Immediately following the workshop, having students apply that information cements that information with an action. Further, the workshop model of direct instruction delivers information in digestible chunks rather than a longer lecture. Periodically revisiting the Need to Knows can sometimes lead to new questions, which can drive the project forward, and using the PBLWorks Learning Log is a way to capture student thinking and new questions that arise. Students can keep goals and information in mind as they make these connections that lead to the public product and project conclusion. If there are breadcrumbs along the project path, students can begin to make connections between the phases of the project. Sustained inquiry can also help keep students engaged. Authenticity helps sustain attention too if the project is about something students can truly connect to, it is more likely that students will be engaged. ![]() Regularly building these strategies into project management with intentional review of the driving question and learning outcomes can help meet the needs of exceptional students, and they can also support students of any ability level. Common accommodations to address executive function skills like sustaining attention include frequent reminders, restating of directions, and frequent checks for understanding. The elements Challenging Problem or Question and Authenticity connect to strategies for sustaining attention that can be practiced regularly in the PBL classroom. Let’s look at how scaffolding the Essential Elements of Gold Standard PBL can benefit Special Education students, and others too. Our pedagogical approach to these skills can facilitate equity in our classrooms and lead to value-creating spaces, which special education students sometimes do not experience. ![]() These are some of the same skills students need to learn to be successful in a PBL environment – all students, regardless of their ability level. According to the National Center for Education Research, executive function skills “are the attention-regulation skills that make it possible to sustain attention, keep goals and information in mind, refrain from responding immediately, resist distraction, tolerate frustration, consider the consequences of different behaviors, reflect on past experiences, and plan for the future.” Many times, students who receive special education services have specific needs in managing executive functions. I’ve found that Project Based Learning can be a great equalizer. The waters can be tricky to navigate in heterogeneous learning environments with students of varying ability levels, but sometimes there are magical moments as well. That was how one of my special education students began one of their post-project reflections.
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