Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Differentiation



     Differentiation within the classroom is something that every future teacher needs to think about. Every student that an educator will have pass through their classroom, will have different learning needs and styles that all need to be equally met in order for them to succeed. When studying the background of the made-up students that I received in class, it really set in that when I am a teacher and have real students in my own classroom, I will have to adjust my lessons so that they can fit all of their specific learning styles.
        The students that I had were a mix of tactile learning, which means they learn through touch and visual learning which, quite obviously, means they learn through seeing the actions performed or words in front of them. Thinking of how I could incorporate both tactile and visual learning into one lesson was a challenge however I think I came up with some good solutions that could also fit any auditory learners I might come across as well. I decided that in my classroom whenever I will teach my students new terms or vocabulary words, I will use flashcards with the words and pictures on them, and I will say them aloud and give them each a set. This way, they are touching the cards themselves, seeing the words correspond with the pictures, and hearing me say them. 
    Technology in the classroom could help immensely. Video PowerPoint along with a handout of the actual slides that I would be showing could give the same benefits as the flashcards. Having the students make their own blogs and PowerPoint presentations would be another way that technology in the classroom could help with the learning style differentiation. Although it seems like an unattainable goal to get every student's specific needs met, I believe that I can do it. After all, this is why I want to become a teacher. I hope that every future educator looks at differentiation in the classroom as a challenge that they want to conquer and not as a bother that they do not want to deal with.