GMU+startalk+Day+4_Dare+to+Differentiate

=Closing instructional gaps while working with diverse learners in learner-centered classrooms= Deborah Espitia

Leslie Grahn

//Teacher's response to the needs of my own students//
Section 1: reflection for the last three days' instruction Designing rubric is so difficult, how can we make it easier? It seems impossible to differentiate rubrics for each project for the students Early literacy is important. In terms of Chinese, literacy should be emphasized at the beginning of the language teaching. Chinese characters might not be as so difficult as we thought for students; on the other hand, they may find interest and curiosity after a period of oral practicing. We could just naturally introduce simple vocab at the beginning but not expect them to memorize them all. Using target language needs patience and perseverence and it is essential for teachers to do that for the sake of the students. Diverse learner has a broader meaning as I have thought besides learners of different learning styles, multiple intelligences, it also includes gifted language learners, disabled langauge learners, heritage langauge learners. How to differetiate our teaching to those diverse learners is an important part of our lesson planning. Students can teach their family to build up their self-esteem and self-confidence, thus enhancing the involvement of their family members, community learning and even the communication of the family. It is very important for teachers to learn or integrate content knowledge/other subject into language teaching. To collaborate with those teacher will facilitate our teaching, reinforce the knowledge of other subject in the target language, even further enhancing the community learning. Related to their prior knowledge, the teacher can repeat the content again and again while students will not get bored. Good to knpw and important to know, students will not be able to memorize them all but at least remember the most important you have taught. Multiple Intelligence: Shall teacher give instructions that is comfortable with the students based on their MI all the time? In the real society, people are exposed to many different formats of information, the intelligence of which applied may not appeal to them, then what they could do? Teachers need to cultivate students the ability to accept different formats of information that they may not e comfortable with. comprehensive input: chinese pinyin internalize after repetition of the sound through practicing. Can two langauge teachers of different langauge teach each other and enhance both learning and teaching based on the experience?

Section 2: Differentiation in instruction daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com

Use this as formative assessment. The teacher give instruction that if students say in english, they will get one point off, in chinse, get extra points.
 * Inside-outsider Circle** strategy: The **Cube/Interview question List** prepared students in writing and material for speaking, topics related to their life. Allows students to practice more oral skills esp those who do not open mouth often both asking ans answering questions. Allows teacher to listen to students talking about different content, examing their ability of listening and speaking.


 * Foldable Layer** strategy: (see manipulative sample)

Knowing our leaners

Learning centers Jigsaw: group up student in a certain number. Give students the number, 1,2, 3, 4, etc (**Tip: Have the number in mind and name students the number with your understading of the level of the students. heritage langauge students can get together and work on a more difficult project without being noticed by other students. Name medium and weak students with odd and even numbers on purpose to group them up)**

Choices Boards download doc from __daretodifferentiate wikispaces.com__