Differentiated+Instruction+&+Diverse+Learning

Differentiated Instruction & Diverse Learning Universal Design for Learning (UDL)  **Universal Design for Learning** (UDL), a theoretical framework, is also addressed on the CAST site. Locate the section on “An Introduction to Universal Design for Learning Applications.” There are 3 fundamentally important principles which help you design your teaching and learning environment so that all students can be successful. These principles can be supported through the use of digital materials. They are:

1. Support recognition learning by providing multiple, and flexible methods of presentation 2. Support strategic learning by providing multiple, and flexible methods of expression and apprenticeship 3. Support affective learning by providing multiple, and flexible options for engagement

Watch the (6:37 minute) Video from the National Center on UDL and learn more about three UDL principles. Multiple means of representation (recognition); Multiple means of action and expression; and Multiple means of engagement.

An additional visit should be made to the Universal Design for Learning: Strategies, Tools, and Resources (wiki) and explore the content area resources on the left hand navigation pane.

Using Nettrekker d.i. (America’s Educational Search Engine)
 One of the resources available to educators in Michigan at no charge is NetTrekker. This program has a text-to-speech feature which will read web pages to the learner.

Nettreker is a gold mine of web resources that are alinged to state standards! Get to know one of the best free resources available to educators in Michigan. To access Nettrekker, you will need to create an [|FREE account] in LearnPort. Nettrekker inclues over 180,000 educator reviewed online resources that are aligned by readability level and state standards. For differentiating instruction, a read-aloud feature will convert text to speech, and read the web page content aloud. There is also a dictionary/translation feature for ELL/ESL students and comprehension. Nettrekker includes a special section about 21st Century Skills.

PLEASE NOTE: Nettrekker also has a STUDENT version which costs a licensing fee for student access.

To access a variety of Nettrekker "How to" videos, see the Nettrekker TV by clicking here. Here is a worksheet on the features of NetTrekker for you to [|download]. Also, here is a PowerPoint called Nettrekker 101 for you to learn more about it's features.

vozMe
 

 Check out the features of vozMe 's FREE [|text to speech converter]. Although Spokentext was free for quite some time, they now charge for their service.  This web site will allow you to make text become an audio in a quick and easy interface. Create .mp3 files in a variety of voices or languages by typing (or copy and paste) text in the box. Save the file and insert it into your applications.

21things Hands-On Activity and Assignment:
Here is the assignment for this "Thing". Go to the portfolio worksheet and [|complete] the assignment.  Complete the following activities and add them to your portfolio:

1. **Differentiated Learning Assignment** - As you read through the key elements which guide differentiation, jot down some notes of things you already do in your teaching which meet these elements of differentiated instruction. List or write a few paragraphs about these in your portfolio.

 2. **Diverse Learning Assignment** - visit the Using Technology to Support Diverse Learners and click on and explore one of the spotlights or the Tech Tips Areas ( Digital Text, Audio , Digital Enhancement , Software , Visual , Curricular Supports ) .Your task is to discover something which will be very helpful to support a struggling learner in your classroom and describe it and how you feel it will help.

 3. **Universal Design for Learning Assignment** - There are **two options** for this part:

A. Create an account in Learnport (specific to Michigan educators) to access NetTrekker and set up your profile. Use the readability tool to determine the appropriateness of the selection, or to locate materials at three different reading levels. Capture a screen shot and write a reflection in your portfolio.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> B. Visit the Universal Design for Learning: Strategies, Tools, and Resources (wiki) and on the left navigation pane locate a content area resource for your classroom and write a reflection on it in your portfolio.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> **Select either 3A or 3B and complete.**

4. **Text-to-Audio Conversion Assignment** - Using vozMe or another FREE [|text to speech converter], make a text to audio recording. Capture a screenshot while you are creating the audio recording. Write a reflection on how this tool could help the students in your classroom.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> **21 things for Teachers Portfolio Worksheet**


 * Thing 5: Differentiated Instruction & Diverse Learning**


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Here is the assignment for this "Thing". When you are finished, you will upload this to the Moodle site:
 * Please add a footer with your name and date: Insert, Footer – choose your footer style.
 * Reflections are required for SB-CEU credit. Remember, your reflections should be 150 – 300 words.

= Differentiated Learning Assignment =

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> As you read through the key elements which guide differentiation, think about things you already do in your teaching which meet these elements of differentiated instruction. List or write a few paragraphs about these in your portfolio.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I use graphic organizers, guided notes and have created a classroom wiki site for this school year. In the past I have created Netvibes Start pages with online help links. I also complete WRESA’s Marzon’s Nine for the 21st Century. Link to my work: http://ist-lms.wikispaces.com/

= Diverse Learning =

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Visit the Using Technology to Support Diverse Learners and click on and explore one of the spotlights or the Tech Tips Areas ( Digital Text, Audio , Digital Enhancement , Software , [|Visual] , Curricular Supports ). Your task is to discover something which will be very helpful to support a struggling learner in your classroom and describe it and how you feel it will help.

I use virtual learning sites to support learning concepts and give student practice. I currently only co-teach and teach Learning Lab support classes. Trimester 3 just started and I am teaching a Basic Consumer Math. I have created several Netvibes Start pages with resources and links to support learning. This year I am using a Wikispaces and have created a class wiki for student to use.

= Universal Design for Learning =

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There are **two options** for this part: (**only have to choose one**)


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">1. ** Create an account in [|Learnport] (specific to Michigan educators) to access NetTrekker and set up your profile. Use the readability tool to determine the appropriateness of the selection, or to locate materials at three different reading levels.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> []


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">a. ** Capture a screen shot

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;">


 * 1) **<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif;">b. ** Write a reflection in your portfolio. I used Learnport to take courses to complete hours for my highly qualified HOUSE portfolio completed in June of 2009. I forgot what a great resource this site is. I joined Nettracker and plan on using it with my Basic Math class this trimester. This site offers many resources that can be use to create differentiated instruction for students. I find my special education students struggle with writing and research assignments do to the difficulty of poor reading skills. If they have access to sites that read information to them they will have a better understanding to the material to create papers. Teacher can also use these tools to assess if they need to provide information in another way due to readability of the directions or material on a site they may have assigned as a resource for the assignment. It is important that teachers are able to factor all this in for a good understanding for all students. Nettracker has many resources and will save teachers time as well as assist them on technology issues they may need to learn to use with students.


 * 1) **2.** Visit the Universal Design for Learning: Strategies, Tools, and Resources (wiki)and on the left navigation pane locate a content area resource for your classroom and write a reflection on it in your portfolio
 * 2) ** a. ** List chosen content area Math []

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Math Tools: <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 7pt;">part of the Math Forum at Drexel University, includes a catalog of technology resources for math on the web. The catalog includes hundreds of tools, lessons, and activities that are categorized and searchable by grade level and content. Each has been submitted by a registered user (registration is free and open to all). Each includes a description, the technology type (e.g., Java applet, Flash), and ratings, reviews, and discussions from other registered users of the site. []


 * 1) b. Write a reflection in your portfolio I use practice websites with my Basic Math, Job Skills and Basic Consumer Math classes. I plan to use the Math Tool site as a new resource for reinforcing Math skills. I agree virtual manipulative math sites do help students learn basic skills. I have incorporated many UDL strategies with my students and always looking for new resources. I teach special education students and also support them in Co-Taught classes. I provide them with online resources like Khan Academy, posting PowerPoints . Quizlet is also a great site to support students with a way to study. I use many sites listed at the end of this worksheet with my math classes and also have many sites that offer students access to many resources.

= Text to Audio Conversion Assignment =

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Using [|vozMe] or another FREE text to speech converter, make a text to audio recording. <span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: 1.5;"> 1. Capture a screenshot while you are creating the audio recording.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;">


 * 1) 2. Write a reflection on how this tool could help the students in your classroom.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I have use Vokis with students posted on Wikis and also had them create Vokis and embed in their own Wiki pages. My students have also used Natural Reader to read website pages to obtain information to use in the writing of papers and postings on blogs and Wikis.

[]

I found the VozMe difficult to understand. []

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I find Web 2.0 Tools and virtual websites to be very helpful to assist student learning. Rubrics also help define for students what they are to do in order to receive a passing grade.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Marzano has many great ideas to use for differentiated instruction. Please see my Netvibe Start Page for many other resources I have found. [|http://www.netvibes.com/newteacher#Accomodation%2FDifferentiation]

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> I would uses these tools to post on my websites, Start pages and Wiki Sites. I can use them as well as have students create one and add to their blogs or wikis. These site are helpful for my special education students who have difficulty writing, reading and spelling. I have found these ideas and tools to be very helpful.

<span style="background-color: #fafafa; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

Link:**<span style="color: #5e5e5e; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=4697931&height=267&width=200 **