UDL to Solve Problems Project Amber Beagle SPED 644

Background My fourth grade class is an inclusive classroom with 21 students. We grouped the students to be heterogeneous to support the Common Core curriculum and allow for flexible grouping. My students have abilities that range from above average readers to students that work below grade level instructionally. I currently have 4 students with IEPs, including one student that also has ESOL needs. In addition, I have 3 students with 504s and 1 student that has ESOL only needs. A current classroom challenge in my room is meeting the language needs of my ESOL students, as well as one student that benefits from intense modifications to the general education curriculum. One student has parents that do not speak English at home, even though his first language is considered English. The second student came to Maryland this year from Jamaica, but faces challenges with daily vocabulary. The third student has receptive and expressive language needs and is diagnosed with autism. The barriers that these students face is comprehending and applying daily vocabulary. Two of the students do not take risks to answer questions unless they are called on. The third student is willing to share answers, but is hesitant about her wording and benefits from adults rewording her answers.

Problem Solved My solution involves providing the students with several supports to increase their confidence with daily language and vocabulary. One goal is for the students to become more confident when given a question or prompt in the classroom. Another goal is for students to utilize several dictionaries to support their everyday learning. For all vocabulary lessons, students will be provided with picture clues.

Representation Good to Go! Change the wording Give me a brand new question Checkpoint 2.1: Clarify vocabulary and symbols Students will use this pinch card on their desks and in small groups. These pinch cards can be used for any student that is struggling to answer questions or prompts, and will not be limited to the 3 students that struggle with everyday vocabulary. This discrete pinch card will provide opportunities to let me know what words I need to reteach/clarify or pre-teach the next time during group discussions with the students. Checkpoint 2.4: Promote understanding across languages Students are also provided with picture cues on daily assessments to provide non-linguistic supports.

Example of Daily Assessment

Action and Expression Checkpoint 6.3 Facilitate managing information and resources Students will have a student dictionary that they can add to whenever they need extra support. Students can self-select words to add, as well as teachers providing selected words that will mainly be Tier 1 words. Students will use this dictionary that is set up in a systematic way to record and recall vocabulary that is new to them. Checkpoint 5.2 Use multiple tools for construction and composition Students will be able use to any of the choices that help them: write the meaning, record synonyms, use it in a sentence, draw a picture, record it in an online dictionary Students will be provided with several websites to look up their words: Little Explorers Picture Dictionary Wordsmyth Word Central- Student Dictionary and Thesaurus

Student Dictionary Vocabulary WordMy DefinitionExample SentenceMemory Jogger -picture clue -synonym or phrase _____________________ __________________________ _________________________ _________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ _____________________ __________________________ _________________________ _________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ _____________________ __________________________ _________________________ _________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ Name ________________________ Self-Selection Vocabulary Strategy Sheet

Engagement Checkpoint 7.2 Optimize relevance, value, and authenticity Students will bring their student dictionary to a “Let’s Chat” lunch bunch. Students will be utilizing the dictionaries by trying to use the words in a casual discussion. I will look through the dictionary as well to see what kind of questions I can ask to use the words in a prompt that is personal to them. Students will gain confidence in the small group setting as they continue to develop their communication skills by broadening their vocabulary.

Engagement Checkpoint 9.3: Develop self-assessment and reflection Students will have the chance to rate how they are feeling about their vocabulary development. This will support individual discussions about their strengths and what they can do to continue to develop their language skills. I am not confident with my vocabulary at all. I do not like being asked questions. I feel okay about my vocabulary. I don’t feel frustrated, but I am also not as confident as I could be. I feel very confident about my vocabulary. I love using new words! _________________________ ‘s Vocabulary Reflection

Reflection I. Provide Multiple Means of Representation:Provide Multiple Means of Representation: Your notes 1.Provide options for perceptionProvide options for perception 1.1Offer ways of customizing the display of informationOffer ways of customizing the display of information 1.2Offer alternatives for auditory informationOffer alternatives for auditory information 1.3Offer alternatives for visual informationOffer alternatives for visual information 1.Provide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbolsProvide options for language, mathematical expressions, and symbols 2.1Clarify vocabulary and symbolsClarify vocabulary and symbols The students are working on becoming more aware of the vocabulary that is causing confusion for them. Before I planned this tool, I would either get blank stares or guesses. When this happens, I redirect the students to use their word thermometer. This also helps me as a teacher to realize if I need to reword my question or give them more wait time. 2.2Clarify syntax and structureClarify syntax and structure 2.3Support decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbolsSupport decoding of text, and mathematical notation, and symbols 2.4Promote understanding across languagePromote understanding across language Students are redirected to the visual cues when we are reading stories that are above their reading level. This support helps several students and is not limited to the students with language barriers. 2.5Illustrate through multiple mediaIllustrate through multiple media 1.Provide options for comprehensionProvide options for comprehension 3.1Activate or supply background knowledgeActivate or supply background knowledge 3.2Highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationshipsHighlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships 3.3Guide information processing, visualization, and manipulationGuide information processing, visualization, and manipulation 3.4Maximize transfer and generalizationMaximize transfer and generalization

Reflection III. Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:Provide Multiple Means for Engagement:Your notes 1.Provide options for recruiting interestProvide options for recruiting interest 7.1Optimize individual choice and autonomyOptimize individual choice and autonomy 7.2Optimize relevance, value, and authenticityOptimize relevance, value, and authenticity Students enjoy coming to lunch bunch. They were all prompted to share 1-2 new words by using them to tell a story. We turned it into a game to decide if it was a real story or made up. As the lunch bunches continue, I will have more chances to check-in and see how they feel about their vocabulary development. 7.3Minimize threats and distractionsMinimize threats and distractions 1.Provide options for sustaining effort and persistenceProvide options for sustaining effort and persistence 8.1Heighten salience of goals and objectivesHeighten salience of goals and objectives 8.2Vary demands and resources to optimize challengeVary demands and resources to optimize challenge 8.3Foster collaboration and communityFoster collaboration and community 8.4Increase mastery-oriented feedbackIncrease mastery-oriented feedback 1.Provide options for self-regulationProvide options for self-regulation 9.1Promote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivationPromote expectations and beliefs that optimize motivation 9.2Facilitate personal coping skills and strategiesFacilitate personal coping skills and strategies 9.3Develop self-assessment and reflectionDevelop self-assessment and reflection Students have assessed how they felt as a pre-assessment. One student is more confident than the others (same student that is more independent with charting her words). One student thinks very negatively about his vocabulary knowledge. The third student chose the average rating with his self-assessment. Hopefully, they will all feel some success as the year continues and their vocabulary independence is fostered.

Reflection II. Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression:Provide Multiple Means for Action and Expression: Your notes 1.Provide options for physical actionProvide options for physical action 4.1Vary the methods for response and navigationVary the methods for response and navigation 4.2Optimize access to tools and assistive technologiesOptimize access to tools and assistive technologies 1.Provide options for expression and communicationProvide options for expression and communication 5.1Use multiple media for communicationUse multiple media for communication 5.2Use multiple tools for construction and compositionUse multiple tools for construction and composition Students are able to choose what website they find the easiest. They are given time during homeroom and at the end of the day to use the websites. Considering it is difficult for them to use the dictionary and find the correct guide words, the computer options provide a more effective tool. 5.3Build fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performanceBuild fluencies with graduated labels of support for practice and performance 1.Provide options for executive functionsProvide options for executive functions 6.1Guide appropriate goal settingGuide appropriate goal setting 6.2Support planning and strategy developmentSupport planning and strategy development 6.3Facilitate managing information and resourcesFacilitate managing information and resources Two of the students are not as independent as the third student with recording words in their dictionaries. Prompts are given to record a word in their dictionary. I have found it more efficient to write it on a post-it and discreetly hand it to them in order to record it later. 6.4Enhance capacity for monitoring progressEnhance capacity for monitoring progress