Differentiated Instruction - Research Paper Example

?Running head: Differentiated Instruction Introduction In the contemporary society, education has become a basic need. However, there are several factors that might hinder a person from acquiring quality education. Education is offered in different ways or there are different methods of offering education, for instance through differentiated learning. At times it is referred to as differentiated instructions. This is a learning process whereby the students are provided with different avenues of knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, the process aims at provision of knowledge to all students effectively regardless of their capabilities in class or ability to gain knowledge. It also ensures that what students learn, how they learn, and how students demonstrate what they have leant are in line with the student’s readiness to learn and level of education and through a preferred mode. The paper highlights differentiated instruction as one of the learning methods applied I acquisition of knowledge. It also discusses the process and its importance to gaining and obtaining of new knowledge in the contemporary society compared with other learning methods applicable in knowledge acquisition. Therefore, differentiated instruction is the best method of acquiring and providing new knowledge to all students and pupils despite of intellectual ability of the pupil or student. Literature review There are different types of learning, but differentiated learning has been approved as the most suitable way of acquiring new knowledge effectively by all irrespective of intellectual ability or power. In differentiated learning or instructions, students or pupils are placed at center of learning or learning institution. Each learner has the right to obtain knowledge. Furthermore, learner should be entitled to learning processes that adequately or effectively address their learning needs. This is the only way to ensure that quality of education improves and knowledge is effectively acquired by all learners and appropriately implemented (Drapeau, 2004, p 34). There are different types of students in the learning arena and each have a unique learning need. However, the learning process has to adequately and effectively address needs of all learners. Furthermore, learners have different academic skill development and instruction avocations. This requires a unique and universal approach hence address all the needs of each student irrespective of their nature. This can only be adequately addressed by differentiated learning or instructions. This is because the learning process is flexible and easily incorporates learning processes that are easily adaptable by all learners (Tomlinson and McTighe, 2006, p 43). Generally, differentiated learning is considered the best method of acquisition of new knowledge or learning because it attempts qualitative learning rather than quantitative learning. This is because the learning process aims at provision of knowledge to learners through the ways or methods that best suits them. This ensures that learners acquire appropriate knowledge and according to their abilities. The process involves use of group work, individual study methods, instructions or experiments. This enables the learners to blend their learning abilities with the best methods that suit their abilities or the methods that they ca effectively use to acquire knowledge. The process also enable teachers to effectively analyze their students and determine the most appropriate learning process that suit their learning needs and hence provide knowledge to them appropriately. The process also allows a teacher to effectively assess the learners and determine their learning abilities (Heacox, 2002, p 68). Differentiated instruction or learning is viewed as an educational philosophy and a proactive approach to learning. The practice also has numerous practitioners due to its nature. Differentiated instruction or learning basically applies principle of quality knowledge provision to the students. Furthermore, it requires teachers to adjust curriculum to the learning needs of the learners. Learners are not expected to adjust to the curriculum because they have different learning needs. However, all students require education and the teachers are the knowledge providers. Therefore, adjusting to the learning needs of the students ensures that education acquired by the learners is effective. Students may not adequately modify and suit curriculum needs. However, teachers may easily adjust to the learning needs of students. Teachers who apply differentiated instruction or learning in provision of knowledge to students basically believes that learning needs of students shapes how they provide knowledge to the respective students or learners. This is because they are committed to knowledge provision to the learners. Furthermore, learning needs of students greatly determines how they learn. This is because their learning needs are what drives them towards knowledge acquisition and satisfaction of the needs leads to acquisition of knowledge effectively (Benjamin, 2003, p 59). Differentiated learning or instruction requires teacher to have adequate knowledge of the learners so as to determine the best method of offering knowledge to them. This also enables them to adequately plan their lessons and deliver quality knowledge to respective students or learners. This also allows students to gain knowledge effectively, but at their own pace and ability. Furthermore, differentiated instructions or learning is effective because it provides equal learning opportunity to all learners despite their abilities. This is because all learners are equally treated and slow learners are supported and not humiliated due to their situation (Northey and Waterman, 2005, p 69). Basically, the best model of this learning method incorporates three aspects of meaning making, student-centered and active in the process of learning or providing knowledge to students. The learning process is effective and basically applies three elements that are learning profile, interest and readiness, these elements assists in further acquisition of knowledge through the method. Furthermore, it has been revealed that learners learn best through their best and preferred learning modes. Learners also acquire knowledge adequately due to their readiness to acquire such knowledge. Readiness of a student has to match how a student learns, what he learns and how a student demonstrates what he or she learnt through the method. This ensures acquisition of quality education (Drapeau, 2004, p 56). Interest triggers motivation in students and increases their urge to learn. When a student is motivated they are likely to perform well and acquire more knowledge. This is because interest increases their learning needs hence acquisition of more knowledge. According to theory developed by Howard Gardner, people have different levels of intelligence and hence learn in different ways. This is also a determinant in learning needs of a student. The theory also further suggests that schools or learning institutions should provide an individual-centered education. This implies that learning education should set their curriculum with regards to the learning needs of students in the respective institution. This is because learners have different learning needs and may not easily adapt to curriculum by institutions due to differences in learning needs. Generally, the theory supports the third element of differentiated instruction or learning that is learning profile. Differentiated instruction incorporates learners’ interests, learning profile, styles and theories and readiness towards provision of quality and appropriate knowledge to learners (Tomlinson and McTighe, 2006, p 78). Differentiated instruction or learning has been incorporated in most of the curriculums internationally. For instance, the United States tested the method in the late 1970s and led to change in curriculum 40 years ago due to differentials in learner needs in education. Differentiated instruction or learning also increase ability of the teachers to adequately address the needs of each learner adequately and effectively. This also increases chances of an educator meeting the needs of individual learners and assisting them towards achievement of success or even exceeding the set standards in education. According to Tomlinson, differentiated instruction or learning is increasingly demanded due to several reasons in the learning environment, for instance, there are different types of students I the learning environment with different learning needs. Secondly, there are different learners from different backgrounds hence diversity in knowledge acquisition. Therefore, students vary in several ways hence diversity academically. Additionally, diversity in academic is bound to continue rising due to differentials increase in learning needs (Heacox, 2002, p 94). Body Differentiated instruction or learning is believed to be the best way of acquiring and providing knowledge to learners. This is because it involves provision and acquisition of knowledge as per the needs of individual leaner or student. Before, application of the learning method, teachers have to be well versed or informed of the knowledge that the learners’ already possess or have acquired in the past. This is to ensure that the learner learns according to his or her learning needs. This also ensures that the teacher does not repeat concepts that the learner is already well versed with or has mastered. It also ensures that the teacher adopts the most effective method in provision of knowledge to learners. This is because after the teacher have assessed the learner and determined their needs, he or she may be able to adequately and effectively address their learning needs or requirements (Northey and Waterman, 2005, p 104). There are several ways that a teacher may use to assess a leaner before deciding the most appropriate differentiated learning method to use in provision of knowledge to the student with regards to his or her learning requirements or needs. They include games, quiz, discussion or any other method that may enable the teacher to adequately evaluate learning needs or requirements of a student and adequately and effectively respond to them. This also allows a teacher to evaluate performance of an individual learner in different learning areas or units of discussion. This assessment may also enable a teacher to determine the best learning method that most of the learners prefer in the class and hence use the most popular learning method. Furthermore, it also leads to quality education provision because teachers are able to offer education to students through the methods that they prefer best. Additionally, it also enables a teacher to evaluate performance of each leaner in each upcoming unit in the learning process (Benjamin, 2003, p 112). However, there are different models of differentiated instructions or learning methods. There are certain models that does not require pre-assessment, but learners are assessed as learning continues or in the process of learning. Generally, differentiated instruction or learning has one common goal. The main goal of differentiated instruction or learning is development of engaging and challenging tasks for individual learner. This ensures that all learners obtained or achieve or fulfill their learning needs irrespective of intellectual ability or level. In ensures that all learners from low to high intellectual obtain necessary knowledge and as per their learning requirement or needs. Instructional activities involved in differentiated instructions or learning are flexible and generally evaluated and based on product, process and content of the process or individual activity involved in the learning process. Approach used in the learning process is basically determined by the data obtained from students and pre-assessment. This is because learning needs or requirements of students are obtained through pre-assessment and other tools or techniques use in screening and determining learning needs or requirements of individual learner or student. Effective pre and post assessment of learners may provide adequate and reliable information on the learning needs or requirements of learners or students. Quality of education is greatly improved by adequate and effective analysis and determination of learning needs and requirements of students or learners (Drapeau, 2004, p 168). Coverage of the content In differentiated instruction or learning, content of the lessons may be derived from what the learners already know or have acquired. Standard lesson content covers learning standards set by respective state or district. In class situation, there are some learners who may be well versed with lesson to be provided or offered by the institution. On the other hand, there are certain learners that may not be well versed or familiar with the concepts to be offered in lesson plan while others may have mistaken ideas on the lesson plan topics. A teacher may easily differentiate content of a lesson by providing different tasks to the students to complete and hence determine lesson needs for different students. The tasks provided by the teacher may cover different areas. This involves several different tasks such as application, comprehension and knowledge (Heacox, 2002, p 134). Students with different knowledge of the lesson may be given different tasks to undertake or complete, for instance, students with partial knowledge of the lesson may be asked to complete evaluation, application and analysis areas while students with high knowledge of the lesson may be requested to complete tasks under synthesis and evaluation. Successful differentiation of content by the teacher may enable him or her to determine what the students ought to learn and how they should learn them. Furthermore, it enables the teacher to determine how students are expected to gain access to knowledge or important information and understand the skills in the respective area of interest. This does not mean that educators are lowering education standards for students, but providing education as per learning needs of individual learner or student. Similarly, the education objectives are not lowered by this method of knowledge provision, but knowledge is provided according to needs if individual learner or student (Northey and Waterman, 2005, p 134). Differentiated instruction or learning incorporates use of different novel or script at each level of education. Furthermore, teachers may use different groups that are flexible and hence expose students to online reading sources or visual materials. Additionally, students may decide whether to work in groups or individually depending on their learning needs and requirements and how they are comfortable to learn. Learning of the material on a lesson plan may be determined by differentiated by a teacher depending on learning styles of the students and standards of performance required at the level of education. This enables students to learn on methods they feel easy to acquire knowledge with or challenge their ability most. For instance, there are students who may prefer learning through listening while others may prefer to learn through reading. Information may be provided by the teacher to the student in different ways, but they are determined by the method adopted by the teacher and the materials available for learning purposes (Benjamin, 2003, p 109). After lesson provision by a teacher, he or she might break students into groups depending on their readiness to learn. Thereafter, the teacher might provide each group with questions depending ion their readiness to learn with relation to the lesson provided earlier. On the other hand, the students may be grouped according to their learning styles. This is because learners are at different levels; possess different levels of intellectual abilities. Therefore, they cannot be taught the same way because their learning needs or requirements vary hence differences in learning priorities. There are different types of differentiated instruction or learning models and each have different principles of providing knowledge to students, for instance, Layered Curriculum offers assignment choice to students and only requires them to demonstrate learning so as to attain a pass in the learning process (Heacox, 2002, p 134). The most important aspect of the differentiated instruction or learning method is product. This is what the students may display after learning or the measure that can be use to determine whether the student have mastered the concepts of learning or not. This can be determined by offering tests to learners that determine their mastery ability of the learned lessons or concepts or in a manner preferred by the learners. Products are determined depending on the learning preferences, strengths and interests of an individual learner or student. (Tomlinson and McTighe, 2006, p 89). Conclusion Differentiated instruction or learning is effective for knowledge acquisition by all students irrespective of learning abilities or intellectual skills. This is because it allows learners to learn as per their readiness, interest and learning theory. Furthermore, teachers respond to instructional needs, readiness and learning preferences of the student and provide a learning environment whereby a student learns as per his or her ability. Therefore, a class that incorporates differentiated learning or instructions is teacher-facilitated and learner-responsive and all students have the ability of meeting curriculum requirements effectively. References Benjamin, A. (2003). Differentiated Instruction: a guide for elementary school teachers. Birmingham: Eye on Education. Drapeau, P. (2004). Differentiated instruction: making it work: a practical guide to planning, Managing, and implementing differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all learners. New York: Scholastic Inc. Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: how to reach and Teach all learners, grade 3-12. Chicago: Free Spirit Publishing. Northey, S and Waterman, S. (2005). Handbook of differentiated instruction for middle and High schools. Birmingham: Eye on Education. Tomlinson, C and McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and Understanding by design. London: ASCD. Read More