Differentiating for and Anticipating Student Needs
Differentiating For and Anticipating Student Needs
Introduction
In a classroom, no single student is the same. Every student has their own unique learning
habits, learning interests or learning styles. In this kind of classroom, a teacher should be
habits, learning interests or learning styles. In this kind of classroom, a teacher should be
concerned with the elements on how to create an effective learning environment for
students to meet their goal. Teachers need to keep differentiated learning content,
differentiated learning processes, differentiated learning products, and differentiated
learning environments in mind. They are the main elements that a teacher needs to think
of when he or she faces different needs in a classroom.
students to meet their goal. Teachers need to keep differentiated learning content,
differentiated learning processes, differentiated learning products, and differentiated
learning environments in mind. They are the main elements that a teacher needs to think
of when he or she faces different needs in a classroom.
Take my classroom as an example. There are around 20 students in my class. All of them
are non-English speaking students; they are all ESL students. They come from three
are non-English speaking students; they are all ESL students. They come from three
different background countries: Taiwan, China and Korea. Regardless of the students’
learning background, most of them have learned English for more than 5 years since
they were in the kindergarten until now. 80 % of students’ readiness level is on grade level.
learning background, most of them have learned English for more than 5 years since
they were in the kindergarten until now. 80 % of students’ readiness level is on grade level.
Most of them focus on tasks and participate in class.
To satisfy different students in a learning environment, I decorated my classroom with
pictures of different cultures. The colorful and different cultural books or novels are
pictures of different cultures. The colorful and different cultural books or novels are
displayed on the bookshelf in the corner of the classroom. The learning rug is in the
center in the classroom for students to communicate and to obtain knowledge. The
tables with chairs are around the classroom for students to work or discuss.
center in the classroom for students to communicate and to obtain knowledge. The
tables with chairs are around the classroom for students to work or discuss.
The playing center is full of different countries’ toys for students to relax and
experience different games.
experience different games.
Even although, I plan a thoughtful classroom climate for students to participate and
engage in the classroom, not all the students can succeed in this learning environment.
engage in the classroom, not all the students can succeed in this learning environment.
There are three exceptions that I need to pay more attention to.
Students’ Learning Situation
Willie is a smart student but has ADHD. His reading level is high, according to his Lexile
level, he is at 850 which puts him at above grade level. His high reading ability causes him
to grasp learning materials quickly during class. However, he can’t wait until his turn to
level, he is at 850 which puts him at above grade level. His high reading ability causes him
to grasp learning materials quickly during class. However, he can’t wait until his turn to
answer a question and he interrupts the teacher and classmates a lot in the classroom.
He can’t focus on class work when someone sits by him.
He can’t focus on class work when someone sits by him.
Kevin is a quiet kid who is always distracted and has trouble following directions and
finishing tasks in the class. He can’t keep himself focused on the blackboard or writing
on a worksheet. He likes to use pencils and erasers to build stuff. His reading level is low
finishing tasks in the class. He can’t keep himself focused on the blackboard or writing
on a worksheet. He likes to use pencils and erasers to build stuff. His reading level is low
because the above problems, but his listening skill is high because he likes to listen to
English music.
English music.
Mike who comes from public school likes to play video games with his Ipad. His English
reading, listening, speaking and writing skill isn’t high. He can’t understand English in
class. It causes him to not reach the grade level score. In addition, it makes him feel learning
is difficult as well as he can’t follow class activities and work well.
reading, listening, speaking and writing skill isn’t high. He can’t understand English in
class. It causes him to not reach the grade level score. In addition, it makes him feel learning
is difficult as well as he can’t follow class activities and work well.
Differentiated Instruction Strategy
To meet all the students’ learning needs, as a teacher, I need to plan a differentiated
instruction for them. Let’s take a reading lesson as an example. The goal for them is to
describe what the key ideas is and to give details that support the key ideas in a reading
or story.
instruction for them. Let’s take a reading lesson as an example. The goal for them is to
describe what the key ideas is and to give details that support the key ideas in a reading
or story.
Differentiating Content
When students learn content, they learn knowledge, concepts and skills from a curriculum
that teachers set up (McCarthy, 2014). The content can have various ways for diverse needs
that teachers set up (McCarthy, 2014). The content can have various ways for diverse needs
students to engage such as video, readings, lectures or audio (McCarthy, 2014).
Willie
With high reading level students, the best strategy for them to engage in the classroom is
to provide a challenge content for them. To Willie, I challenge him with:
to provide a challenge content for them. To Willie, I challenge him with:
(1) Read the content from books that have a difficulty that aligns with his Lexile Reading
Level.
Level.
(2) In addition, read fiction novels such as Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Star Wars
that attracts his interests.
that attracts his interests.
Kevin
Kevin has good skills at listening. In order to motivate him in the classroom to be a
participant, the teaching content I can provide for him is:
participant, the teaching content I can provide for him is:
(1) Use an audio book - Have him listen to an audio book and then answer the questions
orally.
orally.
(2) Use a video clip. Have him watch a video clip and then answer the questions by using
Kahoot or other digital quiz tools.
Kahoot or other digital quiz tools.
Mike
Because of his low English ability, the best way for him to engage in the classroom is to
use:
use:
(1) Audio books - Provide audio book that is suitable for his reading level and interests.
(2) Video clips - Have him watch an audio book with bilingual languages.
(3) Picture books - Provide picture book that is suitable for his reading level and interests.
(4) Visual aids - Provide visual posters and picture dictionary to support his understanding.
Differentiating Process
Students access knowledge and obtain the meaningful content through teachers’ instructions
or activities. However, not all students’ learning processes go smoothly from teacher’s
or activities. However, not all students’ learning processes go smoothly from teacher’s
instructions. What can teacher do to meet their needs? Through different kinds of activities
such as Think-Pair-Share, small-lesson, stations, checklist and discussion, it helps students
to make sense of content being taught. How can I provide a differentiating process for
different needs students in my classroom?
such as Think-Pair-Share, small-lesson, stations, checklist and discussion, it helps students
to make sense of content being taught. How can I provide a differentiating process for
different needs students in my classroom?
Willie
(1) Use checklist to check his behavioral performance.
(2) Use several high thinking skill graphic organizers to challenge his critical thinking skills.
(3) Assign him as a reading center teacher to guide other students who needs help.
Provide self-assessment or self-reflection chart to ask Willie to do a self-regulation on
himself.
Kevin
(1) Provide different types of learning stations for him such as watching a video, creating
artwork, reading an article, completing puzzles, and listening to you teach to help
(2) Provide a literature circle for Kevin to listen to other’s opinions or thoughts about
lesson (McCarthy, 2014).
(3) Provide Kevin opportunities for Kevin to express his opinion on different things,
and encourage him to do so.
Mike
(2) Assign a little teacher (another student) to help him when he needs explanation or help.
(3) Provide more time for him to complete classwork
Differentiating Products
The product means what students create at the end of the lesson to demonstrate their
understanding as well as how students reflect on their understanding. It can be text,
assessment, project, presentation, or activity. Differentiating products need to consider
students preferences and more importantly student skills on how to express the required
learning they need. The below list is the products that students can create.
Willie
(1) Have him demonstrate his understanding orally, such as oral presentation
(2) Have him perform a show, such as a play or theater to act out his understanding of a
content.
Kevin
(1) Have him to make artwork.
(2) Have him to make experiment.
Mike
(1) Have him show his understanding by using a digital tool.
Learning Environment
An effective learning environment should include various types of furniture and
arrangement, classroom management to support individual and group work physical
and psychologically. (Weselby, 2014).
Willie
(1) A quiet place
(2) An individual seat
(3) Books with high level that is appropriated for his interest.
Kevin
(1) Sit alone/individual
(2) Without any stationary on the desk
(3) Audio book
(4) Picture dictionary
(5) Online English learning game website
Mike
(1) Sit with group which has similar level as him
(2) Audio book
(3) Online English learning website
(4) English story book apps
Formative Assessment
In a classroom, sometimes teachers don’t know how to deal with some students not
knowing the content and others grasp content very quickly. To deal with this kind of
situation, the best way is for students who grasp materials quickly sit individually and
give them extra tasks to challenge them. For students who cannot understand the content,
knowing the content and others grasp content very quickly. To deal with this kind of
situation, the best way is for students who grasp materials quickly sit individually and
give them extra tasks to challenge them. For students who cannot understand the content,
teachers need to reteach them individually or in group. The strategy that I use is
one-to-one touring, litter helper, peer touring, and group discussion.
Conclusion
To provide a clear process on how I process differentiating strategies to teach my lesson,
I’ve created the flow chart below to help clarify my processes.
References
McCarthy. J. (2014, July 23). 3 Ways to Plan for Diverse Learners: What Teachers Do.
Edutopia.
Edutopia.
Retrieve from https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/differentiated-instruction-strategies-examples-download/
Weselby C. (2014, October 1). What is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of How to
Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom. Retrieve from http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-strategies/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/
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