Purpose:
Teachers must be proactive in their planning for heterogeneous students in their classrooms.
There is never enough time to individualize as students might need if it is planned for only after
it is clear that the lesson and activities are not meeting student (or students) needs. In that
case, teachers find themselves scrambling to make adjustments, and inevitably run out of time.
The purpose of this learning object is to help you accommodate for diverse learners in your
initial unit and lesson planning. You will practice creating multiple pathways for students to
follow in reaching the desired curriculum goals.
As you read through this information, think about how you currently plan. Do you always
identify the critical concepts and information that students must know to build a
base for future learning? Or do you just think about all of the information that you plan
to cover? Coverage may be necessary, but you also know that not all students will master what
you cover. Given that is the case, you need to make sure that all students master
the most important information. Do you plan multiple pathways for students to take to gain
mastery of the curriculum? Students come to school with different past experiences and knowledge,
as well as skills and readiness to learn. In other words, instructional planning must incorporate
knowing that the "one size fits all" premise is not possible.
|
