Differentiated Instruction: A Framework for Success

Differentiated Instruction: A Framework for Success
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Differentiated Instruction: A Framework for Success
Introduction
The difference in the background from which children are brought up influences their level of learning. These backgrounds can be characterized by their culture, beliefs and other socioeconomic elements. These factors make the children have different learning abilities when they go to school. There are those who are fast learners while others have a challenging time to get basic learning. It is important to ensure that the abilities of these diversified children are addressed through learning techniques that are not discriminatory (Dixon, et al., 2014). Instructors are required to identify the learning ability levels of their students and tailor-make their teaching to suit the needs of these students. Differentiated instruction is a form of learning that provides different concepts, contents and ideas to teachers on how to ensure all students in the class learn effectively (Santamaria, 2009). Through differentiated instruction, the students in class are handled differently to ensure that they gain what is taught. The teacher identifies the interests of individual children after he groups them together depending on their ability. This makes teaching and achieving learning outcomes easy. This paper looks at differentiated instruction and how it influences success in learning.
Background of differentiated instruction
Different individuals learn differently not only in the elementary levels, but also in the institutions of higher learning. This requires that the approach used to carry out teaching to enhance learning varies from one student to another. Differentiated instruction aims at using a number of methods, but the goal is to achieve the same learning objectives (De Jesus, 2012). Differentiated instructions aim at imparting different skills to the students to make learning easier for them. However, differentiated instruction cannot achieve its objectives if it is not guided by sequential steps. The skills of the students, interest, and ethnic background influence the effectiveness of getting what is taught by various students. Differentiated learning requires that teachers are creative and apply innovativeness in coming up with better ways to impart the skills they have to the students (King-Shaver, 2008). To understand the levels of learning and understanding among students, teachers can use Math tests or other related tests from which the scores are considered. It takes significant time for results from differentiated instructions to yield the expected results. Through patience, the required results are finally achieved when the students are able to understand the topics they are taught though at a slower pace. In the beginning of every academic year, a teacher is expected to go through the profile of the students to ensure that he understands their abilities for effective implementation of differentiated instruction.
Characteristics of differentiated instructions
Differentiated instructions have their unique characteristics which ensure that learning is achieved by all the students in a class. KWL charts are important in enhancing learning and the acronym represents know, want, and learning ability (De Jesus, 2012). All students are required to go through the three steps identified, to be able to achieve effective learning. In differentiated models, students first share with their teacher about what they understand or know from their previous experiences of learning. This creates a platform from which the teacher can be able to understand where to start his teaching of the identified students. It is also at this point that the teacher is able to highlight the areas that the students do not know. This makes him ready to know what approach is appropriate for the identified student. The students then present to the teacher what they aim to learn. This makes it possible for the teacher to prepare for a method to deliver the knowledge to the students, tailor-making it to fit their needs. After the lessons, the teachers finally have a chance of interacting with the students to understand what they learnt during the lesson. This approach enables the teacher to understand whether the approach he used when teaching was appropriate.
Important elements of Differentiated instructions
The curriculum in schools should be adjusted in such a way that it supports learning profile, interest and student readiness to learn. To improve learning, teachers should identify the proximal zone within which the children can learn alone and where they need assistance (Bailey & Williams-Black, 2008). According to differentiated instruction, a teacher should only come in to offer help to a student at that level when assistance seems important. This enables the student to have something new to learn and help him develop his brains; improving cognitive ability. If learning is carried out to the student above or below his mastery level no growth is achieved (Bailey & Williams-Black, 2008). However student readiness should not be confused with the ability because readiness suggests that the students can change their understanding with ease. Through differentiation instruction, a teacher is able to plan for learning activities that reinforce learning and makes learning interesting. Effective differentiation allows students to engage their brain to handle challenging but manageable assignments given by their teachers.
The interest of the student in learning activities is important if learning is to take place. Differentiation instruction allows teachers to have a chance to measure the interests of students in their class. Interest of students is characterized by the attentiveness of the students and the curiosity which they display on wanting to learn new things. Through differentiation, teachers are able to influence positively the interests of the students. This is through involving them in class activities that excites their mind and make them remain alert during the lesson. Through differentiation that is based on interests, students are able to discover other interests that can improve their learning. When students are engaged in activities that interests them they feel motivated and this impacts positively on their learning ability (Bailey & Williams-Black, 2008). Differentiation based on interests further makes learning interesting to the students who actively participate in class.
Student profile determines the character traits of specific students and especially when it comes to forming groups. There are students who feel uncomfortable in groups and like working alone. Differentiation instruction ensures that the profiles of the students guide the approach the teacher uses on individual students. Students are further characterized by learning different approaches which include verbal, kinaesthetic and audio (Stanford & Reeves, 2009). Identifying these factors makes the teacher use the best approach to the diversified students, which improves their learning and interest in school. Factors that are important in influencing the learning process should also be identified and they include intelligence preferences, cognitive styles, group orientation and environmental of learning orientation. Differentiation instruction ensures that there is a balance of the identified factors is well balanced to achieve effective learning.
Steps in Implementation of Differentiated Instruction
Application of differentiated instruction is guided by various steps through which its intended objective is achieved within a stipulated time frame (Santamaria, 2009). The guidelines are summarized in five and they form the basis within which teachers should apply differentiated instruction. The first step is focus and clarification of important concepts that the teacher aims to impart to the student. This includes the general information about what a certain topic pertains, and the objectives and expectations of the students at the end of the lesson. This step further allows students a strong foundation of what is to be explained by their teacher, and they get a chance to ask questions as the learning continues. The step further offers the student a chance to understand the material that will be used by the teacher. Secondly, the teacher is supposed to carry out assessment as he progresses with the learning during and later after learning. Thirdly, the teacher requires encouraging students to have creative and critical thinking to understand what is taught. This allows the students to question what they feel is not clear; improving their understanding and learning. The fourth step is ensuring that all learners engage in varied learning tasks to reinforce their learning. Finally, the last step involves the need for the teacher to balance assigned tasks for students to fit the expected learning outcome.
The identified guidelines work effectively when the teacher identifies important instructions to support the learning outcome. This is enhanced through provision of central access to learning materials and aligning the goals of learning with tasks that are assigned to specific students. The complexity of tasks assigned to students as part of the assessment process should be guided by the perceived ability of the students. The complexity could also be varied as the understanding ability of the students improves with time. W...