3

Directions: Use class specific notes to reflect upon the extent to which each of the following components of the Content Literacy Pyramid are observed in this classroom during this period of instruction. (BP is best practices)

Brief Description

Mentioned (1 pt)

(+1 for BP)

Important to Lesson (3 pts)

(+1 for BP)

Major Emphasis (5 pts)

(+1 for BP)

Prior Knowledge

-Students answer “starter” question: “List three cultural characteristics that you think the people in North Africa might share.”

+2

Vocabulary

Organizers

Elaboration

-Today as a class we are going to talk about North Africa. Unlike the United States where there are many cultures living together, North Africa has essentially its own culture and many people have the same heritage. I want you to read about North Africa today - Now open your Africa book to page 63. With a partner, you are going to take notes. Take turns reading one section at a time and then add the most important information into your notes. -The teacher points out the chart in the book and asks students to describe the 5 Pillars of Islam. She advises them to write those descriptions into their journals.

+5

Engagement

Metacognition

+7/25

CLP Classroom Observation Form



Student Populations: Struggling Rdrs - 8 Special Ed - 15 Eng Lang Lrnrs - 0 Gen. Ed. - 3

prior knowledge x vocabulary x organizers x elaboration x engagement x metacognition x

District or Colorado Model Content Standard(s): Geography Standard: 4 -Students understand how economic, political, cultural, and social processes interact to shape patterns of human populations, interdependence, cooperation and conflict. Reading & Writing Standard: 1 -Students read and understand a variety of materials.

Objective/Purpose for Today’s Lesson : 1. Stu dents will be able to describe some beliefs of Islam and its effect on life in North Africa. 2. Students will be able to explain how North Africa’s Mediterranean location has influenced its culture. 3. Students will define the term culture and explain how it unites people in North Africa.

Resources/Materials -Overhead -Overhead transparency with “Starter -Overhead transparency for Structured Overview

-Student’s notebooks -26 Africa books -26 pieces of blue paper for “Five Pillars of being a Good Student”

Pre -Assessment (as appropriate): N/A

Introduction of Lesson: -Students answer “starter” question: “List three cultural characteristics that you feel Americans share.” Add this information to your journals on p. 73L. An example of what I mean is like most Americans can speak English. I don’t want you to use this characteristic; I want you to create your own”. -Students make suggestions as they discuss their cultural characteristics.

Body of Lesson -Today as a class we are going to talk about North A frica. Unlike the United States where there are many cultures living together, North Africa has essentially its own culture and many people have the same heritage. I want you to read about North Africa today but I also want to teach you how to create a t ool that will help you understand and remember what you are reading. Open your notebooks to page 74R and turn it so the holes are next to your body. Now open your Africa book to page 63. (Dana models setting up the structured overview with the overhead transparency and with students using their own survey of text structure to suggest headings and subheadings. When they have the major structure in place, they go back and add vocabulary words in the columns of the subheadings where they will be found and then add references/information to charts, maps, pictures, etc.) Now, you are ready to read. With a partner, you are going to take notes. Take turns reading one section at a time and then add the most important information in the appropriate column.

Closing of Lesson: -Dana points out the chart in the book and asks students to describe the 5 Pillars of Islam. She then asks them to relate that to the rules for being a good student.

Post-Assessment (if appropriate): Asked students as a class, what th ree things they learned from their reading today.

Other (Information on blackboard or displayed around room, student work, posters, etc.) On board: (1) Agenda for Today; (2) List of materials needed for class today ; (3) Date; (4) Advisement that will nee d a book and #2 pencil for CSAP testing for the next 3 days

**UTILIZING CONTENT LITERACY PYRAMID

CLP Observation Measure Meeting the Needs of a Diverse Student Population

School Name Sample Middle School Observer Name Champney Date of Observation: 3/14/05

Teacher Name Student Teacher #1 Grade Level 7th Subject Area: Social Studies

Student Populations Struggling Rdrs- 8 Special Ed- 15 Eng Lang Lrnrs- 0 Gen. Ed.- 3

Directions: Use class specific notes to reflect upon the extent to which each of the following components of the Content Literacy Pyramid are observed in this c lassroom during this period of instruction. (BP is best practices)

Brief Description

Mentioned (1 pt)

(+1 forBP)

Important to Lesson (3 pts)

(+1 for BP)

Major Emphasis

(5 pts) (+1 for BP)

Prior Knowledge

-Students answer “starter” question: “List three cultural characteristics that you feel Americans share.” Add this information to your journals on p. 73L. An example of what I mean is like most Americans can speak English. Don’t use this characteristic; I want you to create your own. -Students make suggestions as they discuss their cultural characteristics.

+4

Vocabulary

Vocabulary words from the reading assignment are added to the structured overview before reading.

+2

Organizers

-agenda on board -students using a structured overview to take notes on their reading assignment

+6

Elaboration

-questions like “What are the 5 Pillars of Islam? Describe them. How are they like the rules for being a good student?” -creating organizer

+5

Engagement

-asked students to think about their own culture first and then move to the culture of North Africa -asked students to relate the “rules for Islam” to the rules for being a good student -let them work with another student as they read and took notes on their reading assignment

+4

Metacognition

-asked them to review their activities in class today to determine what they learned -asked them to recognize the value of constructing a structured overview before they read -had them construct their structured overview in their journals so that they could refer to it later for both content and strategic knowledge recognition

+2

+23/25

STUDENT RESPONSES TO TWO LESSON PLANS

Subject: Prompt Compare the two lesson plans (attached and at bottom of Lesson 10) on LETTERS FROM RIFKA and note the differences between “covering the subject” and teaching the students. List your observations and reflect on what that might look like in your subject area.

Posted by Student #10 on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 11:52Subject: Student #10 The first example brought back memories of when I was in the public schools. Back then, the majority of teachers taught by telling without any strategy other than reading and memorizing. It is obvious how a class of middle school students would not feel involved in the task or the reading material. When the teacher uses chapter questions as the anticipation strategy, it is clear that the students are not likely to feel connected to the text. The teacher brought nothing interesting or unique to the objectives of the lesson. Also, the teacher did nothing to invite the students to be part of the lesson and contribute to discussions. I think trying to get students more connected to reading tasks is a challenge, but by presenting strategies that get the students excited and more anxious to be involved is always necessary to overcome that challenge. The second example was much more complete and teacher-guided. The teacher made efforts to get the students excited about the story. It was a good idea to ask the students of their own personal experiences to encourage active participation and anticipation for the reading task. It's reasonable to assume that more students will respond to a lesson plan that offers more variety in strategy and structure, and asks more from the students' than just reading and textual regurgitation. In Social Studies, the style of teaching is crucial if there is to be any connection to text or task. When the teacher is simply presenting historical "facts" and events, there is little connection to the lesson, the material, or the objectives. When a Social Studies teacher encourages others to contribute to the discourse, the class is far more interesting and effective. The Social Studies teacher needs to have lesson plans and supporting strategies that are make history relevant to the student. This relevance is difficult to achieve when teaching a class by the book, with no or little participation required.

Posted by Student #6 on Sunday, April 3, 2005 21:10Subject: Lesson Plans The first lesson is not very involved and comes across as being boring. The first teacher can certainly say that she covered the subject but that is about all she did. The students were not engaged in the first lesson. The second lesson is a much more detailed lesson that is truly teaching the students. The students are exposed to a multi-subject lesson that integrates language arts, history, geography and cooperative learning. As a social studies teacher the second lesson plan could certainly be used within my class, I truly enjoyed the detail of the second lesson plan. I also thought the second lesson plan had elements that would benefit all students even ESL or special education students.

Lesson Plan - Unit: Day Number of Days Lesson Name:

Prior Knowledge Organizer Engagement

Vocabulary Elaboration Metacognition

District or Colorado Model Content Standard(s):

Objective/Purpose for Today’s Lesson: Resources/Materials: Pre-Assessment (as appropriate): Introduction of Lesson: Body of Lesson: Closing of Lesson: Post-Assessment (if appropriate): Reflection (to explain reasoning for choices made for this lesson and afterwards what sh ould be done differently next time.):

overlapping strategies to meet the language, learning, and literacy needs of a diverse student...

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