NEW WORK ADDRESSES LEARNING METHODS IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Two University of Arkansas professors who have been using similar educational methods to teach gifted and talented students and students with disabilities have a plan to bring U.S. classrooms closer to the goal of "no child left behind." They have written a monograph to help teachers work better with developmentally disabled students in the general education classroom.

"The schools are under the gun and under the microscope to make sure all students learn," said associate professor of education Marcia Imbeau. Their research offers strategies to address the needs of today’s teachers, schools and communities.

In the monograph, University of Arkansas education professors Imbeau and Barbara Gartin, Nikki Murdick of St. Louis University and Darlene Perner, at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, offer practical strategies that allow teachers to match what they’re teaching to the abilities of individual students.

"We have to watch out for the boredom factor," Gartin said. Students who find work too easy—or too difficult—can potentially disrupt a classroom.

But student ability forms only part of the picture: the researchers suggest allowing students to pursue projects that reflect their interests.

"The motivation to learn is a lot higher," Imbeau said. "It doesn’t matter what the learning differences are—all kids have interests."

Imbeau and Gartin say teachers should pay attention to the whole classroom environment. Do they have places students can go to lounge around for a few minutes, or to use computers? Is there a quiet time or place in the classroom for students who struggle to concentrate when there are distractions?

"The whole learning climate makes a big difference," Imbeau said.

The researchers suggest putting together a "planning pyramid." The base of the pyramid represents material that all students should learn. The middle of the pyramid represents what most, but not all, students should learn. The tip of the pyramid represents what some students will learn. The material presented to the class can then be built off of the base, with individual projects and self-exploration for students ready to learn more.

"It gives kids who have a special interest a chance to go to the peak of the pyramid," Gartin said.

The monograph gives teachers practical tips that they can use in the classroom, including introduction to and advice on tiered lessons, learning centers and instructional technology. These strategies can be used for students of all abilities, and Imbeau, a national instructor of gifted and talented programs for teachers, has incorporated this material for use in her workshops.

Changes can be challenging for educators, but teachers must stay current to help their students learn better, according to Imbeau.

"Good teachers are always having to change what they do," Imbeau said.

The monograph has been sent to all members of the Division on Developmental Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children, an international organization. It is available through the council by calling 1-888-232-7733.