Best Practices for Special Education: Differentiated Learning

Johanna Hirons Celestina Akinkunmi France Goulard Isabelle Emery APSY 503

Conceptual Models of Disability

Medical Model (Old) Disability is a deficiency or abnormality Being disabled is negative Disability resides in the individual The remedy for disability-related problems is cure or normalization of the individual The agent of remedy is the professional Interactional/Socio-Political Model (New) Disability is a difference Being disabled is, in itself, neutral Disability derives from the interaction between the individual and society The remedy for disability-related problems is a change in the interaction between the individual and society The agent of remedy is the individual, an advocate, or anyone who affects the arrangements between the individual and society.

Differentiating Instruction
CONTENT

Classroom Setting
-varying the knowledge, skill set and attitudes that students are required to learn. - requires that students are pre-tested to allow the teacher to identify individual students needs. Note: the content of instruction should address the same concepts with all students but be adjusted by the degree of complexity for the diversity of learners in the classroom -Refers to the teacher presenting a variety of learning activities which provide students appropriate methods in which to explore new concepts. -Manipulates the ideas embedded within new concepts --give students alternative paths. Example: altering the complexity of a graphic organizer can effectively facilitate different levels of cognitive processing for students with different abilities (Theroux, 2004) -refers to manner in which students demonstrate their knowledge as well as the complexity of the product that students create. -Students working above grade level may be asked to produce work that requires more complex or advanced thinking -while students below grade level may have reduced performance expectations. Note: Offering a variety of mediums (posters, reports, dioramas, brochures etc) to display knowledge allows students to tap into their preferred modalities of learning and demonstrate their mastery of a subject in a manner that is meaningful (Theroux, 2004) -optimize the use of sound and light -eliminate visual distracters -provide a more casual seating arrangement Note: This scenario is needed to create an ideal setting that is inviting and nurturing for all students.

PROCESS

PRODUCT

ENVIRONMENT

Differentiated Assessment
Differentiated Assessment should: support continuous learning for all students show respect for all learners recognizes each students unique talents and skills emphasises the interdependence, growth and success of the group needs to be out-come based has different purposes is authentic, and meaningful builds on student strengths (Nunavut Education, Curriculum & School Services, p.7, as cited in Philpott, 2007)

Characteristics of Differentiated Instruction Compared to Best Practices Synthesis

# Area of Differentiated Instruction Content 7

Description of characteristic as described by Alton-Lee

Curriculum goals, resources including ICT usage, task design and teaching are effectively aligned. Pedagogical practices enable classes and other learning groupings to work as caring, inclusive, and cohesive learning communities Effective links are created between school cultural contexts and other cultural contexts in which students are socialized to facilitate learning.

Environment

2 3

Process

4 5 6 8 10
1 9

Quality teaching is responsive to student learning processes. Opportunity to learn is effective and sufficient. Multiple task contexts support learning cycles. Pedagogy scaffolds and provides appropriate feedback on students task engagement Teachers and students engage constructively in goal-orientated assessment.
Quality teaching is focused on raising student achievement (including social outcomes), and facilitates high standards of student outcomes for diverse learners. Pedagogy promotes learning orientations, student self-regulation, metacognitive strategies and thoughtful student discourse. Alton-Lee, 2003

Product