Supporting Diverse Learners

Annotated Bibliography

Coady, M. R., Harper, C., & De Jong, E. J. (2016). Aiming for equity: Preparing mainstream teachers for inclusion or inclusive classrooms?. Tesol Quarterly, 50(2), 340-368. The researchers recognize the need for mainstream teachers to differentiate instructions when dealing with primary-grade students depending on the diverse learning needs, especially when dealing with English language learners (ELLs). In this study, the focus is on trying to evaluate some of the key expectations for mainstream teachers, which would allow them to create inclusion within their classroom environments. The findings from the study point towards adoption of generic accommodation strategies, which would play a critical role towards improving learning for all students. Generally, teachers encounter a wide array of challenges in trying to create an inclusive classroom environment considering that students often have varied learning needs. For the teachers, this means that they would be expected to find new strategies that would seek to push them towards inclusion. By adopting accommodation strategies, the teachers would be in a better position of having to find new ways of engaging different students based on their different learning needs to improve on their learning outcomes. I will apply the information gained from this article in support literacy programs by seeking to establish a clear front through which to maximize on the accommodation strategies presented. The strategies will be of great value in trying to deliver on the set out learning needs while paving the way for effective learning regardless of the differences in the learning needs. Ultimately, this would help towards supporting literacy, which is one of the key objectives associated with such programs. Dharan, V. M. (2015). Beginning teachers and diversity–why the need for extended critical professional support. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 61-74. In this article, the author embarks on a qualitative study focusing on seven beginning teachers with the aim being towards evaluating their shift in perception of diversity over a period of between 6 and 18 months. From the findings, it can be noted that indeed the perceptions that teachers hold with regard to the idea of diversity tends to change depending on the broadened understanding of the teaching expectations; thus, having serious implications on the teachers’ abilities to deliver. Diversity underscores one of the basic outlooks of any given classroom environment, as students from diverse backgrounds are likely to find themselves within the same learning environment. Teachers are expected to embrace learning strategies that would be of value towards enhancing their capacities towards promoting or advocating for effective learning regardless of existing diversities. The ability for teachers to embrace diversity depends wholly on their experience in real-life teaching environments, which allows for a change in perception on diversity. My application of the information gained from this article in assessment to support literacy programs will reflect more on the need for me to focus on gaining experience. The experience I gain will be of great value towards pushing my understanding of how diversity affects the learning processes. In the long-term, this would be of value towards ensuring that I am able to embrace diversity regardless of the existing differences in terms of expected learning outcomes. Malins, P. (2016). How inclusive is “inclusive education” in the Ontario elementary classroom?: Teachers talk about addressing diverse gender and sexual identities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 128-138. The author seeks to interview five elementary educators in Ontario, Canada focusing on the subjects of gender and sexual identities focusing on current, promising programmatic curriculum in Ontario. The new curriculum seeks to push for inclusivity of students regardless of existing differentiations; thus, serving as a reflection of what students are likely to anticipate as part of their abilities to learn. Findings point to the fact that indeed teachers have a key role allowing them to capitalize on inclusivity as one of the ways through which to push for effective learning. Inclusivity can only be achieved in the event that teachers develop what would be considered as a comprehensive understanding of the different identities within the classroom environment. The role of teachers cannot be ignored when pushing for inclusivity basing on the fact that they tend to work hard in maximizing on the existing diversities. Although teachers are likely to encounter a wide array of challenges in pushing for inclusivity, it becomes much more essential for them to consider how this would impact their students. As an educator, I tend to believe that the information gained would be of great value in ensuring that I am able to support literacy taking into account that students have diverse expectations and learning needs. That would mean that, as a teacher, I would need to work hard towards maximizing on inclusivity with the aim being towards advancing a rather proactive outcome for my students regardless of their gender and sexual identities. McGee, A., Haworth, P., & MacIntyre, L. (2015). Leadership practices to support teaching and learning for English language learners. Tesol quarterly, 49(1), 92-114. The number of English language learners is increasing significantly in countries where English is considered as the first or primary language. The challenge that this has created revolves around the fact that it has created an ethnically and linguistically changing and challenging classrooms. The focus for this article is on evaluating some of the leadership practices that can be expected when supporting positive learning outcomes for English language learners. Specifically, this revolves around trying to get a clear understanding of what would arise from the changing classroom environment. As the classroom environment changes, the greatest expectation for teachers is that they would need to work hard in enhancing overall capacity that would push their capacities towards advancing overall delivery expectations. That creates the need for the teachers to operate as leaders within the learning environments that they engage, which would serve as a key determinant of how to maximize on positive outcomes. By adopting effective leadership practices, it becomes much easier for the teachers to actually be in a position that would meet the learning needs of the students. My application of the information gained will revolve around trying to identify some of the notable leadership practices that I would be expected to put in place as part of my support for literacy. Generally, this would mean that I would seek to engage in an analysis of the different leadership practices while seeking to change the way in which students engage with the expectation being towards pushing for better student outcomes. Tomlinson, C. A. (2015). Teaching for excellence in academically diverse classrooms. Society, 52(3), 203-209. In this article, the author seeks to evaluate some of the key expectations for teachers in their bid to ensuring that they promote academic excellence within diverse classroom as a way of ensuring that each student is able to achieve his or her learning need. In diverse classrooms, teachers have a key role in trying to identify and work towards meeting the learning needs presented by each of the students. The author points to the fact that excellence can only be achieved in cases where teachers are able to building on their capacities towards boosting students’ learning needs. Academically diverse classrooms are considered as classrooms with students with different academic expectations or needs, as well as, disabilities that may impact on their abilities to achieve effective learning outcomes. Teachers must always be on the forefront towards promoting excellence by advocating for strategies that would allow them to include the diverse needs projected by the students. The long-term effect that this would have is that it will help towards positioning the classrooms for greater levels of success for their students. My application of the information gained from this article will reflect more on the of having to establish some of the key expectations for students to meet best possible outcomes in the learning environment. I will be able to use the information I have gained towards creating a classroom environment that is reflective of what I intend to achieve with regard to ensuring that individual students meet their learning needs.

References

Coady, M. R., Harper, C., & De Jong, E. J. (2016). Aiming for equity: Preparing mainstream teachers for inclusion or inclusive classrooms?. Tesol Quarterly, 50(2), 340-368. Dharan, V. M. (2015). Beginning teachers and diversity–why the need for extended critical professional support. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 43(1), 61-74. Malins, P. (2016). How inclusive is “inclusive education” in the Ontario elementary classroom?: Teachers talk about addressing diverse gender and sexual identities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 128-138. McGee, A., Haworth, P., & MacIntyre, L. (2015). Leadership practices to support teaching and learning for English language learners. Tesol quarterly, 49(1), 92-114. Tomlinson, C. A. (2015). Teaching for excellence in academically diverse classrooms. Society, 52(3), 203-209.