Student Accommodations in Lesson Planning - Assignment Example

Running Head Accomodations in Lesson Planning Accomodations in Lesson Planning Three models of IEPs are critical thinking, discovery lesson and cooperative learning models, In contrast to other models, critical thinking model is one of the most complex ones. It involves the following steps: knowledge acquisition, comprehension, practical application, analysis, synthesis and valuation Discovery lesson model is based on discussion and grouping activities, independent practices and assessment. This clearly implies that a key job for a teacher is to help a student get a new knowledge in his head. The student must be able to picture what it would be like to score an academic touchdown (or a first step, make a first down) in math or English class (Irvine et al 2000). This emphasis on creating hopes in students' heads so that they can work to make them into a reality is a contrast to putting all our energy into developing and creating an effective subject-centered lesson plan. Cooperative learning is effective in IEP education because hey help students to communicate and socialize. In contrast to other lesson formats, cooperative learning is based on discussions and group work. The main similarities between these formats are that they set clear objectives and require instructions; they check understanding and have a practical application step. The main difference is that discovery lesson and cooperative learning models require additional equipment and assessment, while a critical thinking model uses evaluation step. It means being totally involved, completely engaged in doing one's schoolwork. It means total attentiveness and participation in the learning activity (Bateman, 2006). 2. The essential elements of IEP are general intelligence, emotional intelligence, academics: health issues and effective communication. Also, each EIP should have clear ejectives and aims, measurable and observable behavior and stipulated assessment criteria. In a standardized lesson format, a critical thinking model can be used as a frame work of the lesson plan. It will cover all important stages of the lesson plan and assessment criteria. In contrast, discovery lesson and cooperative models can be used as a part of the lesson. Discovery model implies sessions in which teachers encourage students to imagine what it would be like to be successful (including how it might be scary in some ways); how they would feel to know the subject well, to get a good grade, to get approval from their parents and teachers. Students as well as athletes need hopes; not just problems, not just the current reality (Irvine et al 2000). Cooperative model can be a part of the lesson required discussions and personal opinion. Students can begin to focus on improving those areas that are particularly retarding their school success, whether it be some character trait, a health issue, self-management skills, self-defeating ways they think, writing skills, and so forth. To do that, a student is going to have to learn to ask for and accept help from the school. And the school and community, from their side, must be prepared to give the help students need. For example, if a student sees that he has a problem with alcohol that is getting in the way, somewhere in his world there has to be people and programs waiting to respond. The general accommodations for students should involve the use of yellow chalk to reduce glare, the teacher should repeat words written on the blackboard, it is better to use only black print handouts, alternative assignments should be proposed to students who cannot follow the lesson plan. A special attention should be paid to starting, lighting, timing (extended time for tests and more breaks), repeat presentations and immediate response, special test preparation. Sorting students by ability, past achievement, or skill, or whatever, narrows the range of diversity in a classroom and enables teachers to gear materials, assignments, and content to the students' capabilities, interests, and styles. Moreover, ability grouping allows students to go at their own pace. It avoids a situation where better students have to hold back and wait for the slower ones; and less able students will not get so frustrated as others progress so much faster than they can manage (Bateman, 2006). The essential elements of the filly developed lesson plan are objectives, standards, procedures, assessment, accommodations, special equipment, procedural subpoints and timing for each activity. Academic achievement is not just a matter of proficiency in the basic skills necessary to do schoolwork: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and clear thinking capability. Although it obviously helps to have those requisite skills, and certainly problems in these areas can retard achievement, we can both think of students who have the academic skills and still do not achieve (Tomlinson, 1991). The same is true with students who are orderly, show up every day to class, listen attentively, take notes religiously, and study every evening. Indeed this helps, but it can still be just a ticket to mediocrity or less (Bateman, 2006). A critical thinking model is the best one for IEP students because it helps a teacher to support and guide a student and repeat some stages if needed. These practices tend to result in effective forms of education from student to student. In IEP, the teacher is the only one with more than a fair degree of a considered and detailed plan of action-usually in the form of daily lesson plans or unit plans. This model is the most effective because at best, the students have a reasonable idea of where the teacher is going and show up each day alert and responsive. At worse, they see the class as the teacher's enterprise and only respond if something happens to catch their interest. But a true plan, no. One student, even though he attended the same high school as another, may in fact have been taught very different things in very different ways. And this does not even include the differences in the education received by a student in one school versus another. A school in an affluent suburb may go about its business very differently from a school in the heart of a city. The result is an inconsistency of process and content in the secondary education system (Marzano, 2001). References 1. Bateman, B. (2006). Writing Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives. Attainment Co Inc. 2. Irvine, J.J., Armento, B.J. et al. (2000). Culturally Responsive Teaching: Lesson Planning for Elementary and Middle Grades. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages. 3. Marzano, R.J. et al (2001). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Deve. 4. Tomlinson, C. (1991). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners (ASCD). Prentice Hall; Special Ed edition. Read More