Examining the Role of Pre-Instruction Academic Performance Within A Text-based Approach to Improving Student Content Knowledge and Understanding

2018 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-228
Author(s):  
Jeanne Wanzek ◽  
Greg Roberts ◽  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Elizabeth Swanson ◽  
Katherine Sargent
Keyword(s):  
Reading Achievement ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
General Education ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Background Knowledge ◽  
Achievement Level ◽  
Class Level

Students with disabilities are often included in general education social studies classes, but these classes can differ in the achievement level of the overall class, including wide variation in content-related background knowledge, reading achievement, or both. The purpose of this study was to examine how background knowledge and reading achievement moderate the effects of a previously validated intervention, Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT). We examined data from a prior randomized control trial of 1,487 eighth-grade students in 85 classes that were randomly assigned at the class level to receive either PACT instructional practices or typical instructional practices using the same social studies content. Results of the current study reveal no moderating effect at the class level of either initial background knowledge or reading achievement on student content knowledge acquisition or content reading comprehension outcomes. Classes with varying levels of background knowledge and reading achievement performed similarly in PACT instruction, with benefits of the PACT instruction found on content knowledge acquisition.

Instructional Practices to Boost Tier 1 Content Area Instruction for Students with Disabilities: A Closer Look at PACT

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Swanson ◽  
Alexis Boucher
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Instructional Practices ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Content Area ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Reading Support ◽  
Eighth Grade Students ◽  
Content Area Instruction ◽  
Based Instruction

For students with learning disabilities, providing text-based instruction in general education content area classes can provide students with additional reading support while simultaneously boosting their content knowledge. This article will outline a set of instructional practices delivered in social studies classes that has been shown to improve performance of eighth grade students with disabilities on measures of content knowledge, vocabulary, and content reading comprehension. Each instructional practice will be described in detail with a timeline of step-by-step procedures and accompanying language that demonstrates how the intervention may unfold in the classroom setting.

Class Percentage of Students With Reading Difficulties on Content Knowledge and Comprehension

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Anna-Mária Fall ◽  
Greg Roberts ◽  
Jeanne Wanzek ◽  
Elizabeth Swanson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reading Comprehension ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Knowledge Acquisition ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Eighth Grade ◽  
Content Acquisition ◽  
Team Based Learning ◽  
Randomized Control ◽  
Comprehension Intervention ◽  
Content Reading

We examined the efficacy of a content acquisition and reading comprehension intervention implemented in eighth-grade social studies classrooms. Using a within-teacher randomized control design, 18 eighth-grade teachers’ social studies classes were randomly assigned to a treatment or comparison condition. Teachers taught all their classes (treatment and comparison) using the same content; however, in the treatment classes, teachers used instructional practices that included comprehension canopy, essential words, knowledge acquisition, and team-based learning. Students with reading comprehension difficulties in the treatment classes ( n = 359) outperformed students with reading comprehension difficulties in the comparison classes ( n = 331) on measures of content knowledge acquisition and content reading comprehension but not general reading comprehension. In addition, the proportion of students with reading comprehension difficulties in classes moderated outcomes for content knowledge acquisition and content reading comprehension.

The Application of Empirically Supported Practices in Middle School Social Studies Classrooms

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 341-352
Author(s):  
Shawn C. Kent ◽  
Jeanne Wanzek ◽  
Leticia Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Social Studies ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
Graphic Organizers ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Strategy Instruction ◽  
Students At Risk ◽  
History Teachers ◽  
Empirically Supported

Material encountered in social studies has been shown to be challenging for students with reading difficulties, including those with disabilities. This study first examined the amount of time eighth-grade U.S. History teachers implemented empirically supported instructional practices. Second, this research investigated the association between instruction and student growth in content knowledge. The sample included 188 students identified with low reading ability, of which 20% were students with disabilities. Instruction in 30 classrooms was coded for the presence of learning strategy instruction, study aids, graphic/spatial organizers, peer-mediated instruction, computer-aided instruction, and mnemonics. Utilization of these practices was limited (~20% of total instruction), with the use of spatial/graphic organizers and peer-mediated activities most prevalent. Time allocated to these practices was not significantly associated with student gains in content knowledge. Additional research to determine how to best impact content learning for students at-risk for poor learning outcomes is warranted.

scholarly journals Pre-service teacher professional noticing for teaching mathematics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Stephanie A. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
General Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Preparation Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Professional Noticing

Students with disabilities and/or those who have difficulty learning mathematical concepts can be found in almost every classroom. Over the last several decades, the responsibilities and roles of general and special education educators have shifted, blurring the conventionally held boundaries between special education and general education teachers and their pedagogical practices. Both special education and general education teachers are expected to provide an optimal mathematical instructional experience to all students. One way to best prepare novice teachers for this task is by increasing their overall Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The purpose of this study is to contribute to research about specific components of a pre-service teacher's PCK. This research utilized a cross-sectional research design in its study of a representative sample of preservice teachers at specific moments in time during their teacher preparation program. Mathematical content knowledge and teachers' beliefs regarding the teaching of mathematics were found to have a statistically significant impact on professional noticing. Although not statistically significant, the differences the choice of a major had on a teacher's noticing ability requires further investigation. This study addresses an important gap in the research literature on noticing in that it includes special education teachers. Additionally, the study provides concrete recommendations for teacher preparation programing and suggestions for future research.

The Differential Efficacy of a Professional Development Model on Reading Outcomes for Students With and Without Disabilities

2021 ◽  
pp. 001440292110071
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Swanson ◽  
Sharon Vaughn ◽  
Anna-Maria Fall ◽  
Elizabeth A. Stevens ◽  
Alicia A. Stewart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Informational Text ◽  
Content Learning ◽  
Fourth Grade Students ◽  
Professional Development Model ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Over Time

This study examined the differential effects of Strategies for Reading Informational Text and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE) on the vocabulary, reading comprehension, and content learning among 4,757 fourth-grade students with and without disabilities. Schools were assigned to one of three conditions: researcher-supported professional development (RPD), school-supported professional development (SPD), or business as usual (BAU). Treatment teachers received 12 hr of professional development distributed over time and delivered a set of instructional practices for teaching vocabulary and comprehension embedded within 36 social studies lessons (45 min per lesson). Findings revealed that students with and without disabilities in classes assigned to STRIVE treatment (SPD and RPD) outperformed their peers in classes assigned to the BAU condition at a statistically significant level on measures of content knowledge and content vocabulary and a distal measure of vocabulary. STRIVE did not affect students with disabilities (SWDs) and without disabilities differentially on the measures of content knowledge and distal vocabulary, though effects sizes for non-SWDs in SPD and RPD were larger than those for SWDs.

PREPARING FUTURE PHYSICAL EDUCATORS FOR INCLUSION: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E. BLOCK ◽  
Eun Hye KWON ◽  
Sean HEALY
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Online Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Adapted Physical Education ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Physical Education Teacher ◽  
Education Teacher ◽  
Physical Education Teacher Education ◽  
General Physical

Students with disabilities around the world are leaving special schools and special classes and are receiving their education in general education schools. In addition to attending general education classes, these students with disabilities are attending general physical education classes. Unfortunately, research has clearly demonstrated that physical educators do not feel prepared to include students with disabilities into their general physical education classes. Such findings are not surprising given that the typical physical education teacher education program in the United States only requires one course in adapted physical education, and in many countries around the world not even one adapted physical education course is required. However, many physical education teacher education programs do not have the space to add more adapted physical education classes, and other universities do not have professors with specialized knowledge to teach adapted physical education. What can be done to better prepare future and current physical educators? Online education is a relatively new method for delivering information about disability in general and more specifically how to include students with disabilities into general physical activities. The purpose of this paper is to introduce online education and present preliminary research that supports the use of online training with physical educators.

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