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Alyssa Lang

I am a teacher in a third-grade classroom. My class occupancy is 30 students 18 girls and

12 boys. I teach in the Laneville School District. In my class 32% of my students are Latinos,

30% are African American, 28% are Caucasian, and 10% Asian. Of my 42% Latino and Asian

students, 13% of them are English Language Learners (ELL). Out of my total class of 30, 4

students are already classified with a learning disability, 3 students are involved in a pull-out

program for more challenging work. Currently I have a student that displays problems with

processing written language. She reads two grade levels below her peers and struggles with

comprehension of what she has read. Spelling is not her strong suit either. She excels in her math

and art classes.

My first step was to give all children are given the same assessment. They will use prior

or new current knowledge to answer the questions. Consistent with research, 80% of the class

did well, this puts them into tier one of general education.

This classroom is set up in groups of six desk forming a rectangle, the class is filled with

four groups of six. For this student, within the general education setting, we worked on reading

at a lower reading level. She reads at a first-grade level. We used the process of having her read

ahead of class to help with the comprehension. I have fused weekly spelling bees to help move

along the poor spelling skills. She seems to have trouble spelling words longer than six letters.

To monitor her progress, she is tested with the other students, but with two to three less words to

have to spell, lowering the anxiety, and being overwhelmed she may have while learning.

While working with this student I have noticed no significant change. I continued to work

on reading and spelling skills, but in a smaller group setting. Three times a week we meet
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after/before school with a group of seven students. We focused more on phonics, and the use of

smaller basic words. We started out with Dr. Seuss books, and worked our way through the

pronunciation of those words. She still participated in the general education class room, and took

the same assessments as the other students, but was given fewer questions and more time.

Through this process we have noticed that this student is being able to read more

efficiently. We noticed that smaller books and smaller group sizes with additional one on one

help, along with additional time for assessments was helpful. While this student is being pulled

out for part of the day she is slowly progressing and is projected to raise a grade level in reading

by the end of the school year.

To be a professional in the field of education, only you must not only have the knowledge

to educate, but to be able to relate to the students, and be able to guide them. Teachers should

have two main goals. The first goal is to promote diversity, inclusion, and excellence. The

second goal is to ensure all learners become successful, confident and creative in their work, and

active as well as informed in their community. Being a professional educator means that teachers

or any administration should be expected to ensure the communication and safety of students,

faculty and staff. Professionals would promote and encourage diversity inside and outside of the

classroom. Professionals should be ensuring that students feel confident in themselves, and

support and inspire them. Teachers can support different cultures and ethnicities, and different

learning styles in the classroom. Inclusion is an important aspect in the classroom. We want all

students with learning restrictions, or not to feel included inside the classroom, as well as the

school. Allowing inclusion for all students will only grow and allow other students to expand

their appreciation for the differences in the community and bring the experience into the outside

world. The role as a teacher that is played in inclusion is being able to support student who are
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not cookie cutter students, and make sure they feel safe and welcome in the learning

environment.

For the lesson of learning this student will be able to articulate the types of books she

likes to read. To begin, I will ask the student to think about the books they like to read or have

read aloud to them. Following this I will allow the student to share about one of her favorite

books. I will then prompt her to share the name of the book, to give a summary of what the book

is about, and to share why they like it. After the introduction of the lesson is introduced, I will

explain that books can be fiction or nonfiction. Fiction books have made-up characters and

made-up events. Nonfiction books teach information about real-life topics. Explaining that

fiction and nonfiction books can be written about different topics, such as princesses, tigers,

parks, Africa. Explaining the genre of the book will allow the student to hopefully grasp larger

words and understanding more phonetics. The guided practice of the lesson will be done by for

each book, I will ask the student to identify whether the book is fiction or nonfiction and the

topic of the book. After identifying the type and subject of the book, the student will give a

thumbs up or thumbs down to share whether they are interested in the book. During independent

work time this student will fill out the Reading Interest Surveys. If the student needs support

reading the surveys, I will read each sentence aloud as they circle the face that describes their

feelings about each type of book. Following this the student will go to the classroom library and

chose books of genres that she enjoys reading and will read at least 2 books minimally each

week at home. For support of this lesson a student will be able to use myself as well as the

inclusion teacher in our classroom and be offered additional time before and after school if

needed. For the enrichment portion this student will be asked to write down why they enjoy

certain genres.
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The different placement options for students with learning disabilities, in this case an

ELL student, varies based on the severity. This student can be taught in the general education

setting, which is the most common placement. There is also the placement option of a resource

room, in which the student is pulled from the general education setting for a portion of the school

day. Students are also offered an in-classroom aide, to help assist the teacher and help aid the

student with the disability. If my student, or any student, were to be pulled into the resource

room for part/all of the day, it would cost the parents nothing, thanks to the free appropriate

public education (FAPE) laws. This also applies to the in-class aid. The ideal placement is in the

general education setting to accommodate the least restrictive environment (LRE) principle. This

states that each student has the right to learn alongside the peers who don’t have disabilities. If

the student isn’t included in the general education classroom, reasoning must be stated in the

IEP. After careful consideration, the child study team made the decision for an in-class

placement and provide an in class aide for all students. There are no additional aides or

supplemental services required.

There were several accommodations in the IEP including advanced organizers, oral

instead of written assignments along with visual aids, and extended time. The student would

benefit from an graphic organizer to help break down the given information and highlight the

main ideas to help with the lack of comprehension. To help improve reading and comprehension

skills, the student will be given a graphic organizer with each lesson to make following along

easier. For an ELL student seeing all the important information outlined, along with a visual aid

will make it easier to understand the main points. The student would also benefit from oral

responses on assessments; this may take more time, but the student would also benefit from the

extended time. When assigning projects (book reports), all students will be given a chance to
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choose between different forms of presentation of work. They’ll be able to choose from a short

response essay, a power point, or a song. This will give the ELL student as well as other

learning-disabled students a chance to present their information orally without singling them out.

Since the student’s placement is in class with an aide, the student will gain the social benefits of

being with their peers while gaining the individualized help from the aide. For this student there

is no need for any related services.

Additional academic supports include the following accommodations. To help remember

the vocabulary words for the week, words are posted on the walls to familiarize the students with

the words in the everyday environment. Students are invigorated to implement their vocabulary

in class discussions to earn extra credit points. Once a week, time is set aside for study groups.

This is an opportunity for the students to go to the part of the classroom where they are

struggling and receive aid. For example, each group of desks becomes a station for a subject, and

the students can move freely through the classroom to the station they feel they need assistance

in. As the teacher and classroom aid circulates throughout the room to each station, the students

can get help from their peers as well.

As the students enter the classroom, they’re asked to do a “Do Now” based on what the

lesson for the week is. For example, when reviewing nouns, the students are asked question

regarding nouns in a sentence. For example, the question may be: Re-write the following

sentence and circle all the nouns in the passage below: “This is my dog Spots. Spots loves to run

in the backyard and swim in the pool.” They are then required to submit the answer in the entry

ticket box. This is to ensure that all students in class are understanding the material presented to

them.
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In my experiment opinion I believe that Jonna the student in my class is an English

Language Learner (ELL). Mainstreaming ELL students into the can be difficult for students to

function and succeed. Some methods of teaching can be using “Research with U.S. school

children (R. Dunn, 1983, 1984; Reinert, 1976) has demonstrated that learners have four basic

perceptual learning channels (or modalities): 1. Visual learning: reading, studying charts 2.

Auditory learning: listening to lectures, audiotapes 3. Kinesthetic learning: experiential learning,

that is, total physical involvement with a learning situation 4. Tactile learning: "hands-on"

learning, such as building models or doing laboratory experiments” (Reid 3). Allowing different

learning styles into the mainstream classroom can not only help the ELL learners but the other

students in the class as well. Mainstreaming ELL students allows them to break through the

social barrier. This will make the students feel more comfortable in community as well as the

school, because they are not being excluded due to the language barrier. This has me believe that

mainstreaming Jonna and along with the other ELL students in my class.

As an educator, we want to support our ELL students for the optimal success. Making

class to hard will hurt, as well as if the class is too easy, like any lesson. A major tool an educator

should use in scaffolding the lesson for ELL students. “scaffolding as both structure and process,

weaving together several levels of pedagogical support, from macro-level planning of curricula

over time to micro-level moment-to-moment scaffolding and the contingent variation of support

responsive to interactions as they unfold”, (Aida). Throughout the article, evidential proof that

scaffolding will make learners more successful, as well as give students more motivation to

succeed and continue learning. Scaffolding lessons is implemented through my curriculum by

guiding and supporting students with guides, until it is successfully known and my students are

experts at the lesson. Throughout the article Strategies for ELL Success it is stated that “As
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children work together to explore the phenomenon introduced during engage, each will offer his

or her own expertise. New ideas and vocabulary will engage at this stage” (Hansen). Based of

this article I include this into my daily lessons when reviewing weekly vocabulary words and

splitting into groups around the classroom.

Part 5

As the classroom teacher, I feel it is vital to have both inter and intra personal skills.

Within my intrapersonal skills, I think the most imperative skill that I is apparent is proper

expectations. Never over/under estimating your students is essential to make a safe learning

environment. Expecting too much from your students can cause disappointment for the teacher,

and low self-esteem for the students. Expecting not enough of your students makes it a less

driven classroom. Students are aware when the teacher has low expectations for them. As a

teacher, you need to make it a driven classroom, and never allow a student to feel like they are

less capable than anyone else.

Another intrapersonal skill is being able to keep myself concentrated and organized. I

was never able to stay on task when I was in the classroom, which caused me to have to do

additional work outside of the classroom. Which when I was younger, I found to be frustrating as

all my friends wanted to hang out, but I had to work on homework or classwork that I did not

complete in class, which took away from my free time. Now I find it important to stay on task. If

I stray from the task, or go on a tangent, I’m taking away from the student’s education and their

time. Keeping myself focused essentially helps the students stay engaged. Something that is a

strong aspect in my life, is self-criticism. I will always be questioning myself, “is this helpful?”
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“Will they be engaged? What if they do not understand? How can I improve?” I do not stand for

average; I strive for the superlative.

Interpersonal skills are just as important, if not more, than intrapersonal skills. How you

communicate with those in your classroom and outside is what will set the tone for your school

year. Proper verbal communication helps to express what is needed and what is expected.

Expressing things verbally is beneficial to help everyone understand what needs to be done, and

they can ask questions if need be. Reaching out to student’s parents and keeping them in the

loop, helps build a connection that will make your job as a teacher much easier. Also reaching

out to the parents and building a connection between school and home is great for the students in

class, making them feel that school is a safe place, and somewhere that they can express

themselves openly with no judgment. Having an open line of communication opens the parents

up for more confidence in their child’s caretaker. This also makes it easier for you to come to

agreements on the services needed to teach students with disabilities. Being a good listener is in

my opinion, the second most important skill needed. You may not know what is needed for a

student to succeed, this is where you must listen to what the parent and past teachers recommend.

Also, listening to the student advocate for themselves will build a connection of trust and help

you understand what needs to be done. Being willing to listen to any and all students will help to

build trust that makes it worth coming to school for some. Working through problems and

making necessary decisions helps to keep the classroom flowing; as a teacher you need to have a

game plan prepared, but you also have to be able to think on your toes, and adapt to change with

open arms. There is no one way of teaching, and throughout the many years of being taught I

have learned that the best kinds of teachers incorporate all types of learning into every plan, even
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if that means having to go the extra mile, they would do it for their students. In my opinion that

is the teacher I aspire to be.

Adapting to change is an outcome that I have taken from this course and will continue to

carry over into professional career. I have learned to adapt and accept more and more change, as

we learn about it. Education is a continuously changing and growing as we discover more and

more. As we discover in this class, I am able to navigate and create opportunities. Throughout

this course we have watched videos of real-life experience, this has opened my eyes to people

struggle even in your own neighborhood. As an educator we have to keep an open mind to the

families and children that are being placed into our classroom and have an open heart towards

them. As a teacher we spend 8 hours with these students and if we are finical able to make a

difference in even one child’s life, together we can make a greater change.

I have chosen to discuss is Program Competence, which is ability to use and to integrate

concepts, theories, and principles in one’s major field of study in a masterful way. An example

of this Essential Learning Outcome (ELO) is how I have taken it from this class, is when doing

this signature assignment. I take knowledge from my other educ classes I have taken in past

college courses and apply them and integrate the topics I have learned in those courses and

carried them over into my signature assignment. For example, in my development of the learner

class we touched upon, Emotionally Behavior Disorder (EBD) students in a classroom. I used the

knowledge and crossed it with theories that we also learned in that class and brought it to this

course in small group discussions. When selecting a program, you have to choose what will work

best for that student and your class. You have to explore every avenue and cover every base. A

student shouldn’t be wondering if their program is working. They should be able to see their
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progress. If the program doesn’t function properly, it can become an even harder struggle than

what it originally was.

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References

Aída Walqui (2006) Scaffolding Instruction for English Language Learners: A

Conceptual Framework, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9:2, 159-

180

Hansen, L. (2006). Strategies for ELL success. Science and Children, 43(4), 22-25.

Retrieved

https://login.ezproxy.stockton.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/236944314?ac

countid=29054

Reid, J. (1987). The Learning Style Preferences of ESL Students. TESOL

Quarterly, 21(1), 87-111. doi:10.2307/3586356