Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction "is an approach to teaching that advocates active planning for student differences in classrooms," wrote Carol Ann Tomlinson. In order to maximize the benefit of my instruction for all learners, I deliberately consider each child and his or her beliefs, preferences, strengths, developing skills, previous experiences and background knowledge, and interests. This requires various forms of constant evaluation and reflection. By thoughtfully planning each lesson, I am able to ensure that I am presenting the material to students while addressing various learning styles while building upon a diverse group of individuals' funds of knowledge. There are many different tools and strategies I use throughout the day to accommodate and support all learners. Below you will find some examples of ways I have differentiated my instruction.
Reading
One aspect of setting-up reading workshop, is to introduce students to books that are "just right" for them. One strategy to help students find just right books is to use their hand as a tool and stick up one finger each time they read a word they are unsure of. If the student knows every word on the page or only misses one word the book is probably too easy, if the student misses four or five words the book is probably too hard, but if the student is unsure of two or three words the book is probably just right. By allowing each student to read books at his or her own level, I am promoting independence while building confidence in his or her reading abilities. When students are reading books at their level, I am able to more accurately assess their comprehension and fluency to help guide further instruction.
While students are completing their workshop choice, I work with small groups of students on reading strategies specific to their needs. Running record and DIBELS results help me to pinpoint the needs of students.
When students first learned text structures (compare/contrast, sequential, enumerative, and description), it was difficult for many to differentiate between them. As a class we read stories and unpacked the information from the text into a plan. I typed up some of these plans and created reference posters to help students while they were mastering these text structures.
Math
Math can be difficult to correctly complete once a misconception is formed. In attempt to try to minimize misconceptions, I created step-by-step color coded posters that were posted around the room that students could reference when working.
Students sometimes only needed reassurance that they were on the right track. These posters allowed students to validate their own work.
Struggling learners would follow these posters step-by-step in order to help them complete addition and subtraction problems. However, over time this repetition allowed students to be independently successful.
Throughout a math unit, I usually gave many mini-assessments to see which students need more support before introducing a new concept. I used these results to help me construct small groups. When students learned three- digit subtraction, I had four different small groups specific to different skills.
Students sometimes only needed reassurance that they were on the right track. These posters allowed students to validate their own work.
Struggling learners would follow these posters step-by-step in order to help them complete addition and subtraction problems. However, over time this repetition allowed students to be independently successful.
Throughout a math unit, I usually gave many mini-assessments to see which students need more support before introducing a new concept. I used these results to help me construct small groups. When students learned three- digit subtraction, I had four different small groups specific to different skills.
Writing
Since each student was writing at different levels and the mini-lessons were usually directed for the entire class, I would read their writing journals regularly and ask students to work on specific aspects of their writing. Since I wrote these suggestions in their journal, it was easy for me to hold students accountable for what they individually needed to be working on.
By conferencing with students, I am able to give them immediate feedback about their specific writing needs while offering encouragement and support. In this picture, we were conferencing about her personal narrative plan. Together we were making sure that she was forming sentences with a capital letter and a period. We were also examining her sentences to make sure they were relevant to her topic and made sense.
By conferencing with students, I am able to give them immediate feedback about their specific writing needs while offering encouragement and support. In this picture, we were conferencing about her personal narrative plan. Together we were making sure that she was forming sentences with a capital letter and a period. We were also examining her sentences to make sure they were relevant to her topic and made sense.