Instruction that is Responsive to Student Learning NeedsThe best way to meet student needs is to know your students. I will use diagnostic assessments, like the Primary Spelling Inventory and DRA, to identify student's current level of understanding. Also, through class discussions and student surveying I will be able to take anecdotal notes on student understanding. By engaging in conversations with students I will be able to identify their interests and focus my lessons around what students want to know. Analyzing data from initial assessments and observations will allow me to accomodate instruction to build upon what students already know and expand their understanding of other concepts. Through formative assessment measures I will be able to consistently improve my instruction while teaching. When students need more elaboration on a topic, or are ready for enrichment, I will differentiate instruction accordingly. Data-driven decision making in the classroom will ensure that my instruction maximizes students' learning. While working with my CT, we analyzed student's Baseline Reading Tests to recognize areas of need for the learners. The Baseline Reading Tests are used to determine instructional groups. The student's scores ranged from 16 to 29 out of 30 possible points. The average score was a 21. Since the class did not perform as high as my CT had hoped, she had me analyze the test. I tallied how many students had gotten the question wrong to determine common areas of struggle for the learners. For this class, my CT and I plan to provide further instruction for determining author's purpose, generalizing and inferencing from the text. Moving forward, students will have the opportunity to correct their tests and provide text evidence in their new answer choice. We will continue incorporating reading comprehension strategies during instruction. Also, I feel it is very important to bear in mind student's learning preferences and styles when delivering instruction. I intend to give learners multiple ways to absorb information by appealing to various learning styles throughout instruction. Incorporating visual appeals, hands-on learning (for kinesthetic learners), music or chants (auditory learners), various grouping patterns (interpersonal learners), and independent reflection (intrapersonal learners) will ensure that learners are engaged and able to receive information through various formats. For students to best demonstrate their knowledge, they should be given various opportunities to showcase what they have learned. Providing learners a choice in summative assessment methods will allow them to take pride in their learning.
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Writing on Anchor Charts
Next time, I hope to improve my handwriting by writing on a flat surface (not while the chart is displayed and hanging). In my future practice, I intend to frequently utilize anchor charts. They are excellent references for students and allow them to use visual cues while working independently. I plan to have students contribute to the creation of the chart, as well as keep their own charts in their corresponding notebooks. My charts will be color coordinated, eye catching, print rich and illustrated. Below, I have included inspirational examples of colorful, engaging and useful anchor charts I have found from various sources on Pinterest.
Adapting the Learning Environment for English language learner's needs.My CT speaks Spanish, not fluently, but enough to translate and direct the ELL's in our classroom. During small group reading instruction, my CT will communicate important words to the 2 language learners in the low-level group. Although I am working on acquiring conversational Spanish, I found a decorative way to accommodate our learning environment to meet the young learner's needs. Every educator should expect to have students from other cultures whose families speak a different language at home. It is important to be mindful of these students and to accomodate your instructional practice and shared environment to meet their unique learning needs. Incorporating new languages, color coordination and visual representations in the classroom will meet various learning styles and needs. By labeling the morning and afternoon mailboxes in both English and Spanish, students are able to make connections between the languages. The exposure will benefit English speaking natives and English language learners. Also, the accompanying mailbox provides a visual clue for students. By labeling the student's desk teams with the Spanish match to their color designation, learners are given visual and text-based clues for translation. Including a translation for the rules and procedures promotes ELL's comfort, as well as a feeling of community support and ownership in the classroom. In my future classroom, I hope to offer students a vibrant environment that promotes literacy and language acquisition. I will accomplish this through the inclusion of lots of real life photographs, interactive word walls and student-created anchor charts and work displays. We will display books we've read and enjoyed. I would like to have students make the labels themselves, in a language of their choosing.
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