Differentiated Instruction To The Children With Special Needs

31st March 2021

"The idea of differentiating instruction to accommodate the different ways that students learn involves a hefty dose of common sense, as well as sturdy support in the theory and research of education (Tomlinson & Allen, 2000). It is an approach to teaching that advocated active planning for student differences in classrooms."

Differentiation teaching involves the whole ideal and mental preparation of a teacher to be ready with individual demonstrations as per the learners’ needs and how they would like to learn and retain the interest for the rest of the curriculum. It involves understanding the best possible practice that has to be included in the strategies to cater for the special and gifted needs of the learners.

When it comes to inclusive classrooms, it is quite a normal phenomenon in some countries and some are gradually adopting it. In an IEP curriculum, it is mandatory for the teachers to include differentiated tasks for the special need support learners in the classroom that covers the topic as well as helps to meet the learning outcomes.

One of the major roles that a teacher training institute can play is possibly following the global standards and includes the IEP concepts and applicability in the course design. Especially the international teaching diploma providers whether in-class or virtual follow a strict inclusion of practical observation followed by research assignments to fulfill the required IEP competency of the 21st-century teachers. While such programs prepare the aspiring teachers, experienced teachers are also coming forward to upgrade their teaching abilities.

After all, that being said, let us now look at how a teacher can assist children with special needs for differentiated instruction.

Prior knowledge of the topic- Know-what to Know-learn charts popularly known as KWL charts prove to be quite effective when it comes to assisting such learners. It’s always easy for them to take up learning of a concept from a relevant source or a known source than freshly introduced to a new concept. Regular questioning and discussions will help teachers to understand what they already know.

Visual organization of information- Students with problems involving reading and language recognition, find it easier to learn vocabulary, sight words, safety signs, etc. on flashcards and other forms of picture materials. Concise directions through graphic modifiers and other forms of multi-sensory would help them to retain the newly learnt information better.

Sensitive modeling of concepts and explicit demonstrations- Activities like spontaneous discussions, group activities, time management, etc, require social awareness and skills which are not at the same level with the other students in the class when compared to our special need support learners. In those cases, teachers need to be confident enough to prioritize a stepwise manner to set a routine for any sort of activity that requires their participation.

Cooperative learning- Special needs learners are more comfortable in smaller groups. When they are grouped with a small number of learners who are also contributing to the same concepts, it takes them through a journey of self-discovery where they learn to understand strategies and be inventive enough to collaborate with their individual ideas. Also, with peer tutoring, if dynamically and neutrally encouraged, the collaborative activities become a big success.

Assessments and feedback- Since the proficiency is limited, the assessments should also be differentiated. The assessment tools and elements should be strategized based on the personal strengths. Additionally, a dynamic rubric that helps in consistently building up their performance should be developed. When it comes to feedback, it should be projected as a counseling process, since special needs learners are not good at monitoring their individual progress.

In conclusion, it can be only suggested that the foremost attribute of an IEP curriculum teacher should be the welcoming gesture that should make the learners feel equal. Although assistive technology is a tool in international teaching diploma programs and a strategy at the same time in a 21st-century classroom, the teacher is the key that will unlock the best potential of each special child.

Written By : Debalina Chakraborty