T/TAC Topics
December 2020
|
|
Expanding your teacher toolbox across learning environments |
|
With a change in where instruction is being provided, teachers have had to look at how to adapt some of their favorite tools in their toolboxes. In our library at the TTAC at VCU, we have two of Paula Kluth’s books, From Tutor Scripts to Talking Sticks, 100 Ways to Differentiate Instruction in the K-12 Inclusive Classroom and From Text Maps to Memory Caps, 100 More Ways to Differentiate Instruction in K-12 Inclusive Classrooms, which are bursting with creative ideas to enhance a teacher’s toolbox. While many of the ideas presented in these books have been used for face-to-face instruction, here are some ideas to adapt them for distance learning. Some of the activities can be implemented during virtual instruction, while others may require the support of family members to implement them out at home.
Providing Opportunities for Movement
- A Break Jar
- Create a break jar using color-coded sticks that identify a movement that can be done. The colored sticks can be differentiated by representing different lengths of time the movement break will last.
- Play Simon Says by pulling out sticks that indicate a movement and number of times to perform that movement.
- Create a virtual jar using a choice board with embedded links to different videos that provide students with movement breaks.
- Embedding Movement
- Embed an animated Giphy in a slide presentation to plan for movement breaks.
- Play a game of math fact Frisbee by writing an open-ended math fact (e.g., 8 x _ =) on the top of the Frisbee. Have students toss the Frisbee, say a fact, answer it, toss it. (a set of the math facts can be taped on the underside of the Frisbee as a visual cue)
- Walk it to Know it
- Use sidewalk chalk to create obstacle courses where students have to answer questions or follow a sequence of directions to make their way through the course.
- If sending home paper packets, include pre-printed sheets of paper with timeline dates, sequence of steps, or a series of events for students to practice laying out on the floor and then walking through the sequence to help build understanding.
Enhancing Learning
- Hello! My name is___.
- Have students create name tags of book characters, famous people in history, landforms, or other names or titles related to the unit of study. These name tags could be used to form breakout groups, allow students to tell others about their name tag, or provide a visual reminder of information either face-to-face or virtually.
- Use name tags to pose questions for others to ask of the students to reinforce concepts and allow students to practice asking and answering questions.
- Have students change their name on the screen during virtual learning to match a character in a book or historical figure.
-
Plant a Question (a way to help students learn to ask questions)
- Have students create questions, to be answered by the teacher, that are relevant to the content or standard being taught.
- Plan content questions on an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device for students to ask.
- Put a question in the chat box for a student to ask the teacher.
- Purposeful Fidgets
- Create content-focused coloring books for students to color in as the information is shared by the teacher.
- Create a calendar book using a binder and Velcro pictures/numbers that allow students to follow along and do what the teacher is doing during circle time.
- Use laminated infographics and pictures to create a purposeful puzzle (e.g., landforms, water cycle, sequence of steps or events).
Motivating Students
- Human Billboard
- Teachers wear large pieces of paper or poster board during face-to-face or virtual instruction to remind students of important images, facts, vocabulary words, ideas, or quotes.
- For younger students, use them to reinforce numbers, letters and sight words.
- If you love a game of Headbands, it could be another way to engage students in helping you guess what you have placed in your headband.
- Social Skills Slam Book
- Follow the link and use these ideas to help students who ask repetitive questions when anxious. Use pictures of peers with speech bubbles to provide the answers on book pages.
- Keep pictures of classmates on a ring with information they have shared about themselves to build classroom community.
- Create a special interests book using a preferred person with a speech bubble to share information.
Checkout Paula Kluth’s books to find other ideas you might be able to add to your teacher toolkit.
Kluth, P. (2010). From tutor scripts to talking sticks: 100 ways to differentiate instruction in K-12 inclusive classrooms. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Kluth, P. (2013). From text maps to memory caps, 100 more ways to differentiateinstruction in K-12iInclusivecClassrooms. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.
Digital resources
For more information, contact Jackie Neidle (neidlejm@vcu.edu), Program Specialist T/TAC at VCU.
|
|
Using “Snack Talks” to embed social skills instruction into mealtime |
Administrators, teachers, and staff are navigating difficult choices to keep everyone safe while educating and providing services to students. Additional concerns about widening achievement gaps and students’ mental wellness are driving decisions about the options available to each age group. In the classroom, teachers are encouraged to prioritize social emotional learning. The research base established by Hemmeter, Synder, Fox, & Algina (2016) suggests that in preschool classrooms, teachers should implement social and emotional learning by establishing nurturing and responsive relationships with their students while creating a supportive environment. Given the challenges this school year presents while families are choosing between virtual, hybrid, and in person options, how do early childhood teachers foster inclusive and caring learning communities while supporting a range of needs across the developmental continuum?
A recently published article in Young Exceptional Children, titled “Using “Snack Talk” to Support Social Communication in Inclusive Preschool Classrooms,” highlights several recommended practices from the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children worth considering to develop relationships with young children in the context of supportive environments (Gauvreau, 2019). The author suggests taking advantage of the rich language and social opportunities that mealtimes offer by embedding social skills instruction along with supplemental modifications and accommodations. The guidelines for using “Snack Talks” are as follows:
- Teachers create cards using photographs or picture symbols to represent children’s interests (e.g., favorite toys, activities, foods, people, and places) and other mealtime materials (e.g., napkins, cups, plates, utensils).
- Teachers share the topic question with all children at the table (e.g., what do you like to do on the weekend?).
- Teachers begin by modeling how to use “Snack Talk” by sharing their response to the topic question.
- If necessary, teachers ask individual children the question, paired with the appropriate level of prompting, to encourage a response. Then, they prompt them, as needed, to ask another child.
- Teachers ensure that all children have an opportunity to participate by asking and answering questions.
- “Snack Talk” cards are accessible to all children to promote independent use with peers (Gauvreau, 2019).
In light of the challenges this school year presents, preschool teachers are coming up with creative ways to build caring classroom communities for all their students. A strategy like “Snack Talk” is another option for supporting meaningful participation for all children as they move between distance and in person learning.
Resource
References
Gauvreau, A. (2019). Using “snack talk” to support social communication in inclusive preschool classrooms. Young Exceptional Children, 22(4), 198-213.
Hemmeter, M. L., Snyder, P. A., Fox, L., & Algina, J. (2016). Evaluating the implementation of the Pyramid Model for promoting social emotional competence in early childhood classrooms. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 36, 133-146.
For more information, contact Mary Tobin (metobin@vcu.edu), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
|
|
|
Turning high- poverty schools into high-performing schools |
|
Parrett & Budge’s (2020) book, Turning High-Poverty Schools into High-Performing Schools, offers an enlightening look at an equity-informed, evidence-based framework for understanding various low socioeconomic disparities that exist with an action-oriented approach for eliminating those disparities. Understanding how schools with high poverty can close achievement gaps and perform at a high level is something non-high performing schools aspire to achieve. This book is not created as one specific practice or theory that will be applicable to all schools with underperforming academics. Rather, it is a guide to the use of its practices, research, and practical ideas for your unique environment.
Educators from high-poverty high-performing (HP/HP) schools were interviewed and identified three ideas for success: excellence, equality, and equity. When examining these three components, they identified themes that could be used in part or whole across any educational setting in America. These three ideas are essential to educators from HP/HP schools:
- Excellence. Having high expectations is at the root of turning high poverty schools into high performing schools. Parrett & Budge (2020) suggest “that one cannot compromise on excellence at the cost of equality and equity, you will have to excel at all three”- (p.12). Educators in HP/HP schools are encouragers and motivators. Educators model high expectations and are persistent in efforts to support all students, including using tools for social-emotional learning.
- Equality. Equality by nature gives all students the same type of support and resources but not necessarily examining the individual needs of the students. For example, all students will meet the same high expectations for success by being college-ready. This example provides a commitment to an equitable opportunity for learning. Equality in itself may not be enough to move student achievement from low achieving to high-performing. Providing students with access to the curriculum gives them the biggest opportunity to succeed.
- Equity. Equity is giving students an equitable distribution of resources such as time, money, or people. “In HP/HP schools, all students do not get the same thing - all students get what they need to succeed” (Parrett & Budge, 2020, p. 13). Equity provides teachers the opportunity to customize the tools that can identify and address the inequalities prevalent in schools. One specific equity practice mentioned in the text was using a framework to disrupt the poverty cycle. We have to remember that “poverty looks different in every community” (Parrett & Budge, 2020, p. 69), and as educators, we must know the community in which we serve. Educators must be vested in the community and understand the culture and climate of the school and the community they support.
Turning high-poverty schools into high performing schools provides practical insight for teams to examine evidence-based practices to change the trajectory of a school.
Reference
Parrett, W. H., & Budge, K. M. (2020). Turning high-poverty schools into high-performing schools (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
For more information, contact LaTonja Wright (wrightly2@vcu.edu), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
