Observations Made on Learning Differences between SETTS and Regular Methods of Delivery in Mathematics - Assignment Example

? A Report on Special Education Teacher Support Services: Observations Made on Learning Differences between SETTS and Regular Methods of Delivery in Mathematics Name: Abdullah Almulla Institution: Adelphi University Course: Math, Science & Technology for Special Education PART A (I) A. Name of School: Nellie K. Parker School Phone Number: 201 646 8020 Address: 261 Maple Hill Drive Hackensack, NJ07601 B. Grade level: Second grade; taught by Ms Hughes; Number of students: 4; males: 3, females: 1 Third grade; taught by Mr. H. Jacob; Number of students: 5; males: 1, females: 4 Fourth grade; taught by Mrs. Williams; Number of students: 2; males: 1, females: 1 C. Date of observation: 7th to 11th January 2013 D. Session summary: each of the second grade learners was provided with counting marbles for conducting randomly assigned calculations during a build up to money balance calculations. The grade 3 students were learning measurement taking, both in inches centimeters and meters. Fourth grade students were learning types of angles and they were required to describe the various angles from their mention as well as identify them from figures. One of the most interesting classes to attend was the second grade where students were practicing ‘buying and selling’ using an updated computer program where the student poses as a seller and they were supposed to give the correct change to simulated customers. The teacher and the students were actively involved in suggesting corrections to failed students. The 3rd grade students were each required to draw lines of certain lengths and then the teacher would re-measure all of them to ascertain accuracy. The level of student-teacher interaction was therefore very high and the teacher had personal understanding of the level at which to engage each student. Great discrepancies were however clearly evident in the rate of content understanding, especially between the relatively older and the younger lot. The teachers gave special emphasis to certain students who were slow at learning, which demonstrated their commitment to Individualized education Program (IEP). The SETSS teacher was indeed very accustomed to the IEP. My Math Class Assistance Report I offered to assist Mr. Jacob the grade three SETSS teacher in assisting and personally analyzing the difficulties associated with teaching one of his students, and he happily obliged. I was allocated a nine year old female student, who to him was considered to be one of those lagging behind in understanding the subject. I spent one hour with the student on the first day of my assessment and two hours on the second day, the two sessions from which I compiled my report. On the first day I decided to dwell on a previously covered area, addition and subtraction of two digit numbers. Luckily for me, she was cooperative right from the beginning. This particular student was good once the class kicked off and she was reminded the basics. She could easily work out the tests I gave her at the end of my initial one hour with her, and she was very encouraged when I commended her good work. She was able to follow my examples and come up with her own solutions. However, she got stuck when I removed from her sight the examples I had worked out for her, and she kept referring to her previous correct work. When I finally requested her to now work on simple problems without referring, she got very stuck and answered with great uncertainty. The loss of confidence could be attributed to lack of enough practice, and I decided to assess her from the current topic on measurements that was more familiar to her at the moment. We embarked on reviewing measurements and she showed proper grasp of the different measurement units. I gathered from her performance that memorizing a topic for long was quite a challenge, which meant that she could hardly cope when the teacher proceeded to other topics that built on the previous ones. I found that Mr. Jacob had identified the same problem and he explained that it recurred among three of his special students. He was addressing the issue by constantly revisiting old topics so that his students could be level. Evaluating this girl’s progress will require the teacher to engage her verbally since she could easily lose the way if not very closely monitored during the examination. The most significant lesson during the visit was the need to address very boldly the issue of the pace with which learners under the special education system are able to understand and move onto the next topic of study. In my view the IEP is a very necessary tool of addressing this issue and it should be enforced with greater emphasis across both state and private schools. Its implementation will let teachers pull bright but slow pupils to a level equal to their colleagues, therefore prepare the student to take up future academic challenges boldly to match their expected level of knowledge. PART B A. Name of School: Nellie K. Parker School Phone Number: 201 646 8020 Address: 261 Maple Hill Drive Hackensack, NJ07601 B. Grade level: Second grade; taught by Ms Hughes; Number of students: 14; males: 6, females: 8 Third grade; taught by Mr. H. Jacob; Number of students: 18; males: 11, females: 7 C. Date of observation: 7th to 11th January 2013 D. The second grade had three challenged boys and one challenged girl, out of the six male and eight female students in the class. The grade two teacher was covering money counting at the moment, and the students were encouraged to participate equally. However the students with special needs would form again at a class of their own in order to help them come level with their faster colleagues. The pupils were expected to be able to calculate change from simple transactions involving small amounts of cash not exceeding $100. A computer simulation was used to help make the transactions practical. The grade three students were each expected to be able to draw and measure the lengths of various line measurements in any of the three units; inches, centimeters, and meters. The teacher asked the students to convert the lengths of lines taken in meters to centimeters, and measuring ropes were used to demonstrate measurement of very long distances. Both teachers in the two grades were efficient in time management, and within a few minutes the fast students were already engaged in practical calculations and measurements, which gave them opportunity to assist the slower ones. The faster students seemed too fast for their colleagues with special needs, and the difference played out so evidently because by the end of the lesson, the faster students had worked out more questions than their colleagues. The teacher assigned the students to bring ropes of stated lengths during the next lesson, as well as complete a written assignment by that time. The grade two class engaged technology better than any other class I visited, using computer simulations to deliver change to customers. This was a very fascinating bit for learners in that class. The teachers incorporated IEP approach in their teaching, but it was not helpful for those students considered fast but who can not match the fastest in the class because of the intensive attention needed by their special education colleagues. Questions Section a) Differences between grade levels related to instruction: more emphasis was laid on the lower grades compared to the higher ones. The higher grade students were also expected to demonstrate a higher level of understanding and quicker response to questions posed by their teacher. b) Comparison of techniques and assessments used in a regular classroom versus a resource room: the IEP is a compulsory component of the special class, as opposed to the regular class for which it does not work for every student. c) What possible methodological techniques/ assessments used in a resource room could also be used in a regular classroom? Assessment of the understanding and creativity of a student who has special talents but is unable to cope with normal examination situations. d) My greatest impression regarding instructional techniques. Expand: a system where the student feels it was they who controlled the practical affair of their learning is vital for instilling confidence and fast comprehension of ideas, like was happening with the computer simulation in the grade two class. e) Did you agree or disagree with the instructional techniques? Expand. I support the instructional techniques that were employed at the Nellie K. Parker School, because in my view they are of great help to the students. The emphasis on individual attention is highly commendable while the learning aids were up to date and responsive to the needs of the special students. f) What would you change if you were the SETSS teacher? I would increase the number of simulation software in the classes so as to have at least one memorable simulation for every topic I cover with students in class. g) What would you change if you were the classroom teacher? I would increase the length time allocated to a regular mathematics lesson so as to take care of the students considered not to require special attention but who are relatively slow. h) What did you learn from the observations? It is possible to train students with different levels of need for special attention to be as good as their regular colleagues with the application of sensitive and responsive methods of teaching. References Bureau of Labour Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Special Education Teachers, Web. January 12, 2013 Read More