Syllabus

** Emory University ** ** EDS **** 507: **** Education **** of **** Exceptional **** Children ** ** June 21 – July 12, 2012 **
 * Division **** of **** Educational **** Studies **

Instructor: Dr. Sandra N. Kleinman Phone: 404-964-5746 Email: skleinman17@gmail.com Office Hours: By appointment

Teaching Assistant: Michael V. Nguyen Phone: 323-743-8668 Email: michael.nguyen@emory.edu

// It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education. Those who do not believe in this have small imaginations. //   Nelson Mandela 2007


 * Youtube Username: ExceptionalityInEducation **
 * Youtube PW: Exceptionality **

This is a most interesting and challenging time to be learning about the education of students with exceptionalities. Current federal mandates in special education are designed around a disability model wherein the “problems” reside solely in the students; the student is “disabled” and therefore unable, or restricted in her/his ability, to learn. Students are assessed, diagnosed, and intervention plans are created accordingly. With the exponential increase in the complexity of learning in the 21st century, the disability model has caused an increase in the numbers of children “in the margins.”
 * COURSE OVERVIEW **

Using new technologies that provide windows to the working brain, cognitive neuroscience research is challenging the disability model. In our new understanding of the learning brain, “...individuals with [and without] disabilities fall along a spectrum of difference and the convention of the ‘regular’ student disappears as a normative model.” (Rose and Meyer) Consistently, rather than viewing the student as disabled, the new thinking is that the curriculum, pedagogical practices, and learning resources are disabling, markedly inhibiting the potential of students with diverse learning challenges.

With this exciting new understanding of learning and learners as a backdrop, together, through the next three weeks, we will explore students with exceptionalities through two lenses: (1) the lens of the disability model and concurrent federal mandates, looking at different “categories” of learning and social difficulties, the federal mandates themselves, and your role in referring and teaching students with exceptionalities; and, (2) through the lens of the new cognitive neuroscience, exploring both a model for understanding the continuum of learning and learning challenges, and how you can apply that understanding to the design of your curriculum, pedagogical practices, and learning communities to teach to the diversity of learners in your classroom.


 * ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS / COURSE OBJECTIVES **
 * 1) What are the differences between the two prevailing models for identifying children with exceptionalities and what are the concurrent approaches to educating children with exceptionalities?
 * InTASC Standards: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
 * 1) In light of the current neuroscience research, how can we understand the challenges experienced by a diverse range of students with exceptionalities?
 * InTASC Standards: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
 * 1) How can we apply a research-based understanding of the challenges experienced by students with exceptionalities to the design of curriculum, pedagogical methods, assessments, and materials?
 * InTASC Standards: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
 * 1) What are the current laws and processes driving the education of students with exceptionalities and what is the role of the classroom teacher in those processes?
 * InTASC Standards: 3, 5, 10
 * 1) How can our reflections about individuals identified with exceptionalities enhance and extend our understanding of cultural diversity and cultural proficiency?
 * InTASC Standards: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8


 * COMPONENTS **

=// Class Sessions and Conversations //= Our learning together derives from a foundation of content knowledge interwoven with the exchange of ideas, questions, and musings. I will present to you the foundation knowledge in learning and exceptionalities, which you will need as you embark on your teaching careers. We will have many opportunities to exchange ideas. For example, you will be asked frequently to respond to a question posed by one of your class colleagues, or to respond and build upon each other’s ideas. You are expected to be fully attentive to your class colleagues and to me, as I will be to you, and to listen with respect and an open mind to the different perspectives that we will exchange.

= It goes without saying (although I will say it anyway), that your ongoing participation in class conversations is essential. It provides me with a way to orchestrate the course as I gauge what you understand, what interests you, and what puzzles you based upon your comments and questions. And, it provides an opportunity for your class colleagues to benefit from your insights and questions. =

I’ll be using a Rubric to assess your participation in class; you’ll be assessing yourself, as well. Your participation should reflect: your Vlogs, assigned readings, independent reading/web research, connections to other courses and experiences, listening to and responding to comments by class colleagues, etc.

Please turn all phones off during class. Laptops are for taking notes, only. Using any electronic devise for purposes other than taking notes will result in a decrease in your grade.

// Discussion Questions // In addition to assigned readings, you may be given reflection questions and/or thinking routines that will set the stage for our conversations the following day.

// Vlogging // Reflective practices are a cornerstone of the 21st century teacher. As an integral part of the cycle learning, you reflect for learning, as learning, and of learning. This semester, during the last 15 minutes of class, you will have an opportunity to create your vlog, a reflection on the afternoon’s conversations. We will begin each class with your sharing your vlogs, to connect to the previous day’s conversations, to consider your questions, and to create bridges to the afternoon’s conversations.

The content of your vlog should be significant and meaningful to you: unanswered questions; something that intrigues and/or puzzles you; something that challenges your current mindsets; ideas for teaching; connections to ideas from other courses; etc.

// Readings // Required readings are referenced in your syllabus and can be found on the Wiki site, which we will review during the first class. Additional readings (not more than a few, if any) might be assigned, depending on the ebb and flow of our in-class conversations, and your interests. Please keep up with the readings, as they will inform your contributions to our class conversations and questions.

To guide your reading, and to help prepare you for our conversations in class, I suggest that you use some guiding questions, such as the following:
 * 1) What are the big ideas and assumptions?
 * 2) What does this reading (or viewing) connect to other topics, ideas, articles and/or personal experiences?
 * 3) What intrigues me?
 * 4) What, if anything, is controversial?

// Lesson Analysis, Redesign and Presentation // This assignment will be completed and presented in dyads. Each dyad will have 20-30 minutes for their presentation and subsequent class discussion. I’ll provide you with an overview of the assignment and a rubric to guide you.

// Capstone Project and Presentation // To truly understand means that one can make connections between, or apply, what has been learned to novel contexts and formats. With that, your final capstone project will be an opportunity for you to synthesize the ideas, questions, and knowledge we have explored together in class, and those that you have explored independently and with your class colleagues outside of class.

Your project should reflect no fewer than two of the essential questions posed at the beginning of this syllabus. It should demonstrate how you have made connections among the different themes we’ve explored in class with those that you have explored in other courses and especially, with your previous experiences with learning and teaching. It should demonstrate, as well, how you would apply what you’ve learned to your future teaching.

You’ll be working in groups of three (one group of four) to design, compose, and present your synthesis. Your synthesis can be presented in a variety of forms: interactive media; performance; visual art presentation; PowerPoint/Prezi, etc.; other.


 * We’ll talk more about this in class, but for now, here are a few ideas:
 * A Case Study (fictional or nonfictional)
 * An interactive graphic
 * A museum display
 * Point/Counterpoint (as on 60 Minutes)
 * Design a School
 * Racial disparities in special education

Your group will submit a written (one page) or video (five minutes) proposal summarizing your format. We will meet with each group to review your proposal.

The final presentation will include a written summary, to include:
 * One page reflection of the process of researching and designing your presentation and the big ideas or main points.

FINAL GRADE Final letter grades for this course will be based upon four areas:


 * 1) Class Discussions (participation/contribution; attendance; readings) 15%
 * 2) Vlogs – 15%
 * 3) Lesson Analysis, Redesign, and Presentation - 30%
 * 4) Capstone Project - 40%

Please refer to and follow Emory University’s policy on academic honesty.
 * ACADEMIC HONESTY **

Please contact either Dr. Sandra Kleinman or Michael Nguyen about attendance-related issues prior to scheduled class sessions. Unexplained absence and/or lateness to class may lead to a reduction in your final course grade.
 * ATTENDANCE and ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES **

Without exception, all assignments are to be submitted at the beginning of the class session on the date specified in the course syllabus.

Promptness – our class begins at 1:00 pm. It is your responsibility to be here on time. Coming in late to class interrupts your class colleagues. If you arrive late or leave class early, you will be counted absent.

A = 100% - 96% A- = 95% - 92% B = 91% - 88% B- = 87% - 84% C = 83% - 80% F = 79% and below
 * GRADING **


 * Session || Topic || Assignment ||
 * June 21 || Beginnings: Course Overview

Perspectives on Exceptionality: What’s in a name? Exploring Your Beliefs About Individuals With Exceptionalities ||  ||
 * June 22 || The back-story of the special education movement: How did we get here?

Intelligence Revisited || Readings https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_la7Lxfi5Q2cG5LUVZxdjFTTEE (Ableism Part 1) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_la7Lxfi5Q2UTNRZDJmeFNycDg (Ableism Part 2)
 * 1) Defining Ableism in Education

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/ ||
 * June 25 || Legislation – Is Access Enough? (MN)

Changing Lenses: Variability vs. Disability—Medical and Developmental Models (with a little neurology) || Readings https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_la7Lxfi5Q2aE9YSWtfSWFKWGc (Modality Preferences) https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_la7Lxfi5Q2bVo5Z0toUGhEeDA (Neurodiversity) ||
 * 1) Should So-Called Modality Preferences Determine the Nature of Instruction for Children With Reading Disabilities?
 * 1) Neurodiversity: A Concept Whose Time Has Come
 * June 26 || Communication Variability: Deficit or Culture ||  ||
 * June 27 || Communication Variability: Deficit or Culture

Language and Learning Variability || Reading http://nymag.com/news/features/47225/
 * 1) The Dilemma: What is a Learning Disability?
 * 2) Faking It – Selected Chapters ||
 * June 28 |||| Social-Emotional Variability: The Autism Spectrum – Deficit or Culture? || Reading
 * 1) An Anthropologist On Mars
 * 2) The Autism Rights Movement
 * 1) Readings from Dr. Tony Atwood[[file:Tony Atwood Readings.pdf]] ||
 * June 29 |||| Social-Emotional Variability: The Autism Spectrum – Deficit or Culture?

Capstone group conference with Dr. K and MN to review proposals || Reading
 * 1) Introduction to Social Thinking and Social Skills
 * 2) What are Social Skills?

Proposal for Capstone Project Due ||
 * July 2 |||| Reaching and Teaching Diverse Learners: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) || Reading
 * 1) The Future Is In The Margins: The Role of Technology and Disability In Educational Reform[[file:Future in the Margins.pdf]] ||
 * July 3 |||| Reaching and Teaching Diverse Learners: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) || []

UDL Guidelines [|http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udlguidelines] || NO CLASS ||||  ||   || []
 * July 4
 * July 5 |||| Work on UDL Presentations ||  High School:
 * July 5 |||| Work on UDL Presentations ||  High School:

Middle School: [] || II. Select two principles (e.g., Representation and Engagement). Within **each** principle select one (1) guideline and two (2) checkpoints - or - you may select two (2) guidelines and within each, select one (1) checkpoint. Using those principles/guidelines/checkpoints, redesign your target lesson, explaining how your redesign makes your lesson more accessible to a variety of learners. ||
 * July 6 |||| Lesson Analysis, Redesign and Presentation using the UDL Principles || I. Identify the barriers that you find in the original lesson
 * July 9 |||| Inclusion and the IEP [MN] (Mock IEP) ||  ||
 * July 10 |||| Capstone groups work together ||  ||
 * July 11 |||| Group Capstone Project Presentations ||  ||
 * July 12 |||| Group Capstone Project Presentations ||  ||