Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 330 Unit 4 The Teacher Differentiated Instructional Methods All students do not learn in the same way or at the same pace. In Chapter 9, this was described as differentiated learning. In response, teachers may use differentiated instructional methods to meet the different learning styles and needs of their students. That is, they use different techniques of instruc- tion to match a student’s preferred mode of learning, disability, or background. Does differentiated instruction mean that teachers must prepare a different lesson for each individual student? The answer is yes and no. Teachers who utilize differentiated instruction do tailor their lessons to individual students, but they do not teach different content or a different subject to each student. Instead, they assess where each student is and adapt their pace or mode of instruction to each learner. It can be as simple as individually pacing the speed of the instruction or as complex as designing different methods for each learning preference. Some- times, teachers form student groups that share common learning preferences. Differentiated instructional methods require teachers to be flexible and adaptable, and to know their students well. They must be diligent in assess- ing and responding to their students’ needs. Lastly, they must give students choices and ownership in their own learning for differentiated instruction to be effective. Figure 14.22 offers examples of differentiated instruction for a number of student characteristics. Differentiated Classroom Instruction by Learner Characteristics Student Characteristic Example of Differentiated Instruction Culture In a social studies class, the teacher does not assume that every student has the same cultural understanding of US history. He or she starts first with each student researching the life events of a grandparent, including such things as political conflict, economic turns, and social changes. Students share their stories and use them as a starting point for understanding modern history. Educational background When in a middle school math classroom, the teacher allows students to work through problems at their own pace. When they achieve mastery, students then proceed to the next unit. Heritage A teacher conscientiously presents instructional materials that are representative of a multitude of heritages. The environment provides readiness for learning when there is multi-heritage representation. Gender A kindergarten teacher structures her classroom to meet the physical and relationship needs of both boys and girls by providing inviting, carpeted reading areas with pillows open spaces for tumbling and climbing and an area to create art. On cold winter days when outside temperatures dip, she holds recess inside and allows the children to choose their preferred activity. The teacher asks students to form social pairs or small groups. Language For a writing assignment, a high school teacher modifies the grading rubric to reflect writing improvement rather than a single standard. Learning style An elementary school teacher reads a story to his class. The teacher asks visual learners to create a visual display of the story using art materials, auditory learners to give an oral synopsis of the story utilizing music as a background, and kinesthetic learners to perform the book story in dance or skit format. Religion A high school teacher checks the calendar dates of representative religious holidays celebrated by religiously diverse students before setting exam or major assignment due dates. Socio-economic status (SES) A high school teacher of life span development asks her students to create a visual portrayal of a family member’s physical development by collecting family photographs from infancy through adolescence. This year, she has several students of low socio-economic status in her classroom, including one who is currently living in a homeless shelter. Another lost everything to a house fire this past year. The teacher alters the assignment so that students can choose to collect photographs of celebrities or public figures whose images they can readily find online using school computers and printers. Figure 14.22 Developing sensitivity to specific student characteristics and needs allows teachers to more specifically differentiate their instruction to increase student success with learning.