2.5 Differentiation
Candidates model and facilitate the design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences making appropriate use of differentiation, including adjusting content, process, product, and learning environment based upon an analysis of learner characteristics, including readiness levels, interests, and personal goals. (PSC 2.5/ISTE 2e)
Artifact: ELL Report
Reflection:
The ELL lesson was completed to create and implement a best-practice lesson plan that addresses the necessary differentiation required for English language learners. To complete this lesson, I first had to identify a student that I could work with to implement this lesson. Once I identified a student, I then had to target which topics tend to be difficult for students, especially those with a language barrier, and brainstorm methods to increase success with this particular content. After examining some of the unit information, I focused the lesson on plant tropisms, plant structures, and animal symmetry. These topics were taught to the identified ELL student in an adjusted manner that could benefit the learning experience of the student. I designed this lesson individually and was able to implement the lesson after school and during class thanks to the special education teacher that also worked in that class period with me.
Standard 2.5 sets the foundation for modeling and facilitating a technology-enhanced learning experience that makes appropriate use of differentiation by the candidate. The design of the lesson required the modeling of appropriate differentiation strategies within the classroom. Through the implementation of this lesson, I had to model appropriate vocabulary matching which modified the process for better understanding by the student. In addition, the modeling of symmetry in animals through preserved specimens and pictorial representations online allowed for better understanding by the ELL student.
The facilitation of this ELL lesson required the use of technology and the willingness of the student to participate. My facilitation of this lesson allowed my ELL student to learn the content in a manner which worked better for her understanding and was tailored to her interests and capabilities. The lesson also benefited other students as the teacher can now facilitate the learning process for other ELL students in the classroom based on the response of the initial response by the ELL student who was learning the classroom material through the lesson plan.
Creating and implementing the ELL lesson was an invaluable assignment for me. This artifact was created just after I was assigned a biology class that would be for ELL students and special education students. Because of this new assignment, I would also have an ELL teacher in the classroom in addition to the special education teacher. This allowed me to spend more one on one time with my ELL students, specifically the individual who I chose to implement this lesson plan with. As a result, we developed a very close relationship and she started having less anxiety issues in my classroom. After implementing the lesson plan with her, I used the strategies I learned to help my other ELL students in that class and students in my class moving forward. If I could do this lesson again, I would have attempted to implement the lesson plan with all three of my ELL students in that class at the same time. I implemented this lesson with one student first and then implemented a similar lesson with the other two students. It would have been interesting to see how those three vastly different students would have benefited from the lesson being taught all at the same time and I also would have been able to gather more data to use as I move forward in teaching ELL students.
This particular lesson impacted student learning immensely. Prior to the creation and implementation of this lesson, I did not have any experience teaching ELL students in this manner. The students benefitted greatly from having one on one attention and felt that I, as the teacher, actually cared about their success and if they actually understood the material. While working with the ELL students, many of them expressed the frustration of other teachers in working with them and how they weren’t learning much in those classes. I could immediately see newfound confidence in these students when interacting with the other students of the class and knowing that they could indeed be successful. The impact of student learning can be assessed by summative assessments of the plant and animal unit material and again on the end of course test at the end of the school year. Student success on both of these assessment could largely be attributed to successful implementation of the lesson plan and similar lesson plans moving through the remainder of the course content.
The ELL lesson was completed to create and implement a best-practice lesson plan that addresses the necessary differentiation required for English language learners. To complete this lesson, I first had to identify a student that I could work with to implement this lesson. Once I identified a student, I then had to target which topics tend to be difficult for students, especially those with a language barrier, and brainstorm methods to increase success with this particular content. After examining some of the unit information, I focused the lesson on plant tropisms, plant structures, and animal symmetry. These topics were taught to the identified ELL student in an adjusted manner that could benefit the learning experience of the student. I designed this lesson individually and was able to implement the lesson after school and during class thanks to the special education teacher that also worked in that class period with me.
Standard 2.5 sets the foundation for modeling and facilitating a technology-enhanced learning experience that makes appropriate use of differentiation by the candidate. The design of the lesson required the modeling of appropriate differentiation strategies within the classroom. Through the implementation of this lesson, I had to model appropriate vocabulary matching which modified the process for better understanding by the student. In addition, the modeling of symmetry in animals through preserved specimens and pictorial representations online allowed for better understanding by the ELL student.
The facilitation of this ELL lesson required the use of technology and the willingness of the student to participate. My facilitation of this lesson allowed my ELL student to learn the content in a manner which worked better for her understanding and was tailored to her interests and capabilities. The lesson also benefited other students as the teacher can now facilitate the learning process for other ELL students in the classroom based on the response of the initial response by the ELL student who was learning the classroom material through the lesson plan.
Creating and implementing the ELL lesson was an invaluable assignment for me. This artifact was created just after I was assigned a biology class that would be for ELL students and special education students. Because of this new assignment, I would also have an ELL teacher in the classroom in addition to the special education teacher. This allowed me to spend more one on one time with my ELL students, specifically the individual who I chose to implement this lesson plan with. As a result, we developed a very close relationship and she started having less anxiety issues in my classroom. After implementing the lesson plan with her, I used the strategies I learned to help my other ELL students in that class and students in my class moving forward. If I could do this lesson again, I would have attempted to implement the lesson plan with all three of my ELL students in that class at the same time. I implemented this lesson with one student first and then implemented a similar lesson with the other two students. It would have been interesting to see how those three vastly different students would have benefited from the lesson being taught all at the same time and I also would have been able to gather more data to use as I move forward in teaching ELL students.
This particular lesson impacted student learning immensely. Prior to the creation and implementation of this lesson, I did not have any experience teaching ELL students in this manner. The students benefitted greatly from having one on one attention and felt that I, as the teacher, actually cared about their success and if they actually understood the material. While working with the ELL students, many of them expressed the frustration of other teachers in working with them and how they weren’t learning much in those classes. I could immediately see newfound confidence in these students when interacting with the other students of the class and knowing that they could indeed be successful. The impact of student learning can be assessed by summative assessments of the plant and animal unit material and again on the end of course test at the end of the school year. Student success on both of these assessment could largely be attributed to successful implementation of the lesson plan and similar lesson plans moving through the remainder of the course content.