Differentiation Central

Differentiation Central

Visit the “DifferentiationCentral” website and review at least two videos of your choice.  In your post, summarize the big ideas of your two videos and discuss your perspective on differentiation and how this approach can meet the needs of a diverse classroom.  Additionally, what challenges will an educator have when trying to teach a lesson to a diverse group of learners?  Assume the class consists of students who are considered gifted, typical students and students with disabilities.

Week Six Learning Outcomes

This week students will:

• Summarize the effects that a visual impairment has on learning and development.
• Explain the effects that a hearing impairment has on learning.
• Hypothesize the prospective issues related to providing instruction to diverse groups of students, including gifted students.
• Compare/contrast persons with various disabilities.

Overview

Required Readings

1. Read from your text, Exceptional Lives Special Education in Today’s Schools:
   1. Chapter 14: Understanding Students with Hearing Loss
      • Chapter 14 discusses the identification, evaluation, and instructional practices for students with hearing loss.
   2. Chapter 15: Understanding Students with Visual Impairments, Including Blindness
      • Chapter 15 discusses the identification, evaluation, and instructional practices for students with visual impairments.
   3. Chapter 16:  Understanding Students who are Gifted and Talented
      • Chapter 16 discusses the identification, evaluation, and instructional practices for students who are gifted and talented.
2. Beckman, P., & ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education, A. A. (2001). Access to the general education curriculum for students with disabilities. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from the ERIC database.
   1. • The full text version of this article is available through the ERIC database in the Ashford Library. This article discusses the educational benefits and strategies for providing students with disabilities access to the general education curriculum.

Required Website

1. Differentiationcentral (http://www.diffcentral.com/videos.html)
   1. • This website has various videos, articles, and resources related to differentiated instruction.

Recommended Readings

1. Center for Parent Information Resources (n.d.). Visual impairment, including blindness.  Retrieved fromhttp://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Blindness_Visual_Impairments&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=37&ContentID=5625

Discussions
To participate in the following discussions, go to this week’s Discussion link in the left navigation.

1. Sensory ImpairmentsDiscuss some of the learning needs of students with visual impairments (VI) and hearing impairments (HI).  How might the characteristics of each disability affect development and learning?  What accommodations could an educator make to address the needs of a student with each of these disabilities?  What are some important inclusion tips to support students with VI and students with HI in the general education classroom?

   Guided Response:  Review your classmates’ posts and respond with your own insights and perspectives on how to support students with VI or HI in an inclusive setting.  Do you agree with your classmates’ assertions regarding the needs of a student with a sensory impairment and how to support them in the classroom?  Why or why not?

   Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.

2. Diverse Learners and Differentiated Instruction Visit the DifferentiationCentral website and review at least two videos of your choice.  In your post, summarize the main ideas of your two videos and discuss your perspective on differentiation and how this approach can meet the needs of a diverse classroom.  Additionally, what challenges will an educator have when trying to teach a lesson to a diverse group of learners?  Assume the class consists of students who are considered gifted, typical students and students with disabilities.

   Guided Response:  Review your classmates’ posts and respond with your own insights on differentiation that you gained from the videos you watched and discussed.  Share your ideas for how differentiated instruction can help meet the needs of all learners.

   Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.

Journal
To complete the following journal, go to this week’s Journal link in the left navigation.
Course Reflections

Reflect upon your knowledge of each of the course learning objectives for ESE631.  Explain how you have demonstrated your knowledge and understanding of each concept through the discussions, journals, and assignments in the course.  What do you feel are your strengths?  Do you feel there is any particular area that you need/want to grow and improve in?

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entries.

End of Course Survey
To complete the following End of Course Survey, go to this week’s End of Course Survey link in the left navigation. End of Course Survey

After you have completed the End of Course Survey, please complete the one question quiz to receive your points. If for any reason you wish not to complete the survey, you may do so and still receive the 0.5 points by completing the one question quiz.

Final Project
To complete the following Final Project, go to this week’s Final Project link in the left navigation.

Professional Presentation

In an article from Beckman (2001) states,“Improved student learning requires teachers, schools, and districts to give up unproductive traditions and beliefs, replacing them with validated practices and a full understanding of the intent of the law.  Successful student access to the general education curriculum is most likely when there is general acceptance” of best practices in special education and adherence to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Scenario: 
You are a special education teacher and your principal is concerned about the general education teachers being aware of special education laws and strategies for supporting students with disabilities in the general education classroom. With this in mind, the principal has asked you to put together an in-service presentation for the next faculty meeting (with mostly general education teachers) that reviews important components of special education, the law, and research-based strategies for instruction and inclusion.

The presentation should address the following components:

1. Overview of IDEA, least restrictive environment (LRE), and free and appropriate public education (FAPE)
2. Describe the purpose and main components of an individualized education program (IEP)
3. Describe accommodations and modifications that could support students with disabilities in the classroom
4. Compare and contrast learning disabilities (LD) and emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD)
5. Compare and contrast LD and intellectual disabilities (ID)
6. Compare and contrast EBD and ID
7. Inclusion tips for each of the disability areas above (LD, EBD, ID)

The presentation should be 15 to 20 slides, not including title and reference slides.  The presentation should have a professional appearance and provide images and other visuals to engage the audience.  Further, each slide should include slide notes that elaborate on the content of the presentation slide.  APA format should be used for all in-text citations and references.  Utilize at least two scholarly sources in addition to your course text.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Answer Preview

There are several misconceptions that are identified to be among teachers when it comes to giving differentiated instructions. The first of this is that some of them think it is an extra activity. Most of the teachers…