21. Differentiated Instruction

Abstract: No two students who enter a physics classroom are alike. Getting to know students on an individualized level reveals an expansive diversity of backgrounds, experiences, attitudes, interests, preferences, and abilities. Further inquiries and experiences with these students will demonstrate that not all students learn in the same way, and that the same things do no motivate all students. Furthermore, a single type of assessment might not accurately demonstrate what students with varying skill sets actually know. Teachers who are aware of and sensitive to differences will encourage all students to be successful by “meeting them where they are” through differentiated curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Differentiation in the Classroom – Theory of Multiple Intelligences – Differentiation and Student Choice – Aligning Differentiation with Learning Objectives – Barriers to Differentiated Instruction – Differentiation and Learning Styles – A Note about Equity and Fairness