Understanding by Design

Below you will see a different approach to bringing technology into the Dyslexia Therapy (DT) classroom and by applying my Innovation Plan Application "Show Me How you Code." You can check out my Fink's 3 Column Table Approach here.

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Established Goal(s)/Content Standard(s):

Students will practice apply foundational skills learned in dyslexia therapy to spelling and dictation sections of therapy sessions and the assignments given in the general education classroom with accommodations in accordance with their 504 and IEP accommodations.

Understanding(s):

Students will understand that:

There are technology tools that can assist in getting in additional repetitions to form more pathways and help us be better Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners.
The more times students work with material and have repetitions, the pathways they are making in their brains that make reading an easier skill for them.
Make sure that students do not misunderstand that there are parts of DT that are done traditionally and cannot be gamified.

Essential Question(s):

What is your preferred way of learning? Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic? What types of technology help support this?

Student objectives (outcomes):

Students will be able to demonstrate:

Foundational skills such as
- Alphabet skills such as sequencing, alphabetizing, letter sounds
- Diacritical coding symbols
- RAP (Rapid Automatic Naming Practice)
- Letter Sound Spelling
- Syllable Division Rules
- Spelling Rules
Application Skills
- Code & Read
- Spelling
- Dictation

Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):

The technology components will offer students many opportunities to have performance tasks through the application designed in my innovation plan, “Show Me How You Code” where constructivist feedback is provided and students are able to correct their work. Data from the application can be used to check for understanding.
Students will evaluate their understandings and strengths and weaknesses and identify strategies that have helped them and share with others in their groups

Other Evidence:

Progress Monitoring
SPED goal checks
Classwork
Spelling, Dictation, and Code & Read in DT lessons
Students will be able to demonstrate understanding through activities such as Blooket and Gimkit where data is gathered.
Application of skills can also be shown through Seesaw Activities and Quizzes as well as Google and Canva Quizzes

Stage 3 - Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

This unit brings in technological components alongside traditional DT practices to help students get extra repetitions in a way that encourages extra engagement and interaction with their peers. (W)
Technology such as Gimkit and Blooket is highly engaging and holds student interest on skills that otherwise would be known as “drill and kill”. It encourages students to work together and they embrace the power of the collective and use critical thinking skills alongside building their foundational skills (H & O)
Using the “Show Me How You Code” application from my innovation plan is a highly customizable and adaptive application that adjusts to the needs of all learners and scaffolds to meet their needs. (E & T)
When students evaluate their strengths and weaknesses and how they can help others based on that they grow not only as learners but as humans. (R & E)
Fun and engaging activities are woven in through out the DT week to maximize student engagement and still implement the DT program with the legal fidelity laid out in the Texas Dyslexia handbook (O

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed Fink’s 3 column table more for my needs. As someone that is teaching a specialized, scripted program and trying to simply integrate more technology into that program the 3 column table allowed me to break down that lesson and see where the technology would fit in and best support the needs of my learners. However, not being very far removed from the General Education classroom I do feel that the UBD lesson plan has a very strong place for helping educators design strong lesson plans as well and driving up critical thinking for their students. I feel that the UBD lesson plan is great for a specific unit that is driven from TEKS or essential questions in a curriculum, while mine is very explicit and systematic, the 3 column table allowed me to expand that some and fit some more innovation into the daily DT framework and still stay true to the Dyslexia Handbook and implement my program with fidelity.