ourclassroom201516.weebly.

com
Amanda Moore
October 1, 2015
EDU225
Mr. M
Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C915_PoorSY

Part 1: Differentiated Instruction Definition

Differentiated Instruction means that a teacher is providing multiple

options for learning. Learning is no longer a one size fits all, but more
technology based that encircles visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning
with more interactive and informative teaching. Through Differentiated
Instruction, the teacher is able to identify each students strengths and
weaknesses and know how to change, alter, and forgo lessons in order to
help improve or stabilize learning. Then they can move forward onto harder
lessons. This will help students because the teacher will have various ways
to teach lessons. One way of teaching will not always meet every students
understanding and it can become boring and monotonous for everyone
involved. By incorporating various forms of teaching, such as music for the
rhythmic type learners (ones who need music, humming, or some kind of
rhythmic movement while learning), Interpersonal Learners (for those who
need more personal, one on one learning), or even naturalist learners who
learn best by hands-on activities that are based on nature or a natural order
of things, a teacher would be able to reach and teach more in-depth to their
students. I would incorporate a video camera into the classroom so my
students can learn the importance of body language and nonverbal
communication. As a future Special Education teacher, I would want my
students to be able to see themselves on screen so they can see how body
language can affect communication. A way to teach and absorb this lesson
would be a pretend newscast.
Part 2: Differentiated Instruction Lesson Evaluation

The video that I viewed used many types of differentiated instruction,

such as interactive SMART Boards, computers, computerized testing, Palm
Pilots, Student Response Systems, and keyboards for interactive music for
students who needed to incorporate some type of rhythmic learning into
their lessons. Each type of instruction used made it possible to teach the
various learning styles in the Special Education classroom because there was
a teaching in all learning forms. The interactive SMART Boards were helpful
for the kinesthetic learners who needed to be up and physically involved in
the lesson through bodily sensations while the visual/spatial Learners were
able to see the lessons happening on the white board. The Verbal/Linguistic
Learners were able to learn through the Palm Pilots because they had the
lessons in front of them and had the ability to rewind, speed up, and move
on during the lesson without having to wait or slow down for the class. The
teachers in the video was much more advanced in their teaching so I do not
think I would be ready to merge that much differentiated instruction into the
classroom Yet. I would want my students to have learning that is
comfortable to them and be able to have customized learning, but first, I
have to be confident and able minded and bodied to be able to express that
ability. I would definitely be taking advantage of the SMART Board due to the
fact that it has many customizable characteristics that I can change, add to,

or remove, depending on the lesson and on my Special Education students

abilities.

Differentiated Instruction
Students come into a Special Education classroom with different
educational preparedness, learning styles, mental and physical abilities, and
partiality to outcomes for the end of the day, just as a general education
students all have varying educational needs and abilities. So having a
differential instructions in the classroom will prove to be beneficial to not
only the teacher but to the many learning styles and abilities of their
students. A basic premise of differentiation is accepting that different people
learn in different ways and giving them several choices on learning and
accepting that they can learn through those choices. Giving recognition to
teachers who can teach through various and differential instruction
techniques in turn gives recognition to diverse students who otherwise would
have been ignored and educationally neglected.
Technology to Differentiate Instruction
I would allow my students to teach a particular lesson, one that they
studied and prepared for. This would allow them to understand the ins and
outs of preparing for standing in front of the class, prepping for unknown
questions, and understand that even though they may think they are ready
for everything, they may not be- just as the teacher or a professional has to
be. This lesson would be beneficial to both students and teacher to help

discover unstated meanings and new understandings of new or even old

lessons. This would be used to build on successes and strengths. Homemade
board games would be a great learning experience because it will involves
hand-eye coordination, help with writing skills, research abilities, and group
interaction. This will help them to infer and analyze each others games and
help decode and comprehend new ideas. Lastly, I would create individualized
learning packets for students whose strengths differ in other areas. For
students who need a more natural approach to learning, I would prepare
lessons that involve bringing the outdoors into the classroom or I would
assign projects that require spending (an appropriate amount of) time
outdoors. According to Lunenburg, we can reach our students in the
education aspect by addressing the multiple intellectual and learning abilities
that they currently have. (Lunenburg and Lunenburg, 2014, paragraph
seven.) Each student has his or her personal learning style and by creating
lessons that touch these styles, a teacher will be able to enhance intellectual
abilities. The question that will need to be constantly asked is, Will this
approach reach the most students with the greatest success? in order to be
effective and approachable.
Pros and Cons of Differentiated Instruction.
Classroom teachers report that meeting the needs of a wide range of
students is one of their greatest challenges, especially because of a
perceived lack of knowledge and skill about how to adapt curriculum
materials and how to adjust learning strategies in efficient and effective

ways during the flow of teaching and learning. (Tobin and Tippett, 2014,
paragraph one). If a teacher lacks the ability to adjust or modify their
teaching to fit the many differing instructions, can be a heart wrenching and
frustrating challenge, one that can lead to burning out on teaching. It can
lead to ineffective instructions being given and unusable lesson plans. A
classroom can become busy and distracting to students and having too
many means of instruction going on can potentially be overwhelming,
especially for students who are not able to tune out distractions. Sadly, many
teachers are often unprepared for the many technological advances in a
classroom and it can show in lesson plans. They often have a deficit in
planning, methods, or classroom management classes, they often lack
important foundational professional knowledge that is gained through actual
teaching, states Tricarico, K., & Yendol-Hoppey (2012, paragraph three of the
Teacher Learning through Self-Regulation article). But the pros far outweigh
the cons, due to the fact that many more students are learning at high levels
and becoming more knowledgeable and interested in furthering their
education. They are more engaged in learning which can lead to fewer
discipline problems. Tricarico, K., & Yendol-Hoppey (2014, paragraph five of
the Teacher Learning through Self-Regulation article) also states that
differentiated instruction increases learning by bringing together active
learning, interest, and learning styles into independent lessons.
Conclusion

Differentiated Instruction doesnt mean teaching a different lesson for

each child, it means that as a teacher, we are to make lessons work for our
students; not our students a one size fits all for that lesson. It means that we
make change the intellectual procedures in order to teach the student and
fulfill the mental capacity to its highest achievement possible. Regardless of
the method, the learning outcomes and content standards should always be
the same for all students. It is getting there and reaching the content
standards that will make the biggest difference in the lives of our students.
As once stated above, by allowing for different forms of instruction to be
given in the classroom, it gives recognition to students who would have been
mentally or educationally neglected in the classroom.

References
Lunenburg, F. C., & Lunenburg, M. R. (2014). Applying Multiple
Intelligences in the Classroom: A Fresh Look at Teaching Writing.
International Journal Of Scholarly Academic Intellectual Diversity, 16(1), 1-14.
Tobin, R., & Tippett, C. (2014). POSSIBILITIES AND POTENTIAL
BARRIERS: LEARNING TO PLAN FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE. International Journal Of Science & Mathematics
Education, 12(2), 423-443. doi:10.1007/s10763-013-9414-z

Tricarico, K., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2012). Teacher Learning through

Self-Regulation: An Exploratory Study of Alternatively Prepared Teachers'
Ability to Plan Differentiated Instruction in an Urban Elementary School.
Teacher Education Quarterly, 39(1), 139-158.