Differentiated instruction strategies for meeting diverse student learning needs

Running head: TEACHING DIVERSE STUDENTS 1

TEACHING DIVERSE STUDENTS 1

Teaching Diverse Students Today’s education trends around the world reflect substantial changes in the student population as compared to the past three to four decades ago (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2017). The inclusion of students in accelerated programs, students from diverse cultural programs, students with disabilities, and students from non-English speaking backgrounds have compelled educationists to reevaluate the teaching and instructional practices. Widespread diversity has replaced the homogeneity of the previous years, but most teachers have not adjusted their teaching approaches to be in line with these trends (Dixon, Yssel, McConnell, & Hardin, 2014). This paper acknowledges the importance of creating learning communities that are culturally sensitive, developing positive parent-learner-teacher relationships, designing lessons that motivate all learners, and utilizing differentiated instructional strategies to implement those lessons and optimize student learning. Differentiated Instruction As a teaching approach, Differentiated Instruction helps educators meet the diverse academic needs of learners by considering learning style, interest, and readiness (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2017). The technique is based on socio-cultural, multiple intelligence and learning style theories. It challenges the conventional teaching methods since it embraces the differentiated classroom student variance while learning is enhanced via responsive teaching. Differentiated Instruction acknowledges that no two students are the same and underscores the essentiality of presenting them with many different opportunities for conceptualizing information and putting it into perspective (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2017). With this model, a teacher assumes a flexible approach to modifying and teaching the curriculum along with its presentation and not leaving that the students to figure it out on their own. The approach entails adjusting the learning environment, product (how students demonstrate their learning), process (how it is taught), and content (what is being taught) for each learner while putting into consideration the learning profile, interest, and readiness of each person. I would use tiered assignments in my classroom to accommodate the diverse needs. In this case, I would utilize different degrees of assignments to ascertain that the learners explore concepts and use their abilities at a level that underlines the knowledge that they already have as well as encouraging growth (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2017). In this regard, while the learner work at different levels of complexity on their assignments, they all cover similar critical ideas while working at degrees of thought that are dissimilar. Eventually, the teams are combined to share, deliberate on the plans, and learn from one another. For instance, I can tier by complexity whereby after a class discussion on current issues such as climate change, I will ask students to complete a related assignment by complexity. I would ask the first tier of students to write a public announcement using art, slogans, and jingles to explain why climate change is an issue and what individuals can do to stop it. The second tier would survey the understanding and awareness of the climate change phenomenon and report in a newscast or use charts. The third level of students would debate on the climate change issue expressing different perceptions on the same but loaded with credible evidence backing their arguments. Educators Supporting Each Other Teachers should analyze their teaching strategies to determine whether they present the optimum learning outcome for today’s diverse student population. They can assess the learning styles by visiting each other in the classroom and observing how others teach (Dixon et al., 2014). They can also share concerns and successes. The benefits relate to the fact that they assist in meeting the learning needs of the learner, improve academic and classroom success for the learners and offer a variety of teaching styles (Dixon et al., 2014). The teacher should be more open to different methods of learning and testing and utilize each other’s strategies to help facilitate learning. While being observed in the classroom can be nerve wrecking, it also serves as a means for professional growth. Peer observation yields its significant benefits when utilized as a means of sharing instructional techniques and ideologies among teachers. Teachers are also able to learn about the most effective teaching approaches that can be employed in the classroom particularly in the current diverse student population in which the traditional pedagogic strategies have proven ineffective.