How To Differentiate Instruction Crystal Lake IL

As a teacher, you will have many challenges to face in teaching a group of students. All children do not learn in the same way, so a teaching method that is very effective for one student may not be very helpful to another. You need to differentiate instruction in order to reach all students, even while working toward the same academic goals. Differentiating instruction creates more effective learning for your students, and can even help with students who are acting out in your classroom!

1. Assessments. Before you can differentiate instruction, you need to assess your students. You can assess your students formally or informally. Formal assessments may include tests from your district, curriculum-embedded tests, standardized tests, or tests which you create yourself. Many teachers find that informal assessments are of great value to them when determining their students' academic level and interests. This may take the form of interviews with students, having them write about their interests, class meetings, or just getting to know your students.

2. Differentiating content. This allows students to work at their own pace on specific subject matter. When you are planning to differentiate content – or the actual subject matter of what you are teaching – you usually need to formally assess your students. This way, you can determine where they are and what background knowledge they already have. Students who have already mastered the content will become bored if they are forced to endure the same instruction again. In addition, students who do not understand the concepts will be frustrated if the teacher moves too fast. By working with small groups or setting up peer tutoring, teachers can differentiate content to meet the needs of all children, challenging and supporting them.

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Author: Bronwyn Harris