Differentiation


 * Because not all children learn the same way, teacher instruction should not be "one size fits all." **

Differentiation is the practice of suiting teaching to the needs of the students. This means that while some students may require extra help in understanding information, others may needs the teacher's assistance to make the task appropriately challenging.

Each of the students in a classroom is different. They all have different learning needs and learning styles. A learning need could be a wide range of needs. Some students may need extra instruction to understand a math concept, while others may need more challenging practice problems because they have mastered the concept. Sometimes a student may excel in one subject area, but need reinforcement in another. No two children have the same learning needs. Similarly, students have unique learning styles. Some children thrive on hands-on activities, while other seem to focus better when they have an outline, or plan, to go by.

Differentiation is the practice of enriching the learning experience by creating many different ways for students to acquire knowledge.



Differentiation in the Classroom!
-whole group instruction -small group instruction -buddy reading -choral reading (students read at same time) -reader's theater (visual, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic learners) -poetry (rhythmic reading) -note taking (visual and tactile learners) -power points (visual learners) -manipulatives (tactile learners) -acting out concepts (for kinesthetic learners) -color coding phonetic rules (visual learners) -spelling lines (lining up and spelling a word with each student contributing a letter. auditory learners) -map skills by hopping on a world map shower curtain (tactile/kinesthetic learners) -creating salt dough maps (kinesthetic and tactile learners) -magnetic long division (tactile and kinesthetic learners) AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!