Brainstorming Activity: Consider the intersection of Multiple Intelligences, Differentiated Instruction, and Special Education. Working with a partner or partners spend a few minutes brainstorming ways that you could use MI and/or DI to meet the learning needs of students with special needs. Try to think of at least three instructional adaptations you would make to the learning environment, the curriculum, and assessments for students. Please write your ideas on the large post-its.

Instructional

• Use many mediums to touch on all learning styles.
  • Ex.: technology, videos, tours, drama, music, group work, lectures
• Various teaching strategies
• Strength based instruction
• Choices
  • Ex.: Webquest, readers theater research project; write song/poem)
• Ongoing assessment of instruction based on students’ needs.
• Multiple activities throughout units for varied activities/MI types … listening, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, graphs, concept mapping
• Collaborative grouping/peer teaching (flexible grouping)
• Multiple levels of activities
• Developing a UDL (Universal Design for Learning) (Administration)
• Don’t teach to the test!  BE CREATIVE!
• Acknowledge multiple ways to accomplish a task (more than one right way)
• Individualized according to student needs.
• Modeling, Visual, Verbal
• Need variety or range of styles.
• Provide multiple ways of getting information (input). 
  • Ex.: Auditory, experience based, traditional, motor-paired activities
• Modify lectures, homework assignments based on individual needs
  • Ex.: Use of flash cards, quick boards, verbal prompting, “Focus on Key Points,” Linking learned material with new material
• Hearing, Acting, Watching – Shakespeare
• Variety of Activities – Group work, individual work
• Variety of materials: copies of notes
• Portfolio projects – small group or individual incorporating different things like writing, art, food, etc.
• Emphasize intrapersonal – how do they feel about education
• Look at the “big picture”
• Use non-traditional methods/be flexible
• Guided choice in project: one student could make a poster, one student could create a song, one student could write a poem, etc.
• Teacher provides material in variety of ways: lecture, group work, mind map
• Hands on/Exploration/Inquiry Projects
• Differentiated Activities that are geared to MI
• Use of Brain Gym
• Drinking Water
• Active, visual, and tactile
• Pick an interest and carry through on themes of interest to person
• Peers
• Visual representation of ideas
• Experiential art integration
• Alternative methods of communication for all students
• Integration of all student’s cultural background and traditions
• Sharing of personal stories/experiences
• Mentorship within classroom and community
• Community service
• Teaching through song
• Modeling – visual and verbal
• Peer instruction
• Cooperative learning – vary ability and learning or “intelligence”
• Variety of tasks – choice, oral, visual
• Access to variety of material – manipulatives
• Provide cultural context for MI

Environmental

• Movement
• Change of scenery
• Stimulating environment
  • Ex.: plants, color, texture, music
• Accessible to all
• Comfortable/inviting
  • Ex.: Pillows on floor to read; comfy chairs
• Look at students’ needs and determine room set up, lighting, items on wall, noise level, small group/large group instruction, material/textures.
• Provide varied stimuli (color, lighting, sound, texture) in classrooms.
• Room set up for flexibility
  • Ex.: Collaborative groups, physically accessible
• Multiple types of learning materials/tools
  • Ex.: Computers, books, different mediums for writing.
• Teachers language matches learning style: Receptive and Expressive (Cultural, Disabilities)
• Doesn’t have to be limited to classroom (outdoor, other environment)
• Individualized according to student needs
• Centers, partners
• Inviting classroom, comfortable, student driven
• Provide areas of learning geared toward individual sensory needs
  • Ex.: Quiet areas, lighting needs, etc.
• Class position for comfort
• Class size
• Consistency within classroom
• Change the room design
  • Ex.: Seating arrangement
• Classroom environment
  • Ex.: Whats on the walls, lighting, windows
• Variety – class outside on nice day to learn about nature (tactile)
• No seating charts à emphasize comfort and safety
• Have students influence room decorations
• Use humor
• FM Amplifier can be used to aid auditory learners
• Variety of seating/arrangements (options)
• Classroom environment
  • Window open/cozy corner
  • Subtle lighting/bright light/lamp in corner
  • Area rug
  • Students can eat wile working
• Quiet music
• Lamp Light
• Cooperative groups – peer support interactions
• Island spots – to be by themselves
• Remove distractions/posters, post-it notes, Velcro
• Creative Materials
• Physical access to environment
• Multi-age classrooms
• Learning outdoors – field trips
• Creating a climate of respect for diversity/different learning styles
• Team-building
• Student work displayed
• Flexible grouping
• Visually representing classroom process and procedures
• Music
• Acknowledge diversity of styles and intelligences – build community

 Assessment

• Use of many different mediums to assess
• Oral
• Written
• Discussion in a group
• Projects
• Individual growth
• Presume Competence
• Portfolio Assessment, Family Involvement/Input
• Individual supports/accommodations
• Authentic vs. Standardized
  • Ex.: Journal, portfolios, demo. Projects
• Student self-assessment: Can recognize their own progress in learning and setting own goals à increase motivation; makes them a partner in learning
• Individualized according to student needs
• Offer a variety of ways to assess understanding and mastery
  • Ex.: Show & Tell, journals, skits, acting out
• Provide multiple ways for students to demonstrate knowledge.
• Communicate evaluation expectations so students know exactly what they are working toward
• Allow the students different ways to express their own work
  • Ex.: Economics Rap
• Gives the teacher a variety of materials to see, or keep as examples for future students
• Papers/Projects versus always multiple choice assessment
• Different types – verbal, group
• Kinesthetic learner – thumbs up/thumbs down
• Group work – student choice
• Informal/formal – multiple sources
• Based – effort, time put into it, decision making
• Variety – based on levels – different expectations and choices in materials for projects and choices in the type of project
• Orally
• Demonstration
• Tape Record Homework
• Find and appropriate method
• Discussion based
• Visual representation
• Portfolio/project based
• Ongoing assessment
• Self-assessment
• Assess learning profile
• Varied Assessments
  • Ex.:  Portfolios, use of graphic organizers, student interview, kid watching, assess reasoning through open-ended questions, differentiation – student choice