Lecture Notes: Differentiated Instruction

Introduction

• Students are diverse learners with varied:
  • Socioeconomic status
  • Thinking or learning styles
  • Exceptionalities

Importance for Teachers

• Teachers must adopt a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction.
• Differentiated instruction is essential.
  • Entails using varied teaching and learning strategies to meet students' needs.

Differentiated Instruction Strategies

• Varying Difficulty Levels
  • Adjust tasks to suit different student abilities.
• Instructional Support Levels
  • Provide different levels of guidance.
• Establishing Multiple Groupings
  • Organize students in various group settings.
• Choice Opportunities
  • Allow students to make choices in their learning.
• Evaluation Strategies
  • Use varied methods to assess student understanding.

Differentiation Elements

• Content
  • Focus on what should be taught and learned.
• Process
  • How content is taught and learned.
  • Use different materials like reading, video, audio, or small group instruction.
• Product
  • Methods of student assessment and demonstration of learning.
  • Options like student choice in products or homework.
• Learning Environment
  • Classroom arrangement (preferential vs. assigned seating).
  • Establishing small groups, one-on-one, or peer teaching.