Special Education Teachers Must Be Well Versed In Using Perf ✓ Solved

Special Education Teachers Must Be Well Versed In Using Performance

Special education teachers must be well versed in using performance data to identify students whose literacy skills are below grade level. Gaining insight into students’ academic strengths and needs will help educators plan appropriate instruction to assist students in making positive academic growth. Using the “Class Profile,” identify a group of 3-4 elementary students who would benefit from an oral language development or phonemic awareness lesson. Determine a K-2 grade level for your group of fictional students, select an ELA standard from your state related to Oral Language Development or Phonemic Awareness, and then select a corresponding grade-level text appropriate for use in a lesson plan for the determined group.

You may use Appendix B of the Common Core English Language Arts Standards to help you determine an appropriate text for the lesson. With your choices in mind, use the “COE Lesson Plan Template” to design a lesson on oral language development or phonemic awareness, utilizing storytelling, dramatic play, or a read-aloud as an instructional strategy. Thoroughly script the "Multiple Means of Engagement" section, emphasizing the use of questions to access student's background knowledge and abilities to build new skills and develop common understanding through shared, concrete experiences. Upon completion of your lesson plan, compose a word summary, rationalizing how your instructional decisions help your group students to flourish in the classroom, as opposed to just survive. Be sure to address how you will use your findings in your future professional practice.

Paper For Above Instructions

The role of special education teachers is crucial, particularly in addressing the literacy needs of students who are falling behind their peers. This paper outlines a specific lesson plan aimed at enhancing oral language development and phonemic awareness among a group of fictional elementary students. The targeted grade level for this lesson is 2nd grade, chosen due to the critical nature of this age for literacy skills development.

To begin, we will identify a group of fictional students based on the "Class Profile." Let's consider the following 4 students:

  • Student A: Struggles with phonemic awareness but has strong verbal communication skills.
  • Student B: Has difficulty pronouncing certain sounds but shows enthusiasm during storytelling.
  • Student C: Limited vocabulary and challenges in understanding story structure.
  • Student D: An emerging reader who lacks confidence in discussing texts.

Next, we will choose an ELA standard that addresses Oral Language Development. For this lesson, we will use the following Common Core State Standard (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2): "Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or presented orally." This standard emphasizes the importance of understanding and reiterating key points from spoken and read texts—essential skills that these students need to develop.

For the corresponding grade-level text, we will select "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle. This classic children's book is suitable for the 2nd-grade level and highly engaging due to its repetitive structure, colorful illustrations, and straightforward storyline. It allows students to practice retelling the story while focusing on expanding both their oral language and phonemic skills.

The lesson plan will employ a read-aloud strategy, supplemented with storytelling techniques and dramatic play to enhance engagement. The objectives include enabling students to identify key details from the text and improve their phonemic awareness through activities centered on sounds and syllables.

Lesson Plan Summary:

Objectives:

  • Students will identify and recount key details from "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."
  • Students will practice phonemic awareness through sound identification activities.
  • Students will participate in collaborative storytelling to foster oral language skills.

Materials Needed:

  • "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle
  • Sound cards with images corresponding to the story elements
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Story sequence cards for dramatic play

Multiple Means of Engagement:

To engage students and connect with their background knowledge and skills, I will start the lesson by asking questions that relate to their personal experiences with food and growth, such as, "What is your favorite food and why?" This question is designed to elicit discussion and draw students into the narrative of the caterpillar's journey. As we read the story aloud, I will pause occasionally to ask follow-up questions like, "Who remembers what the caterpillar ate on Tuesday?" This encourages students to think critically and recall details, fostering a collaborative environment.

To reinforce phonemic awareness, I will incorporate sound manipulation activities. For example, I will use sound cards to represent different foods mentioned in the story (e.g., "apple," "plum") and engage students in identifying the initial sounds of these words. Using questions such as, "What sound does 'apple' start with?" encourages active participation and reinforces phonemic skills in a playful way.

Before concluding the lesson, students will engage in a dramatization of the story. They will use the story sequence cards to act out different parts of the caterpillar's journey, facilitating a kinesthetic learning experience that promotes equal participation among students with varying levels of literacy skills. This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also helps students build confidence in using language through improvisation and peer interaction.

Rationale for Instructional Decisions:

This specific lesson plan promotes flourishing in the classroom rather than merely surviving because it addresses the diverse needs of the students comprehensively. By focusing on oral language development and phonemic awareness, the lesson equips students with foundational literacy skills that are crucial for their academic success. The interactive and engaging strategies foster an inclusive learning environment where all students can contribute and thrive.

Ultimately, through this tailored approach, I aim to nurture a sense of accomplishment in my students, making them feel capable and confident in their abilities. The lesson also emphasizes the importance of adapting instructional strategies to meet students' unique needs, which is critical for future professional practice as I continue to develop my skills as an educator. By monitoring student progress and engagement levels, I will be able to refine my teaching strategies and provide appropriate support moving forward.

References

  • Common Core State Standards Initiative. (n.d.). Common Core State Standards. Retrieved from https://www.corestandards.org/
  • Carle, E. (1969). The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Penguin Group.
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Phonological Awareness. Retrieved from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/phonological-awareness/
  • National Institute for Literacy. (2008). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. Retrieved from https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf
  • McGee, L. M., & Ukrainitz, T. (2009). The importance of phonological awareness in early literacy development. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(1), 40-47.
  • Snow, C. E. (2010). Academic language: The key to school success. In D. K. Dickinson & S. B. Neuman (Eds.), Handbook of early literacy research (Vol. 3, pp. 112-125). Guilford Press.
  • Baker, S. K., & Good, R. H. (2010). A multi-tiered framework for using data to inform reading instruction. School Psychology Review, 39(1), 8-25.
  • Vaughn, S., & Linan-Thompson, S. (2004). Response to Intervention as an Alternative Approach to the Learning Disabilities Debate. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37(3), 202-210.
  • Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (n.d.). Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards. Retrieved from https://dpi.wi.gov/early-childhood/wisconsin-model-early-learning-standards
  • Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (2006). Introduction to Response to Intervention: What, Why, and How Valid Is It? Reading Research Quarterly, 41(1), 93-99.