Connie+T

= Welcome to my page! As a 6th grade language arts and social studies teacher enrolled in a graduate program geared towards literacy and technology, I am excited to learn all I can from my professor and peers and put it to work in my lessons! = = Stop back as I continue to modify the work on here and complete assignments for class. Looking forward to working with all of you! =

WEEK 8: Reflection My reflection can be found on my blog! http://newblogger2010.edublogs.org/

WEEK 7: It is no surprise that technology engages learners and helps them connect to the material on a deeper level. Therefore, implementing meaningful technology into lessons as often as possible is crucial. The resources compiled through this social networking site give me plenty of support for incorporating technology in my classroom to meet the needs of diverse learners. Below are the top 3 ways I will use technology to implement the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction (DI). 1) Technology can modify and customize learning and bring the world into the classroom. I will use technology to adapt lessons for varying degrees of student readiness and interest while making connections to the real world. 2) Technology gives students the ability to generate and create products that are meaningful, so I will use technology to engage students in a high quality curriculum with respectful activities that provide for choice and originality. 3) Finally, I will be able to have ongoing assessment made easy as a quick click of the button will allow me to check in with my students, see their progress, and make instructional changes based on their demonstration of knowledge.

WEEK 6: Have you browsed the everythingdi.net website yet? It is an excellent resource!! Check it out :) ﻿I like how it provides an explanation of what DI is and why it should be used. The philosophy is made very clear. Also, curriculum ideas provide ideas of integrating DI and technology into lesson planning. The tutorials are great! Watch the one on Microsoft. I thought I knew everything and learn so many new ideas of implementing its' use in teaching social studies.

Application 5: Differentiating Instruction Educating today’s students does not mean teaching only content in the teacher’s preferred method. Educators must understand that each student is unique and our job is to support each of them and help them grow in their preferred methods of learning. It is important to help students see that they are acceptable and fascinating and that they are capable of learning almost anything (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009a). In order to reach all learners, teachers should differentiate their instruction along with utilizing available technology to make the curriculum meaningful and engaging to all students. **Using Technology to Differentiate** **Content Area.** 6th Grade Social Studies and Language Arts **Readiness.** Students have varying degrees of ability in each lesson taught and they can change (Smith & Throne, 2007). Teachers can use different teaching methods to meet the shifting needs of students while tuning in to their readiness levels. Technology helps to meet students at their readiness level because they are patient, offer real-world projects, and can scaffold learning (Smith & Throne, 2007). One way to differentiate instruction by readiness level is to use graphic organizers that can function as preview and review tools, help struggling readers focus on critical information and significant data, and foster logical thinking (Smith & Throne, 2007). Education Place has a website with numerous graphic organizers that teachers can print and copy free of charge. The URL is: [] This website allows the teacher to personalize learning through technology by providing scaffolds to support and enhance learning. Teachers can provide several different GO’s that offer more avenues for learning (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). Having options for students during learning is an essential part of differentiated instruction. If the goals for a lesson are clear, DI calls for multiple ways to reach them and GOs meet that requirement (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). I would use this resource in my own classroom to help clarify information for student in different ways. I would allow them to choose which GO suits them by providing several options for their readiness level. Focusing on critical information and previewing or reviewing information would be easier for students with GOs made specifically for their levels of readiness. This website offers close to forty GOs that would serve as a framework for organizing information in social studies and language arts. **Interest.** An interest driven learning environment engages students and promotes deeper understanding. Not only do students put more effort into work they are interested in, but they retain more, make additional connections, and are motivated further (Smith & Throne, 2007). One way to differentiate instruction by interest is to start with a survey tool to understand the interest level of students. The Adaptive Dimension has a URL to look at: [] This is a survey that asks questions about what interests students. By using this survey tool online, teachers can easily generate a questionnaire and find out what their students are most interested in. I would use this survey in my classroom at the beginning of the year and half way through to see what interests my students. Then, I would try to incorporate interests from each student in my lessons throughout the year. I would also be able to see what a struggling student might be motivated by. Using surveys online is a quick and easy way to find out what engages each student. Another way to differentiate instruction by interest is to use Jigsaw Groups that allow students to choose what they will study in-depth. Students can choose to be experts in their interest field and use technology to research more information and present it to their group or the class (Smith & Throne, 2007). A possibility for presenting their researched information could be PowerPoint. Students would synthesize their research and teach their information to the class using the PowerPoint software. One URL that can be used is: [] Internet 4 Classrooms provides PowerPoint tutorials with ideas for students and examples of presentations. Using this tutorial resource in class would be a great idea to help students learn the software program. Then, they can take what they have learned from class and incorporate it into what they learned to do with technology to create a presentation for class. Presentations created from interest are meaningful and are part of a high-quality curriculum (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). I would use Jigsaw Groups in my social studies class when we study ancient civilizations. Students must learn about the geography, religion, economy, government, agriculture, and scientific or cultural contributions of each civilization studied. By allowing students to choose what field they want to explore more deeply, a greater understanding would be achieved. Students would gladly focus their attention on researching information and would create presentations that were meaningful. I would use the PowerPoint tutorial before students started their work so they knew what to expect as they compiled research. **Learning Profile.** Every student has a preferred learning style, which incorporates many different preferences. Intelligence, learning-style, gender, and culture preferences add to each student’s unique style of learning (Smith & Throne, 2007). Since most of the multiple intelligences used in classrooms are verbal-linguistic, it is important to add more options for MI into lessons. Using technology engages students and appeals to all different learners, so incorporating it into lessons will help meet the various preferences of students (Laureate Education, Inc. 2009c). One resource that can be used to meet more than the verbal-linguistic intelligence preference is creating a postcard. At Postcard Creator, [], students can turn information into a postcard and add their own design or artwork on the front. This appeals to naturalist and visual-spatial intelligences. Students can create their own letters to other people or write to themselves in the future, which attracts the intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences. Having a curriculum that promotes understanding and gives students multiple avenues to meet the goals is essential for DI (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009c). I would use the Postcard Maker in my language arts classes. Students could write a letter and design a postcard about the numerous stories we read in class. This activity would let students choose the artwork, designs, and graphics on the card along with who they are writing to, and what they are writing about. This would appeal to different learners, as several multiple intelligences would be presented. **Summary** Differentiating instruction by readiness, interest, and learning profile does not have to be overwhelming or difficult. Taking small steps by having more than one avenue to learn can make a huge impact on students (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009b). Making the implementation of differentiation even easier is the use of technology. If teachers can utilize available technology and provide choices for how students learn, students’ success will be imminent.

References

Adaptive Dimension. (2001). //The learner interests.// Retrieved from: [] Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (2009). //Education place graphic organizers//. Retrieved from: [] Internet 4 Classrooms. (2010). PowerPoint tutorials. Retrieved from: [] Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Introduction to differentiated instruction. [DVD]. //Reaching and engaging all learners through technology//. Baltimore, MD. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). What is differentiated instruction. [DVD]. //Reaching and engaging all learners through technology//. Baltimore, MD. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009c). High-quality curriculum. [DVD]. //Reaching and engaging all learners through technology//. Baltimore, MD. Postcard Creator. (2007). ReadWriteThink. Retrieved from: [] Smith, G., & Throne, S. (2007). //Differentiating instruction with technology in K-5 classrooms//. Belmont, CA: International Society for Technology in Education. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.

Discussion 5:

 Here is the link to the voicethread for my initial discussion post- week 5. It is a response to how Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction fit easily together and are ways of thinking, not a passing "flavor of the month"!!

__ @http://voicethread.com/share/1883705/ __

APP 3 & 4 My UDL Presentation Link (Please let me know if this does not work for you! Choose either link) [] ">UDL Presentation []

Application 2

**Data Gathering Tools** **Content Area.** 6th Grade Social Studies and Language Arts **Interest Survey.** Surveys that take a close look at what students are interested in and what they care about can be helpful when designing lesson plans that interest students (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). One interest survey I located is from: [] This survey asks questions about play and other activities as well as reading. It is geared towards students in grades 1 through 6. There is a similar survey that is intended for grades 7 through 12 just below the first survey. Teachers can use a combination of questions that they determine to be the most useful for their student population. Teachers would have to print out the surveys or copy and paste questions to create a new document. This tool is good for helping teachers generate interest-related questions. **Learning Styles Survey.** Knowing the way a student prefers to learn and what makes them the most comfortable is another good source of information for teachers (Laureate Education, Inc., 2009). One survey I located that I found particularly useful for middle school students is: [] This survey asks twelve questions and students need to circle one of three answers. The selected answers are totaled by column to see which learning style is best suited for each student. Audio, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic learning styles are clearly described and students can read about which style is best for them. I like the simple method of circling answers and totaling the columns at the end. Teachers can simply print off this survey or copy and paste it into another document. There are even suggestions at the end of the survey that describe what students can do to get the most out of reading a book based on their learning style. **Multiple Intelligences Survey.** The way we are wired and the ways in which we think are powerful and meaningful (Tomlinson, 2009). Using a survey to find a learner’s strengths is a great way to have students take responsibility for their learning and use their strengths to their advantage. One survey I found useful was: [] This survey asks 56 questions on a ranking scale and calculates the top three intelligences based on your responses. This survey could be used in a middle or high school classroom and students might find their strengths interesting and useful. The teacher can have students record their top three intelligences and what this means in terms of learning in the classroom. This way the student and teacher would be informed and could use their strong intelligences to their benefit in school. **Learning Profile Survey.** There are numerous factors that influence student learning in the classroom that students have little control over such as culture, gender, language, and age. Some students might learn better in a group where others might be more successful individually. Gender differences can cause problems in the classroom since our culture typically describes males as aggressive and females as collaborative (Bray, Brown, & Green, 2004). A tool I found to gain knowledge on learning profiles of students is: [] Under “Walk Through Tools” select elementary school student surveys. This survey is geared towards younger middle school students and focuses on relationships with others and personal relevance. Students rate each statement from 1 (Rarely) to 4 (Always) and determine learning profiles from the data. **Original Survey.** Using the tools and examples I found, I took bits and pieces of each to create a survey of my own to give to my sixth grade students at the start of the next school year. My survey includes questions about students’ interests, learning styles, multiple intelligences, and preferences related to learning profiles. By obtaining information related to these areas about my students, I will gain beneficial knowledge that will help me reach and engage each student. No two students are alike and their styles of learning will be just as unique as the students themselves. By studying my students I will be able to link the content to them and engage and motivate my classes. My survey can be found at: [] **References** Bray, M., Brown, A., & Green, T. (2004). //Technology and the Diverse Learner: A Guide to Classroom Practice//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Learner differences. [DVD]. //Reaching and engaging all learners through technology//. Baltimore, MD. Tomlinson, C. (2009). Learning profiles and achievement. //School Administrator. 66//(2), 28–33. Retrieved from Education Research Complete database.