Genius Hour Blog Post #3

In this weeks Genius Hour blog post, my objective is to use the strategies that I have learned thus far on how to make an inclusive classroom and ways to adapt a lesson to adjust an ordinary lesson into an inclusive lesson. Within this lesson modification, I will also include technological resources that can be used in the classroom to support students with learning disabilities and exceptionalities.

Adjusting an Ordinary Lesson into an Inclusive Lesson

The lesson I chose to adjust was retrieved from ReadWriteThink and it is an English Language arts lesson in understanding point of view. This lesson is suitable for students within the grade level 6 to 8. I specifically chose this grade level because I am in the Junior/Intermediate Concurrent Education Program and could use this lesson plan in future placement experiences. 

ReadWriteThink Lesson Outline

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will discover the importance of viewpoint in a text.
• Students will discuss differing viewpoints.

Instructional Plan

Opening Activity

• Divide the class into two groups.
• Students are to read a short piece of text (fairytale) and the task is to remember as much information from the text without writing notes.
• Teacher reads text aloud to the students.

Before Reading

• Activate students prior knowledge by asking students to retell the story of The Three Little Pigs.
• Most students will have some background knowledge of this popular fairytale.

Read Aloud

• Teacher will read aloud two different versions of The Three Little Pigs to the class.

Online Investigation

• Students will work in pairs to research two versions of a fairytale and create a venn diagram displaying the differences and similarities using technology. 

Follow-up Discussion

• Students will discuss and share the different fairytales that were explored.

Adjusting Lesson Above With an Inclusive Education/Lesson Lens

Inclusive Instructional Plan

Opening Activity

• Divide the classroom into pairs (peer tutors), small groups, large groups depending on how students work best.
• Create groups of varying abilities to help support students with learning disabilities or exceptionalities.
• Students can listen to an audio/video clip of the story, read it aloud, or independently.
• Teacher can read the story aloud to support students who are auditory learners and show visuals depicting the story to support visual learners. This will also accommodate students with auditory and visual exceptionalities.
• Students can create pictures, write down words while listening or viewing the story (closed captions) to help their memorization process as all students may not be able to memorize and process the information quickly. 
• Google Drawings - resource that can be used for students to write text and create drawings to depict the information they processed from the story.

Before Reading

• Tell students to write or verbally explain a book or fairytale they have read to help make connections. This will give all students an opportunity to share and will not exclude students who do not have a prior knowledge on certain book genres.
• All students may not be interested in fairytales, allow for student choice to be applied in this section of the activity to promote interest and inclusion.
• Online books - This resource provides students with a selection of books to choose from. 

Read Aloud

• Create an online poll that students can use to decide on a variety of books or passages to be read aloud. Create a selection of books that represents the interests of students.
• Kahoot - This app is a good way for students to answer questions created by the teacher.

Online Investigation

• Students can work individually, in pairs, or small groups - student choice.
• Students are not limited to only fairytales, students can choose any topic/genre as long as it appropriate.
• Students can create a video, venn diagram, organizational chart, powtoon/slideshow to display their understanding of the point of view present in their stories.
• Popplet - Students can use this resource to display and write their findings in an organizational chart format.
• Powtoon - Students can use this resource to creatively display their information in video format.

Follow Up Discussion

• Students can share their findings verbally (through a presentation), kinesthetically (play/skit), writing (journal, summary post), anonymously post, visually (presenting diagram or picture)
• Padlet - This is a good resource for student to anonymously post their findings to the classroom if they do not feel confident to speak in front of all their peers. This provides them with the chance to participate. 

Exploration of Technology Resources to use in Inclusive Lessons

Throughout my Genius Hour Project and Media Technology course, I have explored a variety of resources that can be applied into instructional activities. As a teacher, incorporating technology into the classroom to enhance student learning is one of my goals. In relation to creating an inclusive environment, I wanted to explore applications and tools that can be implemented into lessons to make them more inclusive to all students.

These are some resources/applications that I think could support inclusive lessons and create an inclusive classroom and education for all students.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is a platform that teachers can use to post class work, images, videos, tests through google forms, sync educational games, etc. The use of this resource can help teachers display multiple learning styles and teaching methods for lessons.  

Pear Deck

This resource is similar to Powerpoint and Google Slides. Teachers can use this to create presentations that will help students who are visual and auditory learners. This will strengthen student engagement and participation as this application promotes that it is useful for all student abilities.

Stop, Breathe, & Think


An inclusive classroom strategy that I learned from my Genius Hour research is providing students with breaks as instruction and homework can be overwhelming for students. This app allows individuals to 'check in' by completing the actions of Stop Breathe & Think. Within each step there are mindfulness games, reflective questions, and mediation activities. This can help students who feel anxious or need a break from work so they can return back to the class ready to learn.





Voice Dream

Voice dream is a good tool for students with exceptionalities or learning disabilities (blindness, low vision, dyslexia, autism, and motor function). This app includes a reader, writer, and scanner tool. The reader tool highlights text for individuals to read along with controls for speed, visuals and audio. This tool can be helpful to promote inclusive education and classrooms as it provides assistance to students who require accommodations.


Resources

Laurie A Henry, Ph. D. The Big Bad Wolf: Analyzing Point of View in Texts. International Literacy Association. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/wolf-analyzing-point-view-23.html?tab=4

Image Sources

http://connectingonepieceatatime.blogspot.com/2015/02/is-it-accommodation-or-modification.html

https://www.thepathway2success.com/modifications-and-accommodations-whats-the-difference/

https://siliconangle.com/2017/08/02/back-school-google-expands-features-classroom-forms/

https://www.stopbreathethink.com/educators/