C847 PA S - Performance Assessment PDF

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C847: Fundamentals of Diversity, Inclusion, and Exceptional Learners Performance Assessment Skylynn Carr B1. ATLAS Video #1: Understanding and Analyzing Current Events In video case #1, the 7th grade teacher is educating four English Language Learning (ELL) students. The teacher provided the students with a culturally appropriate environment and arranged students with culture in mind. Example of this is that the teacher placed the single male student at the head of the table because of his cultural principle. Having this instruction in a small group setting allowed students to speak freely about their thoughts as they compared the U.S. and Egyptian constitutions (ATLAS, 2015). B1.A. The teacher shows consideration of her students’ cultural and linguistic diversity in this video. The teacher kept in mind that her students are between a level three and four in language proficiency and used this lesson discussion to help students’ language development. She also used the scaffolding technique to help the students learn new vocabulary during the lesson discussion. The teacher also took the students’ cultural diversity in consideration during this lesson. The teacher knew that in Hispanic culture that the male is more dominant than the woman, so the teacher placed the only male student at the head of the table to make him feel more comfortable to share his thoughts and ideas.

B1.B. One specific resource that could be beneficial in this classroom is a Spanish/English dictionary. Since this class is focused on English Language Learners (ELLs), having a Spanish/English dictionary could be a huge resource for the students. It would allow them to look up unfamiliar words and create a deeper understanding of them to read the definition in both Spanish and English. This resource would also create an environment that is rich in language for the students to enhance their proficiency (ATLAS, 2015). B1.C. I would utilize the recourse of a Spanish/English dictionary in the observed classroom setting. Although the teacher used scaffolding to help further the students’ language vocabulary, but I think if the students had the opportunity to look words up before the discussion, then they would have a deeper understanding and connection on their own. B2. ATLAS Video #55: Learning Positional Words in Spanish and English In this video, there are 25 students in a 1st grade, self-contained, bilingual language arts class. All 25 students are considered English Language Learners (ELL), two of the students have an IEP and three students have a 504. The students are sitting in a group setting while the teacher instructs the students in both English and Spanish to support vocabulary growth within her students’ language skills. The teacher also uses many visuals around her room to assist with the students’ vocabulary skills as well such as visuals with positional words and pictures in both English and Spanish. These strategies embrace the cultural background that all of her students have in common (ATLAS, 2015).

B2.A. The instructional strategies that were used in the lesson were beneficial to all students in the classroom. Speaking both English and Spanish as well as providing dual language visuals around the classroom supports the students’ culture and background. This allows them to learn the English language while also embracing their native language to assist in the learning. Using both English and Spanish allows the students to learn the phrase of something they already know in Spanish, now in English (ATLAS, 2015). B3. ATLAS Video #26: Investigating Bridge Designs and Building Bridges This class is a 5th grade Math/Science course. The class consist of 27 students in total with only one student having a 504 on file. This classroom promotes higher level thinking and reasoning for advanced, gifted students. The teacher had mini lessons that built up to the lesson and practice of building bridges. The teacher extended the many lessons to include teaching standard and metric measurements, bringing in a guest speaker, and utilizing using computers to help visualize their bridge and further their deeper learning (ATLAS, 2015). B3.A. The teacher modified the groups of students in her class to meet the needs of her exceptional learners. The teacher modified groups by grouping students based on personalities and behaviors within her students. The teacher also assigned a student, who typically would not take on a leader role, as the Head Engineer of each group. By grouping students in such a way, this allowed the teacher to feel as if the impact of the lesson would be greater for each student in these placements.

B3.B. I liked the way that the teacher grouped her students in this scenario. The teacher considered traits of each student and arranged them in a way she seen best so that each student could be successful. It gave each student the opportunity to have a specific role within the cooperative learning group (ATLAS, 2015). B3.C. The teacher could support her exceptional learners by having the students make an outline of how they want their bridge to look and the materials they would use to achieve a successful bridge. The teacher could also extend the lesson so that students make a goal for their bridge to hold so much weight. If their bridge was successful or unsuccessful students could elaborate in a group discussion what changes they would or would not make to their bridge to improve it (ATLAS, 2015). B4. ATLAS Video #42: Developing U.S. History Content Vocabulary The instructional setting of this classroom is a 5th grade English Language Development (ELD) class. There are 12 students in this class, four of which have an IEP, and all twelve students are considered English Language Learners (ELLs). The teacher has students arranged in groups to work on a project. The instruction in this video is differentiated based on the three different level of English Language Proficiency that is in the classroom. The teacher began the lesson in discussions that included gestures, expressions, and content vocabulary. She reviewed the class’ “Top Ten Tips to be a Good Teammate” poster. The teacher then modeled what the concept definition map work would look, and sound like with the group, which allows them to

get a better understanding of what is expected. Using the modeling strategy also helped the students have meaningful discussions to complete the definition concept map. The teacher promotes teamwork within the students as she walks around the classroom to each group to assess where they are in the project. The teacher asks the groups critical thinking, open questions to promote higher order thinking. The students seem confident and comfortable as they are interacting with each other (ATLAS, 2015). B4.A. The teacher had the students arranged in cooperative learning groups for this written project. Having groups placed in this strategic way promotes students to contribute and help their group in different ways. By watching the students interact and ask each other for help with things such as spelling words, you can tell that this differentiated instructional strategy works for these students in the classroom. The students collaborated very well after seeing the teacher model how their groups should work and sound. It is important for English Language Learning students to communicate verbally. As students hear each other and collaborate on the project, they learn vocabulary language and concepts from each other (ATLAS, 2015). C. My current teaching philosophy is that I will provide students with all resources available to create a safe, diverse, and equal learning environment. I want students to feel comfortable and confident in learning, even if the answer may be wrong sometimes, I want them to have a growth mindset that they can learn anything. All the videos that I watch contained strategies that I would and would not implement in my future classroom.

In the ATLAS video #33, I really liked that the Pre-K teacher created a lesson that benefited every student, but also focused on the social skills that one student needed to work on. I liked that the teacher was knowledgeable to know that a particular student needed to focus on a skill, and paired that student with another student who had a strong set of social skills. The teacher’s observations of the students allowed for there to be growth within the peer environment. In the ATLAS video #113, I was hoping to see more group engagement with the students. I noticed that some of the students struggled to focus and engage in active participation. I think the students would have engaged more if they would have been placed in cooperative learning groups. I felt that there was awkwardness between the teacher and students in the beginning of the video and feel like the students would have been more comfortable in peer groups. I see myself teaching in a classroom environment that was promoted in ATLAS video #157. The classroom was a special education classroom for 3rd grade. The classroom seemed immediately welcoming and felt safe. The students were all sat at a single table together and stayed engaged in the lesson. The teacher considered each student’s specific needs when planning and engaging her lesson within the classroom. She presented the information in a way that every student was able to actively participate in learning. I observed the teacher assuring that the lesson met the academic level and diverse needs of the students while presenting them with an equal chance to learn (ATLAS, 2015). C1. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), “Every student has the right to a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment,” (IDEA,

2020). I am in full support for all students to have access to an equal education in a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment. Students have a right to any resource that it may take meet their educational needs. It is my job as a teacher to recognize the diverse needs of each student so that they will have the resources that it may take for them to be successful.

References ATLAS. (2015). Understanding and Analyzing Current Events (Online Video). Retrieved from https://atlas.nbpts.org/cases/1/ IDEA. (2020). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Retrieved from https://sites.ed.gov/idea/...