Differentiation+of+Instruction+in+Spanish+or+Art+Classrooms



Table of Contents: 1. Context of a Spanish Classroom 2. Differentiation of Instruction for EBD Students in a Spanish classroom 3. Context of an Art Classroom 4. Differentiation of Instruction for Autism Spectrum Disorder students in an Art classroom


  Secondary foreign language classrooms often prove to be a large challenge for students with different exceptionalities. While some students may be struggling just to master reading or mathematics in English, they are introduced to new sentence structures, verbs, and vocabulary words in another language. In fact, some districts do not allow students with learning disablities or behavioral disorders to take a foreign language elective course due foreign languages being viewed as a "stumbling block" for these students (Center for Applied Linguistics), and other districts are eliminating foreign language all together due to budget constraints (NY Times). Thus, as a high school foreign language teacher, it is important that you make the very most out of your opportunity to teach high school students, especially those with exceptionalities included in your classroom setting.

High school foreign language classrooms are a place where music, art, tradition, culture, dialogue, vocabulary, and conceptual understanding come together to provide students with a broad understanding of the language and those who speak it. My strategies for differentiation (below) will focus on students with Emotional Behavioral Disorders (EBD), as that is where my experience as an educator has led me to focus my research. 

**Differentiation of Instruction: Emotional Behavioral Disorders & Spanish (Foreign Language)**  According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, "A continuum of educational placements is necessary to appropriately serve students who are EBD. Some students who are EBD are appropriately served in regular education classrooms with supplementary aids and services, while others may require self-contained or pullout programming for all or part of their school day ... The prevalence rate (unduplicated count divided by total enrollment in public and private schools) of EBD in Wisconsin is 1.6%" (DPI)

Although students who are EBD are not as common as students with specific learning disabilities, students who are EBD especially require differentiation of instruction in a foreign language classroom.

Some particular challenges that students who are EBD provide are as follows. Students who are EBD are more likely than students in other disability categories to :   Some of the strategies for differentiation are included below:
 * have lower grades,
 * fail more classes,
 * fail minimum competency examinations,
 * be retained,
 * have a lower grade point average in high school,
 * dropout,
 * have a higher rate of absenteeism,
 * be served in restrictive settings,
 * have more encounters with the juvenile justice system, and/or
 * fail to graduate from high school (DPI)

  
 * Classroom Environment**
 * "To motivate students with behavioral disorders, design differentiated activities based on their specific learning needs, strengths, and interests. When you’re planning activities, pay special attention to management issues. For example, provide highly structures activities and supply checklists or procedures or steps to follow. Develop routines for helping students manage behavior and work. Plan time to guide and encourage students, and build in appropriate opportunities for them to move about the room. For these students in particular, you may want to use flexible instructional groups on days when you have paraprofessionals or aides in the classroom to assist you with management." ([|Heacox])
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"There are clear rules & expectations, positively stated.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Physical space & layout are adequate for number of students and conducive to a productive learning environment.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are areas for both group and individual instruction and activity.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Scheduling matches student needs, allowing for adequate transitions while minimizing time without tasks.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Additional resources & general classroom materials are available.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Students and staff have access to technology, both instructional and assistive.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There is an adequate level of supervision and monitoring.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The environment is safe (e.g., dangerous items are not readily accessible, there is an area or plan for addressing dangerous behaviors, students feel safe)." (DPI)
 * Teacher-Student Relationships**
 * “Building one-on-one relationships with students is most crucial of all, adds Bill Bond, a safe-schools specialist at the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "Developing true safety in schools depends on students trusting the adults," he says.” (CQR Researcher [[file:cqr20080215C.pdf]]
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Students have adequate opportunities to respond in class, and there is an 80-85% rate of correct responding
 * Positive comments (e.g., praise for academics, praise for behavior, etc.) exceed negative comments (e.g., reprimands)
 * There are positive staff/student relationships as evidenced by staff showing an interest in students on a personal level (e.g., greeting students positively when they arrive by having the first comment be positive, asking about their interests and activities) and by students approaching staff for assistance and with questions
 * Students are welcomed back when they have been absent from school for whatever reason and there is a plan to complete missing assignments, and catch the student up on missed class work." (DPI)
 * "If one is seeking to change the contingencies that maintain a student’s inappropriate behavior, then it is important to provide both student- and teacher-level interventions."
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Although descriptive studies have shown that classrooms for students with EBD, as well as general education settings including students at risk for EBD, are characterized by little reinforcement for prosocial behavior and high rates of responses to disruptive behavior (Lago-Delello, 1998; Shores, Jack, et al., 1993; Van Acker et al., 1996; Wehby et al., 1995), proactive behavior and classroom management has been shown to reduce problem behavior." (Sutherland, et. al.) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[[file:31625953.pdf]]
 * Classroom Content/Tasks **
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">"... As students grow older they become increasingly more aware of their abilities and performances in comparison to their peers. Those noticing that they are far behind their peers may become embarrassed by their failures, leading to negative emotions that may set the stage for increased problem behavior." (See Sutherland, included above.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">"Large group, small group and one-to-one options and strategies are used.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">There is instruction for literacy and other basic skills development
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Meaningful, relevant materials are matched to learning style.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Effective instruction is practiced– differentiated instruction; organizational and study skill instruction such as note taking, test taking and memorizing.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Student-to-student interactions and skills are taught, with opportunities for practice, feedback and generalization.
 * <span style="color: #52a3f4; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Student-to-adult interactions and skills are taught, with opportunities for practice, feedback and generalization." <span style="color: #52a3f4; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(DPI)


 * -Autism and Art- **


 * I. Introduction to Students with Autism **

Students with Autism struggle in a variety of situations throughout their everyday lives. They face challenges that “typically developing” people do not, and need to overstep boundaries that we may never have to. In general, students with Autism have a very hard time in many areas of school, and it is necessary to differentiate instruction in order to meet their needs. Below are particular challenges faced by these students, as well as strategies for differentiation as found on Bright Hub (http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/36336.aspx)

>> effective differentiated instructional techniques. >> learning expectations for the student to focus on in increasing skills and filling gaps of learning. >> others in the classroom. If students need an Instructional Assistant (IA) as designated by the IEP, make >> sure there is one assigned to be with the student in the class. >> notebooks to show what they've learned. Have IA's construct checklists for students who are unable to >> engage fully in the learning process. Use transparencies on overheads to project the learning objectives in a >> larger format for students needing more academic support from visual mediums. >> grade level don't differentiate instruction to that level for all autistic students because autism spectrum >> disorders includes students who are gifted to those who are having difficulties in academic and social skills. >> their capacity to learn and process information. All students can learn should be the teacher's goal in >> differentiating instruction that connects the student to the learning goals. Students with autism experience impairments in three main categories: social, communicative, and behavioral. Since many students with autism struggle with communication, it is very difficult for them to display social reciprocity and understand what others are thinking. If this is the case, the teacher can learn about the student from his/her parents, other caregivers and family members, and past teachers (Kluth, 2003). IV. Classroom Content/ Tasks ** > inclusive classrooms to help students with autism, as found at: [] >> Ask the student to describe ways that they prefer to be taught and interacted with; if the student cannot communicate, the teacher can ask parents what techniques work best with their child. >> Many students with autism become overwhelmed during transitions, and can be very sensitive to new stimuli. It is important for the student to know when it is time to transition (i.e., know when the class period begins and ends). >> Oftentimes, learners with autism struggle to stay seated or to remain in the classroom for extended periods of time. While allowing learners to move frequently is one way to approach this need, some students can be equally comforted if they have an object to manipulate during lessons. In an art class, it is helpful to allow kids to use the materials that they enjoy most and work best with, but it is also important to encourage them to use materials that they may not like the sensation of on their hands, that they struggle using (holding a paintbrush, etc.), or that they are not fond of. >> While some students with autism are ultra-organized, others need support to find materials. Have students copy down assignments, pack book bags, put materials away, and clean work spaces together. Specific skills can even be taught during this time. Keeping an art class well-organized helps students learn where things belong, and giving everyone an opportunity to clean together can help students with autism with their possible social phobias. >> Many students with autism are comforted by routines and predictability. Class routines and jobs can provide this type of structure while also serving as opportunities to provide instruction and skill practice. This can be helpful with the ‘cleaning up’ idea—if each student has a particular job to complete at the end of the hour, it gives them personal importance and helps them maintain their routines. >> Some students work best when they can pause between tasks and take a break of some kind (walk around, stretch, or simply stop working). >> Whenever possible, educators should use interests, strengths, skills, areas of expertise, and gifts as tools for teaching. Any of the interests students bring to the classroom might also be used as part of the curriculum. Basing art projects off the interest of students will undoubtedly increase success of the task, and will help the students enjoy what may not have been deemed as important before. >> Writing can be a major source of tension and struggle for students with autism. Some students cannot write at all and others who can write, may have a difficult time doing so. Handwriting may be sloppy or even illegible. Students who struggle with writing may become frustrated with the process and become turned off to paper/pencil tasks. As mentioned earlier, it is important to let students use the materials of their choice, but they should also be encouraged to practice their fine motor skills via painting, tracing, and pencil-holding techniques. >> Students, especially those who are given opportunities to make decisions, know best when during the day they are most creative, productive, and energetic; what materials and supports they need; and in what ways they can best express what they have learned. >> If students are to learn appropriate behaviors, they will need to be in the inclusive environment to see and hear how their peers talk and act. If students are to learn to social skills, they will need to be in a space where they can listen to and learn from others who are socializing. If students will need specialized supports to succeed academically, then teachers need to see the learner functioning in the inclusive classroom to know what types of supports will be needed. a. The range of techniques one can use to assist a student with autism is vast, and the above strategies are not limited to an art classroom in particular. Though these concepts can be applied in that setting, they can be transferred across content areas and are overall general concepts to help students with autism engage in their environments and develop normal relationships with their peers.
 * II. Differentiation of Instruction: Autism & Art **
 * Particular challenges faced by students with Autism
 * Social situations
 * Struggle with eye contact
 * Do not understand verbal or nonverbal cues
 * Communication disorders
 * Lack theory of mind
 * Repetitive/stereotypical behaviors
 * Arm flapping
 * Groaning
 * Repetition of words or phrases
 * Strategies for differentiation
 * Teachers must have an accurate diagnosis of the students' autistic spectrum disorder in order to create
 * Providing students with a consistent scheduling of activities and learning outcomes can keep a structure of
 * Effective management is key to dealing with students with behavioral disorders that impact their learning and
 * Create visual posters that show the learning objectives and allow students to create their own visual
 * Modify the curriculum using the IEP to direct learning objectives. If one autistic student is reading at a 3rd
 * Believe in the whole student and remember that all students should be provided instruction that maximizes
 * III. Teacher-Student Relationships **
 * Mostly individual work; limited group work due to impairments in social interaction. Below are strategies to develop
 * __Ten Ideas for Inclusive Classrooms__
 * **Learn About the Learner From the Learner**
 * **Support Transitions**
 * **Give Fidget Supports**
 * **Help with Organizing**
 * **Assign Class Jobs**
 * **Provide Breaks**
 * **Focus on Interests**
 * **Rethink Writing**
 * **Give Choices**
 * **Include**
 * V. Conclusion **