The Inclusive Classroom and Differentiated Instruction Assignment Template

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THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 1 The Inclusive Classroom and Differentiated Instruction Assignment Morgan Easter School of Education, Liberty University Author Note Morgan Easter I have no known conflict of interest to disclose. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Morgan Easter Email: mteaster1@liberty.edu
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 2 The Inclusive Classroom and Differentiated Instruction Assignment The Inclusive Classroom Overview Inclusive classrooms refer to the educational settings that accommodate all learners, regardless of their abilities, disabilities, or backgrounds. These classrooms promote diversity and equity by providing equal opportunities for all students to learn and participate in classroom activities. Inclusive classrooms are essential in promoting social inclusion, reducing discrimination and improving academic outcomes for all students. Inclusive classrooms are characterized by a variety of teaching strategies that cater to the diverse needs of learners, “with many different cultures, ethnicities, races, languages and ability levels represented” (Orlich et al, 2017, pg. Ch 3.) Teachers use differentiated instruction to provide multiple ways of learning and assessment. Assistive technologys play a huge role in adding to inclusion in the classroom, for example, audio books, text-to-speech softeware and screen readers to support students with disabilities (Orlich et al, 2017, Ch 3). Teachers work hard to collaborate with other professionals such as special educators, speech therapists, and occupational therapists to provide individualized support for students to foster inclusivity. Inclusive classrooms are essential in promoting diversity, equity, and success for everyone. These classrooms provide a variety of teaching strategies that cater to the diverse needs of learners while fostering positive behavior mostly through PBIS (National Center on Intensive Intervention, 2018). Additionally, they recognize the cultural diversity of their student population through being culturally responsive. They also encourage peer-to-peer interactions that foster mutual respect and understanding among students from different backgrounds. By
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 3 doing so, we are creating an inclusive classroom environment where every students feels valued and supported academically and socially will lead students towards success. Description of the Inclusive Classroom An inclusive classroom can look like a wide variety of sights. Tammy Webster describes the inclusive classroom as, “warm and welcoming environments that create and respect diversity” (Webster, 2014 pg. 1). In my opinion Webster says it best, in short, simple terms easy for everyone to understand. If I could change anything or add to that definition, I would add in that an inclusive classroom is one that welcomes and accommodates students with diverse backgrounds, abilities, and needs. Every student should feel valued and respected regardless of their race, gender, religion, or disability. It is my job as the educator to create a safe and supportive environment where all students feel safe and comfortable to express themselves and participate in class activites. To differentiate instruction in my inclusive classroom, I have a variety of strategies I enjoy using. One effective strategy is to provide flexible grouping, which means grouping students based on their learning needs and abilities rather than by age or grade level. For example, I could group my students based on their reading level, skill level or interests. Doing so, allows me to tailor my small group instruction to meet the specific needs of each group. Another strategy is to provide multiple modes of instruction, meaning I could use visual aids, hands-on activities, and technology-based resources to engage all of my learners (Tomlinson, 2014). Moving forward, into next school year I would like to focus my attention on providing differentiated assessments by allowing numerous ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of the material. For example, some of my students prefer to write assessments, while others enjoy drawing, some enjoy answering test questions, and some prefer oral
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THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 4 presentations. These are few of many different strategies that I use, and hope to use in the future of how I can differentiate in my classroom. Differenitation is crucial min an inclusive classroom as it allows teachers to meet the diverse needs of all learners effectively. It is important for educaotrs like myself an inclusive classroom to have a growth mindset and believe that all students are capable of learning at higher levels and setting high expectations. By differentiating instruction, I and other teachers can create a supportive learning environment where all students feel valued and challenged. Differentiation is more than changing lesson plans, it’s about providing multiple ways for students to learn and demonstrate their understanding of the material. It involves adjusting how content is taught and adjusting the product of learning based on student needs (Tomlinson, 2014). By using flexible grouping, multiple modes of instruction and assessment strategies that are catered towards different abilities it will help create a conducive environment for everyone’s success. Differentiating in the Inclusive Classroom Overview: Differentiation by Readiness, Interest and Profile Differentiated instruction is a way to ensure that all students are challenged and engaged in the learning process. “Differentiation is not a lesson plan or a recipe, but more of a design approach one takes in developing lessons” (Orlich et al, 2017, Ch 3). Therefore there are three main design approaches of differentiatied instruction, readiness, interest, and profile. Readiness refers to a student’s level of knowledge and skill in a particular subject area (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Teachers can differentiate instruction by providing different levels of difficulty for students based on their readiness level, arguably the most well known. Interest refers to a student’s personal interests and passions (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Teachers can differentiate
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 5 instruction this way by incorporating topics of activites that align with students’ interests, which helps to increase engagement and motivation. Profile refers to a student’s learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and perferences (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Educators can do this by providing different types of activites or assessments that align with their student’s profiles. By focusing on meeting the needs of students through readiness, interests and profile we can ensure that all students are challenged and engaged in the learning process. Differentiating by Readiness Differentiating by readiness is a teaching strategy that involves tailoring instruction to meet the needs of students based on their current level of knowledge, skills, and understanding. This approach recognizes that students come to the classroom with different backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, and therefore require different levels of support to achieve academic success. Research suggests, “Instruction should always ‘be in advance’ of a child’s current level of mastery… Teachers should teach within a child’s zone of proximal development.” (Tomlinson et al, 2003, pg. 126). As we’ve learned through life experience, all students are different, no two people are completely the same, therefore all students have different zones of proximal development. If educators are able to coach all students at their proper ZPD, then every student is having the opportunity to learn and grown to meet their specific needs, and one way we can do this is through differentiation by readiness. One way to differentiate by readiness is through flexible grouping. In my 3 rd grade classroom, flexible grouping involves grouping students based on their current level of understanding or their skill in a particular subject area. For example, during my math block, I typically will group students who are struggling with a particular skill in order to target their small group instruction to help them bridge the gap to help them succeed. Meanwhile, those who
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 6 have already mastered that concept or skill can work independently while waiting their turn for small group, where we would then work on more advanced problems or even real-world scenarios. Another way to differentiate by readiness is through tiered assignments, however, this involved creating multiple versions of an assignment that vary in complexity or depth of knowledge (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Although this is not yet something I personally am confident in for my classroom, it is a strategy I would like to work towards in the future. My concern with tiered assignments would be in regards to grading, for example if someone who is needing more support is having tiered assignments and scoring A’s on them, and the other student who is on a higher level is also scoring A’s on their assignments how will that look overall for grades, because the two are clearly not on the same skill level, but have the same grades. Finally, teachers can differentiate by readiness through personalized learning plans (PLPs) (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). These plans are created collaboratively between the teacher and student, they outling specific goals and strategies for achieving those goals based on the student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. Differentiation by readiness is an essential teaching strategy that allows teachers to meet the diverse needs of our students. Many teachers, myself included, use differentiation by readiness without being aware they are doing so. By using strategies like flexible grouping, tiered assignments, and personalized learning plans, teachers can ensure that all students have access to high-quality, equitable instruction to meet their individual needs. Differentiating by Interest In today’s world, the education system has evolved to cater to the diverse needs of students. One of the most effective strategies for being successful in differentiation is by differentiating instruction based on student interests. This strategy involves tailoring teaching
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THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 7 methods and materials to match student interests, which can help increase engagement and motivation in the classroom. Research has proven that “Questions and tasks that are interesting to students are more likely to lead to enhanced student engagement with the tasks, the student’s sense that the work involved is rewarding, greater evidence of student creativity, increased student productivity, a higher degree of student autonomy, and a higher level of intrinsic motivation (Amabile, 1983; Brunner, 1961; Collins & Amabile, 1999; Sharan & Sharan, 1992)” (Tomlinson et al, 2003, pg. 128). Creating a classroom environment tailored to these motivations could provide great success for students. To differentiate instruction based on interests, teachers must first identify each student’s interests. This could be done in a number of ways such as, surveys, conversations with students about their hobbies, passions, and favorite subjects (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Creating these meaningful conversations should be done throughout the year, but even more importantly at the beginning of the year to foster a positive teacher-student relationship. When students have positive teacher relationships they are much more likely to succeeds, have a love for school and so much more. At the beginning of the school year once I have identified my students interests, I can then incorporate them into lesson plans by using examples or activities that relate to different interests. For example, this school year one of my students was very intrigued by sports, so I would take different game statistics to create math problems, for fractions, multiplication or graphing. During our poetry unit, I had one student that absolutely loved songs, she would come into school every week singing a new song. Through some independent classwork analyzing poetry, I gave this student song lyrics to analyze as lryics are a form of poetry. Differentiating instruction by interest not only helps students feel more engaged in learning but also allows them to see how what they’re learning relates to their lives outside of school, and through working at a
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 8 PBL school, this is our mission. It also helps develop critical thinking skills as they apply what they know about their interests to new concepts, again supporting the PBL role of my school. Differentiating instruction based on student interests is an effect strategy for creating a more engaging and effective classroom environment. In addition to increasing engagement and motivation it also can help improve academic performance (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). When students are interested in what they are learning, they are more likely to apply the knowledge, causing the knowledge to move from short term working memory to long-term working memory. By incorporating individual student passions into lesson plans and activites, teachers can foster a love of learning that will stay with students for many years to come. Differentiating by Profile Differentiation by profile in the classroom is a teaching strategy that involves tailoring instruction to meet the needs of each student. This approach recognizes that students have different learning styles, abilities, and interests. It aims to create a learning environment that accommodates all of these differences. Teachers who use differentiation by profile may group students based on their strengths and weaknesses or provide individualized instruction. “The term learning profile refers to a student’s preferred mode of learning that can be affected by a number of factors, including learning style, intelligence preference, gender and culture” (Tomlinson et al, 2003 pg. 129). This style of differentiation focuses on the students’ whole profile, rather than on one skill or interest they have or lack. By understanding these profiles teachers can develop instructional strategies that are tailored to meet the needs of each student. Differentiation by profile has been shown to improve student engagement and achievement while promoting equity in the classroom (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). However, it requires careful
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 9 planning and ongoing assessment to ensure that all students are challenged at an appropriate level. One way to differentiate by profile is through assessment. By using diagnostic assessments, teachers can identify areas where the students need additional support or challenege. For example, at my school we use iReady for math and reading which is a education technology company that gives students a diangotic 3 times per year and it provides teachers with a projected path with exactly what the student needs and specific lessons on what’s next for the student. Another way is through flexible grouping, by allowing teachers to group students based on their readiness level or interests. Teachers can also differentiate by providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a concept. Another example of differentiating by student profile in the classroom is for teachers to first assess students’ profiles through various ways such as pre-assessments, or informal conversations and observations. Once the teacher has identified what makes each student’s profile unique, they can design instructional strategies based on those interests or needs. For example, if there is a student that struggles with reading comprehension but does well with visual learning activities such as drawing; the teacher could provide this student with visual aids during reading or encourage the student to create/draw graphic organizers for what they’re reading. By differentiating in this way teachers can create an inclusive classroom environment where every child feels valued and supported (Tomlinson, 2014). Students who may have previously struggled with certain subjects may find new ways to engage with material through differentiated instruction made just for them. By assessing individual profiles and designing instructional activities accordingly teachers can create an inclusive learning environment where every child has the opportunity to succeed.
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THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 10 Assessment Options Chart Differentiating by Readiness Assessment Options Title/Type Description 1. Tiered Assignments Tiered assignments involve creating different levels of assignments that vary in complexity, depth and challenge. They promote student engagement by providing opportunity for choice and challenge. This will accommodate different readiness levels. 2. Learning journals During lessons students can choose the way they retain new information through drawing, writing, or journaling thoughts. Students thrive when given a choice. For students with special needs they could draw instead of write. 3. Pre-assessments Before each unit, the teacher can give a pre-assessment for readiness levels to determine where each child is at before creating the flexible grouping. What might have worked for one unit might not work for the next so doing pre-assessments will help determine readiness levels. Differentiating by Interest Assessment Options Title/Type Description 1. Project-based learning At my school each quarter students have a PBL that they are responsible for. We can use this to differentiate by interests by allowing each group of students to choose what product they create to demonstrate their knowledge throughout the PBL. 2. Interviews Assessment that can be used to differentiate student profiles. Gives teachers a deeper understanding of their interests and preferences to
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 11 build their profiles and create individualized learning plans. 3. Student choice Provide multiple options for demonstrating knowledge, such as presentations, visual aids, oral presentations and to offer extra support and accommodations as needed to assist students of all areas. Differentiating by Profile Assessment Options Title/Type Description 1. Adaptive technology This would accommodate diverse learners to ensure students can demonstrate their understanding effectively. For example, giving base-10 blocks to someone who struggles with number sense in math, or audiobooks to support a student who struggles with reading etc. 2. Multimodal assessments These offer a variety of options that cater to student needs. It is an effective way to assess student learning in a holistic way that takes diversity, learning styles and creativity into account. 3. Personalized Accommodations and modifications Working with a group of educators to determine accommodations and modifications that meet the needs of students with learning disabilities. Some examples could be a slanted desk to assist with writing, a rubber band around the chair to assit with restlessness. By doing these we make sure to meed the specific needs of each student and provide equitable spaces to show what they know. Conclusion
THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 12 Inclusive classrooms and differentiation are two crucial components of modern education. Inclusive classrooms allow students to learn from one another and develop empathy towards their peers with different abilities. This helps to reduce stigma towards students who may have been excluded from the general education classroom previously. Differentiation, on the other hand, ensures that every student receives instruction tailored to their needs, because every student has their own strengths and weaknesses. Together they promote equity in education by ensuring that all students receive equal opportunities for academic success regardless of their background, ability level, or status of special needs. These approaches to differentiation, readiness, interest and profile foster a sense of community with students while also promoting individual growth and development. By embracing these concepts in our classrooms, educators can create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students.
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THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM AND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION ASSIGNMENT 13 References Education Week. (2018, September 11). Differentiating instruction: It’s not as hard as you think . YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7-D3gi2lL8&t=52s National Center on Intensive Intervention (2018). Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS). National Education Association (2019). Creating an Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for Success. Orlich, D., Harder, R., Trevisan, M., Brown, A., & Miller, D., (2017). Teaching strategies: A guide to effective instruction (11th ed.) Boston, MA: Cengage. Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., Conover, L. A., & Reynolds, T. (2003). Differentiating instruction in response to student readiness, interest, and learning profile in academically diverse classrooms: A review of literature. Journal for the Education of the Gifted , 27 (2–3), 119–145. https://doi.org/10.1177/016235320302700203 Tomlinson C.A., & Moon T.R. (2013). Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiated Classroom. Tomlinson C.A., (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd ed.). Webster, T. (2014) The inclusive classroom . https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1230740.pdf

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