Recently, I was speaking with my son about differentiated instruction. Both of us have education degrees and we both use those degrees in different ways so often we discuss education strategies. I cannot recall what exactly prompted the discussion, but he said, I really don’t understand differentiated instruction; it’s really obscure as a concept. I replied, differentiated instruction. is the facilitation of instructional strategies to meet students’ needs, in other words, giving students what they need, when they need it. It is the determining of “what is needed” that proves to be challenging. We do this through observations, assessments, results, and progress monitoring.
There are also specific instructional strategies that we learn to implement. One such strategy is using all modes of learning. These include visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading. Visual is showing which can be done through the use of posters, presenting with a PowerPoint, and showing examples. Auditory is hearing (this is my strength) and it does not seem to be a choice of the majority as I continue having to tell my colleagues – “tell it to me” I do not want to read it in a memo. Otherwise, I have to read the memos outload to myself so I can remember and recall information. Kinesthetic is the hands on learning which includes the need to manipulate objects to understand the learning. Lastly, reading is self-explanatory but it is imperative that we continue to check for understanding as students read for information.
When I explained to my son that differentiated instruction is giving students what they need when they need it, he said, “I already do this – automatically.” This tells me that by using his intuitive and observation skills, he quickly determines what his students need and is willing to experiment to find the necessary tools to assist the learning. He is a natural teacher; as is my second son who uses his skills with adults as he teaches the skills of stage combat. It is very cool to watch! Anyway, enough of my proud mom rant. To close, let’s not continue to make differentiation a complicated subject. Educators have a tendency to do this and do not readily accept that we cannot always use a specific curriculum to meet the needs of our students. Simply, give them what they need when they need it.
