Differentiating teaching to meet the needs of all students

Some assumptions All learners are essentially different. The role of the teacher is to: – identify the differences – lead the student from what is known to what is unknown Learning is viewed as a social and collaborative process where the teacher is the facilitator rather than a dispenser of knowledge.

Differentiating teaching to meet students’ needs Carol Tomlinson (1999, 2003a, 2003b), a leader in the field of differentiated instruction, identifies three areas in which teachers can adapt their instruction: Content: the concepts and skills a student needs to learn – adapting content must be made based on what a teacher knows about the student’s readiness Process: ways in which content is taught – providing students with activities to learn content using flexible structures based on readiness, interest and “learning profile” – group learning, individualised instruction, independent learning Product: ways in which students can demonstrate their ability to use and apply their new knowledge.

Challenges Time: – planning – Assessing – Determining key concepts and skills to be learnt – Designing appropriate activities and instruction Classroom management Maintaining professional learning Developing a culture of shared professional discussion and mentoring

Differentiating teaching to meet students’ needs Know where your students are in terms of the numeracy continuum. Identify any misconceptions. Begin with assessment

Differentiating teaching to meet students’ needs Focus content knowledge Know the concept you want to teach – the numeracy continuum, syllabus and numeracy learning plans will guide where the students need to go to next in their learning.

Differentiating teaching to meet students’ needs Plan a lesson that addresses the concept at a level of the numeracy continuum. The lesson should be moving students towards the next level. Plan instruction

Differentiating teaching to meet students’ needs Modify the lesson to cater for students’ needs. (Content, Process, Product) For example: Modify the questions asked for targeted students Change the range of numbers Change the materials students access Provide direct teaching support where needed Use flexible grouping (ability, interest) Plan extension ideas that are easy to assign while spending time with other students (small group or independent investigation) Have students record in different ways Have students share their thinking Provide students with choice Allow students to determine level of difficulty. Determine level of differentiation

Work as a team! – Decide together how a lesson/activity can be differentiated to suit the needs of the learners – Try a lesson study approach – Share your teaching practice with your colleagues – Plan professional discussions – Become a mentor

An example Outcome: MA1-5NA: Uses a range of strategies and informal recording methods for addition an subtraction involving one- and two-digit numbers Key ideas Model addition and subtraction using concrete materials Use and record a range of mental strategies fro addition and subtraction of one- and two- digit numbers Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction Concept Addition and subtraction problems can be solved by counting forwards and backwards by tens and ones, on and off the decade.

An example Hundred chart jigsaw (Module 1 PV activity) Modifications: To move students to PV Level 0: Provide the students with an uncut version of the jigsaw template. Have the students record the numbers one more, one less, two more, two less than the numbers on the chart. To move the students to PV Level 2: Provide a jigsaw template for numbers 101 – 200.