It is interesting how methodologies teaching immigrant students and methodologies teaching special education students are similar in different ways. I think that we depart from the idea that both groups need and deserve certain care and consideration to achieve success in school. If we want to teach for all, we have to consider the particular conditions of the different groups and individuals in the classroom, as it was put in the introduction of the Differentiation reading "practicing differentiated instruction, matching teaching to the needs of each learner , is an ideal way to help diversity thrive".
In one of our meetings with our coach we had already compare certain of these similarities, in teaching these two groups. And we have read a good number of articles so far in relation to differentiation, and I know it is our task now look for ways to articulate what we have read and our practice as teachers. But we have not read not much in relation to immigrant students; so, it is good to read something about it.
The first one is about how to support immigrant students, and gives "Ten principles of effective instruction for Immigrants Students". Some of the aspects that called my attention from the reading are:
- Immigrant teenagers bring a variety of experiences to the classroom that, if tapped, can serve as a springboard for new explorations that enrich everyone's experience.
- All subject matter classes must have a language focus as well.
- Teaching and learning focus on substantive ideas that are organized cyclically. Teachers must select the themes and concepts that are central to their discipline and to the curriculum.
- Good teachers of immigrant students continually search for metaphors and analogies that bring complex ideas closer to the students' world experiences.
- Complex and flexible forms of collaboration maximize learners' opportunities to interact while making sense of language and content.
Then the article refers to examples of applying the 10 principles to a successful experience on Calexico High School in Southern California; and how learning English is given utmost importance, but continuous development of students' academic skills is strongly supported too.
The article on differentiation bring us about the experiences of Master Teachers and how they have achieved differentiation in their classrooms, even before the term were used regularly. These strategies that the article says are at the center of the all the five master teachers are:
- Offering personalized scaffolding
- using flexible means to reach defined ends
- mining subject-area expertise
- Creating a caring classroom in which differences are seen as assets.
A good idea of the reading is also that we could see a video or visit life a classroom of one of these master teachers to see in practice parts of what we have read and discussed.
