Instructional Adaptations Research Articles

The Influence of English Teachers' Teaching Efficacy on the Performance of Instructional Adaptations for Students with Disabilities at Elementary Schools

The Influence of English Teachers' Teaching Efficacy on the Performance of Instructional Adaptations for Students with Disabilities at Elementary Schools

Adaptive expertise: a view from the top and the ascent

Case studies provide two views of adaptive expertise in teaching by analyzing the written reflections of teachers working in a reading clinic. David, with 20 years of experience, described adaptive judgments he made after careful description, data gathering, and analysis of students’ responses that allowed him to form hypotheses and craft instructional adaptations. David wrote his reflections from an objective stance that allowed him to focus closely and persistently on student learning, in spite of student avoidance behaviors and motivation challenges. Edward, with two years of experience, was negotiating the shift from a novice focus on teaching performance to a focus on student learning. The disequilibria he experienced while teaching in the reading clinic provided an opportune moment for enrichment of his practice, but Edward’s difficulty integrating newly learned instructional methods into his practice and resolving student motivation challenges led to difficulties in connecting his descriptive reflection to analysis and adaptation. Written reflection alone was not enough to help Edward resolve these difficulties. Edward’s case illustrates the tensions novices experience as they attempt to reconcile their growing base of experiences with new knowledge and the ongoing challenges of teaching.

Reflective Teaching via a Problem Exploration–Teaching Adaptations–Resolution Cycle

We explore development of elementary preservice teachers’ reflective practices as they solved problems encountered while teaching in a reading clinic. Written reflections ( N = 175) were collected across 8 weeks from 23 preservice teachers and analyzed to investigate relationships among problem exploration, teaching adaptations, and problem resolution. In this sequential mixed methods design, exploratory qualitative analysis revealed co-occurrence of problem exploration, instructional adaptation, and problem resolution. Confirmatory quantitative analysis found significant relationships: preservice teachers who engaged in more problem exploration or description of instructional adaptations reported more problem resolutions the following week. Results support mixed method, longitudinal analyses to analyze preservice teachers’ written reflections, and use of written reflections with responsive feedback to develop preservice teachers’ agency for problem solving.

Adaptation of an Inquiry Visualization Curriculum and its Impact on Chemistry Learning

Efforts to make effective use of technology offer a promising direction for science education research. In this study, we investigated how a teacher and students used an inquiry-based, visualization-focused chemistry unit. The chemistry unit was designed for American students and takes advantage of dynamic, interactive computer visualizations. Features of the unit enable innovative learning activities such as online construction and critiquing of dynamic visualizations of chemical reactions. These kinds of activities are unfamiliar to teachers and students who are used to traditional teacher-centered instruction. We investigated how a teacher in Taiwan customized and implemented the unit to address the needs of her teaching in Taiwan, and what the impact of the unit was on the students’ understanding of chemical reactions. The results provide insights into the impact of innovative practices that new technology brings to local classrooms, and reflections on the adaptation of reform-based science instruction are made.

Adaptive Teachers as Innovators: Instructional Adaptations Opening Spaces for Enhanced Literacy Learning

Adaptive teachers are innovative in their teaching approach, assembling and reassembling their instruction based on their knowledge of effective pedagogy and the specific and individual needs of their students. This article presents descriptive case studies of two teachers’ adaptive teaching. These teachers taught in different contexts: a sixth-grade classroom in a suburban school in the Mid-Atlantic region and a third-grade classroom in a rural school in the Pacific Northwest. The researchers closely examined these teachers’ instructional adaptations and found that their adaptations often opened up spaces for students’ learning. Accordingly, these adaptations illustrate the innovative nature of effective literacy teaching.

Teaching to address diverse learning needs: development and validation of a Differentiated Instruction Scale

In the province of Quebec, Canada, a trend towards full inclusion has impelled teachers to adapt their instruction to meet the needs of both advanced and weaker learners in regular school settings. The main purpose of the present investigation was to develop and validate the Differentiated Instruction Scale (DIS), which assesses the use of instructional adaptations and academic progress monitoring strategies in general education classrooms. A total of 125 elementary school teachers participated in a cross-sectional study, allowing us to develop and validate the DIS. Overall our results show that the DIS is composed of two factors that are consistent with the predicted constructs (instructional adaptations and academic progress monitoring). Evidence of convergent validity is provided through correlations among DIS' subscales and two criteria: (1) teachers' autonomy support and (2) perceptions of school climate. Results also reveal that teachers tend to use instructional adaptations that do not require much preparation or tailored instruction. The DIS could thus be used in future research to investigate outcomes of differentiated instruction. Moreover, it could provide useful information on optimal strategies for promoting learning in children with different abilities in general education classrooms.

Operating in global educational contact zones: How pedagogical adaptation to local contexts may result in the renegotiation of the professional identities of English language teachers

This article explores how the professional identities of ten experienced English language teachers were affected as their pedagogies adapted to operating in a major government institution of higher education in Qatar. Exploratory research was employed. A logical chain of evidence was established in order to analyze qualitative data which was generated by open-ended questionnaires. The results indicate that institutionally imposed pedagogical adaptation may result in a renegotiation of professional identity for some teachers. Additionally, teachers experience identity renegotiation in very personal ways.

Touching, tapping … thinking? Examining the dynamic materiality of touch pad devices for literacy learning

As touch technologies such as phones, tablets and touch screen tables become more present within classrooms there is a need to examine the relationship between literacy and physical action, particularly non-linear reading paths. This paper presents data, that is part of an ongoing international study, to provide some insights from classroom observations of Year 5 students using iPads as well as traditional paper-based texts within their literacy lessons. This is ongoing research with a large corpus of data being analysed. We use specific examples to examine the reading and writing process for some students as they interact with the physical interface of the touch pads through the mode of gesture. Our goal was to investigate the cognitive and interactional processes that take place when the students read digital texts on a touch pad and to understand the processes used to render hybrid, multimodal 'texts' meaningful. We employ the concept of dynamism to interrogate the embodied iterative explorations students demonstrate through their learning, scaffolded by their teacher's pedagogical adaptation to the potentials of the touch technology.

Swimming in the deep end: transnational teaching as culture learning?

Drawing upon the experiences of a group of academics who were responsible for the teaching and coordination of a newly established offshore program, this study considers intercultural learning during transnational education (TNE) sojourns and demonstrates that the personal and pedagogical adaptation required of academics is significant. The study combines data from pre-, during- and post-sojourn interviews with detailed observations of offshore teaching. This ethnographic methodology provides a detailed account of the TNE experience that is rare in the literature. The study adds support to the contention that the acknowledgement of cultural distance, rather than the adoption of a universalist mindset, is a precondition for development of intercultural competence through transnational teaching. The reflections of the respondents indicate that when transnational educators are prepared to learn from the ambiguity encountered during offshore teaching, they have the capacity to experience personal growth and to add significantly to their university's human capital. The paper argues that this ‘preparedness’ to learn should not be left to chance lest it does not eventuate and that the responsibility for development is shared between transnational educators, who must be open to change and prepared to engage in self-reflection that can be confronting, and universities, who must formally recognise the need to provide time, resources and quality, ethical learning interventions in order to facilitate the development of intercultural competence in all staff, especially those who teach overseas.

Investigating Teachers’ Skills in Interpreting Evidence of Student Learning

This study measured and explored the relationships among elementary mathematics teachers’ skill in (a) determining what an item measures, (b) analyzing student work, (c) providing targeted feedback, and (d) determining next instructional steps. Twenty-three elementary mathematics teachers were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: analyzing items and student responses without rubrics, analyzing items and student responses with rubrics, or analyzing items and student responses with rubrics after watching a professional development program on providing feedback to students. Findings show there is a moderate to strong relationship between teachers’ abilities to analyze student responses to infer what a student knows and can do and their abilities to take action based on that information through either providing the student feedback or making appropriate instructional adaptations. Findings show it was relatively more difficult for teachers to provide feedback that was likely to move students forward in their learning than it was for them to analyze a student's response or to determine next instructional steps. No teacher skill differences associated with the different treatment conditions were found.

Actual condition of Instructional Adaptation for the Students with disabilities in Elementary School Inclusive Classroom

Actual condition of Instructional Adaptation for the Students with disabilities in Elementary School Inclusive Classroom

A Multiple Case Study of Two Teachers' Instructional Adaptations.

Scholars contend that effective teachers adapt their instruction to meet the particular needs of each student. However, little research has studied the ways in which teachers adapt their instruction or their reflections on these adaptations. This article describes a yearlong multiple case study focused on two teachers from different contexts: a Kindergarten teacher in a rural school in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and a sixth-grade teacher in a suburban school in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. This research replicates previous studies of adaptive teaching. Two researchers used classroom observations, post-observation interviews, and artefacts to document these teachers’ instructional adaptations and their reflections on these adaptations. Findings demonstrate the complexity of classroom instruction and the metacognitive processes teachers need to succeed in this complex environment. This study has implications for policy, teacher education, and professional development. Les chercheurs affirment que les enseignants efficaces adaptent leur enseignement de sorte a repondre aux besoins particuliers de chaque eleve. Toutefois, peu de recherche a porte sur les facons dont les enseignants le font ou sur leurs reflexions relatives a ces adaptations. Cet article decrit une etude de cas multiples qui a dure un an et a suivi des enseignants de contextes differents : un enseignant a la maternelle d’une ecole rurale dans le nord-ouest du Pacifique aux Etats-Unis et un enseignant en 6 e dans une ecole de banlieue dans les etats du centre du littoral de l’Atlantique des Etats-Unis. Cette recherche reproduit les etudes anterieures sur l’enseignement adapte. Pour recueillir les adaptations a l’enseignement et les reflexions des enseignants sur celles-ci, deux chercheurs ont eu recours a des observations en salle de classe, des entrevues apres les observations et des artefacts. Les resultats demontrent la complexite de l’enseignement en salle de classe et fait ressortir les processus metacognitifs dont ont besoin les enseignants afin de reussir dans ce milieu complexe. Cette etude a des retombees sur les politiques, la formation des enseignants et le developpement professionnel.

Utilising action learning for fostering developmental capacity: an application in the graduate school setting

This paper makes the case for an increasing emphasis on incorporating practices drawn from constructive developmental theory (Kegan, 1994, 2000) and developmental action inquiry (Fisher et al., 2003) into action learning programmes: in a sense the increase in emphasis is a developmental turn in the application of critical reflection and experiential learning forms of action learning (O’Neil,1999). The increase in emphasis involves the ongoing evolution of action learning programmes extending the practice in response to new demands and challenges confronting both individuals and organisations embedded in societal changes. More specifically, this paper makes the case for and discusses this application of critical reflection and experiential learning as pedagogical components in professional graduate schools. One such application is described in detail to illustrate the potential of this pedagogical adaptation as a contribution to the conversation about utilising action learning in the education setting.

The Awareness Compare of Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Instructional Adaptation on Inclusive Education Valuables

The Awareness Compare of Inclusive Classroom Teachers' Instructional Adaptation on Inclusive Education Valuables

Secondary general education teachers' instructional adaptations in inclusive classroom

Secondary general education teachers' instructional adaptations in inclusive classroom

A Conceptual Approach to the Instruction of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs present numerous challenges to second language learners of English, who often view verb + particle combinations as random (Side, 1990). This article proposes a pedagogical approach that focuses on particles as a means of spotlighting systematicity within this traditionally problematic area of English vocabulary. Informed by cognitive linguistics and sociocultural theory, the approach encourages students to tap their own creativity in order to conceptually motivate (Kövecses & Szabó, 1996) student‐collected examples of phrasal verbs. The article (a) presents the theoretical rationale for the approach, (b) reports an experiment in which the approach was implemented in two sections of an English as a Second Language course at the university level, and (c) discusses results of the experiment as well as potential pedagogical adaptations.

Efficacy of Measuring Engagement during Computer-Based Training with Low-Cost Electroencephalogram (EEG) Sensor Outputs

The potential of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to influence learning may be greatly enhanced by the system’s ability to accurately assess a student’s cognitive state in real-time. For this to happen, interactions with, and reactions to, training content must be collected and assessed; data is then used to inform instructional adaptation within the system. Validated sensors are available for this purpose and have been shown to correlate with cognitive and affective states linked to learning. However, sensors used to inform student models are often expensive and impractical for wide-range use. In this paper the authors present a study evaluating the efficacy of using Emotiv’s Electroencephalogram (EEG) Affectiv Suite outputs to inform an ITS student model. In this experiment, seventy-three participants interacted with the Cultural Meeting Trainer (CMT), a web-based cultural negotiation trainer, while Emotiv’s engagement, short-term excitement, and long-term excitement metrics were indexed and logged. Our analysis assesses the quality of Emotiv metrics across one well-defined and two ill-defined scenarios. Results show consistent outputs across tasks and support further examination into the Emotiv’s ability to accurately track cognitive state in a learning environment.

Searching for pedagogical adaptations by exploring teacher’s tacit knowledge and interactional co-regulation in the education of pupils with autism

The purpose of this article is to introduce a research design, which aims to find useful pedagogical adaptations for teaching pupils with autism. Autism is a behavioural syndrome characterised by disabilities and dysfunctions in interaction and communication, which is why it is interesting to explore educational processes particularly from an interactional perspective in a class with pupils with autism. The main focus is in exploring teacher’s tacit knowledge and interactional co-regulation between the teacher and the pupils. This study is a part of a larger Finnish project, which involves the education of pupils with autism in the primary school system. In the study described, six video recordings (each about 30 min) were taken under analysis due to the uniqueness in the research context of special education: the videos are rare in that they involve only the teacher and her six pupils with autism; no helpers are present in the classroom. This study explored the phenomenon ethnomethodologically. This study indicated that it is possible to apply a general theory of interaction when exploring people with autism, although the main diagnostic criteria of autism are disabilities in social interaction and communication. It was possible to extract episodes from the behaviour of the teacher that showed her tacit knowledge becoming concrete. These results could be taken into consideration when planning and carrying out teaching in different contexts and in teacher education, too.

Teachers' Perception on Instructional Adaptation in Science Education for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms of Elementary School

Teachers' Perception on Instructional Adaptation in Science Education for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms of Elementary School

Effects of Instructional Adaptation Intervention on the Problem Behaviors, Class Participation, and Physical Activities of Students with Intellectual Disability in Inclusive Physical Education Class

Effects of Instructional Adaptation Intervention on the Problem Behaviors, Class Participation, and Physical Activities of Students with Intellectual Disability in Inclusive Physical Education Class