Card/DeWitt/Lawrence 2009 Card/DeWitt/Lawrence 2009 Teaching Struggling Teaching Struggling Learners Learners Model Schools Conference Model Schools Conference Conference Presenter: Conference Presenter: Peter De Witt Peter De Witt Averill Park Central School District Averill Park Central School District
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Card/DeWitt/Lawrence 2009 Teaching Struggling Learners Teaching Struggling Learners Model Schools Conference Conference Presenter: Peter De Witt Averill.
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What is a struggling learner?What is a struggling learner?
What factors impact struggling What factors impact struggling learners?learners?
What interventions can you use at What interventions can you use at the classroom and building levels?the classroom and building levels?
Language DeficiencyLanguage Deficiency
““On average, professional parents spoke On average, professional parents spoke over 2,000 words per hour to their over 2,000 words per hour to their children, working class parents spoke children, working class parents spoke about 1,300, and disadvantaged mothers about 1,300, and disadvantaged mothers spoke about 600. So by age 3, children spoke about 600. So by age 3, children of professionals had vocabularies that of professionals had vocabularies that were nearly 50% greater than those of were nearly 50% greater than those of working-class children and twice as large working-class children and twice as large as those of disadvantaged children” as those of disadvantaged children” (Rothstein, 2004, p. 28).(Rothstein, 2004, p. 28).
We need toWe need toincrease our sensitivity to student increase our sensitivity to student learning experiences learning experiences
provide support that allows students toprovide support that allows students to –maintain self-esteemmaintain self-esteem– improve performanceimprove performance–gain independence & ownership of gain independence & ownership of their learningtheir learning
Some type of physical activity helps Some type of physical activity helps students sustain their attention students sustain their attention during classroom instructionduring classroom instruction– DoodlingDoodling– Squeezing a ballSqueezing a ball– Rolling clayRolling clay– Tapping a pencil on one’s thighTapping a pencil on one’s thigh– Moving to a rocking chairMoving to a rocking chair
internal dialogue, or internal dialogue, or self-talkself-talk, to , to delay gratification so task can be delay gratification so task can be completedcompleted
brainstorm brainstorm rewards for task rewards for task completioncompletion for motivation during for motivation during low interest and low excitement low interest and low excitement activitiesactivities
that help you to understandthat help you to understand what you hear and read what you hear and read and to communicate your and to communicate your thoughts and feelings.thoughts and feelings.
Time to Time to collect and organize collect and organize thoughtsthoughts and ideas and ideas
Don’t assume silence means that Don’t assume silence means that they don’t know the answer…need they don’t know the answer…need more more timetime to formulateto formulate their their answer into wordsanswer into words
Model how to connect Model how to connect new information new information
to prior knowledgeto prior knowledge
Ask how Ask how newnew information relates to information relates to previously learnedpreviously learned material or a material or a personal experiencepersonal experience
Build connectionsBuild connections to help store and to help store and access informationaccess information
If you have any questions or If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail us at:comments, please e-mail us at:–[email protected] –www.averillpark.k12.ny.us
ReadingReadingWhen reading, have students frequently When reading, have students frequently stop and ask themselves questions about stop and ask themselves questions about information they have just read and information they have just read and attempt to make connections to current attempt to make connections to current content as well as prior knowledge.content as well as prior knowledge.Have students practice underlining or Have students practice underlining or highlighting key words to more easily highlighting key words to more easily identify what they are being asked to do.identify what they are being asked to do.Cross out unimportant, redundant, or Cross out unimportant, redundant, or irrelevant information in reading passages irrelevant information in reading passages and mathematical problems to avoid being and mathematical problems to avoid being distracted by this unneeded information.distracted by this unneeded information.
Require students to reread information they Require students to reread information they have determined to be important. have determined to be important.
Students also may underline, write down, or Students also may underline, write down, or write a “?” beside information they don’t write a “?” beside information they don’t understand and then reread it before understand and then reread it before seeking help.seeking help.
When answering comprehension questions, When answering comprehension questions, they should indicate where they found the they should indicate where they found the information that answers the question by information that answers the question by placing the ? # in the margin. placing the ? # in the margin.
Create a safe environment for writing Create a safe environment for writing Balance feedback between what is Balance feedback between what is
good about the writing and what good about the writing and what needs improvement (be specific by needs improvement (be specific by using examples from their work)using examples from their work)
Always highlight whatever is positive Always highlight whatever is positive in a student’s writing. in a student’s writing.
Avoid comparing one student’s writing Avoid comparing one student’s writing with another’s.with another’s.
Check that the student Check that the student has the optimum setup has the optimum setup
for writingfor writingBe consistent with the modifications being provided Be consistent with the modifications being provided
in the classroomin the classroomslanted work surfaceslanted work surfacestabilization of paper (ex. taped to desk, on a stabilization of paper (ex. taped to desk, on a clipboard, holding it with her free arm) clipboard, holding it with her free arm) comfort (writing while lying on the carpet, or at comfort (writing while lying on the carpet, or at waist level sitting upright at a desk, or at an waist level sitting upright at a desk, or at an upright surface like the chalkboard or whiteboard)upright surface like the chalkboard or whiteboard)assistive technology (keyboarding or using writing assistive technology (keyboarding or using writing support software like Co-Writer, ReadWriteGold)support software like Co-Writer, ReadWriteGold)appropriate writing utensils (pens vs pencils, grips)appropriate writing utensils (pens vs pencils, grips)scribescribe
Emphasize self-Emphasize self-monitoring during and monitoring during and
after completing after completing a writing taska writing task
For example, have students ask For example, have students ask themselves a series of questions themselves a series of questions such as:such as:
“ “What have I left out?”What have I left out?”
““Where can I give more details?”Where can I give more details?”
““Could I better explain Who, What, Could I better explain Who, What, When, Where, Why, How something When, Where, Why, How something happens?”happens?”
Encourage students to Encourage students to read their writing aloud read their writing aloud
while editing itwhile editing it
Help students to listen for where Help students to listen for where sentences begin and end so that sentences begin and end so that they may apply proper punctuation they may apply proper punctuation and capitalization, and also listen for and capitalization, and also listen for grammatical errors and missing or grammatical errors and missing or incorrect word usage.incorrect word usage.
Encourage students to Encourage students to use brainstorming before use brainstorming before starting an assignmentstarting an assignment
For creative writing, start the brainstorming For creative writing, start the brainstorming process with something of interest to the process with something of interest to the student. Allow them to brainstorm in any student. Allow them to brainstorm in any way they prefers—for example, if the way they prefers—for example, if the student has difficulty with writing, let him student has difficulty with writing, let him brainstorm orally.brainstorm orally.
Help by providing sentence starters to Help by providing sentence starters to trigger thoughts. trigger thoughts. Ask students to finish a Ask students to finish a sentence, such as “Jack runs . . . .” by sentence, such as “Jack runs . . . .” by asking them questions about the sentence asking them questions about the sentence starter, such as, “What kind of person was starter, such as, “What kind of person was Jack?” and “Where was Jack running?”Jack?” and “Where was Jack running?”
Use effective reading strategies such Use effective reading strategies such as rereading, identifying key words, as rereading, identifying key words, and crossing out unimportant, and crossing out unimportant, redundant, or irrelevant information redundant, or irrelevant information
Use effective writing strategies such Use effective writing strategies such as organizing thoughts before as organizing thoughts before writing, and reading the answer writing, and reading the answer aloud to check for clarity and details aloud to check for clarity and details
Encourage students to Encourage students to check their work check their work
Emphasize that completing math Emphasize that completing math assignments is a process. Encourage assignments is a process. Encourage students to become comfortable students to become comfortable reviewing their work, making reviewing their work, making changes, or asking questions when changes, or asking questions when they are unsure of their answers.they are unsure of their answers.
Have students draw Have students draw pictures to represent pictures to represent
what is going what is going on in a math problemon in a math problem
Suggest they draw representations of Suggest they draw representations of objects from the problem (e.g., three objects from the problem (e.g., three shirts, a 6-by-12 foot garden plot).shirts, a 6-by-12 foot garden plot).
Help students maintain Help students maintain their mental energy for their mental energy for
taskstasks
Allow them to take frequent breaks Allow them to take frequent breaks while working. Suggest that they get while working. Suggest that they get up and walk around during these up and walk around during these breaks . Encourage finger and hand breaks . Encourage finger and hand stretching exercises before and stretching exercises before and during writing activities.during writing activities.
Allow students to self-assess the Allow students to self-assess the quality of their work before turning it quality of their work before turning it in. When rubrics or other grading in. When rubrics or other grading criteria are provided, have students criteria are provided, have students grade their work and submit their grade their work and submit their assessment of the final product.assessment of the final product.
Have students ask themselves Have students ask themselves questions they think might be on a questions they think might be on a quiz or test.quiz or test.
This process can help with This process can help with consolidation of information because consolidation of information because students will need to understand the students will need to understand the content in order to write good test content in order to write good test questions.questions.
Provide consistent Provide consistent feedbackfeedback
Be consistent with your feedback Be consistent with your feedback system so students understand system so students understand which behaviors, actions, or work which behaviors, actions, or work products are acceptable and which products are acceptable and which are not. are not.
Use specifics to praise good work and Use specifics to praise good work and recognize when students use recognize when students use strategies effectively. strategies effectively.