Evidence-based Inclusive Instructional Strategies for Supporting Students with High-incidence Disabilities
Overview
This product was developed with preservice teacher needs in mind. Preservice teachers are often nervous about working with students with disabilities. The resources shared here are ideas that can be generalized to multiple classroom settings, for all different ages.
Unit Introduction
This course is currently scheduled online with asynchronous weekly modules throughout the semester. The class will meet synchronously five times throughout the semester, with two of those meetings during these three units. Our insitution uses Canvas for the LMS, and students will be accessing google docs, slides, etc. through our class canvas page. Some of the apps such as flipgrid or jamboard are accessible through canvas, while others will be accessed directly online.
.
Introduction:
This module introduces strategies to support students with high-incidence disabilities in the inclusive classroom, while students are working to master state standards. These units will be in the Learners with Exceptionalities course that is a required course of all preservice teachers at our institution. Students with high-incidence disabilities have a wide variety of academic, behavioral, and organizational challenges, with no two students identical in their needs. After completing these three units, the preservice teachers will have a number of strategies to implement in their future classroom.
Audience:
The intended audience are preservice teachers in a university Educator Preparation Program.
Length of course:
Each unit will be for one week of a fifteen week course. Students will have previously studied special education laws, as well as all of the disability categories. The three units will be supplemental to the material from the course text.
Unit-level outcomes:
Preservice teachers will:
1. Investigate strategies to support academic, behavioral, and organizational needs of students will high-incidence disabilities.
2. Identify strategies they feel will be appropriate for the age of students, and the certification area, they are seeking to work with in schools.
3. Select strategies in each unit that would enhance instruction and a supportive, inclusive environment in their certification area.
Technology requirements:
Students in this course will need access to a computer with internet access.
Students will need to be able to use Word or Google Docs to submit some assignments.
Students will use the internet to access different apps for assignment completion.
Time requirements:
Students will need about an hour a week to collaborate with peers online.
Students will have two synchronous meetings during these three weeks, as per course schedule. Meetings will be one hour in length.
Course Key Assignment:
The Key Assignment for all sections of this course is the Characteristics of an Individual with a Disability paper. Preservice teachers select one of the disability categories to research in more depth, being encouraged to select a category they will encounter in their certification area. One section of this assignment is for the students to create a case study with a hypothetical student in the category. Then they are to research and select strategies for working with that student. The units two and three will provide an opportunity to overlap with this key assignment as students study the strategies.
Unit 1 Content: Differentiation in the Inclusive Classroom
Unit Introduction:
Differentiated instruction and learning activities are a key piece of students with disabilities being successful in the general education inclusive classroom. In this unit, we will study differentiation in more detail. The above graphic illustrates each pair of students working differently, yet productively. The core principles explain differentiation can be to the content, process, or product, or any combination. Teachers make these decisions based on the content to be mastered, and the individual students interests and needs. The readings and videos in this unit's content will explain and demonstrate this in more detail.
Unit Objectives:
Preservice teachers will study and demonstrate knowledge of the core principles of differentiated inclusive classrooms.
Preservice teachers will identify and explain three ideas, from the unit resources, that will facilitate content mastery in their future classroom.
Unit Content:
According to the Association for Curriculum and Development (ASCD (Links to an external site.)) (Links to an external site.), there are many reasons why differentiation works. MacKenzie Masten stated that differentiation has many benefits including:
- Differentiation of instruction is proactive
- Differentiation of instruction is more qualitative than quantitative
- Differentiation of instruction has its foundation in assessment
- Differentiation of instruction is taking multiple approaches to content, process, and product
- Differentiation of instruction is student-centered
- Differentiation of instruction is a blend of whole class, group, and individual instruction
- Differentiation of instruction is organic and dynamic
--Masten, M. (2017). 7 reasons why differentiation of instruction works. ASCD InService. Retrieved from: http://inservice.ascd.org/7-reasons-why-differentiated-instruction-wo
Watch:
Watch:
View the instructor narrated slides for key information for this unit.
Read and Study Strategies:
Strategies That Differentiate Instruction
Teacher Tested Strategies for Differentiated Instruction
Read Chapter 1 of:
- Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms (Links to an external site.)by Carol Ann Tomlinson and Susan Dimersky Allan
- *Tomilnson, C. & Allan, S. (2000). Leadership for differentiating schools & classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- Chapter 1: Understanding Differentiated Instruction
Read:
Culturally Responsive Differentiated Instructional Strategies
Unit 1 Activities: Differentiation
Watch:
IRIS Module for study:
Differentiated Instruction: Maximizing the Learning of All Students You will be answering the 5 Assessment Questions in the next section.
Unit 1 Assessment: Differentiation
Unit Assessment Activities:
1. Upon completion of the IRIS Module on differentiation, use the link provided to go to our Padlet wall. You will find space for you to respond to the five assessment prompts found at the end of the module. Paraphrase your responses in your own words.
2. Create an infographic, using a tool of your choice, to define or illustrate the following: Supportive Learning Environments, Continuous Assessment, High Quality Curriculum, Respectful Tasks, and Flexible Grouping.
3. With the assigned peers of similar certification areas, discuss strategies that would be helpful and enhancing in your future classroom. As a small group, create a word document that identifies a minimum of three strategies from this unit, and provide examples of each.
Assessments 2 and 3 will be submitted on Canvas.
Unit 2 Content: Inclusive Instructional Strategies
Unit Introduction:
The TEKS drive all instruction and assessment in the Texas classrooms. The TEKS identify what is to be taught in each class or course. If you study several grade levels of the TEKS closely, you will be able to see how the content and skills spiral through the years, becoming more complex and involving more higher level thinking. For students with high-incidence disabilities to be successful in the inclusive classroom, teachers must identify the instructional strategies that will match the needs of each of these learners.
Each district has a Scope and Sequence for each grade level/course that is vertically and horizontally aligned. This Scope and Sequence is the "road map" for the content/standards that are to be covered in that grading period. The district is directing what is going to be covered each grading period to make sure all students are ready for the standardized assessments. The teachers at the campus level decide how they are going to teach the content and what assessments they will use to determine student success. This is where we typically see a lot of authentic assessments with student products and participation, and learning activities and strategies that engage the learner so they are not sitting passively. Many districts have curriculum staff that create materials and resources for teachers to use, as well as identify appropriate technology. This is where we target our efforts for the students with disabilities, so that we are ready to provide inclusive strategy options to individualize for the students.
Of the high-incidence disability categories, specific learning disabilities is the largest group. However, we may have students in other high-incidence categories that need this same instructional strategies to be successful in the inclusive classroom.The Legal Framework of Texas defines as: "Specific learning disability (SLD) is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language that is spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations: 1) The term includes conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia; and 2) The term does not include a learning problem that is primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of an intellectual disability, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage." More information can be found at The Legal Framework of Texas.
SLDs are the most common of the high-incidence disabilities in the classroom. Students wil SLDs may also be identified as gifted learners. Students in inclusive classrooms may be in other disability categories as well. These students are most frequently in the general education classroom and following the instruction on the TEKS. As identified in their IEP, they may or may not receive accommodations or services from a specialist.
Unit Objectives:
Preservice teachers will examine, discuss, and utilize identified strategies in simulated activities, individually and with peers.
Preservice teachers will identify three strategies to support the content and age of their intended students.
Unit Content:
Watch:
The instructor created and narrated slides on key unit information.
Read:
Read chapters 1 and 5 in the following book. This information helps the teacher understand the importance of authentic and formative checking for understanding continually throughout the school day. Through this CfU, the teacher will be able to make decisions about differentiation and instructional strategies.
Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom
For students to be successful on summative assessments, teachers need to carefully select the formative assessments and strategies that they will use to scaffold for the students with disabilities to master the content.
The differences between formative and summative assessment infographic
Bloom's Taxonomy is a critical tool for teachers to use in the classroom as they plan instructional activities and strategies, as well as assessments. The examples of different types of student engagement in the levels is another tool for the teacher to use to select instructional strategies. Often a student with disabilities will need to work on a concept in more than one format, and Bloom's provides many examples and options.
The Best Resources for Helping Teachers Use Bloom's Taxonomy in the Classroom
Unit 2 Activities: Inclusive Instructional Strategies
1. Synchronous Class Meeting: This week we will have a class meeting via zoom to discuss differentiation and instructional strategies.
2. IRIS Modules on Study Skills Strategies:
Unit 2 Assessment: Inclusive Instructional Strategies
Unit Assessment Activities:
1. With your assigned partner, You are going to create your own Graphic Organizer to present your information. Here are some examples of GOs that are popular in K-12 settings. Graphic Organizers. There is also a resource in the content section for GOs.You are free to choose an existing style of GO or create one of your choice. You will use your GO to identify, define and illustrate 5 instructional strategies from Unit 1 or 2 materials, that will support the inclusive classroom.
2. Flipgrid video - After completing the two IRIS modules on Study Skills Strategies, select 2 assessment prompts from each, four total, and respond with your understandings in a Flipgrid video. Use the Flipgrid tab on our Canvas page.
3. Participate in synchronous class meeting.
Unit 3 Content: Inclusive Behavioral Strategies
Students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities can be found in any of the disability categories. Often times, students who are struggling with their academics and self-esteem later develop behavioral problems as well. There are categories that are specific for students with emotional and behavioral issues. They are:
1. Emotional Disturbance
2. OHI - ADD and ADHD
3. Autism
Unit Objectives:
Preservice teachers will examine, discuss, and utilize identified strategies in simulated activities, individually and with peers.
Preservice teachers will identify three inclusive behavioral strategies for the age level(s) of their certification area.
View instructor narrated slides on unit content.
Read:
Dodging the Power-Struggle Trap: Ideas for Teachers
72 Accommodations That Can Help Students with ADHD
Unit 3 Activities: Inclusive Behavioral Strategies
1. Synchronous Class Meeting:
Using the tool, Nine Questions to Ask When Prioritizing Target Behaviors, students will participate in a small group discussion, through zoom, to discuss example behaviors using these prompts.
2. View the following videos:
Unit 3 Assessment: Inclusive Behavioral Strategies
Unit Assessment Activities:
1. Participation in Synchronous class meeting.
2. Creating a T-chart or table, identify 3 problem behaviors for the ages of your certification area, and then identify a behaivor strategy to use for each behavior. Explain why you selected that strategy.