Somebody Else's Kids

            Lori Sjokheim is a 7-year-old girl in first grade (Hayden, 1981). She was adopted along with her twin sister, Libby (Hayden, 1981). Before adoption, the sisters live with their birth father that beat Lori so badly that she formed lesions on her brain (Hayden, 1981). These lesions have caused Lori to suffer with focusing, as well as successfully identifying numbers and letters (Hayden, 1981). By failing to recognize these symbols, Lori has trouble reading and writing (Hayden, 1981).

            Helping Lori to become successful would be my goal for her. In a hypothetical situation, Lori would be my student entering high school Biology class. She would require accommodations in order for her to become successful in the classroom. Unlike in the book, Somebody Else’s Kids, I would not try to make Lori learn to read. Because of the brain lesions, she may never be able to learn to read (Hayden, 1981). Instead, I would use presentation and response accommodations.

Presentation accommodations are those that change the way information is presented (The Understood Team, n.d.). The information can be presented in other ways than having Lori read. There are many books that have audio books as well, so instead of having Lori try to read the text, she can listen to it. By doing so, Lori will be able to follow along with the lessons that include students needing to use texts in order to complete assignments. Drawback for audio books is that not every textbook comes with an audio book. If the textbooks used in the classroom do not have accommodating audio books, Lori and I would need to look for biology texts that do, so that she can listen to the textbook and gain helpful insight into the information.

Another alternative to Lori reading texts is for her to watch informational videos. There are a multitude of videos that go along with scientific reading, as well as interactive websites that have audio recordings. By watching these videos or using these interactive websites, Lori has other ways to learn information on scientific topics. Many helpful websites that have informational videos can sometimes cost money. I would have to do research on what subscriptions would be worth paying for in order to help Lori be successful. Also, sometimes only oral videos can be confusing. For a lesson plan that I had created for homework last week, it was difficult to find a video that could explain osmosis and diffusion, while at the same time having helpful videos. For interactive websites, I find that it is hard to find ones that don’t require much reading. I did find one to teach about the cell, but finding interactive websites that only use audio can be challenging. Depending on the content being taught, there are often great videos and interactive websites that can be helpful for teaching students such as Lori.

Response accommodations are those that allow students to complete assignments or tests in different ways (The Understood Team, n.d.). One big accommodation that would be used for Lori is oral communication. Lori could complete tests orally, as well as complete oral presentations. To aid this accommodation, I would give Lori an aide to work with during tests. I would allow the aide to read aloud the questions for tests and have Lori tell the aide her answers. The aide would write her answers word-for-word. By having an aide to help with tests, Lori can feel as if she is doing the same work as all the other students. She will be taking the same tests, but just doing her work orally. The only downfall to this accommodation is that Lori would have to be separated from the rest of the class in order to complete tests because it would become a distraction to the other students. I would not want to make Lori feel as if she is different from others by separating her from the class, but in order to complete tests, I see this as being the only option for her. Even if Lori took an oral test, it would still need to be in a separate environment.

Although aides can work with tests, there are a few ways that Lori can use technology to help her “write” down homework due dates or actually “write” down her homework. One website is called Vocaroo (Charles & Dickens, 2012). Vocaroo allows for voice recording (Charles & Dickens, 2012). The voice recording is usually only used for snippets of information (Charles & Dickens, 2012). Lori can use Vocaroo for keeping notes of homework due dates and test dates. I can also use this site for Lori’s homework. Instead of Lori having to read homework sheets, I can record the different questions Lori needs to answer. I can also give her complimenting homework sheets if any pictures are needed to answer questions. Vocaroo does not save the files; so downloading the files will allow Lori to save them on her computer (Charles & Dickens, 2012). The only downside is that Vocaroo is only used for small audio files, so I wouldn’t be able to use this to give Lori notes or for Lori to record her own notes while in the classroom.

Another website that would be helpful for Lori is VozMe. VozMe is a way for Lori to write down answers to homework questions, as well as writing essays (Charles & Dickens, 2012). VozMe can turn her oral communication into actual words on the computer (Charles & Dickens, 2012). After hearing the homework assignments or homework questions, Lori would be able to use this program. She can feel as if she is dong the work just like all her fellow classmates. The only downside to this website is that if she needs to double-check her work, Lori will need an assistant to do this for her. I know that when I use programs on my phone such as Siri, sometimes the voice to text does not match up to what I have actually said. Hopefully, Lori will have some support at home, so that she can successfully use the speech-to-text application. Another downfall to this program is when going on their website, I couldn’t figure out how to use it to go from speech-to-text as was on the website that advertised VozMe. I only found how to go from text-to-speech. However, this could be a good way for Lori to copy down any written work and listen to what it says. She would have to have an e-mailed version or have somebody help her copy it into the box, but it is another tool that could potentially help her.

            Another great tool to help Lori, instead of speech-to-text, is the use of a recording device. A recording device can help Lori when notes need to be written down, as well as when she wants to answer homework questions. This can be used if Lori is dissatisfied with one of the websites mentioned above. The recording device gives Lori another tool that she can use, so that she doesn’t feel like her options are limited. In college, a lot of my classmates used recording devices when they felt they couldn’t write as fast as the professor spoke. It was a great way for them to ensure that they were able to get all the notes from the lesson of that day.

However, there can be downfalls to using such a device. When using the recording device, Lori and I will have to make sure that the device is close enough to me that she can record what I am saying and when she plays it back, she can understand my words. Lori and I would also have to make sure that there isn’t too much commotion in the classroom or Lori may only be able to hear other students talking rather than me teaching.

I’ve talked a lot about using accommodations to help Lori combat her reading and writing inability, but it is important to note that Lori will also need accommodations for her lack of a large attention span. Although in the book it did not state that Lori had A.D.D., her symptom of the inability to focus is one that is most commonly known about people that suffer A.D.D. For Lori, I’d suggest using accommodations that would coincide with people who may suffer from A.D.D.

The accommodations that Lori would need to use in order to combat her inability to focus would be those under the category of timing and scheduling. Timing and scheduling accommodations deal with timing of assignments or tests, as well as the amount of breaks a student is allowed (The Understood Team, n.d.). Lori can be given both of these types of accommodations to help her keep her focus. I would allow Lori to receive multiple breaks, as well as extended time in order to ensure that she has time to finish her tasks. I believe by giving Lori multiple breaks, she can get up and stretch before having to finish her work. The only downside to this accommodation would be the timing. There is only a certain amount of time during a school day, so Lori would not be able to take long and multiple breaks. To keep her focused, we can experiment with short (about 5-10 minutes) breaks if she starts to feel that she is losing focus. This can allow Lori to refresh and come back to her work. The extended time would go hand-in-hand with the breaks. If Lori needs more breaks, she would also need more time to complete an activity. Again, it would have to be experimented how long Lori would need in order to complete her activities.

There are many accommodations that can help Lori succeed in school. Although she suffers from lesions on her brain that have affected her focus, as well as her reading and writing skills, I believe Lori can still succeed. There are many accommodations that can help Lori combat her reading and writing inabilities and by getting extra time and taking multiple breaks, Lori will be able to have an easier time focusing in the classroom. These accommodations should help Lori feel as if she is just as successful as anyone else in her class.

Works Cited

Charles, K.J., Dickens, V. (2012). Closing the Communication Gap. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 45(2), 24-32.

Hayden, T.L. (1981). Somebody Else’s Kids. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

The Understood Team. (n.d.). Accommodations: What They Are and How They Work. Understood. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/treatments-approaches/educational-strategies/accommodations-what-they-are-and-how-they-work

504 vs. IEP

504s are more generalized than IEPs. Both are required under different laws. 504s are required under the Rehabilitation Act and IEPs are required under IDEA. IEPs are more specifically for children determined as one who needs specific special education teachers. I have made a venn diagram to show more of the similarities and differences between 504s and IEPs.

This is the link to my venn diagram: https://creately.com/diagram/icatnvia2/Zfj9UtgO2ECN588tlU5FpoRcvM%3D

Work Cited

The Understood Team. (n.d.). The Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans. Understood. Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/special-services/504-plan/the-difference-between-ieps-and-504-plans

The History of Special Education

I made a timeline about the history of special education.

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1085950

Special education today is still struggling in the public eye. It can still be considered "taboo" to talk about children with special needs. This definitely presents a challenge for children in education. If children don't have supportive parents, it is hard for them to get support in their education. I can relate to this by having been diagnosed with A.D.D. in college. I had to take the initiative to get evaluated myself because of the lack of support or belief at home. Finding out that I have this disability, helped my family to realize the support I needed in order to succeed. I find that in the school systems that I have worked, students get as much help as they need. I have worked with supportive teachers who try to help their students as much as possible.


Bibliography

Goodman, E. M. (1969). Directory of Programs for the Education of Handicapped in the U.S. Office of Education. Education Resources Information Center. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED036017.pdf

Martin, E.W., Martin, R., Terman, D.L. (1996). The Legislative and Litigation History of Special Education. The Future of Children, 6(1), 25-39.

Mason, L. D. (1968). School-Work Programs: The Vocational Education Act in Action. The Clearing House, 42(5), 294-296.

Mayerson, A. (1992). The History of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund. Retrieved from http://dredf.org/news/publications/the-history-of-the-ada/

(1958). PUBLIC LAW 85-926-SEPT. 6, 1958. United States Government Publishing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-72/pdf/STATUTE-72-Pg1777.pdf

(1963). PUBLIC LAW 88-164-OCT. 31, 1963. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://history.nih.gov/research/downloads/PL88-164.pdf

(1970). PUBLIC LAW 91-230-APR. 13, 1970. United States House of Representatives . Retrieved from http://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/91/230.pdf

(1971). Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse. Retrieved from http://www.clearinghouse.net/detail.php?id=11082

(1972). Mills v. Board of Education District of Columbia. Leagle. Retrieved from http://www.leagle.com/decision/19721214348FSupp866_11090.xml/MILLS%20v.%20BOARD%20OF%20EDUCATION%20OF%20DISTRICT%20OF%20COLUMBIA

(1973). PUBLIC LAW 93-112-SEPT. 26, 1973. United States Government Publishing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-87/pdf/STATUTE-87-Pg355.pdf

(1975). PUBLIC LAW 94-142-NOV. 29, 1975. United States Government Publishing Office. Retrieved from http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-89/pdf/STATUTE-89-Pg773.pdf

(2011). Department of Education Organization Act, 1979. Federal Education Policy. Retrieved from https://federaleducationpolicy.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/department-of-education-organization-act-1979/

(n.d.). Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The Social Welfare History Project. Retrieved from http://www.socialwelfarehistory.com/events/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

I just read an amazing book titled The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This story was very inspirational and has kept me thinking ever since I have finished it. I made a presentation on the book and I encourage everyone to read it.

http://prezi.com/kgeitcujhw5z/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Literacy Web Tool

One literacy web tool that I find particularly useful is Google Docs. Google Docs allows for students to collaborate on papers. There are times when it is difficult for everyone in a group to meet up at the same place at the same time. This is when Google Docs comes in handy. It also comes in handy to collaborate on the same project without having to send Word documents by email.

Although Google Docs is a great tool to use, there are some downsides as well. Not all of the functions that you can find in Word are found on Google Docs. However, most of the widely used functions are there for use. Though, it can be frustrating when you need to make a graph or use another function not seen on Google Docs.

I have provided a model of how this website can be used. This is an example of how my partner and I created an unit plan by using Google Docs.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fCoI7gMqR4AEwJvveFPkyS1IHqbJxv0QAoZyM4V7Uxk/edit?usp=sharing

Maryland Teacher Technology Standards

There are specific standards that teachers must follow in the state of Maryland in order to be considered a teacher who allows students to perform to the best of their ability. There are many ways to meet these standards, but there are a few websites that I would choose in order to meet these standards. One such activity is utilizing WebQuests. WebQuests meet the first standard (information access, evaluation, processing, and application) and the fifth standard (integrating technology into the curriculum and instruction) and can meet the third standard (legal, social, and ethical issues). WebQuests have different parts to it that send the students down the road to learning more about different topics of science (this could include ethics). Students can learn through reading, visuals, or clips and movies, while having to perform some type of activity that can be graded.

Another activity that can meet the standards are concept-mapping applications. These applications let students to organize vocabulary and content into different sections, so that students can understand the information that connects to these words or concepts. This meets the second standard (communication). Students can share their concept maps in small groups to get feedback, as well as connect information to their own maps that they might have missed. These applications can also meet the seventh standard (professional growth). These applications can be used as students continue to advance in their educational and professional careers. Concept maps are great ways to organize thoughts in order to learn.

Both of these ideas also meet the fourth (assessment for administration and instruction) and sixth standards (assistive technology). By using these applications, teachers can monitor the progress of students and they can determine what works best in order for their students to succeed.

These applications also require students to have literacy skills. These skills include digital literacy, computer literacy, media literacy, information literacy, technology literacy, scientific literacy, and visual literacy. Mathematical literacy may also be needed.

Webquest

The webquest site I chose to look at can be found here: https://www.msu.edu/~kommkris/webquest-index.html

There are a few problems with this website. A lot of the sites that the webquest links to are not working any longer, as well as the author chose Wikipedia as a source. This arises to problems since the students no longer have as many choices and it does not look as professional when the site isn't working correctly.

However, if I could fashion my own site for my students, I would base it off of this site. There are four different parts to this webquest. The webqest is informative about osmosis. It starts off with having the students choose three websites to get introduced to osmosis. Students are to write down notes for further use of the information later. The second step is to watch three videos on osmosis. After the videos, students are to answer a few questions. The third step has the students work on three activities, which they are required to complete and turn into the teacher. Lastly, the students are to work with a group of three and create a cartoon about osmosis.

I like this activity for many reasons. I like that there are different ways to teach students about osmosis. Not only does it help visual learning students, it helps those who are auditory learners as well. After learning about osmosis, students then get to do activities to ensure they understand the material. This step allows for students to practice what they have learned. Lastly, I like the final project. This allows students to not only have fun, but to also be creative. Creativity is a great skill for students to have, so by doing a creative project students are gaining more than one skill.

Grouping Students

For the Unit Plan that my partner and I created, there would need to be different types of grouping depending on the lesson plan that day. For teaching students new material, I would group the students as a whole group. This type of grouping is best for teaching new material.

After teaching new material, I would group the students in small groups to work on classwork. It is important to consider the reading and writing skills of the students in each group. For the group, like the video, "The Importance of Homogenous Grouping," I would group the students in groups of those who fully understand, those who partially understand, and those who don't understand at all. These groups will be good, so I can work with the students who need extra help. It's a way that I can give additional instruction to these students.

Certain lesson plans include lab work. In these times, I would group the students in pairs. By having pairs, guided instruction can be successful to further the learning of the students. This type of grouping is another example of when to consider the reading and writing skills of students. In order for students to be the most successful, students need to be paired with peers that can work well together. It might be helpful for lower-level students to be paired with higher-level students, so that students can help each other in the learning process. A great way to learn is to try to teach someone the concepts. This is great for the higher-level students to reinforce their knowledge. It is also helpful for the lower-level students to have a peer that can help explain to them concepts they don't understand.

Finally, for project-based learning, I would group the students individually. This is a great way to encourage students to enhance their own learning. In terms of me as a teacher, it is great to be able to oversee how engaged the students are in their own learning.

On another note, for grouping it is important to group students well. When students are incorrectly grouped, their learning can be affected negatively. Students can struggle when they don't have a healthy learning environment. When grouping students together it is important to remember there are repercussions if you don't group them in a meaningful way.

References

McLaughlin, M. (2015). Organizing For Teaching And Learning. In M. McLaughlin (Ed.), Content Area Reading: Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness (pp. 126-152). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Timson, K. (2014). The Importance of Homogenous Grouping. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/73426089

Framing Our Reading IV

From the past three articles I have posted under Framing Our Reading, Framing Our Reading II, and Framing Our Reading III, I have chosen to look at the vocabulary words photosynthesis, metabolism, and inner-inner core. I chose the words photosynthesis and metabolism because not only are they key words to understanding the article, Plants Do Math to Survive The Night (found here: http://news.discovery.com/earth/plants/plants-do-math-to-survive-the-night-130624.htm), but they are also important concepts in biology. The vocabulary word inner-inner core is the main concept in the article Earth's Inner Core Had Its Own Inner Core (found here: http://news.discovery.com/earth/earths-inner-core-turns-out-to-have-its-own-inner-core-inside-it-150211.htm). While this word isn't a key factor in biology, it is important for other science fields.

To understand these vocabulary words I would use a Concept of Definition Map. The Concept Definition Map is a great way to let students focus on questions such as "What is it?" and "What's it like?" Students can organize the information that pertains to these three vocabulary words that will help them better understand these definitions. An example of one can be seen below.

The Concept Definition Map is organized with the vocabulary word in the middle and specific questions pertaining to the word on the outside, connected to the word in the middle. Student are, then, supposed to try and come up with the answers, which will make the vocabulary word easier to understand. This concept map is good for utilizing the Schema Theory in the classroom. The Schema theory embodies the concept of organizing knowledge into units. By understanding new vocabulary, there are new concepts that students can understand. By connecting new vocabulary to old vocabulary and concepts, the Schema Theory is used in the classroom. 

Figure 1. Concept of Definition Map of Photosynthesis

References

California State University, (n.d.). Schema Theory. California State University. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gipej/teaparty.pdf

Framing Our Reading III

This week Jess and I chose the article, Earth's Inner Core Has Its Own Inner Core (found here: http://news.discovery.com/earth/earths-inner-core-turns-out-to-have-its-own-inner-core-inside-it-150211.htm). This article includes information on a new discovery about the Earth's inner-inner core. This discovery has given the science community new information about our planet. In terms of math, this article can be applied to graphing and learning about planes and axes. In terms of biology, this article explains how new information can be found in science everyday, as well as explain a new discovery about our planet.

The text frame is concept/definition. The author explains the new discovery of an inner-inner core of Earth. Scientists found this new part of the inner core through seismic waves. Whereas the inner core has iron crystals that are in a North-South direction, the inner-inner core has iron crystals that are in a East-West direction. The inner-inner core also differs from the inner core through the behavior of the iron crystals. This new discovery is thought to open up new doors to understanding more about the Earth's history and processes.

For this reading, I chose to use the Concept/Definition Mapping strategy. This strategy is used for teaching both concepts and vocabulary. There are three categories to explain a concept or definition: category, characteristics, and illustrations. The students would use this strategy for vocabulary that they find confusing and important for understanding the article, as well as using the strategy to understand the concept of the inner-inner core.

Using this type of strategy promotes the Schema Theory. The Schema Theory states that "all knowledge is organized into units" (California State University, n.d.). In order to understand a more advanced unit, one must know the basic unit first. The Concept/Definition Mapping strategy teaches students concepts and definitions that they will need to know in order to advance to higher learning. By using this strategy students not only understand the definition of vocabulary, but they understand how it relates to other vocabulary and concepts that they have seen before.

Work Cited

California State University, (n.d.). Schema Theory. California State University. Retrieved from http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gipej/teaparty.pdf

Framing Our Reading II

This week Jess and I chose to use the article, Plants Do Math to Survive the Night, located here: http://news.discovery.com/earth/plants/plants-do-math-to-survive-the-night-130624.htm. This article touches on both our content areas, math and biology. Just like the last article, it shows how math and biology go hand in hand. This article explains how plants use math in order to maintain homeostasis. It is a great example of how math is used in the real world, specifically in terms of organisms. In regards to biology, this article discusses the concept of organisms adapting to their environment in order to maintain homeostasis.

The text frames of this article include cause/effect and concept/definition. The author explains that when plants' environments change, specifically the change from light to dark, the plant alters how to use the stored starch in the most efficient way. The author also explained that research was done to determine if the plants could do this when they changed the amount of time the plants were in the dark. The result showed that the plants maintained the same maximum efficiency of food usage.

In terms of the concept/definition text framing, the author focuses on the concept of adaptation to maintain homeostasis, as mentioned above. By presenting the research of the biologists from John Innes Center, the author showed readers one way plants maintain homeostasis during a specific environmental change. Although the article doesn't provide information on the specific chemical reactions that take place for this adaptation to happen, the author explains that the adaptation happens by altering the energy usage in the plant by using math. However, it should be noted that the plants are not consciously performing math problems.

For this reading, I chose to use the Knowledge/Question/Response Charts strategy to promote guided thinking. Frank Smith presented an idea that reading is thinking (McLaughlin, 2015). Hiebert, Pearson, Taylor, Richardson, and Paris continue with this idea, saying that students should be taught how to think when reading (McLaughlin, 2015). This is exactly what this strategy accomplishes. The Knowledge column of the chart helps students to focus on important details of the text. Teachers may also have to guide students to ensure that the parts of the texts in this column are truly important. After writing down statements from the text, students are encouraged to ask questions. The teacher should ensure that the questions are meaningful. This column encourages and reminds students to ask questions about what they are reading. Lastly, in the Response column, students are to write down previous knowledge or experience that relates back to the text, as well as respond to what the author has written.

This strategy, while promoting thinking, also promotes the Transactional Theory of Reading. This theory recognizes that readers are individuals and that in order to obtain meaning from a text, an individual should connect themselves to the text (Probst, 1987). By using the Knowledge/Question/Response Charts, students can ask their own questions and connect their experiences to the new knowledge.

Here is an example of using the Knowledge/Question/Response Charts strategy with the chosen article.

Knowledge                                   Question                                       Response                    Researchers changed              Would the outcome                 If I slept longer than I
amount of time plants              change if they turned              would normally, I usually
spent in the light by                   on the lights earlier?                 wake up hungrier.
turning off the lights after
an 8-hour day instead
of their normal 12-hour
day to test if the plants
used energy just as
efficiently.                  


Works Cited
McLaughlin, M. (2015). What Do We Know About Reading Comprehension?. In M. McLaughlin (Ed.), Content Area Reading: Teaching and Learning for College and Career Readiness (pp. 30-48). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Probst, R.E., (1987). Transactional Theory in the Teaching of Literature. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-926/theory.htm

Framing Our Reading

My partner, Jess, and I decided on using the article Math Explains How Lobsters Swim, found here: http://news.discovery.com/animals/math-explains-how-lobsters-swim-140909.htm. I When we graduate I will be a Biology teacher and Jess will be a Math teacher, so I decided that I liked this article because the information touched on both biology and math. Specifically for biology, this article teaches students about the neural pathway, which allows for the lobsters to swim. This article also shows students a connection between math and science and although I won't be specifically teaching students all the ways science and math go hand in hand, I think it is beneficial to remind students that both science and math are important due to this relationship between the two content areas.

The text frames concepts, as well as connecting the dots between content areas. The concepts of biology include the neural system and how it affects movement. The article shows that math can solve questions pertaining to the biological world.

The reading strategy that I chose to use for this article is the B/D/A Questioning Charts. I like this strategy because it allows students to focus on what they need to know as they are learning information about the neural pathway. It also allows students to learn how to pose questions and think critically while reading a text.

Questions before reading should focus on how neural pathways play a part in movement and, more specifically to this article, how lobsters move. While reading, students should focus on information such as the most efficient way for lobsters to swim and how lobsters, specifically, go about this type of movement. Lastly, after reading students should focus on asking questions about information they still didn't understand. One such question could be what is the Mexican wave-style swimming.