React to how this style of learning (jigsawing, whiteboarding, the various learning styles activities you're creating, even the idea of small group whiteboarding before whole group sharing) could help kids with
varying needs. Think of
various types of special needs kids and address at least 3 different types for
your blog (examples: gifted kids, those who are ADHD or ADD, someone who is visual vs. auditory, ODD, struggling reader, dyslexic, etc.). Blog by Sunday, Jan. 25th; respond to each of your compass group
members by Tuesday, Jan. 27th
Whiteboaring, could easily help students that struggle with ADHD/ADD- the activity usually involves getting up and sharing with a group followed by sharing with the class. This allows the students to move as well as to talk; however, it may allow ADHD/ADD student more opportunity to be off task so it will be important to make sure that groups are appropriate.
ReplyDeleteJigsawing is a bit of a mixed bag- I could see it being beneficial but also possibly stressful for a struggling reader. It would be beneficial in the fact that the amount the student would need to read is decreased; but it could be stressful if the student has difficulty comprehending the subject.
In both of these activities by going small group before large group you are helping students who are less outgoing- giving them a voice even if they don't speak up to the whole class they still share information with the group of their peers.
The task cards are great for kinesthetic learners because they are able to move the material and organize it which allows them to explore the information more fully.
I like how you highlighted both the advantages and disadvantages of the activities for different types of students. It is important as a teacher to know how to effectively reach students, but to also know the limitations of the activities. Whether certain activities will work for some students will more than likely just be something that you will have to get a feel for in your own classroom.
DeleteI completely agree with how jigsawing could be frustrated to students who can't read very well. This activity could make them possibly feel worse about the fact that it is hard for them to read. I feel like putting them with someone who reads well would help a little.
DeleteMany of these techniques are a great way to change up how you teach. Sometimes, you will have students with more needs and will require more activities like these to help them keep up with the rest of the class. Having experienced working with ADD/ADHD kids, I understand that is difficult for them to pay attention to the teacher and stay on task.
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about what types of activities work best with certian students, here is what I believe would work well. For students struggling with ADD/ADHD, whiteboarding or doing activities that require movement would help these students learn. For those who struggle with vision problems such as dyslexia, moving the student to the front row will allow them an easier access to reading the board, and if needed, printing out assignments in bigger fonts for them. Finally, those students struggling with a social need such as autism, encourage students to work in groups more often instead of on their own, This will allow students struggling with social needs a better chance at interacting with their peers.
I agree that white boarding, sharing, and jigsawing are good ways to keep ADD/ADHD kids focused on the current task. Without mixing things up to keep them involved, it will be easy for them to fall behind.
DeleteI also agree that these activities are a great way to help kids with ADD/ADHD stay focused on a topic. I also agree that it will help students who struggle with social needs.
DeleteI too agree that white boarding is a great way to satisfy the needs of students that have disabilities. You can literally teach in so many different ways and touch upon each different type of learner as well. I think it is a good thing to do.
DeleteI think whiteboarding would be useful in teaching someone with ADHD because it would be a new, fun way to write down ideas in a group for a short period of time. The newness of the activity and short amount of time allotted for completion will allow the ADHD learner to be intrigued and keep his or her attention on the task at hand for the time needed.
ReplyDeleteI can see the task cards activity as a good tool for those with dyslexia because the shapes will fit together and make the words form a coherent and clear thought or idea. It could even help with study strategies rather than trying to take information from notes that continue line by line.
For the gifted kids, I think the wrap arounds would be a good tool for learning because it physically shows the connection between one word or phrase and another. Seeing and understanding connections is something that gifted children usually try to achieve: they are not content with just knowing two things are related, they want to know how and why.
Ultimately, I think all of these are good tools for studying, but one or two could be the best choice depending on the type of learning styles one responds to best and their prior knowledge of the subject.
You have some really good ideas on how to differentiate instructions for different learners. It will be a plus once you become a teacher that you already know these strategies and how to help the kiddos that need a little more encouragement. These activities not only give extra help to the kids that need it, but the activities also help the other kids get involved more in the learning. I think that giving the kids enjoy learning and remember more when they have activities to do anyway.
DeleteI agree with the part about the wrap arounds. It is good to make connections between words and understand why it's important. All of these activities would be helpful and make learning fun, and each one could help a kid in a different way.
DeleteAs an ADHD learner, white boarding is great, because it is a change of pace and allows me some time to stare off into space thinking about random life questions. As far as dyslexia, remember that they see letters and sometimes words backwards, so maybe the task cards would help create a sequence, but it won't help them see the letters of words in the correct order. Gifted kids, like all other level of intelligences, learn in different manners, so not every one is going to want to physically see it.
DeleteI think that whiteboarding would be a good way to help both visual learners and students with ADD or ADHD. By seeing the answers or points on the board, they will be able to focus and remember it more clearly. By being active in the process and having the words in front of them, students would be more likely to remember the information and to be able to pay attention more easily. For students that have difficulty interacting with their peers, whether autistic or simply shy, jigsawing could be an effective tool. Students would each be responsible for their own section of the reading, and other students would have to listen to them while they shared it. As long as each student did their assignment, it could be a good way to promote positive interactions between students. For students with dyslexia or simply reading difficulties, versatiles could be very helpful. If descriptions, pictures, or definitions were on the top set of cards and a word was on the bottom set of cards, students could learn to spell or sound out words. By simply seeing the words and reading them, their skills could improve. Also, students would be able to self-check and learn from their mistakes with the pictures or designs on the back.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your analysis of the whiteboarding and jigsawing activities. There are many learning styles and special needs that are addressed through these strategies. I think the most important one is just the social interaction, as you mentioned. Everyone has to talk, and everyone has to listen. It's a good tool to teach kids how to participate as members of a team, everyone has to contribute and carry their weight in jigsawing or there is huge gap/hole in the information. This built in accountability is extremely effective because adolescents are worried about what their peers think of them. I also liked the idea of how to help the dyslexic students and that they can improve and self-check themselves.
DeleteI agree with both of you in the fact that both activitiies really hit a lot of different styles and helps with special needs while also making a huge impact of the students socially in the classroom to maybe help them feel more welcomed and considered "in" instead of the kid who doesn't have friends or the weird kid.
DeleteThe main idea I see here is the social aspect of both activities. Whiteboarding and jigsawing are great ways to get all the students involved socially in the classroom. A classroom should be a place where all students should feel comfortable in speaking and listening. These activities help with both of these aspects. I like these strategies for a classroom. It helps the students outside the classroom as well as in the classroom.
DeleteI like whiteboarding for all students. The audio learners will hear the material. The visual learners will see the material. The active students will be active. Working in pairs while whiteboarding is good for all students, mainly the active learners. This allows students to move around in the classroom and this makes learning more fun for everyone. Jigsawing is a great idea to learn much material by doing not as much work. I think it is a good method for trouble students. It allows the responsibility to be put on all students in the group instead of just the one student. If the student does not do the reading, then he or she lets down the group not just the teacher.
ReplyDeleteYour response is to the point. I appreciate that. haha. All of the learning styles are addressed through white boarding and every student has the opportunity to "shine" during jigsawing by presenting/teaching their portion of the material the group is learning. I like the white boarding in pairs and changing partners as you go, keeps kids moving as you said and makes everyone, not just friends interact. I do think this is something you'd have to monitor carefully in order to keep students on track. Putting time limits on when to switch partners would help keep everyone on task. I also think white boarding would be great for teaching math because it's not permanent, you don't have to be scared to make a mistake on a problem because you can erase it and redo it!
DeleteDylan, I think you made two great points. The working in pairs is also a good idea for active learners like myself I seem to stay very focused when with someone else relying on me then just for myself trying to convince me to do the work. The Jigsaw helps to put people who may struggle in a class with people who may be a little better at the subject to help one another and relate.
DeleteI agree that whiteboarding can be really great for a variety of learners. Students can interact with others, as well as both see and hear the material. Jigsawing can be a less intimidating work load, but still teach the material. Students can learn the material as well as responsibility and accountability to their peers.
DeleteI think that utilizing different methods of teaching, presenting information to students, and having them brainstorm can really help improve the learning of all students, with or without a disability. There are many activities that a teacher can implement in their classroom to appeal to all types of students, learning styles, and apply to different subjects of concentration.” Jigsawing” is a technique to get a lot of information covered in a short period of time and it also focuses on individual efforts and communication skills and this is a great activity for gifted students. It is a challenge to be able to teach your peers something that is also new to you and gifted students will take the assignment above and beyond and read further into the information than absolutely necessary and they will be able to keep themselves busy without other students falling behind. Whiteboarding in small groups would be really helpful for kids with ADD or ADHD because it is a way for them to get out of their normal seats and be in a group setting. The student with the ADD or ADHD could be the designated writer so they would have a harder time getting off task and at the same time be an essential member to the group not only by contributing ideas but writing it down for future discussion. Students who fall on the autism spectrum would really benefit from working in small groups whether it be for discussion, a collaborative project, or to participate in a debate. Social engagement is key and should be regularly practiced but not too much to overwhelm any student in the classroom. The students who have a form of autism would really benefit from interacting with all different kinds of students to inspire their thoughts and bounce ideas off of each other.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa, I think you made a great point. These different methods of teaching we are learning and the assorted games that go along with them are good for all children, with or without disabilities. These interactive techniques keep the kids involved and actively participating in learning.
DeleteAlyssa, I really like how you mentioned that these lesson types also benefit students that do not have disabilities. In some cases other students that learn information well may not be very socially active. These group work activities can help them build relationships and become more comfortable in their specific classroom environment
DeleteI like how you said that jigsawing is a great way to work on the students communication skills. Some students are so afraid to speak out in class and this gives them the opportunity to voice their opinion and work on their communication skills.
DeleteAlyssa, I love how you clarified how jigsawing is good for gifted students. You are so right in saying that it is hard to teach information to your peers that you are unsure of yourself. Gifted students would be able to take this and run with it, hopefully bringing their peers along with them!
DeleteI think that using the whiteboards would really benefit those kids who are dyslexic. They would be helpful because the kids could actually practice their reading and writing in a fun way instead of just the boring old pen and paper route. For the gifted kids, I would give them the jigsawing because of the large amount of information that can be covered in such a short amount of time. It would be great to challenge them with the jigsawing and would force them to communicate with each other. I think that the task cards would be good for the ADD and ADHD students you have. The cards are packed full of lots of information and are fun to connect like a puzzle. The kids will enjoy them because they get to be active and interact while learning.
ReplyDeleteWhiteboards would be a great way for dyslexic kids to practice writing and an easy way to fix mistakes if they make them! Whiteboards are so versatile and can be used for review games, discussions, and also encouraging students to be creative. Task cards can be used for so many subjects and really will help students grasp difficult concepts from repetition and associating this new material with a fun game-like way to study and this will help ADD/ADHD kids stay entertained.
DeleteTask cards are a great tool because they allow students to use motor skills and their cognitive skills all at the same time. It does allow students to focus completely in on the task to improve learning so I also think it would benefit ADD and ADHD students. I also agree with your "large amount of information in a short amount of time" statement above, Differentiation can take a lot of time so its nice to take advantage of teaching strategies that are efficient and require less time.
DeleteI agree that for the gifted kids jigsawing is a great way to challenge them to master their section of reading then communicate it to there group. Like Dennis said task cards allow ADD and ADHD students work on their motor and cognitive skills.
DeleteUtilizing different methods serves a two-fold purpose. First it helps keep students invested and interested in what you are teaching. Secondly, it helps some students learn things more easily, and if students can learn it, they will hopefully be willing to share what they learn with a struggling readers. As a supposedly "gifted" kid, I can argue that doing activities, e.g. small group whiteboarding, that allow me to share my ideas and move more quickly than if I was in a whole class setting, make me happy. Whole class discussions tend to get slow and I get distracted. As far as the ADHD/ADD thing I can relate to that as well, jig sawing is a great activity for that, because it allows the child with the disorder to do multiple things, they can discuss, listen, and present information, which tends to keep those students invested. Finally, students who struggle with reading/dyslexia really benefit from jig sawing, as well, because it allows them to try and read in a small group setting, which is much less stressful than a whole group setting, and as teacher, you can manipulate the groups, in order to pair struggling readers with strong readers.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there are more than one purpose for the activities we discussed in class. You gave two valid points. I think that bringing the students together broadens the discussion and encourages them to help each other out. When they bring their different set of thinking skills it becomes a fun group effort. It is kind of like our compass group; we all learn differently so when we come together there are all sorts of new ideas thrown on the table!
DeleteIt definitely helps kids stay interested. And I understand the part about smaller group discussions. It helps everyone get involved and really be a part of the discussion instead of just listening to the rest of the class. It can help a shy student speak up.
DeleteJigsawing is great for all types of students. The struggling readers only have to read a smaller, less intimidating portion of the assigned reading while also being given responsibility and accountability to not let their group down. The more advanced readers enjoy the efficiency of the assignment and the opportunity to teach their portion to other kids. Their expertise is likely to help the other group members significantly. This activity gets students to interact and talk about the text, and because every group member has an assigned portion literally everyone has to participate and talk, so the shy kids aren't skimmed over.
ReplyDeleteWhite boarding is good for kinesthetic learners because of the action and 3D objects. The kids who have difficulty staying on task are likely to stay on task during this activity because it moves fast, their is group interaction and they can do something (such as be the designated scribe for the whiteboard). It is also beneficial for auditory learners because the group discusses what is going to be written on the board, and it is beneficial for visual learners because the group's answer is written on the white board and they can see it/read it.
Doing these activities is great to reinforce material and integrate it into kids' brains because they don't just read it and get tested over it. They read it, teach it to their classmates, discuss it, create task cards for it, or complete string boards to quiz themselves--doing these activities helps ensure various learning styles are used in teaching new material.
I agree 100% I love the Jigsawing idea because I am a pretty out going person and it helps to keep people like me and you under control who like to talk but also allowing the people who are not as vocal and more shy to participate without getting over shadowed by students like myself. Whiteboard makes you get to see what you are learning and implying so I agree with that too. I also agree it is great for reinforcement of an assignment or the class.
DeleteJigsawing really can be helpful for struggling readers. They can self-check if they have doubts, and it is a lot less intimidating to learn with a game or activity. It can also be a great idea to have students help each other out and teach each other. Since everyone has to speak and teach, all kids are active in the learning process. White boarding can also be a great way to keep students on task since it is more hands-on.
DeleteI really like your idea about jigsawing. It hits home to me, being a struggling reader. It took me forever to read chapter 1 by myself so I'm looking forward to not being overwhelmed about the amount that I need to read for chapter 2. It allows the not so confident readers to have to feel confident enough to teach the other members of the group. I personally like the jigsawing activity for that reason.
DeleteThe whiteboard activity is helpful for students with any number of varying needs. For example, it allows ADHD students to move about the room and grasps objects in their hands. It also provides tactile learners the means to physically involve themselves in learning, which, by definition, is how they learns. Perhaps the one group that profits most from whiteboard activities is the visual learners. Not only do whiteboards enable students to see words written on the boards, they also let visual learners draw charts, graphs, and other illustrations, that their teacher may not provide, in order for them to enhance their learning.
ReplyDeleteJigsawing is the perfect opportunity for peer tutoring, both directly and indirectly. Directly, a gifted reader can skim over his struggling teammate's assigned section and clarify the main points. In addition, the gifted student can give pointers to his peer to help him succeed in the future. Indirectly, jigsawing enables peer-to-peer tutoring because it provides a chance to present a model student to the group. The gifted student, if he does his reading correctly, serves a model to his peers, struggling or not, disabled, or non-disabled, and likely motivates them to become better readers.
i agree Jim, whiteboarding and jigsawing are good to do, but jigsawing is only effective if everyone in the group does their part. If one person doesnt do their part then it hurts the group as a whole
DeleteI agree that white boarding is fun is helpful it gives everyone that is working in a small group setting the ability to write down their own opinions instead of the normal one person that usually writes every thing down for the group.
DeleteDifferentiation in teaching methods is very important to effectively teach all students in a class. Whiteboarding is a good tool for ADHD/ADD students because it involves movement and active participation in groups. This can help them to stay focused and contribute to a group. It also helps to reach both the visual and auditory learners because the information will be written down and then also stated aloud. Doing the speed dating activity in class also benefits the kinesthetic and auditory learners because it involves movement and students reciting information they learned aloud to others. Task cards and wrap arounds can also be good for visual learners, as well as students with dyslexia, because it enables them to see the information written out, which can help them practice with what the words and information look like. These activities can also benefit gifted students because they can check their work on their own, to make sure they're learning the material correctly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Kim, The differentiation in these activities is a huge advantage to them, Whiteboarding and Jigsaw also help shy students because it is generally easier to talk to a small group and present ideas than to a class. Most of these activities easily hit several learning styles
DeleteI agree with how using a whiteboard can help with visual learners. I always color code my notes and things because it helps me memorize it better. I do vocabulary in one color, important facts in another, and so on. Using a whiteboard with different colored makers can definitely help retain information. Also, what kid does not like using whiteboards? I know I did.
DeleteI agree that whiteboarding is beneficial for ADD/ADHD students. It's a fun way to keep them focused while also teaching them the information. I think that task cards and warp arounds could also potentially be good for these students as well, because it is information presented in a creative way!
DeleteI agree that differentiation in these activities are advantageous to students because they get to learn outside the box, opposed to the normal sit and lecture teaching method.
DeleteI like jigsawing but it only works if everyone in the group does their part, it it good for the auditory learners because that are able to hear the material and it is good for the visual learners because normally students take notes when doing jigsaw. Jigsawing is also good for ADHD students and gifted students because it gives them a small part that will help the group as a whole. I also like the task cards because it meets a lot of different learning needs at the same time. It helps the visual learners, as well as the active learners. They are also not very hard to complete so gifted students would be able to complete it rather easily. And students with dyslexia will be able to organize it to help them remember the information.
ReplyDeleteTyler,
DeleteI agree with a lot of what you're saying. Task cards are very helpful for a wide variety of students, and, yes, jigsawing works only if everyone puts forth effort - both in reading and reporting their material.
I think that jig sawing and white boards are a very fun way to get children involved in group activities. I know from personal experience white boarding gives groups a chance for everyone to be involved and write down their own thoughts, not just on a bland sheet of notebook paper. Jigsaws can give students with strong kinetic skills the ability to have fun and be hands on with there work. jigsaw would also give kids with ADD an opportunity to do something hands on instead of traditional siting and learning. Both activities also help gifted students become visual learners.
ReplyDeleteJake, I agree that whiteboard activities are beneficial for kinesthetic learner, but I'm not sure how jigsawing helps students with ADD or ADHD. If I understand correctly, jigsawing refers to dividing a section of reading among partners, in a sort of divide-and-conquer method. Thus, jigsawing would still require ADHD students to sit still and read their required section.
Deletei agree that whiteboarding is good and it helps students organize their thoughts and help students learn together.and jim your correct about what jig sawing is
DeleteI like using white boards because it allows students that are tactile learners to process information and create things by drawing and/or doing motions like writing down the information or drawing a picture to help them further understand. Jig sawing is also a good method because it makes student feel a sense of responsibly and can help make them more accountable. If they feel a sense responsibility they are more likely to engage and learn the information. By then teaching the information to other class mates will also help them retain the information.
ReplyDeleteAlso students with ADHD may respond well to a certain activities that allow them to be in charge or assume more responsibility. Students that learn by hearing directions or auditory learners may respond well to activities where they are primarily hearing instructions. There are many different approaches to accommodating student learning so I think it is best to never settle for one approach, variety may be the key to successful and consistent differentiated instructional approaches.
I really like your thought about jigsaw activities give students a sense of responsibility and they are much less likely to not do the reading in fear of not being prepared and embarrassed in front of their peers. The best way to learn something is to teach it yourself and jigsawing is a great way to involve all types of learners.
DeleteI completely agree that you should never settle for one approach when trying to teach your students. Your approach should change from kid to kid and from year to year. A variety will keep everyone on their toes and excited about learning.
DeleteI also agree that you should change up the types of activities you do with your students like jigsawing and whiteboarding because it gives a chance to each student to excel in one of the activities over the other.
DeleteI had fun learning with the jig sawing and white board activities. I feel as though it gave a fresh start in the middle of the class to spice things up. The jig sawing is good for a person to do on their own before grouping back with their peers. It makes them focus on the material so they can show their partners what they learned from the reading. The white board is vary fun and entertaining. it brings the kids thought processes together. It makes them all think about the same topic, but their ideas about it will all be different.
ReplyDeleteThese will help kids with ADHD get their energy out by working with others and switching to a new activity during the class. They will be able to learn more by doing this than listening to you lecture the entire time. working with their peers may encourage them to focus a little more as well if they are having a good time doing the assigned activity. This may help your shy students come out of their shell as well. Kiddos who are behind on their reading abilities would benefit from peer activities by having them help each other get past the point of where they are struggling. As a future teacher I plan to do a lot of group activities because all students benefit from them.
It did give the class a fresh start! When kids are starting to zone out and getting bored in class, it would be great to whip one of those out. It's a learning activity, but really it's also a game!
DeleteI enjoy learning in a jig saw and white board environment, as well. It really does spice up the class. White boarding is great for ADHD kids, eg. myself, because it allows us a chance to be a little more open (than a class wide discussion). Kids who are reading behind should generally be paired with a stronger reader, barring any problems with those students working together (eg. behavior issues).
DeleteKylie, you made a good point on how it gave a new way of learning within the classroom. You aren't stuck with doing the same lecture or discussion learning with your students. You are now able to accommodate to all of your students and their different learning styles.
DeleteWhite boarding is a great way to meet the needs of different learning styles: people are up moving around, talking to each other, and writing down material. Jigsawing would work best for visual and auditory learners as well. Information would be read, written down, and shared with a group or class. Sharing information is a good way to involve all three learning styles as well.
ReplyDeleteJigsawing would be a good method for struggling readers. They would be able to get a lot of the information from their classmates but still have to work on improving their own reading skills so that they could relay material effectively. Jigsawing would be an effective tool for ADD/ADHD kids as well. They would have to focus really well on their section of the reading but would then be able to move around and interact with other students to get the rest of the information.
I think you hit the nail on the head with this post. I agree with everything you stated in your post. I like how you broke it down more than myself also.
DeleteI did not think about how jigsawing could be used for struggling readers. It would allow them to read, but not as much, and they would share the work with members of a group.
DeleteI also agree that about jigsawing helping out struggling readers and kids with ADD/ADHD. I think that it also allows them to learn the material more in depth.
DeleteI believe the whiteboard activity hits all the criteria for people with ADHD, ADD, or any type of special learners. It makes it very easy for the Visual learners to SEE, the ACTICE learners to move around and work with one another. I believe the Jigsawing is beneficial because each student is capable of being dependent on one another instead of having just yourself or one person to do all the work. It splits up the work and is a great social aspect to learning on to make new friends and people while also learning. Both activities in my eyes are very beneficial for future educators to consider and use in their future class rooms. While also using both activities in the beginning of the year it helps students to recognize their classmates and peers in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI agree that each technique could help many different types of learners. Jigsawing is a good way to keep students accountable to each other. It is important for all students to feel comfortable with each other and to know that their learning is vital for the success of the classroom.
DeleteI like how you mention using it at the beginning of the year, just to set the tone for students to be active learners, and to start to build an environment of support and mutual commitment to learning in your classroom. Obviously I also agree with all the other stuff you said about the activities benefiting different learning styles and the students with ADD or ADHD etc. as well as them being effective because of the built in accountability.
DeleteI agree with doing the activities early in the year. This will allow the students to become comfortable with their peers and allows you as the teacher to see who could be the stronger and weaker readers. You could also see which students would better with certain students. By letting them pick the groups, you could easily recognize groups of friends and keep that in mind for the rest of the year when working in groups.
DeleteThe whiteboard activity excellent for ADD/ADHD students, because they are in a group that can keep them focused, and they are doing something hands on. This can be helpful especially if they are the one writing--giving them a job to do will make them feel more in control. Visual learners are able to see the actual material be written down, auditory learners will be benefited because they are discussing and talking about what they are writing, and tactile learners will benefit from the physical process of actually writing. Jigsawing is helpful for students with dyslexia or who are struggling readers. Instead of having to read the entire chapter or book or whatever reading they are having to do, they only have to read a smaller portion, and then discuss with their group or partners.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100 percent. I think that allowing people to do things that have ADHD/ADD will help them focus better and be able to stay on task easier. I also like how you not only gave them a job to do, but let them be in control of the group. This would be an excellent way for them to learn.
DeleteI agree that white boarding is good for ADD/ADHD students. Having extra responsibility and a group that does its work is a great way to make sure they stay on task. It's also a good way to meet the needs of auditory, visual, and tactile learners, which you also mentioned. Jigsawing is a good way to help dyslexic students. They do the same amount of work as the rest of the students but don't have as much frustration as they would if they had to read an entire chapter.
DeleteI don't know that being in a group necessarily always helps kids stay focused. I think you have to be very careful when choosing groups or else students are less focused then what they would be working by themselves.
DeleteI think all of these teaching approaches can be very beneficial in a classroom with a diverse set of students, which is any classroom basically. I think using the white boards is very beneficial because it is a way for students to collaborate together and kind of teach each other. This benefit is also seen in a jigsaw activity. In this activity the students become like experts in one particular section of a reading material. They are then given the job of teaching the fellow peers that subject. I believe that doing this allows students to learn more about the subject, because they want to do a good job for their fellow peers, and this gives them something to do opposed to listening to a lecture. This would be beneficial for kids with ADD as they wouldn't be forced to sit through a lecture but instead would be able to do hands on activity that required them to do the work and then teach it to their peers. This activity would also be beneficial to struggling readers because then they only have to read one section of a reading instead of all of it. Plus it might help them to hear what their fellow peers understood from the reading, instead of an adult because their peers may be able to explain it in a way that they can better understand. Both of these activities along with any other small group activity also help students develop better social skills. This will be very important as they grow older, and will equip them for the many social issues that they can face. This can be very beneficial for students who are gifted but do not necessarily have great social skills.
ReplyDeleteI like how you did not narrow your post down to a select few diseases. I am on your side when you say these different ways of learning can help a diverse group of people. Not only people with all of types of diseases, but people that are not diagnosed with anything can really benefit as well.
DeleteI agree that each of these teaching strategies can be beneficial for a variety of learning disabilities. Any teaching strategies that are beneficial to only one kind of disability are not worth using. I also agree that jigsawing helps struggling readers. Hearing explanations from both the teacher and other classmates will help them get a better understanding of what to look for when they have to read on their own.
DeleteI thought it was cool how you pointed out the fact that it can help them as they get older. They will continue to use these learning techniques to study and learn if they are a positive help for them. You are also right about how the activities can help with social skills. These techniques often require students to work together and voice their findings, giving more shy students a chance to improve social skills.
DeleteBoth white boarding and jigsawing are great exercises for a variety of special needs students. White boarding is excellent for ADD and ADHD students because it allows them to get up and move around. It also gives them a group of students that will help them focus and really understand what they are learning. This activity is also good for tactile learners because it gets them up and moving and interacting with their classmates. Jigsawing would work particularly well with struggling readers. They are only assigned a smaller portion of reading and the environment in which they share what they read is a lot less intimidating. Jigsawing could also work the opposite way and work well with gifted readers. It gives them the opportunity to dissect and really learn a smaller portion of the reading, then get the share their findings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the advantages of whiteboarding for ADD and ADHD students. That is a really good activity for students to learn and work with a group of their peers. I also agree that jigsawing could help struggling readers; however, if the student struggles to read and comprehend their portion of the reading, that might also be stressful for them to explain the information to the other students in their group. Because of that, I think that activity could go either way for struggling readers. I do agree that it is a great learning activity for gifted students.
DeleteLike you said, these activities really do help all of the students in the class because it relieves some pressure and gets students interacting with one another. The movement, depending on the time of your class could also help re-energize students because staying still can make anyone lethargic.
DeleteI agree with you that it helps with students who need to move around. I feel like this is an especially good exercise for elementary students. They can get up and move around so they are not just sitting at desks all day long. I know I would always get antsy and start wiggling around in my chair. It would help burn some of that energy that is building up inside them.
DeleteI think whiteboarding could help any student. It helps people like me o are visual and need to see it written out. It could help keep students in task since it can be a quick activity that they might not get distracted during. It also allows students to talk out their answers (which could benefit auditory learners) and maybe understand it better. The task cards might help someone with dyslexia or maybe even ADD or ADHD because it's like a puzzle, so,etching to keep them occupied. You know if the pieces go together or not. The versatile could keep them interested or occupied while studying. You know when you're done if you know the material or not because it provides instant feedback. I think visual learners could also use those because they can see the connection between a word and the picture it makes. Hands on learners could enjoy the wrap arounds or any of the other puzzle-like activities. Since they're physically doing something with the material it could help them learn or remember it better. Jigsawing can really help struggling readers. They can get all of the information from a chapter or reading assignment while only needing to read a small section. They still get to learn the material even if they have trouble reading. And hearing a classmate explain it might make more sense to them than reading it from a textbook.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the white boarding activities. I am a very visual/hands on learner, so when I write it out I remember it easier! Having kids physically do something adds more emphasis to the learning. I like the idea of jig sawing as well because all of the kids in the group have the opportunity to "show what they know". They get to be the ones in charge and they can also learn from their peers instead of just listening to the teacher lecture or getting distracted because they were supposed to read the entire thing on their own.
DeleteI agree, white boarding could help must any student, especially your overly social ADHD kids, and the under social shy kids. I love the talking out aspect of white boarding, as an auditory learner. Dyslexia is the confusion of letters or words, not necessarily the order the words go in, so perhaps if the sections were individual letters, it would help more. Jigsawing could help struggling readers to get the information, but will it really make them a better reader, by limiting the amount they have to read?
DeleteWhiteboarding is a good way to learn, without learning to be boring. It is much more of a physical activity than just listening to a lecture or fliping through flash cards. About any subject can be learned using the whiteboarding method. This is what makes it such a good and diverse way of learning material for different subjects. This method could be used for people with any special needs problem, because you can change the rules for it so much. You can "customize" the way you want your whiteboarding to take place that will treat everyone fairly and will not embarrass the person your trying to help by singling them out.
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned white boarding as a way to make the learning process not as boring. I think all of these methods are good ways to mix things up in the classroom and bring some variety to the learning process.I agree that the rules for white boarding can be changed to fit a variety of students and their needs and learning styles.
DeleteI agree with how that the whiteboarding method can be used in any subject since it can be used in such diverse ways. I think that is what makes it a great tool to use in the classroom.
DeleteI think whiteboarding and jigsawing are both good learning styles. Like we talked about before they both change up the way a teacher can teach the class and not just stick to one way of teaching. Whiteboarding can be good for someone in a class who is afraid to speak out in class. They will be able to voice their opinion on the white board with their group rather than sitting and not saying a word. I believe jigsawing is good to use in big chapters because then is forces everyone to read their part of the chapter and if they don’t then the teacher will be able to tell who didn’t put in effort to the group.
ReplyDeleteI agree that using the whiteboards for shy students is a great idea. They get to participate in class discussion while staying more inside of their comfort zone. Whiteboards allow everyone to voice their opinion.
DeleteI really like the point that white boarding (especially in groups) can let students who are shy and soft spoken to get their opinions out there and share with the rest of the class without necessarily raising their hand and speaking out loud. Maybe eventually the shy students will work up the courage and confidence to be the group leader and discuss their groups opinions with the whole class.
DeleteKyle, I agree with your observation of jigsawing, this method really makes students accountable for at least one part of the chapter. Not being able to inform the class of what was to be read can put pressure on the student to excel academically.
DeleteI agree with your point that it gives the teacher something new to do in the classroom. They are now able to teach the students the lesson in a different way.
DeleteI agree, this definitely helps with student accountability! Instead of assigning the entire long chapter, which can stress students out or intimidate them to the point that they just don't do the assignment, jigsawing can allow them to have less reading but the same amount of responsibility.
DeleteI think white boarding and jigsawing are very good activities to have in the classroom. It gives students who maybe are not visual or auditory learners a chance to learn too, and it is a good activity for visual learners as well. I want to become a early elementary teacher so I believe activities like these will keep my students focused on work. Many students at that age level have short attention spans and get bored very easily. It would also help students with ADHD and ADD. They can get up and move around instead of having to sit at their desks all day.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the benefits of whiteboarding and jigsawing for all types of learners, especially for elementary children. I agree that they are also good for students with ADHD and ADD. Appealing to all different types of learners and students will really help you as an elementary teacher.
DeleteYou make good points, though I wouldn't limit these activities to just elementary children- many students get tired of sitting at their desks all day and welcome the chance to move. It's true that these activities are very beneficial for many learning styles!
DeleteI also think jigsawing is good for gifted students! It gives them an opportunity to master a portion of material and use their skills to help other group members. Also, as an elementary major as well, task cards would work so well for students with any disability, especially those like ADD/ADHD!
DeleteI also think jigsawing is good for gifted students! It gives them an opportunity to master a portion of material and use their skills to help other group members. Also, as an elementary major as well, task cards would work so well for students with any disability, especially those like ADD/ADHD!
DeleteTori, I completely agree with your point on how it will be able to help you as a future teacher teach your students. It could help to your advantage with the grade level of students you want to teach to allow them to move around a bit while doing this activity.
DeleteIt's cool to think about this applies to elementary school students, coming from a secondary perspective. I think it would be even more useful in an elementary classroom, since younger students have even more energy and usually a more positive attitude about learning.
DeleteI believe whiteboardng and jigsawing are very good learning tools to use within the classroom. It allows all types of different learners be able to learn something in a new way or the way that fits best to them. Some visual might be able to gain the knowledge they need easier than some others. Auditory learners can listen to the person presenting to understand the learning better. This can also help ADHD AND ADD students as well. They are able to move around the classroom instead of being confined to their desk all day.
ReplyDeleteI think that whie boarding and jigsawing are very valuble learning tools for classrooms with special needs kids. white boarding will allow kids that aren't as out going express themselves without having the need to speak out loud. jigsawing may help the ADD or ADHD kids that have trouble paying attention, pay attention by hving hands on activities with something they may be interested in. these things could also help struggling readers, it will help them by not having to just read definitions, they will have a fun activity to go along with that.
ReplyDeleteMike I completely agree with you. You made a good point on it being a fun and different way of learning for the students in the classroom.
DeleteAs is the case with many other ADHD accommodations, though, the teacher must be wary of hyperactive students getting out of hand, and as I have said before, I think that the best way to deal with this possibility is to responsible students by allowing them to participate in fun activities in the future and giving disobedient students an alternative assignment.
DeleteThis is very true! Monotonous assignments and busy work I think are more damaging to students than they are helpful. It just makes them dislike school and have a negative attitude. Activities like this can really help with a more positive attitude towards learning.
DeleteI think that white boardingand jigsawing are very valuable for students who ADHD or ADD but they can also cause shy students to feel uncomfortable if put into the wrong groups. I believe that the effectiveness of these practices depends on the groups.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. I actually think that this mentality could probably be applied to most activities. There is no perfect activity that is going to magically accommodate all students. That's why we as teachers have to work so hard to help them.
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