Differentiation teaching strategies
“Differentiated Learning” and “Universal Design for Learning” (Christina & Van, 2007) pedagogical practices can be used to support the pursuit of excellence in diverse learners. Make modifications to pedagogies that value and utilise diverse characteristics and abilities of students to warrant that teaching is flexible, relevant and responsive.
Universal Design for Learning: Monitor the progress and initiate alternative methods that inspire students’ autonomy, and facilitate learning
Cooperative learning models: Jigsaw, Full Option Science System, Reciprocal teaching and collective argumentation instructional strategies are valuable for students with mixed abilities as they focus on capabilities rather than limitations of individuals
Bloom’s taxonomy sequence of increasing difficulty cognitive objective questions: Challenges students, induces curiosity and inspires them to deepen their understanding, develop higher-order thinking skills and become effective learners
Games: Games offer students an exciting learning platform to develop logical and strategic thinking at their own level
Jigsaw puzzle: Students have an opportunity to work on a concept which is adapted to their learning needs
Language: Language is the popular medium of instruction, and care should be taken to ensure there is clarity of expression and all students understand the subject
Individual Education Plan (IEP): Accept that some learners might need an individual education plan (IEP), prepared for students’ specific needs and reviewed regularly
Provide opportunities for students to achieve the learning objectives though different paths.
Embrace the constructivist approach, constructing learning to suit the needs of the learner.
I have realized that this approach of learning aids to reduce the gap between the high achievers and the low achievers.
Slow learners – give them adequate time to learn: According to Mathematical Learning Theory (Atkinson, 1972), optimal learning performance can be attained by giving students adequate time to learn.
With interactive resources, students have the opportunity to learn at their own pace. Moreover, interactive technology’s immediate feedback motivates students and increases their learning confidence, and offers students’ sense of empowerment and accomplishment (Fudin, 2012).
Identity crisis:
Identity formation is predominant in young adolescents’ lives. Provide the opportunity for students to explore who they are in an inspiring environment. For example,
tiered interactive activities provide a stimulating environment in which students experiment with what they know without fear of being criticised unduly. The thrill, instant gratification and feedback offered by digital resources inspire students to learn with enthusiasm and passion and contribute towards shaping a cohesive self-identity.
Low motivation: Simulate real-world experiences relevant to student’s lives
Homework:
Adjusting assessment: Ensure that assessment is fair and alternate methods of assessment are provided for learner’s unique needs
Addressing the diverse needs and abilities of all the students for completing the assessment task:
Incorporate the following five inclusive strategies to cater for varied needs and abilities of all the students.
Timing inclusive strategy: Students with special learning needs (e.g. ADHD, Autism and ESL) are allowed to take one week additional time to submit the assignment.
Scheduling inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the order of sessions by allowing student’s (who lack confidence in solving mathematical problems or who has difficulty understanding mathematical problems) to start an assessment with a section that engages the student or the topic student finds it easier to complete. Make adjustments to the number of sessions to allow students to submit the assessment task in smaller chunks.
Setting inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the location and placement for reducing distractions, minimise background noise and reduce anxiety of the student. Allow students (who lack confidence) to sit closer to the teacher when they are engaged in solving complex problems.
Presentation inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the presentation of the assessment task by categorising and highlighting key words in meaningful colours.
Response inclusive strategy: Allow students to submit assignments in hand written, typed, video, wiki page or a web podcast to cater for all the students learning preferences.
Scaffolding and feedback:
Learning partnerships and communities of practice:
The teacher will facilitate an assignment discussion forum for students to discuss with peers and share their ideas.
- Establish a classroom environment that is suitable for different learning styles and encourage students to respect similarities and differences equally
- Adopt teaching that is flexible, relevant and responsive
- Embrace pedagogies that value and utilise diverse characteristics and abilities of students and provides for students individual differences
- Have a strategic seating arrangement that encourages children to work with learners of mixed abilities and take turns at leadership roles
- Respect individual differences, have a ‘caring’ attitude, show interest in students, and provide stimulating feedback
- Differentiate the content, process, product and classroom environment to present equally engaging learning experiences for diverse students
- Integrate technology-rich tiered and open-ended activities into the unit planning as they offer various levels of challenges according to student’s abilities and readiness levels
- Match the pace of teaching to students needs
- Scaffold students to categorise the tasks and break the tasks into smaller chunks
- Encourage students to progress from easy to more difficult, familiar to unfamiliar, routine to non-routine tasks
- Provide stimulating cues, prompts and directions for students to complete tasks efficiently
- Make students believe that “Success builds on success”
- Provide the most subtle support possible so that students are not embarrassed
“Differentiated Learning” and “Universal Design for Learning” (Christina & Van, 2007) pedagogical practices can be used to support the pursuit of excellence in diverse learners. Make modifications to pedagogies that value and utilise diverse characteristics and abilities of students to warrant that teaching is flexible, relevant and responsive.
Universal Design for Learning: Monitor the progress and initiate alternative methods that inspire students’ autonomy, and facilitate learning
Cooperative learning models: Jigsaw, Full Option Science System, Reciprocal teaching and collective argumentation instructional strategies are valuable for students with mixed abilities as they focus on capabilities rather than limitations of individuals
Bloom’s taxonomy sequence of increasing difficulty cognitive objective questions: Challenges students, induces curiosity and inspires them to deepen their understanding, develop higher-order thinking skills and become effective learners
Games: Games offer students an exciting learning platform to develop logical and strategic thinking at their own level
Jigsaw puzzle: Students have an opportunity to work on a concept which is adapted to their learning needs
Language: Language is the popular medium of instruction, and care should be taken to ensure there is clarity of expression and all students understand the subject
Individual Education Plan (IEP): Accept that some learners might need an individual education plan (IEP), prepared for students’ specific needs and reviewed regularly
Provide opportunities for students to achieve the learning objectives though different paths.
Embrace the constructivist approach, constructing learning to suit the needs of the learner.
I have realized that this approach of learning aids to reduce the gap between the high achievers and the low achievers.
Slow learners – give them adequate time to learn: According to Mathematical Learning Theory (Atkinson, 1972), optimal learning performance can be attained by giving students adequate time to learn.
With interactive resources, students have the opportunity to learn at their own pace. Moreover, interactive technology’s immediate feedback motivates students and increases their learning confidence, and offers students’ sense of empowerment and accomplishment (Fudin, 2012).
Identity crisis:
Identity formation is predominant in young adolescents’ lives. Provide the opportunity for students to explore who they are in an inspiring environment. For example,
tiered interactive activities provide a stimulating environment in which students experiment with what they know without fear of being criticised unduly. The thrill, instant gratification and feedback offered by digital resources inspire students to learn with enthusiasm and passion and contribute towards shaping a cohesive self-identity.
Low motivation: Simulate real-world experiences relevant to student’s lives
Homework:
- Give homework that caters for students with mixed abilities and learning needs.
- Give homework tasks that focus on higher order thinking skills based on constructivist learning theories, discovery and problem-based approaches to promote active learning
- Base homework on alternative methodologies where students need to research and explore that expands and extends beyond classroom learning (e.g. interesting and meaningful real-world examples and case studies)
Adjusting assessment: Ensure that assessment is fair and alternate methods of assessment are provided for learner’s unique needs
Addressing the diverse needs and abilities of all the students for completing the assessment task:
Incorporate the following five inclusive strategies to cater for varied needs and abilities of all the students.
Timing inclusive strategy: Students with special learning needs (e.g. ADHD, Autism and ESL) are allowed to take one week additional time to submit the assignment.
Scheduling inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the order of sessions by allowing student’s (who lack confidence in solving mathematical problems or who has difficulty understanding mathematical problems) to start an assessment with a section that engages the student or the topic student finds it easier to complete. Make adjustments to the number of sessions to allow students to submit the assessment task in smaller chunks.
Setting inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the location and placement for reducing distractions, minimise background noise and reduce anxiety of the student. Allow students (who lack confidence) to sit closer to the teacher when they are engaged in solving complex problems.
Presentation inclusive strategy: Make adjustments to the presentation of the assessment task by categorising and highlighting key words in meaningful colours.
Response inclusive strategy: Allow students to submit assignments in hand written, typed, video, wiki page or a web podcast to cater for all the students learning preferences.
Scaffolding and feedback:
- Provide opportunities for students to learn the targeted content, and review and consolidate the content that students may not have engaged recently (QSA, 2012).
- The teacher will explain the assignment questions by rephrasing and summarising the sentences to make it easier for all the students to understand the problems.
- Provide learning experiences that support the format of the assessment and modelling the assessment technique where possible without rehearsal of the actual assessment (QSA, 2012).
- Students are allowed to submit the draft assignment to receive constructive feedback.
Learning partnerships and communities of practice:
The teacher will facilitate an assignment discussion forum for students to discuss with peers and share their ideas.