Differentiated and Individual Instruction

Differentiated instruction is very important to courses in order to maximize student success. All students learn in different ways, while anyone can learn through different methods, we all have a preferred method or one that simply works best for us. By using different teaching methods, you will benefit students by catering to their different learning styles. While all students benefit from differentiated learning it is necessary for some students. Some students will need differentiated instruction to succeed in class. By adapting the lessons to individual student needs you can help them to succeed in additional methods to improve the learning environment for all students. During my student teaching internship, I plan to implement differentiated learning to improve my students’ education. I know that there will be students in need of differentiated education styles and because of this, I will find ways to adapt my lessons for them.

One way that I might use differentiated learning is by giving individualized instruction to my students. While it is likely to be slightly difficult to implement, individualized instruction may be the best strategy. I can’t recall my own teachers using individualized instruction during class, but I know that most were willing to meet with students outside of class if they had additional questions or issues in class. One teacher had a similar approach but it wasn’t quite individualized. Her system was more, you choose how well you want to do. She would do this by having students choose if they would complete a more difficult or easy final assignment. The students how chose the more difficult assignment could get up to an A in the class, but those who chose the simpler assignment could only get up to a B. While I don’t know how I personally feel about this method it does make some sense, as students will always get credit, but those who do an easier assignment won’t score as well as those who completed the more difficult assignment.

During my student teaching, I will attempt to implement both differentiated instruction and individualized instruction. Using the two methods together during my student teaching could greatly benefit my students while I’m there. I want to provide the students with the best education I can and to do that I must make sure I am giving them every opportunity to succeed.

To others in the teach ag world, what methods have you found to be the most effective?