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Standard 3:
Learning Styles
Demonstrates knowledge of the diverse ways in which students develop and learn by providing learning opportunities
that support students’ intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development.
Identifying and adapting for different needs
All people are individuals. None of us is the same. None of us will learn the same thing in
the same way. It follows then, that the cookie-cutter classroom might not be the best fit for the individual student. Unfortunately,
the current educational system is set up in such a way that one teacher must instruct to a large number of students. In order
for all students to be given a chance to learn, the effective teacher must be able to recognize and address the different
learning needs of her students.
There are three primary learning styles: auditory, visual and kinetic/tactile. Auditory
learners learn best by listening to lectures, discussions and other auditory stimuli. They key in and take meaning from tone,
inflection, volume and other nuances that others might miss. Visual learners learn best by seeing the information in a variety
of ways, primarily through reading and watching the teacher facial expressions and body language. Kinetic/tactile learners
learn best through an active approach, moving about and exploring, touching and manipulating their environment.
Every person has a propensity toward one of those styles with the others either distractive or augmentive,
depending on the individual. Highly effective teachers know to utilize instructional strategies that instruct
to all students no matter what their learning style by including auditory, visual and kinetic/tactile opportunities
in every lesson. This is not always easy as some content areas do not lend themselves well to all of these types of
learning, particularly reading and writing, but it is possible. It just takes creativity!
Visually impaired students present interesting challenges to teachers in mainstream schools.
The preponderance of learning requires reading, writing, or manipulation of the environment made complicated by lack of sight.
However, adaptations can be made using technology, peer-guided group learning and by increasing auditory presentation
of the information. Below is an example of science class lesson plan adapted for a visually impaired student.
The modifications were fairly innocuous, avoided
embarrassing or highlighting the disability of the visually impaired student by giving him opportunities to actively participate
in the lesson. The student is also able to share in the learning by contributing to the lab work and responding to the
questions presented during the group process, which inherently draws on the strengths of the members of the group.
In
groups with students who are less likely to give the visually impaired student a meaningful role, the teacher can assign a
job to each member of the group, such as the scribe, the materials-gatherer, the mixer, etc.
Then the visually impaired child is assured of getting a job he or she is able to perform with minimal assistance. Because this is done as a group, though, the student with visual impairment does not
have to fulfill every task independently but rather ones that he or she is able to perform competently.
The Sandwich Bag Still
Grade level: 5
Purpose: To investigate how the distillation process can be used to purify salt water and to
relate how distillation naturally occurs as part of the hydrologic cycle.
Objectives:
 Students will understand that water is a finite earth resource.
Students will be able to explain the hydrologic cycle, how water is recyled through it, and why it is important.
Students will use the scientific method to explore the hydrologic process through predicting, observation,
testing, and making conclusions.
Materials for Launch:
4 ounce cup of salt water (one tablespoon of salt to 3 oz
of water)
Disposable coffee filter
Hydrologic cycle handout (including a Braille version)
Materials for Group Lab:
Zipper-style sandwich bags
3 ounce cup of water
Stirrer
Table salt
A sunny spot
“Hold the Salt” lab sheet
Previous
knowledge:
Students
should be familiar with some of the early terminology of earth sciences such as the terms “earth science,” “solution,”“scientific
method,” “predict,”and “observe.” Students should also be familiar with some experimental protocols and expectations.
New Vocabulary:
Hydrologic Cycle: continual movement of water from one place to another and from one state of matter to another. This cycle
plays a major role in distributing water and heat around the planet.
Distillation: the process of water being heated, turned into vapor, then condensed back into liquid.
Desalination: the process
of removing salt from a liquid.
Launch:
The teacher
will ask students how much water is on earth (70% of Earth is covered by water) . The teacher will then ask the students if
they know what ocean water tastes like. Then the teacher will ask how much of
the water on earth tastes like the ocean (97% of Earth’s water tastes like the ocean).
The teacher will then hold up a glass of salt water and ask the students if the water is drinkable? They cannot tell because they cannot see the salt. The teacher
will then pour the water from one cup to another using the filter. The teacher
will ask if that removed the salt from the water. The teacher will then
ask for a student to volunteer to taste it and report to the class (remind students
that it still tastes salty because it is a solution). The teacher will ask the students how they might go about getting the salt out of the water. Discuss the pro’s and con’s of each of the students’ solutions. The teacher will then
give students the Hydrologic Cycle handout and discuss the process of distillation to remove salt from water and how this
naturally occurs as part of the hydrologic cycle. Then the teacher will give
instructions to the students on how to conduct their own distillation experiment.
Procedure:
- Students will be assigned to groups of two or more. Each will
be given one copy of the “Hold the Salt” handout. Then they will be instructed to gather the remaining materials,
a plastic cup, some water, a plastic ziplock bag, and a tablespoon of salt.
- Have students follow the instructions on the handout (one of the visually impaired child’s lab partner
can read this aloud and write responses for the group to turn in). See handout
for further instructions and modifications.
- After the students have a chance to process their investigations and record their observations on the handout,
revisit the concepts introduced and reinforce the new terminology. Ask students to discuss what they have learned about water
on Earth.
Standards:
Maine Learning Results:
Science
and Technology
F. The Earth
Students will gain knowledge about the earth and the processes that change it.
Students will be able to:
Elementary Grades 3-4:
4. Illustrate how water and other substances go through a cyclic process of change in the environment.
Discerning intellectual, cultural and social differences that impact upon learning
“Instead of asking yourself, ‘What’s
it going to take to motivate this kid to behave differently?’ ask ‘Why is this so hard for this child? What’s
getting in his way? How can I help?’”
-Dr. Ross Greene
Dr. Ross Greene, quoted above, has greatly impacted upon the way I view education
and children in general. His central philosophy in helping children work through barriers that keep them from being successful
in school and in life is "children will succeed if they can." It sounds simple but is quite profound thought.
If what Dr. Greene says is true, and I believe it is, then the vast majority of children with behavioral and emotional problems
that negatively impact upon their learning need adult support and empathy, not more punishment. They need adults to understand
that they are not intentionally being bad but are demonstrating a need for an adult figure who will collaborate with them
and help them overcome those frustrating barriers. They certainly do not need someone to add to their frustration.
As indicated in my transcripts, I have taken part in several classes in the areas of mental health, child development
and abnormal psychology. I have also attended numerous trainings in my capacity as a case manager for
children with mental health disorders. Thus, I believe I have good depth of knowledge about behavioral interventions
that work in the educational setting. Most importantly, though, as an individual with ADD and the parent of
a child with ADHD and another child with a diagnosed emotional disorder, I can empathize with the difficulties children who
struggle in a "neurotypical" educational setting endure. I come to the table as a teacher not just "trained" to understand
how intellectual and emotional differences challenge students, but one who has lived those challenges personally and who sees
her own children struggle under similar circumstances. The home-school relationship does not have to be adversarial and I
will commit to identifying and supporting those children who struggle with intellectual, emotional, cultural or social
barriers and help them overcome them so they, too, can succeed.
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