A classroom consists of students representing their ideals, race, gender, ethnicity, color, background, and personality. Now, consider a package filled with different shapes and sizes of products forced to fit tightly. Let’s learn about ‘Why Do You Think Differentiation Is So Important For Students Today?’.
Why Do You Think Differentiation Is So Important For Students Today?
What will happen? The package will not contain the pressure and will be torn apart. Similarly, students representing their ideas, customs, and personalities are unheard of in a classroom. They feel rejected by teachers and classmates and form anxiety and depression.
Because at the end of the day, every human being is different in their belief, culture, life, and traits. You cannot judge them with a similar perspective as applied to others. So, students need to get educated in an environment where they feel accepted. Let’s read further about Why Do You Think Differentiation Is So Important For Students Today.
What is a differentiation learning technique?
Differentiative learning focuses on clearing the boundaries that hinder the learning environment of diverse students. It uses the approach of content, process, product, and environment. So, teachers can understand the requirements of each student, their abilities, and differentiation.
Further, it helps teachers design lesson plans and assignments that focus on every student’s profile. For example, if a student is shy and unable to speak in public. Then they could be given their level of assignments and lessons that can help them.
Therefore, teachers should make challenges and rewards for such students at their level. It can be related to lessons that they want to study alone and make questions that could be privately discussed by teachers at last.
Further, giving them their environment to complete the task and access rewards and progress. It will help them create new ideas, and learn at their pace.
How differentiated instruction is applied?
First, teachers need to address every child’s ability and the varieties they offer. As some can be quiet, others may be talkative, while some may have difficulty in public speaking. So, there seems to be a lot of need based on their backgrounds. To meet them the teachers can apply the differentiative technique like-
- Understanding: First, teachers need to understand the diverse classes and address them all. For example, students who are shy, talkative, weak in academics, and learn their reasons by talking to few. It can be related to family or surroundings problems that change their behaviors. Some students excel in other subjects but not in everyone. Teachers can give students interest-based tasks to enhance their productivity, creativity, and talent. And, when the subject becomes interesting everyone will be interested.
- Putting up challenges: They can put different challenges on different students. For example- tasking students who perform lower with their level of objectives. And students who perform at the top with their level of objectives. Next, they can give them certain rewards for completing the target. Further, teachers can use hybrid learning to assess every student’s performance.
- Making flexible grouping: Teachers can group students based on their level with others who are at the same level. So, they can learn teamwork and find ways to complete the tasks easily. They can also make a helper group that will check other students’ performance and help them. Teachers can task groups with objectives based on their levels and reward them when they achieve higher.
- Changing the learner’s environment if possible: Every student is unique and so is their learning place and time. For example, some students will like the library, while some will enjoy the class learning. And, some students can easily learn in natural places. So, teachers can understand a student’s learning environment by asking them. They can then make a certain task, an assignment that can be completed in their environment.
- Analyzing the result: Lastly, teachers can assess students at their performance and help them. They can check their tasks and determine what could be changed. This will aid students in learning in a better environment.
Benefits of learning in differentiation: Why Do You Think Differentiation Is So Important For Students Today?
The differentiation provides a diverse environment for learners to excel. It gives them the chance to be heard in the class irrespective of their backgrounds. Students who were considered weak will be given a chance to learn and grow in this method. Below I have mentioned a few benefits that come under this including-
- It promotes the student’s style of learning at their pace.
- Students tend to engage in their subjects while using this method.
- It drives creativity, and innovation among students with diversity.
- Students of diverse sections can feel acceptance.
Some examples where differentiation-based instruction is conducted-
The Harward school and School of San Diego implement this method and teach it as a course to teachers and students who are interested. Moreover, this process is conducted in a few types. You can read below to know where they can be applied-
- It is used in heterogeneous grouping.
- Can be used effectively in classes with fewer students.
- Implemented by teachers who are willing to make adjustable changes in learning.
Final thoughts related to differentiation
Now we’ve learnt about ‘Why Do You Think Differentiation Is So Important For Students Today?’, Although the Tomlinson method of differentiation is effective. It will only be successful by teachers who are prepared to deliver it. The method takes time to explore the diverse nature that revolves around students.
Their ability, strength, background, and beliefs are different, and studying them takes time. But, the proper use of this method along with the scaffolding method serves a diverse section properly.
So, teachers can experiment and check the progress level of every student. It gives a chance to cover the majority of students with differences in traits, colors, ethnicity, beliefs, etc. And, give them the freedom to learn and explore the topic while getting rewards and assessments.
FAQ:
- What are the five elements of differentiated instruction?
- Practice better instruction.
- Processing lessons.
- Content for diverse sections.
- Challenges.
- Assessment.
- Where is this instruction more suitable?
The instruction is suitable in the classroom with fewer students. And, where the teacher is ready to research and put effort and time into designing specific lessons for all.
- Does a differentiative type of instruction serve a diverse society?
It gives the chance to every student to learn at their pace and level. The challenges offered to support students to learn in an environment where they feel comfortable.
- Why is the differentiation technique important for students?
Students can use this method to know when, how, and where they can learn properly. It can be related to their environment where they can study better. Moreover, it aids students in becoming better learners irrespective of their backgrounds.
