Panel on Meeting the Needs of Special Populations Through Mathematics and Science Professional Development

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Panel on Meeting the Needs of Special Populations
Through Mathematics and Science Professional
Development

• Diane Torres-Velasquez, PhD
• Department of Teacher Education
• The University of New Mexico
• NMCTM/NMSTA Annual Fall Conference
• Las Vegas New Mexico
• November 1, 2007

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Areas that might be affected by an exceptionality

• Attention
• Perception
• Memory
• Language

• Auditory processing
• Visual processing
• Visual-spatial processing

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How an exceptionality might look in Mathematics
or Science for a student with

• Aspergers Syndrome
• Learning Disability
• Communication Disorder
• Gifted

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What does an Appropriate Curriculum Look Like?

• Incorporates NCTM and NSTA goal of Mathematics
  and Science Education for ALL
• Fosters Number Sense Graph Sense Inquiry Sense,
  etc. (a natural facility with concept and process
  at hand)
• Bridges concrete to verbal graphic/written
  representation
• Applies to real life (i.e.. No limit on loan
  interest rates in NM - how much does a 200 loan
  REALLY cost?
• Promotes what Torres-Velasquez and Westby call
  Scientific Literacy

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The Role of Language

• Language Development as a Goal
• Typical Difficulties in Language for Exceptional
  Students
• Language as a Tool for Teaching the content of
  Mathematics and Science
• The Meaning of Literacy

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Recommendations for Teachers(adapted from Van de
Walle, )

• Students with exceptionalities are mentally
  capable
• Classification is really not useful with out a
  clear description of how it affects the students
  learning
• Remediation is not easy
• Rather than just remediating, teach to the
  strengths of the student with a PASSION
• Incorporate Universal Design for Learning

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Universal Design for Learning

• Based on architectural principles of beautiful
  and appealing access for ALL
• http//cast.org/
• UDL incorporates multiple means of access
• Multiple means of representation - ways of
  acquiring information and knowledge,
• Multiple means of expression -alternatives for
  demonstrating what students know,
• Multiple means of engagement - tapping into
  learners' interests, offering appropriate
  challenges, and increasing motivation.

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What are the 3 Brain Networks?

• http//www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/tools/mai
  n.cfm?t_id10
• Recognition - What do you know?
• Strategic- What strategies do you use to learn?
• Affective - What emotional ties do you have to
  the content and what motivates you to
  learn/remember?
• (What are your first memories of when you
  discovered you LOVED mathematics/ science?)

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Post Panel Presentation Notes

• Preparation of teachers in mathematics and
  science who can address Special Population Needs
  is a national challenge
• Example of conversation with professor in state
  of Washington.
• Mathematics education class taught jointly with
  general and special education
• Challenge? Paradigms dont match

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Post Panel Presentation Notes

• No two students in a single exceptionality
  category are alike. Dont make assumptions about
  what a student can or cannot do. Use the
  diagnostic report that describes students
  strengths and need areas along with observations.
• What might be difficult for one exceptional
  student, may be the gift of another.
• Please convey and use your passion of mathematics
  and science and help each student find and
  develop theirs.

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Post Panel Presentation Notes

• Much of what I wanted to say was highlighted even
  better by the teachers from Union Elementary -
• The Affective Tie was demonstrated in engaging
  activities such as the Watermelon Seed Spitting
  Contest, The Multiplication Dance, etc.making
  learning enjoyable, Im SURE!!!

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Some of Dianes Favorite Resources for Teaching
Exceptional Students

• Didax materials
• Anything Marilyn Burns
• GEMS
• Bley, N.S. Thornton, C.A. (latest ed.) Teaching
  mathematics to students with learning
  disabilities. Austin pro-ed.
• Van de Walle, J.A. (latest ed.) Elementary and
  middle school mathematics Teaching
  developmentally. Boston Allyn Bacon.