The Inspirational Teacher Series – Nicole Eredics We have started a weekly feature on Special Education Advisor called the “Inspirational Teacher Series“. Our goal is to help SEA readers understand the hard work and dedication educators put forth every day. We also want to highlight the positive experiences of educating our students with a disability. Today is our very first installment of the Inspirational Teacher Series and I couldn’t think of a better person to start with than inclusion specialist, Nicole Eredics. 1. What is your name? Nicole Eredics 2. Bachelor of Education, Elementary Concentration 3. Dedicated and passionate about the things I love – my family, my work and my life! 4. www.theinclusiveclass.com 5. 18 years 6. Inclusive classrooms from grades K-7 7. Universal Design for Learning, RTI, Assistive Technology, ABA and a variety of other accommodations/modifications as outlined in IEPs. 8. 9. 10. I have an organized and proactive approach to teaching. 11. 12. Through formal and informal meetings, emails, phone call and notes.
Tips for Writing Instructional Objectives - Bloom's Taxonomy Job Aids I am so delighted to see this post that includes Bloom's Taxonomy Wheels by ZaidLearn. I always find that it's far easier to design materials using these wheels than it is to see the verbs/products in lists. Many instructional designers can benefit from these job aids when trying to find the right action verbs for their objectives. Here are some wheels for the cognitive domain. Source: Source: Source: Bloom’s digital taxonomy. Have fun, designers! Ways To Differentiate Instruction - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo (This is the first post in a two-part series on differentiation) I posed this question last week: "What is the best advice you can give to a teacher about differentiating instruction?" I've shared my response in an Ed Week Teacher article that I've co-authored with my colleague, Katie Hull Sypnieski. It's titled "The Five By Five Approach To Differentiation Success." I'll limit my contribution here to sharing a useful link to The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction. Experts in the field, though, have agreed to share their responses here, so today I'm pleased to publish answers from Carol Tomlinson and Rick Wormeli. Response From Carol Tomlinson Carol Tomlinson is an internationally-recognized leader and author in the field of differentiated instruction. My journey with differentiation began in my middle school classroom when it was quite clear that my one-size-fits-all approach to teaching was, in fact, not fitting many of my students. There were many more questions, of course.
Classroom Strategies For Inclusion Of Students With Communication And Learning Disorders ContentIntroductionAbout Communications and Learning DisordersParental Suggestions to Give to TeachersIntroduction Teachers in typical classrooms who are faced with students in their classroom who have ADHD (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), SLD (Specific Learning Disability) and/or High Functioning Autistic Spectrum often experience the following feelings. * at a loss for what to do * wanting to pull hair out * overwhelmed * befuddled, confused and dismayed. Every trick of the academic trade teacher have used in the past to contain and direct typical students seem not to work with these students with Communications and Learning Disorders. * What to do? What we know about Communications and Learning Disorders is that: We know that there has been a great deal of coverage on ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Autistic Spectrum on TV, in newspapers, in professional journals and elsewhere in the public eye. * distracted * disorganized * fidgety * impulsive These students are frequently 1.
OER Commons The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction My colleague Katie Hull-Sypnieski is leading a February 1st Education Week Webinar on differentiating instruction, and I would strongly encourage people to participate. Katie’s the best teacher I’ve ever seen…. In addition, Katie and I have co-authored a piece for Education Week Teacher on the topic that will be appearing there soon (it’s appeared: The Five By Five Approach To Differentiation Success), and an upcoming post in my blog there will be talking about it, too (that two part series has also appeared). Also, check out The Best “Fair Isn’t Equal” Visualizations. Given all that, a “The Best…” post was inevitable, and here it is. Here are my choices for The Best Resources On Differentiating Instruction: The Best Places To Get The “Same” Text Written For Different “Levels” Busting Myths about Differentiated Instruction is by Rick Wormeli. Reconcilable Differences? Deciding to Teach Them All is by Carol Ann Tomlinson. Here’s a slide from a Rick Wormeli presentation: Related January 11, 2015
Mystery Cube The Mystery Cube interactive has been changed to a new format: the Cube Creator. Summarizing information is an important postreading and prewriting activity that helps students synthesize what they have learned. The interactive Cube Creator offers four options: Bio Cube: This option allows students to develop an outline of a person whose biography or autobiography they have just read; it can also be used before students write their own autobiography. Specific prompts ask students to describe a person's significance, background, and personality. Mystery Cube: Use this option to help your students sort out the clues in their favorite mysteries or develop outlines for their own stories. Story Cube: In this cube option, students can summarize the key elements in a story, including character, setting, conflict, resolution, and theme. Create-Your-Own Cube: Working on a science unit? Students can save their draft cubes to revise later. Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Unit Bio Cube
Six Thinking Hats® Six Hats® ... A Critical and Creative Thinking Process that improves listening, speaking, reading and writing and is fun for ALL! Penn Hills PAGE Presentation " A special thank you to Franny for introducing me to the thinking hats and opening me up to becoming a better teacher by teaching my students to think about thinking." Jena Brodhead, Easton Area School District Improve academic performance in reading and writing with SIX THINKING HATS®. think using six strategies problem solve make clear decisions design quality questions self assess collaborate more effectively The Research -- "Develop Critical and Creative Thinking Skills: Put on Six Thinking Hats®," PA Educational Leadership During the workshop the teachers will collaborate to learn the Six Hats® process and apply it to their content areas and standards. Six Thinking Hats® Cards: Key Words, Applications, Standards, and Examples How to Differentiate Instruction Using Six Hats® and 6 Product Choices- PowerPoint Web Resources:
DSP | Teaching Students with Disabilities Mission of the Disabled Students' Program Responsibilities of the Disabled Students' Program Responsibilities of the Instructor Responsibilities of the Student General Suggestions on Teaching Students with Disabilities Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Teaching Students with Chronic Illness or Pain Teaching Students Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities Teaching Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Teaching Students with Limited Manual Dexterity Teaching Students with Mobility Impairments Teaching Students with Psychological Disabilities Teaching Students with Speech Impairments Teaching Students with Visual Disabilities How DSP Can Assist Instructors at UC Berkeley Mission of the Disabled Students' Program A note about our usage of the words "disabled" and "disability": In law, University policies, and common parlance, terms like "disabled" and "disability" have a variety of meanings, many of which are contextual.
Ten Takeaway Tips for Teaching Critical Thinking Suggestions from educators at KIPP King Collegiate High School on how to help develop and assess critical-thinking skills in your students. Ideally, teaching kids how to think critically becomes an integral part of your approach, no matter what subject you teach. But if you're just getting started, here are some concrete ways you can begin leveraging your students' critical-thinking skills in the classroom and beyond. 1. Questioning is at the heart of critical thinking, so you want to create an environment where intellectual curiosity is fostered and questions are encouraged. In the beginning stages, you may be doing most of the asking to show your students the types of questions that will lead to higher-level thinking and understanding. 2. Pose a provocative question to build an argument around and help your students break it down. 3. 4. "It all comes back to modeling," says Kellan McNulty, who teaches AP world history and AP U.S. history at KIPP King Collegiate. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Earlychildhood NEWS - Article Reading Center In many preschools and child care programs today you can find a growing number of special-needs children. These children have disabilities ranging from hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, speech and language difficulties, blindness, deafness, mental retardation, and physical impairments. Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our society is becoming better equipped to meet the needs and challenges of these special children. Unfortunately, many daycare providers have little to no special training to deal with these children. There are a few workshops available to help and more teachers are taking them. Unfortunately, many of the strategies for teaching these kids depends on the use of technology that many providers do not have access to. The most important thing to remember is to communicate with the parents on a daily basis. Circle YimeThe easiest way to include a special needs child is to have them sit either in a lap or beside an adult.
Students with Disabilities | Imagine Learning Five Key Components of Reading No more roadblocks to reading. Students with disabilities often struggle to acquire basic reading skills. Research indicates that these students benefit from instruction that is explicit and sequenced, ensuring that key prerequisite skills are met before more complex tasks are required. Imagine Learning provides explicit instruction in five basic reading skills: phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Explicit instruction in phonological awareness phonics fluency vocabulary comprehension Vocabulary Development A better way to learn the lingo. Vocabulary knowledge directly influences comprehension, so students with disabilities who struggle with comprehension need all the extra vocabulary instruction they can get. Contextualized instruction in basic vocabulary academic vocabulary content-specific vocabulary Listening Comprehension Help students develop an ear for understanding. Speaking (Songs, Chants, Conversations)