Instructional Strategies on SCIENCE

Instructional Strategies for Science

SOAR-High Earth System Science

http://csc.gallaudet.edu/soarhigh/

     SOAR-High Earth System Science is an instructional tool used in six high school EDHH classrooms.  I personally think that this would be a great system to use as supplemental material.  However, I would not feel comfortable using this in my high school classroom as the only way of teaching science.  The SOAR-High Earth System Science tool is used to make collaborative efforts with other schools and is a holistic approach to learning about the Earth.  This approach was created at Gallaudet University and the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center in 1999.  As far as I can see this approach is very technologically intensive.  Students can work through the units on their own time.  The instructors are able to post whatever information about science that they would like.  This allows the six institutions to learn from each other the use of technology.  When all is said and done the goal of this approach is to:

1.       Improve independent learning skills.

2.       Understand and be able to use technology.

3.       Understand the use of video conferencing and collaborating.

4.       Understanding of science as a method.

5.       Produce projects that will be published on the internet.

6.       Improve communication in a rich visual environment. 

     Personally, I don’t believe I would use this as the only method to teaching Earth Science in my high school EDHH classroom.  I feel that it would be a great resource for the students to refer to.  I feel that since this was created at Gallaudet that it is a website that doesn't need to be modified a lot for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  The following are what I believe are the strengths and weaknesses of this instructional strategy.   The positive things for me are:

1.       Anyone can have access to this site and it is free!!!

2.       It encourages collaboration and communication.

3.       It allows students and instructors to see what other classrooms are doing.

4.       Encourages independency.

5.       The website does outline the rules and guidelines for the students

6.       The website highlights Deaf Scientists.

The negative things for me are:

1.       It only focuses on high school level of learners.

2.       Some of the students may not be able to comprehend everything on their own.

3.       I feel that it may seem overwhelming to some students.

Study Up http://www.studyup.com/articles/teaching/teachingstrategiesforscience.html

This is a website I found that really focuses on what a teacher should do while teaching science.  The following are some great ideas for us as teachers to think about while teaching science.

1. Move slowly and progressively.  Science is often taught where one concept builds upon another.  It is very important for students to understand the concept being taught and then moving on.  It is also important for us teaching students who are deaf or hard hearing to really focus on the vocabulary.  Science terms are often difficult for students grasp.
2. The teacher should plan out his/her lessons based on the students' learning styles.  The content of the lesson should be well defined and the teacher needs to expand and limit the information based on the learning needs of the students.
3. Make the lesson engaging for the students.  Science is one of those subjects that can be hands on and fun.  Be sure to make it that for your students.  I think this is very important for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  I believe that this is a great way to stress concepts and help them actually understand what you are teaching them.

Using Science Kits to Construct Content Understanding
Daniel Dickerson
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/csmte/upload/science_kits_construct_content.pdf

This was a study I read about using science kits to help students better understand science material.  The main point of this article is to make science HANDS-ON.  I believe that this is the best way to learn science.  I know that I personally can read the book and understand.  I also know that I will retain the information much better if I can actually do an experiment or an activity related to the science lesson.  I believe that this hands-on approach is very important for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.  If the lesson are hands-on it makes it much easier to explain and describe things because the students are experiencing it first hand.

At my student teaching placement all of the classes are getting ready for benchmark testing.  There is a lot of focus placed on science and math.  What I am noticing is with the student who are deaf or hard of hearing is that they are having difficulties with reading the question and finding the important information within the question.  So I think that one of the biggest strategies for teaching science is to help the students with test taking strategies.  Some of the strategies are underlining important information in the question, cross out answers by process of elimination,and place a question mark by the answers that you are not sure of.  These are just a few of the test taking strategies that are used at my student teaching placement.

From most of what I found on instructional strategies for science it all goes back to the way science is taught.  Its not enough anymore to just stand up and teach, the teacher has to make the lessons informative and exciting.  With all the technology we have I believe that we have almost limitless possibilities on the hands on activities.  I think that there are so many ways that we can make science interesting for our students.