Seminar IIIST Intern

Chapter 9

Teaching Diverse

Learners

Teaching Diverse Learners

· Analyze personal learning styles and intelligences.

· Identify methods schools can use to help gifted and talented learners and students with special needs reach their potential.

· Develop classroom strategies for ensuring an atmosphere of respect for all students.

· Identify the difficulties English language learners face and how classroom teachers can help them.

Objectives:

Varied learning experiences encourages success among

diverse learners.· When a child moves to the United States

they might feel like they do not fit into schools. Some might have issues with the culture, not know what to expect from the teachers, have physical, social, emotional, or mental challenges.

· Every student comes into the classroom with unique combinations of experiences, expectations, and abilities.

· However, learning diversity (differences in learning based on abilities, interests, or experiences) is also what gives schools their richness.

Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

· There is a continual desire and push to improve education.

· One of the biggest concerns today is how to help all students learn effectively, not just most.

· When teachers better understand the differences in how students learn, they can more effectively teach in ways that maximize learning for more students.

Learning Styles· People learn in different ways.

Learning styles are the methods individuals prefer and find most effective to absorb and process information.· The three learning styles are:

· Visual learners-learn best by seeing· Auditory learners-learn most easily by

hearing or listening to information· Kinesthetic-tactile learners-learn best by

performing hands-on or physical activities.

Visual Learners

· Characteristics of Visual Learners:· Prefers written and visual materials· Remembers details of how things look· Takes detailed notes· Often distracted by movement· Doodles· Prefers written directions

Learning Strategies:· Reading· Photos, diagrams, charts· Powerpoint presentations· Films, television· Flashcards

Auditory Learners· Lecturing is considered the least effective

teaching method, auditory learns get the most from lectures.Characteristics:· Prefers to listen to information· Sounds and songs stimulate memory· Takes incomplete notes· Often distracted by sounds or talking· Prefers oral directions

Learning Strategies:· Lectures, explanations· Discussions· Listening to recording· Films, television· Reading aloud· Repeating information

Kinesthetic-Tactile Learners

· Kinesthetic refers to using bodily movement. Tactile refers to touch.

· Characteristics:· Prefers to learn by doing· Remembers how things were done· May not take notes· Often distracted by movement· Finds it difficult to sit still· Prefers directions with examples

Learning Strategies:• Demonstrations• Hands-on activities dramatizing• Models labs, experiments• Projects singing, clapping• Field trips games

Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences

· Howard Gardner of Harvard University published multiple intelligences-each person possesses all types of intelligences, but to a different degree.

· His theory has affected education by prompting many schools and teachers to take a broader view of intelligence.

Tapping individual learning strengths

· Understanding student potential· Using varied teaching techniques· Allowing more student choices· Helping individual learners· Helping all learners

Two groups of exceptional learners

· Gifted and talented· Learners with special needs

· Exceptional learners- students who are gifted, talented, or have special needs, such as a disability, and need, or can benefit from, programs matched to their abilities and potential.

Gifted and talented learners

· Students who have abilities that are significantly greater than those of others their age and have exceptional potential.

· Gifted-most often refers to those who excel academically.

· Talented-is more often used for those who have outstanding skills in other areas, such as music, art, theater, dance, or leadership.

Supporting gifted and talented learners

· Providing in-class enrichment· Using self-paced learning

· Self-paced learning-allows students to spend the amount of time they personally need to master concepts.

· Skipping a grade· Attending special schools

· Magnet schools-organized to emphasize a particular subject.

· (conti)

G/T conti· Providing pull-down programs

· Pull-out programs-students leave regualer classes to participate in educational sessions geared toward specific needs.

· Participating in extracurricular programs.

· Taking advanced classes (community colleges, etc)

Learners with special needs

· The term special needs-includes a broad range of physical, mental, social, and behavioral challenges that impact learning.

· After the Education of All Handicapped Children Act in 1975 public schools are required to provide students with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment possible.

Individual Education Program (IEP)

· Individual Education Program (IEP)-developed by a team that includes:

· Child’s parent or guardian· One or more regular classroom teachers· A special education teacher· School counselor· Psychologist· Administrator It is a written plan for providing a student

with the most appropriate opportunity for learning.

Meeting the needs of students with

disabilities· Mainstreaming-Students are placed in one or more

regular classes based on their excepted ability to keep up with the standard curriculum.

· Inclusion-the only requirement is that the student will benefit from the class. (to gain social interaction skills, etc)

· Special Education- provides adapted programs, extra staff, and specialized equipment or learning environments or material to help students with special needs to learn.

Cultural Diversity· Part of this nations strength comes from the

fact that people with different backgrounds, languages, races, and religions have come together to form one society.

· Ethnicity-refers to a particular racial, national, or cultural group including that group’s customs, beliefs, values, and often language and religion.

Diversity to enrich learning

· Those who embrace diversity, it can offer a competitive edge.

· School administrators set the overall tone for a school regarding diversity.

· Teachers who model acceptance, develop policies of tolerance, and incorporate interest in culture into learning create a positive atmosphere for learning.· Stereotype-preconcieved generalizations about certain groups of

people-and prejudice have no place in schools or workplaces.

Language Diversity· There are programs to help

English language learners:· Limited English Proficiency (LEP):

students who are not proficient in English

· English language learners (ELL):students whose native language is not English and who are not yet proficient in the English language.

Helping English LanguageLearners

· Teachers must be innovative· Younger children pick up the oral

skills quicker than older students· Speak clearly· Print assignments on the board· Summarize· demonstrate

The challenge of teaching diverse

learners· Teachers can help their students

by the philosophy of teaching called differentiated instruction to maximize learning for all students.

· Differentiated instruction-a teacher often provides options for learning a topic or skill.