Thoughts and Observations on Teaching Diverse Learners
Differentiation in the 21st Century
by Scott Masson
Thoughts and Observations on Teaching Diverse Learners
Differentiation is one of the most important strategies an effective teacher in the 21st Century can apply in the classroom. Differentiated instruction means tailoring lesson plans to meet each student's individual needs in the classroom so that they all can make progress. This method requires knowing your students' strengths and weaknesses, understanding their individual learning styles, being empathetic to their needs, and being aware of their interests and passions. As teachers, it’s crucial that we understand that our classroom is filled with diverse learners who comprehend and progress at different levels.
In the first video, we get to witness a very enthusiastic teacher incorporating a multitude of teaching strategies that not only empowered the unique students in her class but also allowed them an opportunity to flex their prior knowledge (schema) into the lesson. The teacher was also subtly developing multiple literacies throughout her lesson (digital, visual, foundational, data, etc). The kids were asked to jot down notes about the various phases of Mitosis through a graphic organizer and to model the phases with hands-on materials. By splitting them up into partner groups, the students could brainstorm their ideas and knowledge, work with pipe cleaners, beads, and plastic cups, clearly access the slide presentation projected onto the Smart Board, and gain further guidance during their 15-minute work period. The teacher even incorporated a bit of “Gradual Release of Responsibility” into her lesson through her focused instruction at the beginning (I do), guided instruction (we do), productive group work (you do it together), and independent learning (you do it alone).
I was very impressed with her positivity and movement throughout the classroom. Even just her positioning within the middle of the room was an extremely effective strategy. Becoming “one with the class” is an approach I like to use whenever possible, instead of just standing in the front, spewing out information like a TV. This requires constant movement around the room, being immersed “inside” the large group, periodically asking questions, double-checking to make sure the students are comprehending all the information, and occasionally working in humor and positivity to consistently engage the young learners. After delivering the material from her area of expertise, she made a point to allow time for the students to work with their partners, synthesize, and recap while she made her way around the room. This differentiation allows the teacher to focus in on areas where an individual student or group might need more guidance while allowing other students who have a better understanding to work at their own pace. Never once did she provide negative feedback while checking in on any of the students modeling their materials or writing in their graphic organizer. It was always positive, constructive feedback. She also never left one table alone for too long. This gives a sense of equality to the students and a sense of belonging. Nobody is being left out! Whenever a student was recapping their knowledge or displaying their model, she got on their visual level by kneeling and giving them the direct eye contact they deserve. This is so important because it makes the students feel like their ideas matter. At the end of class, she thanked them for their participation, giving them further affirmation on their way out.
The second video I watched was a slightly different approach because it dealt with team teaching and the inclusion model. It depicted special ed students who have been mainstreamed into the general ed classroom scenario. I thought the two teachers did a great job working in differentiation because they were able to demonstrate their two unique teaching styles to an extremely diverse group of kids who were all working at different levels. Their lesson plan dealt with ratios and gave the students the power to self-assess how confident they were with the material at hand. Students had the choice between the “red group”, “yellow group”, and “green group”. Students who required more guidance from the teacher were able to choose the “red group”, and gain more “back-to-basics” instruction in a different part of the room through the help of visual aids (glue sticks, scissors, etc), and direct questioning and participation. The kids in the “yellow group” felt somewhat more confident in their knowledge of ratios, so they were ready to have more self-paced / self-monitored independence with interactive technology and videos. The “green group” were left to work in complete independence, since they already had a firm grasp of the material. This model allowed the teachers to assess where their students are at with the content, so they can move them through the differentiation, and narrow in on who needs more guidance. It also created an atmosphere of total engagement for all students within the classroom. Each student was able to develop, progress, and meet the standards at their own unique pace. What I found most uplifting about these team teachers was their ability to create a safe environment for the kids to not feel bad about which group they were in. Just because a student has special needs, doesn’t mean they don’t have the capacity to join the “green group” if they’re ready.
I’ve included a video link of an art teacher talking about how she incorporates differentiation into her art room. Although she works in the United Kingdom, these concepts are still relevant to how we teach differentiation in the US. Since art is my discipline area, I found her perspective quite fascinating. She is not a fan of giving “different tasks” to a classroom. Her belief is that a teacher should differentiate in the art room by having them all work on the same project, but teach to their individual needs and abilities. She also mentions that students are smarter than we give them credit for, especially when we’re dealing with one’s “creative expression”. Having an entire art class work on different art pieces based on their level can possibly harm their self-esteem, especially if they are broken up into the group that is doing the “easier art assignment”. I tend to agree. Creative expression is sacred to a child, in my personal opinion. If the class has a series of drawing tasks that they need to accomplish, an art teacher can “negotiate” with a student in private and point them towards some easier techniques of drawing and completing the coursework. Students working at a more advanced level can be pushed to develop their drawing projects on a deeper level, with more detail, shading, or working on a larger scale. If the class is working on a sculpture inspired by Gaudi, maybe some students can incorporate simpler shapes and colors, and some kids can incorporate more complex shapes and materials. This is differentiation in the art room. Nobody ends up feeling singled out for having less ability, and nobody gets special treatment for being a genius Picasso-type of the artist. My other takeaway from her video was the concept of creating “homework menus” for her art students to work on outside of class. These are optional mini-assignments for kids to work on at home, where they can choose and work independently on creative pieces that meet their level and ability.