Differentiation with Technology

 WebQuest:

    The Mathematicians in History WebQuest is the first technology intergrated into the lesson. This introduces students to various mathematicians in history, all from other parts of the world, bringing a global view into the lesson and humanizing it as well. 

Breakfast Around the World:

    This story that they will read online shows them how fractions can be used in various ways through a breakfast trip around the world. It also acts as an introduction to the third day.

Fractions in Recipes:

    This lesson helps them use fractions in a real-world application through global recipes on a digital platform, answering fraction function questions.

Designing a Differentiated Lesson Plan

In order to engage a variety of learning types and diverse students, I chose instructional strategies that would appeal to many students. According to Marzano (2009), “no single instructional strategy can guarantee student learning,” so multiple instructional strategies are useful to ensure capturing as many students as possible.

The instructional strategies I included in the lesson plan for creating a timeline of the Indianapolis 500 were to construct a visual KWL chart for the students as a way to activate prior knowledge and create interest in the topic. I liked this because of its visual appeal for the students and that they were writing on Post-it notes and bringing them up to the board. There were no names on the Post-its so students who had trouble spelling or who didn't have the best handwriting did not need to feel as though theirs might be identifiable. The creation of the KWL chart also showed me what the students know about the race and the events surrounding it. I was able to gauge what amount of frontloading I would need to do with the lesson based on their responses. I would also be able to gauge their interest level in the subject matter. I was, in fact, able to determine that they had little knowledge of the 500 even though we live less than an hour away. However, their interest in the race is very high and they appeared eager to get into the subject.

For this lesson, I was able to identify the learning goal for the class as having general knowledge of an event that has high impact on the people, the industry, and the economy of Indiana. This was the same learning goal across all the groups that participated in the lesson. The assessment of the lesson was the finished section of timeline that the students created. The timeline was graded on a rubric, but different student groups had different accommodations and adjustments to their assignment based on their needs. Special needs students had additional staff support while working on their timeline. They also had some of the information filled in for them, such as specific dates or names. High ability students and early finishers had activities they could move on to, such as creating a Kahoot or Blooket for the class about the Indy 500.

To incorporate technology into the lesson, students used their Chromebooks to do additional research on the history of the 500. By doing Google searches students had to be able to determine appropriate web sites from which to gather information. That was an unintended benefit of the lesson. Students also used technology to compile the information in a timeline. They completed this in Google Slides. They were able to use the template provided but could explore the features of Google Slides and personalize their slides however they wanted to with pictures, transitions, colors, fonts, etc.

Resources:

Marzano, R. (2009). Setting the record straight on high-yield strategies. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40344874

Learning Styles Analysis

In a classroom of 25 students (this is considered maximum class size in my district), you will have a mix of learning styles present. Many students will typically have a dominant learning style. Sometimes you will have students that do well with any learning style. Still others may have two that are equally dominant. In any event, it is helpful to understand and know what types of learners are in your classroom so that you can design instruction that will help them learn. 

It is also important to know where a student is developmentally so that their learning style can be addressed appropriately within their developmental profile (Darling-Hammond, et al., n.d.). For example, a child that is a kinesthetic/tactile learner would benefit from some sort of movement, written expression, or manipulative incorporated into their learning. But it would not be developmentally appropriate to have a kindergarten student take notes during a lesson. This is an extreme example, but it shows that not all strategies will fit all learners. If a 4th grade student is functioning developmentally at a 1st grade level, then having them read a 4th grade level text out loud to the class would not be an appropriate strategy for them as an auditory learner. So it is important to ensure that the strategy being used is developmentally appropriate for the student.

All students in the identified group are kinesthetic or tactile learners as a primary learning style (the grey bar in Learning Style Survey #1 and the dark green portion of the bar in Learning Style Survey #2). For these students, several different strategies would be helpful to consider integrating when planning lessons. One that would be beneficial to use with this group of students is a gallery walk activity. The students walk around the room with post-it notes and answer questions that are posted in different places. Students answer each question on their post-it note and leave it at the station. Another activity that would be an effective strategy is to provide the students with manipulatives, a hands-on device or item that helps them visualize the information. Particularly useful during math lessons, manipulatives give the students something that they can touch to activate tactile learning. As a secondary learning styles, many of the students are auditory learners (the pink bar in both survey graphics). These learners would benefit from proximity to the instruction and repetition of instructions, as well as read-alouds rather than reading content silently.

At the beginning of the year I give all of my students an interview to fill out with their parents. Their parents also get one. This interview is an attempt to capture information on student interests, family traditions, cultural information, family make-up, student hobbies, activities, etc. I then can utilize this information as I am planning so that I can try to incorporate things that would be more engaging to my students. I also look at past years’ data to determine what they students areas of strength are and areas in which they could use additional support. This would include looking at test scores from prior years, discipline data, and any teacher notes that are in the student’s file.

To address multiple learning styles within assessments, one way would be to offer multiple ways for students to express their knowledge, such as a choice board or a tic-tac-toe board (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, n.d.). This would incorporate a visual design to the assessment map and would include multiple means of expression for the students to choose from. Using colorful images, maps, charts, or different fonts would appeal to visual learners. Having parts of the assessment read aloud or include listening as part of the assessment would be appropriate for aural learners. Kinesthetic learners would benefit from having a fidget in their hands in addition to a way to act out or demonstrate what they know.

Resources:

Anne Arundel County Public Schools Division of Special Education. (2013). The learning and behavior connection: a resources to enhance academic achievement through proactive behavior management. Anne Arundel County Public Schools. https://www.aacps.org/cms/lib/MD02215556/Centricity/Domain/238/learningbehavior.pdf

Darling-Hammond, L., Orcutt, S., and Cheung, M. (n.d.). Learning as we grow: development and learning. Stanford University School of Education. https://www.learner.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Learning-Classroom_Development-and-Growth.pdf

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. (n.d.). How to accommodate different learning styles. Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts. https://www.umassd.edu/dss/resources/faculty-staff/how-to-teach-and-accommodate/how-to-accommodate-different-learning-styles/

Assessing Technology-Based Resources

        As educators, we are tasked with ensuring our students receive instruction that is at their level, which also means that we need to know where they are in their learning as well as how they learn the best (Neumann & Aguilera, 2021). Differentiating instruction based on student's learning styles, performance, and readiness can be made easier with technology. When students are given the resources to learn in a way that works best for them, they will be more successful. Technology can offer a variety of options for differentiating instruction for students. Below is an assessment of three technology-based resources and how they can be used for differentiating classroom instruction. 

Resource 1:

        Readworks is an online program that provides reading material for grades K-12. They offer content in both fiction and nonfiction and it is categorized in a variety of ways to enable users to align passages with the comprehension skill they are targeting. They offer a read-aloud option for students as well as scaffolded passages. There are also tools available that allow students to highlight or make notes about their reading. In addition to the reading passages, question sets are provided as well as vocabulary activities to build comprehension. Teachers can assign material online, print it for classroom use, or project it for whole-group instruction. Students can also access the student library for additional reading material.  In Readworks students can be grouped so assignments can be differentiated for readiness and interest. It also provides support for ELL student

        Readworks can be linked to various platforms including Canvas, Clever, and Google Classroom for easy class import. It can also be assigned directly to Google Classroom. Reading topics can be chosen for cross-curricular instruction in science or humanities. It is a free program and offers tutorials, both written and video (on-demand webinars), for teachers.

Resource 2:

        Splashlearn is an online math program that turns learning math into games. Teachers can assign content or students can choose what they want to do from their learning path. Splashlearn can sync with Clever and Google Classroom to provide easier access for students. Students immediately see their assignments or their learning path when they log in. 

        Splashlearn is also a free platform. It provides assessments so teachers can monitor student progress and check readiness for progressive skills. Teachers can also access reports for individual students to see where their learning gaps are and what they might need more support with, and they are also able to assign content to students in addition to the student's learning path.  Additionally, worksheets can be downloaded and printed from Splashlearn for learners who prefer a paper activity rather than an electronic one. The interactive games that the practice is based around are appealing to students who prefer watching a video or playing games to learn. Finally, Splashlearn will read questions and content to players, supporting students with reading difficulties or ELL students. 

Resource 3:

        Google Slides is another piece of technology that can be used to differentiate instruction. Google Slides is a presentation modality done through technology that allows teachers to embed content for all types of learners. Interactive content can be included, giving students access to other sites for learning. Videos can be embedded in the slides for additional support in learning. Slides can be turned into assigned content for students to complete. Brain breaks can be included, as well as timers and many other sources of content. The slide show can be presented to the entire class or posted in an LMS for students to access independently. Google Slides allow teachers to create content to support all learning styles and interests. It is easily adjusted to the readiness levels of students and can be made as interactive as one prefers.

        Google Slides works with the Google Suite of technology which includes Google Classroom, but can also be incorporated into other platforms such as Canvas or Clever. It is user-friendly and help is readily found online. Google Slides are free to use.

References: 

Neumann, C. and Aguilera, M. (2021). Differentiated instruction techniques to reach everyone online.             Distance Learning Administration 2021. 

Google (n.d.). https://www.google.com/slides/about/#overview

Readworks (n.d.). https://www.readworks.org/

StudyPad, Inc. (n.d.). Splashlearn. https://www.splashlearn.com/