Differentiating Instruction

Prior taking this RETELL class I thought differentiating meant “dummying down” work. I struggled with the concept of differentiating strategies because I thought it help students to be all they can be. Taking the class have given a clear understanding the meaning and the usage of differentiating teaching, matter of fact, some the strategies I use in class are similar to some of the strategies taught in the RETELL class. I realized that Differentiated instruction is about using teaching strategies that connect with individual student's learning strategies. The ultimate goal is to provide a learning environment that will maximize the potential for student success. The important thing to remember is to hold on to the effective teaching strategies that lead students to positive learning outcomes and to make adjustments when necessary. It's about being flexible and open to change. It's also about taking risks and trying teaching and learning strategies that you would have otherwise ignored. It's about managing instructional time in a way that meets the standards and also provides motivating, challenging, and meaningful experiences for school age

Differentiating instruction is a valuable instructional management and delivery tool, which can be used to assist teachers in meeting the needs of the diverse populations of students which they now find in their classrooms. In using these strategies, a teacher may use pre-assessments to determine the learning styles, interests and readiness of the students, prior to the introduction of a lesson or unit. After developing a learner profile, the teacher may then differentiate according to the readiness of the student, by process of delivery, and by the product which the student may produce to

In response to the varied student learning needs, differentiation will be a key component of this classroom. It is “designed to improve access to the general education curriculum by adapting instruction to each student’s diverse learning needs” (Smith, 2007). “Differentiation instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners’ needs, styles, or interest” (Heacox, 2012). Because each student comes to this 6th grade classroom with unique needs, differentiation will implemented frequently to ensure that each student receives the rigor needed to master the 6th grade curriculum. It will be relevant to your student and his/her needs. It will provide an appropriate level of challenge. It will be engaging and at times, it will offer choices. Delivery of differentiated instruction will frequently involve centered based learning activities and small group instruction. A list and description of some of the centers will be distributed to parents and is attached as Appendix

Readingrockets.org defines differentiation as tailoring instruction to meet individual needs. Differentiated instruction is a broad framework for supporting student differences by varying content, process, products, and learning environments based upon students strengths and weaknesses (Tomlinson, 2000).

implementation occurs. As noted in this course, I observed that "readiness" is a common thread. Interest and learning styles, as well as, adjusting content, process and product are also important, but without knowing if a student is ready for the next challenge, all learning and teaching could potentially be lost.

First of all, technology provides you with effective ways of learning during school. A variety of people learn better by just sitting in class listening to a lecture or simply watching a PowerPoint. But then on the other hand, some people learn better visualizing what they are learning. With technology, you would be provided with this opportunity to get visual views of what you are learning. You could find a video over the topic you are discussing in class, maybe look at some pictures or animations, and perhaps you can even look for an

Within a scheme of work differentiation must also be used as this is an approach to teaching that attempts to ensure that all the learners learn well despite their many differences. Having the ability to differentiate within teaching is a great attribute as “A teacher who understands what helps a learner learn will be a better teacher because they recognize differences and are prepared to alter

Differentiated instruction is different from traditional classroom instruction in several ways. In differentiated instruction, teachers use on-going assessments instead of on assessment at the end of the unit. Differentiated instruction also uses flexible grouping, such as small groups or peer pairs, rather than simply whole-group instructions. Additionally, differentiated instruction uses an array of teaching methods based on the students learning style. Finally, differentiated instruction uses a variety of learning materials.

Differentiated instruction is a very important aspect to the school environment. Every student learns at a different pace and it’s imperative to guide them at a comfortable rate. In the first YouTube video, “Differentiation and The Brain: A discussion with Carol-Ann Tomlinson,” Carol Ann Tomlinson explicitly explains her take on differentiated instruction, and how it can be applied in school. In the second YouTube video, “Getting Started on Differentiated Instructions” Carol Ann Tomlinson discusses how differentiated instruction is responsive teaching and how teachers need to proactively plan varied approaches (Tomlinson, 2005). It was interesting to read about her take on differentiated instruction through her article, “What is differentiated

Learning Differences: In order to support learning differences in the classroom, I will modify my lesson plans accordingly to meet the needs of every student. I will ensure that instructions are clear and easy to understand. I will break the learning into small steps, and supply quality feedback when needed. I will also model what needs to be done, to provide an example for my students. In order to support learning differences, as a Teacher I will modify my lesson plans.

Differentiation is the tool used by educators who recognize that all students come to them with different readiness levels and learning styles. It allows us to meet the needs of each individual student while meeting the standards developed by state and national education associations. Additionally, there are many different types of differentiation that can be used in a classroom: teachers can create learning centers, use differentiated assessments, and develop anchor activities, etc. Currently, I utilize differentiated assessments, but my goal for the upcoming school year is to utilize more learning centers and to incorporate anchor activities into my daily classroom routine.

Education has found its way into the loop of technology. Teachers are using ipads and laptops during class time to help conduct experiments, or share a presentation. This is allowing the students to gain instant access to the information they are seeking. Students also receive the opportunity to complete their homework online and print off their assignments instead of just using paper and pencil. Another pro for Technology in Education, there are countless sources out there which help enhance learning. In one research conducted, they compared the performance of teaching kids how to read a clock. One group was coached by an online app, another was shown by a toy clock, and the last group was trained by a drawing example. The results revealed that the children that were taught by the toy and app exceeded the paper drawing group (Galetzka).

Another area that is closely related to differentiation is small-group instruction within the whole-group setting. Incorporating small groups into the regular classroom setting allows for more flexibility in adjusting desired learning goals for small groups of students. Enrichment opportunities can be included for students who have demonstrated mastery of a concept and remediation for those who require more assistance. Research indicates that the inclusion of small-groups promotes greater gains in achievement than whole-class instruction (Abrami, Lou, Chambers, Poulsen, & Spence, 2000). Although these methods may be time

In today’s educational environment, all students expect to receive the same level of instruction from schools and all students must meet the same set of standards. Expectations for students with learning disabilities are the same as students without any learning difficulties. It is now unacceptable for schools or teachers to expect less from one segment of students because they have physical disabilities, learning disabilities, discipline problems, or come from poor backgrounds. Standardize testing has resulted in making every student count as much as their peers and the most positive impact has been seen with the lowest ability students. Schools have developed new approaches to reach these previously underserved students while

What is your inquiry question and how does it relate to the improved learning of your students?