Differentiated Instruction: Meeting The Needs Of All Learner

Differentiated Instruction Meeting The Needs Of All Learnersdifferenti

Since students are not all alike, it stands to reason that they take in and process information differently. One of the best approaches for providing opportunities for students to rely on their strengths and work on their weaknesses is differentiated instruction, which requires teachers to be flexible and to tailor their instruction. The differentiated instruction philosophy supports adjusting the curriculum instead of having the students adjust; that is, it promotes adapting instructional strategies to students instead of expecting students to change themselves for the curriculum.

Allan and Tomlinson (2000) define differentiated instruction as the process of "ensuring that what a student learns, how he/she learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he/she has learned is a match for that student's readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning." It is a student-centered approach that addresses student differences by incorporating multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas.

Differentiated instruction is based on the premise that instructional approaches should vary and be adapted in relation to individual and diverse students in classrooms. It is viewed as a proactive approach to instruction and a philosophy that has as many faces as practitioners. Teachers who are committed to this approach spend time getting to know their students because they believe that who they teach shapes how they teach since who the students are as individuals shapes how they learn. In differentiated instruction, teachers use an eclectic approach to lesson planning and vary instructional strategies. Since all students are different, a one size-fits-all approach is inadequate.

To be effective, teachers have to keep each student’s interests, preferences, readiness, and needs in mind when they are planning instruction. There are several different elements that instructors can differentiate on the basis of students' learning profiles, readiness, and interests. The most common ones include (1) content (what the student needs to learn), (2) process (the activities the students engage in), (3) products (the culminating projects that demonstrate what the student has learned), and (4) the learning environment (what the classroom environment is like). As a classroom teacher, to differentiate content, you could provide students with supplemental materials to reach all the learning modalities (auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic) and provide opportunities for small groups to review concepts or opportunities for advanced students to extend their skills.

Examples of process differentiation include (1) using tiered instruction to address students' needs, (2) varying the time students spend on tasks and activities depending on their needs, (3) allowing students to explore lesson extensions according to their interests, and (4) supplying hands-on activities for those who need them. Product differentiation can include (1) providing students with multiple ways to demonstrate their learning and (2) using rubrics that correspond to their various individual skill levels. Differentiating the learning environment includes (1) setting up different spaces within the classroom for individual and group work and (2) laying out guidelines for independent work that matches students' individual needs.

Creating a classroom climate conducive to learning where students feel both comfortable and challenged is key. Reference Allan, S. D. & Tomlinson, C. A. (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms. Alexandra, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.