Identifying Sight Words

1. Identifying Sight Words A universally designed lesson for first grade using the Promethean Smart Board High Incidence Accessible Technology Team – MCPS – 2008 http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/hiat Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

2. A universally designed lesson… The following slides describe a lesson using the Promethean board with ActivPrimary software in Rachael Love’s first grade classroom. The lesson is annotated with just a few examples of how the concepts of UDL apply to the tools, teaching strategies, and methods of expression and assessment that Ms. Love uses with her students.

3. Identifying Sight Words Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

4. Phonemic Awareness-Sound Boxes This first activity allows students to mix and fix words. They are identifying letters and corresponding sounds, deleting, substituting, and adding sounds to form new words. They are segmenting one syllable words into phonemes, and blending 3-4 phonemes into a word. These sound boxes work almost like a game, and the students are very motivated to move around to mix and fix the words. They are doing CVC and CCVC words. Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

5. How UDL applies • This lesson demonstrates how Ms. Love uses flexible teaching methods to engage students: • Instructional activities (finding sight words) relate to a meaningful context (a poem on a current topic) • Students are motivated by the colors and marker tools on the board • Students learn from each other because they can all see others’ responses

6. How UDL applies • The Promethean board is a flexible tool that overcomes barriers to learning • Using the software to move letters around levels the playing field for kids who have poor fine motor skills • This method promotes trial and error. It allows students to take risks because they won’t have to erase

7. Phonemic Awareness-Shared Writing Shared writing is an important way to incorporate writing into reading. Here they are taking turns writing words from a sentence that was dictated to them by me. I included sight words and a new “ap” family word that we practiced together. Some students just write the initial sound and I will finish the word. We read the finished sentence together. Here they are also practicing knowledge of print by writing left to right and by practicing their spacing as well as good mechanics. “Here is the cap.” Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

8. How UDL applies • This lesson uses flexible teaching strategies so that ALL students participate meaningfully • Students can write as much as they are able, and ALL students are working toward the same objective • Working as a group on a product that everyone can see means that each student has something to contribute

9. Lesson Description 7) While students began their independent work, I did a quick formative assessment in small groups to check what they learned. The assessment will include using “activotes”. They look like this: Each student has their own “activote”. This is a wireless device that students can use to plug in their answers. I know which numbers are on each students “activotes” so that I can analyze data. The questions I asked allow me to see if each student can compare, categorize, and identify initial, medial, and final sounds. It also allows me to check to see if they can rhyme “ap” family words. It will allow me to check most of the phonics and phonemic awareness objectives that were practiced earlier. Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

10. How UDL applies • This lesson uses a flexible method of assessment to inform teaching • With Activotes, answers are anonymous and no one is put on the spot • All student answers are recorded, not just the one or two students that are called on • Students answer non-verbally and without writing so oral language and writing skills do not pose barriers for some

11. The Wireless Formative Assessment Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

12. The Results Rachael Love – MCPS - 2008

13. How UDL applies • This lesson uses a flexible assessment tool that saves the teacher time • The graph shows that students understand the “ap family” words • One student can be provided individual support • The assessment tool did not single that child out of the group