Special Populations

What did the article suggest was important in helping teachers prepare for instructional planning when including Special Populations? The article revealed that several areas were important in helping prepare student-teachers for instructional planning.  Primarily, their cooperating-teacher strongly influenced their decisions in student-teaching.  Although, it was mentioned that student-teachers often do this to gain approval and to avoid conflict, however their previous experience in the classroom impacted their instructional planning.  This experience may be in earlier teaching practicums or memories from their schooling.  

What do YOU believe is important to consider that may not have been included in the article that is otherwise based on your experience or another source? It is important to consider previous student data when preparing for instructional planning.  For example, if a student repeatedly struggles with auditory learning activities than the teacher might want to prepare more visual learning activities.  Especially within special populations, students have specific needs and accommodationsthat are probably mandated in an IEP or 504—that teachers must review prior to instructional planning.  On a macro level, teachers need to analyze class data to see how effective previous lesson plans have been. 

Conduct some research within the Ashford Library and locate an academic resource that you feel brings value to understanding special populations and designing assessments with them in mind. Share the resource you find within your response. In Jay Heubert’s High-Stakes Testing: Opportunities and Risks for Students of Color, English-Language Learners, and Students with Disabilities.It is revealed that high stakes testing is ineffective at measuring what special education students truly learn.  The argument made was that these traditional tests select a few types of intelligence to assess, particularly mathematical and linguisticintelligences.Currently, there is a strong need for these tests to incorporate multiple ways of measuring aptitude. Many special education students may display high aptitude on assessments that incorporate bodily-kinesthetic, spatial or musical intelligence.

References

Cook, L. (2007). When in Rome…influences on special education student-teachers’ teaching. 

International Journal of Special Education, 22(3), 119-130.  Retrieved from ERIC Digest

Heubert, J. (2009, August 26). High-Stakes Testing: Opportunities and Risks for Students of

                  Color, English-Language Learners, and Students with Disabilities | National Center

                   on Accessible Instructional Materials.

Puckett, K (2013). Differentiating Instruction: A Practical Guide. Bridgepoint Education: San

Diego, CA. Bridgepoint Education, Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books