H2- Honor student access to content material.

H2.- Honor student access to content material. Teacher-candidates use multiple instructional strategies, including the principles of second language acquisition, to address student academic language ability levels and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Students learn in a variety of different ways. To reach each member of the classroom community, variation in instructional strategies and the care for all language acquisition (whether second langauge acquisition or academic language acquisition) is vital to successful student learning. In chemistry, we gave students a sheet of polyatomic ions (attached) and told them that eventually they will need to know these by heart. In the meantime, students used the sheet of polyatomic ions while learning to write ionic formulas. This resource gives all students an opportunity to learn in their own way before mastering the polyatomic ions. Giving the resource to students a month prior to the mastery quizes where students will get points for memorizing the ions, students have the chance to learn the ions in a way that is convenient for them.   For some students, the visual aspect of a list will help introduce the academic language necessary for chemistry. For other students, working with the polyatomic ions on a regular basis will help them memorize the formulas. In addition, some students will require point-based motivation to memorize the formulas. Upcoming "mastery quizes"  will give students the point-based motivation necessary for them to learn the formulas and names of polyatomic ions. From this experience, I have seen firsthand how important it is to think ahead while planning. As a new teacher I often get bogged down in what needs to be prepared for tomorrow. I have to consciously think about the big picture and what my students will need to thoroughly understand not only one particular unit, but the course content overall. To enhance the instruction of polyatomic ions further, it may be beneficial to present the ions in various ways to the class as a whole. Adding some sort of direct instruction may help reach some students that have yet to be reached from the other methods of teaching polyatomic ions.

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