Differentiation: How to engage and reach every learner in the classroom
- Guinevere Pura
- Dec 29, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 9, 2024
Image courtesy of The Resilient Educator
Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that caters to the diverse learning needs of all students, taking into account their individual interests and strengths. This method enables students to process and present information according to their unique learning styles or abilities, granting them choice and flexibility in how they learn. By doing so, differentiated instruction empowers students to reach or surpass their learning goals.
During my second practicum placement, I encountered a diverse range of learners in the classroom. Teaching a split grade meant simultaneously addressing the needs of two distinct grade levels. Additionally, I encountered several students with learning exceptionalities, further adding to the diversity of learning needs in the classroom (to learn more about learning exceptionalities, click on the Government of Ontario's categories of exceptionalities). While some excelled at exceedingly high levels, others demonstrated learning capacities two grades below their actual grade. This dynamic meant that I was not only teaching students in grades 6 and 7 but also accommodating the learning needs of students at grade levels 4 and 5. (Right Image: I allowed students to choose one of three options to answer as part of their consolidation assignment at the end of their history unit.)
As a teacher candidate (TC), navigating such diversity in the classroom was undoubtedly challenging, especially considering it's a typical scenario within the Board. Despite being equipped with the theory of differentiated instruction, the practical application seemed daunting with 29 distinct learners.
This situation reminded me of the "olden days" of the one-room schoolhouse, where students ranging from five to 14 or older were taught by a single teacher. The introduction of grade levels assumed that students learned at the same pace and capacity within their age group, but the advent of achievement tests revealed significant gaps in students' abilities within grade levels (Weselby, 2014). This underscores the importance of diversifying lessons to ensure retention by every learner. While I've diversified lessons for students in the non-profit sector, accommodating nearly four different grade levels simultaneously presented a new challenge.
It also required dedicating extra time to provide further explanations of the learning material to students who were struggling. This involved teaching during indoor recess, pairing struggling students with stronger ones for peer support, and reviewing lessons to ensure that every student was on the same page.
I approached the challenge by first gaining insights from my mentor teacher about each student, including those with IEPs, gifted learners, and others with exceptionalities. Then, I took the time to personally get to know each student, experimenting with different teaching styles and observing their responses. I also engaged them in casual conversations to understand their preferred learning methods.
By the midpoint of my placement, I had a decent grasp of each student's learning style and adjusted my teaching approach accordingly. While not without its difficulties, the process was more manageable than I initially anticipated, albeit time-consuming.
Drawing from my past experiences in the non-profit and municipal sectors, I delivered the material in creative ways to ensure that every student could learn effectively within the same lesson period. In addition, efforts were focused on creating individualized tests for students with IEPs and developing more challenging material for the gifted learners. Ultimately, these efforts led to success in meeting the diverse learning needs of all students.
Above: I made up to four different science tests to accommodate
individual learners
I'll never forget my last day of class when, amongst the hugs and an award that inscribed "Award to the best student teacher," a student approached me and said, "Miss, I don't know what I'm to do now. Science will never be the same without you." I sure hope he becomes flight engineer.
Sources:
EQAO: An agency of the Government of Ontario. (2013). EQAO: Ontario’s Provincial
Assessment Program Its History and Influence.
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Education. (2023). Categories of
exceptionalities. https://www.ontario.ca/document/special-education-ontario-policy-and-resource-guide-kindergarten-grade-12/categories
Weselby, C. (2014, October 1). What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How
to Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom. Resilient Educator. https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/
Further Resources:
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