Science for students with disabilities.According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as "the Nation's Report Card," is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. (NAEP NAEP National Assessment of Educational Progress NAEP National Association of Environmental Professionals NAEP National Association of Educational Progress NAEP National Agricultural Extension Policy NAEP Native American Employment Program ), average science scores compared to 2006, have made slow progress at Grade 4, come to a standstill standstill /stand·still/ (stand´stil?) cessation of activity, as of the heart (cardiac s.) or chest (respiratory s.) . stand·still n. Complete cessation of activity or progress. at Grade 8, and lost ground at Grade 12. No Child Left Behind legislation stipulates that students with disabilities must be assessed in science once during each grade span (3-5, 6-9, and 10-12), along with all other students, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. Appropriate testing accommodations and alternate assessment may be offered, but research indicates that attention to instructional issues plays a vital role in helping students with disabilities master academic content. Instructional strategies Researchers Margo Mastropieri and Thomas Scruggs (George Mason University Named after American revolutionary, patriot and founding father George Mason, the university was founded as a branch of the University of Virginia in 1957 and became an independent institution in 1972. ) identify the benefits of vocabulary enhancement, text adaptation, test processing strategies, and hands-on science activities. Rich Grumbine and Peg Brigham Alden of Landmark College Founded in 1985 by Charles Drake, Landmark College is an accredited, residential, junior liberal arts college exclusively for students with learning disabilities - including ADHD and Dyslexia. Landmark is located in Putney, Vermont, with about 465 students attending. identified six instructional principles for improving the achievement of students with learning disabilities (see below). For these students, problems with organization, memory, reading, and writing can make it difficult to grasp and retain complex material. Teachers can help by presenting important concepts in a variety of ways, providing structure, and monitoring student progress. Instructional modifications An Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) review of the research literature noted that depending on the disability, students may need modifications such as "advance and graphic organizers Graphic organizers are visual representations of knowledge, concepts or ideas. They are known to help
Peer-assisted, differentiated instruction Differentiated instruction (sometimes referred to as differentiated learning) is a way of thinking about teaching and learning. It involves teachers using a variety of instructional strategies that address diverse student learning needs. In a study conducted by Mastropieri and Scruggs, and colleagues, 13 classes of 213 students (44 of whom were classfied with disabilities) participated in a field trial. Classrooms were randomly assigned to the control or experimental condition. In the control condition, students received traditional teacher-directed instruction-lecture, note taking, class lab activities, media presentations, and worksheets. In the experimental condition, students received identical teacher presentations, but peer-assisted learning was used in place of worksheets (teachers paired students needing assistance with higher achieving partners and directed the pair to begin with Level 1 activities, moving to Level 2 and 3 activities once proficiency was achieved). The experimental approach generated academic gains for all students. Average scores on posttests and state high-stakes achievement tests show that students with learning disabilities outperformed their peers in the comparison group by 42.5 percent (for "typically achieving students," the difference was 16.1 percent). Supports for improved instruction Schools and districts can support improved science instruction by providing access to appropriate assistive and instructional technologies There are two types of instructional technology: those with a systems approach, and those focusing on sensory technologies. The definition of instructional technology prepared by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) Definitions and Terminology and modified curricular materials. They can also encourage collaboration between mainstream science educators and special education teachers. In addition, science teachers can help special education teachers understand science standards and lesson objectives. And special educators can identify modifications and strategies for helping students with various disabilities achieve these objectives. For citation of the references used in this article, go to www.districtadministration.com EDVANTIA www.edvantia.org, 800-624-9120 Six Principles Six Principles can refer to:
1. Learning is enhanced when teachers recognize and teach to diverse learning styles and strengths. 2. Content learning is supported by explicit instruction in skills and strategies. 3. Learning is facilitated when instruction and assessment are clearly organized. 4. Learning is maximized when instruction and assessment are based on explicit objectives. 5. Learning is improved when teachers provide consistent feedback. 6. Learning is sustained when students develop self-knowledge. Source Grumbine & Alden, 2006 RESOURCES FOR EDUCATORS AAAS AAAS American Association for the Advancement of Science. Entry Point http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint Project CATS: Coordinated and Thematic Science www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/cats.html Science Education for Students with Disabilities www.sesd.info The Alliance for Access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics www.washington.edu/doit/stem |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion