Corinne+Harewood

Within the last two years, teachers at the school have observed that some students are unable to maintain focus in class, walk about the class disturbing others who are working and often need extra time and supervision to complete their exercises in the allotted time. This happens throughout the day. || The environment in the class impacts on the learners’ performance problem as the students sit at double desks so they are easily distracted by the student sharing the desk. Also, the classes have two open doors with people passing in the corridors, birds flying and other distracting activities happening outside. || These students stay on task more easily on the days that the Assistant teacher is assigned to the class. She gives them the individual attention that they need. Also, students tend to maintain focus better when they are in class alone or if it is possible to seat them on a single desk, away from the rest of the class. || Records of test scores and daily work completed and discipline books or report books which records discipline comments indicate that a performance problem exists among learners. || These students believe that they are not capable to handle the volume or difficulty of the work. Many of them only notice that there is a problem when they are not singled out for merit cards after test (midterm and end of term). || Factors that have an impact on learners’ performance problems include: parents who tell students about their problems while at school, harsh words that damage the children’s confidence, lack of support from home (completing home work, support the effort of the teacher), lack of acknowledgment of any improvement (as small as it may be) on the part of the child. || Study time impacts on learners’ performance problem because lessons that are too long may give way for students with short attention spans to become enveloped in their own thought. || When a student’s performance problem is not attacked in the early stages, it mushrooms. The gap between a student’s expected performance and actual performance widens the longer it is left to fester. This may affect their confidence and esteem. || These students are expected to make 50% on each test (Midterm test and End or term test) || The National test standard is 50%. This is the same mark that students are expected to make for tests at school tests. || Instruction that is interesting, engaging and keeps in mind multiple intelligences may have an effect on the learners’ performance problem. Hopefully, the learners will be more interested in lessons presented when lessons are planned this way. ||
 * EDTL1720: Instructional Design – Identifying an Instructional Problem Guiding Questionnaire ****(Use this questionnaire as needed to guide you in identifying and summarizing your instructional problem statement.)**
 * What observable behaviour (include frequency) indicate that learners have a performance problem?
 * How does the environment impact on the learners’ performance problem?
 * How do the availability and quality of required resources (human and physical) impact on the learners’ performance problem?
 * What bona fide information or records indicate that a performance problem exists among learners?
 * What do learners think about their performance problem?
 * What factors (school, work, or home) in the preparation of the learners impact on their performance problem?
 * How does study or instructional time impact on learners’ performance problem?
 * What are any negative implications for learners in not addressing their performance problem?
 * What performance standard or goal are learners not meeting that they are expected to meet?
 * How is this performance goal or standard linked to the Ministry of Education’s curriculum for these learners?
 * How will instruction address the learners’ performance problem?
 * Name: Corinne Harewood (5) ||
 * Date: 25-05-2012

Hi Corinne,
==== I believe we share a common problem. We also have several students who fall into the category that you have just outlined. It can at times be quite frustrating for both teachers and students. I have to admit, it sometimes feels like a neverending tug o' war. We have these children in our class who clearly need help, but there is only so much that we **alone** can do. Without assistance and support from parents, it can feel like our hands are tied. How much impact are we really having on children, when, like you said, they are filled with harsh and critical words from home? Indeed you are right, something has to be done for these students for they will only fall further below the gap and this can affect their confidence and esteem. ==== ==== The assistance of a TA (teacher's assistant) can help greatly, however, I must agree with you when you say that designing instruction that is engaging and which considers multiple intelligences theory can also have an impact on learners' performance problem as well. ====

= EDTL1720: Instructional Design – Instructional Problem and Curriculum Goal Form =

Use this form to present your instructional problem statement and related goal from the Ministry of Education’s (MOE’s) curriculum for your targeted learners.

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|| ====**Your Name:** Corinne Harewood==== || ====**Date:** 30th May, 2012 ||
 * ====**Instructional Problem Statement (**at least two paragraphs giving a summary description of the instructional problem derived from your Instructional Problem Template)==== ||
 * ====Students at school have serious challenges to apply the mathematical operations taught to solve word problems. This problem is seen at every level at the school. Teachers introduce and teach the operation without any hitch. Students seem to grasp the concept. They perform well and within a week they can solve mechanical problems from a higher level’s mathematics books.====

====The students have difficulty applying the operation to solve the word problems given. They have no trouble when they are taught the first operation (addition). Once they move to the second operation (subtraction) they add everything together. We teach clue words that will indicate the operations needed but this does not help most of the students.====

||
 * ====**Related Instructional Goal** (must be related to the MOE’s curriculum for your targeted learners)==== ||
 * ====Pupils will think creatively, so as to solve routine and non-routine problems by the end of the term.====

Trinidad and Tobago. Ministry of Education. (1999). //Primary School Syllabus .Mathematics.// Port-of-Spain, Trinidad: Author.
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Use this form to give your peer feedback on their Instructional Goals during your tutorial session.

 * ====**Your Name: Tami Jardine (6)**==== || ====**Your Partner’s Name: Corinne Harewood (5)**==== ||
 * ====**Criterion – Does the instructional problem statement give a review of different factors in summarising and identifying the performance problem? Explain why or why not.**==== ||
 * ====The instructional problem statement identifies and summarises the performance problem however, the wording of the problem leaves room for misinterpretation.==== ||
 * ====**Criterion – Will instruction solve the performance problem? Explain why or why not.**==== ||
 * ====Yes, instruction will solve the performance problem. The problem lies with the students ability to locate word clues that will guide them in the appropriate operation to use. Consistent and repetitive lessons on solving word problems will be beneficial to students in cementing this concept.==== ||
 * ====**Criterion – Is the performance problem linked to a goal in the Ministry of Education’s curriculum for the learners’ targeted? Explain why or why not.**==== ||
 * ====Yes, the performance problem is linked to a goal in the Ministry of Education's curriculum. The curriculum addresses the ability to solve word problems using a variety of mathematical operations.==== ||
 * ====**Criteria - Is the goal a broad statement of what is expected over time, not at the end of the lesson? If not, explain why not. If so, explain why it does.**==== ||
 * ====Yes, the goal is a broad statement indicating a time frame of a school term. The goal is a general statement of a desired outcome.==== ||
 * ====**Criteria - Does the goal describe the outcomes of instruction not the process, ways or means of instruction? If not, explain why not. If so, explain why it does.**==== ||
 * ====Yes, the goal describes the outcomes of instruction. No mention of process or ways and means of instruction is given.==== ||
 * ====**Criteria - Is the goal written in terms of what is expected of the student (not the teacher or school)? If not, explain why not. If so, explain why it does.**==== ||
 * ====The goal is specifically related to the student. It addresses the expectations of the students. No mention of teacher nor school.==== ||
 * ====**Criteria - What changes would you recommend to your partner’s instructional goal?**==== ||
 * ====I think the instructional goal is fine as it is. However, if a recommendation has to be made a different phrase can be used to replace 'think creatively'. For example, 'Pupils will develop concepts and skills to solve routine and non-routine word problems by the end of the term.'==== ||
 * ====I think the instructional goal is fine as it is. However, if a recommendation has to be made a different phrase can be used to replace 'think creatively'. For example, 'Pupils will develop concepts and skills to solve routine and non-routine word problems by the end of the term.'==== ||