Backward Planning

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction. Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Backward Design Program Planning Stage 1: Identify targeted understandings Stage 2: Determine appropriate assessment of those understandings Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction that make such understanding possible (Wiggins and McTighe, Understanding by Design)

Necessary Attitudes for Inclusive Teaching All Learners Belong ( Inclusionary philosophy, history, legislation, terminology, LRE) Respecting Differences ( beyond ‘accepting’ differences, placing diversity of learners at beginning of planning, not afterthought; Principles of UDL) Teacher as Learner (teaching as spectacularly open-ended) Faith/hope ( use moral compass)

Necessary Knowledge For Inclusive Pedagogy (What?) Issues of Diversity (id process; “fairness”, continuum of learning environments, resources, Ministry of Ed requirements, funding, staffing, Prov. Programs, transition planning, controversies) Inclusionary Curriculum (goal for every learner to reach potential; familiar with PLOs ) contd.

Common vehicles of instruction; (strategies for engagement; open- ended, DI)

Necessary Skills for Inclusionary Practice (HOW) Identifying Learners’ Needs and Strengths (characteristics of high incidence disabilities categories; theory for teaching learners with specific characteristics, commonalities, exceptionalities; custom fit instruction) Reflecting ( individual; dynamics; reflection in action/reflection on action) contd.

Collaborating ( parents, educators, paraprofessionals, medical professionals ) Problem-solving( How will I orchestrate the diversity to meet goal of all students succeeding? )

Core Ideas/Essential Understandings Specific generalizations about the “big ideas’ Summarize key meanings, inferences, importance of the content. “Moral of the story”

Essential Understandings: Educ 427 1a To critically examine the philosophy, history, approaches and critical issues of inclusion of students with high incidence disabilities. 1 b. To reflect on your core beliefs and values and how they influence your practice and your students ’ learning.

2a To investigate current research and theory regarding meeting the needs of students with High Incidence disabilities. 2b To develop and implement respectful and responsive classroom practices and interventions to meet students ’ needs, based on available research and literature.

Specific objectives -awareness of high incidence categories and typical characteristics -apply knowledge of characteristics of students with high incidence to plan and implement adaptations, modifications and differentiated instructional strategies for effective instruction –awareness of pre-referral processes and referral procedures for students with special needs -awareness of the IEP requirements and roles and responsibilities for IEP development –to use formal and informal tools to create a learning profile, including an IEP

–awareness of generic strategies designed to actively engage learners -incorporate teaching to diversity approach into unit planning, rather than treating diversity as a separate concept –awareness of skills, roles/responsibilities for collaborative planning and communication with colleagues, paraprofessionals, and parents –to identify/ explain/apply principles of ; Universal Designs for Learning; Differentiated Instruction; Response to Intervention; Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences; Assessment for Learning

Assessment - awareness of the IEP requirements and roles and responsibilities for IEP development –to use formal and informal tools to create a learning profile, including an IEP : Learning Profile –Assignment to demonstrate: Learning Profile Reflective Journal - reflect on your core beliefs and values and how they influence your practice and your students ’ learning. Assignment to demonstrate: Reflective Journal

–awareness of high incidence categories and typical characteristics – awareness of skills, roles/responsibilities for collaborative planning and communication with colleagues, paraprofessionals, and parents –to identify/ explain/apply principles of ; Universal Designs for Learning; Differentiated Instruction; Response to Intervention; Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences; Assessment for Learning –Assignment: Midterm

–to apply principles of ; Universal Designs for Learning; Differentiated Instruction; Response to Intervention; Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences; Assessment for Learning –awareness of generic strategies designed to actively engage learners -incorporate teaching to diversity approach into unit planning, rather than treating diversity as a separate concept Unit Plans/ Demo Lesson -Assignments: Unit Plans/ Demo Lesson

E.U (sample for Vocab) How a word or phrase I used determines its meaning. A rich vocabulary enables us to understand and communicate more effectively. Vocabulary is acquired through reading, writing, listening and speaking. A dictionary and thesaurus are resources for finding, understanding and using words.

EU sample Equivalence (Math) Numerals can represent many numbers “Equal” means “of the same value” and does not mean “calculate the answer” The same mathematical ideas can be represented concretely, graphically, or symbolically. Context determines which is most appropriate.

EU Sample (Begin Reading) Proficient readers use the relationship between letters and sounds of speech and spelling patterns to problem solve, read fluently and comprehend. Proficient readers use print cues to solve unknown words while still focusing on meaning and structure. P. Readers develop and use a variety of strategies to attend to info from different sources.

EU Sample Genre (English) Different genres have different structures and conventions. Authors choose a particular genre for a specific purpose. Characteristics of genre may overlap or cut across lines of genre.

“If we had at our grasp the most elegant curriculum in the world and it missed the mark for students with learning disabilities, highly advanced learners, students with limited English proficiency, young people who lack economic support, kids who struggle to read, and a whole host of others, the curriculum would fall short of its promise.” (McTighe and Tomlinson, 2006)

“On the other hand, if we were the most effective disciples of flexible grouping, interest-based instruction, responsive environments, and a host of instructional strategies that allow us to attend to learner variance but used those approaches in the absence of powerful curriculum, our classrooms would fail to equip students with the ideas and skills necessary to make their way in the world.” (McTighe and Tomlinson, 2006)

“Simply put, quality classrooms evolve around powerful knowledge that works for each student. That is, they require quality curriculum and quality instruction. In tandem, UbD and DI provide structures, tools, and guidance for developing curriculum and instruction based on our current best understandings of teaching and learning.” (McTighe and Tomlinson, 2006)