Senior II Reflection: Special Education

by Hayley Flynn (May '08 graduate)

Over the course of the Senior II Student Teaching experience, it is expected that we all teach countless lessons across content areas, establish our own classroom management plan, and have contact with parents and families. In addition to such requirements, I have also created, implemented, and reported on an action research project.

As a Special Education major, it is required that I do an action research project. Action research is one way for teachers to make sure that they are practicing effective teaching methods that benefit their students. In beginning an action research project, the teacher must identify a problem, either behavioral or academic. The teacher must then identify an intervention, or a way to correct the problem. Research must be done on the chosen intervention by gathering information from sources including peer reviewed journals. Once a research based intervention is chosen, baseline data must be gathered. Baseline data is the student’s current level of function including the frequency of a given behavior or a group of scores on a test. At this time the intervention can be implemented. Throughout the intervention, it is important to gather data to chart the student’s progress.

This semester, I chose the topic of multi-sensory instruction to increase spelling scores of basic sight words. My baseline data showed that my students had difficulty spelling basic sight words. My intervention had the students go to multi-sensory based centers to work with a group of 10 basic sight words. In one center, students use whisper phones to spell words (auditory). In the second center, students use sand trays to spell out the words (tactile/kinesthetic). In the third center, students spell out words using magnetic lettering (visual). Prior to each center time, students are given a spelling test probe to chart their progress throughout the intervention. So far, the intervention is showing promise, specifically with students with learning disabilities.