Differentiating instruction involves motivating student instruction based upon readiness, interest, and learning profile. As described by Hall, Strangman, & Meyer (2011), differentiated instruction [DI] allows teachers to build flexibility into their approach and understanding in adapting curriculum to the needs of the student, instead of requiring students to apply modifications they may be ill-equipped to complete (p. 2). Extra flexibility is introduced with the addition of technology to enhance the framework in which DI can drive instruction.
Hall, Strangman, & Meyer (2011) stress developing knowledge of your students from the beginning allows you the freedom to help learners complete and fulfill their understanding of the learning process (p. 4). In order to accommodate readiness knowledge in the alternative English language arts classroom, I will assign reading tasks based upon software that determines student-reading abilities. This free website, Get a Lexile Text Measure, at http://www.lexile.com/analyzer/ measures the text readability for the reading assignments in your curriculum. I like this site because you can measure different types of text and match them for each student. The site is free to join (with registration) and free upgrades for educators.
In getting ready for the adoption of California Common Core standards Assessment next year, my search to develop and plan instruction that differentiates by interest in the language arts content area is dependent on keyboarding skills. Since keyboarding is an integral component of most common core language arts, social studies, and science assessments, it remains essential that students have the keyboarding skills necessary to complete these assessments. One way to do this is through the Apple iTunes App TapTyping available at http://gettaptyping.com. This program will train the students to acquire better keyboarding skills on the District issued iPad’s. The program that I rely on for general keyboarding skills’ improvement is TypingWeb athttp://www.typingweb.com. Accounts on free, and I have set up a classroom portal that monitors progress and shows student improvement.
One resource that I can use to plan for lessons differentiated by learning profiles in the Media Literacy classroom is using software included with the computers. Our school purchased 25 Apple iMac computers and we are all learning how to adapt the software programs we were using with the PCs and make them work through the Apple environment. We stayed with the Microsoft Office for Mac and even though the programs are somewhat compatible, redirecting interest to a new software environment means letting students discover the passion in what works for them, and then passing the information on through PowerPoint and other software application presentations.
Even though we develop lessons and classroom activities using differentiated instruction, as Tomlinson (2005) emphasizes, it is not necessary to separate the categories in planning or instruction according to readiness, interest, and learning profile, (p. 58). I would invite my colleagues to take a look at the following resource, Appropriate Structures for Teachers to Implement in the High School Classroom for At-Risk Students (Sutherland, 2008) at http://www.waier.org.au/forums/2008/sutherland2.html. This resource provides information for implementing DI in an alternative setting to students who have less than the required language arts and math skills required for high schools. The important ideas we need to focus on are to adopt flexibility with our students, give them the opportunity to adapt technology according to personal needs, and pursue growth in abilities though adept curriculum and instruction.
References:
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2011). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation [Website]. Retrieved from http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/differentiated_instruction_udl
Sutherland, M. (2008). Appropriate structures for teachers to implement in the high school classroom for at risk students [Website media]. Retrieved from http://www.waier.org.au/forums/2008/sutherland2.html
Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Note: Submitted December 1, 2013, as partial fulfillment of Masters of Education EDUC 6714, Engaging All Learners Through Technology, Walden University.
All Written Work and Photography Copyright © 2013 Ron Bottorff
Hall, Strangman, & Meyer (2011) stress developing knowledge of your students from the beginning allows you the freedom to help learners complete and fulfill their understanding of the learning process (p. 4). In order to accommodate readiness knowledge in the alternative English language arts classroom, I will assign reading tasks based upon software that determines student-reading abilities. This free website, Get a Lexile Text Measure, at http://www.lexile.com/analyzer/ measures the text readability for the reading assignments in your curriculum. I like this site because you can measure different types of text and match them for each student. The site is free to join (with registration) and free upgrades for educators.
In getting ready for the adoption of California Common Core standards Assessment next year, my search to develop and plan instruction that differentiates by interest in the language arts content area is dependent on keyboarding skills. Since keyboarding is an integral component of most common core language arts, social studies, and science assessments, it remains essential that students have the keyboarding skills necessary to complete these assessments. One way to do this is through the Apple iTunes App TapTyping available at http://gettaptyping.com. This program will train the students to acquire better keyboarding skills on the District issued iPad’s. The program that I rely on for general keyboarding skills’ improvement is TypingWeb athttp://www.typingweb.com. Accounts on free, and I have set up a classroom portal that monitors progress and shows student improvement.
One resource that I can use to plan for lessons differentiated by learning profiles in the Media Literacy classroom is using software included with the computers. Our school purchased 25 Apple iMac computers and we are all learning how to adapt the software programs we were using with the PCs and make them work through the Apple environment. We stayed with the Microsoft Office for Mac and even though the programs are somewhat compatible, redirecting interest to a new software environment means letting students discover the passion in what works for them, and then passing the information on through PowerPoint and other software application presentations.
Even though we develop lessons and classroom activities using differentiated instruction, as Tomlinson (2005) emphasizes, it is not necessary to separate the categories in planning or instruction according to readiness, interest, and learning profile, (p. 58). I would invite my colleagues to take a look at the following resource, Appropriate Structures for Teachers to Implement in the High School Classroom for At-Risk Students (Sutherland, 2008) at http://www.waier.org.au/forums/2008/sutherland2.html. This resource provides information for implementing DI in an alternative setting to students who have less than the required language arts and math skills required for high schools. The important ideas we need to focus on are to adopt flexibility with our students, give them the opportunity to adapt technology according to personal needs, and pursue growth in abilities though adept curriculum and instruction.
References:
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2011). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation [Website]. Retrieved from http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/differentiated_instruction_udl
Sutherland, M. (2008). Appropriate structures for teachers to implement in the high school classroom for at risk students [Website media]. Retrieved from http://www.waier.org.au/forums/2008/sutherland2.html
Tomlinson, C. A. (2005). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Note: Submitted December 1, 2013, as partial fulfillment of Masters of Education EDUC 6714, Engaging All Learners Through Technology, Walden University.
All Written Work and Photography Copyright © 2013 Ron Bottorff