How do you
make decisions about your own actions for students in a differentiated
classroom? What is your criteria for intervention, and/or for letting learning
happen?
When
I am teaching a lesson, or planning my procedure and the process I’m going to
take, I think about the students I will be teaching. What are their learning
styles? Do they usually need support in this subject or area? While I’m
teaching, I focus on “reading my students” (Tomlinson). It’s important to have
informal assessments during the lesson to help understand when to
differentiate. Students are “assessed on an
on-going basis so that teaching, and indeed the other methods of
differentiation, can be continuously adjusted according to the learners’ needs”
(BBC).
A differentiated math lesson in my classroom
starts as whole group. We brainstorm together, talk to our partners and problem
solve on how we’re going to solve the problem. I break down the problem and
model how to find the solution. Then we move onto a group setting. Students are
given a problem and work with a group to solve it. We go around the room and
discuss different ways to find the problem. This allows students to “undertake
the same task and allow a variety of results.
I always mention to my students, “there is always more than one
way to solve the problem.” While group work is occurring, I walk around the
room and complete an informal assessment. I listen to the students
conversation, observe their work and answer to the problem. Once I get a feel that
students are understanding the content while working with a group, I have them
start working independently. While students are working, I walk around the room
and complete another informal assessment. If a student is struggling, I have
them come to the back table to get one – one support. Depending on how many
students are struggling, it could be 1-5 students at the back table.
“Learning is not
one size fits all” (McCarthy, Myths). As an educator I try to find what
“clicks” with the students. What “may “hook” one student might well puzzle,
bore, or irritate others” (Tomlinson). I use manipulatives, number lines, extra
scrap paper, and whiteboards. Depending on the situation, I have used an iPad
with my students to show them an online module of how to solve the problem
slowly. This is an intervention I use, when a student is not grasping the
concept. “Differentiating content includes using various delivery formats such
as video, readings, lectures, or audio” (McCarthy,assessment). If a student starts to understand the concept,
after many observations and completing their work on their own, they are
allowed to return to their seat. While I’m working with students at the back
table, the other students are completing their work and bringing me their
assignment to be checked. I assess the students work. If the student is
grasping the concept, I give them an enrichment activity to complete which
helps them “develop a more rounded understanding of
the subject matter or even to progress through the set course more quickly”
(BBC). I find that when the students are given an enrichment activity to
complete, this allows extra time with the students at the back table.
After all the students understand the concept, we start to
problem solve as a whole group. I have the students turn and talk to a partner
or group to solve the problem. While they are problem solving, I observe and
listen to their conversations. We then share our ideas on how to solve the
problem.
Once the math lesson is complete. I give the students an informal
assessment on the standard. I use this assessment to check which students need
extra support, an intervention (math game) thinkcentral or a soar to success activity
to complete at home.
Another example is with a reading vocabulary lesson. I have my
students read the text. I create vocabulary cards with visuals of the meaning. I
have the students read the word in the text then talk to a partner and explain
their definition of the word. We meet as a group, share our ideas and talk
about what the word means, I show the vocabulary card and move on to the next
word. We repeat the sharing and whole group activities until all words have
been learned.
While my students are discussing their thoughts about the word,
I observe their understanding and take a quick informal assessment. If there
are students that need extra support, I show them the vocabulary card. After we
finish reading the text and review the vocabulary words, I have my students
create a vocabulary squares booklet.
The booklet contains the word, a picture of the word and a the
word used in a sentence. While students are working independently on the
activity, I observe their understanding. If students are not understanding the
concept, I have them work with me at the back table. We look over the
vocabulary cards again, look through our text for evidence and find examples we
could use. There was a situation where some of my students had a difficult time
with reading and couldn’t write in a complete sentence or they were taking an
extremely long time writing one sentence. The way I differentiated was instead
of them writing the sentence I had them draw a picture for the word. It’s
important to “set different tasks for students of different abilities”
(McCarthy, instruction). After they drew the picture, I had them explain their
picture to me. From their explanation, I could understand if they learned the
content.
The other resource I use to decide which students need an intervention
is our universal screening assessments with Aimsweb. For reading it’s 3
passages that are each timed for one minute. Math is computation that is timed
for 8 minutes. The school district I work at has certain goals students should
be achieving by fall, winter and spring. If a student does not meet the goal, I
start to progress monitor and watch their growth. For a reading intervention, I
have students go onto a computer game called Lexia. Students can use this game
at school and at home. It automatically gives the students an assessment in the
beginning then places them in the correct level. Each student on Lexia, is on a
different level. The program sends me alerts and other lessons/interventions I
can do with my student on the specific skill they are not understanding.
Students who have difficulty with math computation are given one
– one support with math flash cards, addition and subtraction strategies to
use. In my classroom mostly every lesson is differentiated. Students who do not
need support are given enrichment activities to complete or programs to use at
school or at home to help the learner be successful. No practice is “truly best practice
unless it works for the individual learner” (Tomlinson). When I teach to my
students I “think of many ways to accomplish a common goal. (Tomlinson). What
might work with one child might not necessarily work with another.
It’s
important when differentiating to assess your students throughout the whole
lesson, whether it’s informal or formal, create a flexible grouping
environment, have a safe learning environment, be fair to each student, give
the student guidance and assurance they can trust you.
Resources
Tomlinson, Carol Ann. How to
Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA, USA:
Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD), 2001. ProQuest
ebrary. Web. 5 January 2015.
Methods of Differentiation in the Classroom. (2010).
Retrieved January 27, 2015, from
http://www.bbcactive.com/BBCActiveIdeasandResources/MethodsofDifferentiationintheClassroom.aspx
McCarthy, J. (2014, July 8). Myth-Busting Differentiated
Instruction: 3 Myths and 3 Truths. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-myths-and-truths-john-mccarthy
McCarthy, J. (2014, July 15). 3 Guidelines to Eliminating
Assessment Fog. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-eliminating-assessment-fog-john-mccarthy
McCarthy, J. (2014, July 23). 3 Ways to Plan for Diverse
Learners: What Teachers Do. Retrieved January 26, 2015, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy
Pilcher, C. (2013, July 31). Think Central Student/Parent
Access for Go Math digital products. Retrieved January 28, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHoZF5TVXzU
I can totally relate. I have students who can't write sentences or take a long time completing the task. I like how you give the option to draw a picture - that is something that I need to keep in mind. I always forget drawing options. On a separate note - do you like Aimsweb for math? I am looking for a math screener?
ReplyDeleteCindy,
DeleteI do like Aimsweb for math. It's only assessing their computation though. It's a quick way to see progress of students when progress monitoring. I also like, soar to success for interventions to do with math.
It was interesting to read about the way you handle math lessons in your classroom. I use some of the same techniques with my high-school math classes. I try to use group activities whenever possible. Most of these activities involve multiple problems but are often centered around a handful of topics. As you mentioned, listening to their conversations while they work is a powerful evaluation tool. After the groups have completed their task, they move on to individualized work where I continue to listen and evaluate. I have found that this type of activity is very familiar and very productive. I thought you'd like to know the methods you are using in your classroom will continue to have a positive influence when they reach the higher grades.
ReplyDeleteI think that is very important to read your students. This is the only way that you as a teacher can see if they are understanding what you are telling them. Your classroom sounds like you have a lot of differentiation going on there. I also like how you give the students who do finish enrichment activities so you can work with the ones who need that extra support.
ReplyDelete