Judy Jackson

Judycjackson.weebly.com
November 29, 2015
EDU225
Mr. M
Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C915_PoorSY

Part 1: Differentiated Instruction Definition

Study.com states differentiated instruction is the way in which a teacher anticipates and
responds to a variety of student needs in the classroom. To meet student needs, teachers
differentiate by modifying the content (what is being taught), the process (how it is taught) and
the product (how students demonstrate their learning).(2015) Per Carol Tomlinson differentiated
instruction is to proactively observe students, do a pre assessment, and access what students
should know. After careful assessment take notes and build upon what you know, it takes time so
build upon student knowledge and then present good class instruction. One of the suggestions is
to take five to six kids, talk to them, and construct what these children know or do not know to
see what works. It is possible to have more than one homework assignment or three to four low
prep assignment and one high prep assignment. Take these assignments and polish them
periodically to reflect the improvement of the students. When the teacher is proactive with
teaching plans, assignments and carries out varied approaches with content and product develop
assignments in response to student differences to readiness interest and learning needs then
students learn from these differences and improve greatly in all required areas. There is no child
left behind when teacher creates different ways to present content to students. Blogging helps by
giving extra direction to those students who require it and the teacher can offer alternate
assignments and projects. Teacher blogging can help struggling students with leveled text-less
difficult reading that contains the same content.

Part 2: Differentiated Instruction Lesson Evaluation

Teachertube's (2015) Differentiating Instruction - Math Unit is informative and detailed in its
instruction to involve different learning styles in the classroom. I found myself trying to figure
out the problems presented by using the different methods presented. It was very clear the
instructors were involving all the students in the class by using different methods that
incorporated the entire class that worked in groups. Each group was presented the same problems
but could reach the conclusion in different ways. The first group to complete the assignment then
explained the assignment to the entire class. The instruction was simple so everyone in the class
could understand what the instructor's directions. Clearly, the techniques were successful in
addressing different learning styles by having the students work in groups to solve problems and
have the students use manipulatives to show how each group arrived at a solution. Students also
did an activity called thirst quencher, which asks each student to determine the exchange rate
between different beverages; the students will then use manipulatives to demonstrate the answers
to the problems. Visual aids are used for guidance on how to solve problems to give the students
more assistance. Special Ed students are given one way to solve the problem with one conclusion
that assists the special Ed student in solving the problem. The instructors used comparing
quantities for diverse learners and allowed more visual and kinesthetic learners to visualize and
handle the problems presented. Visual aids also help guide the student towards the correct
answer. If I were teaching this lesson, I would teach the lesson the same way; these instructors
took the time to address all learning styles to try to reach the students in the class. If technology
were not part of the teaching strategy, I would use tech tools such as actual toy horses, toy

elephants, toy corn, and enact a general store and other bargaining tools to enhance the lessons. I
enjoyed differentiated lesson.

Part 3: Differentiated Instruction through Technology Essay (500-750 words)

No Longer Traditional
A single teaching approach for the entire class where the teacher stands in front of the
class and uses a sample of a one problem is outdated and no longer used in the classroom.
Students practice with mastered materials that all look the same, working the same odd problems
from textbooks where half of the students understand and the other half are left struggling. These
traditional yet antiquated methods of teaching are no longer the norm, now teachers and
educators are using different methods to reach the masses of students struggling to achieve
educations. Differentiated instruction is the way in which a teacher anticipates and responds to a
variety of student needs in the classroom. To meet student needs, teachers make a distinction by
adapting what is being taught, how it is taught, and how students demonstrate their learning in
reading, in math and in history, social sciences, research by using, Scholastic, the National
Archives of Virtual Manipulatives, and Library of Congress.
Technology to Differentiate Instruction
Jones, R. E., Yssel, N., & Grant, C. (2012) states "that bridging the gaps in reading
differences and challenges starts with screening all students, monitoring students who are not
meeting the benchmark, differentiating instruction, providing small group sessions, and
providing intense small group interventions." (pg. 211). Scholastic that has sections that allow
students, teachers, and parents to search books by reading levels. Teachers can choose books that

are similar but on different levels. From these pages, the teacher can gather lesson plans and
discussion questions.
Teachers can use a variety of platforms to assist those students that have challenges in
math by using the National Archives of Virtual Manipulatives. Teachers can find activities for all
areas of math and at any grade level. By changing the methods of teaching students, "many of
the students who were considered low achieving on the basis of standardized, curriculum-aligned
pretests joined the average achieving students at posttest." (Bottge, B., Rueda, E., Kwon, J.,
Grant, T., & LaRoque, P. 2009, pg. 549). Using shapes with preschoolers attribute blocks, which
challenges students to sort virtual objects and of course working on functions that drop numbers
into the function machine to identify patterns. These manipulatives are used to reinforce learners
who struggle with particulars mathematical concepts.
The Library of Congress is a great place for research. This library assists the teachers
with history and has links to prints, photos, and old newspapers. It is a great place for
discovering history through sound recordings, film, and manuscripts. Teachers and students alike
can access hundreds of primary source documents for research and address struggling, reluctant,
and advanced students providing them with the correct resources and "by taking the time to
determine what should be taught to whom, the framework promises greater efficiency in
instruction and learning as compared to one-size-fits-all whole-class approaches"( Piasta, S. B.
(2014, pg. 209).
Pros and Cons of Differentiated Instruction.
Of course, not every teacher or instructor is in favor of the differentiated instruction
system. Some educators think this means more work because of individual types of learning
styles of each student, not to mention the time constraints because of a different plan for each

student. What about those children who learn at different paces who can hold back the entire
class or those teachers who do not work well without a schedule. However many teachers feel
even though each child is different it is ok to teach that child by using manipulatives if the child
has an easier time learning. "They enjoy individual learning plans showing students strengths
and weakness because those teachers can use creativity in the classroom in different ways to
assist the student (APECSEC.org, 2015)". These teachers care about the students they are in
charge of and would like every student to benefit from learning.
Conclusion
The job of the teacher is to teach using all the methods at their disposal. Their jobs would
be so much easier if all children learned at the same pace creating a cookie cutter type society.
Then old-fashioned teaching would be okay and the teacher can stand in the front of the
classroom and teach to an entire class from scandalized textbooks. However, with, so many
diverse types of students learning at different levels, traditional forms of teachings are out the
window. Now day's teachers are proactive using differentiated instruction to meet student needs,
teachers make a distinction by adapting what is being taught, how it is taught, and how students
demonstrate their learning in reading, in math and in history, social sciences, research by using,
Scholastic, the National Archives of Virtual Manipulatives, and Library of Congress.

References
APECSEC.org retrieved November 29, 2015 from http://www. APECSEC.org
Bottge, B., Rueda, E., Kwon, J., Grant, T., & LaRoque, P. (2009). Assessing and tracking
students problem solving performances in anchored learning environments. Educational
Technology Research & Development, 57(4), 529-552. doi:10.1007/s11423-007-9069-y
Jones, R. E., Yssel, N., & Grant, C. (2012). Reading instruction in tier 1: Bridging the gaps by
nesting evidence-based interventions within differentiated instruction. Psychology In The
Schools, 49(3), 210-218. doi:10.1002/pits.21591
Piasta, S. B. (2014). Moving to Assessment-Guided Differentiated Instruction to Support Young
Children's Alphabet Knowledge. Reading Teacher, 68(3), 202-211. doi:10.1002/trtr.1316
Study.com (2015) retrieved November 29, 2015,https://www/study.com//
Teachertube (2015) retrieved November 29, 2015 https://www.teachertube.com/video
/differentiating-instruction-math-unit-191711