Learned-2nd part of Lesson

Inclusive Lesson/ 2nd Part of Poetry Lesson

Mary Learned 8/14/11 EDU 723

Learned-2nd Part of Lesson

As Cohen and Spencinar (2009) states Good teaching always begins with an understanding of what the student already knows and can do (p. 125). In order to effectively plan for this classroom of students, more information is needed with regards to the five students IEPs (individualized Education Plan), what their accommodations/ modifications are, and possibly some more information/knowledge on the backgrounds of the English Language Learners that are in the classroom.

It would be beneficial to know what other supports the students are getting in the classroom or outside of the classroom. Do any of these students receive Title 1 support? Is there a para-educator assisting in the classroom? Having knowledge of this information makes it easier to plan lessons when there is this additional support available.

It would make the most sense to work closely with the special educator that is assigned to the students with the IEPs, that will ensure that everything is covered on those childrens plans to promote success in the classroom. Hulett (2009) describes the IEP as individual components of the IEP converge to make a comprehensive, individualized, measurable educational program for children with disabilities (p. 158). Specific accommodations and modifications written on the students plans would needed to be noted and adhered to in the lesson.

There possibly could be some cultural issues that crop up with the diverse group of students in the classroom. Poetry is meant to be interpreted, which can be a difficult

task if you are a non-native English speaker. In fact, for some native English speakers, it is even a challenge to take words from a poem and look at the less literal side of them and more into the figurative meaning. It will be be very important when groupings are created for the different parts of the lesson that the ELL students are in a supportive small group. It would make sense to allow the two Hispanic Americans to possibly work together, so that the fluent English student can support the non-fluent student. It is important though, for ELL students to have academically rich programs as stated in an article English Language Learners with Special Needs: Effective Instructional Strategies by Ortiz (2001) at LD Online students learning English must have opportunities to learn advanced skills in comprehension, reasoning, and composition and have access to curricula and instruction that integrates basic skill development with the higher order thinking and problem solving.

The lesson is divided up into three separate readings. This is done to support the reading process approach, coached to Telstar Middle School staff by Kevin Perks of Noble High School. With this RPA approach, students are exposed to the reading three times to further their comprehension skills and retain more of the information from the text. This RPA approach is beneficial for any type of readings.

Students have already had lessons on Metaphors, Tone and Voice, as well as other poetic devices, but they are independent lessons, not imbedded in a piece of poetry, ready to be applied. This lesson closely connects with explicit instruction. Explicit instruction which combines metacognition, scaffolded instruction and some vocabulary

Learned-2nd Part of Lesson

instruction. Cohen and Spencinar (2009) states that research supports the use of explicit instruction as an effective method for teaching students, including students with disabilities (213).

During each section of the lesson students are engaged and encouraged to be involved in the lesson in different ways, focusing on different styles of learning and addressing the ADHD and processing skills in the classroom. For the ADHD students, the sections of the lesson are divided into manageable timeframes, and students are not left alone with large chunks of time to get lost or distracted. Students will work independently, in a small group, read silently, hear the poem out loud, and be able to get out of their seat and interact with the SmartBoard.

The list of tasks on the board will help with the short term memory processing and the executive functioning issues in the classroom. The teacher in the classroom will be most instrumental in making sure that the students with these disabilities stay on task and complete the work that is expected of them. The fact that there are multiple ways to hear, read and even the possibility of seeing the poem with the YouTube video are beneficial not only to the decoding disability, but the student who has difficulty processing and producing oral language as well as the ELL students. The graphic organizer taken from a book by Laura Candler (2010) is also an effective tool for all learners.

The groupings are important in the lesson during the second reading to encourage all students to participate (hence the choral reading), that is so that unsure readings can be supported by readers that are stronger and more fluent. It will be just as important to pay attention the cultural differences in the classroom, as this may affect the interpretation of the poem. The African American population may have a stronger connection to the poem (based upon its author and his background). There may need to be some guided interpretation involved for the Cambodian student as well as the Hispanic students, although, having a difficult life, isnt necessarily that hard to interpret.

Learned-2nd Part of Lesson

A Poetry Lesson Mother to Son - Langston Hughes Grade Level: 7th Content: ELA Context of Lesson: First poem of the unit on poetry that will include: Free Verse, Ballad and Sonnet poetry Content Objective (Standard) - Students will understand or learn to identify the following: Free verse poetic devices: metaphor, imagery, tone Reading Objective (Standard) - Students will get better at: Rereading challenging texts like poems Visualizing Focus Strategy Peace Map Materials Peace Maps Copies of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes SmartBoard and digital copy of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes Lesson Plan Pre-Reading Identify text-type - Free Verse Chalk Talk - Put term on the board. Have students come up and write what they know or can guess about what type of poetry this is. After doing the chalk talk, discuss and explain how this style of poetry works. Use smart board and show some samples of poetry and have students decide if samples are examples of free verse or not. Establish prior knowledge Knowledge Rating Guide - For the words METAPHOR, TONE, and IMAGERY. Determine the confidence in knowledge of these three terms and then front load the definitions of the words. Set a purpose

To analyze a poem using knowledge of poetry style and poetic devices - in this case: metaphor, imagery, and tone. Predict / Anticipate Quick Write: The title of this poem is Mother to Son. What kinds of things do you think a mother would say to a son? During Reading: Introduce the Peace Map Pass out poem (optional) 1st Reading Teacher reads out loud - encourage students to not look at the poem but listen to the spoken word. Brainstorm as a class, what the poem is about. Allow students to draw or write what they think the poem is about in the first section of the Peace Map. 2nd Reading Each student has individual poem. Groups of 4 do a choral reading of the poem. After, they highlight words or phrases that stand out or are interesting or vivid, focusing on the tone, metaphors images the poem creates. Share and fill in second wedge of peace map with the class, actively getting up and underlining the lines on the SmartBoard, using a SmartNotebook, identifying imagery, metaphors, and symbolism. Have students generate questions and engage students in a discussion about the poem. 3rd Reading Complete third part of the peace map independently (drawing or writing). (Maybe revise to have students put it all together - e.g. describe the tone, etc.) --Some of the ELL students may need more assistance from teacher in this section, monitor classroom closely. Post Reading: Have students choose a line(s) from the poem that uses METAPHOR, describes the TONE or creates a vivid IMAGE. They may cut up the poem and paste the line on the poster. Students will then draw an illustration that compares the literal to the figurative language. Plan for Assessment: Students will be assessed formatively, considering this is the first of many lessons in a poetry unit. Their poetry peace map will be looked at to see if their interpretation of the

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poem grows with the multiple readings. Their illustration will be looked at to determine how they are understanding/interpreting poetic devices. Modifications: Chunk the sections of the lesson and go over each section independently. Have each step written on the board and erase the steps as they are completed. Time the parts of the Readings (especially the 2nd) to move things along and keep students on task. Give the freedom to move around while reading the poem. This will address ADHD issues. Allow ELL and students on IEPS to have an audio copy of teacher reading it on a Pages Document as a Video File. Students can access this via flash drive. That way they can hear they can fluently hear the words. Provide to ELL students and students on IEPs access to http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=PYBLRbYN5NU&feature=related so students can see/hear the interpretation of the poem.

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Mother to Son
by Langston Hughes

Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it, And splinters, And boards torn up, And places with no carpet on the floor Bare. But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners, And sometimes goin' in the dark Where there ain't been no light. So, boy, don't you turn back. Don't you set down on the steps. 'Cause you finds it's kinder hard. Don't you fall now For I'se still goin', honey, I'se still climbin', And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.

Learned-2nd Part of Lesson

References
Candler, L. (2010). Teaching resources. Retrieved from http://www.lauracandler.com Cohen, L.G. & Spenciner, L.J. (2009). Teaching students with mild and moderate disabilities.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Hulett, K.E. (2009). Legal aspects of special education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Ortiz, A. (2001). English language learners with special needs: instructional strategies. LD ONLINE. Retrieved from
http://www.ldonline.org/article/English_Language_Learners_with_Special_Needs
%3A_Effective_Instructional_Strategies