The Four P’s of Change

1. Precedent- What’s happening?

2. Philosophy- paradigm shifts in beliefs and values

3. Practices/Programs - curriculum, teaching strategies, methodology

4. Policy- Law

Education for All

Education for All: The Report of the Expert Panel on Literacy and Numeracy Instruction for Students With Special Education Needs, Kindergarten to Grade 6

http://www.tvo.org/learnwithtvo/podcast/pod.html Dr. Lesley Wade-Woolley, Panel vice-chair, Queen’s University

Education for All

According to the report, the over 80% of students with special education needs in Ontario now spend at least 50% of their instructional day in the regular classroom.

Given that reality, it is imperative, says expert panel vice-chair Jean-Luc Bernard, that teachers have the ability to meet the learning needs of every student in their classroom.

Jean-Luc Bernard, Panel Vice-Chair

“This is a critical feature of our approach. We’ve taken an inclusive rather than an exceptionality-based approach, because the reality is that in a given classroom, the teacher will need to respond to very diverse learning needs: students having difficulty with reading or writing; ELL students; students with behavioural problems; or students achieving at an advanced(gifted) level. The report responds to that reality by helping teachers to help all students to learn.”

Dr. Lesly Wade-Woolley of Queen’s University, Panel Vice-chair

“The research has shown clearly that the most effective ways to teach reading, writing and math to children with special education needs – regardless of behaviour, attention and other factors – are very similar, and in some cases identical, to what typically achieving children need.”

Dr. Lesly Wade-Woolley of Queen’s University, Panel Vice-chair

“So we’re saying to the teacher, if you’re dealing with attention difficulties, for example, these are some of the things you can do to adapt, while continuing to use

these same strategies for the entire classroom. There is not a set of strategies for typically achieving

children, and a set of strategies for children with special education needs.

What teachers already know how to do, and do well, can be adapted for children with special education needs.”

Research provides a road map

Research can provide teachers with a roadmap that highlights effective teaching techniques for all students.

Research has demonstrated a significant lack of progress for students with special needs in literacy or numeracy, when they are not receiving a program based on research-supported instructional components.

Instructional Strategies and professional learning communities

Take an the student from what he can (zone

of actual development)towards the next level,

the zone of proximal development (Vygotski-ZPD)

The report provides detailed information

on a variety of teaching strategies supported

by research such as:

1.scaffolding,

2.modelling,

3.instructional language

4.guided practice

5.strategy instruction.

Building a learning community

Another critical success factor is the development of professional learning communities including all school staff members, who work together at school improvement and creating learning opportunities for students.

Chapter 1: What We Believe: Guiding Principals and Themes

1. All students can succeed.

2. Universal design and differentiated instruction are effective strategies.

3. Successful instructional practices are founded on evidence-based research, tempered by experience.

4. Classroom teachers are the key educators for a student’s literacy and numeracy development.

Chapter 1: What We Believe: Guiding Principals

5. Each child has his or her own unique patterns of learning.

6. Classroom teachers need the support of the larger community to create a learning environment that supports students with special education needs.

7. Fairness is not sameness.

Chapter 2: Planning for Inclusionpage 10

1. Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

2. Differentiated Instruction (DI)

Chapter 3: Assessment and Evaluation for Students with Special Needs

1. Classroom-based assessment

2. Psycho-educational assessment

3. Continuous assessment process

4. Participants in the assessment process

Chapter 4: Developing Learning Profiles: Know Your Students

1. Class profiles (page 33)

2. Individual learning profiles (page 35)

3. Linking assessment information with student performance in the classroom

4. Tools and templates

Chapter 5: Professional Learning Communities (P.D.)

1. Collective contribution reflecting the vision and values committed to improving student performance

2. Promoting and implementing professional learning communities

3. Leadership

Chapter 6:Research to Practice: What Works for Both Literacy and Numeracy

Importance of early identification and intervention

Common factors in effective instruction for literacy and numeracy

Chapter 7:Effective Instructional Approaches and Teaching Strategies for Numeracy

1. Establishment of guiding principles for teaching numeracy

2. Characteristics of effective mathematics learning environment

3. Teaching approaches to promote communication and mathematics learning

Chapter 8:Effective Instructional Approaches and Teaching Strategies for Literacy

1. Interconnectedness of oral communication, reading, and writing

2. Developmental sequence of literacy skill acquisition

3. Importance of early identification of risk and targeted programming

4. Foundational and conceptual skills taught concurrently

5. Systematic and explicit instruction of sufficient duration and intensity

Chapter 9:Organization and Management

1. Inclusive Education is a shared responsibility.

2. Positive learning environment3. Organizing and time, blocks of

instructional time, teams working together to read, research, plan, problem solve

Chapter 10:Computer-based Assistive Technology

1. Benefits for students with special education needs

2. Assistive technology tools for literacy and numeracy

3. Limitations of assistive technology4. Assistive technology does NOT replace the

teaching and learning process. It’s a tool to SUPPORT it.

Chapter 11:Professional Development

1. Key characteristics of professional development

2. Maximizing literacy and numeracy instruction

3. Options for professional development

Chapter 12:Recommendations, pp. 145-147

1. Professional development for all partners in how to make inclusion work and in Universal Design for Learning UDL and Differentiated Instruction.

2. Assistive technology3. Program planning and implementation4. Teacher education

Planning for inclusion

Teachers can effectively plan for learning within a diverse, inclusive environment through principles of Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

is based on the concept that assistance targeted to one specific group can help everyone.

A classroom based on UDL is specifically planned and developed to meet the special needs of a variety of students.

It is flexible, supportive,adjustable,and safe, and increases full access to the curriculum by all students.

Differentiated instruction

enables teachers to address specific student skills and difficulties.

requires teachers to transform their practice from a program-based to a student-based pedagogy/teaching method

Student participation and success is planned for at the outset…..not through after the fact modifications.

Differentiated Instruction is…

Differentiatation in Content (what)

Differentiation in Process (how)

Differentaition in Product (outcomes)

Educational and Psychological Theories evident in E4All

Lev Vygotski- Socio Cultural Theory and ZPD

Howard Garner-Theory of Mutilple Intelligences

Abraham Maslow- Needs Theory