Understanding Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Within Eighth-Grade Science Classrooms for Students With Special Needs

• In Event: Poster Session 2
  In Poster Session: Multiple Dimensions of Teaching in the Content Area

Abstract

This study investigated how three eighth grade science teachers accounted for the ability and motivation of students with special needs when planning and implementing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. An embedded single-case study design (Yin, 2011) was utilized. The data included: observations and documentation from teachers’ electronic portfolios across two instructional units, as well as an interview of each teacher. It was analyzed using a grounded theory approach (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Findings indicated that teachers incorporated some elements of differentiation, personalization and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to support all learners. These findings have important implications for pre- and in-service teacher training by ensuring that teachers can properly differentiate, personalize and implement elements of UDL within instruction for all learners.

Author

• Kate Riedell, University of California, Los Angeles & California State University, Los Angeles