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Individual
Barriers Analyses
Model Two: Paula & Sixth Grade Science
This model reveals hidden barriers for a student named Paula in a Sixth Grade
Science unit. Click on the links to read a description of the student and the
curriculum
Student: Paula
Paula's skills are extremely varied. Despite excellent single word decoding
and spelling, Paula's comprehension is poor. She has difficulty grasping meaning
from connected text, and her limited reading fluency suggests that she does
not use context well to predict words and ideas as she is reading. this makes
getting meaning from text quite laborious and slow. She can spell individual
words well, but when she is writing connected text she gets bogged down trying
to express concepts, and the mechanics of her writing deteriorate.
Though she understands literal meanings in spoken language well, and can follow
a story or an argument, Paula seems to miss some of the subtle cues carried
by tone of voice and other vocal nuances so that she often interprets language
very literally. Since Paula often misses intended humor and misinterprets things
said by others, her peers see her as somewhat odd.
Curriculum: SCIENCE: All organisms are composed of cells
This curriculum unit addresses the McREL Life Science Standard #5: "Understands
the structure and function of cells and organisms." The benchmark for the
class is that students will "know that all organisms are composed of cells,
which are the fundamental units of life and that most organisms are single cells
while other organisms (including humans) are multicellular."
Informational materials include a video, computer software, and the science
textbook. Tools include microscopes. Manipulatives may include jello, plastic
bowls, hair gels, yarn, styrofoam, paint, clay, and toothpicks.
Teaching methods include lecture and whole class discussion about facts, pictures,
and other visuals pertaining to animal and plant cells. If time allows the teacher
may do a demonstration with manipulatives. Students will work with a partner
while using the computers. Students will work in small groups to describe the
functions of each part of an animal and plant cell and compare different types
of animal cells. Small groups will construct models of cells using manipulatives.
Assessment includes a Chapter Check-up and a written Unit Test. Students' models
of cells will be evaluated by the teacher using a rubric.
|
Curriculum
Element
|
Student
Characteristic
|
Barrier
in Learner Environment for This Student
|
| Subject Matter | Interest in science and animals | No barrier – her interest should support her in this subject area |
| Lecture | Interprets spoken language literally but has difficulty with inference | Lecture is effective as long as meaning is literal. Because Paula does not follow metaphors and analogies, she misses some of the teacher's explanations of scientific phenomena. |
| Whole
Class Discussion |
Misinterprets nuances and tone of voice | Paula is reticent to participate in group discussion because she fears ridicule. She also misses some meaning because of difficulty interpreting subtleties of speech. |
| Teacher Demonstration | Interprets information literally | Paula can understand a direct demonstration of specific activities, but has trouble transferring the concepts to related activities. |
| Partner & small group work | Peers are reluctant to work with Paula | Paula disengages when she is in a partner or small group setting. Many of the activities that work well for her (e.g. software & manipulatives) are presented in group context. |
| Video | Paula learns well from video | None |
| Computer software | Able to extract meaning from visual input but has trouble with extended text | Unless the same content is covered in the lecture, video, or software, Paula will derive little information from the text. |
| Science textbook | Difficulty grasping meaning from connected text | Paula can succeed with multiple choice but when asked to generate essays with a pen or pencil he cannot express his thoughts effectively. Difficulty with writing itself causes errors with spelling and punctuation. |
| Individual chapter check-up | Able to do some multiple choice but struggles with short answers | Generating text is very difficult. Because testing is all after the fact and based in text, Paula cannot show all she knows. |