background preloader

A Teacher's Guide to Differentiating Instruction

A Teacher's Guide to Differentiating Instruction
Introduction Does effectively teaching 30 students in one classroom require teachers to develop 30 lessons, one tailor-made for each student? Or should teachers “aim for the middle” and hope to reach most students in a given lesson? The answer is not simple. What is Differentiation? Simply stated, differentiation is modified instruction that helps students with diverse academic needs and learning styles master the same challenging academic content. How to Start Four planning steps set the stage for effective differentiated instruction. Vary Materials Author Joyce Van Tassel-Baska (2003) suggests that the selection of materials for use in the classroom is a crucial next step to effective differentiated instruction. Nonfiction and fiction, written at a variety of reading levels. The use of varied materials will encourage these students to understand the concept of “main idea” not only within language arts but in other settings as well. Vary Process Vary Assessment Conclusion References Good, M. Related:  Lektionsupplägg

Curriculum differentiation - Schools Plus - The Department of Education Ideas on adjusting the curriculum to meet the needs of all students Schools Plus would like to acknowledge that the information listed below is a body of knowledge that has been collected from a variety of sources - teachers, workshops, classrooms and schools. Set achievable tasks providing regular feedback throughout the activity Teach the student to organize themselves by listing tasks to be done and when they are due. A visual system for younger students, a diary for older students. Sequence activities Have the student’s full attention before giving instructions Instructions, routines and rules should be kept short, concise, clear and positive.

How to Differentiate Instruction How to Differentiate Instruction What's All the Hype? Unfortunately, our images of school are almost factory images, so school is very standardized. But kids don't come in standard issue. The challenge is having teachers question the standardized notion of school and then helping kids realize there's a better way to do school. Effective teachers have been differentiating instruction for as long as teaching has been a profession. What The Research Tells Us About Differentiate Instruction There are three bodies of research worth mentioning. 1) Brain-based Research 2) Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences 3) Authentic Assessment Brain-based Research on Learning Research on the brain has been used to inform educational practice for many years and is becoming more and more popular. Other valuable links on this topic can be found at: Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

The How To's of Planning Lessons Differentiated by Learning Profile Figure 10.1. Focus on Learning Profile Learning-Style Preferences Learning style refers to environmental or personal factors. Intelligence Preferences Intelligence preference refers to the sorts of brain-based predispositions we all have for learning. Culture-Influenced Preferences Culture affects how we learn, as well. The goal of the teacher is, therefore, not to suggest that individuals from a particular culture ought to learn in a particular way, but rather to come to understand the great range of learning preferences that will exist in any group of people and to create a classroom flexible enough to invite individuals to work in ways they find most productive. Gender-Based Preferences Gender also influences how we learn. Combined Preferences Combinations of culture and gender will create unique constellations of learning preferences in individuals. Some Guidelines for Learning-Profile Differentiation Remember that some, but not all, of your students share your learning preferences. Ms.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies - home 20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning 20 Questions To Guide Inquiry-Based Learning Recently we took at look at the phases of inquiry-based learning through a framework, and even apps that were conducive to inquiry-based learning on the iPad. During our research for the phases framework, we stumbled across the following breakdown of the inquiry process for learning on 21stcenturyhsie.weebly.com (who offer the references that appear below the graphic). Most helpfully, it offers 20 questions that can guide student research at any stage, including: What do I want to know about this topic? These stages have some overlap with self-directed learning. References Cross, M. (1996). Kuhlthau, C., Maniotes, L., & Caspari, A. (2007).

5 Ways to Improve Self-Motivation — Purposeful LifePurposeful Life We all have dreams, but sometimes, when we’re feeling brave, we give those dreams a deadline, and they become our goals. What are your goals? Are you finding it difficult to find that get-up-and-go feeling we call motivation? 1. That first step towards achieving our goals can sometimes seem long and daunting, if not impossible, but if we do not make it, the rest cannot follow. Unfortunately, the world cares a lot less whether or not we accomplish our goals and nobody else is going to do the hard work for us. It’s time to stop looking to others for help. 2. I discussed this with a little more detail in my post How to Set Goals and Achieve Them. Without clear, well-defined goals, we are lost. It’s crucial at this point to learn what it means to set the right sort of goals, you can find out how to do this here. 3. If you want to climb a mountain, begin at the top. - Zen saying 4. Let those around you know what it is you are working towards. 5. Good luck and thanks for reading.

5 Assessment Forms That Promote Content Retention If we hope to construct enduring understanding in our students, it's critical that, now more than ever, we know their strengths and interests. By incorporating students' strengths and weakness into authentic learning experiences from the beginning of each unit, while at the same time including opportunities for feedback, metacognition and revision, we promote a variety of cognitive and emotional benefits that can lead to academic success. For example, students with interpersonal learning strengths find that cooperative group work increases perseverance. Students with artistic, computer, dramatic or organizational skills benefit from appropriate opportunities to engage in building knowledge through their strengths and interests. It follows that assessments should also provide opportunities for each student's unique learning style to access his or her highest performance success level. The First 3 Assessment Forms Tests Where Notes or Textbooks are PermittedTake-Home TestsStudent-Made Tests

My Aspergers Child

Related: