How Can Instruction be Differentiated for Diverse Learners?

     



     Differentiation, in terms of education, is the changing of instruction to meet the needs of all students. Differentiation is imperative to the success of all students, but especially those with disabilities, as it ensures that they receive a free and appropriate education (FAPE). The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires that children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education. In order to ensure that a child receive a FAPE, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), is put in place to meet the child's unique needs.

     I have always told people that I was a visual or spatial learner-- turns out that learning styles are a myth. I was very shocked to learn this because I hear teachers talk about learning styles all the time. There is no evidence that suggests that preferred learning styles help students. Even if learning styles were real or beneficial to students, it would be a disservice to students if we never challenged them to learn in different ways. 

     According to an article written by Liana Loewus, we should have a goal when differentiating instruction, and that goal is "... to make any single lesson accessible to all students." The first step to differentiating instruction is getting to know each student. It is impossible to cater to the needs of each student during every lesson, but we can try to be flexible. Differentiation does not have to be hard. Differentiating can be playing videos at a slower speed, allowing a vocabulary list for a reading, or using learning centers when possible. Taking the time to differentiate instruction guarantees an inclusive classroom atmosphere full of confident learners. 


Kristian Pogue

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