Class 10

T/F sheets. Diversity in the Classroom questions. (Taken from: Gunning, Thomas G. "Diversity in the Classroom" Creating Literacy Instruction for All Children. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000.)

Please discuss these statements in your group and decide if you think they are true or false.

In general, techniques used to teach average students also work with those who have special needs.

“At risk” students have been identified as those who are likely to fail either at life or in school. This group includes about 25-30% of the student population.

Poverty and attending a sub-standard school are not considered as factors in determining whether a child is considered “at risk”. (False = are factors)

When educators blame the victims or their backgrounds for putting them at risk, the educators often lower their expectations for the students, such as teaching to more basic or lower level skills.

When poor and middle-class children of different ethnicity are given similar reading instruction, their achievement is similar.

By age seventeen, economically disadvantaged students lag about two years behind more affluent students.(FOUR years)

Poor children are three times as likely to drop out of school.

Economically disadvantaged children must be given extra or more thorough instruction because they are less likely to get help at home. In one study, poor children, on average, had fewer than three books in their homes.

Educators have identified the “Grade six slump” – the time where students begin to slacken their effort and lose interest, especially in meeting the challenges of more academic or abstract thinking, vocabulary, reading, word recognition and writing.(Grade four)

. Children from diverse cultures may not see the connection between their culture and their school.

. Teachers should respect the student’s privacy and not ask questions about differences in culture or find out how literacy was taught in their country of birth.(Should learn)

. When listening to children who use a different dialect of English or speak English with a different accent, teachers should not correct them while reading orally.

. Teachers should use Standard English pronunciation and recommend that Standard English could be a second dialect that students may use if they wish.

. The current thinking on teaching methods for English Language Learners is to teach them to read in their own language, while at the same time, teach them to speak English as a second language. Once they have a sufficient grasp of English and of basic reading in their own language, they can then learn to read in their own language.

. Using a bilingual approach delays instruction in reading and writing in English, causing children to fall behind. For example, students who begin Early French Immersion in K/Grade 1 are usually far behind in English reading by age eight compared to the students in the English program.(SAME or Better)

. For ESL students, it takes approximately two years to become socially proficient in English, and about five years to be proficient in academic English.

. In adapting instruction for ESL students, teachers must provide numerous opportunities for social contacts, allowing the ESL students to observe, listen and engage with native speakers who are communicating for a variety of purposes.

. ESL students learn faster if they are just immersed in English, even if they can make no sense of it. Eventually they will sort out the words and confidence will grow.(Need instruction from their starting point, broken down.)

. To facilitate understanding of oral language, teachers should try to include an illustrative element. For example, when there is an opportunity to point at an object when mentioning the name, do so. If the lesson is about magnets, hold up the magnet every time you say the word. Also, role-play, pantomime or gestures will help.

. The first reading of a selection should be oral. Students should learn pronunciation at the same time they learn meaning.(Should be silent reading first)

. The term “learning disabilities” covers a vast range of categories. In general, a learning disability can be caused by a weakness in the information processing system. It is connected to using language, spoken or written, which may be manifest in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, do mathematical calculation and so on. It may involve visual-perceptual skills, auditory processing and language skills, attention and motor skills.

. LD students should be provided with reading materials at their instructional level so they can begin to experience success and see themselves as learners.

. One of the most common problems for LD readers is decoding. Often they were taught at too rapid a pace and their skills never became automatic. Teachers should rely on a specialist to design a special program for them in order to re-teach these skills. (Teacher can teach same skills, just more time.)

. Teaching writing to LD students is the same as for average students. Teachers should emphasize the expressive function, not so much the mechanical ability to write. In this way students will see themselves as having something worthwhile to say and begin to see themselves as writers.

. Because ADD/ADHD students have problems with attention, teachers need to structure their class in such a way that students can sit for longer and longer time periods.(Students need more breaks, move around more.)

. Other ways to help ADD/ADHD students are: assign tasks that are meaningful, allow choice of materials and activities, work in groups, establish eye-contact when giving explicit instructions, check that they have homework assignments and materials, use visual aids as often as possible, break instructions down into components, schedule short tasks, and work closely with parents.

. Students with mental retardation may never read beyond the grade two level. Teachers may focus on teaching literacy skills they need to function in society, such as reading traffic signs, food labels, and cooking instructions, as well as their name, address, telephone numbers and family members’ names.

. Slow learners make up about 25% of the population. Teachers need to find books that are well below their instruction level. (14% of school population)

. Children with physical disabilities, such as impaired sight, hearing loss, and immobility can and do learn to read and write. Teaching may involve adapting techniques and using technology, such as computers being adapted so students can breathe into a straw or blink their eyes, but it is mostly a matter of acceptance and caring.

. Hearing impaired children should be seated in the front of the class and the teacher should remember to speak distinctly, face the students while she speaks so the child can read lips. A whole language approach is more effective than phonics.

. With visually impaired students, teachers should supplement visual presentation with oral explanations or descriptions. When possible, make diagrams extra large and consider ways for students to rely on sense of touch.

. Gifted and talented students are well-rounded individuals who show early signs of intelligence in all areas. (Can be all around gifted or specific to one area)

. Reading and writing workshops work well for the gifted because they are free to work at their own pace and investigate their own interests.

Looking at some multicultural literature. (Library books, Highlights magazines.) Ways to use in the classroom.