Purpose/Rationale
After reviewing our districts State Assessments score, I have been looking for ways to increase my students' reading and writing skills. The Common Core standards also incorporate more discussions and critical thinking strategies. Now our students will be asked to explain their answers more extensively. I believe that, given the opportunity to learn from other states participants on how they are writing their curriculum units and lesson plans will only enhance and broaden my knowledge. I learned from attending YNI 2013 that our students' reading materials are too basic. So this year with YNI 2014, I feel I am better prepared to explore with the literature, arts, and advice from the coordinators to plan out an extensive unit, using a variety of approaches that will coincide with Special Education strategies and use of CCC standards.
I believe one big advantage we have is the nearby ruin in Navajo National Monument, which is about a thirty minute drive from Kayenta, Az. Monument Valley is also a thirty minute drive in the other direction. Our school resides on the Navajo reservation so our entrance into both Navajo parks is free of charge for the students. The tour guides speak both English and Navajo and that will benefit our bilingual students.
I teach English to students with a learning disability and English Language Learners, who are all low level and struggling readers and writers. We have close to 80 students with an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) just at the high school. My lessons incorporate the Common Core Standards and Special Education strategies. Students in my class may be identified as Learning Disabled, Other Health Impairment, Emotional Disabled, Vision or Hearing Impairment, or have a Mild Intellectual Disability. They are expected to state the state standardized test like their peers. The Special Education strategies and accommodations used are written in each student's IEP. Such accommodations are reading aloud, more one to one instruction, include visual aids in the lesson, and combine kinesthetic/auditory/visual strategies. One accommodations students benefit from is using color markers. My poster boards will be dark but images used will be lighter. Students need to see all the primary colors in front of them. Dark colors used for the writing and light colors are used as a highlight for importance. Students need to have lesson repeated in a variety of ways to add in the comprehension. One approach of teaching method will only cause a few frustrations. Reading aloud all components of literature and retelling facts aids in understanding the lessons.
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