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ETAP 623 Fall 2021 (Zhang) | Christina DeDona's Mini-Course Page
About Me
Hello! I am a fifth grade special education teacher, working in an integrated co-taught (ICT) classroom in the Bronx, New York.
My Topic and Purpose
Intent
The intent of this course is to teach educators how to create an inclusive environment in the elementary classroom through whole group read alouds.
Throughout this course you will learn about:
- How do read alouds portray representation?
- What is inclusion?
- How do read alouds support mastery reading skills?
Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content
Learning Outcomes
- Learners will choose diverse books to read to their class.
- Learners will learn how to identify their students’ interests and backgrounds and incorporate that information into daily lessons.
- Learners will be able to foster inclusion and diversity through read alouds.
Needs Assessment
Instructional Problem
There is a need for a “workshop” pertaining to inclusivity due to the linear nature of curriculum and associated benchmarks. Students, especially those in the primary grades, vary both in their educational profile along with their personal characteristics, thus participants should be prepared to adapt and cater towards their students' unique identities with the use of read alouds.
Nature of the problem
Participants will learn how to develop lessons with inclusivity in mind.
Participants of Needs Assessment
The Participants for this workshop are those who are English Language Arts teachers or all-subject teachers within the elementary grades. Participants are collegiate graduates who either possess a degree in primary education, special education, or received a dual degree in both studies. These Participants have experience with either general education or integrated co-taught classrooms and teach students whose ages range from six (6) years old to eleven (11) years old.
Context of Instruction
Instruction will take place over the course of a single lesson that highlights three potential activities teachers can utilize in their classroom to engage students in culturally relevant discussions. One of the activities that will be discussed is showing videos in the classroom that discuss world events, an example of this is showing students a video about a Spanish city named Seville that is turning methane from an abundance of oranges into clean energy. The second activity will be….The final activity will be having culturally relevant read alouds with stories that pertain to the various backgrounds of students in the Participants classrooms. By doing this Participants will be able to educate their students about the differing backgrounds they all have while also creating an open, educational, and respectful discussion.
Analysis of the Learner and Context
Analysis of Learners
In today’s society, especially in New York City, there are students from all over the world in our classrooms. As inclusive educators, there is a higher need for inclusion in our classrooms because of these students and families. Through inclusion, students will be able to create more meaningful connections to instructional content. One way to create a sense of inclusion and a productive classroom environment is through read alouds, especially at the elementary level.
The learners who will benefit from this course are:
- Elementary classroom teachers
- School administrators
- Principals and assistant principals
- Guidance counselors
- Social workers
- Paraprofessionals
- Teacher aides
- Pre-service teachers
- Anyone who is providing instruction to elementary aged students
Elementary teachers are not the only ones who will benefit from this course. Administrators and anyone who provides instruction to students on a daily basis will benefit from learning about inclusion and diverse read alouds. Administrators are essential here because they provide their teachers with the materials given to students.
Context for Learning
This course will be given through an asynchronous platform and will be self-paced. Students will learn about the variety of read alouds that will give students a sense of identity and will create a more meaningful and inclusive classroom.
Exploring the Problem and Solution
The solution to the instructional problem is for students to feel confident in creating an inclusive and diverse learning environment through whole class read alouds. Books are one of the many sources that are used in the elementary school classroom to conduct learning. If there are not books in the classroom that represent your own culture and identity, you will in turn feel removed and not welcomed. The solution is to learn about our students and to have children embrace their identities and welcome others.
Goal
The main goal for this mini-course is for teachers to learn about/how to foster diversity through whole class read alouds. Teachers will be able to learn about their students’ individual identities and create accurate representation in their classroom. Participants will learn that through representation and diversity, they are creating a classroom environment that is engaging and motivating. With this, students will feel accepted and comfortable and in turn will be ready to learn.
Performance-Based Objectives
Performance Objectives:
- Learners will be able to choose diverse books to read to their class.
- Learners will be able to identify their students’ interests and backgrounds.
- Learners will be able to foster inclusion and diversity through read alouds.
Task Analysis
Goal
Participants will pick and conduct whole class read alouds that foster inclusion and diversity.
Knowledge
- Elementary student mental development.
- Willingness to create connections with students and wants to genuinely get to know them.
Attitudes
- Inclined to move away from the traditional curriculum and recommended books/read alouds.
- Eager to learn about students and embrace them.
- Willing to reflect on own identity and biases.
Skills
- Ability to pick read alouds that promote inclusion and diversity.
- Create lessons based on read alouds to promote the learning of different cultures in the classroom.
Interpersonal Abilities
- Ability to separate own implicit biases from children and their cultures.
- Self-reflective.
Prerequisites
- Understanding of elementary curriculum, specifically reading and ELA.
- Ability to identify reading levels and levels of comprehension in students.
Course Units
This mini-course includes the following units. Click the following links to go to its page.
Unit 2: How to Choose Diverse Books
Unit 3: Lesson Planning to Foster Diversity and Inclusion
Curriculum Map
File:Curriculum Map.drawio (1).pdf
References and Resources
I See Your (Dis)Ability: Inclusion in the Classroom. (n.d.). Listen 2 Kids.
Janssen, Knoef, M., & Lazonder, A. W. (2019). Technological and pedagogical support for pre-service teachers’ lesson planning. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 28(1), 115–128.
Luke, Dooley, K., & Woods, A. (2011). Comprehension and content: planning literacy in low socioeconomic and culturally diverse schools. Australian Educational Researcher, 38(2), 149–166.
May, Bingham, G. E., & Pendergast, M. L. (2014). Culturally and Linguistically Relevant Readalouds. Multicultural Perspectives (Mahwah, N.J.), 16(4), 210–218.
Morgan. (2009). Using read-alouds with culturally sensitive children’s books: a strategy that can lead to tolerance and improved reading skills. Reading Improvement, 46(1), 3–8.
Morphis, Elizabeth, A. (2020). The Journey to Teacher: Facilitating Communication Skills in Preservice Teachers to Build Trust, Learn about Students, and Create Literacy Lessons. English Leadership Quarterly, 42(3), 7–11.
Quast, & Bazemore‐Bertrand, S. (2019). Exploring Economic Diversity and Inequity Through Picture Books. The Reading Teacher, 73(2), 219–222.
Roessingh. (2020). Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Academic Vocabulary Teaching and Learning: An Integrated Approach in the Elementary Classroom. TESL Canada Journal, 37(1), 51–62.
Salem. (2021). Documenting the Portrayal of Diversity in Children’s Books. Collection Management, 46(3-4), 174–185.
Schirmer. (1995). Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Elementary School Classrooms (Diverse Learners in the Classroom). The Reading Teacher, 49(1), 66–.
Wutz, & Wedwick, L. (2005). Bookmatch: scaffolding book selection for independent reading: these book-selection criteria help elementary students choose appropriate books and discuss them with others. The Reading Teacher, 59(1), 16–.
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