James L. Miller

6. Submit a Log

Log Submission

  • March 12, 2018 at 6:53 PM
  • Visible to public
LINCing Routine Log Submission In the current semester we have had our present classes for five weeks.  We have completed a number of short stories and have used the LINCing Routine to introduce vocabulary prior to the introduction of each story.  Initially slow relative to the number of words that could be covered per session, student response and completions times are increasing as more practice is garnered.     ·       

What went well?
The primary thing that went well as the routine was introduced to each class of students was that a core group of approximately four students per class caught on to the methodology rather quickly and were able to participate as peer supporters.  Alternatively, about as many students per class has major difficulties in learning the concept.    

What was a challenge?
The initial difficulty in each class was the composition of the student representatives who made up from 52% to 60% IEP (SPED) students with a variable rate of exceptionalities in attendance.  These included 1) Autism, 2) ED, 3) OHI, and 4) SLD.  Within this were included several learning styles and rates of attainment.  It was difficult to garner student buy in at first, yet each time the LINCing tables have been used, resistance seems to diminish.   ·     
  
What will you do next time?
In one class during the most recent vocabulary list introduction, student volunteers came forward and broke down the vocabulary word into its constituent parts, composed reminding words, wrote linking stories, and drew pictures to represent their stories.  Only the most confident participated.  I would like to see this become a standard part of the exercise.  We still have a minority group that are reluctant to join in.   ·  

What adjustments I made…
As the LINCing Routine has been used continually, more and more students have bought in.  We are at the level where many can be turned lose to tackle the exercise on their own or in groups of paired duos.  This has allowed that my co-teacher and myself can spend individual time with students who are having greater difficulty grasping the exercises.   

Ideas generated for concerns… Although our classes are heavily weighted with SPED students, we have moved to pairing students with a partner to work through completing each packet.  With independent reading levels averaging more than two grade levels below where students would ideally be, the pairings are producing growth as a larger number of students are completing the assignments.  Many could not, or would not, have demonstrated growth with peer collaboration.     

J.L. Miller, Gloucester High School.