EngageNY.org

Support for Students with Diverse Learning

Needs

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Purpose of this Session • Explore effective scaffolding and supports for

the NY ELA curriculum to meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities.

• Identify necessary instructional elements for schools and districts serving students in graders 3-12 who may be reading two or more grades below their grade level.

• Examine how differentiation can support diverse learners.

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Potential Challenges for Students with Diverse

Learning NeedsActivity:• At tables, create 4 header cards titled:

Reading, Listening & Speaking, Language, Writing.

• Considering typical ELA curriculum demands, instructional practices, and characteristics of students with disabilities and other struggling students, generate potential challenges (1 per card) as they relate to the topic on each header card.

Our FocusGiven the potential challenges we’ve identified for students with diverse learning needs:• How do we bridge the gap between where our

students are and where they need to be?• How can we use this curriculum to help our

students?

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Reflections on Rigorous Practices for Diverse

Learners • The least dangerous assumption is to presume

competence (Donellan,1994)• Watering up the curriculum (Ellis, 2002)• Abilities, efforts, talents viewed through a

growth mindset (Dweck, 2006)

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Reflections on Rigorous Practices for Diverse

Learners “The Myth of the Average: Variability Matters” (Jagged Learning Profile) (T. Rose, 2013)• 58 student, school, teacher, teaching, and curricula

influences on student learning with a .40 effect size or larger; only 3 home factors (Hattie, 2009)

Think and then discuss with a shoulder partner: • How do these reflections match or challenge your

beliefs about lesson planning and classroom, instructional, and assessment practices related to diverse learners?

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Accommodations and Modifications

Accommodations• Focus on the HOW• Provide multiple means and

opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery

• Provide equal access to instruction or assessment

• Reduce or eliminate the impact of the student’s disability

• Maintain the rigor of the content being taught

• Maintain achievement expectations

Modifications• Focus on the WHAT• Change the core content

standard or the performance expectation

• Are not designed to move students to independent mastery of the standards

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Try This: Where’s the Line?

• Read the standard in the Where’s the Line handout.

With a partner, discuss how you would teach students to meet this standard.

Then, brainstorm a list of instructional supports that might help struggling learners meet this standard.

For each support, discuss: Is this an accommodation/scaffold or a modification? Does the support help the learner to MEET the target or does it CHANGE the target?

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Adaptations for Diverse Learners

Partner Activity• Individually, read “Guidance For ELA

Scaffolding for Students with Disabilities” (5 minutes)

• With a partner, discuss the following (5 minutes):

What scaffolds and supports listed here reflect the reading, listening & speaking, language, or writing challenges I’ve found in my classroom?

Which supports have I already used with my students, and which would I like to try? What challenges do I foresee in applying these supports in my classroom?

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DifferentiationLarge group discussion:

o Why differentiate?o What does differentiation look like in the

classroom?

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Characteristics of Effective Differentiated

Instruction• Provide all students the opportunity to explore and apply key concepts and to achieve success.

• Provide frequent formative interpretation to monitor students’ path to success in the learning intention. [effect size .9 (Hattie, 2009)]

• Use flexible grouping to make the most of opportunities created by difference and commonality. [effect size .74 reciprocal teaching; effect size .59-cooperperative vs. Individualistic; learning; effect size .54 –cooperative vs. competitive-Hattie, 2009)]

• Engage students in an active manner to explore and reach success targets. [effect size .72 student-teacher relationships; effect size .61 problem solving teaching]

Tomlinson (1995)

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DifferentiationDifferentiation relates more to addressing students’ different phases of learning from novice to capable to proficient rather than merely providing different activities to different groups or students.

John Hattie (2012)

Differentiate the HOW, not the WHAT

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Differentiation Rubric• Rate your current practices on the

Differentiation Rubric using the description for each number on the Likert scale.

• Based on what you know and have learned today, outline specific steps you can take to enhance your current practices in at least one area.

• Be ready to share at your table.

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Recommended Elements• Guided Reading/Accountable Independent

Reading (GRAIR)• Integrated skills/comprehension strategy

instruction with Grade-level complex texts • CCSS Aligned ELA/Literacy Curriculum,

adapted as needed• Frequent opportunities for formative

assessment• Time in the day to overwhelm the problem

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Module 9.3, Unit 1, Lesson 2

• Examine the lesson through the lens of potential challenges for students with diverse learning needs (e.g., instructional moves, student expectations, instructional materials)

• Use the Guidance Document, Differentiation Rubric, and your own expertise, to choose and notate a specific adaptation, scaffold, and/or differentiated classroom practices that target the specific learning need

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Module 10.1 Unit 3, Lesson 9

• Examine the lesson through the lens of potential challenges for students with diverse learning needs (e.g., instructional moves, student expectations, instructional materials)

• Use the Guidance Document, Differentiation Rubric, and your own expertise, to choose and notate a specific adaptation, scaffold, and/or differentiated classroom practices that target the specific learning need

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Discussion & ReflectionCapture one idea for each statement on your Session Reflection Note Catcher. Be sure to tweet one takeaway #NTIny

o “The academic growth of students with diverse learning needs is directly tied to our belief in their ability to be successful.” Reflect on this statement.

o Describe 2 specific scaffolds, adaptations, or supports that maintain rigorous instruction while supporting students with disabilities in ELA.

o Specify how a particular differentiation practice supports students with disabilities.

Q & A

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CONFIDENTIAL – DO NOT CIRCULATEEngageNY.org

Online Parking LotPlease go to

www.engageny.org/resource/network-team-institute-materials-february-4-7-2014

and select “Online Parking Lot” for any NYSED related questions.

Thank You!