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LEARNER-CENTERED TEACHING

In the traditional approach to college teaching, most class time is spent with the
professor lecturing and the students watching and listening. The students work
individually on assignments, and cooperation is discouraged.

Learner-centered teaching methods shift the focus of activity from the teacher to the
learners. These methods include active learning, in which students solve problems,
answer questions, formulate questions of their own, discuss, explain, debate, or
brainstorm during class; cooperative learning, in which students work in teams on
problems and projects under conditions that assure both positive interdependence and
individual accountability; and inductive teaching and learning, in which students are
first presented with challenges (questions or problems) and learn the course material
in the context of addressing the challenges. Inductive methods include inquiry-based
learning, case-based instruction, problem-based learning, project-based learning,
discovery learning, and just-in-time teaching. Learner-centered methods have
repeatedly been shown to be superior to the traditional teacher-centered approach to
instruction, a conclusion that applies whether the assessed outcome is short-term
mastery, long-term retention, or depth of understanding of course material, acquisition
of critical thinking or creative problem-solving skills, formation of positive attitudes
toward the subject being taught, or level of self-confidence in knowledge and skills.

Teacher-centered education
In teacher-centered education, students put all of their focus on the teacher.
You talk, and the students exclusively listen. During activities, students work
alone, and collaboration is discouraged.
Pros
 When education is teacher-centered, the classroom remains orderly. Students
are quiet, and you retain full control of the classroom and its activities.
 Because students learn on their own, they learn independence and make their
own decisions.
 Because you direct all classroom activities, you don’t have to worry that
students will miss an important topic.
Cons
 When students work alone, they don’t learn to collaborate with other students,
and their communication skills may suffer.
 Teacher-centered instruction can be boring for students. Their minds may
wander, and they may miss important facts.
 Teacher-centered instruction doesn’t allow students to express themselves,
ask questions, and direct their own learning.
Student-centered instruction
When a classroom operates with student-centered instruction, students and
instructors share the focus. Instead of listening to the teacher exclusively,
students and teachers interact equally. Group work is encouraged, and
students learn to collaborate and communicate with one another.
Pros
 Students learn important communicative and collaborative skills through group
work.
 Students learn to direct their own learning, ask questions, and complete tasks
independently.
 Students are more interested in learning activities when they can interact with
one another and participate actively.
Cons
 Because students are talking, classrooms may often be noisy or chaotic.
 Teachers may have to attempt to manage all students’ activities at once,
which can be difficult when students are working on different stages of the
same project.
 Because the teacher doesn’t always deliver instruction to all students at once,
some students may miss important facts.
 Some students prefer to work alone, so group work can become problematic.

What is individualized instruction strategy?

Individualized instruction is also known as differentiated instruction.

Individualized instruction strategy refers to those classroom practices of teaching which

recognize the uniqueness of each student learner and thus provide for adequate tutorial

guidance, and other support services suited to bring about a wholesome development in the

person (mind, body, and spirit).

Individualized instruction is about using teaching strategies that connect with individual

student’s learning strategies. The ultimate goal is to provide a learning environment that

will maximize the potential for student success.


Differentiated instruction is an instructional theory that allows teachers to face this

challenge by taking diverse student factors into account when planning and delivering

instruction. Based on this theory, teachers can structure learning environments that

address the variety of learning styles, interests, and abilities found within a classroom.

In this strategy the teacher shouldn’t always stick to the same pattern of teaching rather

they should adapt new ways such as teaching through audio, video, field trip, etc. so that

students have multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas.

To differentiate or to individualize instruction is to recognize students varying background

knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning, interests, and to react

responsively. The intent of individualizing instruction is to maximize each student’s growth

and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is, and assisting in the

learning process. It provides the opportunity for students to learn at their own pace, in

their own way, and be successful.

Purposes of individualized strategy

• To enhance and develop listening habit

Since most of the teaching is done through lecturing, the role of students are to listen and
if felt necessary take note of them. The learning of the leaners greatly dependent on
their listening habit and sense of hearing, thus helping them in enhancing their listening
habit.

• Enables the teachers to explain a lesson or demonstrate a technique to small groups of


students at a time.

Here the smaller the number of students are the greater is the advantage of the teachers
in teaching or explaining a lesson or to demonstrate a technique to their students. In
short smaller the number of students , more efficient the teaching or demonstration will
be.
• Individualizing instruction allows each student to progress through the curriculum at his or
her own pace.

It aims at how much the learner learn and pace at which they learn. Less important is given
to covering the topics in the cirrcullum. Viatl importances is given to the progress the
learner are making in the field of learner at his or her own pace(the rate and speed at
which they learn).

• Long term retention as they note down what they usually understand.

While the teacher is teaching in the class, students are acitvely engage in taking note of
what they really understand instead of what the teacher explain. They usually note down
what thay undarstand and are usually listed in their own words. So, this help them to
retain the information for a longer period of time.

• Importance is given to a child as a individual not as group, class and so on.

The strategy is more concern about how much a single child is able to learn, retain and his
oa her progress not as a group, class and team. As the current phase of children education
says ‘no child is left behind’ . so, the focus is on a child as an individual.

Principles of Individualized Instruction Strategy.

1. Make the students clear about the key points and generalization to make sure that all

learners gain a powerful and strong understanding so that they can have a good foundation

for their future learning. Teachers are encouraged to identify essential concepts and

instructional focuses to ensure all learners understand.

2. Use assessment as a teaching tool to extend versus merely measure instruction.

Assessment should occur before, during, and following the instructional episode. The

assessment carried out before and during can be incorporated into classroom practice; it

provides information needed to adjust teaching and learning while they are happening. E.g.

Observation, questioning strategies, self and peer assessment, student’s record keeping.

The assessment carried out before and during instructional episode is called formative

assessment. And the assessment evaluated after instruction is called summative


assessment. It is carried out every few weeks, months, or chapter tests. E.g. End of unit

or chapter tests, end of term or semester exams.

3. Emphasize and stress more on critical and creative thinking while designing a lesson. What

ever task and activities that we provide to the students should be up to the student’s level

and understanding, so that they can understand easily and will apply meaning. Instruction

may require supports, additional motivation, varied tasks, materials, or equipment for

different students in the classroom.

4. Engaging all learners is essential. We should engage and make the students participate in

class activities. For that teachers should develop their lesson to engage and motivate the

students.

5. Provide a balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks. If there is a

balance between the task and activities that are assigned by the teachers and the tasks

selected by the students, the learning will be most favorable and desirable.

Requirements of individualize Instructions.

1. Each students learn differently

 Some students are kinesthetic learners, requiring a hands-on approach to learning. Some

students learn visually, excelling when they can read or see photographs of the material.

Finally, some students learn best through listening, learning best when they can hear and

talk through a problem.

2. All students are talented in different ways.

 While one student may be creative, another student may be analytical. While one student

may be mechanical, another student may excel at writing. Teaching requires differentiated

and individualized instruction in order to reach all students.

3. Educating children with special needs.

 Special Education is a specialized area of education which uses unique

instructional methods, materials, learning aids, and equipment to meet the

educational needs of children with learning disabilities.


 Remedial instruction aims to improve a skill or ability in each student. Using

various techniques, such a more practice or explanation, repeating the

information and devoting more time to working on the skills, the teachers

guide each student through the educational process. A student that might,

for example, have a low reading level might be given remediation.

4. It is to meet the unique educational needs of the child.

 The IEP is intended to help children reach educational goals more easily than they

otherwise would and must especially help teachers and related service providers

understand the student's disability and how the disability affects the learning process.

5. Teaching requires differentiated and individualized instruction in order to reach all

students.

 Differentiating does not mean providing separate, unrelated activities for each student but

does mean providing interrelated activities that are based on student needs for the

purpose of ensuring that all students come to a similar grasp of a skill or idea.

6. Careful and continuous assessment of individual progress can be carried out.

Ways of Individualizing/Differentiating Instruction.


Several key elements guide individualized instruction. Tomlinson (2001) identifies three

elements of the curriculum that can be individualized or differentiated: Content, Process,

and Products.

Content

Content can be described as the knowledge, skills and attitudes we want children to learn.

Individualizing content requires that students are pre-tested so the teacher can identify

the students who do not require direct instruction. Students demonstrating understanding

of the concept can skip the instruction step and proceed to apply the concepts to the task

of solving a problem. This strategy is often referred to as compacting the curriculum.


Another way to individualize of differentiate content is simply to permit the apt student

to accelerate their rate of progress. They can work ahead independently on some projects,

i.e. they cover the content faster than their peers.

 Several elements and materials are used to support instructional content.

These include acts, concepts, generalizations or principles, attitudes, and skills. The

variation seen in an individualized classroom is most frequently the manner in which

students gain access to important learning. Access to the content is seen as key.

 Align tasks and objectives to learning goals.

Designers of individualized instruction determine as essential the alignment of tasks with

instructional goals and objectives. An objectives-driven menu makes it easier to find the

next instructional step for learners entering at varying levels.

 Instruction is concept-focused and principle-driven.

The instructional concepts should be broad based and not focused on minute details or

unlimited facts. Teachers must focus on the concepts, principles and skills that students

should learn. The content of instruction should address the same concepts with all

students but be adjusted by degree of complexity for the diversity of learners in the

classroom.
Process

Individualizing or differentiating the processes means varying learning activities or

strategies to provide appropriate methods for students to explore the concepts. It is

important to give students alternative paths to manipulate the ideas embedded within the

concept. For example students may use graphic organizers, maps, diagrams or charts to

display their comprehension of concepts covered. Varying the complexity of the graphic

organizer can very effectively facilitate differing levels of cognitive processing for

students of differing ability.

 Flexible grouping is consistently used.

Strategies for flexible grouping are essential. Learners are expected to interact and work

together as they develop knowledge of new content. Teachers may conduct whole-class

introductory discussions of content big ideas followed by small group or pair work. Student

groups may be coached from within or by the teacher to complete assigned tasks. Grouping

of students is not fixed. Based on the content, project, and on-going evaluations, grouping

and regrouping must be a dynamic process as one of the foundations of individualized

instruction.

 Classroom management benefits students and teachers.

Teachers must consider organization and instructional delivery strategies to effectively

operate a classroom using individualized instruction.

Products

Individualizing or differentiating the product means varying the complexity of the

product that students create to demonstrate mastery of the concepts. Students working

below grade level may have reduced performance expectations, while students above grade

level may be asked to produce work that requires more complex or more advanced thinking.
There are many sources of alternative product ideas available to teachers. However

sometimes it is motivating for students to be offered choice of product.

 Initial and on-going assessment of student readiness and growth are essential.

Meaningful pre-assessment naturally leads to functional and successful differentiation or

individualization. Assessments may be formal or informal, including interviews, surveys,

performance assessments, and more formal evaluation procedures. Incorporating pre and

on-going assessment informs teachers to better provide a menu of approaches, choices,

and scaffolds for the varying needs, interests and abilities that exist in classrooms of

diverse students.

 Students are active and responsible explorers.

Teacher’s respect that each task put before the learner will be interesting, engaging, and

accessible to essential understanding and skills. Each child should feel challenged most of

the time.

 Vary expectations and requirements for student responses.

Items to which students respond may be differentiated or individualized for students to

demonstrate or express their knowledge and understanding. A well-designed student

product allows varied means of expression, alternative procedures, and provides varying

degrees of difficulty, types of evaluation, and scoring.

Advantages and disadvantages of Individualized instruction strategy.

Advantages:

1. Student-Centric

 Differentiated instruction focuses on the academic needs and learning abilities of

every individual student. By changing the methods of teaching to suit students,

teachers are able to adjust the content of the syllabus. This encourages critical
thinking in students, and gives them a chance to come forward and demonstrate

what they have learned. It also creates a sense of equality among students,

including the ones with a learning disability. Differentiated learning provides ample

opportunity for students to aim and attain academic success with aplomb.

2. Raises The Bar

 Advocates of this teaching approach believe differentiated learning raises the

standards of learning in a big way. The true essence of this practice lies in the

realization that learners and their abilities, readiness and interests vary. Educators

have the liberty to set up classrooms and devise methods that would aid all

students in thinking, analyzing and comprehending the teaching contents easily.

Differentiation does not have hard and fast rules; it is all about options.

3. Meeting the needs and interests of diverse learners.

4. Provides the opportunity for students to learn at their own pace, in their own way, and be

successful.

5. Recognizes students’ varying background knowledge, readiness, language,

preferences in learning, interests, and to react responsively.

6. Maximizes each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student

where he or she is, and assisting in the learning process.

7. Helps in providing for the uniqueness of each child in terms of his/her particular

learning style, talents and potential, handicaps and deficiencies, etc.

Disadvantages:

1. Time constraints and chopped-up schedules are an obstacle.


Teachers could work better if they had longer blocks of time with students. At the

elementary level, kids have to go somewhere or someone comes in to do something every

15–30 minutes; at the secondary level, kids rotate in and out every 37 or 42 minutes. It

makes teachers crazy.

2. Class size and teaching load are two of the biggest constraints.

A teacher who works with150 kids a day gets glassy-eyed when told he needs to get to

know those kids better. It's doable, but we would be far more efficient by arranging

schedules so teachers had fewer students to get to know or kept them over longer periods

of time.

3. Teacher Preparedness.

Sometimes, the teacher’s lack of adequate knowledge on individualizing instruction could

also serve as a serious obstacle in individualizing instruction in the classroom. The

teacher’s lack of knowledge and ignorance could be further aggravated when the school

does not have the essential resources to support individualized or differentiated

instruction.

PLANNING FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

A planning model can be used to help teachers make decisions about differentiated

instruction and assessment. Each phase of the planning model will be explained.

Throughout this book, the strategies are clarified using examples.

1. Established what needs to be taught. First, consider the standards, benchmarks, essential

questions, or expectation to be taught. It should be clear what the students should know,

to be able to do, or be like after the learning experience. Determine which assessment

strategies will be used to collect data (logs, checklists, journals, observations, portfolios,

rubrics).

Essential questions may be developed that will be visible and posted throughout the unit so

that the students can consider the questions as they work on tasks.
2. Identify the content, including facts, vocabulary, and essential skills.

3. Activate. Determine what students know and what they need to learn next. This may be

done 1 to 3 weeks prior to the unit to allow plenty of time for planning learning activities,

grouping activities, and raising anticipation about the new topic. “Emotional hooks” can be

used to engage and to capture the attention of the students through challenge, novelty,

and unique experiences.

A strong pre-assessment determines what the students know. The pre-assessment is

sometimes formal and other times informal. It is essential to select an assessment tool

that best shows student’s prior knowledge, background experience and attitudes and

preferences toward the information.

4. Acquire. Decide what new information and skills students need to learn and how they will

acquire the knowledge. Also decide whether the acquisition will take place in a total group

setting or in small groups.

Now it is time to lay out the plan. Determine how the information is the best taught to this

particular group of students. In this step, weed through the resources available and find

the materials that will best meet the needs of these students. Focus on quality materials

and remember that what works for one group does not always work for another group.

5. Apply and adjust. Students need the opportunities to practice and become actively engaged

with the new learning in order to understand and retain it. Determine how the students will

be grouped and what tasks will be assigned to challenge them at the appropriate levels.

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