Question

How can teacher use materials, including digital tools and resources, chosen to implement strategies address the various needs and provide equitable access to all students?

Answer 1

Having a combination of students whose academic skill levels can range from several years below grade level to several years above is nothing new for many K-12 teachers. But the diversity of learning needs in today’s general education classroom continues to grow. So teachers must act now to meet the needs of mixed-ability classrooms, and many are turning to differentiated instruction. Some common classroom technology can support them in this effort.

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: That different children learn differently, so Taking a differentiated approach to instruction means accommodating these differences by tailoring teaching to students’ strengths and knowledge. Teachers can do this by providing materials and tasks of varied levels of difficulty, along with supports, to multiple instructional groups, and by allowing students to work at least part of the time in modes that are most successful for them. Tomlinson defines differentiating instruction as giving students multiple options for taking in information, for making sense of ideas, and for expressing what they learn.

Many of the technology resources that most schools already have at hand can be used to facilitate this kind of tailored instruction. Simple graphics software and word processors, as well as resources and tools found on the Internet, offer students a variety of ways to access content, work with information to develop understanding, and demonstrate what they know.

A modern computer connected to the Internet and running standard software provides a wide array of features, as well as access to a vast amount of information. This brief highlights just four areas: talking text, Web resources, graphic organizers, and features of the word processor.

Talking text:

Making Talking Text Work for Students: In a single class, the text-to-speech functionality can assist a variety of students, including those who are motivated by more advanced materials but are frustrated by reading comprehension difficulties; those (including English learners) who will profit from the reinforcement of both print and oral reading; and those who hate to read but are willing to listen. It can be used with a whole class, with groups, or with individual students for previewing new information or as part of a final proofreading exercise.

Talking text is an important additional tool for supporting comprehension for some students, and several research studies have identified its promise for helping students with reading disabilities comprehend written materials (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000).

Web Resources:

Finding online books and text has become increasingly easy.  American Memory narrows a teacher’s search to historical source documents. Searching digital libraries yields an idea of the great range of materials currently available. Teachers can manipulate and enhance Web-based resources to better meet students’ needs. The materials can be printed out for classroom use or used electronically. They can be edited and changed to fit with different lessons or students.

• Text-to-speech options can be used to read the entire speech as a preview or to read individual words.
• The text can be changed visually, by altering the size and color of the font or by adding more space between lines.
• Text can be broken into manageable chunks, with generic prompts inserted to remind students to apply a strategy (e.g., summarizing, predicting, questioning, clarifying, visualizing).
• Once enhanced, the same documents can be used repeatedly, with or without further modification.

^{GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS} :

A graphic organizer is simply a visual representation of ideas or information.  Generating graphic organizers electronically offers distinct advantages. For instance:

• Color-coding is possible and can be easily changed as a map or diagram evolves.
• Elements of a mind map or chart can be moved around as relationships between ideas evolve.
• Graphic elements such as pictures and arrows can be added to reinforce vocabulary, relationships, and meaning.
• Some software allows switching from a graphic mode to an outline mode.  

_{WORD PROCESSORS}:

Most word processors have a number of features that can assist both teachers and students. Easy changes made possible by word processors include simply increasing the font size or using color to highlight specific words, such as prepositions or adverbs, facts, or other text elements. Making something a little bigger and printing it out can make an impact.

• Reinforcing Grammar and Spelling: Most who use Word are familiar with the red underlining that signals misspelled words when the spell-checker is turned on. The underlining provides a clear visual cue, and many students attempt to correct the spelling before turning to the computergenerated suggestions.
• Adding Comments: Because Word allows users to easily add comments to text, students and teachers can add information or questions that are then revealed by highlighting the selected words.
• Gauging Readability: A final Word tool worth mentioning is the readability score, offered as an option in the spelling checker.  Teachers can use this to check the reading level of electronic text, as well as the level of students’ writing. Older students may find it useful to check their own compositions.

Administrators and technology committees must help teachers extract full value from existing software to support teaching and learning. An investment in appropriate professional development is needed for the successful implementation of these tools.