#LDchat Archive
Understood holds this weekly Twitter chat that aims to keep the momentum going and raise awareness of learning and attention issues. Follow along with hashtag #LDCHAT and follow users @understoodchats & @understoodorg. Experts will be available to answer your questions and concerns and share resources from Understood.org.
Wednesday April 20, 2016
Welcome to today’s LD Chat! As a reminder, today's chat will last 30 minutes.
Today, we’ll be talking about differentiated instruction and learning strengths. This is Dan from Understood. Who's with us today?
Jenn here in Iowa, glad that spring has sprung!
We’ll use a Q1, Q2… format for questions. Please use the A1, A2… format for answers.
Hi ! Kerri from Winnipeg. 30 minute chat is perfect today, off to Quebec City tomorrow for Goalball so need to pack! :)
Q1: What do we mean by differentiated instruction?
hey Liz! Great to see you!
A1: Education that is structured differently to different students to give access to all learners.
A1. Teaching/learning opportunities provided in a variety of ways to meet needs of more learners? Taking a guess here!
A1: I was taught that differentiation was individual accommodations based on the needs of my students.
I'm also technically at work but work is my kitchen table and i'm my boss 😜
Q2: How can differentiated instruction benefit students with learning and attention issues?
What can differentiated instruction help students with learning and attention issues? Join NOW to discuss: https://t.co/R7FaVWb14I
Hello Sharon in CT here for a few
How can differentiated instruction help students with learning and attention issues? Join NOW to discuss: https://t.co/R7FaVWb14I
it's great sometimes, other times I want a more "real person job", but only 15-20 hours a week ;)
A2: Differentiated Instruction can include scaffolding of hard material, student choice, and understanding student strengths.
Differentiating is building in multiple avenues to get to the end point. Also varying end points by needs
For my kids it offered them a different way to demonstrate their learning, or an alternative way to absorb the information.
A2. A student's preferred mode of learning can be tapped into.
differentiation helps to present the same information that can be synthesized by the individual students
A2. Student can be more likely to demonstrate strengths
A2: Not everyone can show what they know in the same way, nor is there 1 size fits all ed, or who finds it would be a billionaire.
Differentiate with tools like for reading. Same article can be adjusted by levels
Newsela is a neat feature.
A2. allows for more flexible assignments to meet needs of a student--ie. Active/moving, varied creative opportunities/environments
Let students show what they know with in was that use strengths and accommodate for weaknesses
Q3: How can differentiated instruction motivate students who lack motivation?
A2. Or can improve cognitive flexibility by assigning students with similar dislikes to a project they wouldn't choose themselves ;)
A3. Student choice is a powerful motivator.
It presents information in a way that the students enjoy and the student has more confidence in their own learning
a3: ask the student how they might like to complete the task or work through what is assigned.
Kids respond better to options than to forced memorization.
Student choice has been shown to increase engagement and autonomy!
A3: Choice leads to student voice.
A3 Students can be allowed to demonstrate their strengths.
Choice is empowering. And as Rick Lavoie says, give set choices not just open ended https://t.co/9e4XlXglOq
A3. Student choice is a powerful motivator.
A3. Provide varied opportunities that are either strengths based or needs based
A3 "Lack of motivation" is often does not see a path to success. Differentiation allows more than one path to succeed.
Let Ss use tools like to share understanding of learning
Kids can be intensely creative in ways that academics traditionally don't capture 1/2
(Contd) and these kids end up being the people who are makers and problem solvers if that's harnessed correctly. 2/2
As a teacher, there have been yrs that I've taught every period of a course differently to meet the needs of each class.
Q4: What are some of the challenges of differentiated instruction?
A4: Lots of prep on the teacher end, can be complicated in grading.
A3: when Ss feel confident w how they r expressing their knowledge they can build success
A4 Schools do not give teachers enough time or support to truly differentiate Education is 2 often amass production assembly line
A4: Design is very important in differentiated instruction. Tchrs have to be organized and flexible.
A4. The emphasis on testing may lead many teachers to abandon differentiated instruction.
a4 cont and there is 2 much focus on standardized testing to allow for differentiation.
A4. Ensuring groups have equally personally challenging work, but that fits their needs. No identifiable "easy" or "difficult" group
I agree. Here in IA, we've now have instructional coaches, like I do. I help tchrs differentiate their instruction.
I need to move!! Support for teachers in rural VA really stinks and students suffer.
Don't worry, IA edu is sorely lacking in many areas!
Thankfully, stdardized testing should be limited with the new ESSA rules.
Q5: What are some examples of differentiated instruction?
A4 When kids are separated into groups according to ability, it often leads to ostacization and bullying.
A5: Blended Learning, Universal Design, Scaffolding, Project-based Learning are all exe of what can be done to differentiate!
we used to come up with visuals for vocab in co-taught classes
I also used to turn down/off lights during tests for sensory issues
A5 can I get some up in here? "Cause I don't wanna read/write the book, I'll watch/make the movie, cause it's not me." 😉
A4 varied questions 4learning comprehension on same reading, vary reading difficulty on same topic, allow audit boos vs reading only
