Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is defined as a process to approach learning for students of differing abilities in the same learning environment. The intention of differentiating instruction is to enhance the learner's growth and personal success. Differentiated Instruction accommodates each pupil where he or she is rather than expecting students to adapt to modifications of the curriculum(Hall, 2012). 

Differentiated instruction has its roots in earlier educational movements. Differentiated instruction began in the 1970's when the curriculum was modified to meet the needs of both learnings disabled and gifted learners. In the 1980's the introduction of learning styles and multiple intelligences were influenced by teaching methods (Hall, 2002).  

Today learning environments are immense with various pupils who varies not only culturally and linguistically, but also in their cognitions, schemata, and learning preferences. Faced with such diversity, many educational institutions are mandating differentiating instruction to address adequately the needs of all students (Huebner, 2010).

The process of differentiating instruction ensures that all students will be accountable for information and thinking at a high level.The significant task is to challenge the cognition of all pupils. Ultimately the task is to have students benefit from this strategy because all can learn from a broad range of questions and responses (Pritchard, 2009).

First, pupils should take a personality test to assess their personality type. Following the personality test, students should then take a learning style inventory to determine their preferred learning style. Once learning and personalities are determined, it is imperative that the information is shared with parents, instructor, and educational facility. By evaluating your learners, you also find out how they learn and what engages them. You then offer differentiated ways for the students to interact with the new content.

 Teaching with a Learning Style In Mind:

From the inventory, it is concluded that teaching instruction needs to evolve. Teachers of the twenty-first century handle differentiating instruction for a unique learner. When considering the learning style of the Theorist, it is urged that educators equip themselves with higher order activities that are based on mere logic. It is concluded that innovative activities are necessary to maintain and enhance this learner. Using the Social Media efficiently and collaboratively is an aspect of instructing that this student would love. This type of instruction is not only relevant to the learner, but also to the issue of literacy in the twenty-first century. It is imperative that today's teachers move beyond merely incorporating the tools, but also assessing the use of the tools.

Reflecting on Practice:

Reflective practice is a practice of reflecting on action and inactions. It is a systematic way of thinking that incorporates various strategies. Using skills like left-column recording, personal inventories, and questioning will assist educators in enhancing student learning. It is a purposeful way of studying one's experiences to improve instructional practice. Satisfactory engagement with reflective practices is an educator's responsibility. It allows instructors to think in new ways, and is pedagogical ideal. Developing these skills further by undertaking activities of mere critical reflection is crucial for student's individual growth. Educators and School districts benefit when reflective practices are defined and correctly implemented.

Applying Reflective Practice:

It may be very difficult for the teacher to let go of control of the learning process. However, for the learner to grow, it is imperative that they are responsible and navigating their learning. Teachers must fully believe students are capable of managing their learning, and must reflect on instructional practices to assure an abundance of activities are available to support higher order thinking. Ultimately the outcome of reflective practices is the development of critical thinkers. Critical thought and problem-solving skills are essential for the survival of the twenty-first century. After all isn't the goal to create problem solvers that can mold and shape the world? With the adaptation and implementation of reflective pedagogies, the student and teacher are equipped to sustain the challenges of this new century.

Questions to Initiate the Process:

What are you teaching?
What are the objectives and goals of the teaching?
What is expected from the student?
What is expected from the teacher?
How does the teacher instruct?
How does the learner learn?
Does the teaching style match the learning style?
What can be done to assure that teaching and learning are aligned?
How will the learner demonstrate what they have learned?

Table for Differentiating Instruction:

Comparing Traditional Guided Reading; Small-Group Reading; and Small-Group Differentiated Reading Model

The evaluation is tied to what the pupil creates at the conclusion of the differentiated lesson to show the mastery of the new content. Educators are urged to assign students to complete activities that demonstrate the competency of a new concept through student preference, and based on assessed learning style.

Possible Products that Students can Create:
•Read and write a book report.
•Visual learners create a story webs or graphic organizers that relate directly to a story.
•Auditory learners may consider giving an oral summary of a story using technology and multimedia applications.
•Kinesthetic learners build a diorama illustrating the story.

Rubric:

Brain-based research shows differentiated instruction is highly  effective for gifted students as well as students with mild to severe cognitive disabilities.

When students are given more options on how they can learn material, they take on more responsibility for their own learning(Westbrook, 2011).

Students appear to be more engaged in learning, and there are reportedly fewer discipline problems in classrooms where teachers provide differentiated lessons.

References:

Bender, W. N., & Bender, R. L. (2009). Differentiating Instruction for students with Learning Disabilities. Thousand Oaks, CA.

Hall, T. (2002). Differentiated Instruction (Online).Wakefield MA: CAST retrieved from: www.cast.org/publications/ncac

Huebner, T.A. (2010). What Research Says about…Differentiated Learning. Meet Students where they are, 67(5), 79-81

Moore, K. D. (2012). Effective instructional strategies: From theory to practice. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Doi: 9781412995726

Shepherd, C., & Acosta-Tello, E. (2015). Differentiating Instruction: As Easyas One, Two, Three. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 12(2), 95-100

Siegle, D. (2014). Technology: Differentiated Instruction by Flipping the Classroom. Gifted Child Today, 37(1), 51-55

Westbrook, A.F. (2011, April 25). The Effects of Differentiating Instruction by Learning Style on Problem Solving in Cooperative Groups. Online Submission

Four ways of Differentiating Instruction (Moore, 2012):

1) Differentiate the Content/Topic

2) Differentiate the Process

3) Differentiate the Product

4) Differentiate by manipulating the environment through accomodating Learning Styles

It can be very tedious to find adequate strategies when teaching problem-solving in a standard based mathematics classroom(Westbrook, 2011).

Strategies for Implementing Differentiated Instruction:

* "Three Phase Lesson" model, teachers, identify prior knowledge that the student must possess to be successful in learning the new concept. Teachers then delineate specific components inherent in the concepts that need to be mastered and identify tasks that will enable the student to practice these new concepts (Shepherd, 2015).

* Flipping the Classroom can be an effective instructional strategy for differentiating instruction for gifted and talented students (Siegle, 2014). Flipped Classrooms embrace the latest brain-based research, technology, and educational initiatives to bring a new focus to differentiating instruction (Bender, 2009).

* The constructivist approach to learning places an emphasis on the meaning of self.  Students are aware of their deficiencies and have an explicit depiction of their place in the world.  Through constructivism, there is a dual interest of both student and academic.potential for accommodating individual differences, and mastering their optimal success.   Constructivism is an educational theory that emphasizes higher order thinking and eliminates the traditional role of the teacher. It deals with offering students developmental activities in hopes of building critical thinkers, based on the belief in teaching students to be independent thinkers, in charge of their learning.There are many benefits of using constructivism within the class instruction. The greatest benefit is watching your learners graduate into self-actualizing adults. With learning the part to whole, or using peer education, constructivism assures that students synthesize their task and apply the resources around them to complete the work. To instruct, teachers must understand the perception of the student and differentiate curriculum to meet the needs of all students.  Learning is no longer convergent and requires teachers to plan carefully to assure that all students are learning.

The biggest perk to the constructivist approach to learning is it places an emphasis on the meaning of self.  Students are aware of their deficiencies and have an explicit depiction of their place in the world.  Through constructivism, there is a dual interest of both student and academic.  Students have a greater potential for accommodating individual differences, and mastering their optimal success.   Constructivism is an educational theory that emphasizes higher order thinking and eliminates the traditional role of the teacher. It deals with offering students developmental activities in hopes of building critical thinkers, based on the belief in teaching students to be independent thinkers, in charge of their learning.