Group: Laura Cittadini, Chiara Turci, Anna Roberts and Diana Nunn EDUC3622

EDUC 3622 Thinking and Working Mathematically Unit Plan

School and Class This unit plan will be designed around a middle class public school containing students with various socio-economic statuses. The specific class selected for the unit plan will have 25 students, two with specific learning difficulties. One child will be from a non-English speaking background and the other with have auditory processing disorder. The plan will include specific methods of managing these childrens learning, ensuring they receive the best possible education. ACARA Connections Measurement and Geometry Using Units of Measurement Outcomes: Tell time to the quarter-hour, using the language of past and to Name and order the months and seasons Use a calendar to identify the date and determine the number of days in each month The aims of the two week unit will revolve around these three ACARA outcomes. Students will revise previously learnt time concepts and expand their knowledge to be able to tell the time the hour, half hour, and quarter hour using correct vocabulary. Furthermore, students will practice naming the months and seasons and be able to correctly order them. Various methods will be used to reinforce the concept of time as well as telling the time. Additionally, students will use calendars to identify the date and determine how many days are in each month. Aims and Learning Outcomes Aims Students: Improve their knowledge of analogue and digital clocks Understand the importance of time and the role it plays in everyday life Can tell time to the quarter hour Learn where the numbers are placed on an analogue clock Use various methods to learn how time is used throughout their lives Understand the concept of time Learn the names of the months and seasons Can correctly order the months and seasons Learn and order days of the weeks Recognise sequence of a day (e.g. morning, midday, afternoon, evening) Distinguish typical weather patterns of the season

Outcomes By the end of this unit students will: Understand the importance of using time in their lives Know the difference between an analogue and digital clock
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Group: Laura Cittadini, Chiara Turci, Anna Roberts and Diana Nunn EDUC3622

Know how to correctly place the numbers on an analogue clock Know how to match the times on an analogue and digital clock Be able to tell the time to the quarter hour Know the names and order of the seasons and months Sequence familiar daily events (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner etc.) Navigate a calendar Be able to recognise repetition in

Meeting the needs of all students

Auditory Processing Disorder : (APD)

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is associated with many learning difficulties and is often quite hard to distinguish between it and related disorders (attention deficit disorders, autism, dyslexia) during diagnoses, as the differences are very subtle and easy to mistake for other characteristics (Peer & Reid, 2012). APD involves a child being unable to successfully respond to and process auditory information within the brain (Paul, 2008). A child can often feel overwhelmed in an environment where there are lots of different sounds occurring at once, especially in classrooms, as they are unable to cope with and process different noises (Paul, 2008). Children with APD will require extra support as they will often have difficulty concentrating and completing tasks. APD does not only affect the Childs ability to hear and listen, children can also have trouble with basic tasks such as reading, writing, retaining and organising information and understanding (Lovett & Johnson, 2010). It is common that children with APD are often mistaken for having a lack of interest or behavioural problems; therefore it is important to support children with APD better be able to function and feel more comfortable within the classroom environment. The main ways of producing more effective outcomes for children with APD involves environmental adaptations and learnt listening behaviours, or auditory training (Lovett & Johnson, 2010). The teacher needs to allow the child extra time to process information and completing tasks by compensating in the following ways; using listening devices (microphones, ear transmitters, earplugs), visual and verbal cues, training/learning strategies (iPad programmes), minimising background noise, arrangement of desks/seating (smaller groups), peer assistance programmes, providing clear instructions that are easy to refer back to visually, minimising listening time and frequently demonstrating and modelling expectations (Arizona State University Department of Speech and Hearing Science, 2009).

Group: Laura Cittadini, Chiara Turci, Anna Roberts and Diana Nunn EDUC3622

Gifted Students Gifted and talented students are able to work to a higher degree than non-gifted students in a variety of ways. They are often able to work with hypothetical ideas and have an effective memory, an advanced language capability, preference to work alone, and ability to produce unique ideas (ACT Department of Education and Training, 2008). Their superior cognitive development is correlated to a high level of emotional awareness, resulting in high emotional intelligence and a higher variety of emotional responses to situations (ACT Department of Education and Training, 2008). Although many believe that these students have an advantage throughout school and life, this is often not the case. Some students are able to use their abilities to excel through school and university, but other students have serious difficulties. Due to their heightened emotional intelligence and preference to work alone, these students can have trouble relating to other students their age (ACT Department of Education and Training, 2008). As a result, these students may spend a lot time alone and may be unable to relate to their peers emotionally. Furthermore, these students need extra intellectual stimulation. Without this, they can become bored easily, leading to misbehaviour and underachievement. Many students in this situation are assigned to special classes with other gifted students. This can work for some students, but when they attend a school without this option, other strategies are needed. In a classroom situation, the educator needs to ensure that these students receive constant and heightened stimulation (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2007). An Individual Learning Plan (ILP) requiring high achievement should be created specifically for this student to ensure they receive extra, enrichment, or extended work (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2007). Other options include the student having one on one lessons with the classroom teacher or an SSO. Depending on the student, other strategies such as outside tutoring or counselling may be required.

English Second Language Students: (ESL) ESL students come from many linguistic and cultural backgrounds and most have had a variety of life experiences. Therefore, support for ESL students will vary depending on the student. However, there are some uniform strategies which can be useful for these students learning. Firstly using visual cues and stimulation for learning can help these students as they can associate the visual stimuli to words. These connections can assist with their understanding and significantly improve comprehension. Hands on activities provide similar assistance as students are not using language and auditory methods of learning. If auditory instructions are necessary in the lesson, it is vital for the educator to speak clearly and repeat key words and instructions. Furthermore, writing these key words and instructions on the whiteboard would allow these students to read and understand the instructions at their own pace. The educator must ensure that these students have understood the content and instructions in the lesson. This could occur through asking the student to repeat the instructions back or asking if they have any questions.
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Group: Laura Cittadini, Chiara Turci, Anna Roberts and Diana Nunn EDUC3622

Assessment Plan -badge awarded for mastery of skill e.g. time to the hour, time to the half hour, time to the quarter hour, reading analogue and digital clocks -use arms to show times of analogue clock -magic maths box- pick out a question and answer -time check- call out to check the time and children write down on same paper- check answers at end of the day

Magic Maths Box Near the end of the unit an assessment technique will be to use the strategy of magic maths boxes. This form of assessment works well as it gives children the opportunity to test their skills and knowledge in an un-hurried and relaxed environment, while appearing as a game or a fun activity. Children are assessed in another room with the assistance of an SSO. They are given three boxes to choose from which include an easy, medium or hard question, the child chooses a box without knowing the level of difficulty. The child must then answer the question (which is on a piece of paper inside the box) verbally. This test is more like a lucky dip therefore taking the stressful notion of being assessed away. By using this strategy the teacher is also able to differentiate for special needs as they can vary the difficulty accordingly, e.g. two easy questions and one hard or three easy questions. The purpose of assessing the child in another room is so that they wont feel self-conscious when answering the question and will be allowed plenty of time rather than being hurried in classroom time constraints. Examples of questions could be: Easy Medium January February .......... Which month comes next?
Which day of the week is missing? What time does the clock show?

Hard

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