Differentiated Instructional Strategies

Robert, a 9th grader, is very popular because of his wonderful sense of humor, his respect for teachers, and his expertise in military vehicles. Robert also happens to have Spina Bifida, which confines him to a motorized wheelchair due to his limited mobility and limb strength. His disability negatively impacts his access to reading materials because of the motor coordination it takes to hold a book. Robert is fully included in the general education classroom but struggles to keep up with grade-level reading and written assignments.

The 9th grade social studies teacher is beginning a history unit specifically on the Civil War and has asked you to help evaluate the elements of this unit in regard to Robert’s strengths, areas of need, level of readiness, barriers that will impact his learning, as well as differentiated instruction strategies and instructional technology to overcome those barriers.

Your peer, the 9th grade social studies teacher, has provided you with the unit elements, requirements and Robert’s characteristics.

Unit Elements & Requirements

• Subject Matter: Civil War (events leading up to, the event, event outcome)
• Group Discussions
• Workbook/ Worksheet & Textbook Reading
• Videos
• Written Homework Assignments
• Summative Unit Assessment

Student Characteristics

• Loves military vehicles
• Good sense of humor
• Respectful
• Auditory Learner
• Logical/ Mathematical Thinker
• Limited Mobility
• Limited motor coordination
• Can use a computer but due to limitations, slow typist

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Using this Case Study information and past discussions you have had with this teacher:

1. Provide a list of at least two differentiated instruction strategies and two instructional technologies to overcome those barriers specific to this unit plan.
2. Explain how each instruction strategy and instructional technology device fit into the TPACK framework.
3. Explain how safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including the respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources will be incorporated into the lesson.
4. Provide additional webpages, journal articles, and videos that the teacher can also use for future reference (cited in APA formatting).

More Information

This week students will:

1. Apply a range of differentiated instructional strategies and assessments in a diverse learning environment.
2. Design classroom scenarios integrating best practice for digital technology and differentiated instruction.
3. Facilitate technology in differentiated learning community that respects information about students’ individual differences.

This week you will:

1. Apply a range of differentiated instructional strategies and assessments in a diverse learning environment.
2. Design classroom scenarios integrating best practice for digital technology and differentiated instruction.
3. Facilitate technology in differentiated learning community that respects information about students’ individual differences.

Welcome to the FINAL week of class!!! Give yourselves a HUGE pat on the back!

You are now equipped with differentiated instruction theoretical underpinnings that you can use to create a physical and academic environment, which embraces various learning modalities, is free of cultural bias, and engages learners at their level of readiness. In this final week of class, you will analyze authentic situations and suggest teaching strategies that include differentiation, Universal Design for Learning, and education technology tools to best meet students’ learning needs.