Tutor Hunt Questions

I would first define what is meant by differentiation, followed by why we use differentiation. Then I would go through the main types of differentiation and give some examples of what these would look like in schools. I would look for evidence for and against each type, giving the reader enough information to come to a conclusion. Summarise by outlining evidence for it being a good thing and then discuss possible negatives that your research uncovered.

I hope this helps.

Stuart

How your teaching is inclusive so that everyone can access the learning regardless of ability. How you meet the needs of different learners: visual, kinaesthetic, auditory

Differentiated activities when it comes to independent work.

Extension tasks...challenges

How you plan for gifted and talented, SEN, EFL...

How you employ your support staff possibly.

If your working in EYFS how the activities around the classroom may support the different age bands that the children work in.

Differentiation within a Primary Classroom

History has witnessed and tomorrow shall acknowledge, the differences in certain groups that have surfaced from time to time from situation to situation.
With increasing population, class size and student-teacher ratio, it had been very difficult to reduce, forget about erasing different treatment given to people from different backgrounds. Schools and primary classroom have not been left in isolation of this feature.
Often teachers pay more attention to children of high class people and don`t take pains to teach or explain much to a child of an illiterate.
Today, schools are more of a business unit than missionary educational grounds that intended to shape a healthy mind to fight challenging times.
Schools and coaching centers today screen parents, guardians and potential students before admitting them. Every one wants to have a intelligent capable bunch of students in their organisation. They don`t want to spend hours in shaping the capability of the weaker section.
So, its high time we do something about this differentiation that has entered into the primary school level. If nothing is done about it as early as possible it shall harm the society in the days to come.

Is your essay based on planning/teaching or just the general set up/day to day running of the classroom?

I would talk about how lessons are differentiated not only for ability (eg Higher/Middle/Lower ability through lesson activities) but also EAL and SEN pupils.

- How has the teacher differentiated resources for children?
- How does the teacher direct questioning?
- Are EAL/SEN children given support e.g visual aids/1:1 assistant?
- How are additional adults used within the classroom?

At the end of the lesson, have all children made progress? Lower ability children should be able to follow the lesson whilst Higher ability should be extended.

I hope this helps if this is what your essay is asking from you.

To answer this successfully you need to be aware of exactly what the term means and have real life examples to hand to back up your answers.

Differentiation is one of the most important tools a teacher can have. It can take on different forms and be different for each lesson or subject. It can be done in groups or as individuals.
Sometimes differentiation is not necessary and this is a valuable argument because children need role models and if they always have group work with children of similar abilities they are not necessarily seeing what they could do with role models.
Equally it is important that if individuals have special needs or specific learning difficulties and have a specific learning plan that states specific requirements for learning, then this is adhered to .

Children are individuals and learn best when they are treated as such.