Tiered learning experiences
The teacher divides students into groups and gives instructions to each group.
The teacher gives each group one of the three stages of the narrative: Tier 1 – the orientation,
Tier 2 – the complication and Tier 3 – the resolution.
The teacher reviews group rules and appropriate interaction skills prior to students
commencing small-group work.
The teacher monitors each group’s work. She spends most of her time assisting Tier 1.
14
Support Materials for Students with Special Education Needs
English K–6
Case Studies
Case study 1
Tiered learning experiences and assessment opportunities
Learning experiences and assessment opportunities
Adjustments for Isabella
Tier 1
The teacher:
Students are provided with a copy of
Koala Lou
and a recording
• provides opportunities for Isabella to read
of the orientation on CD (first 4 pages).
cvcc words and target sight words in text
The teacher reviews the purpose of the orientation, ie tells
about the main characters (who or what) and the setting
(when and where the narrative begins).
• reviews
when
,
where
,
who
and
what
questions
• provides picture cues for
when
,
where
,
who
and
what
Students are provided with a scaffold (a table that includes
four column headings
When, Where, Who or What
–
main
characters
and
Who or What – supporting characters
).
• rephrases and shortens sentences to 6–7
words, where necessary
Students use the scaffold to record
when
,
where
and
who or
what
with the teacher’s assistance, as detailed below. They can
use pictures or words to record.
1)
When
Guided practice
The teacher explains that some narratives tell a lot about time.
• records words and clues that refer to time,
Koala Lou
is set over a number of years and only provides a few
time clues. The teacher reinforces that the group will need to
supported by picture cues
use what they know about time to help.
The teacher guides students to brainstorm words and clues
that tell about time, for example:
• years (eg 2010, last year, this year, next year, 5 years later)
• seasons (eg summer, in the snow)
• days of the week (eg Sunday, yesterday, tomorrow)
• time of day (eg day, night, evening, early, late, under the stars)
• age of characters (eg baby, mother)
• ordinal terms (first, next, last)
• number of times (each day, a hundred times)
• verb forms that tell past, present, future
The teacher guides the group to discuss what each word that
they brainstorm tells about time, eg ‘Under the stars’ tells that
it is night.
