using existing tools to support diverse learners

Regional Technology in Education Consortia

Presentation to Spring CUE

Presenting from the

WestEd RTEC

Julie Duffield, Linda Ullah, and Kent Graeber

February , 2004

Using Existing Tools to Support Diverse Learners

3 Things We Need to Consider

• Need to tailor instruction to meet student needs

• Technology as a primary change force

• Teachers as the key

Sit & Consider

Think of the students you teach:• Think of your most capable student

• Think of 3 things s/he was good at

• Think of a student who struggled• Think of 3 things s/he was good at

• How different are those two students?• How different are the things they were good at?

Can we expect these two studentsto benefit equally from the same instructional program?

Tailoring instruction to meet student needs -it’s not going away…

Good news, good news

Good news for kids…..Teachers focus & design instruction

Good news for teachers…..Technology is a key to differentiate instruction

Differentiated learning

“ is a model of instruction that revolves around the belief that students learn in many different ways.”

A differentiated classroom provides multiple options for:

X Taking in information

Making sense of information

Expressing what students learn

A Simple Definition

CONTENT

PROCESS

PRODUCTS

What does PLB offer?

“a framework in which to

make differentiated instruction possible.”

A Process that features…

a teaching methodology that centers on a problem learner-centered educational methods learning from working with problems

Instruction is designed around

Engagement

Exploration

Investigation

Creation

& Sharing

Reflection:

What are the shared philosophies between PBL and Differentiation?

A Thought…

PBL Curriculum offers a framework in which to make differentiated instruction possible.

The Case for Technology“Durable learning starts with engagement.”

It offers?

Universal Design To Support Differentiation, Engagement and Learning

Technology enables more than a “one size fits all”

Images from CAST

Digital media and materials allows for

Digital media and materials allows for Multiple representations– Different learners use different aspects– Scaffolding can be built in – Other languages can be added– General search tools like Google can be used

Tale of Two Cities

…It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of

Tale of Two Cities

…It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of

Stand & Consider:

It is Flexible & Versatile.

Images from CAST

Some Tips for Differentiated Instruction Using Technology

1. Use graphic organizers

2. Make the text talk (text-to-speech)

3. Find electronic text

4. Use Word features

5. Use portable word processors

Using Graphic Organizers

Why use graphic organizers

Top three reasons

• generate ideas (brain-storming, etc.)• organize & display information• aid learning by explicitly integrating new

and old knowledge

Why use graphic organizers

A few more reasons…• assess understanding or diagnose

misunderstanding• can increase recall • design a complex structure (long texts, large

web sites, etc.) or communicate complex ideas

Who does it help?

• Students who benefit from seeing relationships between information

• Students who enjoy an interactive process

Factors Influencing Effectiveness

Instructional context:

Graphic organizers can be effective learning tools when implemented within a substantive instructional context, particularly a interactive/collaborative approach involving teacher modeling, student-teacher discussion, and practice with feedback.

Organization of Observations & Ideas

Visual Organizers that allow text & images are good for seeing, reflecting and modifying students’ ideas & concepts and connections among them

Text to Symbols

Ideas for graphic organizers

• Webbing

• Concept mapping

• Matrix

• Flow chart

• Venn diagram

• Time line

Examples within PBL Process

Assessing Prior Knowledge around a problem (e.g KWHL)

Setting Up the Problem (P/S Outline) Deciding on the Project (Spider Map) Students Choosing a Topic Setting Up the Problem/Quest

Assessment – e.g prior knowledge using KWHL Chart

KWHL Chart

Deciding On The Topic

Setting up the problem

Exploring and Investigating

Beginning Research (Compare & Contrast)

Note Taking Summarizing Making a Content Map

Researching for Compare & Contrast

Assessment

Pre/Post (KWHL) Summarizing Creating a Rubric (Rubi Star) Demonstrating Understanding(Duck)

Demonstrating understanding

Graphic organizer generatorshttp://www.teach-ology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/http://www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganizers/http://cbss.uoregon.edu/clearing/index.html#

Bonus: Visualization of Processes

Commerical –Visual Thesaurus

Making the Text Talk

What is talking text?

• Words on the screen are read by the computer, on command.

• In some cases, the words need to be highlighted first.

- allows reading of individual words or phrases.- works with word processors, websites, and more.- often called text-to-speech.

Who does it help?

• Those who could benefit from auditory input to support reading and finding information

• Students who struggle with the task of composing grammatically correct sentences;

• Those who could benefit from hearing omissions or inaccuracies in their work;

What does research say?

• If a great deal of effort goes to sounding out words, energy for comprehension is reduced.

• Many students improve editing and proofreading.

• Hearing one’s own words is rewarding and motivating.

Using talking text

in PBL as part of Exploration & Investigation – researching information on the WWW /Internet read aloud –to support different readers

as a differentiation that allows a choice in how to access content

PBL Examples

Graphic Organizers (e.g Setting Up the Problem, Scaffolding audio word lists,)

Word Processing (Product, Paper, Summary)

WWW

Exploring and Investigating

Research on Internet

Low tech- various books at different reading levels, interviewing different folks

Internet read aloud – can scaffold learning by providing a multi sensory access to content

Supporting “reading across the content areas”

Assessment/Reflection

Graphic organizer – children explaining diagram

Doing a “Taking” PowerPoint Presentation etc

Demo: Life Cycle

Go to Web Site on Life Cycle Copy and Paste Text from Web into Word

Processing E.g. Text from the WWW brought into Simple Text

and Read Aloud

Change the font

CAST Real Player Clip- Life Cycles

How to provide talking text

Macintosh (10.3.1)Speech Preferences

Finder menu, System Preferences, Speech, Spoken User Interfaces

Set Key to read highlighted text (Command plus L) Choice of voices & rate (under Default Voice)

How to provide talking text

Macintosh (10.2 or earlier)• Download free utility called HearIthttp://www.ldresources.com/files/hearit.sea.hqx• Install as a control panel and restart.• Set key combination (Hit Control plus \ to hear text.)

(Select a key not frequently used by other software.)• Works with highlighted text in any program • Deselect text to stop the talking.

• (SimpleText also talks)

AppleWorks talks, as well

• Open a Word Processing document. • Highlight text and click “lips” or “text to speech” icon

in the button bar.

• If there is no “talking” icon in the tool bar:• Open Preferences, Available buttons, Word Processing• Drag “lips” into button bar, click “done”.

How to provide talking text

Windows XP & 2000 - Free downloads Alive Text

http://www.alivemedia.net/textspeech.htm

Text Aloud is another option, also with free download : http://www.nextup.com/TextAloud/download.html

How to provide talking text

Microsoft Reader for Windows and the Text-to-Speech Package

• Works with Windows 98, 2000, EP, Me

http://www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/pc.asp

Commercial products

Not free but can be worth the expense.• Write OutLoud ($99 or less)• IntelliTalk ($140 or less) (Free 45 day download)• CAST

ALL highlight sentence and word within sentence as it is read

allow reading by letter, word, or sentence allow correction of pronunciation have other helpful features, e.g. talking dictionary

Kidspiration talks

• The Talking Interface reads menus, buttons, and other program elements on-screen.

• The Listen tool (Symbol of an ear) reads the words in their projects.

• The Record command (click Record on the Goodies menu) can record sounds so they can be attached to symbols or ideas to expand and reinforce learning. This allows a teacher to record instructions for students to use in an activity.

KidPix talks, too

Speech Menu• Read Text Aloud

- Reads text entered with the keyboard, using typewriter key

- Text boxes will be read in order, top to bottom• Pick a Voice

- Dialog box with choice of voices- Preview to hear how each sounds- Click OK to select a voice

Using Digital Information -Electronic Text

What is electronic text?

Text stored as strings of characters.• If you can select and change the font of text on the

computer screen, it’s electronic text.

• Many books and historical documents have been converted to digital format, for access via computer.

Why Use E Text ?

Specifically, electronic documents are usually searchable, modifiable, and enhanceable

For example

Visual display can be varied Auditory display - good for pre-reading Allows embedding learning supports in

content• Pre-reading background, definitions • Summary • Key questions

Allows students to copy/paste, or otherwise manipulate the text.

Who does it help?

• Those who have trouble reading standard print from books

• Those who need additional information or supports placed immediately near the relevant text.

• Those who could benefit manipulating or interacting with the text.

PBL: Different ways to engage with the content

Can be changed during use to meet the needs of the reader

E-text often allows students to choose their own font and font size

May have features so students can add: their own documents and images to the bookor annotate the text with personal observations

in the form of notes.

Exploring and Investigating: Searchable

Helpful if researching a topic in a large document

Studying variations in how something is treated by the author over time

If searching a set of web pages, readers may receive a list specifying all matches for the desired word or phrase, thus allowing easier access to a single desired occurrence and easier comparison of multiple occurrences.

UDL Design Rubric for reviewing digital media

In what ways can students take in information?

In what ways can they demonstrate their understanding?

In what ways are their interest matched with the type of presentation & type of response

Enhanceable

Resources designed to enhance text use and comprehension can be embedded into an electronic book by the developers or by teachers

Resources support students' understanding of the text (e.g.,

definitions, explanations, pictures ) extend their learning (e.g., background

information, primary source material, links to related documents

(Note: different types of embedded resources have different functions

How to find digital text

How to find digital textFree or almost free books online

• CAST e-Text Spider: Searches e-Text repositories that index public domain materials and are free of charge. http://www.cast.org/udl/index.cfm?i=1300

• Benetech’s BookShare, http://www.bookshare.org (Over 12,000 titles)

Historical Source Documents

When in the Course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

     We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created…

Free Enhanced Books: Project INTERSECT

Creating a set of digital books with a wide variety of resources to support comprehension, extend reading strategies, provide background information, improve content area achievement, and help students meet state standards.

http://intersect.uoregon.edu/

Free Enhanced Books: Project INTERSECT

Free Enhanced Books: Project INTERSECT

It’s here now - online interactive text

books

Enhancing text: Prentice Hall Interactive Text Books

http://www.phschool.com/

interactive textbook is the same trusted content with the same pagination as your print textbook

Holt Online http://www.hrw.com/ include printed version, interactive tutors, classroom

management tools, tests, journals, audio files, video files, and additional activities that engage students in the subject matter.

Selecting Digital Media via specialized search engines & directories

Search Engines

Consider Visual displays -

Groker2 http://www.groxis.com

Kartoo http://kartoo.com

NSDL http://nsdl.org

Kids Search Tools http://www.rcls.org/ksearch.htm

Selecting Digital Media directories

Marcopolo

http://marcopolo-education.org

Web Quest

http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/matrix.html

Historical Source Documents

The Library Of Congress American Memory Site http://memory.loc.gov/learnWhen in the Course of human Events, it becomes

necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.

     We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created…

Word Features

• Computer-generated summaries

• How the text looks on the screen• Other:

• Word’s Table Feature to make rubric,outline to make better topic choices

• Organization Chart - show 2 commons structures Using The Track Changes tool

• Annotation Feature – for Peer editing and open dialogue

PBL:Exploration & Investigation

Beginning Research Note Taking Summarizing Making a Content Map

1)     Description of the concept           

2)     Mental picture you associate with the concept (either describe or draw the picture) 

3)     Physical sensations you have about the concept          

4)     The emotions you have about the concept 

Examples within PBL Process: Word Table Feature for Concept Attainment

Demo: MS Word- AutoSummarizeLife Cycle PBL

Auto-Summarize

A tool that will

• highlight key sentences or• extract key parts of a document

Why?• Pre-reading for meaning• Post-reading to self-test or summarize

MS Word- AutoSummarize

How to Auto-Summarize

Tools, Auto-Summarize

Dialog Box gives choices on:

% or size of summary

Method: highlight, summary on top, etc.

Readability Statistics

Changing the display in Word

FontSerif or sans-serif, size, and color

Yellow text, serif fontYellow text, sans-serif font

Blue background, pink text

Why

Why: Greater clarity for students having difficulty reading

How: Preferences, General: blue background with white text

Consider: Text in audio form

CD-Rom or cassette tapes Student comprehension improves when material has been added to

help identify and locate information help organize information help students self-assess their comprehension

Use portable word processors

Why use portable word processors?

• Typing is easier than writing for some students• Writing can be imported into other programs, for

editing, enhancing, etc.• Supports lesson plans that encourage

cooperative learning• Highly transportable

Who does it help?

• Students who struggle with paper and pencil• Students who are motivated by technology

PBL:Exploring & Investing

Fieldtrip/Interviewing Recording:

• Students or adults take notes on 3-4 AlphaSmarts, of what the group saw, did, and learned.

• Students can refer to these notes in writing up their experience

• Collect data• Students can use these to write their interview

questions and use as a prompt or collect data or take notes about the interview.

Bonus Hint: AlphaSmart with Co:Writer

From the first letters students type, Co:Writer SmartApplet generates possibilities for the words they want. Words are based on spelling, grammar rules, context clues and vocabulary.

Topic dictionaries give fast access to very specific words and phrases such as Queen of the Nile and Alexandria.

The Future

SB 842 passed Accessible websites beginning in

2005. Accessible literature support online

beginning with next adoption- 2009.

Differentiated Instruction

Greater ease of modification with “respectful work for all” CONTENT

How students access the information PROCESS

What students do with the information to make sense of it

PRODUCTS What students produce to demonstrate learning

Next Steps

“Waiting until conditions are ideal or

until you are [completely] sure of yourself

yields lethargy, not growth.

“On the other hand, trying to do too many things before you have a

chance to think them through leads to frustration & failure.”

Tomlinson on Differentiation

Next Steps

Set a goal for yourself Try something & reflect on it Work together & share practice

Let us know how we can help"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn."

- John Cotton Dana

Online Teacher Professional Resources

http://www.cast.org/tes

RTEC & ATA:Tips

LeaFE WestEd RTEC http://www.westedrtec.org

Alliance for Technology Access http://www.ataccess.org