EDU 6526- Meta Reflection

Meta Reflection

 

Overall I have found this class very useful and practical. Looking back, I think that it would have been more beneficial to have taken this course while I was teaching during the school year. The class is so rich with ideas that are spawned from the readings, that it would be so wonderful to be able to implement them right away, amidst the excitement of learning them. That being said, taking the class over the summer also has it perks and allows more time to explore and think about the different models of teaching and philosophies behind them.

For my meta-reflection, I would like to look back at some of the strategies and models of teaching that I plan on using in my teaching this coming year.

One of my favorite strategies that I have used in the past in my teaching and I read more about this term is non-linguistic representation. I love this particular strategy because I really believe that it opens up the material to so many different types and levels of learners. “When teachers use non-linguistic representation strategies, they help students represent knowledge as imagery. These strategies are powerful because they tap into students’ natural tendency for visual image processing, which helps them construct meaning of relevant content and skills and have a better capacity to recall it later (Medina, 2008)” (Dean, Pitler & Stone, 2012, p. 64). Examples of this could include using manipulatives in a math class or using graphic organizers (enchantedlearning.com is a great website with graphic organizers) in a Language Arts class. This strategy was in fact what I chose to write about as one of my focus strategies for this course because of its’ effectiveness and it is a fun strategy to use! Here is the link to my post on this strategy: https://rebeccaaf.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/strategy-1-edu-6526/

 

Another strategy that strikes me as particularly effective is concept attainment. Although I have taught many subjects over the years, I still feel like my strengths are in the areas of science and math. That being said, I think part of that is because of my affinity towards categorization and logical thinking. This particular teaching model is all about categorizing “item based on an analysis of their characteristics, or critical attributes. Critical attributes are the characteristics that define an object or idea and help explain what makes it unique” (Dell’Olio & Donk, 2007, p. 112). This is a useful tool because it teaches students how to categorize and organize so they can learn to apply this to new information they gather on their own in their future studies. I believe that any strategy we can give our student that teach them the “how” is the most powerful tool we can give them-one they can use when we are not around. (http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=162537– here is a video demonstration of the strategy).

It seems to me that in some ways direct instruction is a teaching model that has gotten a bad rap. I think it is less about direct instruction being “bad” and more about teachers losing what direct instruction really about. I find that a lot of teachers use what they call direct instruction, but it is really just frontal teaching; standing at the front of the room, giving a lecture and then have the students work on an assignment. This is certainly a piece of direct instruction, but without the rest of direct instruction, this piece is really not useful in reaching most students. Actual direct instruction is broken down into several parts, sometimes these parts are done in different orders, but most successful and true direct instruction lessons will include each of the following steps: Focus activity (or hook), stating the objective, giving over content and modeling, check for understanding, guided practice, independent practice, closing of lesson. I think that this strategy is so important because almost any other strategy in some way encompasses this. Even if you are working with other models of teaching, such as non-linguistic representation, you still need to employ the steps of direct instruction in order to teach your students. I particularly like the idea of modeling for your students, then guiding them, and lastly giving them independent practice. This idea is also related to one of our readings last week about character education.

As it turns out character education is something that different schools teach their students in different ways some schools choose to explicitly teach children, morals, or character traits that are important o function in our society. Others choose to model behaviors; still others incorporate it into their teaching and tie it to content. And some do all three. However, I think the most effective curriculum for character education is modeling, this can include tying it to content as well, but any good character education curriculum must be accompanied by teachers who model the appropriate behavior. As Kirk Russel said in an article we read by him, morals are “caught not taught”. So this idea of direct instruction really is a way to teach anything, and all types of models can be incorporated into it.

Another aspect of this course I particularly appreciated was the readings on Howard Gardner. As a Special Education teacher, I truly appreciate the idea of there being different types of learners and the earlier we recognize that and use differentiation in our classroom, the more chance each child has at success. Gardner and his team spent years researching and developing the idea of eight intelligences, which helped define the idea that people learn differently and the importance of finding different ways to reach our students. The eight intelligences he identified are: Musical, visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic.

I appreciate the books we got for this class because they are both so clearly laid out and describe the teaching models/strategies in a way that makes them both appealing and give easy to follow examples. I look forward to using these books as continuing resources throughout this coming school year and on. The two books are Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards by Jeanine Dell’Olio & Tony Donk and Classroom instruction that works: research based strategies for increasing student achievement by Ceri Dean, Elizabeth Ross Hubbell, Howard Pitler & Bj Stone. I highly recommend them both!

 

Dell’Olio, J., Donk, T. (2007). Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

 

Dean, C., Hubbell, E., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research based strategies for increasing student achievement 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

 

Russell, K. (1987). The wise men know what wicked things are written in the sky: Can virtues be taught? Washington D.C: Regnery Publishing Inc.

 

Davis, K., Christodoulou, J., Seider, S., & Gardner. H.The theory of multiple intelligences. Retrieved August 6, 2013 from http://howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/443-davis-christodoulou-seider-mi-article.pdf

EDU 6526 Post 7- Character Education

This topic of character education is one that does not get old. When I think about character and how we can help educate children on morals and good character, there really is not one answer. Earlier this year I took a class about morals issues and education. This class really helped me delve in and figure out what I really think about educating students of character. The bottom line, what I found I really believe is that children learn best from modeling. They learn best when their teachers and parents are behaving in the way that they want their children to behave. This is a BIG responsibility! And one that we, as teachers, need to take seriously. This week we read an excerpt from a book by Russel Kirk. He gave across the idea that virtues are “caught not taught”; this really sums up in three words, my thoughts exactly. Just being told what to do or what is right, is not enough. We need to show children what good character is. Defining this gets a little more complicated, but there are some general norms that people live by. In religious schools there may be more areas that are touched on, but the idea of modeling for students will be the same. In addition to modeling the behavior we can find areas that we study that model behaviors for us in literature and history.

Reference:

Russell, K. (1987). The wise men know what wicked things are written in the sky: Can virtues be taught? Washington D.C: Regnery Publishing Inc.

EDU 6526- Module 6- Multiple Intelligences

I think that the concept of multiple intelligences is crucial to running a successful classroom. Howard Gardner is credited with coming up with the concept of multiple intelligences, although there is a lot of research by other people on different versions of the multiple intelligences. There are eight intelligences/abilities that Gardner identified: Musical, visual, verbal, logical, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. By identifying different learning styles, Gardner created an opportunity for teachers to be able to reach all students, by identifying each different student’s strength. “According to Gardner’s analysis, only two intelligences—linguistic and logical mathematical—have been valued and tested for in modern secular schools” (Davis, Christodoulou, Seider & Gardner).

Another resource that I have found helpful and used when differentiating instruction for my students is All Kinds of Minds. I took a week long course on this in 2001; it was amazing! Part of the workshop involved practical application, which I found so useful and has helped me over the years in identifying and understanding about how different people learn differently. Although the styles are described differently, the concept and idea of different types of learners is the same. All kinds of minds focuses a little more on the ability each person has, and then teaching to their strengths, versus Gardner’s intelligences which implies that some people have different intelligences than others. All Kinds of Minds refers to eight constructs: Attention, higher order thinking, language, memory, neuromotor functions, social cognition, spatial ordering, temporal-sequential ordering. Although these all could fit into a category of Gardner’s intelligences, they are also another perspective on their own. The combination of the constructs and the multiple intelligences would lead to a very successful teacher and classroom.

 

References:

All kinds of minds: Learning framework. Retrieved from http://www.allkindsofminds.org/learning-framework

Davis, K., Christodoulou, J., Seider, S., & Gardner. H.The theory of multiple intelligences. Retrieved August 6, 2013 from http://howardgardner01.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/443-davis-christodoulou-seider-mi-article.pdf

EDU- 6526- John Dewey- Post 5

“With the advent of democracy and modern industrial conditions, it is impossible to foretell definitely just what civilization will be twenty years from now. Hence it is impossible to prepare the child for any set of conditions. To prepare him for future life means to give him command of himself; it means so to train him that he will have the full and ready use of all his capacities; that his eye and ear and hand may be able of grasping the conditions under which it has to work, and the executive forces be trained to act economically and efficiently” (Dewey, 1897). Oh my do I love this quote! This is exactly how I feel about educating students and it is over 100 years later. As I have mentioned in other posts before, I have been teaching for 11 years. Eight of those years I spent as a 5^th and 6^th grade classroom teacher.  I believe, and what I think Dewey was saying all those years ago is that we need to educate the whole child and teach them life and social skills, it is not just about academics.

Dewey was an educational philosopher who is known as the founder of the progressive education movement. According to Spartacus Education, “In his books Dewey outlined his views on how education could improve society. The founder of what became known as the progressive education movement, Dewey argued that it was the job of education to encourage individuals to develop their full potential as human beings. He was especially critical of the rote learning of facts in schools and argued that children should learn by experience. In this way students would not just gain knowledge but would also develop skills, habits and attitudes necessary for them to solve a wide variety of problems” (Simkin). As a classroom teacher I spent time teaching my students skills, social and academic, and trained them to generalize these skills so that as my students move through the grades they can use these skills, hone them, change them as assignments or life asks them to. For example, with my fifth grade students I had them write a research paper at the same time I taught 6^th grade and I had them write a research paper as well. The skills I had the 6^th grade student use built on the skills they learned for the 5^th grade research paper. I tried to do this and still try to do this as much as I can with all subjects. Math, reading comprehension and writing are so much about teaching skills, and processes so that students can apply them when they are given unknown content. The other layer to this that Dewey was also getting at is the idea of cooperative leaning. Learning with other students in a way that builds social skills; which of course is a necessity in order to function in society.

According to one of my classmates’ discussion posts last week, “Cooperative learning is a constructivist teaching strategy that helps to foster a sense of collaboration and community participation in the classroom” (Cook, 2013). This is exactly what we want to foster in our students since when we think about releasing students into real life, these are exactly the kinds of skills we want them to know.

 

References:

Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogic Creed. School Journal, 54, 77-80.

 

Simkin, J. (1997-2013). Spartacus educational: John Dewey. Retrieved from http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAdewey.htm.

Cook, D. (July 25, 2013). Does constructivism promote academic excellence? [Web log post]. Retrieved from  https://bbweb-prod.spu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_74199_1%26url%3D

 

EDU 6526- Implementation of Strategy 2: QAR

QAR has many uses and can be used across subjects and levels. I will focus in on a 5^th grade resource room lesson on character traits. The first lesson in this unit was defining character and physical traits. We spent time sorting traits into categories and then came up with a definition for each. Physical traits are what someone looks like- what you can see when looking at them. Character traits are what their personality is like or what they act like. The student also began filling in a miniature picture of a human body and on the outside she put physical traits describing her and on the inside she put character traits describing her. We added to this at the end of each of the four lessons in the unit to help tie each lesson to a concrete example.

For the second lesson in this unit I had the student read a story on Thomas Edison. She was to place sticky notes at places in the biography that either explicitly stated a trait, or on sentences that alluded to a trait. On the sticky notes she was to write what the character trait was that the sentence referred to or the physical traits. Here is an example of what that looks like- this example is using a different book than the one I used in the lesson, but it shows how the sticky notes can be used.    

The following website, http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/question_answer_relationship/, as mentioned in my previous post on this strategy, goes into some detail about the QAR and different types of questions. This type of exercise and interaction with the text would be, “Right There Questions: Literal questions whose answers can be found in the text. Often the words used in the question are the same words found in the text” (Reading Rockets, 2013).  The student is being asked to find something specific in the text and identify it.

In my experience as a teacher (11 years) I have found that students gain more comprehension when they are asked to interact with the text. The QAR provides them with different types of question that force student to interact with the text in a way that increases comprehension.

 

There is research to support the use of this strategy as well, according to the article entitled Question answer relationships (QAR) in the primary grades: Laying the foundation for reading

comprehension, it is important to start this strategy in the primary grades to increase reading comprehension in students as they move onto upper grade levels.  “’I have read the chapter three times and still can’t find the answer to this question!’ Third, fourth and fifth grade teachers continue to hear this statement from their students as the students look through the text expecting to find the answer written in one sentence. Students continue to become frustrated searching for answers to questions, in both narrative and expository text selections. Question Answer Relationships (QARs) might be one solution to student frustration in upper grades if primary grade teachers introduced this strategy early in students’ education.

The authors’ belief that Question Answer Relationships (QARs) can be effectively taught to students in grades K-2 was explored when early elementary teachers implemented the QAR strategy in their instruction. The outcome confirmed the effectiveness of using QARs with primary grade students” (Kinniburgh & Prew, 2010).

What I like most about this strategy is it also lends itself to both differentiation and integration of several subjects. For example, in the situation I used it in above, I am teaching reading comprehension strategies while the student is also learning about Thomas Edison- Social Studies. This could also easily be used in science as well. As for differentiation, a teacher could provide different questions for different levels. The teacher could either group students in pairs or students can work individually. The teacher could hand out questions according to level. This way each student is working at the level appropriate for him/her and the students can still be reading the same text, so everyone can participate in turn and talk or full class discussions.

The following standards relate both to the QAR and to identification of character and physical traits when reading.

 

GLE:

2.1.6 Apply comprehension monitoring strategies to understand fiction, nonfiction, informational text, and task-oriented text: monitor for meaning, create mental images, and generate and answer questions: Organize information in a graphic organizer that is appropriate to the text and purpose for reading in order to organize information and comprehend text.

 

2.2.3 Understand and analyze story Elements: Use knowledge of the situation, characters’ actions, motivations, feelings, and physical attributes to determine characters’ traits.

 

CCC:

The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate exposure to a range of texts and tasks. Rigor is also infused through the requirement that students read increasingly complex texts through the grades. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.

Reading Standard for informational text 1.Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

 

Reading Standards for literature 1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

 

References:

Dell’Olio, J., Donk, T. (2007). Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Kinniburgh, L., Prew, S. (2010). International Journal of Early Childhood Special Education (INT-JECSE), June 2010, 2: 1.

Reading Rockets. Question Answer Relationship, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/question_answer_relationship/

EDU 6526- Post 4

This was my discussion post for class this week. I got some really helpful feedback from it and wanted to share it here.

“Advanced organizers are a model for helping students organize information by connecting it to larger cognitive structure that reflects the organization of the discipline itself” (Del’Olio & Donk, 2007 p. 388). The idea behind advanced organizers is a good one; give students something to relate to so that when the new information is presented, it is easier for them to make connection, and then remember the information. In the example in the book of Ms. Wolters class, she gives them an advanced organizer that presents them with a dilemma about oil and the cost/benefit of it. She asks the students to engage in a discussion where they begin to form opinions using the organizer and prior knowledge. By doing this she is giving them a context for what they will be learning and more importantly, she is giving them a connection that she can keep referring back to. This will help them to retain new information. In this particular example, she is also making it personal by asking their opinion, which will help solidify the information in their memory as well.

I can see using this with a small group in the resource room. Although we do not typically learn social studies units or science units and typically we focus on reading, writing, and math skills. I can see this being useful when supporting what the students are learning in their gen ed classrooms. For example, I know that the 5^th grade studies the Revolutionary War, it could be cool to make an advanced organizer, similar to the one used by Ms. Wolters, and have it end with a question about who was right, the Colonies, or Britain? This will help them in class and I can refer to it when we work together. I can also provide it to the teacher so she can help support the students we both work with when they are in her Gen Ed class.

One piece of feedback I received was in reference to what my organizer could look like per the specific example I gave above. He suggested finding an appropriate picture of the Boston Massacre as illustrated by Paul Revere and have students read text that presents the perspectives of both the British and the Colonies. This seemed like a great way to present this particular organizer. He also pointed out the idea of working with the Resource Room and how my discussion post solidified the importance of this the cooperation for him; as well as was a reminder to share materials he develops in his class with the Resource Room. I found his response helpful and I think the corporation between a Resource Room and gen ed teachers is crucial to students’ success, so I was really pleased that my post helped perpetuate that relationship.

I was also reminded that the idea of advanced organizers can help with the teacher assessing (informally) for prior knowledge and was glad that was pointed out to me as well.

 

Dell’Olio, J., Donk, T. (2007). Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

EDU-6526-Strategy 2: QAR

An important concept in my instructional setting is the Question-Answer Relationship (QAR). This is a model that can be first introduced at a young age and as children progress through the grades this strategy can be made more complex and taken further and deeper. “This model can be used for content area reading or narrative types of text. It is useful for helping students find the relationship between questions and their answers and for providing language to describe those relationships” (Dell’Olio & Donk, 2007).

This model of teaching is helpful because it teaches students how to interact with the text in a way that is meaningful and will help the students remember. According to Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standard (2007), the research on this model was done in the 1980’s and it was about the effectiveness of this model, which it was. The more recent research however was done in the late 1990’s and focused on, “whether or not students continue to use QAR over time” (Dell’Olio & Donk, 2007).  The results again were positive and the study showed that students did maintain the use of QAR over time.

This can be useful for me working in the resource room. I work often with students on the topic of reading comprehension. This is an area that can be hard to teach children. When the student is reading with me, I can ask the kind of guiding question that the students need to answer in order to understand text. This strategy will teach them to gain comprehension on their own.

I also like to have some kind of graphic organizers available for students when doing this kinds of QAR. My favorite graphic organizer (usually for kids 4^th grade and up) is sticky notes. These are convenient because it allows students to make notes and thoughts right on the spot of the text that they are thinking. It is also a good idea to have some of the guiding questions written down; this is important because most students (especially ones that I work with in the resource room) benefit from both hearing the questions (auditory) as well as seeing it in print (visually).

Here is a user friendly link that explain the QAR well and gives some great examples of how to use it with some specific curricula: http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/question_answer_relationship/

Dell’Olio, J., Donk, T. (2007). Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

EDU 6525: Implementation of Strategy 1- Non-Linguistic Representation

There is a curriculum called TERC (Technical Education Research Center): Investigation: Number, data & space. I used it when I taught 5^th and 6th grade math for several years. Although I felt, as did other teachers I worked with, that this curriculum was lacking in some rote practice of math facts, it was my favorite math curriculum I have used in the nine years I taught math. What made it so great was the hands-on aspect. The fact that in every lesson, some type of non-linguistic representation was used.

One example I will refer to is  a 5th grade math lesson on polygons. During the first lesson a game is played and the class comes up with the definition of polygons together. Here is the sheet of paper that the students would get before the game, it shows examples of polygons and non-examples of polygons. The students use that to come up with the rules for what makes a polygon. (Here is the sheet: Examples and non-examples of Polygons). It is a fun segway into the unit because the teacher shows a sheet with new shapes that are uncatagorized, and the students have to categorize them onto the board. The game is played silently and there is no talking. If a student disagrees, he/she can use his/her turn to change the placement of the shape. After all the shapes are categorized, the students use this information to come up with a definition of polygons (i.e. only straight lines, at least three sides, etc. ). The assignment that the students are then given is a copy of a picture of a Picasso, which is full of polygons. The students are to identify the polygons in the picture. Here is a link to a Picasso picture that could be used in this lesson: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38117207@N03/4847211586/. This not only gives the students a way to assess their understanding of polygons, but exposes them to art as well. Lessons like this, that use non-linguistic representation are engaging and lend themselves to integration of other subjects, like art.

This type of lesson also lends itself to differentiation. Anytime a visual is given it helps people remember better; when you add art or other subjects it will also help stimulate the brain and students will remember the lesson better.  In addition, giving a visual to a learner who struggles can help trigger their memory as well.  See strategy post for more details on this.

The following website is a bibliography of all the research TERC has done in developing their math and science curricula: http://investigations.terc.edu/developing/Inv_Bibliog.cfm.

Here is a document that high lights how non-linguistic representations are used in their geometry curriculum- http://investigations.terc.edu/library/curric-math/geometry_2ed.pdf.

Related Standards:

Although these standards are not specific about using non-linguistic representation, these are the standards that connect with the math content of this lesson.

~CCSS 5G.3 & 5G.4 (Classify two-dimensional figures into categories based on their

properties.

3. Understand that attributes belonging to a category of two-dimensional figures also belong to all subcategories of that category.

For example, all rectangles have four right angles and squares are

rectangles, so all squares have four right angles.

4. Classify two-dimensional figures in a hierarchy based on properties.)

~EALR- 5.3. Core Content: Triangles and quadrilaterals

EDU 6526 Post 3: Concept attainment

“Concept attainment is designed to clarify ideas and to introduce aspects of content. It engages students into formulating a concept through the use of illustrations, word cards or specimens called examples. Students who catch onto the idea before others are able to resolve the concept and then are invited to suggest their own examples, while other students are still trying to form the concept. For this reason, concept attainment is well suited to classroom use because all thinking abilities can be challenged throughout the activity. (Instructional strategies).

I like how this quote refers to the fact that this teaching strategy is one that can be used to reach learners at different levels. As a special education teacher I am always looking at strategies that a general education teacher can use in the classroom that would not add extensive planning time to their plate. Gen ed teachers have to spend so much time planning and grading etc. any strategy that saves them time, but allows them to actually reach more students would be worthwhile to learn and use and makes this strategy so agreeable.

In addition, according to Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards, concept attainment, “engages students’ critical thinking as soon as the lesson begins” (Dell’Olio & Donk, 2007). This also makes me feel highly of this strategy since engaging students’ higher level thinking is critical to a successful and meaningful lesson.

References:

Instructional strategies. 2004-2009. Retrieved from: http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/strats/cattain/index.html

 

Dell’Olio, J., Donk, T. (2007). Models of teaching: Connecting student learning with standards. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Strategy 1- EDU 6526

Non-linguistic representation, when I first read about this strategy I was not sure what this meant besides pictures. After reading more about it I realize that there are so many ways that this strategy can be employed. What I like about this strategy is that it is a way to differentiate the instruction and reach learners who may have different needs. For example, according to the Ohio department of Education website, “Kinesthetic activity – Specific knowledge associated with a specific physical movement generates a mental image. Most children enjoy learning and expressing ideas in this way (Marzano et al, 2001).” Some children learn best when they are using their bodies. It also helps them remember what they learn.

Pictures are another great way that you can help children learn. According to Classroom instruction that works, “Psychologists believe that information is stored in memory in two ways; as words (linguistic) and as images (nonlinguistic)…Imagery is expressed as mental pictures or physical sensations, such as smell, taste, touch, kinesthetic association, and sound (Richardson, 1983). Such nonlinguistic representations provide students with useful tools that merge knowledge presented in the classroom with mechanisms for understanding and remembering that knowledge (Jewitt, 2008; Kres, 1997)” (Dean, Hubbell, Pitler & Stone, 2012).  It seems to me that any way we can increase a child’s chance of remembering information, we should. This type of learning includes many different modes, such as, kinesthetic learning, mental pictures, graphic organizers, and manipulatives. There is a way that one of these styles of learning could be incorporated for every lesson.

As I mentioned earlier, this also helps with differentiated instruction because it often helps students who struggle to be able to physically hold something, or act something out. By incorporating this style into a lesson you are allowing for a broader range of learners to retain the information. According to the National Council for mathematics, “Researchers frequently focus on manipulatives (or hands-on physical models) as tools for teaching students with learning disabilities. And they have based most studies of the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) learning sequence on work with learning disabled populations. However, evidence is emerging that shows that manipulatives and CRA can be very effective tools for teaching certain concepts to all students ” (Berkas & Pattison, 2007). As this quote emphasizes, manipulatives are great for Special Ed students, but they are in fact useful learning tools for all students.

In thinking about the implementation piece for this post, I will be focusing on math. Math is an area that lends itself to the use of manipulative, but I like curriculum or lessons that really try to incorporate other subjects with the math. This helps give math context in the world outside of the classroom. I taught 5^th and 6^th grade math for a long time, so I will be focusing on that age group for the purposes of implementation of a lesson using this strategy.

Some websites that share great graphic organizers are readinga-z.com, and enchantedlearning.com.

Here is a graphic organizer I have used to help students identify the problems and solutions in a story:

Problems and Solutions graphic organizer

 

Dean, C., Hubbell, E., Pitler, H., Stone, B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: Research based strategies for increasing student achievement 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Using effective instructional strategies: Non-linguistic representation. Retrieved from http://ims.ode.state.oh.us/ode/ims/rrt/research/Content/nonlinguistic_representations_what_we_know.asp

Berkas, N., Pattison, C. (2007). Manipulatives: More than Special Education intervention. Retrieved from http://www.nctm.org/2007_11nb_intervention.aspx#sthash.fsp4dAcl.dpuf