EEND 675 Module 5 Discussion

Hello class,

As I mentioned before, I teach co-taught biology 3 periods of the day.  In any given classroom I could have as many as 15/30 students with IEP's plus a handful of 504's and ELL/ESL students.  Differentiating the lesson is a requirement almost every day because my classroom is so diverse as far as learning levels go.  In fact, some of my students read at a 3rd grade level while others will move on to honors or AP classes as a freshmen. 
Although most of the differentiating we do is with the delivery, or modifying labs, assignments, or assessments, I recently began using google screencastify as a means of differentiating my lectures for notes.  Because of the timeframe of the 45 minute period, sometimes I move faster than some students in the classroom can keep up, even with their modified, fill in the blank notes.  Other times, students could use more exposure to the material before they attempt a lab or assignment.  In order to provide these students a second opportunity, I began recording mini-lessons on key concepts using Screencastify.  This has allowed me to provide a second opportunity for students that same day, at a slower pace and with fewer distractions, to understand the material.  They also make great review videos for studying for exams, quizzes, or even the final.  Although I originally began these videos with students with IEP's in mind, I find that regular-Ed students use them as a study tool as well. 
I look forward to trying many of the tools posted by my classmates in this forum as our school going 1:1 has really opened up so many opportunities that I have yet to discover.  One of the many reasons this course has been so beneficial is all the collaboration that could come from these discussions.

Thank You,
JIM

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