• II-A-3: Meeting Diverse Needs
    Unsatisfactory
    Needs Improvement
    Proficient
    Exemplary
    Uses limited and/or inappropriate practices to accommodate differences. May use some appropriate practices to accommodate differences, but fails to address an adequate range of differences. Uses appropriate practices, including tiered instruction and scaffolds, to accommodate differences in learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness, including those of students with disabilities and English learners. Uses a varied repertoire of practices to create structured opportunities for each student to meet or exceed state standards/local curriculum and behavioral expectations. Is able to model this element.
    Coming Soon
    What instructional practices should be observed? What student impacts should be expected?
    For TEACHERS this may look like.

    1. Teacher does not maintain record of student IEPs and English language proficiency, student learning styles, interests, and needs.

    1. Teacher may maintain basic record of student IEPs and English language proficiency, but has little information on student learning styles, interests, and needs.

    1. Teacher maintains records of student IEPs, English language proficiency, learning styles, interests, and needs.

    1. Teacher maintains up-to-date records of student IEPs, English language proficiency, learning styles, interests, and needs.

    1. Teacher rarely plans or delivers lessons or assessments designed to reach students with diverse, learning styles, and needs.

    1. Teacher inconsistently plans or delivers lessons or assessments designed to reach students with diverse, learning styles, and needs.

    1. Teacher frequently uses students' learning styles, interests, and needs to plan lesson and homework tasks, design assessments, group students, and differentiate the timing and content of assigned tasks.

    1. Teacher consistently uses students' learning styles, interests, and needs to plan diverse, standards-aligned lesson and homework tasks, design varied types of standards-aligned assessments, group students, and differentiate the timing and content of assigned tasks.

    1. Teacher does not identify clear behavioral expectations.

    1. Teacher may state behavioral expectations, but expectations are either not well defined, developmentally inappropriate, or students are not supported in meeting them.

    1. Teacher frequently supports students in meeting developmentally appropriate academic and behavioral expectations.

    1. Teacher consistently supports students in meeting rigorous and developmentally appropriate behavioral expectations.

    1. Teacher does not follow previously established classroom routines or procedures.

    1. Teacher provides classroom resources that are not fully accessible to all students.

    1. Teacher ensures that all students can access all classroom resources.

    1. Teacher ensures that all students can access all classroom resources.
    As a result, the IMPACT on STUDENTS may be...

    1. Most students are off-task, unfocused and displaying minimal effort for most of the lesson.

    1. Some students are on-task, focused or displaying high levels of effort for parts of the lesson.

    1. Most students are on-task, focused and displaying high levels of effort for most of the lesson.

    1. Nearly all students are on-task, focused and displaying high levels of effort for nearly the entire lesson.

    1. When prompted, students are unable to articulate more than one method to demonstrate knowledge or access information.

    1. When prompted, some students articulate multiple methods to demonstrate knowledge and access information.

    1. When prompted, most students articulate multiple methods to demonstrate knowledge and access information.

    1. When prompted, students accurately articulate multiple methods to demonstrate knowledge and access information.

    1. Most students do not receive all necessary in-class supports or modifications as outlined in IEPs or ELL guidelines.

    1. Students inconsistently receive all necessary in-class supports or modifications as outlined in IEPs or ELL guidelines.

    1. Students generally receive all necessary in-class supports or modifications as outlined in IEPs or ELL guidelines.

    1. Students consistently receive all necessary in-class supports or modifications as outlined in IEPs or ELL guidelines.
    Name Description Type
    Ms. Rheaume, Umana Academy 
     
     4th Grade, Math Lesson
    Meeting Diverse Needs 
    		   Rheaume
    Coming Soon
    Resource Name Description Resource Type
    new! WIDA 2020 Standards The WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition serves as a resource for planning and implementing language curriculum, instruction and assessment for multilingual learners. Website
    new! Universal Design for Learning Find out how the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials that can be customized and adjusted to meet individual needs. Website
    new! Multiple Intelligences Theory: Widely Used, Yet Misunderstood One of the most popular ideas in education is applied in ways that its creator never intended. Article
    Carol Tomlinson (2010): Learning and Managing a Differentiated Classroom Book blurb: “While most books on classroom management focus on keeping kids in their seats and giving good directions, here is a breakthrough guide that explains how to lead a class that is differentiated to individual students’ needs. The top authority on differentiated instruction, Carol Ann Tomlinson, teams up with educator and consultant Marcia B. Imbeau to outfit you with everything you need to deal with time, space, materials, groups, and strategies in ways that balance content requirements with multiple pathways for learning." Book
    Carol Tomlinson (1999): Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction.   Article
    Universal design From the website: The term UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that:provides flexibility in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways that students are engaged. It also reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports and challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient. Website
    Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p86). Book
    Howard Gardner, 9 intelligences

    Howard Gardner claims that all human beings have multiple intelligences. These multiple intelligences can be nurtured and strengthened, or ignored and weakened. He believes each individual has nine intelligences:

    1. Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence – well-developed verbal skills and sensitivity to the sounds, meanings and rhythms of words
    2. Mathematical-Logical Intelligence – ability to think conceptually and abstractly, and capacity to discern logical or numerical patterns
    3. Musical Intelligence – ability to produce and appreciate rhythm, pitch and timber
    4. Visual-Spatial Intelligence – capacity to think in images and pictures, to visualize accurately and abstractly
    5. Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence – ability to control one's body movements and to handle objects skillfully
    6. Interpersonal Intelligence – capacity to detect and respond appropriately to the moods, motivations and desires of others.
    7. Intrapersonal Intelligence – capacity to be self-aware and in tune with inner feelings, values, beliefs and thinking processes
    8. Naturalist Intelligence – ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals and other objects in nature
    9. Existential Intelligence – sensitivity and capacity to tackle deep questions about human existence, such as the meaning of life, why do we die, and how did we get here.
    		 Books
    Howard Gardner, 9 intelligences More explanation of Gardner's Intelligences Website
    Scaffolding of learning "Scaffolding is breaking up the learning into chunks and then providing a tool, or structure, with each chunk." Website
    PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports is a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students. Website
    Task analysis Task analysis “involves breaking a complex skill into smaller, teachable units, the product of which is a series of sequentially ordered steps or tasks ...[helpful in determining the] sequence of behaviors that are necessary and sufficient to complete a given task efficiently." Book
    Task analysis "Task analysis is the process of breaking a skill down into smaller, more manageable components. Once a task analysis is complete, it can be used to teach learners ... a skill that is too challenging to teach all at once." Activity
    Boston Public Schools: Office of Multilingual and Multicultural Education (OMME) Resources recommended by the BPS OMME Website
    Boston Public Schools: Office of Specialized Services (formerly Special Education) Resources recommended by the BPS Office of Specialized Services Website
    Common Core and English Language Learners   Website
    Multiple Intelligences: Best Ideas from Research and Practice This book is based on the original research from Harvard’s Project Zero led by Howard Gardner. This resource details how to incorporate Multiple Intelligence Theory into existing curriculum. The book gives accounts from over 40 schools through case studies and detailed analyses. Book
    Differentiation in Action: A Complete Resource With Research-Supported Strategies to Help You Plan and Organize Differentiated Instruction and Achieve Success With All Learners, Grades 4 and Up This book helps to connect differentiation research with practice. The book helps teachers translate research into action, inform their instruction through ongoing and frequent assessments, access multiple pathways for learning, foster intrinsic motivation, use instructional intelligence and flexible groupings, harness the power of visual tools, scaffold instruction for struggling learners, and provide challenging options for advanced learners. Book
    Differentiation: From Planning to Practice, Grades 6-12 This book breaks down the process of creating a differentiated lesson. This resource shows middle school and high school teachers the behind-the-scenes planning that goes into effective lesson design for diverse classrooms. Book
    Creating a Welcoming Classroom Environment for ELL's    
    English Language Learner Instruction in Middle and High School Video discussion of ELL's, their needs, effective instructional practices, etc. from Colorin Colorado and the American Federation of Teachers  
    Do you have a resource that you want to recommend for this element? Email us at eval@bostonpublicschools.org with the subject line "Interactive Rubric Resource Recommendation" in the email