Differentiation Plan

Please see below for a list of potential exceptionalities, and how I would support those within the
classroom. I used many ideas from Inclusion of learners with exceptionalities in Canadian
schools: A practical handbook for teachers by Nancy Hutchinson, to support my differentiations
and classroom supports. I would consider many of these strategies to be beneficial for the entire
classroom (Universal Design), but in some cases like physical impairments the differentiations
are specific to that student so they can have an equitable learning experience; help students
understand this by engaging in a Band-Aid activity (each student comes up with a different
injury, they all get a Band-Aid- will the Band-Aid fix your concussion? Your paper cut? Your
broken arm? Etc. Shows students that fair does not always mean the same.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Use clear language at the beginning of an activity or lesson
• Post lists on white board- have visual cues so students remember what they are supposed
to be doing. This supports working memory struggles that these students may face. Use
external memory aids.
• Model various strategies (this will help ALL students)- thinking, task completion, asking
questions, instructions, etc.
• Rephrase instructions in student’s language- use “kid friendly” words that are easy to
understand and don’t require a ton of decoding for them to source out meaning
• Explicitly teach social skills- like turn taking, teamwork, collaboration, etc.
• Guided practice- use a gradual release of responsibility model to ensure students feel
confident
• Model self-regulation strategies- this can be in the moment, or for the whole class
depending on the needs of the students.

English Language Learners

• Follow basic guiding principles for ELL students- know who they are and recognize their
past (are they from an immigrant/refugee family?), know your community and work
closely with them to ensure the student feels welcomed, be patient and supportive.
• Use non-verbal communication to make the student feel safe and secure; encourage
students to use their first language at home and bring it into your teaching!
• Teach using vocabulary first- include LOTS of visual cues, use gestures, concrete
materials, games, puzzles, etc.
• Be VERY cognizant of any biases in your lessons- don’t assume they have or have not
had different experiences.
• Speak and instruct in short, simple sentences.
• Use individual instruction and support when you can- frequently check in during work
time so the student does not feel alone if they are struggling- confer, confer, confer!
Behavior Exceptionalities and Mental Health
• Build a strong relationship with the student- know what makes them tick, what sets them
off, what works for them in the moments when they flip their lid.
• Build a behavior plan with students- involve them in the conversation and in making the
plan for times when they flip their lid, or when they feel overwhelmed. This gives
students a safe “exit strategy” when they feel big emotions coming; also helps students to
become mindful of what they are feeling.
• Build a strong support system at school and at home; make sure students feel like there is
a safe adult they can talk to any time.
• Use the ADAPT strategy (Account for student’s strengths and needs, reflect on Demands
of the classroom on students, Adaptations, Perspectives and consequences, Teach and
assess the match)
• Explicitly teach pro-social behaviors; give students various spaces to learn in. Use tier 2
or 3 interventions if necessary, to support students- but ALWAYS maintain that
relationship so they feel like they are valued within the classroom.
• Focus on positive relationships and developing a safe place
• Teach skills through the curriculum to help students cope with various social situations

Learning Disability
• I have listed the most common LDs that students face; However, in grade 1 many
students could struggle with these. LDs don’t tend to be diagnosed until later in the
student’s school career when they cause a large deficit. That being said, many students
may struggle in these areas in grade 1 and these supports are extremely helpful even if the
student does not have a diagnosed LD. Please note these are a variety of strategies to
teach through the mismatch, around the mismatch, and to overcome the mismatch; each
student is unique and will respond to differentiations in different ways.
• Reading (commonly dyslexia)
o Multisensory learning- use visual aids, tactile activities
o Colour transparency paper (helps students read the words- coloured paper disrupts
the visual stimulus between the white paper and black text
o Use word blockers during reading so students can focus on one word or sentence
at a time
o Speech-to-text, or text-to-speech
o Early intervention and explicit teaching of phonics can be helpful for some
students, but not all.
o Adapt the environment with visual cues and hand signals to help students
differentiate between sounds when reading.
• Writing (commonly dysgraphia)
o Reduce some of the writing load- offer alternatives to a fully written work (don’t
get rid of all challenge for students, it is important for them to practice writing-
but they also need to learn. When it becomes frustrating and they are flipping
their lid because they cannot write their thoughts, it gets in the way of learning-
this is when you should implement something like this in the ECE classroom)
o Oral instructions, audio recording
o Scribe
o Adapt with different tools- pencil grips, slanted boards, raised paper
 o Fine motor skill practice
• Math (commonly dyscalculia)
o Concrete-to-representational-to- abstract instruction: start with hands on
manipulatives, then move to pictures representing manipulatives, and then try to
move into more abstract representations.
o Graph paper can be helpful for students to line up numbers, draw shapes, etc.
o Teach self-talk during math; help them to slow down and think about the skill
they are using. Encourage asking for help when needed.
o Encourage visual representations.
• Organization (executive function)
o Have an agenda/schedule clearly posted- provide time warnings for the whole
class (5 minutes left, 2 minutes left, etc.) so transitions are not a surprise.
o Checklists during work time- students know what to do first, second, third, and
last.
o Explicit teaching of time-management skills during free time- Lots and lots of
reminders; encourage students manage their time.

Gifted Students
• Enable students to explore their interests; use tiered assignments- give choice!
• Allow for enrichment activities built into the lesson (helpful for gifted students AND fast
finishers)
• Open ended play, and academic work- don’t put them in a box.
• Give students authentic learning opportunities that relate to real-world problems
• Depending on where the students are at- it is proven that gifted students benefit from
interaction with their age group peers AND their intellectual peers.

Physical Impairments (vision, hearing, speech, motor)

• There are a wide variety of physical exceptionalities that you may come across. I have
highlighted some of the more common impairments, but please note that this is not
exhaustive.
• Visual Impairments
o Alternate format texts; have access to braille, taped books, etc.
o Adaptive technology to assist students (this is usually provided for the student by
the school)
o Larger print available for books and environmental text
o Extended time frames for completion
o Multi-sensory experiences
o Reduce glare in the classroom- natural lighting is helpful
o ALWAYS warn a student if something is moved
o Name students when they speak, provide non-visual feedback (a smile means
nothing if the student can’t see it)
o Peers as friends, not helpers
o Foster social inclusion in activities
• Hearing loss or hard of hearing
o Ensure students are seated in an area where acoustics are best; involve students in
this decision.
 o Use visuals and handouts so students can follow along
o Spend a few moments reviewing new vocabulary with students prior to the lesson
(this could be done briefly before or after breaks)
o Outline class agenda in a place that is easy to see
o Pre-teaching and manipulatives are very beneficial
o Use sign language mixed with verbal cues whenever possible- students will
benefit from learning ASL; introduce bit by bit.
• Communication
o Create an accepting atmosphere; classroom culture that sees the beauty and
benefit of our differences. Safe and caring.
o Work closely with SLP
o Speak/ give instruction a bit slower and ensure clarity
o Graphic organizers
o Pre-teach academic vocabulary
• Physical disabilities or chronic health conditions
o Treat students like normal- do not underestimate their abilities to learn and
participate.
o There are a variety of accommodations for students with physical disabilities;
these are mostly modifications to the environment.
o Be familiar with students and their condition- know what their “tells” are if they
are prone to seizures. Be cognizant of the environment and knowledgeable about
ways to support different disabilities and conditions
o A huge part of this is setting the classroom culture to be a safe and caring space.

Intellectual Disabilities
• Please note this category is quite large as well- many adaptations will be determined on a
student-to-student basis. There is a wide range of mild to severe intellectual disabilities- the
following is a list of SOME strategies that may be helpful.
o Discuss what will happen before it does- give time to process
o Structure play; help students make a plan, find peers, etc.
o Break tasks into smaller steps
o Simple phrasing when asking questions
o Encourage students to expand on their thoughts- more than “yes” and “no”
o Support language development through various literacy strategies
o High interest/ low vocabulary resources
o Simplify learning tasks where necessary- each student is unique
o Develop social stories to help students cope and interact with the environment
throughout the day