Nathan Tanner

Instructional Strategies for Addressing Learner Diversity

Having spent several hundred hours in contemporary secondary classrooms this past year,
I have become more aware of the need to address learner diversity, which includes meeting the
unique learning needs of English Language Learners (ELLs). In an effort to help diverse learners
access the content of the Utah Common State Core and perform well on the UTIPS and Sage
Tests, I intent to use a variety of instructional strategies and tools. While not an exhaustive list of
instructional strategies that can be used to teach diverse learners, these represent those that I have
used in my classroom and which I intend to add to during my career:

Setting clear language objectives based on the WIDA Standards for each lesson to ensure
that students are developing a wide range of communication skills that will profit them in
school and in their future endeavors.

Differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners, including those students with
learning disabilities as well as students identified as ELLs. This includes incorporating
activities into lessons that take Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences into account.

Incorporating instructional scaffolds into my lesson design. Examples include

contextualized visuals that can be used to explain classroom rules, instructions, and
present course content. In addition, this includes graphic organizers like KWL charts and
guided Cornell Notes.

Encouraging peer-to-peer communication by incorporating Think-Pair-Share activities,

Fishbowl Discussions, and Socratic Seminars into unit and lesson plans. By adding
communicative components to lessons, students will be able to learn by speaking with
and listening to each other in safe, respectful environments.

Utilizing classroom journals as a way for students to reflect on important social issues
and historical concepts that we learn about and discuss in class. Classroom journals are a
great way to activate the cognitive and metacognitive skills of diverse students, and
provide them with an opportunity to explore their own identity as they reflect on and
grapple with course content.

Nathan Tanner

Using visual guides during class lectures to help students make relevant connections to
the material being introduced by the teacher. Visual prompts and guides help provide a
frame of reference for a variety of learners, including ELLs, and offer support to develop
the literacy skills needed to access course content.

Incorporating progress portfolios into classroom instruction. In my classroom, I have

utilized progress portfolios as a way for students to keep track of the assignments and
projects they work on in class, and as a way to self-assess the things they are learning. In
surveys I conducted with my classes during student teaching, I found that students
overwhelmingly found these portfolios to be useful in assisting them in their scholastic
pursuits.

Encouraging students to participate in role play activities. Role play can be used as a
learning activity and as an authentic assessment with diverse student populations,
including ELLs. Because of the communication and collaboration involved in role play
participation, diverse students benefit by learning content and developing language skills.
A recent example from my class was when we used role play to understand the 3rd
Estates motivations to revolt against King Louis XVI in France during the Age of
Enlightenment. Students received role cards and were instructed to read, and then act out
their respective roles. In a class-wide debrief, we discussed the things students gleaned
from the experience and as the teacher I helped students make connections to events in
history.

Adjusting the amount of time students are given to complete learning activities or
problem solving tasks based on learning needs. I understand that students require varying
levels of instructional support, and require that specific accommodations be made for
them. As a student teacher, I worked to accommodate students with IEPs, students with
504 Accommodations, students identified as ELLs, as well as students who were
considered gifted and talented. I worked hard to meet each of my students individual
learning needs, and to reflect regularly on what I could do to improve my practice.