Differential Learning Support

Your written response to this assignment assesses your ability to communicate pro-active solutions to lesson planning and teaching techniques that create appropriate learning experiences.

This week, you had an opportunity to consider the importance of ensuring learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, as well as challenging, and to discuss strategies that special educators can use to ensure these types of learning experiences occur. In this assignment, you will assume the role of the special educator working with Mr. Franklin. You will provide feedback for a developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experience for the class. Your feedback will also consider the specific needs of Manual, a special education student who was first introduced in ESE610. Specific details for Manual’s needs are available for your reference in the Instructor Guidance.

Using support from your assigned reading, the Instructor Guidance, and the discussions, submit the following for evaluation. Use the below guidelines for creating your written assignment. If you have questions about the assignment or the rubric, please contact your instructor by using the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion before the due date.

Instructions: Compose an email response to Mr. Franklin’s original email requesting your assistance. Include the following components in the response and use support from at least two scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook. Before submitting, review your assignment to be sure it meets the expectations of performance in the Grading Rubric. If you have questions concerning the expectations for this assignment, please contact the instructor before the due date, using the Ask Your Instructor discussion.

Dear Special Educator,
I am very excited for our upcoming unit on geometry. I recently sat in on a webinar on place-based and project-based learning. They called it PBL2. Sounds interesting, right? Since we work in the inner city, and most of our students live in apartments with very little green space, I thought it would be cool to create a garden based on the concepts we have introduced in geometry. I think Manual will appreciate this because, just last week, he was telling me that he was annoyed that there were not any parks in his neighborhood where he could take his little sister to play.

Please see my description of the lesson below. I would love your feedback. Since you are the expert in the field of special education, I left the differentiation section blank and would like you to fill it in based on Manual’s needs and those students who have Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals in the classroom. I just finished my last period prep time and I am ready for the weekend. I wanted to talk to you before the weekend, but we must have missed each other. As we will be teaching this on Monday, I wanted you to have the attached lesson plan.
Thanks for the help,
Mr. Franklin

Content Expectations:

• Introduction (1 point): In one paragraph, thank Mr. Franklin for asking you to review the lesson plan. Be sure to applaud him for recognizing the importance of your role in helping to ensure that Manual’s learning experiences are relevant, developmentally appropriate, and challenging. Include a description of why you feel it is important to work together in providing support to Manual and other students with learning challenges.
• Feedback (3 points): In two to three paragraphs, use the Feedback Sandwich method, described in this week’s guidance to provide specific and timely feedback on the lesson itself. At a minimum, provide a strength, an area of need, and encouragement for future planning. Based on the week’s learning outcomes, provide feedback on the lesson, focusing specifically on developmentally appropriate practice and challenging material.
• Strategies (3 points): In a bulleted list, identify at least 5 strategies for differentiating the lesson. At least three of your strategies must be geared toward Manual’s specific needs and identified with his name. The remaining strategies may be general, in order to meet the needs of a diverse classroom. In one to two paragraphs, provide a rationale for each of your strategies.
• Closing (0.5 point): In one short paragraph, close the reply to Mr. Franklin with a positive message about your ability to co-create lessons that meet the needs of all students in the classroom.

Written Communication Expectations:

• Length Requirement (0.25 points): Two to three pages, not including the title and references pages.
• Syntax and Mechanics (0.25 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar.
• Source Requirement (0.25 points): At least two outside sources, in addition to the course text. All sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.
• APA Formatting (0.25 points): Use APA 6th edition formatting consistently throughout the assignment.

You will also be practicing your communication and collaboration skills by offering feedback on the actual lesson.  In the prompt, the feedback sandwich method was mentioned.  

(image retrieved from: http://www.surveycrest.com/blog/dilemma-of-sandwich-approach-for-negative-feedback/)

With the feedback sandwich, both slices of bread are positive feedback and the fixings inside the sandwich are constructive feedback.  To carry out this method, you start by offering an overall positive statement.  You follow this up with a piece of constructive feedback.  Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are crafting your constructive feedback:

• If you can’t think of a constructive purpose for giving feedback, don’t give it at all.
• Focus on description rather than judgment.
• Focus on observation rather than inference.
• Focus on behavior rather than the person.
• Be aware of feedback overload