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CHAPTER 3

Understanding Diversity

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

Chapter 3 presents issues concerning teachers’ responsibilities to the students from a diverse cultural background. In addition, approaches to meeting the individual educational needs of students with disabilities are discussed. Accommodations for students who are gifted and talented are also presented.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

I. Introduction

II.Serving All Students

A.Students at Risk

B. Culturally Diverse Students

C. Linguistically Diverse Students

D. Exceptional Students

E.Gender Differences

III.Guidelines for Promoting Academic Success

  1. Assume That All Students Can Learn
  2. Provide Good Teachers
  3. Teachers Must Be Aware of Their Own Cultural Perspectives
  4. Avoid Favoritism
  5. Include Diverse Students in Every Group
  6. Respond to Different Learning Styles
  7. Organize Curriculum around Relevant Themes
  8. Develop a Relationship with Students’ Families
  9. Emphasize Higher-Level Thinking Skills
  10. Use Conversations to Uncover Ways to Contextualize Instruction

IV. Key Ideas in Summary

V. Reflections

VI. Learning Extensions

VII. References

CHAPTER 3

KEY TERMS

Exceptional students

Minority students

Ethnicity

Learning styles

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Inclusion

Enrichment

Acceleration

CHAPTER 3

GUIDING QUESTIONS

1. What do teachers need to know about the ethnic and cultural diversity of their students?

2. What are the risk factors associated with students who drop out of school?

3. In the past, how did schools “blame the victim” and in turn avoid their responsibilities to provide quality education to minority group students?

4. What are the guidelines that help teachers promote better learning and better attitudes toward schooling among minority students?

5. In recent years, how have provisions changed for meeting the needs of students with disabilities?

6. How do general and special education teachers collaborate to provide delivery of services to students with disabilities?

7. What are the legislative mandates that must be followed in order to deliver instruction to students with disabilities?

8. What are the categories of disabilities of students that general education teachers should be familiar with?

9. How are students who are identified as gifted and talented served in schools?

Additional Class Activities

  1. Visit to read more in depth information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Pay particular attention to the Brief #13, Provisions of Special Interests to Teachers.
  1. Prepare a lesson plan in your content area that would be appropriate for a co-teaching situation with a special education teacher. Work in small groups to determine how to address content and implement individual instructional accommodations for students with disabilities included in the general education classroom.
  1. Research the term universally designed instruction. What is the definition? How is it implemented? Who should be responsible for its implementation?
  1. Interview several area school administrators to determine how teachers address cultural diversity in your community schools. Identify themes and issues that emerge from the interviews.
  1. Interview the parent of a child with a disability or an individual with a disability. Determine the particular challenges and successes these individuals have experienced and relate those findings to what you have learned about accommodating for diverse student needs.

Chapter 3

TEST BANK

True/False

1. True/FalseThe percentage of students who are members of minority groups has grown due to the increased numbers of students who are African-American.

2. True/FalseThe best teachers for minority students are strict disciplinarians.

3. True/FalseTeachers should avoid showing favoritism to any student.

4. True/FalseInstructional groupings of students should be racially and culturally diverse.

5. True/FalseStudents identified with speech impairments seldom suffer from low self-esteem.

6. True/False In general, people with mental retardation are described as (1) having intellectual development significantly below that of their age-mates and that (2) their potential for academic achievement is markedly less than so-called normal individuals.

Multiple Choice

  1. Over the past 25 years, the number of students participating in federal programs for learners with disabilities has increased by
  2. 30 percent.
  3. 20 percent.
  4. 16.5 percent.
  5. 50 percent.
  1. Conversations with minority students

A. may intrude into their personal lives.

B. may indicate favoritism toward those students.

C. help teachers contextualize instruction.

D. should be kept light and amusing.

  1. A student who is identified as a special education student may be described as each of the following except

A. emotional and/or behavioral difficulties.

B. learning disabilities.

C. physical disabilities.

D. gifted and talented.

  1. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 added a new principle to the original P.L. 94-142. It was that

A. students with disabilities must be served in the least restrictive environment.

B. transition services are provided.

C. parental participation is mandated.

D. schools must have zero rejects.

  1. New requirements that are part of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act of 1997 state that

A. regular classroom teachers who are teaching students with disabilities must be part of the Individualized Education Plan development.

B. students with special needs are excluded from state testing.

C. due process is provided for parents.

D. schools use multiple tests for identification services.

  1. Each of these categories should be considered for admitting a student to a program for gifted and talented students except

A. task commitment.

B. creativity.

C. emotional reactions.

D. intelligence.

  1. Enrichment programs

A. increase the pace of learning for gifted and talented students.

B. go beyond regular academic fare.

C. are only offered in secondary schools.

D. must be approved by parents.

  1. There are more enrichment programs for gifted and talented students because

A. students are able to be with older students.

B. parents choose this approach first.

C. they are much less expensive than accelerated programs.

D. implementation is done with fewer administrative changes.

Short Answer

  1. List at least five risk factors associated with students who do not do well in school.
  1. What are several guidelines for promoting success in school for minority students?
  1. Briefly state how students’ cultural backgrounds affect their learning styles?
  1. Briefly discuss some of the principles to follow in planning instruction for students who are identified as being at the educable level of mental retardation.
  1. Briefly discuss how students with severe hearing losses can be taught.

Discussion

  1. Describe the perspective of historic views of minorities and reflect on these explanations for these students’ lack of success in school.
  1. As a beginning teacher, how will you demonstrate that you believe all students can learn?
  1. What are the implications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for delivery of instruction to students with special needs?
  1. Discuss the reasons advocates support inclusive education.
  1. Discuss the issues associated with teaching students who have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.
  1. Describe the four principles that guide successful instruction for students with emotional disturbances and how those impact school performance and behaviors?
  1. As a teacher, what is your responsibility for introducing your students to diversity?
  1. Think about schools in which you are familiar. Have you ever seen evidence of racism or other forms of discrimination? How was it manifested?

ANSWER SHEET

CHAPTER 3

True/False

1.False

2.False

3.True

4.True

5.False

6.True

Multiple Choice

7.D

8.C

9.D

10.B

11.A

12.C

13.B

14.D

Short Answer

15.May include single parent families, public assistance, ESOL, sibling drop-outs, mother not a high-school graduate, five or more schools attended, homework time, no fun reading, too much television, little communication with parents about school, overage for grade level.

16.May include assuming all students can learn, good teachers, awareness of cultural perspectives, avoid favoritism, diverse groupings of students, address learning styles in instruction, relationships with families, higher-level thinking skills, conversations.

17.More people from one cultural group may have a given learning style than people from another cultural group.

18.Short, direct lessons; short, sequential steps; content introduced using prose, visual, and oral examples; peer tutors; clear directions; not highly competitive situations.

19.Use visual learning, face students directly, remain stationary.

Discussion

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