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Seeing Is Believing: Supporting Educators to Reconsider Their Expectations of Students With Disabilities

Tue, April 9, 2:15 to 3:45pm, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Floor: 700 Level, Room 709

Abstract

This paper explores an approach to supporting teachers to develop new realizations about the capabilities of students with disabilities. A culture of limiting beliefs often prevents educators from believing that all learners can engage in sophisticated, discipline-specific practices. The paper draws from a larger design-based research (DBR) study that explored how teachers can be supported to apply Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in ways that promote disciplinary thinking among diverse learners. Results from the collaborative interventions with teachers uncovered an approach that encouraged teachers to reconsider their preexisting beliefs: developing disciplinary lenses to see evidence of student thinking that exceeded teachers’ expectations. This work has implications for designing learning opportunities that support teachers to embrace the potential in all students.

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