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76200-457200Assessment 1 – Essay (Value = 40%)EDP 155 Understanding LearningStudent Name: Abir AbdallahStudent ID: 16234581Due: Week 7 (Monday July 9)CriteriaHigh Distinction32-40Distinction28-31.9Credit24-27.9Pass20- 23.9Fail<20ScoreDiscussion of theory(15 marks)Strong links to the academic content demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the topics and theory, with many links to external resources provided for comparison. Links are very coherent and logical.Strong links to the academic content demonstrate a very good understanding of the topics and theory, with links to external resources provided for comparison. Links are very coherent and logical.Links to the academic content demonstrate a good understanding of the topics and theory, with some links to external resources provided for comparison. Links are coherent and logical. Some links to the academic content of the course have been made. Some understanding of topics and theory indicated.There are very few coherent links made to the academic content of the course. Limited understanding of topics and theory; many misinterpretations. Irrelevant information presented.Proposed solutions(15 marks)Consistently makes valid connections between theories and solutions in a well-articulated, logical manner; efficient, thorough solutions provided. High standard of critical analysis.Makes valid connections between theories and solutions in a well-articulated, logical manner. Critical thinking demonstrated.Theory and solutions are demonstrated in an articulated and logical manner. Some critical thinking evidentSome relatively coherent connections have been made between theory and solutions. Limited critical thinking demonstrated.There are very few logical connections made between theory and solutions. Connections are poorly articulated, solutions extremely limited or not applicable.Academic Writing(6 marks)Clearly complies with standard essay format. Well-structured introduction and conclusion. Strong writing style with very good ability to express thoughts. High standard of academic techniques and editing; writing is consistently concise and cohesive. Excellent organisation of ideas.High standard of grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation. Professionally presented.Mostly complies with standard essay format. Very good writing style with ability to clearly convey meaning; very good organisation of ideas; clear introduction and conclusion. Minor errors in grammar, spelling, syntax, punctuation. Well presented.Mostly complies with standard essay format; minor discrepancies. Good writing style that conveys meaning adequately; good introduction and conclusion.Some errors in grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation. Appropriately presented.Sometimes complies with standard essay format; some discrepancies. Some difficulties with expressing and organising ideas; lacks conciseness and cohesion; reasonably introduction and conclusion.Several grammatical, syntactical, spelling, punctuation errors.Further proofreading required. Presentation needs revision.Little use of standard essay format. Considerable difficulty expressing ideas. Ideas are unsystematic; weak overall structure; weak introduction – no thesis statement; weak conclusion. Many grammatical, syntactical, punctuation, spelling errors.Lack of proof reading evident. Poor presentation.Referencing(4 marks)Reference list and in-text citation of an outstanding academic standard. Correct APA format. Evidence is used from a wide range of sources, including scholarly journals.Reference list and in-text citations very clear and well set out with minor inaccuracies. Evidence is used from many sources including scholarly journals.Reference list and in-text citations completed with some inaccuracies. Satisfactory range of sources used. One or two scholarly journals used.Reference list and in-text citations completed with a few inaccuracies. Limited sources used; textbook and two or three other sources.Poor APA referencing style, both in-text and reference list, with many inaccuracies or no attempt made to reference some sources; some plagiarism evident. Very limited sources used; perhaps only textbook.Subtotal: /40Deductions:Late penalty10% per dayFinal mark and Grade:/40Tutor FEEDBACK:Tutor: Date: July 2012Obstacles that teachers may faceTeaching is one of the most rewarding and satisfying professions, as it enables the transferral of knowledge from one person to another in a set and structured environment. This rewarding profession is usually accompanied by various difficulties and obstacles which teachers must train themselves to overcome, because obstacles can be very discouraging.Teachers will realise once they commit to their teaching role that practice differs from theory, having the knowledge and skill to teach changes once reality hits and teachers are faced with obstacles that they must overcome. Some of the obstacles a teacher will likely face include; students who cannot keep up to class standards, engaging unmotivated children, and attending to the needs of students suffering from learning and development disabilities. Teachers will often deal with students who persistently attempt to achieve good results, however their progress is delayed by their inability to comprehend everything they are being taught. One of the most effective techniques to use at this point is Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory which provides the context in which development occurs (Glassman, 2001). For example, a kindergarten student has trouble with reading and pronunciation of words, and this affects their learning progression. Identifying the student’s zone of proximal development is the first step to aiding the learning process. Doing this means evaluating the tasks which the students can complete with the help of others. (Glassman & Wang, 2004). After identifying a student’s zone of proximal development, a teacher must add the next element of the theory known as scaffolding. Scaffolding encompasses all the forms of assistance that a teacher can provide to help a student complete a task (Glassman & Wang, 2004). As a teacher, it is my responsibility to ensure that I am competent with such techniques as each classroom will have students with different zones of proximal development. In the case of the kindergarten student, the first thing I would have to do is directly ask them to pronounce the phonics of certain letters and then sound out a set of words. Once this is complete, it will be much easier to understand what area of reading my student it having difficulties with. The next step would then be to apply scaffolding, which involves a one on one session with the student during class time to help them out. The student will be placed next to the more progressed students to help them out where they struggle, and to ensure success of the student’s learning, I will contact the parents to inform them of the extra assistance and support they will need to provide the child with at home. Through incorporating Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory in my classroom, it will be much easier to address the needs of certain students, in regards to various fields of their learning. Knowing the context of the areas of development, especially in the early stages of life, is vital to ensure the ability to amend and enhance the learning of students, and set a firm stepping stone for them to continue on with their learning experience.Furthermore, keeping students motivated throughout their learning years is a very difficult and often underestimated task which requires a plethora of planning. While it is evidently difficult to keep the motivated students in the same mind state, unmotivated students tend to cause a lot of discomfort and trouble for a teacher. The aura that accompanies these students tend to be the major cause of classroom distractions and setbacks.(Eggen & Kauchak,2010). Such issues with certain students will end up affecting other students negatively, and also making teaching uneasy for teachers. The use of different motivation strategies such as behaviourism and humanism would assist the teacher in motivating those students in need. These theories focus on motivating students through rewards and encourage them to reach their total potential not only as students but also as human beings (Eggen & Kauchak,2010). Although extensive praise and rewarding is claimed to have a negative learning outcome and is not effective, teachers still use the reward system moderately as a method of maintaining motivation in the classroom. Also compassionate and caring teachers who care about their students both as human beings and pupils contribute to their motivation (Eggen & Kauchak,2010). Teachers that present themselves as caring teachers by taking time out to talk and listen to their students, have more likely chance of developing a well motivated environment. This is because spending time to listen to your students provides them with a sense of security and belonging, where they might even long to participate in class activities. Educators who display unconditional positive regard in their students, which, as defined by Eggen & Kauchak (2010, p. 288) is, “the belief that someone is innately worthy regardless of their behaviour,” contribute to the personal growth of students. This equips students with the ability to accept their mistakes as part of their progression, and encourages them to rise above challenges by challenging themselves. Students will soon be performing at their optimum level and eventually complete tasks to gain satisfaction and no longer see it as a chore (Eggen & Kauchak,2010). Now that a teacher has overcome the obstacle of engaging unmotivated students, the motivation strategy used needs to be maintained at all times.Another major obstacle teachers usually face is accommodating for students with development disabilities. Students’ individual development varies from one student to another, and this is relative to the student’s learning capacity. Regardless of being in the same grade and despite being of very similar age, some students develop much slower than others and this can at times be caused by learning disabilities. Intellectual disability is a form learning impairment which can drastically delay a student’s progress, while at the same time discourages the student from attempting to further their education. According to Fuchs, (2006), (Nokelainen & Flint,2002), as cited in Eggen & Kauchak (2010, p. 142), “intellectual disability is either caused by genetic factors, such as down syndrome, or brain damage to the foetus during pregnancy”. In order for teachers to attend and accommodate students with such disability, they need to be able to identify and such characteristics that affect their students learning, These characteristics include but are not limited to; weak motor skills, underdeveloped interpersonal skills, poor memory, weak reading and language skills and little knowledge of the outside world (Eggen & Kauchak,2010). The theory relating to teachers overcoming the obstacle of having intellectually disabled students in their class is to include these students in the mainstream sessions conducted where instruction is modified to meet the needs of these students and help their social development (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010). Case study shows and proves that students with intellectual disabilities want to participate in the same activities, be given the same reading material, handed out the same homework, issued the same judging criteria and be able to join in the same activities as their classmates. The same study showed that the peers of those with intellectual disabilities agreed with this as every child should be given a fair chance (Klingner & Vaughn,1999). Also, in order to ensure ease for teachers as well as the students, the federal government has set requirements that educators who teach students with disabilities must guarantee a free and suitable public education, instruct children in the least constricting setting, protect against bias in testing, include parents in developing each child’s learning program and develop an individually tailored education program of education for each student (Eggen & Kauchak,2010). Teachers who adhere to these guidelines, act upon the advice given and implement the findings of this case study will find that teaching students with development disabilities will no longer linger as an obstacle, but rather turn into an educative and rewarding experience by achieving and overcoming one of the most difficult obstacles a teacher can face. To conclude teachers face many obstacles throughout their teaching profession, and their ability to manage and overcome these obstacles measures the quality of the teaching they provide. Teacher are usually faced with obstacles such as, students who cannot keep up to class standards, engaging unmotivated children, and attending to the needs of students suffering from learning and development disabilities. In order to tend to these tender issues, it is a teacher’s responsibility to understand the theories of learning, and be able to implement them in the classroom. Teachers that can do this have accomplished a great deal in their teaching career, and have learnt how to deal with difficult hurdles that they will continue to face throughout this rewarding job. ReferencesEggen, P., & Kauchak, D. (2010). Educational Psychology (8th ed). United States of America : Pearson.Jones, L. (1980). Positive reinforcement. Education + Training, 22(6), 162 – 167. doi: 10.1037//0033-2909.126.6.910Glassman, M. & Wang, Y. (2004). Disciplinary Knowledge and Quality Education. (PartII). American Educational Research Association. Klingner, J. K. & Vaughn, S. (1999). Students' Perceptions of Instruction in Inclusion Classrooms: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities. Exceptional children, 66(1). Retrieved from ................
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