Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis Learner Analysis Introduction This analysis focuses on sixth

grade students within a typical, rural, north Georgia public school. Standard classroom sizes can range from 20 30 students and often accommodate special education students, regular education students, gifted education students, and English language learners in the same

room. Given the dynamics of the modern, inclusive classroom, the need to pre-analyze all learners grows exponentially more vital as the classroom becomes significantly more diverse regarding student need. Specifically, this analysis seeks to set the foundation for students understanding of the theme of any literary work. The goal or desired outcome is that students will gather that literary themes are subjective based on the experiences of the individual reader. Additionally, students will understand that all texts in all disciplines are driven by the purposes and intended lessons of their authors, and students will identify said purposes and lessons. These goals, when met, will satisfy the following Georgia Performance Standards (GPS): ELA6R1 The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts. For literary texts, the student identifies the characteristics of various genres and produces evidence of reading that: d. Applies knowledge of the concept that theme refers to the message about life and the world that the author wants us to understand whether implied or stated ELA6RC2 The student participates in discussions related to curricular learning in all subject areas. The student a. Identifies messages and themes from books in all subject areas. ELA6RC4 The student establishes a context for information acquired by reading across subject areas. The student a. Explores life experiences related to subject area content.

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis Demographics The following table displays the ethnic/racial demographic information according to the Georgia Department of Education for a Title I classified, rural middle school in north Georgia for the year 2010: Total Asian/Pacific Number of Islander Students 957 Black 14 Hispanic 61 American Indian/Alaskan White 864 Multiracial

The following table displays the sub-group demographic information according to the Georgia Department of Education for the same Title I classified, rural middle school in north Georgia for the year 2010: Total Number of Students 957 Students With Disabilities (SWD) 123 English Language Learners (ELL) 15 Economically Disadvantaged 478

This school is over 90% white, with a small minority of black and Hispanic students. Students with special needs make up almost 13% of the student body, and close to half of the student population is considered economically disadvantaged. Title I data acknowledges 45.77% of students in poverty. Using these statistics and applying them to a classroom of 25 students, a typical room in this school would have about 22 white students, zero to two Hispanic students, and zero to one black student. Almost half of the classroom would be economically disadvantaged, about 12 students. Teachers could also expect four students with special needs due to disabilities and zero to one English Language Learner. The remainder of the students would be regular education, high achieving, or gifted education students. Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge/Educational and Ability Levels Our classroom is comprised of a group of diverse learners. We have gifted students, regular/general education students, English Language Learners, as well as special education students. With this knowledge, we are aware that our students come to us on many different academic levels. Some of our students are above grade level, some below, others are far below, and most are right on grade level.

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

Our students also bring various experiences, which influence their prior knowledge. For our purposes, the experiences of all of our learners will facilitate mastery of standard ELA6RC2. In this standard, our students will participate in discussions where they must identify themes and messages from books in all subject areas. Those life experiences will also prove useful when exploring standard ELA6RC4, which involves placing information in context. Standard ELA6R1 will probably prove to be our greatest challenge. In this standard, our students must demonstrate comprehension, show evidence of responsible explanations, and apply knowledge. Our gifted students and most of our regular/general education students will come to us with the aforementioned skills. However, our special education students and some English Language Learners will struggle due to exceptionalities and the language barrier. Our special education and some of our English Language Learners will be able to recall facts but will struggle with truly understanding and being able to shift or transfer the knowledge and place it into context across subject areas. Academic Motivation In our experience, some sixth-graders are still eager to impress and to please, and some are beginning to come in to their "attitudes." It can be very difficult to motivate any middle school students as they are all going through a "too cool for school" phase at that time. Unfortunately, this may become somewhat of an issue when trying to promote reading among students at this level. Students want to know why theyre doing this and why theyre reading that. Even at this age, students want to know that their time is being spent in a productive manner, but also want the lesson to relate to them somehow. According to Susan Robinson, a guidance counselor for Southern Columbia Area Middle School in Catawissa, PA, sixth-graders can be characterized as moody, restless, argumentative, prefer new experiences to reflection, and can see the world from various perspectives (Robinson, n.d.). We must remember that during this transitional time in their lives, sixth graders are becoming more independent and this realization can differ among all. Acting out in an aggressive way (either physically or verbally) can be the result. Teachers should be aware of these characteristics in order to construct a safe and

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis productive environment for all students. Motivational Strategies As a result, a diverse sixth grade classroom needs much organization and structure. Students need to know what is expected of them and be reminded of this routinely. In order to thrive, students will be provided frequent guidance and feedback on their progress and be rewarded with positive reinforcement. Providing a nurturing environment where the student feels safe and respected is ideal for academic

exploration and expectation of success. In order to fully engage students at this age, Kellers ARCS model is implemented using the Malcolm Baldridge PDSA that is used by the Iredell Statesville School System in North Carolina. As a teacher from this system, I used PDSA in my classroom as a motivational strategy (see Appendices). A model of PDSA follows: Attention: Ask the students a series of questions that relate directly to the theme and/or character scenarios and motivations. What would you do? types of questions. These can begin as a class discussion and then develop into journal topics. In the past, I have had students share their responses with each other in order to build upon the rapport and sense of community. Relevance: Students are presented the objectives in student-friendly language. Additionally, the teacher and students complete a class PDSA chart that will be displayed where the students can see it. This includes creating a mission statement. Plan: What do we need to accomplish and what will be out reward once we improve upon our goal? What will be our reward once we accomplish our goal? As a class, the students and teacher will create a plan to accomplish the goal. Although rewards need to be given sparingly (students will begin to rely on them), having the students work towards something (extra down time or participating in a fun activity) has proven to instill a sense of motivation for my students. Do: How will our class learn it? What will the teacher do? What will each student do? Students at this time can share favorite lessons and/or experiences with their former teachers, and the teacher

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

will remind students of the needed accomplishment. This provides the students with an opportunity to express to the teacher how they prefer to learn. By attempting to compromise, the students feel as though they have a say in their learning and feel more empowered therefore more receptive of lessons. They know what is expected of their teacher, themselves, and their peers and understand that it takes a group effort to accomplish the goal. Study: How will we know if weve learned it? The students and teacher discuss WHY the goal was either not accomplished or accomplished. This gives the class ideas on changes that need to occur or acts that should continue. Act: What will we do if we dont learn it? What will we do if we already know it? By analyzing both informal and formal assessments and the lesson thus far, the students will discuss with the teacher what they need to further work on and what they understand. As a result of this discussion, the teacher can revise the lesson and implement more strategies in order to accommodate the students needs. This chart is completed weekly or more frequently depending on the needed interaction. Confidence: By considering what the students share in the Do section of the PDSA chart, students will be given tiered lessons in addition to tic-tac-toe activities (Carolyn Coil) with rubrics in order to have a choice in what they want to accomplish. By presenting the assessments in this differentiated way, the students will be given an opportunity to express their understanding of theme through the needed outlet (through art, music, dance, etc.) so that as a class, we can record progress on our PDSA chart and revise if needed. On students graded work, the teacher includes a plus (good things) and delta (area[s] that need improvement) chart in order to acknowledge what they did well, but also include what they need to improve upon. If available, the teacher provides products from former students.

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis Satisfaction: In the Act section of the PDSA chart, record what the students like about the lesson/what did the students NOT like about the lesson? This can be done in ballot form or as a class discussion or both. If needed the teacher can use one of the many assessment instruments mentioned on the website <http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/motivation.htm>. However, since there are numerous questions on the evaluation instruments, the teacher can choose a few to mention to the class in order to avoid students from shutting down/getting overwhelmed. Learner Characteristics According to Ruth Small, in order for students to put forth effort, they must value the task and must believe he or she can succeed at the task (Small, 1997). Because of this, teachers must present instruction in a way that is engaging and meaningful to the student, and in a way that promotes positive

expectations for the successful achievement of learning objectives (Small, 1997). In order to do so, they must remember the vast differences of the learners in their classrooms. Howard Gardner recognized and brought forward evidence to show that at any one time a child may be at very different stages for example, in number development and spatial/visual maturation (Smith, 2008). With this in mind, the students in this particular assignment are going to be at various phases in their development physically, emotionally, and mentally. At this stage in the students lives, hormones are changing and their social lives are often times more important than their academic ones. These can easily distract the learners, and for this reason, it is essential that lessons be developed to incorporate all learning styles for engagement. One way in which to assess students and get a better understanding of their individual learning styles is to have the students take a short questionnaire, such as the NY State Universitys Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire1 (http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html). This type of assessment gives immediate feedback and is beneficial to both the student and teacher. By taking these types of questionnaires teachers can gain insight into how each individual student learns best, but the student can also gain awareness of how they learn best. For the particular standards being addressed in this assignment, students different cultures,

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis ethnicities, and personal experiences will only enrich the learning process. A briefing report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reads, Overall, there are four broad categories of outcomes that have been

associated with school racial/ethnic diversity: enhanced learning, long-term educational and occupational gains, increased social interaction, and improved attitudes and citizenship. Since literary texts can often be interpreted in many different ways, a blend of individuals in the classroom can contribute to different opinions and implications that increase a deeper understanding of the concepts reinforced in the standard. This can lead to in-depth discussions as well as increased student engagement and participation. This link between culture and classroom instruction is derived from evidence that cultural practices shape thinking processes, which serve as tools for learning within and outside of school (Hollins, l996, as cited in Culturally Responsive Teaching). However, in order for this type of learning to occur, students need to feel secure in expressing ideas and differences in a group that could single them out. Davis (1993) writes, group identity can be very important for some students. At this age, students are not always willing to accept differences and want nothing more than to simply fit-in to the norm of the individuals around them. Some resources offer ways in which teachers can assist students with resisting bias and creating a sense of community in the classroom. One such resource suggests that teachers and parents, give children messages that deliberately contrast stereotypes by providing books, dolls, toys, wall decorations, TV programs, and records that show: men and women in nontraditional roles, people of color in leadership positions, people with disabilities doing activities familiar to children, and various types of families and family activities (Precious Children, 1999). Though language may be a barrier or weakness for some, the collaboration of all students can create a positive learning environment in which all learners are comfortable. By learning as a community classroom and incorporating all learning styles within a lesson, all students are equipped and eager to learn. Accommodations Our English Language Learners (ELL) and special education students will require various accommodations to ensure success. Our gifted students could also benefit from the use of

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

accommodations. For our purposes, we will define accommodations as modifications used to enhance the learning of a student with an exceptionality. When making accommodations for ELL students in reading and Language Arts, we must remember there is a difference between listening and speaking and reading and writing. You might have an ELL student who speaks on an advanced level, but functions at a beginning instructional level when it comes to reading with fluency. The emphasis must remain on the students instructional level in reading. One accommodation, which would prove useful in our classroom and with our standards, is providing the ELL students with the background knowledge necessary to understand the material. Another accommodation is to teach the ELL students reading strategies that enable them to predict, connect, question, and visualize a story. A final accommodation would be to let the students act out the story to demonstrate understanding. For our special education students, accommodations are often provided to make it possible for those students to participate in their regular grade level educational program. Once the accommodations are made, the standards of achievement remain the same. In a classroom like ours, it is most common to see students with a specific learning disability (SLD), emotional/behavior disorders (EBD), mildly intellectually disabled (MID), or other health impaired (OHI). There are four areas where accommodations are generally given: presentation, response, setting, and timing. For our standards, our special needs students might find it useful to listen to the book(s) on tape as opposed to reading the book(s). If the students must read the books, enlarged font size would be another accommodation for the presentation of the material. Allowing students to answer questions orally vs. written is a commonly used accommodation in classrooms like ours. Another accommodation used for response is allowing the students to provide short answers instead of writing an essay; word banks are also very useful. As for setting, a quiet, environment with few distractions is a very commonly used accommodation. Many of our special needs students have attention deficit disorders; so, the fewer distractions, the better chance for academic and social success. Extended time is the most commonly used

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

accommodation for timing, and will be used for our special education students. Some students might also require frequent breaks. Assistive technology has made a huge difference in overcoming obstacles and competing on a level playing field in the classroom for special needs students. Assistive technology is anything that makes it easier for students to read, write, speak, see, play, etc. The majority of students with disabilities are able to participate in general education classrooms without assistive technology. For those who need it, assistive technology is a useful tool. Assistive technology includes both access and adaptive technologies. Access technology provides a way for students with disabilities to better access instructional materials, which are provided as part of the general classroom. Two examples are the alternate keyboard and the page-turner. The alternate keyboard changes how a software program is used. Learning is made more direct. For example, a student might press a picture key and see the word spelled out on the screen. The page-turner allows the student to focus on reading and comprehending the text. The page is turned when a button is pressed. Adaptive technologies assist students with controlling their environments. One example is a teletypewriter, or TTY. The TTY provides a way for the hearing impaired to communicate via phone. There are also many enlargement/magnifying devices for students who are vision impaired. For our gifted students, one accommodation is to encourage students to explore concepts in depth and encourage independent studies or investigations. Another strategy is to provide our gifted students with questions that require higher-level thinking and critical analysis. There are many accommodations that can be utilized in the classroom. Research suggests that when used properly, many of those strategies benefit not only the intended audience, but also the achievement of the entire class.

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis Appendix A

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PLAN

What do we need to learn?

Date: From _________ to ________
Date Date

Based on the data, our learning target this week is: (aligned to essential curriculum)

(objective)

for

We will measure our learning by: ___________________

(when and how)

________________________________________

Our Class Performance SMART Goal:

We will celebrate improvement by: We will celebrate reaching our goal by:

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How will our class learn it?

DO
Classroom Strategies

To help us reach our goal this coming week, our teacher will:

To help us reach our goal this coming week, we will:

Our learning strategies beginning on: _________________ We will reflect on this plan when we assess on: _________________

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

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How will we know if weve learned it?

STUDY
Looking at our data from this week,

Did we reach our goal? ______________________ Did we improve? ______________________ DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE DATA! What else should we consider to understand the results of our data? ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________ ________________________________________
(Consider: attendance, tardiness, norms, mission, difficulty of target, missing

prior knowledge, interruptions, homework assignments, attainable goal other)

Todays Date:

_____

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

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What will we do if we dont learn it? What will we do if we already know it?

ACT
Reflecting on our Strategies,

+
What about our strategies helped us learn?

What about our strategies didnt work?

What can we do differently to improve our strategies?

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

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Todays Date: __________________________

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis Appendix B Name: ______________________________ __________________________

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Teacher:
Secondary

Plan

Todays Date:_______________

Do
Todays Date:_______________ To help me reach my goal for this learning target , I will:

My Learning Target for this week (SCOS focus): ______________________________________ _ How and when I will measure my learning: ______________________________________ _ My Performance Goal: ______________________________________ _ I will celebrate improvement by:

Study Act
page.

My data chart is on the next

+
What about my strategies helped me learn?

What about my strategies didnt work?

What should I do differently to help me improve my strategies?

Did I reach my goal? Did I improve?

Digging A Little Deeper

What else should I consider to understand the results of my data?

(Consider: attendance, tardiness, norms, mission, difficulty of target, missing prior knowledge, interruptions, homework assignments, attainable

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis

goal, other)

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Todays Date: ________________ References Cavalier, A. R., Ferretti, R. P., & Okolo, C. M. (1994). Technology and individual differences. Journal of Special Education Technology Davis, B.G. (1993). Diversity and complexity in the classroom: Considerations of race, ethnicity, and gender. Tools for Teaching. Retrieved from http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/diversity.html Fox, T. (2008) PDSA classroom resources. Retrieved from http://iss.schoolwires.com/1661201110145848500/site/default.asp Georgia Department of Education, (2010). 2009 - 2010 Title I programs annual report Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx? 010

PageReq=104&SchoolId=21640&T=1&FY=2

Georgia Department of Education, (2010). 2010 ayp Retrieved from http://www.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=103&SchoolId=21640&T=1&FY=2 010 The knowledge loom. Culturally Responsive Teaching. Retrieved from http://knowledgeloom.org/practices3.jsp?location=1&bpinterid=1110&spotlightid=1110 Precious Children. (1999). Diversity in the classroom: Teaching young children to resist bias. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcts/preciouschildren/diversity/read_teaching.html Robinson, S. (n.d.) Guidance department: 6th grade characteristics. Retrieved from http://www.scolumbiasd.k12.pa.us/ms/RobinsonPage/grade6.htm. Small, R. (1997) Motivation in instructional design. Eric Digest. Retrieved from

Erin Franks, Katie Garner, Katherine Hathcock, Rashida Mathis http://www.ericdigests.org/1998-1/motivation.htm Smith, M.K. (2008). Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education. infed. Retrieved from http:// infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (November 2006). Benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in elementary and secondary education. Retrieved from http://www.dmssearch.gpo.gov/textsearch.aspx?ct=51&q1=Benefits+of+Racial&x= 36&y=27

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