M. O'Grady-Jones

Colorful Italian Plate

Barriers to Learning

These barriers to learning are tied to a fifth grade lesson plan entitled Traveling Google Earth with Carmen Sandiego. Students follow clues to learn about different cultural, geographic, and political elements of several countries. Their final project is to create a virtual field trip to another country using Scratch. The following table illustrates lesson components, participant qualities, potential barriers, Universal Design for Learning recommendations, and technology solutions.

Barriers to Learning
Lesson Component Participant Qualities Potential Barriers UDL Recommendations Technology Solutions
Long term group project that includes multiple steps. Anxiety Some students can feel overwhelmed by the scope of a project or by events that are not connected to the classroom. The following statements from Sundby (2018), paints a striking picture of what happens when a student has an episode of heightened anxiety. "The elevated heart rate and blood pressure may be accompanied by lowered cognitive ability, slower processing times, and slower reactions. Reading is slower. Understanding is slower. Deciding is slower. Reacting is slower."
  • Provide graphic organizers and scaffolding to help with project management help students in designing and developing their own project tools and graphic organizers.
  • Encourage division of long-term goals into short-term objectives. Students can learn to develop their own tools both on paper and with software tools.
  • Plan to provide safe space and multiple options for accessing material. Some students may need more time or a quiet place to process. Within the classroom set aside places for individual work or quiet spaces. Students can choose to leave group work for quiet spaces as needed. I have individual conversations with students and we work together to locate comfortable and safe spaces within the classroom. We also develop signals verbal and nonverbal to communicate the need for time and space.
  • Google Drawing can be used to create graphic organizers and work flow trackers for longer range projects. The following websites offer free organizers to get started.
  • Popplet can be used to create graphic organizers, workflow charts, and other learning or management tools. This tool is easy for students to learn and images can be downloaded and saved to learning management systems.
  • Go Zen provides several videos that students can tap into to help provide calming meditations. This can be done as a whole class or students can find a quiet spot and some headphones to view on their own device.
Use of Google Docs and Google Earth on Classroom iPads or Laptop Visual Impairments Students may have difficulty accessing print materials due to dyslexia or other vision problems.
  • Display information in a flexible format to allow for student manipulation of text.
  • Provide students with the tools for manipulation of digital text.
  • Offer alternatives to visual information.
  • Google Docs can be used to vary font and font size for individual learners.
  • ZoomEd is a Google Chrome extension that magnifies text on a computer screen. Readers can adjust text size and color.
  • Screen readers such as Natural Reader or ChromeVox can be used to read content and Google Voice Typing can be used to answer questions, fill out study guides, and respond to assessment questions.
Coding in the Scratch environment. Attention Deficits Students with attention difficulties may find that group work can be challenging. Group discussions and decisions may happen too quickly. The number of choices in a coding environment can be overwhelming and students may need help focusing each task.
  • Give explicit prompts for each step in the process.
  • Encourage division of long-term goals into short-term objectives.
  • Remove unnecessary distractions.
  • Provide scaffolds to all students and those who need it can access as needed.
  • Google Classroom can be used to keep files and assignment organized.
  • YouTube how to videos can be used on the iPad while the student is programming on the laptop. That way students could code while watching the video or pause and code without having to switch back and forth between tabs on the computer.
Manipulating Google Earth Fine Motor Difficulties Students with involuntary tics due to PANDAS, or other neurological disorders might have trouble manipulating the iPad.
  • Provide alternate keyboard commands.
  • Customize overlays for touch screens and keyboards.
  • Provide extended time to complete work.
  • Allow students to use the smart board. The larger format may be easier to manage.
  • The iPad allows for voice typing. Students choose the search option and then they can speak what they are looking for.
All Activities in the unit Limited English Skill Students who are ESOL may need extra time and help in understanding the vocabulary and concepts.
  • Clarify vocabulary prior to lesson.
  • Define domain specific vocabulary.
  • Provide electronic translation tools.
  • Flippity can be used to create digital flash cards that students can use to practice new vocabulary.
  • Google Translate can be used to translate documents to other languages.
  • Natural Reader, available as an online tool, a Chrome extension, and as downloadable software can help students to hear text.