I have
volunteered with a teacher for 3 years. I told her that I really like the way she
teaches her classes each year. She told me that the way she teaches is always
changing. Activities and lessons that have been successful in one year’s class
may be a disaster in another year. It all depends on the students.
There is
no “one-size-fits-all” instructional approach.
Students learn at different rates and in different ways. Students may
have different learning styles (visual, auditory, or kinesthetic) and can express their knowledge and abilities in different ways (Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences).
Bennett, M. (2011). Multiple intelligences and comics education.[Online image]. Retrieved from - http://marekbennett.com/2011/02/28/multiple-intelligences-comics-education/
Differentiated
Instruction (DI) and assessment is an approach used to meet the learning needs
and preferences of individual students (Drake, Reid, & Kolohon, 2014). The
DI approach emphasizes that all students are working towards the same learning
goal, even though it may be done in different ways. It can be implemented by
adapting instruction and assessment based on the learning styles of students. For
example, some students may require additional time and resources for tasks. DI involves providing a variety of ways for students to learn (i.e.
through using manipulatives, physically moving around, and working in pairs) and
demonstrate their knowledge (i.e. through open-ended projects, having
different versions of tests, oral presentations, and choice in assignments). I really liked how TechieTeacher Time created a giant clock on the
floor with masking tape and students were able to practice telling time using
their bodies. It was easy for the teacher to assess students on their ability to tell time and fun for the students.
Here is a
video of a Grade 4 Mathematics classroom implementing DI:
Robbins, S. (2013, June 6). Differentiated instruction in 4th grade mathematics [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCxwLcdzOIM
Piasta (2014) provided an example of how DI can support children
learning letter names and sounds. First, the teacher conducted a diagnostic
alphabet assessment to see what her students already knew and what their
learning needs are. Then, the teacher looks for patterns within her class and
divides students into groups of 2-5 students based on their learning needs. The teacher works with
each group and tailors the instruction to match the difficulties of specific
letters and individual/small group needs. Something that I previously did not
know was that teaching the alphabet by spending time on letters equally and in
alphabetical order ignores the fact that there are differences across letters since
some are more difficult to learn than others. In addition, there are
differences among children’s prior knowledge and familiarity of letters.
Children are more likely to know the letters if it is in their first name,
especially the first initial, and those letters tend to be of greater interest.
This emphasizes the importance of understanding students’ knowledge and needs to
create a student-centered learning environment by accommodating those learning
needs.
I think
it is great that students with similar learning needs are able to receive small
group instruction based on their needs. However, these groups need to be based
on achieving similar goals and not labeling them based on their ability. Also,
I believe that there is a need to group students with various abilities
together as well. It is beneficial to have students learn from each other,
especially by teaching each other!
Peshek
(2012) mentioned that when implementing DI, there are concerns of assessing
students who are completing assignments or tests in different ways. However, assessment is
a tool for helping students learn and can be used to ensure all needs are met. Formative
assessments, such as observations, homework, and class discussions, can be used
to understand student learning and to make appropriate instructional decisions
on how to support students. For summative assessments, Peshek (2012) suggested that a rubric can be used to assess the learning objectives and the different levels
students have reached even though students may have different versions of
tests or projects and some students may need to use additional resources, while others may not. Overall, students learn differently and need to
be provided with a variety of opportunities to learn and express their
knowledge in ways they can do so successfully.
 |
Differentiated kindergarten. (2012). Multiple intelligences chart [Online image]. Retrieved from
http://differentiatedkindergarten.com/so-you-think-you-know-di-how-about/ |
For more information, Edutopia provides 18 strategies for differentiated instruction in the classroom!
 |
Differentiated kindergarten. (2012). Multiple intelligences chart [Online image]. Retrieved from
|
References
Peshek, S. (2012). Assessment and grading in a differentiated mathematics classroom. Ohio Journal Of School Mathematics, (65), 45-50.
Piasta, S. B. (2014). Moving to assessment-guided differentiated instruction to support young children's alphabet knowledge. The Reading Teacher, 68(3), 202.
Hey Breanna,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your insight on differentiated instruction. We have discussed in many of our classes the issue that many older teachers refuse to adapt new methods of teaching. This is so important because as you said there is no one size fits all approach to teaching therefore teachers must develop new instructional approaches based on their students, to meet the needs of all students and promote academic success. With the DI approach it was great that you highlighted the importance that all students are striving towards the same goals, just in different ways. Your incorporation of pictures along with your blog post really helped me further my understanding of the DI approach. I specifically liked the “myths and misconceptions” picture, which compared incorrect myth goals of DI with the actual goals outline for the DI approach. My question for you is as a future teacher how would you ensure that student assessment is equal if you were to incorporate differentiated instruction? For your next blog try adding more personal experiences! Well done on the blog!
- Jennifer L
ReplyDeleteDear Breanna,
Your post this week was a very interesting read. Differentiated instruction is something that has been an ongoing concern and in discussion for some time now, especially in our education classes. I think your topic this week overlaps with mine, as I talked about the importance of getting to know your students. As the teacher you have been volunteering with said, her teaching strategies change every year because she has new students every year. So in order to successfully provide education that fits each students’ individual needs, the teacher must take the time to get to know their students every year.
Similar to the giant clock you discussed, which got students using their bodies, something I did with my camp kids was that I labeled each corner of the room with different responses (depending on the learning goal for that day), and I would ask questions, or say statements, and the children would have to go to the corner that they think suits it best. This allowed my campers to use their bodies to answer questions, rather than simply raising their hand and answering. Additionally, activities like this allow the shy children (or interpersonal children) to participate, when they may not feel comfortable speaking in front of the class. Do you think it is possible to create an activity that will meet the learning needs of EACH student in your classroom all at the same time?
I really liked that you used so many pictures and videos in your post as it provided the visual-spatial learners, such as myself, with a way to understand the material other than just simply reading information. Maybe next time you can incorporate questions into your post in order to get your readers thinking further! Great post, but I must add, I LOVE the theme of your blog title and posts - S for simply fantastic!
- Nicole
Dear Breanna,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting topic on Differentiated Instruction (DI), I enjoyed reading your thoughts and opinions on this area in education. I also liked how you linked DI to Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences; this is something all future educators should be familiar with (a great image to go along with it too!). DI enhances the quality of instruction in the classroom for a diverse group of students. I think it’s very important that when teachers differentiate instruction, they deliver more than one approach for students to access and learn course content. You mention many critical points towards DI and how it is beneficial in the classroom. I really enjoyed your example on how ‘TechieTeacher Time’ created a giant clock on the ground with masking tape where students were able to practice telling time using their bodies. Having this type of instruction towards a lesson engages students way more in their learning than it would if the students learned from a clock in their textbooks. The use of DI puts more of the learning responsibility on the students giving them autonomy and control in their learning. Providing students with some choice in learning activities leads to greater motivation and essentially increased student achievement. I agree on your thought on how having DI in the classroom makes it easier for the teacher to assess students on their own abilities which in turn makes the learning process equal towards all students. My question that I pose is: What are the cons to differentiated instruction and how can we as future educators overcome the negatives? Thank you for also adding in 18 Teacher-Tested Strategies for DI; this is a great resource to look back on for essential teaching tips! Fantastic use of video and images towards DI, they really helped break down the meanings of multiple intelligences and the misconceptions of DI. Perhaps next time you can include more questions and personal experiences pertaining to your topic to enhance more discussion. Very creative blog, I highly enjoyed the theme you incorporated!
-Jessica L