Week+8+Journal

Differentiated instruction can be powerful in creating an individualized approach to education. Customizing learning opportunities to students can lead to benefits in student achievement and comprehension of course content. It allows for all students to learn the same content in different ways, thus teachers are able to teach the content standards in a manner that is both meaningful and relevant for students.

According to an article on Teach-nology ([]) there are several steps in applying differentiated instruction in the classroom. First, it is important to know ones students. By learning about student interests, and learning styles it is more feasible to provide a more customized approach to teaching and learning by selecting content and activities that are interesting and engaging for your students or allowing them to select activities that are easily adaptable to a wide range of interests. Secondly, it is important to incorporate an array of teaching methodologies in the classroom such as inquiry-based cooperative learning, and information processing strategies. Third, it is imperative to devise ways to evaluate and assess student learning outcomes that correlate with state standards and learning objectives.

An article from Lindsay Lipscomb, Janet Swanson, and Anne West from the University of Georgia ([]) acknowledged the importance of using scaffolding in the classroom as a way to push students to extend their learning. In scaffolding, the teacher offers guidance to students with only the concepts that are beyond what they can understand if they were to work independently. This concept is based on the premise that students come to the learning environment with a set of skills that can be adapted to aid in the learning process.

The concept of scaffolding is based on Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, whereby he theorized that there are tasks and learning that students can accomplish independently, and there are other tasks that require guidance and support ([]). This theory is based on a social constructive principle which suggests students learn by interacting with their environment. This might be in a "trial and error" scenario, by explaining a concept to another student, or through completing a group project. Regardless of the method, students learn by interacting with the world around them.