When I'm aware of students like this who require differentiated instruction, I should tailor both my lessons, and my assessments, so that the student never needs to experience the "I don't get it!" panic, or, on the flip side, the disengagement of the understimulated advanced student.
Students for whom differentiated instruction would be appropriate
I will illustrate my decision-making process by first choosing two common topics that merit differentiation: dyslexic students and English Language Learners.
Dyslexic students may understand everything that is being said -- rarely is there a problem with intellectual delays in dyslexic students -- but when they are asked to read, they simply need more time or assistance in order to keep up with the rest of the class.
The issues of dyslexic students dovetail into the needs of English Language Learners in that they need more time with reading, but ELL students will also generally need more time to understand what is spoken as well. They may need extra time and multiple methods by which to decode the instruction I am giving.
Several strategies may assist both of these learners throughout my lesson. These can include providing one step directions at a time. Instead of "powering through" with a series of directions (which is usually my natural inclination), I give one direction at a time to the class. According to Angie Stevens, an education researcher for Reading Horizons, spacing out directions for students with dyslexia helps because dyslexia is, at its heart, a processing disorder, and giving directions one at a time can greatly reduce students' frustration.
I can also provide both written and oral instruction in the class when that is possible. I can preview content, perhaps the day before a lesson, or just before I give the lesson, so that these students have extra time to prepare for what will be taught. Both dyslexic students and English Language Learners are likely going to require assistance with note taking as well. I can provide graphic organizers for this purpose, or I may discover that another student in the class would benefit from being a designated note taker for these students.
Modification Plan for Struggling Students and Those Grasping Material Quickly
Although it would be ideal, through the above-mentioned methods, to have anticipated and adequately prepared for students' different needs in my classroom, I may discover through my formative assessments that some students are not understanding the content, and others are grasping the material quickly. It is up to me to include those students by differentiating the instruction for them.
(Note: I will hereby refer to specific examples for a sixth grade English Language Arts lesson related to "digital footprints" for sixth graders. This differentiation would take place for other types of lessons, but as I am preparing for this particular lesson, my examples will be specific to the digital footprint lesson.)
Specifically, in the case of a student who just isn't "getting it," I would need to determine what, exactly, the student isn't understanding.
In the case of this lesson, as I dive into the discussion of Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram, I may determine through my formative assessments that some students simply aren't familiar with these applications. Most sixth graders are familiar, but an English Language Learner, or a student with less access to technology, may not be ready to discuss these applications simply because they're unfamiliar.
If this is the case, I would stop the lesson and ask for student volunteers to explain, and demonstrate, the applications. This may take more time that I have allotted for the lesson, but an understanding of the applications is key to understanding the concept of a digital footprint. (We will use my personal Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram accounts to make the point, so they have an example of a very "clean" account with no questionable material.)
This may be an excellent opportunity, as well, to include students who absolutely "get it" and are ready to move on. They can lead the discussion about the applications with their classmates, and give examples from their own social media experiences when applicable. I will also ask these students (on a voluntary basis) to assist students such as the aforementioned dyslexic student or an English Language Learner to assist with reading and/or note-taking during the lesson. These partnerships can make sense.
I can also challenge the advanced students to step outside and create fictitious posts -- both well-advised and poorly-advised -- and lead the "Four Corners" activity for their classmates later in the lesson. (In which the students move from corners 1-4 in order to express how certain photos and posts might reflect on the person posting them.
More difficult for me would be a student who isn't "getting it" because they aren't understanding the notion of developing a "reputation" for oneself via social media. The idea that there would be future benefits and drawbacks to some posts may not "click" with some students. I will better discover this when I see how students move within the Four Corners formative assessment.
[Explanation of the Four Corners assessment: Students will rate posts and photos by moving around the room between Corners 1-4. A "1" means that potential friends, colleges, and employers would be very turned off by it, and a "4" means that potential friends, colleges, and employers would be very impressed by it. For example, a photo of a person burning a flag would rate a "1" and a post with a compliment to a local hamburger joint would be a "3."]
If I see that students are going to the "4" category when presented with an insulting or inappropriate post, it may be time to stop and discuss further before continuing the assessment. I could as a volunteer from the "4" category to explain why they thought the insulting post would be impressive to others, and someone standing in the "1" category to politely debate the point with them. This may turn into a rather lively discussion, but ideally this could be a teaching moment with memorable results.
Four resources to assist students who are dyslexic and/or English Language Learners in this activity
- Content-oriented. One thing that a dyslexic student and and English Language Learner have in common is needing more time to decipher written materials, in general. For this reason, these students will have more photos instead of lengthy posts to discuss. The discussion focus, for these students, will be on photos and short easily understood posts, rather than long written rants that sometimes occur on social media.
- Process-oriented. Videos to watch the night before. The entire class will be asked to watch 1-2 videos the night before our digital footprint lesson. This will be particularly emphasized for the dyslexic or English Language Learner students, with an email to their parents the day before, including the links to the videos, so that they will be sure to preview -- at least once -- the materials before the rest of the class discusses it.
- Learning environment-oriented. Posted words and phrases. The day before the lesson, and throughout the lesson, the most important vocabulary and brief synopses of content will be posted on the board. These will include the names of the applications, the words "Digital Footprint" and phrases such as "Your REPutation Precedes You" (many students may know the word "rep" instead of reputation!) and "Your Dream Employer Is Watching!" for all to see on the walls of the classroom. According to
- Process-oriented. Allowing Think Time. Sometimes in my haste to cover all topics in a lesson, I fail to allow students crucial "Think Time." They may not be ready with an answer right away, so if I give them a chance to "cogitate" on the subject, this will help not only my struggling learners, but every student will have a chance to give a more intelligent response if prompted to think silently for a minute before answering questions in this lesson.
References
Finley, T. (2015) "Strategies and Resources for Supporting English-Language Learners" Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/strategies-and-resources-supporting-ell-todd-finley
McCarthy, J. (2014) "3 Ways to Plan for Diverse Learners: What Teachers Do." Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy
Stevens, A. (2013) "8 Classroom Accommodations for Dyslexia (That Benefit ALL Students)." Retrieved from http://www.readinghorizons.com/blog/post/2013/04/12/8-dyslexia-accommodations-for-students
"Strategies for Teachers." Retrieved from http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/professionals/dyslexia-school/strategies-for-teachers
Image sources
"Girl who doesn't get it" retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5d/35/95/5d35959fd06a11fb2c246261f7d0f41d.jpg
"'Yet' quote" retrieved from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV6CxZa6xwuW7_j2Rx-MMOcEb9EvENGsenev7S2O9CAGKMAqOsczBOZdUKziDku03OZ9KYgj6prQ1MBhVGLPnQbxBBIS45wk-YLKttDZxv4tO4YXcF5kDvXVJvTnQzH3LqH31nphST_g/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-05-01+at+8.21.52+am.png
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