A child cannot learn a la “carte.” In too many instances of society, we expect a child to learn the same material –the same way—at the same pace as other children. Given that Educators face overwhelming odds with expanding classroom sizes and funding being cut for EA support, differentiated instruction takes on an even more prominent role in educational instruction. What gets lost in transition is a child’s learning style and capacity to succeed.
A child learns through an adaptive approach. There are various ways for individuals to comprehend knowledge. Some students learn through a hands-on approach (tactile); while some learners are more active (kinaesthetic); while others require spatial learning and visualisation (mind maps and charts etc). Educators need to harness a child’s learning style as it compounds the learning in a way that “reaches them.” Teachers need to be ‘intimate supporters of learners’: they should understand how each child compiles knowledge and then how to reconstruct that presented knowledge to demonstrate a given curriculum expectation. The toughest factor that educators face is addressing their expansive yet unique classroom culture – is each child getting something from their lesson?
The simple solution is to differentiate your lessons to reach a diverse audience.
Even differentiated instruction does not reach all students. It is recommended that children focus on learning principles outside of the classroom. A single tutor or support mechanism that teaches them based on their learning style – thus differentiating instruction for the benefit of the child, allows a student to become engaged and inquire the world in a way that builds their self-esteem. Furthermore, when a classroom teacher’s time is already over-extended, the student will benefit from knowing that they are receiving the attention they deserve in a manner that makers learning copasetic. Differentiated instruction with private one-on-one support ensures that a child’s wishes are not forgotten, but also demonstrates that a child can succeed with their own, individualsesd approach.
