This is Your Brain in the Digital Classroom

When asked to write a blog post on brain-based learning in the digital age the first thing that came to mind is this company, Lumosity. Lumosity uses short, simple digital games to exercise mental flexibility, problem-solving, memory, attention, etc. The “exercises” are engaging, colorful and quickly become more or less challenging based on the users performance. While Lumosity is marketed as a sort of “brain-gym” for adults, I was curious if their strategies might apply to a classroom. I checked out their website and, low and behold, I came across this study, which showed “promising preliminary evidence that cognitive training may be an effective tool for improving students’ cognitive abilities.”  While the study was based on student improvement on Lumosity’s own Brain Performance Test, it did get me thinking about ways to connect brain-based learning, technology and the classroom.

As we read in multiple different articles on brain based learning, in order for students to retain information, we need to teach in such a way that their brain can store and integrate information for long-term recall.  In a discussion of ratio of retention to teaching method Leslie Wilson writes, “practicing immediately after exposure to materials…[is] the most effective at about 85-90% [retention]... teachers are encouraged to plan varied experiences so that students can manipulate information within a variety of modalities (Wilson, n.d.)".  Using games, apps and other technological tools opens the door to dynamic avenues for immediate practice and application of skills.  Whereas it may be time consuming and sometimes logistically impossible for a single teacher to offer practice that is leveled and meets all student needs at the same time, a digital tool can also respond to each students performance, to further increase integration of skills. Here is an example of how I might use digital tools to apply this brain based concept:

Let’s say I am teaching a lesson on multiplication and division. After teaching the concept and relating the concept back to our overall learning goals, students may use an app such as Sky Numbers to immediately apply the skill. 

The app is dynamic, there is background music and the students are not only able to apply the new skills we learned but also recall prior knowledge of addition and subtraction.  Tying new knowledge to familiar concepts is another important component of brain-based learning (Hardiman, 2012).  While using this sort of app may not work in all situations, it is an example of a quick, engaging way for students to practice new skills, without requiring a great deal of prep on the part of the teacher (aside from making sure students have access to the technology!) 

Other important elements of brain based learning, include the design of the learning environment (Hardiman, 2012), changing modes of practice (Wilson, n.d.), and making the learning meaningful in order to create spatial or locale memories (Sonoma County Dept. of Education).  While all these concepts have application in the physical classroom, they can also be enhanced in a virtual format. 

If a teacher wants to take the digital learning to another level there are options such as Sokikom. While Sokikom is not marketed as brain based learning, there are certainly some brain based concepts at play in the design of this "social-learning" math tool. Students are interacting with varied visual and auditory stimuli as they practice learned skills.  The social aspects of the platform can make the tool meaningful in the moment, as well as contribute to a sense of community and safety in the classroom.  

All that being said, there are also some significant aspects of brain based learning that live outside of the digital universe.  Integrating physical movement, art and other sensory experiences cannot necessarily be replicated in a digital format.  Taking students out into the world, interacting with living, breathing manifestations of the concepts they are learning is essential for the brain (Jensen, n.d.) Technology and digital tools can help to concretize the learning, offer the students more tools and methods to organize the mind and practice patterning, and facilitate ease of planning and organization for the teacher. As students get older, using technology to create and make meaning of their learning can also offer powerful learning opportunities.  Ultimately, brain based learning takes the whole brain (and body) into account and therefore technology can and should be used as a part of such learning in partnership with the other strategies offered by brain based learning experts.

Sources

• Hardiman, M (2012) The Brain Targeted Teaching Model. Retrieved from the Johns Hopkins University Website at:  http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/Journals/spring2010/thebraintargetedteachingmodel/index.html
• Jensen, E (n.d.) What is Brain Based Learning. Retrieved from the Florida Education Association website at http://feaweb.org/brain-based-learning-strategies  
• Ng, N., Sternberg, D., Katz, B., Hardy, J. Scanlon, M. (March, 2103). Cognitive Capacities in School Aged Children, retrieved from the Lumosity website at: http://cdn-hcp.lumosity.com/uploads/completed_research_post/original_paper_file/3/Ng-2012-ESCoNS.pdf
• Sonoma County Dept. of Education (2013). Twelve Principles for Brain Based Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.talkingpage.org/artic011.html
• Wilson, L (n.d.) Overview of Brain Based Education. Retrieved from: http://www4.uwsp.edu/education/lwilson/brain/bboverview.htm

Planning for English Language Learners

As a second grade teacher, I am likely to teach an Art unit - something similar to this one – with lessons that include identifying use of shape, color, and texture; use of warm/cool color to create mood; comparing different interpretations (CSBE).

Let’s imagine that in my class I have four English Language Learners -  Luis, Ana, Rafael and Jackie - at various stages of language acquisition. 

• Luis, is moving from the pre- production to early production stage of acquisition. He is becoming a more active participant in the class, although he is most likely to participate if he is in a small group, especially if he is working with his “buddy” Rafael. Luis began the school year with no English and was silent for the first week of school.  
• Ana is squarely in the “emerging speaker” stage.  She has a social personality and is verbal in class, even though she often makes grammatical mistakes.
• Rafael is between intermediate and advanced fluency.  He was born in the US, but primarily spoke Spanish at home until starting pre-school.   
• Jackie is moving from speech emergence to intermediate fluency. She is shy in class and doesn’t always believe in her own abilities.

Now let’s imagine that I am beginning our art unit.  The objective of this lesson is for students to be able to identify primary/secondary colors as well as to classify colors as warm or cool. Observing the class you might see:

Students on the rug, listening to the culturally relevant story “Spicy Hot Colors" by Sherry Sahan

While reading the story, I name each color then ask the students to tell me the color together.  Using choral response allows Luis to practice his vocabulary with the group, without being singled out.  

After reading about colors and color combinations, as a class ,we review the difference between primary and secondary colors, as well as warm/cool colors, using a labeled poster like this one:

After the review, students partner up.  I hold up a colored card with the name of the color written on the card and partners decide if the colors are primary or secondary, warm or cool. The repetition of vocabulary as well as the concept of warm and cool colors will particularly support Luis and Ana, along with the visual and auditory learners in the class.

Next, students stay in pairs (Luis and Rafael are paired). I tell the students that today we will practice classifying colors by having the students create their own color wheel, using crayons and a worksheet similar to this one:

Having already prepared them during recess, I call Ana and Jackie up to demonstrate the project for the class. While demonstrating, I ask Ana if blue is a primary color,  showing her the color blue and giving her the opportunity to contribute with a yes or no answer. I, next, ask her if yellow or green is a primary color, again holding up the color cards.  I ask Jackie if she can point out and name one warm and one cool color. I also ask if she can remind the group how the color orange is made. Before beginning the activity I make sure that all groups understand the task, by asking for questions, getting a show of thumbs (up, in the middle, down) if people feel ready, as well as make sure that all students know where the visual aides will be placed.

The students in the earlier stages of language acquisition will benefit from the repetition, choral response, partnering and hands-on activities.  The students in the later stages of language acquisition will benefit from the opportunities to test new vocabulary as well as supporting the less proficient students (Haynes).  Overall the lesson also reflects steps 1, 3 and 5 of Marzano's Six Step Process Teaching Academic Vocabulary (Marzano).

Sources

Grade Two: Visual and Performing Arts, Visual Art Content Standards (Feb 2014). Retrieved from the California State Board of Education website at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/vagrade2.asp

A Picture is Worth 1000 words lesson plan, can be accessed at http://www.coreknowledge.org/mimik/mimik_uploads/lesson_plans/401/A%20Pictures%20Worth%2010000%20Words.pdf

Haynes, J. (2005) The Stages of Language Acquisition. Retrieved from the Everything ESL website at http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/language_stages.php

Best Practices in Supporting English Language Learners (n.d.) Retrieved from the Benchmark Education website at http://www.benchmarkeducation.com/learning-environment/ell-english-language-learner-teaching-strategies--best-practices.html

Pesce, C (n.d.) 7 Sure-Fire Ways to Boost English Language Learners. Retrieved from http://busyteacher.org/13582-7-sure-fire-ways-to-boost-student-confidence.html 

Pesce, C (n.sd) Do You Make These Mistakes When Teaching English?. Retrieved from 

http://busyteacher.org/17173-teaching-english-do-you-make-these-mistakes.html

Marzano, R (n.d.) Marzano's Six Step Process to Teaching Academic Vocabulary. Retrieved from http://www.ncresa.org/docs/PLC_Secondary/Six_Step_Process.pdf

Thoughts on Special Education Referral and Support Processes

What an interesting process it has been, gathering information about the special education referral processes!

While the actual interviews I had were informational and gave me a sense of the steps involved in supporting students with differing needs, the informal conversations around the subject were full of sentiments!  Generally, I get the sense that most people directly involved in the formal process of special education referral find it to be bureaucratic, tedious and, even at times, divisive.  For some students and families, being labeled as “special needs” is offensive and has negative connotation.  In other situations, families hold on to a special education assessment because it entitles their child to invaluable support and services.  When I read the assignment, I immediately thought about a recent of episode of the show Parenthood in which the parent of a student with Aspergers’ Syndrome has a less the helpful IEP meeting - Here's a link to the clip. Check it out and then come back!

I realize that the Parenthood scene is fictional, but I think it clearly depicts the limited flexibility that exists to meet the diverse needs of students, especially when they have challenges and strengths that are contradictory.  The school staff look weary and tired of being asked to make accommodations and the caregivers are anxious not only about the students needs being met, but also about the student being isolated and limited.

While fairly recent and not yet universally adopted, the RTI process is a more individualized framework for teachers to think about supporting student needs.   A student does not need to have a formal evaluation in order to receive support and intervention. From what I gather, intervention strategies can be those that benefit an entire class of diverse learners, such as self-driven leveled learning centers or “workshops” where the teacher floats between small groups with scaffolded lessons.  While a more individualized strategy may be more time consuming for the teacher (at least in some cases) I imagine that the process is a bit more satisfying; taking the whole child into consideration and implementing a strategy that has real opportunity for success.

On a side note, I came across a post (here's the link) with suggestions for scaffolding lessons.  The suggestions were exactly the facilitation strategies we use in our Playworks staff trainings, such as Fishbowl style debriefs (here the suggestion is for fishbowl style modeling of an activity) and Think-Pair-Share conversations.  Facilitating a classroom in Playworks style might be it’s own intervention strategy?

Interview #1 – Matthew Hartsock, School Psychologist

How is a student identified for special education referral?

A student is referred after the SST, which is requested by the teacher. SST is usually the teacher, psychologist, Vice Principal, parent.  An SST happens after a parent-teacher conference, attempts at intervention, consulting with grade level leader. Then an SST can happen.

Who takes responsibility for the progress of the child before and after the referral?

If the student is assessed and qualifies for special education services the general Ed teacher still has the student for the majority of the day. - The special education teacher becomes a case manager.This is the process at my school: The teacher tries some in class intervention. If the student needs more help or the issues are too big ten an SST is called. The SST is a formal meeting and a document with records goes in the student’s cum file.  If necessary, action steps from the SST may include an assessment. An IEP is created and we have 60 days to complete assessment.

What is RTI?

RTI is Response to Intervention and it is way more logical then the standard referral process.  It is a three Tiered Process. Tier One is basically trying different in-class interventions and seeing if they help.  If that happens over a period of time and student is not making improvements then they move to Tier Two intervention, which might be pullout support. Usually the SST happens after the teacher has exhausted all in-class options including parent-teacher conference, etc. If after all that, the student is still not making progress then we recommend special education assessment.

How do you see Special Education in tomorrow’s learning environment?

Once of our main reading interventions is LEXIA, which is a computer program that assesses student level and creates leveled activities. It tracks progress. It’s the first year that we are using this so we will see how much it helps but it seems like the way to go.  The teacher can support the student but the program is figuring out exactly what sort of lesson to deliver.

Interview #2 - Interview with Ms. Ana, 2nd grade teacher

Link to audio recording of interview with Ms Ana: http://voicethread.com/share/5424221/

Ms. Ana: I am classroom teacher to so my perspective on the process is as a teacher.

Great! What is the process right now for identifying students that need services?

Sure, It’s primarily is based on academic performance in the classroom. So if the students is below grade level or far below grade level, we first meet, call for an SST. We talk about classroom modifications, concerns, trends, we devise a plan. We set up a follow up time, 6-8 weeks later depending on the student.  If after a few months of implementing the program recommendations, if we haven’t seen significant progress then we convene again and we discuss special education evaluation.  However, we always need parental consent. If we don’t have it then we just keep on doing what we do.  You know sometimes it’s a maturity issue and sometimes the student really has some kind of disability and that is usually identified with the special education evaluation.

Before the SST is there a certain number of interventions that you have to do yourself or attempt before bringing [the meeting] together?

We are very limited in the number of interventions. What we usually do is Peer Tutoring, small group instructions. In second grade we don’t have intervention support, so sometimes a teacher will do volunteer tutoring but that is at the teachers discretion.

Do you use RTI here?

I have heard of RTI but I am not if it’s implemented consistently throughout the school.

Who is responsible for following up on the testing, is the entire SST team?

Right, our psychologist is usually the SST coordinator

Are they shared with different schools?

Oh Yes! With two or three. And the testing is usually done by the resources specialist, who is shared between the campuses (there are two schools on this campus)

For 2^nd grade, do you usually not recommend testing because you can’t show the discrepancy?

Let me think…Actually, we have made a few recommendations at the end of the second grade. Usually the students we are talking about students who have not shown significant improvement in their achievement after 1^st grade.

Source:

Recording of Interview with Ms. Ana as well an example of the SST Referral Form used at my husbands school - http://voicethread.com/share/5424221/

Six Scaffolding Strategies to Use with your Students (2011, May). Retrieved from;http://www.edutopia.org/blog/scaffolding-lessons-six-strategies-rebecca-alber