Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Objectives:
1. Discuss diversity in today’s middle and high school
2. Cultural Harmony
a. Learning is meaningful when culture facilitates rather than impedes
i. Home language or highly visual printed materials
ii. Peer tutoring with similar students in small groups is less
threatening
iii. Culturally familiar role models (Hispanic Biologist)
iv. Hands-on and experimental activities
b. “Border Crossing” impedes learning
i. Logic, ambiguity, evidence over authority may not be valued
ii. Teacher needs to find out about these difference
3. Countering Racism
a. Blatant racism in texts and teacher is not usually a problem anymore
b. Ignorance is still a problem
i. Anatomy using pig may be offensive to Jewish students
ii. Evolution instruction may be offensive to fundamentalists
c. Learning styles
i. Dominant white culture usually independent learners
ii. Other cultures: personal, one-on-one, collaborative learners
4. Modifications
a. Activity oriented rather than language oriented lessons
b. Emphasize structure, redundancy, enthusiasm, pace
c. Partner regular students with disabled students
d. Use checklists for students to monitor own behavior
e. Reduce abstraction; break into parts
f. Use performance assessments to access understanding
C. Physical Disabilities
1. Visual Impairments
a. Range from blindness to narrow field of vision to extreme
nearsightedness
b. Language used can make a big difference
i. here, there, near, over there are meaningless
ii. Specific language useful: “the table against the back wall”
c. Physical considerations: good lighting, seated near chalkboard, large
printed materials, etc…
d. Laboratory
i. Projected microscope images
ii. “Smellable” acid/base indicators
iii. Safety precautions must be reconsidered in context of abilities
2. Hearing Impairments
a. Challenges
i. Reading skills may be delayed due to difficult initial instruction
ii. Social barrier because of lack of communication with peers
iii. Language and speech is often the main focus of education
b. Inquiry and activity-oriented experiences most useful
c. Don’t “forget” about the impairment: students will fake comprehension
d. Wear microphone direct to student
e. Modifications
i. Repeat questions asked by other students before answering
ii. Use visual aids; close caption videos
iii. Arrange to get notes from teacher or other students
iv. Write new science terms on the chalkboard