Differentiation is an essential part of a good teachers classroom. It is a way of thinking about learning and teaching, a philosophy of teaching (Tomlinson, 2000). Through this philosophy, an overall approach to teaching is applied including; planning, teaching and managing a classroom, taking into account different students individual needs (Jarvis, 2014). The individual needs may be met through a variety of strategies such as: learning centres, use of graphic organisers, scaffolded activities, tiered assessments, small group work, independent projects and/or attendance to intelligence preferences (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). The strategies used will be dependent on the students need. These needs can be identified through initial and ongoing assessment of students work. From this information a teacher can identify where a students needs are and he or she can proactively incorporate their needs into his or her future lessons. Differentiation considers a students readiness to learn, their interests and how they learn best (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Teachers are able to differentiate by modifying: the learning goals - the content, the process of how the students learn the content, the way in which the students communicate their learning and the environment both physical and affective (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013). Differentiation is for all students (Tomlinson, Brimijoin & Narvaez, 2008) not just pigeonholed, poor students or students with a learning disability. Differentiated classrooms need to be flexible (Tomlinson, 2000).
Differentiation is in-line with the Australian Teaching Standards, in particular Teaching Standard One - Know your students and how they learn, Standard Two know the content and how to teach it, Standard Three Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning, Standard Four - Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environment and Teaching Standard Five - assess, provide feedback and report on student learning (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2014). Teachers are not only guided by the Australian Teaching Standards. Teachers must abide by their legal obligations to deliver high quality schooling, catering for students with diverse learning needs, free from discrimination. These obligations come from international and Australian federal treaties, conventions and acts such as UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989; UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ,2008; Australian Federal Disability Discrimination Act ,1992; Australian Indigenous Act, 2000; Melbourne Declaration, 2008 (Conway, 2014; Australian Human Rights Commission, n.d.; Australian Government Attorney Generals Department, n.d.).
References
Australian Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Know your rights: Disability discrimination. Retrieved from http://www.humanrights.gov.au 6/9/2014.
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2014). Australian Teaching Standards. Retrieved from http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian- professional-standards-for- teachers/standards/list
Jarvis. J, M. (2014). Sipporting diverse gifted students. In M. Hyde, L., Carpenter., & R. Carpenter (Eds.). Diversity inclusion and engagement (2 nd Ed). South Melbourne, VIC,: Oxford University Press.
Tomlinson, C. (2000). Reconcilable differences? Standards-based teaching and differentiation. Educational Leadership, 58(1), P6-11.
Tomlinson, C., Brimijoin, K., & Narvaez, L. (2008). The differentiated school: Making revolutionary changes in teaching and learning. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. Retrieved from eblib.
Tomlinson, C.A., & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and managing a differentiated classroom. Alexandria, V.A.: ASCD. Retrieved from ebsco.