Diverse Learners

Diverse Learners:

    Effective educators do not view a diverse classroom as a challenge or a problem that needs to be overcome (Schmidt, 2012). Effective educators need to value the diversity in their classroom and appreciate the different views and opinions that come along with it. This may include students with special needs and students who are English language learners. All students, need to feel valued and recognize the importance that they add to the learning community.
      Concept attainment models can be good at achieving this. Concept attainment models focus on connecting your own previous knowledge with the new facts and information that you are learning. There is no right or wrong answer to your previous knowledge on a subject and all views, opinions, and perceptions are valued equally, because they are all important to the process.
       In the concept attainment model students with disabilities are not drilled on factual information that they are "supposed to know". They are rather allowed an opportunity to develop insight about their own understandings and are allowed to capitalize on their strengths, this provides them with a greater opportunity to develop deep understanding of new concepts and skills (Schmidt, 2012). This can help greatly increase their ability to remember information as well as apply it to settings outside of the classroom.

"The effective facilitator will select and design learning experiences that allow special need students to build on their individual strengths and understandings to accommodate their needs." (Schmidt, 2012). 

    Concept attainment models can provide for a unique opportunity for teachers to allow for english language learners to share their ideas about the content and explain how they developed those ideas. This allows educators to capitalize on diverse experiences on a daily basis (Schmidt, 2012). By doing so, students can then share their personal and cultural experiences used to make sense of the topic being discussed. Multi-cultural experts have pointed out that students who have the opportunity to hear first hand accounts of diverse experiences have a greater opportunity to develop new interests (Schmidt, 2012). These new interests may generate a more positive discussion, or more interest in different subjects within the classroom itself. Which can have a positive impact on both learning and the learning environment.
       Basic strategies that teachers are familiar with can also be used within concept attainment models easily. These can include pictorial cues, translating important materials, providing peer mentors, using non-verbal cues, using hands-on activities and so on. Therefore, concept attainment model lessons can provide just as much, if not more, opportunities for English language learners to collaborate and excel in the classroom.


                                                          References

Schmidt, Diane. Stephans, Joseph. (2012). Models, Methods, and Strategies for a New Era: Shifting

                    Emphasis From Teaching to Learning.