Dawn Meyers

April 1, 2016
EDU225
Mr. Martin

Part 1: Differentiated Instruction

Definition: https://sites.google.com/site/decodin..
What is your understanding of differentiated instruction?
Differentiated instruction is meeting all the students needs in the
classroom. Every students learns at their own rate and in different ways.
Differentiated instruction is taught in many ways. One way would be a whole
class with teacher and student. Small group is another way of differentiated
instruction. There is a process of how to incorporate smalls groups and
cooperative learning. A teacher must first decide what to teach and how you
are going to create groups. There is a lot of preparation hours that goes into
differentiated instruction, such as worksheet materials, noise level, room
arrangements and monitoring students. The teacher needs to determine the
process of differentiated instruction. Are the students going to be placed in
groups or stations are one determining factor. The end result is your product
is to have students show you they have learn through a written or oral
report. A more non-traditional way would be to have an art video or power
point presentation.
One technology tool I would use to differentiate instruction would be a
group setting. I would start out small and divide the classroom into two
groups, depending on the class size. I would make sure to prepare and
organize the project to be able to assess and reflect. Both groups will pick a
design of a dream home and have to build it. They will also have to write a
report on the cost of the material to build the house. This is where one group
could branch off to two groups. The visual learners could start building the
house and the read/write learners could write the report. This could be a fun
group project you could do over time to train students and establish
behaviors.
Part 2: Differentiated Instruction Lesson
Evaluationsddial.k12.sd.us/esa/doc/teachers/DiffInstruc/lessons0405/sa
nderson_di_lesson2.pdf
I planning on working with special education students I chose a math and
money lesson plan, especially for the severely disabled. The lessons plans
objective is for special education students to be able to identify a penny, nickel, dime and quarter.
They will also be able to know the value of each coin along with the dollar. There are serval
questions you can ask the students about money such as, how do you tell the difference between
each coin and how important it is to be able recognize each coin? The knowledge and skills
students will learn in this lesson will be to put coins in order from greatest to smallest and also
combination of coins. Students will also use flash cards to help them learn the value of each coin.
In this lesson students will play a matching game using coins and the flashcards writing down the
amount for each coin. Students will also match label items with coin amounts and the students
will have to match them. This lesson plan is geared toward visual learning styles with the flash
cards and coins, students can see and feel the coins. Auditory learners could also benefit from
this lesson plan by listening to the instructions from the teacher. Tiered assignment would be the
differentiated instructional technique used in this lesson plan. Counting money can be done in a

small group or even one on one with a teacher. With tiered assignments helps a student learn on
their own understanding level on the subject. I feel the lesson did address the learning style by
having student understand how important it is to identify coins and the value of each amount.
What I would do differently would be to have a small cash register and have the classroom set up
like a store. This way, students could compare what they see at a real store. This would be a more
interacting lesson that could continue outside the classroom. The tool of technology I would use
is the promethean board. The student can drag the coin in a piggy bank and it adds up the
amount. This would be a good tool for students to identify the amount of each coin.

3. Differentiated Instruction through Technology Essay

Todays Technology Tomorrows Future

Technology is constantly changing, especially in todays classroom.
Several years back students had to go to the computer labs to be able to use
any kind of technology. Todays schools have computers in every room along
with chrome books and tablets. Technology has advanced in so many ways
and will continue throughout the years. Differentiated instruction is meeting
all the needs of each student and their learning styles. Students learn at a
different pace and different ways. It is one of the key components in teaching
students. There are many tools that teachers can use to help accomplish
this. Technology helps to pace lessons for each students learning needs and
can promote learning through instructional tools.
Technology to Differentiate Instruction
There are many differentiated instructional tools available to teachers
including website and learning activities. My Sci Learn U is a wonderful tool
used for reading especially with auditory process, sequencing, memory and

attention. This too is helpful for ELL (English language learners) students
who are struggling in English and reading. Findings show that, not only does
explicit and differentiated phonics instruction have a positive effect for ELL
learners in reading comprehension, but also that the differentiation of it has
a considerable impact on ELL students literacy skills in general (Martinez, A.
M. 2011). Students sit at the computer at their own pace and read a story if a
word is missed pronounced the computer corrects the speaker. Students also
listen to a story and then have to answer comprehension questions. This
helps ELL students with language comprehension, also with vocabulary.
Students do have a little down time by playing matching games with spoken
words to pictures, in between readings. Another instructional tool is called
Accelerated Reader. This is a very well known throughout schools from K- 12.
We have a students pick out a book in their reading level and they can read
this book on their own. After the student has finished the book they take a
quiz on the computer. If they pass you know the student understood what
the book was about. I really like the feedback from this learning tool which
helps teachers set goals for their students. This tool gives students choice to
pick out a book that would be interesting to them which make it more
enjoyable to them. Study Island is another resource tool not only for student
but also for teachers. This a great resource tool for student to test their skills
and they can see where they need improvement. Students get to login into
the computer and work at their own pace. The students and the teacher can
look back to measure their progress. No matter if the student needs help
with math, reading even social studies. Study Island focuses on the skills

needed to pass the exam. This allows teachers to spend more time on skills
students need to work on.
Pros and Cons of Differentiated Instruction.
There are many pros and cons of differentiated instruction. Some of the pros
are student learn
in ways that makes information easier to understand. Every student will
receive their own
individualized education plan that they can learn at their own pace. The
changes and
technological developments in the world require teachers to update their
knowledge and skills
in order to meet students needs in the changing environment (Suanrong, C.,
& Herron, S. S.
(2014). This helps teachers to be creative in their lesson plans and there is
never a day the same
with something new to learn. This also allows teachers to be more flexible in
their teaching and
they can grade students on their performance.
The cons of differentiated instruction would be it is very time consuming
and teaching
student with individualized education plan a lesson every day. I can be a
daunting task for

teachers because it requires a new way of thinking about curriculum and

instruction (Tobin, R.
r., & Tippett, C. c. (2014). Students have different strengths and weakness;
this could be a
problem that could slow down the learning process. Differentiated instruction
is based on
students needs and there is really no set schedule. It was also difficult to
evaluate teachers
because students are learning at different levels. Let us change the current
nature of
differential staffing as an educational management tool and cooperate with
the ideas of
individualized instruction and humanism (Education, 1977). Differential
instruction works well
in a small classroom but may not be possible in a larger classroom.

Conclusion
Differentiated instruction allows students to find their best way to learn.
Some students are visual learners while others learn better through reading
instruction. Differentiated instruction is best for small classes and not for
larger classrooms. In addition, differentiated instruction can be very
overwhelming for a new teacher, so start out small. Differentiated instruction

is very time consuming there is a process you need to follow. Decide how you
are going to teach, group settings or teacher student. Make you have all the
materials you need for direct instruction. Assess all the students to see what
leveling level and how they learn. The end result is to have the students
learn and progress. Above all have fun, if something doesnt work try
something different. There are many instructional tools available that if one
doesnt work for your classroom try another. This is going to take extra time
to prepare for each class. Just take one set at a time and you will see the
final product, student learning and excited about it.

References
Individualized Instructions and Differentiating Staffing:
Cooperative or Competitive?.

(1977). Education, 97(3), 267.

https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d
=ehh&AN=4732628&site=eds-live&scope=site
Martnez, A. M. (2011). Explicit and Differentiated Phonics
Instruction as a Tool to Improve
Literacy Skills for Children Learning English as a Foreign
Language. GIST Education And
Learning Research Journal, (5), 25-49.
https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d
b=eric&AN=EJ1062615&site=eds-live&scope=site
Suanrong, C., & Herron, S. S. (2014). Going Against the Grain:
Should Differentiated
Instruction can be a Normal Component of Professional
Development. International
Journal Of

Technology

https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d
=ehh&AN=102366283&site=eds-live&scope=site

Tobin, R. r., & Tippett, C. c. (2014). POSSIBILITIES AND POTENTIAL

BARRIERS: LEARNING TO
PLAN FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN ELEMENTARY
SCIENCE. International Journal
Of Science & Mathem https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&d
b=ofs&AN=95632323&site=eds-live&scope=siteatics Education,
12(2), 423-443.
https://sites.google.com/site/decodin..
Evaluationsddial.k12.sd.us/esa/doc/teachers/DiffInstruc/lessons0405
/sanderson_di_lesson2. pdf