Adapting curriculum Teaching and Learning Strategies

Adapting curriculum Teaching and Learning Strategies

1. Adapting curriculum Teaching and Learning Strategies By: Dr. Daniyal Mushtaq

2. Introduction There are several factors that you will need to consider in adapting the curriculum. Adaptive instructional programs are characterized by combined teaching strategies, flexible scheduling, individualized instruction, mastery learning, large and small group instruction, individualized tutorials and cooperative learning.

3. Continued……….. Further, while we will need to adapt the form of instruction to meet the individual needs of children with special needs we will also need to adapt the delivery and response factors that will face the child in school.

4. Objectives ………… After studying this unit you will be able to: 1. Create access to learning for all the children in their mainstream classroom. 2. Understand the concept of instructional and accommodation adaptations in teaching learning process of children with special needs 3. Learn or know the role of mainstream classroom teacher to create effective instructional environments.

5. Continued ……….. 4. Use cooperative and collaborative learning in inclusive setup. 5. Develop the teaching-learning material that will encourage the independence of Learners. 6. Drawing upon the resources to maximize the teaching learning process/ time

6. What is the Adaptive curriculum?? . Curriculum adaptation is an ongoing dynamic process that modifies and adapts the prescribed program of studies to meet the learning requirements of a student with special needs. It enables the teaching team to welcome learners of all abilities and ensures that every student is challenged to learn.

7. Continued……….. The academic instructional program for students on an adapted curriculum is guided by the general education curriculum and provides instruction with an additional focus on life skills. ... Instruction for students with low incidence disabilities on an adapted curriculum involves the use of specialized strategies

8. What are the features of an adaptive curriculum? A learning environment that offers opportunities for content to be reflective and  culturally responsive  to the children using the space (e.g., wall displays, books, and play materials that reflect all cultures in the classroom) Learning opportunities that foster  critical thinking  based on what children are interested in

9. Continued…………. Although the concept of curriculum adaptation is fairly straightforward, it can take many different forms. In essence, teachers and curriculum specialists adjust and modify curricula according to student needs and the goals set forth by that student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP

10. Continued…………. Opportunities for teachers to  individualize learning   approaches as children need based on what they know about children and where they expect children to go next Opportunities to  apply content knowledge  in practical ways and extend learning beyond a test or worksheet Opportunities to  collaborate  with other students to work on shared tasks

11. Examples of Classroom Adaptations Use different level of reading material. Adjust objectives. Teach from the concrete to the abstract. Check on student frequently to provide support and assistance as required. Give cues to encourage use of strategies. Permit the use of learning aids such as computers, calculators, or tape recorders. Give immediate feedback on progress. Pre-teach new vocabulary, concepts, and symbols.

12. Examples of Adapting the Curriculum for Students with Special Needs Where a student with special needs is expected to achieve or surpass the learning outcomes set out in the science curriculum, regular grading practices and reporting procedures are followed. For students not expected to achieve the learning outcomes, adaptations and modifications must be noted in the Individual Education Plan. In this way, instructional and assessment methods may be adapted to meet the needs of all students.

13. Continued…………. Adapt the environment Change where the student sits in the classroom. • Make use of cooperative grouping Adapt presentations • Provide students with advance organizers of key scientific concepts. • Demonstrate or model new concepts.

14. Continued…………. Adapt the pace of activities • Allow the student more time to complete assignments Provide shorter but more frequent assignments. Alternate mode for materials Tape record. Draw pictures. Cut pictures from magazines. Build models.

15. Continued………. Use the computer . • Enlarge/shrink materials. Cut and paste. Use manipulative. Use a calculator.

16. Continued…………. Different types of paper (e.g., graph, paper with mid-lines, raised line paper). • Provide more white space to put answers. • Highlight or color code (directions, key words, topic sentences). • Cover parts of worksheets. • Put less information on a page.

17. Adapting Instructional Strategies This first category of curriculum adaptations refers to a change in the way a teacher teaches - that is, in the methodologies she uses to provide information to a learner(s) in her class. These involve a change in the learner's instructional input.

18. Adapting Instructional Materials Adapting teaching materials involves making changes to the equipment and / or supplies to which a learner(s) has access during the course of instruction. Most materials adaptations fall into one of four groups:

19. Continued ….. Adjusting the readability level of written materials. Enhancing critical features of the content within the materials themselves. Designing materials with features that appeal to sensory modalities other than visual/ auditory. Selecting alternate instructional materials for their durability or safety features.

20. Adapt materials • Use large print activity sheets. • Use overlays on text pages to reduce the quantity of print that is visible. • Highlight key points on the activity sheet. • Line indicators • Sections on paper (draw lines, fold)

21. Categories of adapting curriculum for the children with special needs 1. Accommodation . Accommodation is this simplest form of adapting curriculum. It addresses students who are able to comprehend and perform at the regular curriculum’s levels of content and conceptual difficulty but require differentiation in instructional techniques and the medium in which each student demonstrates their depth of understanding.

22. Continued…………. 2. Adaptation . Adaptation is appropriate for students whose needs and learning goals are in line with the content of the regular curriculum but require a moderate modification of the depth of conceptual difficulty of that content.

23. Continued…………. 3. Parallel Curriculum Outcomes. Implementing parallel curriculum outcomes implies a greater modification of conceptual difficulty than adaptation. However, similar to adaptation, the content subject is the same, allowing that student to participate in classroom activities alongside other students. A teacher must address each student’s needs and IEP goals with adjusted learning outcomes and conceptual depth levels for each lesson. .

24. Continued …… 4. Overlapping Curricula Students who require heavily modified learning outcomes and goals may need integration into general classroom activities through overlapping curricula. In this situation, a student participates in classroom activities with individualized learning outcomes for each activity, including social/behavioral development goals, cognitive learning goals, language skills or even physical ability development.

25. Adapted Lesson Plans Before the process of curriculum adaptation begins, all members of the team should be familiar with the student’s cumulative file. Classroom observations combined with past IPPs, therapy updates and progress reports gives the teaching team the information needed to plan and implement a meaningful program of studies.

26. Continued…………. 1. Knowledge In this step, identify what the student will learn. It is okay that this student’s knowledge goals are different from those of the other students in the class. What is important is that the goals have meaning for the student and that the knowledge gained will further his learning.

27. Continued…………. 2. Process In this step, identify how the student will be taught and what tools will be used. It is okay that this student requires different materials and equipment than his peers. What is important is that the necessary adaptations are in place to ensure that the process is not an obstacle to learning.

28. Continued…………. 3. Demonstration In this step, identify how the student will demonstrate learning. It is okay that this student will present what he has learned using different techniques (e.g., poster board versus essay) and modalities (e.g., spelling with letter tiles rather than printing letters) to demonstrate both knowledge and process.

29. Conclusion……….. An inclusive education is a burning issue towards educating the children with disability and learning difficulties with the normal children, the curriculum must be framed in such a way which should meet the needs of diversified section if students. While framing the curriculum the policy makers should unmark, the appropriate age, interest, psychology as well as the needs of the particular society..

30. Continued …………. The curriculum should spread the concept of equity through out the educational system where all the disable students identify their hidden talents and sharpen their ideas, thoughts to excel in their life. After all, a positive mind set of the society as well as teachers helps for the successful implementation of curriculum.