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The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has created disruptions to our lives in ways unimaginable just a few weeks ago. As we adjust and navigate the changes to our daily lives, we at the VDOE's T/TAC at VCU recognize the challenges school personnel face. We hope the
resources provided through our Eblasts,
T/TAC at VCU website, and
Facebook page provide teachers and school personnel with educational/instructional resources they can use now or later. Should you need additional resources, consider signing up for
virtual office hours using our
Request Form to talk one-on-one with a T/TAC staff member. Have a great day; we look forward to seeing you soon.
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In inclusive classrooms, there are frequent discussions on how to approach literacy. Do we provide grade-level text or do we provide text on the student's reading level? What is the best approach to address all learners in the same classroom? This is not an all or nothing decision. Fisher and Frey's article (2019) on rigorous reading suggests that it all depends on the purpose of the text. If the learning objective is to read and comprehend, then providing text that is above the students' scope of understanding will not improve fluency or comprehension. However, if the purpose is to engage in a more complex text, Fisher and Frey (2019) provide three strategies: establishing purpose, modeling and thinking along, and reading closely.
As adults, when we know the purpose of an assignment, we can focus on the task and be more productive. When we provide reading instruction, we are reminded that we must establish a purpose for the text. Fisher and Frey (2019) state, "
When students know what they are learning, they are more likely to learn it, and they are more likely to engage in the work required to learn"
(2019). "Students should be able to answer three questions during every lesson:
- What am I learning today?
- Why am I learning it?
- How will I know I have learned it? (Fisher, Frey, and Hattie, 2016, p. 27)"
Teachers must be clear in their descriptions of the learning expectations, why it is important to learn it, and the mastery criteria.
The second strategy is modeling and thinking along. Teacher modeling is extremely important when trying to get students to begin to understand and learn key concepts. When teachers are thinking along, they are thinking and providing examples of how to think through the complex text. This strategy should not be a one-shot deal, but a practice that is done consistently.
Fisher and Frey (2019) suggest reading closely as the last strategy. Close readings are repeated readings of short passages in which the teacher scaffolds the student's understanding of the text using text-dependent questions. Students annotate the text, talk about the text, and create questions within a small group about the text. Students must and should have access and experiences with the complicated text. In addition, they need practice with text that they are able to read.
Establishing clear learning expectations, modeling of thinking along with students, and reading closely are three strategies that allow students to access complex text and to develop long-lasting habits to improve reading.
References
Fisher, D., Frey, N., and Hattie, J. (2016). Visible learning for literacy: Implementing the practices that work best to accelerate student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
For more information, contact Latonja Wright ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
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Using the building blocks framework within inclusive preschool settings
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Building Blocks are a set of educational practices designed to help teachers be more effective in including and teaching young children with disabilities and other special needs in early childhood classrooms and other early learning settings (Sandall & Schwartz, 2019). The Building Blocks framework resulted from research conducted at the Early Childhood Research Institute on Inclusion in 2008. It's not a curriculum; yet, it is designed to complement the one currently being used by teams to help them select the appropriate level of assistance for children. In the third edition of Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs, Sandall & Schwartz include expanded areas of focus to address the newest research in the evidence-based practices of universal design, integrating literacy and STEM, supporting executive functioning skills, and additional strategies for curriculum modification. In addition, they address teaming, successful collaboration, and conducting quality classroom assessments.
The Building Blocks framework consists of four key components:
- High-quality early childhood program: A setting that meets the principles of developmentally appropriate practice that are based on current knowledge about child development and learning.
- Curriculum modifications and adaptions: Changes that are made to ongoing classroom activities or materials to achieve or maximize a child's participation.
- Embedded learning opportunities: Incorporating short, systematic instructional interactions into existing classroom activities and routines to enhance a child's learning.
- Explicit, child focused instructional strategies: Planned consistent, systematic instruction used to teach specific skills, behaviors, or concepts.
Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs
supports educators and administrators by offering a wide variety of resource materials including reproducible forms that assist with classroom planning, child evaluations, and curriculum modification by type, activity, and routine. There are seven new comprehensive training modules that can be used to supplement professional development activities and/or be used as a part of university coursework. Each module includes a slide deck, presentation notes, learning activities, and a list of other resources and references.
The Division for Early Childhood and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2009) joint position statement on early childhood inclusion identifies the defining features of access, participation, and supports as essential elements of meaningful engagement for students with disabilities within an inclusive setting. Utilizing the Building Blocks framework described in Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs is a systematic way to provide instruction that supports diverse learners.
References
Sandall, S. & Schwartz, I. (2019). Building blocks for teaching preschoolers with special needs, Third edition. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.
Division for Early Childhood & National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Early childhood inclusion: A joint position statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). https://www.decdocs.org/position-statement-inclusion
For more information, contact Adrienne Quarles-Smith ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
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Creating an inclusive master schedule
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Developing a comprehensive master schedule can be a difficult task. Here are a few things to consider as you develop a schedule to ensure meeting the needs of all students and developing an inclusive environment:
- Develop a scheduling team. Working together as a team will provide perspective from various colleagues that may be missed if working alone. The team can collect suggestions and needs from grade levels and try to accommodate those needs while developing the schedule.
- Create a timeline. Developing a high-quality schedule takes time. The team will need to consider data, staffing assignments, the needs of the students for the upcoming year, and feedback from stakeholders. Allow enough time to gather and discuss this information in order to make the best decisions for all students.
- Schedule students with disabilities first. By considering the needs of students with disabilities first, a schedule that has a well-balanced group of students can be developed. Begin by determining the levels of support needed by analyzing individual student needs. Then, determine the number of classes that are necessary to meet those needs.
- Identify co-teaching pairs. As a team, discuss the best way to select co-teaching pairs for the classes. By surveying the staff to identify individuals that are interested in co-teaching, it is more likely the teams will collaborate to meet the needs of all students.
- Consider planning needs. Ensure that uninterrupted planning time is included in the schedule for co-teaching pairs. Co-teaching can require additional planning needs to ensure that all students' needs are being met. By considering planning time during the beginning stages of developing a master schedule, it ensures the co-teaching pairs will have the time that they need to analyze data, create lesson plans, and gather materials.
- Review and reflect. As a team, consider meeting occasionally to review and reflect on the effectiveness of the schedule, especially if significant changes were made from the previous year. Questions to consider could include:
- Are all students' needs being met?
- Have we allotted enough planning time to co-teachers? Is it uninterrupted?
- Are the changes that we made accomplishing the goals that we wanted?
Resources
Friend, M. (2019). Co-teach! Building and sustaining effective classroom partnerships in inclusive schools (3rd ed.). Greensboro, NC: Marilyn Friend, Inc.
For more information, contact Joel Fravel ([email protected]), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.
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