Lisa Reagan
4/4/19
YSU Pre-Clinical (STEP) Experience
Exploring Diversity in the Classroom
Things to Consider
Planning (5pts)
 How do the course documents
take into consideration the
individual needs of the learner?
(Initial Assessment, Scheme of
work, ILP)
 How is the learning
environment conducive to learning?
(layout, accessibility)
 How are a variety of learning
styles included in the teaching –
auditory, visual and kinesthetic?
(Schemes of work, lesson plans)
Delivery (5pts)
 How do teachers set appropriate
ground rules with learners? (Lesson
plan)
Observation and Discussion
The course documents are based on each student’s needs as shown
from their initial and ongoing assessments. The teacher
differentiations learning for individual students by considering their
individual needs as learners. She takes things into account such as
their style of learning and what concepts they have mastered. If
they are struggling with a concept, the teacher may try to assess
them more frequently to document their ongoing progress.
The learning environment is conducive to learning by making sure
that each child is able to demonstrate their needs. The layout of the
classroom makes it accessible to all students, including one who
uses a wheelchair and another that uses a special chair that calms
them down. I have observed that the students do quite well in the
learning environment in terms of the layout and accessibility. The
layout has a lot of open space to move around no matter what
physical barriers may affect the students.
The teacher makes sure that she is addressing all learning styles
that are done through visual, auditory, or kinesthetic ways. She
shows many visuals, as well as, explaining things orally for
auditory learners. They do a lot of activities that are based around
these two things, especially at circle time. For music and
movement, students often watch educational songs that have
movements which can be beneficial for kinesthetic learners. For
example, one student in the class really enjoys music, so the Ms.
Tricia often incorporates music to help this child demonstrate her
individual needs for ongoing assessment.
The teacher has a few ground rules for lesson delivery. She really
reinforces the fact that students need to listen to directions before
they start any activities. This means that the students need to keep
their hands off any materials before they receive directions when
they do an activity. At centers, the teacher explains each center for
the day and picks names from a jar to determine who gets to pick
first. While this is happening, the students need to be sure that they
are not touching the materials yet. Ms. Tricia also models how to
ask questions and she models behavior that is expected in the
classroom during lessons. She expects students to give their best
effort and to make sure they are not rushing through activities just

 How are appropriate assessment
methods used for all learners?
(Differentiation)
 How do those in the classroom use
appropriate and sensitive language
and challenging inappropriate use
of language?
Diversity (5 pts)
 How is diversity included
within teaching – making reference
and using examples from a variety
of cultures, religions, traditions,
exploring stereotyping and other
topics around equality? (Lesson
plan, resources)
 How is prejudice and
stereotyping challenged in the
classroom?
to get done quickly.
The teacher uses a rubric that can be adjusted for all levels of
learners in her classroom. Ms. Tricia also uses different methods of
engagement to assess learners during lessons. She allows them to
show their knowledge in different ways to show their strengths as
well as their individual weaknesses. For example, she can have
students draw what happened in a story instead of verbally
communicating what happened. This is something she can use with
students that are nonverbal, as well as, the students with speech
impairments.
The teacher often models language for the students in her
classroom. She makes sure that others are using language that is
appropriate and sensitive to other’s differences and abilities. She
uses a gentle tone of speaking with students and adults in the
classroom to model how to speak to other’s. She reminds students
to keep other’s feelings into account by being sensitive of others
differences. She asks students how they would feel if someone said
something that was unkind to them to limit egocentric behaviors
that could cause hurt feelings. She makes sure to have warnings and
consequences for inappropriate language by using time-out and the
behavior chart. She always talks to students after an incident to
assure that they are learning from their mistakes and ask them how
they could have responded instead. She can also ignore unwanted
language for the classroom by ignoring it, so that the language does
not get a response that could cause reoccurrences.
The teacher often uses themes to address diversity. For example,
she explained that they did a theme on Black History Month to
make sure that students are educated on this important topic. She
explained that they talked about Martin Luther King Jr. and his
contributions to the black community. She tries to incorporate
diversity whenever the subject comes up in books and in casual
conversation in the classroom. She also has hand puppets with very
diverse characters that the students can use later in the day during
library time. Another thing that Ms. Tricia tries to incorporate is
folktales from other counties to bring in more diversity in the topics
they talk about.
The teacher makes sure to bring in the message that no one in the
class in better than another, especially based on race and
socioeconomic status. The teacher tries to make all of the students
feel welcomed and valued in the classroom, encouraging their

 How do you build on learner
diversity as an educational
resource?
differences to be seen and valued as well. If a student points out
another’s differences in a negative manner, the teacher makes sure
to make a point that their differences make them who they are. She
tries to bring in the message that we need to treat everyone with the
same kindness and respect that we want in return.
The teacher builds on diversity by making sure that everyone is a
valued part of the classroom community. Sometimes, she will pair a
more advanced student with a student that is having difficulties to
help them learn from both sides. The more advanced student may
learn patience and empathy, while the student with difficulties may
learn appropriate behaviors and concepts from the other. I feel that
this is a method that can be useful, especially while the students’
are at centers. The more advanced students really like to help teach
the younger students and the ones that do have disabilities, while
the students all really enjoy interacting with each other.