PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION - DIFFERENTIATION 1

Portfolio Submission - Differentiation

Stephanie Lafontant Remy

Teach Away Teacher Certification

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When it comes to teaching, one of the most important factors is differentiation. This

means providing different instruction to meet the needs of each student. In the case of my math

lesson plan from earlier submissions, there are several ways that I could differentiate the

instructions to meet the needs of different students. For example, I could adapt the content of my

math lesson, the process of multiplying fractions, the product and the learning environment to

meet their students’ needs to better understand the concept of multiplying factions. Let’s take a

closer look at each of these areas and possibilities in providing differentiated instruction in these

areas to meet the needs of my students in their different learning styles.

1) Content: The main way that teachers provide differentiated instruction is through

content. They can modify or adjust the content of a lesson so that it meets the needs of students

with various learning abilities. Depending on the subject I am teaching, some lessons may focus

more on facts while others may focus more on concepts. It is important for me to be clear about

the goals of my lesson in order to make sure that I meet the needs of all my students. In addition,

it is important for me to provide alternative activities to my students who may find certain parts

of the lesson to be challenging or boring. It is also important to provide additional support to

these students so they can successfully complete the lesson. Another way to differentiate content

is to offer hands-on activities to help students engage more with the lesson material. When

planning for these activities, it is important to make sure students get adequate practice so that

the activity doesn’t become a “warm-up” for the entire class.

2) Process: Another way teachers provide differentiated instruction is through process.

Some lessons involve a lot of practice and repetition to help students master the material. Other

lessons may require more independent learning and student reflection. The key to effectively

differentiating process is to make sure that students are actively engaged in the learning process.
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If they are not actively engaged, the activity can become tedious and boring for them. It is

important to plan activities that are engaging and interesting to help motivate my students to

learn. One way that I do this is to create activities that incorporate technology in the classroom.

There are many applications available that can help make lessons interactive and engaging for

students. There are also numerous resources available to educators online to help them create

engaging lesson plans for their students. Technology can help enrich and enhance a student’s

learning experience. My school is currently implementing computer lab program so I will have

plenty of opportunities to incorporate this type of technology into my classroom this year.

3) Product: The product of the lesson is also important to consider when providing

differentiated instruction. For example, some lessons may require written assignments to be

completed by students. This can be challenging for students who are not as proficient in writing

as others. To help compensate for this, teachers can consider providing additional assistance in

the form of an outline or a rough draft to students who need the extra help. Another strategy that

teachers can use to provide differentiated instruction is to provide students with rubrics that

describe what is expected of them when completing an assignment. Having clearly defined

expectations helps students understand what they need to do to complete their assignment

successfully. It is important for me to make my expectations clear to my students at the start of

each lesson, so they know exactly what is expected of them. This helps avoid any confusion or

misunderstandings that could occur later in the lesson. When I am teaching a new topic in my

class, I like to take some time at the beginning of the lesson to go over the expectations and

answer any questions that the students may have about the lesson. It helps to establish a positive

learning atmosphere right from the start of the lesson.

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Differentiated Instruction Examples: Another way to differentiate instruction is by

using different instructional methods. For example, some students are visual learners while

others are auditory learners. In order to cater to the needs of both types of learners, teachers can

use different methods to communicate information to their students. Many teachers prefer to use

a PowerPoint presentation during their lectures in order to keep their students engaged.

PowerPoints are not only effective tools in conveying information, but they are also very user-

friendly and can be easily accessed by all different types of learners. Using visual aids such as

pictures and diagrams can also help increase student comprehension and understanding and help

them retain more information.