1. Select a content area and grade band (e.g., high school math, middle school science, K-1 reading). Describe two strategies you could apply to provide students with multiple means of representation. Discuss how each strategy could make the content more accessible and less intimidating for students with exceptionalities and support your ideas with relevant research.
2. onsider the following topic Resources:
GCU’s Statement on the Integration of Faith and Work states, “we are assured that our work within the world matters to God and our neighbors, and that we honor God by serving others in ways that promote human flourishing.”
The “Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE)” calls upon teachers to demonstrate an “ethic of care.”
The “CCCE College of Education Academic Program Competencies” indicate teachers should “apply discernment in the ethical decision-making process utilizing practical wisdom.”
Select a bible verse or quote that exemplifies your desire to become a teacher. Explain how this verse/quote applies to you personally and to your service to students with and without exceptionalities, their families, and your colleagues.
How this makes content more accessible: This strategy addresses the multiple means of representation principle of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) by presenting information in a visual format. For students with learning exceptionalities like dyslexia or processing disorders, who may struggle with lengthy text-based instructions, these visual aids provide a clear, non-linguistic pathway to understanding. They break down a complex process into manageable steps, reducing cognitive load and the intimidation often associated with multi-step math problems.
Relevant Research: Research by Terwel et al. (2009) in "Effects of a Problem-Solving Strategy and a Graphic Organizer on Students' Mathematical Problem-Solving" found that using graphic organizers improved students' problem-solving skills and their ability to represent the problem. This suggests that visual tools are effective in helping students internalize and apply problem-solving strategies.
Strategy 2: Interactive Technology and Manipulatives
Interactive technology, such as online graphing calculators and educational apps, or physical manipulatives, like algebra tiles, allow students to actively manipulate and explore mathematical concepts. For example, students can use algebra tiles to model and solve equations. The green rectangles can represent x, while the yellow squares represent 1. This physical manipulation helps them "see" why an action like adding a negative tile is needed to "zero out" a positive one.
Sample Answer
. Differentiated Instruction in High School Math
Content Area & Grade Band: High School Mathematics (Algebra I)
Strategy 1: Graphic Organizers and Visual Models
Graphic organizers and visual models, such as flowcharts, concept maps, and diagrams, can make abstract algebraic concepts more concrete and understandable. For a topic like solving linear equations, a flowchart could map out the step-by-step process: start with the original equation, apply the distributive property, combine like terms, etc. Similarly, a balance-scale model can visually represent the concept of keeping both sides of an equation equal.