Social Change for Academically Diverse Learners

Social Change for Academically Diverse LearnersBy Heather McMahill

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Addressing the needs of the Academically Diverse LearnersAll educators share the task of helping every student achieve his or her full potential. Each classroom has diversity in their needs and interests including student motivation, prior knowledge, skills, learning styles, multiple intelligences, interests and backgrounds.

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Addressing the needs of the Academically Diverse LearnersTo utilize each students abilities, it is vital for educators to regard each student as an individual able to make progress. Supporting student diversity is key in curriculum development.

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Addressing the needs of the Academically Diverse LearnersIdentify cultural identities.Relationship building.Assessment.Determine abilities and strengths.Analyze the data.Design and implement instruction based on the data.Determine instructional levels.Differentiated instruction so that all needs are met.Flexible grouping for interventions and targeted instruction.Instruction is receptive and respectful of students needs and abilities.

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Roles of the Literacy TeamPrincipal-Facilitates team norms, encourages, and reinforces.Literacy Coach- Offers support, guidance, and help to the teachers. Helps teachers learn and expand teaching strategies. Special Education Department- Assists in making interventions and assessments based on student needs.Title One Teacher- Helps analyze data; develop interventions, and supports classroom teachers with the implementations of interventions.Classroom teachers- Main student contact. Collects and analyzes data, provides differentiated instruction and interventions.T.A.G.- Helps in identifying and providing differentiated instruction to high achieving students.Team- Provides support to all students including suggestions and help with interventions based on data analysis. All Staff- Provides support to all students including suggestions and help with interventions.

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Benefits of Literacy TeamsWhen a school develops a literacy team, they become a professional community using best instructional practices and the learning is the shared responsibility of all members (Cobb, 2005). The literacy team supports all teachers and students.The literacy team makes united decisions based on collected data. The literacy team make certain that all students have the materials and instructional supports needed to be successful.When people collaborate and share their efforts and base of knowledge, the outcome is greater than the aggregate of their efforts as individuals (Nappi, 2014, p. 29).

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Challenges of Literacy TeamsTeam member differences.Individuals not able to commit their team role.Literacy ideas may not be supported.Time restraints.

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Overcoming Literacy Team ChallengesDevelop and enforce team norms.Create goals for PLC time.Be prepared for PLC data analysis.Be vulnerable. Support differing opinions in order to support the literacy growth for students.Support roles by having check-ins. Set PLC time in advance.

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Community OutreachParent, family, and community involvement in education correlates with higher academic performance and school improvement (NEA, 2008). Family nights.Parent teacher associations.Communication between home and school.Volunteers in the classroom and school.Tutoring services.

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Social ChangeInitiative to lead and inspire others to create change. Social change starts with one student at a time.Educators help prepare students to be active citizens in todays world. It is vital that schools partner with outside organizations and companies to provide resources for our students and their families.

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ReferencesCobb, C. (2005). Literacy teams: Sharing leadership to improve student learning. Reading Teacher, 58(5), 472. Nappi, J. S. (2014). The teacher leader: Improving schools by building social capital through shared leadership. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 80(4), 2934. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.NEA Education policy and practice department. (2008). Parent, family, community involvement in education. Washington, D.C. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/PB11_ParentInvolvement08.pdf

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