Meeting the Needs of all Learners

Dr. Elana Milstein

Diversity has become the norm among the students in the classrooms of today
(Johnson, 1990)

Languages Families Cultural backgrounds Economics Experiential background

Student Diversity

Aptitude Achievement Interest Motivation Needs Ability

Paradigm Shift in Education:

Curriculum
Traditional

Evolving

Major focus on content Content acquisition Lock step progress

Content & process balance Learning to learn Continuous progress

Instruction
Traditional

Evolving

Teacher-centered Single textbook Single instructional approach Passive learning

Child-centered Resource-based learning Multiple approaches to instruction Active learning

Environment
Traditional

Evolving

Competitive System level management Supervision of learners Hierarchical structures

Cooperative School-site management Empowerment of learners Professional/collegial structures

Students need to become

Independent Active Self-organizing Responsible Empowered

Brain Research
Confirms what teachers have always known: No two children are alike. No two children learn in the identical way. An enriched environment for one student is not necessarily enriched for another. In the classroom we should teach children to think for themselves. --Marian Diamond

Differentiation
is a philosophy that enables teachers to plan strategically in order to reach the needs of diverse learners in the classrooms.

Differentiation
IS NOT Tracking A New Strategy Static Teaching to the Middle Synonymous with Individualization
IS
Flexible Grouping Student Centered Based on Readiness For all Learners Changing all the Time Meeting Personal Needs

Differentiate? What?
Content & Materials Process & Strategies Assessment & Assignments Time
Based on readiness and interests

When considering differentiating, all of the ELEMENTS must be considered and addressed.

Climate Curriculum Approaches

Elements of Differentiated Instruction

Knowing the Learner

Instructional Strategies
Adjustable Assignments

Assessing the Learner

Climate
Effective

teachers believe that all children can learn and be successful. teachers create a climate where all students feel included. teachers feel that there is potential in each learner and commit to finding the key that will unlock that potential.

Effective

Effective

Knowing the Learner

We need to know the learner so that we can make sure that the curriculum fits. We need to know how students access, process, and express information We need to know their learning styles. We need to know their thinking styles.

Assessing the Learner

Just as one size of learning doesnt fit all, one size of assessment doesnt suit either. We need to pre-assess the learner so that we can find out what they already know. We need to assess during the learning- use ongoing assessments. We need to assess after the learning.

Adjustable Assignments

Allow teachers to help students focus on essential skills and understanding key concepts, recognizing that they may be at different levels of readiness. Students have the opportunity to develop essential skills and understanding at his or her appropriate level of challenge.

Curriculum Compacting

Total Group

Partner

Grouping

Alone

Content

Small Group

Adjustable
Assignments

Instructional Strategies
Cooperative Learning Graphic Organizers

Instructional Strategies

Teachers who use a variety of instructional strategies add novelty, choice, and individuality to learning.
As

teachers build their repertoire of instructional strategies, they will see how they can adjust the learning for a group of learners and how different strategies appeal to different learners.

Curriculum Approaches

Curriculum can be delivered in many ways so that it will appeal to individual learners
Centers
Projects Problem-based

or stations
learning

Inquiry
Contracts

Adaptations in
Content Process Product

Content

Multiple texts Varied time Contracts Compacting Group investigation

Process

Learning centers Multiple intelligences Graphic organizers Simulations Learning logs

Product

Independent study Communitybased projects Multiple intelligence-based orientations Presentations Arts Multimedia

A New Direction
Teachers guide students down many paths to a common destination
Mary Anne Hess

If children cant learn the way we teach, we should teach them the way they learn.

Differentiated instruction means shaking up what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.
Carol Ann Tomlinson

Differentiated Classroom: What is it?

Differentiated instruction is not a strategy to be used from time to time, not a bag of tricks approach. Its a way of thinking about teaching and learning.
~ Carol Ann Tomlinson~

Differentiated instruction is not a strategy to be used from time to time, not a bag of tricks approach.
Its a way of thinking about teaching and learning.
~ Carol Ann
Tomlinson~