Back to Differentiated Instruction
Differentiating the processes means varying learning activities or strategies to provide appropriate methods for students to explore the concepts. It is important to give students alternative ways to learn new information and skills, ways that take into account different learning styles.
For example students who are visual learners may prefer working with graphic organizers, maps, diagrams or charts rather than textbooks. Even the complexity of the graphic organizer can be varied for students of differing ability.
While the methods of learning may vary, the goal is still the achievement of expectations. As well, as teachers, we should be encouraging students to think about subjects in more abstract and complex ways through higher-order activities. Keeping that in mind, all activities should emphasize:
- Higher Levels of thinking- Emphasizing questions that enable the learners to analyze synthesize, or evaluate.
- Open-endedness- Asking questions that promote critical and creative thinking.
- Inquiry and discovery- Providing opportunities for the learner to arrive at self-drawn conclusions or generalizations.
- Active exploration- Providing opportunities for movement and learner-driven exploration.
- Inductive and Deductive reasoning- Asking the learner to cite the sources, clues given, and logic used in drawing conclusions.
For an excellent list of instructional strategies, please visit http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/pd/instr/categ.html
Some Strategies Include
- Structured Overview
- Lecture
- Explicit Teaching
- Drill & Practice
- Compare & Contrast
- Didactic Questions
- Demonstrations
- Guided & Shared - reading, listening, viewing, thinking
- Debates
- Role Playing
- Panels
- Brainstorming
- Peer Partner Learning
- Discussion
- Laboratory Groups
- Think, Pair, Share
- Cooperative Learning Groups
- Jigsaw
- Problem Solving
- Tutorial Groups
- Interviewing
- Conferencing
- Problem Solving
- Case Studies
- Reading for Meaning
- Inquiry
- Reflective Discussion
- Writing to Inform
- Concept Mapping
- Essays
- Computer Assisted Instruction
- Journals
- Learning Logs
- Reports
- Learning Activity Packages
- Correspondence Lessons
- Learning Contracts
- Homework
- Research Projects
- Assigned Questions
- Learning Centers
- Field Trips
- Narratives
- Conducting Experiments
- Simulations
- Games
- Storytelling
- Focused Imaging
- Field Observations
- Role-playing
- Model Building
- Surveys
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