Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine what learning strategies teachers were using with students and to support educators with two learning strategies that they could implement in their classes. Effective strategies were, and continue to be, important tools for general educators to have in their repertoire to best serve students with learning disabilities. This study explored the possibility that in regular education teachers were confused between strategies and modifications. The study's purpose was to determine if these educators used specific learning strategies to help students with learning disabilities. Finally, educators' opinions in regard to the use of specific learning strategies were gathered.
Method
The participants in the study were six middle school teachers in a suburban setting. The teachers had a variety of teaching experiences, ranging from 0.5 years, the newest, to the most experienced with 13 years in the general education setting. At the time of the study, they were teaching a variety of subjects: science, math, history, and English.
Teachers completed a survey answering five questions concerning experience, knowledge, and strategy use in their classes. Questions were designed to determine the educators' self-reported knowledge and use of specific strategies with students. The educators were also asked what strategies they used on an ongoing basis when working with students having learning disabilities.
After the initial data collection, the educators were taught two specific learning strategies: KWL, which was created by Ogle (1986), and a simple web, both used to build organizational skills. The KWL method relies on students' prior knowledge and future goals of learning. A simple web offers students a way to organize previously learned information. The teachers used these strategies over a 4-week period. They were told that if any problems, questions, or concerns arose while using these strategies that they were to discuss them with the researcher.
The educators used the strategies in their classes and then completed a follow-up survey that examined their understanding of using specific learning strategies in the classroom and beliefs concerning the effectiveness of these strategies in working with students with learning disabilities.
The purpose of this study was to determine what learning strategies teachers were using with students and to support educators with two learning strategies that they could implement in their classes. Effective strategies were, and continue to be, important tools for general educators to have in their repertoire to best serve students with learning disabilities. This study explored the possibility that in regular education teachers were confused between strategies and modifications. The study's purpose was to determine if these educators used specific learning strategies to help students with learning disabilities. Finally, educators' opinions in regard to the use of specific learning strategies were gathered.
Method
The participants in the study were six middle school teachers in a suburban setting. The teachers had a variety of teaching experiences, ranging from 0.5 years, the newest, to the most experienced with 13 years in the general education setting. At the time of the study, they were teaching a variety of subjects: science, math, history, and English.
Teachers completed a survey answering five questions concerning experience, knowledge, and strategy use in their classes. Questions were designed to determine the educators' self-reported knowledge and use of specific strategies with students. The educators were also asked what strategies they used on an ongoing basis when working with students having learning disabilities.
After the initial data collection, the educators were taught two specific learning strategies: KWL, which was created by Ogle (1986), and a simple web, both used to build organizational skills. The KWL method relies on students' prior knowledge and future goals of learning. A simple web offers students a way to organize previously learned information. The teachers used these strategies over a 4-week period. They were told that if any problems, questions, or concerns arose while using these strategies that they were to discuss them with the researcher.
The educators used the strategies in their classes and then completed a follow-up survey that examined their understanding of using specific learning strategies in the classroom and beliefs concerning the effectiveness of these strategies in working with students with learning disabilities.
Results
Keeping in mind the difference between strategies (techniques that enable a student to solve problems and complete tasks independently) and accommodations (a change in course materials or standards that provide access for a student), the initial questionnaire asked the educators to name all the specific strategies that they knew and those they used in their classrooms on a regular basis. The educators gave 40 total responses to these two questions of which only one was a teaching strategy; the other responses were about accommodations for students with learning disabilities.
The teachers were also asked to rank their knowledge of specific strategies for working with students with learning disabilities. The average of the respondents was 2.6 on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = little knowledge and 5 = highly knowledgeable). Only one of the educators gave a response above 3. Three of the educators gave responses of 2.
The follow-up questionnaire and reflection sessions held with the educators resulted in what we believed was growth for the educators and their knowledge concerning specific learning strategies. When asked how effective the educators thought these two specific learning strategies were in helping students, the average response was 4.
One educator stated that she had just completed a unit of study before beginning to use the strategies with the class period chosen. After 4 weeks of using these two strategies, she reported that the class average for the following unit was up 4 points. She also reported that she had introduced how to use these specific learning strategies to all classes throughout the day.
In using the KWL in a math class, one participant reported that it was a "great way for students to organize their understanding." He stated that it made it easier for his students with learning disabilities to ask questions in class and to ask for help. There seemed to be two distinct reasons for this: (a) the students were not as embarrassed to ask questions that would make them "look stupid" in front of the class because other students were asking questions and (b) the students had not forgotten their questions because they had them written down. This educator also felt that the KWL was a great wrap-up activity for teachers to use daily that would help them to meet the challenge looked for on the P.D.A.S. Finally, this teacher reflected on the educational gain for his students; he felt that the students benefited greatly from the use of the KWL in math class.
The other issue that came up for several of the educators was how to get the students to use the strategies independently. Two of the six educators commented that the students needed to be "trained" in using the strategies. They stated that when they modeled the strategy it worked very well for the students, but when they asked the students to use the strategy on their own they "struggled." I asked the educators if they had taken time to explain the strategy and purpose to the students, but they had not, with the exception of showing them through modeling during the first few weeks. It was decided that it would be most effective for students if the purpose was explained and modeling occurred on a daily basis until the students were secure in using a new strategy.
Finally, in reflections with each educator, they all stated that they had heard of both of these learning strategies at some point in their educational careers but had never used them. The English teacher occasionally used the webbing strategy for "some classes at times." The only strategy that was named by four of the six teachers was peer tutoring, which had been an in-service that these four teachers had attended the week before completing the first survey. Each teacher, with the one exception noted above, stated they had never used these strategies in their classes. Four of the educators said they had forgotten about them; the other two never used the strategies due to a lack of confidence on their part.
Reflection
This action research project has been informative to me and to the educators. The initial learning for me was the confirmation that teachers were confused about what specific learning strategies are, and this confusion generated from the idea that accommodations are learning strategies. These knowledgeable and competent professionals mirror the confusion that most educators seem to possess in this area.
Effective learning strategies are an important tool for educators to use in the classroom for all students, in particular those with learning disabilities. Usage would help to promote ownership of information and lead to better educational outcomes for students. I now understand how important it is for educators to teach, model, and follow up in using the strategies in the classroom.
Recommendations
1. Provide educators inservice trainings in the use and purpose of specific learning strategies that can be used in an inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities;
2. Furnish educators inservice trainings in the purpose of accommodations or specific learning strategies to ensure proper use and understanding in the classroom;
3. Ensure specific learning strategies be taught and used across the curriculum to promote generalization; and
4. Maximize inservice trainings to ensure that students gain maximum benefits from these sessions.
Summary
This study focused on the knowledge and use of specific learning strategies by general education teachers when working in the inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities. These educators were confused about accommodations versus learning strategies. They were also willing to learn anything that would possibly help the students.
Educators need to have inservice trainings in the use and purpose of specific learning strategies that can be used in an inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities. These strategies need to be taught to the students as well and used across the curriculum to promote generalization. The educators need to model the use of these strategies and incorporate them into the normal daily activities of their classrooms. Using specific learning strategies in an inclusive setting is a positive tool for both students with learning disabilities and educators.
Keeping in mind the difference between strategies (techniques that enable a student to solve problems and complete tasks independently) and accommodations (a change in course materials or standards that provide access for a student), the initial questionnaire asked the educators to name all the specific strategies that they knew and those they used in their classrooms on a regular basis. The educators gave 40 total responses to these two questions of which only one was a teaching strategy; the other responses were about accommodations for students with learning disabilities.
The teachers were also asked to rank their knowledge of specific strategies for working with students with learning disabilities. The average of the respondents was 2.6 on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = little knowledge and 5 = highly knowledgeable). Only one of the educators gave a response above 3. Three of the educators gave responses of 2.
The follow-up questionnaire and reflection sessions held with the educators resulted in what we believed was growth for the educators and their knowledge concerning specific learning strategies. When asked how effective the educators thought these two specific learning strategies were in helping students, the average response was 4.
One educator stated that she had just completed a unit of study before beginning to use the strategies with the class period chosen. After 4 weeks of using these two strategies, she reported that the class average for the following unit was up 4 points. She also reported that she had introduced how to use these specific learning strategies to all classes throughout the day.
In using the KWL in a math class, one participant reported that it was a "great way for students to organize their understanding." He stated that it made it easier for his students with learning disabilities to ask questions in class and to ask for help. There seemed to be two distinct reasons for this: (a) the students were not as embarrassed to ask questions that would make them "look stupid" in front of the class because other students were asking questions and (b) the students had not forgotten their questions because they had them written down. This educator also felt that the KWL was a great wrap-up activity for teachers to use daily that would help them to meet the challenge looked for on the P.D.A.S. Finally, this teacher reflected on the educational gain for his students; he felt that the students benefited greatly from the use of the KWL in math class.
The other issue that came up for several of the educators was how to get the students to use the strategies independently. Two of the six educators commented that the students needed to be "trained" in using the strategies. They stated that when they modeled the strategy it worked very well for the students, but when they asked the students to use the strategy on their own they "struggled." I asked the educators if they had taken time to explain the strategy and purpose to the students, but they had not, with the exception of showing them through modeling during the first few weeks. It was decided that it would be most effective for students if the purpose was explained and modeling occurred on a daily basis until the students were secure in using a new strategy.
Finally, in reflections with each educator, they all stated that they had heard of both of these learning strategies at some point in their educational careers but had never used them. The English teacher occasionally used the webbing strategy for "some classes at times." The only strategy that was named by four of the six teachers was peer tutoring, which had been an in-service that these four teachers had attended the week before completing the first survey. Each teacher, with the one exception noted above, stated they had never used these strategies in their classes. Four of the educators said they had forgotten about them; the other two never used the strategies due to a lack of confidence on their part.
Reflection
This action research project has been informative to me and to the educators. The initial learning for me was the confirmation that teachers were confused about what specific learning strategies are, and this confusion generated from the idea that accommodations are learning strategies. These knowledgeable and competent professionals mirror the confusion that most educators seem to possess in this area.
Effective learning strategies are an important tool for educators to use in the classroom for all students, in particular those with learning disabilities. Usage would help to promote ownership of information and lead to better educational outcomes for students. I now understand how important it is for educators to teach, model, and follow up in using the strategies in the classroom.
Recommendations
1. Provide educators inservice trainings in the use and purpose of specific learning strategies that can be used in an inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities;
2. Furnish educators inservice trainings in the purpose of accommodations or specific learning strategies to ensure proper use and understanding in the classroom;
3. Ensure specific learning strategies be taught and used across the curriculum to promote generalization; and
4. Maximize inservice trainings to ensure that students gain maximum benefits from these sessions.
Summary
This study focused on the knowledge and use of specific learning strategies by general education teachers when working in the inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities. These educators were confused about accommodations versus learning strategies. They were also willing to learn anything that would possibly help the students.
Educators need to have inservice trainings in the use and purpose of specific learning strategies that can be used in an inclusive setting with students with learning disabilities. These strategies need to be taught to the students as well and used across the curriculum to promote generalization. The educators need to model the use of these strategies and incorporate them into the normal daily activities of their classrooms. Using specific learning strategies in an inclusive setting is a positive tool for both students with learning disabilities and educators.
