How to effectively differentiate instruction

Hello colleagues, I often say that every class is multilevel; some classes are just a lot more multilevel than others! There is no doubt about it; addressing the needs of all learners in a class is challenging. 

Some of you may be interested in the self-paced LINCS online course that walks teachers through how to effectively differentiate their lessons to meet the needs of learners. Here's the description of the course:

Differentiated Instruction and Lesson Planning (5 hours): Many adult education classrooms contain students whose ages, native languages, educational backgrounds, and academic skills vary widely, which poses many teaching challenges for instructors. Research shows that differentiated instruction is one of the most effective approaches for helping students learn. This course walks participants through the steps of planning a differentiated lesson, including how to write effective learning objectives, choose among approaches to differentiation (content, process, product), and design assessments. In completing the course, participants produce their own differentiated lesson plans that are suited to their instructional content and environment.

It would be great to hear from teachers who have taken this course as well as from those who have ideas-- or questions-- about how to effectively differentiate instruction. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here in our community!

Cheers, Susan Finn Miller

Moderator, Teaching & Learning CoP

Comments

I am a Special Education Teacher by day and an ESL Instructor by night.  I thoroughly enjoyed this training session.  The strategies and techniques discussed in the “Differentiated Instruction” training paralleled the information that I already knew through my many years as a Special Education Teacher.  It was interesting to see how many of the procedures were the same as they related to lesson planning and backwards design where you’re planning with the “end” in mind and with how to write your objectives.  They vary slightly in their concepts in that, when working with adults, differentiated instruction does not always mean completely individualized instruction.  Whereas working in the special education arena, we are completely individualizing with customized instruction for our students so that it meets their specific individual needs.  I was able to adapt what I already knew and modified it so that it will be tailored for my adult ESL students.  I was equally intrigued by the information regarding the tiered lessons and how they are geared towards the adult learner’s specific level of readiness as their depth of understanding is uniquely different.  Providing varying assessment types is similar with the ESL student and the special education student.  Having opportunities to see and practice lessons was particularly helpful and useful.   I’m glad that I selected this as one of my training sessions. 

Hi Vanessa, Thanks for sharing your experience with this LINCS online course on learning differences. It's good to hear that the course aligned well with your knowledge and expertise as a special education teacher.

Since you are teaching English learners in the evening, you might be interested in the 1-hour LINCS course, Learning to Achieve: Learning Disabilities and English Language Learners. This self-paced online course was designed by Robin Lovrien Schwarz who is an expert on this topic. The issues for language learners are quite different than for students who know English well. Robin has a great deal of important information to share on this complex topic. 

Cheers, Susan Finn Miller

Moderator, English Language Acquisition and Teaching & Learning CoPs