Running head: LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Literature Review – Diane Heacox

Lesli Nevarez

National University

Completed as partial requirements for TED690

Prof. Darryl Wyatt

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Abstract

Teaching Performance Expectation (TPE) 4 is Planning Instruction and Designing Learning

Experiences for All Students. To meet the needs of all students requires a range of instructional

approaches use multiple preferred methods of learning at a variety of paces. Also different

students may need differentiation in assessment to truly show what they know. Dianne Heacox

(2012) in the first chapter of her book Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom

addresses many aspects of this subject. This paper reviews the first chapter of her book “What is

Differentiation”.
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As classroom sizes increase and the curriculum becomes more demanding there is a large

range of needs and abilities in every classroom. It is imperative that educators find ways to adapt

curriculum, provide a variety of activities to reach all preferred learning types, and to assess in a

myriad of ways. These required skills all fall under the current terminology of differentiation.

Heacox (2012) states that differentiated instruction “responds to their best ways of learning and

allows them to demonstrate what they’ve learned in ways that capitalize on their strengths and

interests.” (p. 5)

Most educators recognize that instruction needs to be differentiated to meet the cognitive

level of their students. Some teachers understand and apply the added complexity of

differentiating for preferred learning type: auditory, visual, or tactile. Heacox (2012) notes “In

differentiated instruction, teachers design activities that support students’ learning preferences and

strengths while presenting tasks that encourage growth in areas of weakness.” (p.7) This ranges

from challenging advanced students to attain higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy to providing

scaffolding for low students to make the same content accessible.

There is an additional important aspect to differentiation: modifying assessment. Students

not only learn in different ways, they can also thrive with different assessment methods. Some

students do very well at showing their knowledge through traditional paper and pencil tests.

Others struggle at this type of assessment for a variety of reasons. Perhaps they have low reading

scores which would make reading directions accurately difficult. Or they may be able to describe

or demonstrate what they know, but struggle to follow and answer written questions. Heacox

(2012) remarks “When instruction and assessment are modified according to learner’s unique

needs, the likelihood of success increases for all students, whether regular education students,

students with learning difficulties, or those with limited English proficiency.” (p.7)
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To truly meet the needs of every student in the classroom it is imperative that educators

assess their students’ needs and differentiate all aspects of the instructional process to meet those

needs. This approach aligns with the idea of student driven learning. “With differentiated

instruction, the focus is not on what you teach but on what students learn, not on what you teach

but on what students learn, not on what you’ve covered but on whether students have

accomplished their learning goals.” (p.14) This is the key to connecting the current advanced

curriculum to today’s students and ensuring their success in education.

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References

Heacox, D. (2012). Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free

Spirit Publishing Inc.