Technology for Teaching Diverse Students
 |
| Image from: Multiculturalism in the Classroom, by Rhodes |
As I mentioned before, schools today have a student population that is multicultural; meaning that there are students from diverse cultures of different races, with different values, beliefs, and different learning abilities. All students should have equal opportunities to learn in school despite their race, social economic status, ethnicity, or cultural characteristics (Maloy, p.246). Teachers need to introduce technologies to increase their capacity to provide support, choice, and flexibility to students. Technology can also help and support the students’ learning based on their different abilities to speak, see, hear, write, and understand English. To teach students effectively and appropriately with the use of technology, requires careful selection of the tools that are going to be used in class., plan purposefully, and have thoughtful implementations. With the help of technology, teachers can create activities for the students to work together regardless of their culture, race, language, and gender boundaries. Some of the examples that the book gives to promote multiculturalism are to create class websites and blogs, work together in teams, and do research and projects together using computers (Maloy, p.247).
Differentiated Instruction (DI)
 |
| Image from: Evidence-based and Differentiated Instruction, by UAB |
All students learn in many different ways; regardless of their individual differences, however, students are expected to master the same concepts, principles, and skills. Helping all students succeed in their learning is an enormous challenge that requires innovative thinking. DI is a model of instruction in which teachers create different ways to teach their students and meet their learning needs (Maloy, p.248). Based on this, teachers can structure learning environments that address the variety of learning styles, interests, and abilities found within a classroom. Teachers use differentiated instruction to match activities and assessments with their students' interests, abilities, and learning preferences. When a student does not fully understand an oral presentation, then the teacher needs to incorporate to that presentation some images, videos, and hands-on assignments to engages that student into the lesson (Maloy, p.250). The following article, What is Differentiated Instruction?, lists some classroom elements to know the students’ readiness, interest, and learning profile to use differentiated instruction.
Video:Differentiated Instruction, by ASCD
Assistive Technology to Reach Diverse Learners
 |
| Image from: Great Assistive Technology for Disabled People, by Medipally |
Assistive technology is any devise that helps students with exceptionalities, or those students that have any learning disability to maintain, or improve their abilities. Teachers use technology to enhance learning, and it is an effective approach for many children. Assistive technology makes it possible for students with any learning disability to experience greater success when they are allowed to use their abilities to work around their disabilities. The following article, Assistive Technology Devices, gives an extraordinary list of examples of assistive technology devices that can be used in the classroom to reach the students’ needs, and help them to increase their participation, achievement and independence. The next video makes it easy to understand better what assistive technology is, and give some examples of where to find assistive devices and decide which ones are better for any disability.
References:
ASCD. (2014). Differenciated Instruction. Retirved from http://www.ascd.org/research-a-topic/differentiated-instruction-resources.aspx
Maloy, R., Verock-O’Loughlin, R. E., Edwards, S. A., & Woolf, B. P. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Medipally, R. (2014). Great Assistive Technologies for Disabled People. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from https://digitalsoon.com/880/great-assistive-technologies-disabled-people.htm
Rhodes, L. (2010). Multiculturalism in the Classroom. Retrieved October 12, 2014, from http://www.piedmontparent.com/articlemain.php?Multiculturalism-in-the-Classroom-1090
UAB, School of Education. (2014). Evidence-based and Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.uab.edu/education/rti/2013-03-20-20-47-04/evidence-based-and-differentiated-instruction
Well organized and synthesized content points regarding this chapter's readings. Unfortunately, the focus of the blog posts is to do more reflective writing rather than summarizing. In other words, how would you use what you've learned to think about your own future classroom? what might be helpful? What other resources would you need, for example, to create a multicultural environment, being specific?
ReplyDeleteAlso, though you have cited photographs, they appear to be copyrighted, so unless you asked for permission to use them on your own blog, you have violated copyright. Remember that in Module 2, there is a video link on how to find/use Creative Commons licensed photos that allow you to use them on your blog with only citation (as permission has already been granted).