Supporting Diverse Learners Within the Classroom Programming using Differentiated Instruction: Getting to Know Your Students Introduction my past, my present position Setting the Direction 5 min Chinook’s Edge School Division Presenter: Dawn Normoyle

Reaching Students Who Learn in Different Ways Animal School Do you know the story about the Animal School? It goes something like this: Once upon a time there was a school for animals. The teachers were certain it had a very comprehensive curriculum but somehow all of the students were failing. The duck was the star in the class for swimming but flunking tree climbing. The monkey was great at tree climbing, but was getting F’s in swimming. The chickens excelled in grain research, but disrupted the tree climbing so much that they were sent to the principal’s office daily. The rabbits were sensational in running, but had to have private tutoring in swimming. Saddest of all were the turtles, who, after many diagnostic tests, were diagnosed as having a cognitively disability. Yes, they were sent to a special education class in a remote gopher hole. Like the animals in the story, each student is unique with there own interests, ways of learning, strengths and challenges. The question becomes: All are not tree climbers, but are great swimmers or runners doomed to failure because they are in a system designed solely for a different type of animal. 5 min 10

Today’s Outcomes: Understand some key elements of differentiated instruction Improve understanding of mild/moderate disabilities Appreciate the importance of knowing your students when programming Learn some strategies to get a deeper understanding of your students Discover inclusionary strategies to support the programming of all students Reflection on your own practice 1 min 11

Graffiti Activity With the others at your table create your “graffiti” using words, phrases, and graphics that represent your tables thinking Leave your sheet behind, and rotate to the other tables to add your comments/visuals Discuss added comments and summarize Share as a group Questions on chart paper: Differentiated instruction is not… Some ways I already differentiate in my classroom are… Some of the fears/ concerns/ questions I have around differentiated instruction are… Some things I would be interested in knowing more about differentiated instruction would be…   Could continue and post on the Wiiki  20 min (3 min per group) 35 min

Differentiated instruction is a philosophy and an approach to teaching in which teachers and school communities actively work to support the learning of all students through strategic assessment, thoughtful planning and targeted, flexible instruction. Making a Difference: Meeting Diverse Learning Needs with Differentiated Instruction 37 min

Fairness is not everyone getting the same thing Fairness is not everyone getting the same thing. It is when everyone gets what they need! 42 min

Why Differentiate? Benefits Effective for all students including those with disabilities Offers multiple pathways to learning Starts where students are at Provides meaningful choice Creates opportunities to demonstrate their interests and skills Helps students understand what they’re expected to learn, evaluate their own progress, and express their learning strengths, challenges and interests Increases engagement, motivation, self-confidence and willingness to assume responsibility Gives them strategies to figure out and cope within the world when things are not differentiated 45 min

Programming for All Learners: Key Elements Collaboration- learning team involvement; parents, teachers, students… Purposeful Planning- knowing your students (needs, strengths, learning styles), understanding the curriculum, multiple pathways of learning, tasks respectful of each learner, flexible and reflective teaching… Ongoing assessment- wide range of approaches, pre- assessment, profiles, FOR/OF, grade for growth, “Assessment informs practice, and we take action.” (Rick Wormelli) Transition planning- between grades, leaving high school… Self advocacy- sharing responsibility, creating independence… Add some research articles with texts to Wiki 45 min

Classroom Elements to Differentiate Affect/ Learning Environment Content Process- how students make sense of learning Product- how students demonstrate learning 47 min

Various Disabilities Cognitive Disabilities Emotional/Behavioural Disabilities Learning Disabilities Hearing/ Visual/ Communication Disabilities Communication Disability Physical/ Medical Disability (i.e. cerebral palsy, fetal alcohol, autism) Briefly discuss main disabilities we see in the classroom Some strategies- connect diagnosis to differentiation ideas 55 min

Programming: Diverse Learning Needs Diagnosis may have implications for educational programming, social and emotional learning and overall well-being Knowledge can help teachers align supports and strategies with student’s needs and strengths Knowledge helps teachers know what to look for in ongoing assessments (what the student can do and potential barriers) * Critical to get to know your students Find diagnosis in Cum file- important to understand Access to special education liaisons in all schools 60 min

Use the sheet to reflect on your learning so 3 Minute uzzzz… Use the sheet to reflect on your learning so far… Reflection sheet Allow students: to reflect individually, in pairs, small groups, as a whole group To tell about, draw, write 1 hour 5 min

Start with Assessment Rich ongoing source of information Helps teachers identify and begin to address student strengths and needs Helps plan meaningful learning activities Establishes organizational and grouping structures Mold the classroom environment Ongoing Requires a “photo album” approach to assessment, as opposed to a “snapshot” (Wiggins and McTighe,2005) 1 hour 10 min

“Teaching in the dark is a questionable business!” Assessment: Ongoing Differentiated assessment informs differentiated instruction provides information about readiness, strengths and needs in relation to particular outcomes or activities. This shapes your planning. Differentiated instruction leads to differentiated assessment students work toward learning outcomes at different paces and in different ways so you will need assessment tools and strategies that accommodate diversity while still usefully measuring learning outcomes. “Teaching in the dark is a questionable business!” 1 hour 15 min

Knowing Your Students: Student Learner Profiles Describes ways a student learns best Reveals student’s unique knowledge, prior experience, abilities, learning strengths and needs, interests, learning preferences and styles, attitudes, gender, culture, personality… Helps teachers choose responsive and meaningful supports, planning Dynamic, as individual learners constantly grow and change For students with disabilities it is an opportunity to get to know that student and to see beyond the student’s disabilities 1 hour 20 min

Learner Profiles: Goals Find out as much as possible about how a student learns Not to label students as certain kinds of learners Help them develop multiple pathways for learning Create more confidence and motivation when working on unfamiliar and/or challenging tasks 1 hour 22 min

Learning preferences and styles: Environment Typically refers general environment where student learns best Examples: quiet vs. noisy busy with lots to look at/ interact with vs. bare with few distractions movement friendly vs. sitting still flexible schedule vs. fixed schedule warm vs. cool 1 hour 25 min

Types of intelligence Brain-based predisposition to excel in particular area Howard Gardner (1994): identified eight intelligences individuals possess varying combinations Thomas Armstrong (1994): student-friendly terms for each intelligence verbal-linguistic intelligence (or word smarts) logical-mathematical intelligence (or number smarts) interpersonal intelligence (or people smarts) intrapersonal intelligence (or self smarts) spatial intelligence (or picture smarts) musical-rhythmic intelligence (or music smarts) bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (or body smarts) naturalistic intelligence (or nature smarts) 1 hour 27 min

Gender, Culture & Personality Can influence learning Examples: expressive or reserved in class interactions competition or collaboration work individually or in a group creative or practical way of thinking part-to-whole or whole-to-part learning contextual and personal learning or learning that is discrete and impersonal time as fixed and rigid or fluid and flexible impulsive or reflective in one’s thinking and actions valuing creativity or conformity 1 hour 30 min

Interests Creates motivation and engagement Identifying interests in learner profiles helps in planning when varying projects, themes and examples 1 hour 37 min

Gathering information Inventories, surveys, conferencing, interviews Learner preference inventories Reading inventories Social inventories Interest inventories Assessment information Classroom assessments (interviews, observation, assignments, etc.) Cumulative records Individualized program plans (IPP) Standardized assessments Parents Previous teachers and other school staff involved with the student 1 hour 40 min

Learner Profile Examples Share examples of Learner profiles 1 hour 50 min

Using the Learning Profile to… Differentiate Content Differentiate Process Differentiate Products Present material in visual, auditory, and/or kinesthetic modes Use applications , examples, and illustrations from a wide range of intelligences and both genders Use wait time Allow for student reflection Allow multiple options for how students will show learning Encourage a variety of groupings (individual, pairs, small groups, large group) Balance competitive, collegial, and independent work arrangements Create activities seeking multiple perspectives on topics and issues Encourage a variety of groupings Teach how to use a wide range of product formats Provide visual;, auditory, and kinesthetic product options Provide analytic, creative, and practical options

Flexible Grouping: Appointment Clock This is a tool that can be used to differentiate groups in your classroom!

My Appointment Clock Rationale: This is an activity that will create partners within the classroom. There partnerships are based on student choice, readiness, interest, and learning profiles (which are assessed at the beginning of the year). If students are all doing the same activity use choice partners, if ability is needed use readiness, if want to promote interest use interest, and if want to focus on how they learn best use learning profile.   Use this in building your lesson plans.  Example of Partners 1:00 Interest based 2:00 Readiness based 3:00 Learner profile 4:00 Student’s choice 5:00 Interest based 6:00 Readiness based 7:00 Learner profile 8:00 Student’s choice 9:00 Interest based 10:00 Readiness based 11:00 Learner profile 12:00 Student’s choice Have students find choice partners for 4:00, 8:00, and 12:00. Collect them and fill in the rest of the partnerships based on the assessment material that you have gathered. Copy and keep in keep in a duo or binder. Hand back the originals to the students and have them put in the front of their binders for quick access.

Here’s What, So What, Now What?? I Learned So What My interpretation of this learning Now What? My action Plan to build on this new learning What is the most important thing I learned? How can I explain DI (tell, write, draw it)? What was the most difficult part? The easiest part? What do I need to learn next?

Differentiation of today’s Presentation Learning Profiles OR Instructional Strategies

RESOURCES