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    Re: 7th Grade and differentiation - HELP!!


    Jennifer LaRosee

    Posted on 10/10/09

    Hi ~ I am a 6th grade special ed. teacher. You don't say if
    you've done the following already, so if you have I
    apologize. Read through all the IEP's carefully, taking
    notes on the students' present levels of performance, past
    testing and what it showed, and especially their IEP
    objectives. What types of skills are their objectives
    focusing on? Are you their reading teacher or also their case
    manager? If you're not their case manager, speak with the
    special ed. teacher who is. Hopefully, that individual knows
    them well and can give you some background and other ideas.
    Also, try to get a hold of the latest educational and
    psychological reports written on those students, hopefully
    from their last triennial. Those reports should detail where
    their reading level is and what types of general strategies
    can work. You'll also see where the students' strengths and
    weaknesses are.

    If you can borrow one from the special ed. or reading
    department, you might want to give those students' an
    informal reading assessment to see where their actual reading
    level is. Don't be surprised if they are actually
    comprehending at a 4th, 5th, or 6th grade level.

    Can you get access to taped versions of the stories in the
    anthology? Your students might do better if you have them
    listen to the story 1-2 times first, then discuss it. Have
    them demonstrate their comprehension through oral discussion
    rather than writing; there is a good chance that their writing
    skills are low as well; with my 6th grade special ed.
    students, we are still working on basic expository writing
    skills, starting with paragraphs. They may not have the
    expository or persuasive writing skills to answer some of
    those questions yet. I find that many of my students are
    very concrete , and we have to teach them how to think
    "outside the box" - that may come naturally for your gifted
    students, but it is far from natural for many students with
    comprehension and reading issues. Are you able to use the
    anthology as your basic text, and assign novels that are at
    their reading level that you work on a little each day?
    Also, don't take for granted their knowledge of vocabulary -
    that is what holds back many low readers. You may have to
    spend quite a bit of time working on specific vocabulary words
    that relate to the stories in the anthology or any other
    material you use before you have them actually read or listen
    to it.

    Good luck ~ I hope some of these ideas are helpful!

    Jenn

    On 10/07/09, Erin wrote:
    > I have taught 8th grade gifted students for the past 5
    > years. This year I have been moved to 7th grade (still
    > gifted) but I also have students with IEP's or are on the
    > lower end of the spectrum.
    >
    > I am at a loss for how to differentiate their work. I am
    > looking for some tips on how to help them with reading
    > skills.
    >
    > For example: we just finished "A Retrieved Reformation" by
    > O. Henry. After reading I heard everything from "I just
    > don't get what you mean by pretend I'm Ben Price" to "who
    > is Ben Price" to "I just don't remember what I read when
    > they write things in this way" (which by the way she
    > couldn't explain what "this way" meant.)
    >
    > Does anyone have any tips on how to focus on the
    > comprehension skills with this group? I have no specialist
    > for this class so I am becoming VERY FRUSTRATED, VERY
    > QUICKLY!!
    >
    > Thank you


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    Posts on this thread, including this one

  • 7th Grade and differentiation - HELP!!, 10/07/09, by Erin.
  • Re: 7th Grade and differentiation - HELP!!, 10/08/09, by Sara.
  • Re: 7th Grade and differentiation - HELP!!, 10/09/09, by Erin.
  • Re: 7th Grade and differentiation - HELP!!, 10/10/09, by Jennifer LaRosee.

     
     

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