Teaching: Differentiated Instruction

• Chapter is titled Teaching in Multigrade Classroom

Differentiated Instruction

• It tailors instruction to all students' learning needs
• All students share the same learning goal
• Varies based on students' interests, preferences, strengths, and struggles
• Involves shaking up classroom activities, to provide multiple options for how students learn
• Provides different avenues for acquiring content, processing ideas, and developing products so each student learns effectively

Content Differentiation

• Addresses what the student needs to learn and how they access information
• Examples include:
  • Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels
  • Presenting ideas through auditory and visual means
  • Reading buddies

Process Differentiation

• Addresses how much support students need from the teacher
• Students can work in pairs, small groups, or individually
• Teachers can enhance learning by offering support based on individual needs
• Examples include:
  • Textbooks for visual and word learners
  • Audiobooks for auditory learners
  • Interactive online assignment of kinesthetic learners

Product Differentiation

• Relates to what the student creates to demonstrate mastery
• Can be tests, projects, reports, or other activities
• Activities show mastery of an educational concept based on learning style
• Examples include:
  • Book reports for read-and-write learners
  • Graphic organizers for visual learners
  • Oral reports for auditory learners
  • Dioramas for kinesthetic learners

Whole Class Teaching

• Convenient for multigrade classes since the teacher addresses the students as a group

Group Teaching: Same-Grade Level Group

• Grouping is based on children's chronological age or grade level

Group Teaching: Ability Group

• Pupils in the same grade are grouped based on actual or perceived ability
• Placed into instructional groups of varying aptitude or achievement

Ability Grouping: Type 1

• The teacher introduces the topic or skill to the entire class before a diagnostic test

Ability Grouping: Type 2

• Based on pupils' prior level of comprehension or success

Group Teaching: Mixed Ability Group

• Provides for diverse range of abilities

Group Teaching: Mutual Compatibility/Social/Friendship

• Based on the compatibility of students forming strong friendship ties

Cooperative Learning

• Strategies facilitate a positive supportive classroom
• Students work together to achieve common goals
• Interdependence inspires group members to aid and support one another
• Assignments require learners to collaborate to achieve goals, solve issues, make decisions, or create products
• Learners cooperate and take responsibility for their own and other members' learning
• Encourages social connection, positive self-esteem development, and increased acceptance among group members

Cooperative Learning Guidelines

• Design seating to enhance group cooperation
• Ensure students are aware of shared responsibilities through task division
  • Includes roles like facilitator, recorder, checker, spokesperson, and timekeeper
• Incentivize students by offering rewards for success
• Ensure each group member understands the goal and processes of assigned work
• Each group should include students of varying abilities: high, average, and low performers

Think-Pair-Share

• Learners individually consider a teacher-assigned topic
• They then pair with another student to discuss
• Finally, they present their findings to the full class
• Guide questions for this format:
  • What is the problem, question, or subject?
  • What are my thoughts about it?
  • What is my partner's opinion?
  • What will we share?

Jigsaw Puzzle

• A collection of themes developed before forming a whole idea
• A jigsaw puzzle is a collection of pieces coming together to form a complete picture
• Individuals or small groups take care of a subcategory of a larger topic
• Each one is responsible for teaching their concept to the class
• Basic steps:
  • Divide the class into groups
  • Assign a leader to each group
  • Divide the lesson into portions based on group number
  • Assign one part to each leader to read and learn
  • Create temporary "expert groups" by bringing one student from each discussion group together with students allocated to the same segment
  • Return the students to their jigsaw groups
  • Request that each student teaches part to the class

Small Mixed Activity Group

• Students collaborate to complete team job or assignment shared with the class

• Basic steps:

  • Divide the class into groups that are usually heterogeneous
  • Each member of the group is allocated a certain role
  • The group is presented with the purpose including methods, grading criteria, and collaboration skills
  • Instructor observes and assesses both individual and group performance.
  • Students will reflect (by journal writing) on their interactions in the assigned group activity.

Peer Tutoring

• Pupils assist each other and study independently
• Peer tutoring is a flexible strategy
• Students serve as academic tutors and tutees

Types of Peer Tutoring

• Same-age: One student instructs another on materials where the first is an expert and the second is a novice
• Cross-age: Older students are paired with younger students to teach or review a skill
• Class-wide: Reciprocal peer tutoring and group reinforcement occurs, basic academic abilities are enhanced

Benefits of Peer Tutoring

• Learners perceive tutors who are their peers since they are cognitively and socially connected
• Enhances student achievement, especially for students at risk or with poor academic performance
• Many kids perform better in brief and structured programs
• Students benefit from practice and in peer language they can understand
• Improves tutor-tutee discipline, self-esteem, cooperation and peer relationship.

Guidelines for Peer Tutoring

• Determine the individual skill that requires development for student
• Structure tutoring activity and identify tutors and tutees ahead of time
• Provide explicit instructions on how to execute identified activities, who to tutor and how to deal with student
• Teacher must effectively guide and monitor tutors
• Prior to activity, identify specific learning activities, supplies, and proper tutoring behavior
• Create individual modules and worksheets for pupils
• Plan learning assignments progressing to more advanced
• Provide tutoring activity feedback and record student activities

Self-Directed Learning

• Defined as a process in which individuals, with or without the assistance of others, take the diagnosing their learning needs
• Learners formulate learning goals, identify human and material resources for learning
• Selecting and implementing appropriate learning strategies and evaluating human outcomes
• Self-directed learning in multigrade classrooms encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning
• Imparts independent working skills
• Assists students in becoming self-regulated, strategic learners
• Learners determine their learning styles since they identify what methods work best
• Learners are assisted in working independently or with minimal assistance from the teacher

Guidelines in Conducting Self-Directed Learning

• Teachers should establish high expectations
• Keep students on track
• Activity sheets or modules are developed in a step-by-step method using simple language to ensure learners' independent learning
• The materials have been carefully chosen and ready for use.
• Give enough time to complete the activity

Theory of Multiple Intelligences

• Howard Gardner created the theory of Multiple Intelligences
• Enlarged the parameters of intelligent behavior to embrace the diversity of human capacities
• Each person possesses capacities in all nine intelligences, which interact uniquely for each person

Gardner's Intelligences: Verbal-Linguistic

• Word smart: ability to use words effectively
• Involves abstract reasoning, symbolic thinking, conceptual patterning, reading, and writing

Gardner's Intelligences: Logical-Mathematical

• Number smart: capacity to use numbers effectively and to reason well

Gardner's Intelligences: Musical

• A sensitivity to sounds from the environment, the human voice and musical instrument, the recognition and use of rhythmic and tonal patterns

Gardner's Intelligences: Spatial

• Ability to perceive the visual-spatial world accurately and to perform transformations upon those perceptions

Gardner's Intelligences: Bodily Kinesthetic

• The ability to use the body to express emotion, to play a game, and to create a new product

Gardner's Intelligences: Interpersonal

• People smart: the ability to work cooperatively in a small group or communicate verbally with other people

Gardner's Intelligences: Intrapersonal

• Self smart: self-knowledge and the ability to act adaptively on the basis of this knowledge
• Includes accurate self-image and awareness of inner moods, intentions, motivations, temperaments, and desires

Gardner's Intelligences: Naturalistic

• Nature smart: ability to recognize patterns in nature and classify objects
• Mastery of taxonomy, sensitivity to features of the natural world, understanding different species

Gardner's Intelligences: Existential

• Thinking smart: The ability to pose questions about life, death and ultimate realities

Center-Based Learning Activity (CBLA)

• Learner-centered educational environment
• Focuses on providing and expanding possibilities for various learning styles and teaching techniques

Guidelines in Center-Based Learning

• Consider a theme of interest
• Teachers ask the following questions after deciding on a theme:
  • Linguistic - How can I use the spoken word?
  • Logical/mathematical - How can I bring in numbers?
  • Spatial - How can I use visual aids?
  • Bodily-kinesthetic - How can I use the whole body?
  • Musical - How can I bring in music?
  • Interpersonal - How can I engage learners in group work?
  • Intrapersonal - How can I evoke personal feelings?
  • Naturalistic - How can I bring in nature?
  • Existential - How can I bring in philosophical questions?
• Create centers with materials appropriate for identified multiple intelligences