Wednesday, September 30, 2015
UDL, Assessment, and How to Be Inclusive
Discuss the value of formative and summative assessment in a diverse learner's classroom. Both have a place in education, and when dealing with the needs of all learners, it is very important to know the difference and be able to implement both in your curriculum. Discuss how you plan to have an inclusive classroom with kids who are impoverished, apathetic, on IEPs for various needs, ADHD/ADD, etc. How does all of this fit into the Universal Design for Learning? Be sure to address as much of this as possible! Blog by Friday, if possible, and respond to your compass group members by class on Tuesday, Oct. 6th.
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Formative and summative assessment both have a pace in a diverse learner's classroom because they are both able to show the progress that all the learners are making. Formative is better for those who may not understand as easily at first but by having these type of lessons, the teacher is able to pick up on where they are not understanding and see how they are to help them gain the proper understanding they need. For me, I plan on having an inclusive classroom that is able to reach out and help all types of students. For the students of mine who are impoverished or apathetic, I will try to link up mathematics as much as I can to the real world and make the classroom environment feel safe so they will be more likely to open up and enjoy mathematics. Students with IEPs, I will continuously check and see if my lesson plans correlate to their learning objectives. For ADHD/ADD students I will introduce topics where we get to work with manipulative or different technologies which all of the different types of learners will enjoy. All of my students will benefit from these changes because it is making me go out of my way to teach the same topic in different ways which will allow me to access all types of learners.
ReplyDeleteIn a diverse learner’s classroom, formative and summative assessments are very important. Both of these types of assessments can be used to see what your students are learning. However, formative is helpful if your students aren’t quite ready for the final exam and can use the formative assessment to see what they have learned so far and what else you need to teach them in order for them to be ready for the final (summative) assessment. The summative is obviously important because it tests the students final knowledge on the subject taught. I plan to have an inclusive classroom with kids who are impoverished by making sure I can supply them with all the items they will need during class time so they won’t have to worry about finding the items when they get home. For my apathetic students I will make the lesson something I know they care about in order to help them get more involved and feel like their interests are taken into consideration in the classroom. For IEP students I will work with them one on one to help them better understand the topic. For my ADHD and ADD students I will make the activity very hands on and make them get up and move a lot to keep them from getting bored. It is important to make any changes needed for whatever type of student you have in your classroom. Being flexible is very important when it comes teaching.
ReplyDeleteDo you think formative assessments are only helpful if students aren't quite ready for the final exams? I think they are good for that and for students who may not learn as well through summative exams. I think it was also very smart to say that you will provide the students with things during class that they may need so they don't have to worry about finding them when they get home. However, what about something such as internet? Do you think if they don't have access to internet at home it automatically makes them not want to do the homework or less likely to succeed in the classroom?
DeleteYou're right, being flexible is extremely important in teaching and being able to adapt and change lessons or tests accordingly. All students need to be accounted for, and I think differentiating lessons and test will benefit not only the diverse learners, but the other students as well. I think a good way to account for impoverished students is to not assign any homework at all, or make your homework paper and pencil only. I know as time goes on, students won't like that "old school" method as much with all of the technology we could potentially have, but it's just a suggestion.
DeleteYou really give flexible approaches to each diverse learner and that is important because you give them a chance to learn the information but also at their pace or a pace that suits them.
DeleteIt is obvious that both formative and summative assessments are useful in a diverse learner’s classroom. It is important to give all students equal opportunity to excel in the classroom. Formative assessments allow them to do so. Because they aren’t an official grade, students are able to correct them. There are many different ways to formal test students to see if they understand, and often times teachers can even give them a choice of response such as we do with Bajillion ways to respond. These types of formative assessments can help get students ready for the summative assessments, which are final grades without stressing them out so much. These assessments are also important because all students learn differently, so a student who may be better at testing may enjoy performing summative assessments more than formal assessments, however all skills are important for students to learn. I plan to have an inclusive classroom through differentiated instruction so that all learners have a chance to make progress in my classroom. For students who are impoverished, understanding that they don’t have all the outside of the classroom tools in order to succeed, maybe giving them a soft deadline as long as they can get things done at the same time or additional resources such as after-school programs, peer mentoring, or cross-age tutoring. For IEP’s, giving them assignments or tests orally rather than written, or increased time to complete assignments. For a child with ADHD/ADD, giving them technology to help them with hands-on learning in order to stay engaged, for this student, iPad time may help them stay attentive when whole group class discussions are necessary too. All of this fits into the UDL because these different types of assessments and accommodations aid in creating instructional goals, methods, materials, that work for everyone that can be adjusted for individual needs.
ReplyDeleteAfter-school programs would be a great time for impoverished students to get homework done, because they're still at school and the counselors can help them. I do that all the time at my job. Sydney makes a good point though, about the cost of after-school programs (which is too high in my opinion). It is a good idea though and would work wonders if parents can afford it.
DeleteYou give a lot of good options for each type of student that does not single them out in front of everyone and give them a chance to feel like everyone else but also get the work done necessary to learn. That's a great tactic.
DeleteI never thought about the after school program as a way for studnets to stay at school and get their work done there, if they don't have the resources at home. I think this would be a great time for them to work on this homework but I am also questioning it a little because if I remember correctly, those programs cost (seems like a lot). Maybe if the child's parents could not afford the after school program, then you could set up after school tutoring with you and then let the student work on the assignment in there. Just an idea!
DeleteI never thought about the after school program as a way for studnets to stay at school and get their work done there, if they don't have the resources at home. I think this would be a great time for them to work on this homework but I am also questioning it a little because if I remember correctly, those programs cost (seems like a lot). Maybe if the child's parents could not afford the after school program, then you could set up after school tutoring with you and then let the student work on the assignment in there. Just an idea!
ReplyDeleteBoth summative and formative assessment are important in a diverse learner's classroom because it provides different avenues for the students, which helps them discover there own best way to learn, so that they may excel in their learning. Formative assessment allows students to see what mistakes they make and to correct them, formative also prepares the students for summative assessments at the end of the unit. The summative assessment is important because the students that are really good at tests have that avenue there for them just like the other students who are not as good at taking tests. My plan for differentiated instruction is to have different activities within the same lesson so that I can teach to every student. For students with ADHD/ADD I would have students engaged by playing games and moving around, like speed dating. For students with IEP I would have small group conversations and visual cues to help with different subjects. For students that are gifted I would make sure that I have a more challenging activity, like riddles, for when they finish their work. For students who are impoverished I would allow afterschool work hours so they can have access to what they need for that lesson. And for those students who are apathetic I would relate the lesson back to a topic that they enjoy so that they are interested in what is being taught. This fits into the UDL because these accommodations that help each student in the classroom learn, even if the student does not need any accommodations it may help them to better understand a subject better.
ReplyDeleteI think that these are great ways to help get passed each students challenges. These are subtle so that the child does not feel like they are being singled out. If these are used properly they will be very helpful in the classroom.
DeleteHaving formative and summative assessment in a classroom can be very beneficial for all diverse learners. Each learner will favor to a type of learning and assessing strategies that will help them succeed. Thus the formative assessments a teacher can give various options so the students can choose and decide what will cater to their needs and what is most enjoyable for them. I also plan to have an inclusive classroom for all my students . For those in which are impoverished I will try to get them set up with some school plan to try and get all their physical needs are taken care of so they will be able to focus and learning in the classroom. Also I will understand that they may not have family support at home so I will be flexible to help them stay on top of everything. Those with IEP, I will try and give them many options that suite there style of learning because they might not be good at taking a quiz but can create something that is excellent. This way they will be more engaged and not have to always read and write. For students with ADHD/ADD I will try to have math in a way that they can use hands-on ideas so they can stay focus and enjoy it more then taking notes and doing worksheets. With these ways and many more I will be able to make accommodations and use various way of assessment in order to reach every student where they are to help them succeed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Rachel on all your points but for those students who have ADHD/ADD you could use manipulatives in almost any subject not just math. Having them getting up and moving around and using their hands will really get them learning.
DeleteI believe using formative and summative assessments go hand in hand. If you use formative assessing along the way to a summative assessment then the students have a chance to learn as well as correct mistakes to better help them for the summative assessment and this can allow for better scores and more learned information. Catering to all my students needs is important. For the kids that are ADD or ADHD I must create projects or creative hands on assignments to allow them some freedom from just sitting in a chair listening all the time. For apathetic kids, I need to allow them to relate each project or assignment to something they are passionate about. This will allow them to be interested and want to be involved. Students with IEP IP will allow extra time for them to meet with me and discuss topics they seem to struggle with and help them better understand.
ReplyDeleteI liked your idea to allow students with an IEP more time, to meet and discuss topics that they struggle with. I feel like this could really help those students and make them feel like they are understanding the material.
DeleteFormative and summative assessment are both important to have in the classroom. Some students prefer one form over another. Formative assessments allow students to learn from their mistakes and redo the assignments. Summative assessment is good for students that test well. If you allow students to use formative assessment up until the summative assessment then i believe that even if they are not the best test takers that they will succeed. For students with ADD/ADHD i would give them a chance to move around and be more hands on. Speed dating would be good for these children. For those who are apathetic, I would try to relate the assignments back to something that they care about and try to draw in their interest. For students that are impoverished i would give them more time to work in the lab, if there was an assignment on line, or give them an alternative assignment that did not involve technology they do not have available. For the gifted students, I would have a challenge worksheet available for them after they complete their assignment or allow them to work on other homework. For the kids with an IEP i would allow them to work in small groups or give them a chance to work with a gifted students.
ReplyDeleteI agree Honor, especially with the idea to use a student's interest to get them involved in learning when they ultimately do not care what you are talking about. I also like the idea of giving a student who is impoverished an alternate assignment if they do not have the technology needed at home.
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ReplyDeleteFormative and summative assessment both have their respective place in the classroom, yet for some reason educators do not include both of them in their regular assessments. Summative assessments are easier on student stress. Formative assessments are more formal and tend to represent less on student intelligence.
ReplyDeleteHunter I think you have the two backwards but I agree that formative are easier on the students because they are less stressful compared to the summative assessments because those are more final and usually have a lot more information jam packed into them.
DeleteFormative and summative assessment play an important role in a diverse learners classroom because it provides different opportunities for students to revise and learn from their work, in the case of formative assessment. With summative assessment, it allows the teacher to measure students' performance and grade them accordingly. While teaching, I will encounter many exceptionalities, both negative and positive. Adjusting for these in my lesson plans will allow for more opportunities for children to learn and grow through instruction.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a good job hitting the important roles of these different assessment forms. If you adjust your lesson plans properly you will be very successful in the classroom.
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