scholarly journals Examining Preservice Teacher Perceptions of Using Coding in Literacy Instruction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Frazier
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
Course Work ◽  
Children's Literacy ◽  
Written Word ◽  
K 12

Coding is a language with many similarities to what is traditionally thought of as literacy. Preservice teachers are familiar with literacy instruction, but were not exposed to computer science during their K-12 education nor in their teacher education course work. Yet, they are responsible for preparing children for future careers, including the growing field of computer science, which should be integrated as early as possible into the general education curriculum to build awareness, interest, and ultimately, skills. In this study, preservice teachers in a K-6 reading interventions class were trained in Scratch and provided a template to use with children struggling in various aspects of literacy. This article examines how preservice teachers perceive the relationship between coding and literacy through the theoretical framework of gaming, and whether they would include coding in literacy instruction. Results indicate preservice teachers do not feel confident enough in their teaching abilities to feel comfortable integrating coding into literacy instruction. Lack of prior knowledge and time constraints contributed to those that chose not to participate. Success occurred as Scratch was found to be motivating and individualized when using self-selected pictures and voice to connect to the written word, supporting children’s literacy learning.

Preparing Special Education Preservice Teachers to Teach Computational Thinking and Computer Science in Mathematics

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642199237
Author(s):  
Emily C. Bouck ◽  
Phil Sands ◽  
Holly Long ◽  
Aman Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
K 12

Increasingly in K–12 schools, students are gaining access to computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS). This access, however, is not always extended to students with disabilities. One way to increase CT and CS (CT/CS) exposure for students with disabilities is through preparing special education teachers to do so. In this study, researchers explore exposing special education preservice teachers to the ideas of CT/CS in the context of a mathematics methods course for students with disabilities or those at risk of disability. Through analyzing lesson plans and reflections from 31 preservice special education teachers, the researchers learned that overall emerging promise exists with regard to the limited exposure of preservice special education teachers to CT/CS in mathematics. Specifically, preservice teachers demonstrated the ability to include CT/CS in math lesson plans and showed understanding of how CT/CS might enhance instruction with students with disabilities via reflections on these lessons. The researchers, however, also found a need for increased experiences and opportunities for preservice special education teachers with CT/CS to more positively impact access for students with disabilities.

What Is Different About Deaf Education? The Effects of Child and Family Factors on Educational Services

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Luft
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
General Education ◽  
Hard Of Hearing ◽  
Deaf Education ◽  
Family Factors ◽  
Educational Services ◽  
Education Curriculum ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
K 12 ◽  
General Education Classrooms

Deaf education is characterized by several distinctive aspects, beginning with qualities unique to deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and their families. Consisting of approximately 1.2% of the special education K-12 population, educational and disability systems often struggle to meet the unique challenges that these children and their families present. The result is that services and practices may be atypical and unlike those found to be successful with other populations. Despite new technological and personnel accommodations, far greater numbers placed in general education classrooms, and access to the general education curriculum, these children remain unable to perform commensurate with their abilities or at levels equivalent to their peers either with or without disabilities. Achievement has improved little over four decades, further attesting to the complexity of successfully mitigating the effects of early childhood hearing loss and that educating DHH children is different.

Implementing Effective Student Support Teams

2016 ◽  
pp. 248-262
Author(s):  
Tricia Crosby-Cooper ◽  
Dina Pacis
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Special Education Eligibility ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Student Support Teams ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
K 12

Pre-service teachers in a K-12 setting, encounter students in need of academic and behavioral supports. One method of providing supports to struggling students in the general education and special education setting is through the problem-solving process of pre-referral intervention, hence forth referred to as Student Support Teams (SST) within Response-to-Intervention. During the SST process, student's academic and/or behavioral difficulties are considered through a multidisciplinary approach. Research demonstrates the use of a multi-tiered problem solving approach as a means to provide supports for students prior to special education eligibility and placement. Additionally, there are concerns regarding implementation and teacher perceptions (Powers, 2001) on the effectiveness of the intervention and collaboration between general education and special education teachers (Graden, 1989). This chapter discusses historical aspects, purpose and process, best practices, and challenges of SSTs, while presenting strategies for teachers and educators to effectively implement the SST process.

Curricular Philosophies Reflected in Individualized Education Program Goals for Students With Complex Support Needs

2021 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-294
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Kurth ◽  
Elissa Lockman-Turner ◽  
Kathryn Burke ◽  
Andrea L. Ruppar
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Individualized Education Program ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Individualized Education ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
K 12

Abstract Individualized education program (IEP) goals are meant to be personalized to address the unique needs of students with disabilities, while also reflecting the student's grade-aligned general education curriculum. IEP goals describe what, how, and where students with disabilities are taught, and reflect the curriculum used to provide instruction. In this study, we analyzed how IEP goals align with the different curricular philosophies for students with severe disabilities. Using a sample of 88 IEPs for students with complex support needs (i.e., severe disabilities) in Grades K-12, we found most goals (57%) reflect curricular philosophies of the 1970s–1990s (i.e., developmental, functional, and social inclusion) eras, with only 26% of IEP goals representative of modern curricular philosophies (i.e., grade-aligned academic content). We also found secondary-aged students were less likely to have grade-aligned academic goals compared to elementary-aged students. We offer implications for ensuring individualization and goals reflecting skills needed for the 21st century.

Practicing What We Preach

2019 ◽  
pp. 230-260
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Kroeger ◽  
Susan A. Gregson ◽  
Michelle A. Duda ◽  
Anna DeJarnette ◽  
Jonathan M. Breiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
General Education ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Implementation Team ◽  
Midwestern University ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
K 12

Creating inclusive classrooms is a challenge in general education. To prepare new teachers for diverse K-12 classrooms, faculty at one Midwestern university redesigned their education program to prepare preservice teachers for dual licensure in general and special education. The redesign required middle childhood faculty to learn more about complex conceptual frameworks that are prioritized in school districts across the country. One of these, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), became a non-negotiable component of the new program. An essential learning outcome became preparing pre-service teachers to utilize UDL. After the program was approved, content-area faculty questioned whether they were prepared to implement the framework. Having varied expertise in UDL, faculty wondered if they were teaching UDL effectively, and questioned whether they were modeling UDL concepts with fidelity in their own teaching. Thus, the Dual Licensure Implementation Team (DLIT) was born. This case study describes the process and product of the team's effort to implement UDL with fidelity.

Implementing Effective Student Support Teams

2020 ◽  
pp. 163-178
Author(s):  
Tricia Crosby-Cooper ◽  
Dina Pacis
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Student Support ◽  
Special Education Eligibility ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Student Support Teams ◽  
Problem Solving Process ◽  
K 12

Pre-service teachers in a K-12 setting, encounter students in need of academic and behavioral supports. One method of providing supports to struggling students in the general education and special education setting is through the problem-solving process of pre-referral intervention, hence forth referred to as Student Support Teams (SST) within Response-to-Intervention. During the SST process, student's academic and/or behavioral difficulties are considered through a multidisciplinary approach. Research demonstrates the use of a multi-tiered problem solving approach as a means to provide supports for students prior to special education eligibility and placement. Additionally, there are concerns regarding implementation and teacher perceptions (Powers, 2001) on the effectiveness of the intervention and collaboration between general education and special education teachers (Graden, 1989). This chapter discusses historical aspects, purpose and process, best practices, and challenges of SSTs, while presenting strategies for teachers and educators to effectively implement the SST process.

scholarly journals Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Students with Learning Disabilities: Using Mixed Methods to Examine Effectiveness of Special Education Coursework

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renée Greenfield ◽  
Megan Mackey ◽  
Gretchen Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Learning Disabilities ◽  
General Education ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Students With Learning Disabilities ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Assigned Reading ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
K 12

As the number of K-12 students with learning disabilities educated in general education classrooms grow, it is essential to examine the preparation and perceptions of pre-service teachers (N=15) who will educate students with learning disabilities. Within the context of an undergraduate learning disabilities method course, this study examined how pre-service teachers perceived students with learning disabilities as well as the effectiveness of particular course experiences, including fieldwork with students with learning disabilities, video vignettes, lesson planning, assigned reading, and center-based instruction, in shifting perceptions. Using a convergent, mixed method design, teacher educators at a university in the northeast used surveys, journals, and focus groups to examine pre-service teachers’ perceptions over time. Both quantitative and qualitative data indicate perceptions shifted positively in response to the methods course. Reflections and suggestions for other teacher educators are offered.

scholarly journals Supporting Literacy Instruction for Students With Extensive Support Needs in Rural Settings Through Collaboration: So Much Better When We Work Together!

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrine S. Gosselin ◽  
Todd H. Sundeen
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Skill Acquisition ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Physical Therapists ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Support Needs ◽  
Team Members ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
Related Service

The roles of teachers and related service providers (e.g., speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists) are vital to skill acquisition and meaningful access to the general education curriculum for students who have been identified as having significant or extensive support needs. However, often delivery of instruction can become fragmented and disjointed as time for service providers to collaborate with team members is limited in rural schools. As a result, students with more extensive support needs may not receive adequate access to systemic and meaningful literacy instruction. This article will identify the obstacles as well as three strategies special education teams can use to improve communication and collaboration.

Practicing What We Preach

2022 ◽  
pp. 841-864
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Kroeger ◽  
Susan A. Gregson ◽  
Michelle A. Duda ◽  
Anna DeJarnette ◽  
Jonathan M. Breiner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
General Education ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Universal Design ◽  
Universal Design For Learning ◽  
Implementation Team ◽  
Midwestern University ◽  
Design For Learning ◽  
K 12

Creating inclusive classrooms is a challenge in general education. To prepare new teachers for diverse K-12 classrooms, faculty at one Midwestern university redesigned their education program to prepare preservice teachers for dual licensure in general and special education. The redesign required middle childhood faculty to learn more about complex conceptual frameworks that are prioritized in school districts across the country. One of these, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), became a non-negotiable component of the new program. An essential learning outcome became preparing pre-service teachers to utilize UDL. After the program was approved, content-area faculty questioned whether they were prepared to implement the framework. Having varied expertise in UDL, faculty wondered if they were teaching UDL effectively, and questioned whether they were modeling UDL concepts with fidelity in their own teaching. Thus, the Dual Licensure Implementation Team (DLIT) was born. This case study describes the process and product of the team's effort to implement UDL with fidelity.

Teachers' Perspectives on Literacy Instruction for Students with Severe Disabilities Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 100-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Ruppar ◽  
Stacy K. Dymond ◽  
Janet S. Gaffney
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Alternative Communication ◽  
General Education Curriculum ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perspectives on the appropriate skills and settings for literacy instruction, the factors influencing their decisions about literacy instruction, and the barriers to literacy instruction in general education classrooms. A sample of special education teachers (n = 69) of students taking the Illinois Alternate Assessment were surveyed, and results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicate that teachers prefer to provide life-skills-linked literacy instruction in special education classrooms and consider student characteristics and features of the general education curriculum when making these decisions. Also, the setting had a significant effect on teachers' rankings of preferred literacy skills to teach. Teachers may not understand how to adapt literacy content or how access to literacy instruction in a variety of contexts may benefit their students with severe disabilities.

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