Differentiated Instruction in the Classroom

Differentiated instruction involves teaching towards a range of learning styles. It attempts to cater to each individual student’s needs, and also to increase their abilities to learn in a variety of ways. Differentiated instruction is very important because everyone learns in different ways. It is unfair to limit our teaching to one or two strategies, because not every child may be able to learn from the one or two strategies used.

In my own teaching, I will try to focus on using flexible groupings, having successful classroom management techniques, and assessing students as often as possible. I believe that is important to be conscious of how one structures small and large groups of students. I think it would be beneficial for students to work with the widest range of their peers possible. My hope is that this will create more of a classroom community and that students will grow to appreciate that they all have something to contribute. Of course there will be times when students are allowed to choose their own groups, but I think that if groups are always student-selected the students will tend to just form groups with the same people. When this happens their ideas and thinking are less likely to develop and grow.

Classroom management is something that I struggle with. I think that it will be important for me to use a variety of signals with students in order to get their attention and their silence, when needed. The methods shown in the video on Differentiated Instruction were helpful.

Particularly in a classroom with a range of abilities and strengths and weaknesses, it is important to be assessing the learning of students on a regular basis. Devices such as observation checklists and exit slips will help me in this assessment.

My hope is that if I am able to combine these techniques in a cohesive manner, it will benefit all students.