This document outlines the contents and structure of a capstone project on dimensions of diversity. It includes 3 parts: reflection on concepts learned, communicating with families, and an instructional portfolio.
Part 1 includes reflections on concepts synthesized from class. Part 2 provides aspects to explain to families, such as language programs and challenges, and strategies for communicating how students will be supported and still learn in their native language.
Part 3 is an instructional portfolio with submitted lessons, readings, materials created, and analysis linking to online documents. The conclusion reflects on enjoying collaborative discussions that expanded perspectives and aligning project goals with a practicum for a well-rounded experience to draw from in future teaching.
2. Contents
Dimensions of Diversity:
Part 1: Reflection of Concepts Learned
Part 1: Synthesis
Part 2: Communicating with Families
Part 2: Communicating with Families
Part 3: Instructional Portfolio
Progression of my Learning
References (if any)
5. Part 2: Communicating with
Families
Aspects to explain to a family member:
● ACCESS
● WIDA
● Inclusion
● Sheltered English Immersion
How will my student be challenge? OR Will this class be too hard for my student?
How multilingualism will not slow down comprehension
- Being with native speakers will grow their acquisition
- At home, speak in your native language with your child - it’s all about the QUALITY of the
conversation, not quantity of time hearing one over the other! If at home, that means you all speak in
your native language, they will have higher language development overall in ALL languages.
6. Part 2: Communicating with Families
In an SEI context we have:
● Peer discussion
○ Promised English growth - their voice
will be heard every class!
● Multilingual support
○ Total communication
● Visuals & pantomime
● Boxed key vocabulary words
○ Translated, defined with pictures
● Different levels of text
○ Speech to text
○ Google translate
● Clear directions
● Help desk
● All students learning
○ Language objectives
● Smaller class sizes, more partner teachers
○ More teachers to explain a concept,
perhaps one of their methods will
benefit your child more than another!
● This content is universally accessible, and best practices
for all students
● When I say “accessible,” that all content is available to all
students, access means that ALL STUDENTS BEGIN ON
THEIR OWN. I will never give a direction that all students
can’t begin on their own. It doesn’t mean that they won’t
benefit from help or peer collaboration down the road.
○ Develop the agency and autonomy, expectations
for themselves that all students need to succeed in
college and beyond
○ DON’T START with a student, they become reliant
on you for help to begin and believe that they are
not capable of it. How and when you offer help is
hugely important in helping them develop
expectations for themselves.
● Discussion protocols!
○ For small groups?
● They get three clothespins on their shirts, if they interrupt
they lose one, which effects how many stars they get at
the end. “Turn and tell your partner, not me!”
9. Progression
of my
Learning
I really enjoyed discussing this course’s content with my peers
because they have completed it in so many different ways, going
down such diverse paths that it is fascinating to hear how and why
they investigated the areas that they did, how this will help them in
their future classrooms or answer questions they’ve had while
teaching. I enjoy processing things verbally and collaboratively, and
find my own perceptions of teaching and the possibilities for my role
in the classroom expanded at every new discussion and topic
explored in this course.
I feel as though I was not able to be as creative and free in my choices
for tasks this semester due to an overwhelming amount of tasks due
for my Reading Specialist practicum. In order to make both a
possibility, I often aligned my goals for both the practicum and
Dimensions assignments. The support tools that I developed for these
tasks, typically have direct application in my CPS teaching capacities.
Going forward, however, I cannot wait to keep ALL of these resources
and links and theory and materials that will be in my teacher bag of
tricks in all my future teaching contexts in the years to come.