Friday, May 18, 2012

Reaching the Kid in the Corner: Differentiated Instruction

Reaching the Kid in the Corner: Differentiated Instruction


As teachers, we often take on new tasks as the curriculum isexpanded. We may teach science, social studies, math, or English-elementaryteachers do them all, and how I don't know!-but we also may teach, for example,health, safety, character education, writing across the curriculum, and the artand science of taking a standardized test. Moreover, while covering the expandingcurriculum, we must differentiate in instruction to meet the needs ofindividual students.



I can't remember when the term "differentiated instruction" firstentered our world, but it may have been in 1983 when Howard Gardner published Frames of Mind: The Theory of MultipleIntelligences. The idea that we can be smart in different ways presented anentirely new look at human intelligence. A review of the eight types ofintelligence Gardner defines can be found here.


Subsequent biological research into how the human brainactually works also focused more attention on how kids learn. In any event,differentiated instruction is here to stay, and that's a good thing. Studentslearn more, and watching that happen is very satisfying, personally andprofessionally.



What then are some effective ways to differentiate in aclassroom when students are studying the same material? What can be done toaddress their individual interests, strengths, and weaknesses? Besides thebasics-whole group, small group, individual instruction/tutoring, and differentkinds of assessment-some good specific ways to differentiate can be derivedfrom Gardner's research. (Note that "multiple Intelligences" is sometimes confusedwith "learning styles"; they are related but not synonymous. This site offers agood explanation of both)



So, two good ways toprovide differentiated instruction:



·     Vary yourapproach in presenting information. Besides explaining it verbally, usecharts, graphs, puzzles, songs, pieces of art, mind maps, and hands-on modelsor lesson-related objects for students to hold and pass around to each other.


·     Deviseactivity lists for teaching units, and let kids choose what they will do.Design the lists so that all the activities promote or reinforce learning,while appealing to a variety of skills and interests. Some suggested activities: write a poem; create/solve a puzzle;write/perform a song; draw a map; work with partners to make a group presentation;construct a model; create a computer game or video. A comprehensive list of individual activities (and an overview ofMI) can be found here. Another good site for activity suggestions is here.



When Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences waspublished, it generated a lot of controversy; it was embraced, questioned, orrejected outright by others-and still is. What is most interesting, though, wasthe response of many teachers to the "new" idea that kids learn in differentways: We've known that all along! Educationaltheory aside, I hope these ideas and web sites will help you reach your own kidin the corner.



One more thing. There are some great questionnaires on line to identify kids' learningstrengths and learning styles. Here are two, respectively, to check out. Link 1 / Link 2.



Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the emails andcontest entries. They're great! See you in June.

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