[HOME] [teacher vistas] [online training] [FAQs] [forums] [resources] [links] [contact us] 10-01-2000 FEATURE ARTICLE Planning High Quality Assignments in Diverse Classrooms By: Joyce A. Rademacher, Associate Professor of Special Education As one who prepares future teachers, I am often reminded that the nature of teacher preparation must change if we are to improve teaching and learning for children and youth in today's schools. National and state reform initiatives encourage collaboration among universities, school districts, local education agencies, community agencies, businesses, parents, and the students themselves in order to create the kind of classroom learning community that develops successful learners and citizens (Darling- Hammond, Griffin, & Wise, 1992; Goodlad, 1990; Holmes Group, 1992; Cowart & Rademacher, 1998). The nature of my work with student teachers who plan to become general educators requires that I to prepare them to collaborate with special educators to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population. For example, it is likely that in a collection of 100 students, there may be 9 or 10 students with specific learning disabilities, students with emotional/behavioral differences, gifted and talented students, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and/or students at risk for school failure due to a lack of motivation to learn (Lewis & Doorlag, 1995). This places a heavy burden on these new teachers, who must gear instruction to meet the needs of all members of the class. The nature of my work with future special educators requires that I better equip them with the knowledge and skill to work in collaboration with general education for the improvement of classroom instruction (Council for Exceptional Children, 1995). As more and more special education students are included in general education classrooms, it is necessary to investigate co-planning and co-teaching arrangements that benefit not only students with special needs, but all other academically diverse learners in the class as well. Together, special and general educators must focus their efforts on understanding how students are both alike and different. Then, they must arrange instruction and assignments to achieve particular instructional goals that are motivating for students to acquire. One way to promote active learning and increase motivation to learn is through "student choice." Deci and Ryan (1985) claimed that activities in which choice is allowed are more compelling than similar activities in which no choice is given. Other theorists claim that intrinsic motivation is enhanced when students are provided with opportunities to exert control, to determine their fate, or at least have a perception that they are doing so (Lepper, 1985; Miller, 1980) While students have limited opportunities for choice throughout their schooling experiences (Glasser, 1990), one way to include choices for students is through classroom assignments. In my earlier research surrounding assignment completion, I found the element of student choice to be an important characteristic in designing high-quality assignments that are meaningful and motivating for students in inclusive settings (Rademacher, Schumaker, and Deshler, 1996). Similarly, when choices are offered to college students for the format of their assignments and how to complete them, they are more likely to extend their knowledge of content in ways that are unique to their own way of learning (Rademacher, Hildreth, Walker & Callahan, 1998). Very importantly, forming Assignment Expert Teams for the purpose of helping the teacher plan assignments in general education classrooms has the potential to increase assignment-completion rate and quality of work by all students in the class (Rademacher, Cowart, Sparks, & Chism, 1997). Click here to view the rest of the article Archived Feature Articles 01-NOV-02 20 Ways To.... Work Effectively with Paraeducators in Inclusive Settings Cathryn G. Riggs 01-APR-02 Three Steps for Gaining Access to the General Education Curriculum for Learners with Disabilities Margaret E. King-Sears 01-DEC-01 Accessing the Curriculum Creating Instructional Rubrics for Inclusive Classrooms Catharine R. Whittaker ? Spencer J. Salend ? Devon Duhaney 01-OCT-01 Responding to Student Concerns about Fairness Ann B. Welch November/December 2000, Teaching Exceptional Children, 33, (2) 36-40. 01-SEP-01 What?s Good? Suggested Resources for Beginning Special Education Teachers By: Sharon A. Maroney 01-JUN-01 Bright Futures for Exceptional Learners: An Action Agenda to Achieve Quality Conditions for Teaching and Learning Reprinted with Permission from CEC Today Online by the Commission on the Conditions for Special Education Teaching and Learning 01-MAR-01 Vocabulary Development: A Collaborative Effort for Teaching Content Vocabulary SUSAN S. JOHNSTON, BETH L. TULBERT, JOAN P. SEBASTIAN, 01-FEB-01 Tips for Communicating Academic Progress DR. JANE B. PEMBERTON, Assistant Professor of Special Education 01-JAN-01 The Good Student Game: Behavior Management for Diverse Classrooms ALLISON E. BABYAK, GAYLE J. LUZE, AND DEBRA M. KAMPS 01-DEC-00 Cooperative Learning and Social Skills: What Skills to Teach and How to Teach Them By: Marilyn W. Goodwin 01-NOV-00 Strategies and Resources to Evaluate the Impact of Inclusion Programs on Students By: Spencer J. Salend, Associate Professor of Special Education 01-OCT-00 Planning High Quality Assignments in Diverse Classrooms By: Joyce A. Rademacher, Associate Professor of Special Education 01-SEP-00 Boldly Going Where Angels Fear to Tread By: KAREN D. HOWELLS 01-AUG-00 Myths and Misunderstandings about Professional Collaboration By Marilyn Friend  Back to this month's feature article
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