Accommodating Student Variability Ability Grouping and Disabling Conditions

1. Accommodating Student VariabilityAbility Grouping and Disabling Conditions Nianna Smith 04/02/12 CEPD 4101 Psychology Application Project

2. http://mrsstlouis.com/masters-paper/

3. What is Accommodating Student Variability? This topic deals with accommodating academic instruction for all different types of students whether it may be physical, mental, or emotional disabilities and learning styles. This theory really goes about showing ways of handling our diverse students through Ability Grouping, The Individuals with Disabilities Education, Students with Intellectual Disability, Student with Learning Disabilities, Students with Emotional Disturbance, Students Who Are Gifted and Talented, Using Technology to Assist Exceptional Students.

4. According to my Observations…-Argument • The classes that I observed had a many different learning styles and disabilities along with misbehavior among the children and the teachers were using ability grouping for their reading groups. • I saw that improvement was needed amongst the way the teachers handled the variability in the class. *If the teacher has a clear understanding of his/ her students he/she will find more success in academic instruction and classroom management.

5. Description of Class Observation Subject/s: Reading Grade Level: Kindergarten Number of Students: 21 Student Demographic Hispanic: 5 White Caucasian: 8 Black/African American: 8 City school: Low, Medium, High Income Length of Observation: 14 hours

6. Project Findings • Teacher-Student Interaction Ms. Brown loves her students; however, since she has family issues she tends to bring it out on the children. Some days Ms. Brown would come in mad and would treat the kids a little harsher than normal. • Student-Student Interaction -Love for each other -No bullying -They tend to work things out for themselves even at this young age because the teacher encourages that. • Class Management -Ms. Brown and her paraprofessional keeps the class under control. -Seem to have an efficient management system -Kids learn to work things out

7. One of things I noticed were the Ability Grouping among the classes… In the kindergarten class (Ms. Brown) that I was in the kids were sectioned off in their high, medium, low reading groups. I mentioned in my journal that there was one child who was exceptionally smart. She could read, write, spell better than most of her classmates. This kind of grouping is considered “Within-Class Ability Grouping” according to Psychology Applied to Teaching textbook. • So what do you do for that child who excels past her classmates but yet it still on a kindergarten level?

8. Continue… I feel like the Joplin Plan needs to be in effect at this stage because there are so many kids just bored because they are smarter than their peers but forced to work on subjects they already mastered. According to the article “Ability Grouping in Elementary Schools” by John Hollified, states “There is strong evidence that the Joplin Plan increases reading achievement.”

9. IEP • Jayla, the kindergartner, who I believe to have a learning disability needs to be in the Individualized Education Program. I was told several times to go help her individually; she needs one-on-one help because she is falling behind most of the kids. http://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/index.html

10. Description of Class Observation Subject/s: Reading, Math, etc. Grade Level: First Grade Number of Students: 17 Student Demographic Black/African American: 6 Caucasian: 8 Mixed/Other: 2 Asian: 1 City school: Low, Medium, High Income Length of Observation: 14 hours

11. Project Findings • Teacher-Student Interaction Ms. Long loves her students -First year with first graders. She has been working with Pre-K students for 5 years, so this is a challenge for her. -Most of the students respect her but she has trouble. • Student-Student Interaction -The kids tolerate each other. -Minor problems talking out their feelings. • Class Management -Very little classroom management -Students get out of control very easily. -Seems like she is not equip to handle first graders -Two students are detrimental to the learning of the other students in class.

12. How to deal with those kids who are difficult to teach? • Ms. Long, the first grade teacher, usually complains about these two students behavior that sometimes is unbearable. She says they don’t know what it is or why Derrick acts the way he does but Adam has family issues going on at home that making him act out the way he does. She usually has to stop instructional time to get them back on task or sent out of the class. They both are in IEP. However, I believe the kids should be tested for ADHD.

13. Derrick is very street smart but lacks in understanding of most material learned.. • The textbook describes dealing with kids who have disabling conditions, emotional disturbance. • Emotional disturbance: personal and social problems exhibited in an extreme degree over a period of time that adversity affect a child’s ability to learn and get along with others. • Derrick defines the externalizing characteristics of emotional disturbance. This student is aggressive, uncooperative, restless and negativistic. • Adam has the same characteristics as well but he is very smart. He gets bored very easily and he likes to switch up to different activities. He usually straightens up when the teacher reinforces appropriate behavior and punish inappropriate behavior. Ms. Long doesn’t really punish these kids for wrong doing, she just gives incentives for doing well or tries to bribe them to do well.

14. Excerpt: Students Misbehavior and How it Can be Improved By: FlaviaMarietto and Meghan Woodstock Children misbehave for various reasons. Due to many behavioral disorders, because of their lack of attention or love at home, boredom, confusion about their school work, lack of confidence, bad home life, low self esteem, need for independence, lack of social skills, lack of guidance and psychological problems or disorders. Children are often seeking any type of attention they can receive. Children need to feel loved and thrive when they know that there are people who care about them. When they do not receive the attention that all children need to receive, they tend to act out and misbehave. “Children need to feel that they belong to you, to the family, to the class at school, to a group of friends. They may misbehave to gain membership or to find out if they will still be accepted. Thus, it is important to let children know you love them and that they are still part of the family, even when they behave badly.” (Richardson, Oklahoma State University) It is important for children to be captivated by their lessons and their work. If they are uninterested they will look for something that will interest them. For example, start talking with a classmate, get up and walk around, use the bathroom, tap their pen or pencil, which in turn will cause a distraction to the teacher and the classroom.

15. Practical Approaches • Ms. Brown She should request that Jayla gets tested for ADHD It is obvious Jayla is slower than the other kids, Ms. Brown can also get the parapro or a parent to come if they have time to work with her one-on-one. I was there for only a while. • Ms. Long She needs to make an effort to observe and study her kids. Adam could be acting up because he isn’t being challenged. She needs to figure out what things Adam likes to do and challenge him those areas.

16. Continue…. Emotional Disturbance- Suggestions to Deal (pg. 210-211) • Promote and reinforce appropriate social interactions. • Train other students to initiate social interaction. • IEP • “PATHS intervenes earlier in a child's decision-making about how to behave. Children are encouraged when upset to emulate Twiggle the turtle, a green puppet who pulls into his shell: They stop, cross their arms over their chests, take a deep breath and give a name to their emotions.” –Sue Shellenbarger Learning Disabilities- Suggestions to Deal (pg. 206-207) • Capitalize on the resources in you classroom to help students with learning disabilities and ADHD improve academically, socially, and emotionally. • IEP Exceptional Students- Suggestions to Deal • Make sure the kids are being challenged academically. If they need to be placed in another class for reading do so for the further success of the child.

17. Think About… • You are a new teacher, teaching 2nd grade, you find out that some of your students have learning disabilities and disabling conditions. What would you do? How would go about handling that if they were similar to the kids mentioned in my observations? • How would have you handled any of the kids that I explained briefly about and why?

18. References Hollifield, John. “Ability Grouping in Elementary Schools.” ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education Urbana IL. 1987. 31 March 2012. http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-927/grouping.htm. Marietto, Flavia and Woodstock, Meghan. “Students Misbehavior and How it Can be Improved” 18 April 2009.3 March 2012http://nyteachers.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/students-misbehavior-and-how-it-can-be-improved-by-flavia-marietto-and-meghan-woodstock/ Shellenbarger, Sue. “Playing Nice: Teachers Learn to Help Kids Behave in School” 8 April 2009. 31 March 2012. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123914405198998725.html. Snowman, Jack., McCown, Rick. Psychology Applied to Teaching. Accommodating Student Variability. 13th .Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. 2009.