Lauren McNease

ELED 300- Dr. Isbell

November 6, 2014
Module 4
Introduction
Differentiation is instruction that effective teachers use to meet the learning needs for all
students. In every classroom, students will vary in backgrounds, learning styles, and prior
knowledge so it is critical to instruct accordingly. As stated in Learning & Teaching: ResearchBased Methods, The idea of differentiating instruction is grounded in the assumption that not all
students learn the same way, and effective teachers adapt their instruction to meet the learning
needs of all their students. (Kauchak & Eggen, 2012). Differentiated Instruction consists of
four principles: being proactive, student centered, assessment based and blending of instruction.
A.) Principles of Differentiation
An effective teacher will take into consideration the learning diversity in the classroom
and respond accordingly to those needs by being proactive. Being student centered is basing the
instruction on the students needs and interest. The third principle, assessment, is critical for a
teacher to use to gauge whether the students are learning the content, and when it is time to
proceed on. Pre-assessments will be used to gather information about the students level of
knowledge, and assessments will be continual through-out the year. The fourth principle is
blending whole-group, small group, and individual instruction depending on the topic and the
students needs.

B.) Use of Differentiation in Mentors Classroom

My mentor, Mrs. Vinson, teaches second grade. in her classroom the reading levels of
the students are varied, so she pairs students together that are on the same reading level. She also
has a student that struggles with his handwriting, so she provides special paper for the student to
write on. Technology is used widely throughout Mrs. Vinsons class. There are four computers
in the classroom and this is a valuable tool for extension activities. Also, there is a computer lab
that her class uses once every two weeks that has different programs. One of the programs
consisted of shapes since in mathematics they are working on Geometry.
C.) Differentiated Instruction in my Classroom
In my classroom, I plan to be proactive and use assessment on a daily basis. At the
beginning of the school year, I will take the extra time to get to know my students interests and
what their strengths and weaknesses might be. It would be valuable to gather as much
information as possible from the parents during the first week of school. I would send home a
warm, welcoming letter that contained a questionnaire about their child. Parents could address
any concerns and preferences about their child, and it would build a stronger rapport with the
parents. Flexibility is something I will try to utilize whenever necessary with my students. I will
need to be responsive to what works in the classroom and what does not.
Conclusion
Classrooms will vary in learner diversity so differentiated instruction meets the needs of
all students. Teachers can implement this by varying the content that is presented to students,
and by being flexible in instruction.

References
Kauchak, D., & Eggen, P. (2012). Learning & Teaching Research-Based Methods (6th ed.).
Boston, MA: Pearson.