Barb and Lois

To be honest, I had never really considered the possibility of teaching an individual with autism. I suppose my thoughts had always been that a student with autism would have been addressed prior to being in my classroom (being a high school teacher). Also, I had imagined an autistic student would already have an IEP on place that I would contribute to and assist with. Perhaps this picture is naive and too idealized, though.

As far as Barb and Lois' presentation/discussion, I was fascinated by the concept of students with autism experiencing some degree of freedom through typing. I find "non-verbal thought" absolutely mind blowing. Perhaps it's my linguistics background poking through, but I have a difficult time conceiving of thought without language. I would enjoy reading further on the topic on the future and anticipate the impact such knowledge could have on education.

Some of what Barb had to say (or rather Lois through Barb) caught me off guard. Rocking with a person or spinning with them if they stand up and spin seemed counterintuitive if not offensive. I don't think I would have ever done something like that had I not heard what Lois/Barb had to say on the topic. The same goes for speaking slowly and from the diaphragm to enhance the accuracy of communication.

Assessments (Post 2 - Chapter 14)

Informal vs. Formal

The most obvious form of informal assessment would be the spontaneous, in-class essay. Requiring the students to express themselves on a particular topic applicable to the curriculum has the potential to track both their assimilation of ideas from class discussion and their comprehension of course readings. I believe this potentiality makes informal assessment the most complete form of assessment in an English classroom.

Paper-pencil vs. Performance

A short-answer/small essay exam would be an example of paper-pencil assessment. I would use this form of assessment to evaluate students’ level of reading retention by asking them to describe certain characters, plot devices, or symbols from their reading. This would give me an idea of what I need to focus on in future classes and also hold the students accountable to their readings on a weekly or semi-weekly basis.

Standardized vs. Teacher-developed

An end-of-unit exam would be the sort of teacher-developed assessment I would use. Tailor-made questions (multiple choice, true/false, vocabulary definitions, etc) can target specific learning goals and hammer home necessary items for future standardized exams.

Criterion-referenced vs. Norm-referenced

A term/research paper would be a great example of a criterion-referenced assessment. Requiring students to follow essay structures (introduction, thesis, body, conclusion) and citation standards would indicate their level of comprehension and mastery. These assessments can also potentially build a great deal of confidence and momentum within the classroom and, in turn, can help provide some level of intrinsic motivation for future assignments.

Traditional vs. Authentic

A systematic critique of a work (novel, song/poem, play/movie, etc.) would be an example of an authentic assessment. Requiring the students to apply conceptual ideas of critical theory to a pop-culture or contemporary work help students understand that they can/should use the same techniques developed in-class to evaluate the media they consume in the real world outside the classroom. This would (hopefully) pay future dividends in college and beyond through authentic self-expression and beneficial self-analysis.