Differentiated Lesson Reflection

 

Lesson Creation Reflection

            Recently I created a detailed lesson for my students, really focusing on how varied my students are and different ways I could support them as individual learners. When educators are creating lessons for their students there is so much to consider: student’s readiness; their cultural identities and schema; technology that can support; ELL, special needs, and gifted students; assessment strategies; and many, many more. The following will describe some of the instructional strategies used, assessments, technology used and ways that the lesson was differentiated to meet the needs of a diverse classroom.

This lesson focuses on my state standard of asking and answering questions about unknown words in a text. Some instructional strategies I use throughout are as follows: name sticks; turn and talk; partner work; photo cards and drawn images; repeated phrases; hand motions; writing / drawing thinking. I chose these strategies for a variety of reasons. Some encourage engagement of all students (pulling name sticks) and other appeal to the different learning styles and readiness of my students. These strategies support students at all levels because they are supported through questioning techniques which is a low floor, high ceiling method of allowing access of content to all students. Low floor high ceiling methods of teaching and activities make material available to all students, at the most basic level as well as encourage higher leveling thinking (Manderson, 2016).

One strategy I use throughout many of my lessons is the use of a Project GLAD Cognitive Content Dictionary (CCD) chart. A CCD chart is an academic vocabulary tool used to help students acquire language. It supports all learners, including ELL and students with special needs. It is formatted in a way where the students are introduced to a vocabulary term, they make a prediction of its meaning. Then they are taught directly the meaning of the word along with a hand gesture or movement. They learn the meaning and gesture as a repeated phrase. The vocabulary word is then finished up on the chart by being used in a sentence and having a quick sketch of the word (Olague, 2022). This method of vocabulary acquisition has been very useful in my classroom and the different modes of learning it provides access to academic vocabulary to all students.

            The assessments I also use are designed for students to show their level of understanding. They are encouraged to share their thinking (and use academic vocabulary with sentence stems) during the share where I can collect formative assessment data on their understanding. Students may share either verbally or by showing their thinking on their sticky notes. They are also asked to share their own idea of individual understanding through the thumbs up, middle, or down method. To support ELL, special needs, early finishers and gifted students these assessments are done individually with me either before or after the lesson. Some students will also be allowed to used picture cards to demonstrate learning.

            Technology used in this lesson included a smart TV, iPad, and a supplemental learning program Waterford. The smart TV is a tool we use daily in our classroom. The iPads were used so students could access the Waterford program. That program supports all learners because it generates lessons according to the readiness of students. I am also able to go in to the program and assign specific lessons to individual students. It is a resource that is easily tailored to the individual needs of all students.

References

Manderson. (2016). Low floor, high ceiling, wide walls in ELA classrooms. Schools & ecosystems. https://schoolecosystem.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/low-floor-high-ceiling-wide-walls-in-ela-classrooms/

Olague, N. (2022) Project glad units that are culturally and linguistically responsive. Project GLAD. https://ntcprojectglad.com/2022/08/21/project-glad%e2%al-unitys-that-are-cuulutrally-and-linguistically-responsive/

Waterford.org

 

 

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