I recently had a conversation with a good friend and colleague of mine; he is a very smart man and knows his stuff. We were discussing how to meet the needs of the varied children in the classroom. We both believe that all children learn, and that they come to the classroom with different skills and experiences, and they have different rates of growth. He has a good metaphor for this “some children just need more swings at the bat.”…
I’ve been thinking. Whether we are intellectually gifted or just struggling along, we all learn. We just all do not learn the same way. Everyone single one of us approaches a learning situation with different knowledge, experiences and strategies. We do not learn and grow at the same rate, or acquire the same depth of understanding. But, we all learn. So how does the classroom teacher prepare to facilitate the learning of the 100 plus unique individuals they meet each…
In my role as K-12 technology integration specialist I support technology integration in the classroom and the special education department with some of their assistive technology needs. I have often found myself trying to explain the difference between Differentiated Instruction (DI), Assistive Technology (AT) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). I do not see them so much as different but related. All three are about providing options for learners. It is all about choosing the right tools for the job….
So what is differentiated instruction (DI)? It is an instructional method that adjusts the curriculum to meet students where they are. It is a method that does not expect all students to learn the same material from same presentation. The method takes into account that students approach each lesson differently. DI provides options for students to interact with the content/curriculum from their strengths and current knowledge base. There are three areas that can be modified to allow for options; content,…
In an ideal world each student would have one teacher who assess the student’s strengths, weaknesses and knowledge base and tailors a curriculum and learning environment just for that student. But we live in the real world with classes of 20-35 students with a huge range of abilities and experiences. In one of my recent middle school science classes I had a reading range of 1st grade to high school level. I had students who already knew the state frameworks…