Examining the instructional contexts of students with learning disabilities

This is the publisher's version, also found here: http://cec.metapress.com/content/122146This literature review focuses on methodologies, instruments, and findings from research on the instructional contexts of elementary and secondary students with learning disabilities. The review covers the time that students were engaged in different activities in different settings, interactions between teachers and students, and students' classroom behavior. (Author/JDD

The Career Interests, Choices, And Self-Efficacy Of Male Elementary General Music Teachers

The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of male elementary general music teachers and investigate factors that influence their career interests, choices, and self-efficacy. Three research questions guided this study: (a) How do models (teachers, peers, and family) influence career interests, choices, and self-efficacy of male elementary general music teachers? (b) How do performance accomplishments (teaching and music performance experiences) influence career interests, choices, and self-efficacy of male elementary general music teachers? (c) How do social persuasions (social factors related to teacher preparation programs, colleagues, school setting, and peers) influence career interests, choices, and self-efficacy of male elementary general music teachers? Data were collected using an online questionnaire, The Male Elementary Music Teacher Career Measure (MEMTCM) based on constructs from Social Cognitive Career Theory. The instrument was a three-part questionnaire. Part 1 gathered descriptive information about the respondents. Part 2 collected information related to the three constructs of interest in the study: models, performance accomplishments, and social persuasion. Part 3 was designed to collect demographic and qualitative information. Validity was established with cognitive interviewing and review by an expert panel. Data were collected from 140 male elementary general music teachers using a purchased research base. A systematic sample was drawn from approximately 7300 possible participants. Respondents’ ages ranged from 24-80. Results indicated that the majority of respondents were Non-Hispanic White or Euro-American, had earned graduate degrees, and taught at public schools. The largest number of respondents reported voice as their primary instrument followed by piano and saxophone. Upon entering college, an equal number of respondents intended to teach secondary band and elementary general music followed by intentions to teach secondary choral. Most respondents had a female elementary general music teacher and did not have elementary general music when they were children. Several respondents reported no experience in ensembles, methods courses, and student teaching. Most respondents chose music education as a first career. Elementary general music was the first music teaching position of most respondents although it was not the first music teaching position for over a third of the respondents. Data were analyzed with five types of statistical analyses: frequencies, independent t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple linear regression and correlation analysis. Results indicated that those who intended to teach elementary general music upon entering college were more influenced by models and had positive opinions of teaching experiences. Among models, high school ensemble directors and student teaching mentors were the most influential. Student teaching experience, workshops, graduate courses, and administrator evaluations were rated among the highest performance accomplishments. Social interactions with students and parents were the highest scoring variables. College professors were the greatest sources of negativity regarding elementary general music. Suggestions for the profession include encouraging the study of methods such as Orff, Dalcroze, and Kodály. Other suggestions include encouraging male students to take an elementary general methods course. In addition, universities could include a portion of student teaching in an elementary general music setting.PHDMusic: Music EducationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138602/1/cbulgren_1.pd

Efforts to Enhance Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study was undertaken to identify what kinds of professional growth experiences teachers value within the context of the challenge presented by academic diversity in their classrooms. The research was carried out With teachers participating in small Cooperative Study Groups discussing issues related to professional growth in teaching. Teacher responses were then analyzed to discern trends and patterns

Obstacles to Teaching in the Face of Academic Diversity: Implcations for Planning for Students with Disabilities

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study was a collaborative project the incorporated the concerns and insights of 52 secondary science and social studies teachers in identifying the major obstacles in planning to teach academically diverse groups of students. These teachers participated in a series of Cooperative Study Groups (CSG ) to answer questions related to teaching and planning for their most academically diverse classes. The results of the first question posed at the CSG meetings are presented here. That question was "Thinking back on the last year of teaching, what would you say has been the most difficult obstacle that you have had to overcome in teaching science or social studies to an academically diverse group of students.

The Plans of Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers for Teaching an Academically Diverse Class

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The goal of this research was to learn how teachers plan for instruction of their classes made up of academically diverse students. We sought to identify not only what they plan to teach, but also what resources they draw on in their planning and what pedagogical methods they view as most effective with academically diverse groups of students

Barriers to Planning for At-Risk students Implications for Teacher Planning

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.Most studies to date of teacher planning have focused on teachers at the elementary level. The research reported here seeks to expand our knowledge of teacher planning to include the experiences of secondary teachers planning for academically diverse classes. Specifically, we sought to identify barriers perceived by teachers in their planning of diverse classes which may include learning disabled and other at-risk students

Meeting the Challenge of Academic Diversity: Actions of Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The goal of this research was to identify what actions teachers take to include all students in learning in academically diverse secondary classrooms. Information was gathered through a collaborative project with 52 secondary social studies and science teachers. These teachers participated in a series of Cooperative Study Groups to answer questions about what actions they took to deal with academic diversity in their classes

Characteristics of Good Collegiality Among Secondary Social Studies and Science Teachers When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The purpose or this study was to explore with teachers the characteristics of good collegiality that would enhance teacher satisfaction and effectiveness in facing the challenges presented by teaching academically diverse classes. The study was carried out by working with groups of secondary science and social studies teachers in Cooperative Study Groups. These groups discussed issues related to teacher professional growth and collegiality with a view toward identifying what characterized good collegiality of these teachers

Factors Promoting Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.The study was conducted as a collaborative research project with 42 secondary science and social studies teachers in two school districts in eastern Kansas. Researchers and teachers met in a series of Cooperative Study Groups to discuss questions related to personal growth in teaching

Factors Inhibiting Personal Growth When Teaching Academically Diverse Classes

This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.This study seeks to identify the factors that inhibit personal growth in teaching as teachers work to meet the needs of all students in academically diverse groups of learners. To identify these factors, researchers worked collaboratively with 42 secondary science and social studies teachers. Cooperative Study Groups were formed to discuss questions related to professional growth in teaching