Differentiated Instruction and Assistive Technology by Maddie Mueller

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 03:14:09 UTC

Differentiated Instruction (DI) is the ability to adjust teaching methods to adapt to all learners. People have different needs and preferences when learning, and DI allows educators to be flexible in their instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 03:19:16 UTC

DI can be found in every classroom as well as outside of academics. Teachers can implement DI in the classroom by giving students freedom of choice in some assignments and facilitating small group instructions based. Additionally, teachers can give supports, such as organizers and reference sheets, to students who need them to successfully learn. DI can be found outside of education as well. Coaches of sports teams will often differentiate practices for their players based on abilities and skills.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 03:25:35 UTC

In the classroom, educators will always have students with a diverse range of abilities and needs. Over the past few years, these ranges have only increased, making it more difficult for educators to meet the needs of all their students. DI has become more widely practiced in response to the increase in diverse needs and abilities. However, DI has helped educators, as research has shown DI in the classroom can improve learning. One easy way to start implementing DI in the classroom is to ask students what they prefer when learning and how they feel about their abilities. Educators can do this by having students fill out "About Me" sheets or conducting check-ins with students.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 03:44:57 UTC

Assistive Technology (AT) is any device that helps support someone in completing a task. When talking about AT, most people think about technology that helps people with disabilities. However, AT can be a range of devices and objects, as long as it helps the person who is performing a task. Stools can be considered AT because they help assist people in reaching places.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 03:51:08 UTC

AT can be a wide variety of devices and items. More complex devices include the TD-I Series, which is a device that communicates verbally for the user using eye movements. Other devices include wheelchairs and text-to-speech features. But, AT can also be simple devices and objects, such as crutches and grips for writing instruments.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 04:00:26 UTC

AT can be seen in all types of classrooms. Educators can implement AT in all of their classrooms by offering simple aids to their students, such as audio versions of written text. Using simple AT in the classroom for all students can also help meet the needs of multiple students. Some students require specific AT in order to learn effectively. A research done in 2008 showed most participants used AT for learning disabilities, and the AT was used the most in self-contained learning environments. Educators should be aware of the devices a student requires and how they support them in order to adapt when needed to meet the needs of the student.

maddiem1025 — 2025-01-22 04:13:03 UTC

Quinn, S. Brianna & all. (2009). Who Is Using Assistive Technology in Schools?. Journal of Special Education Technology, 24(1). p. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/016264340902400101

Morin, Amanda. (2023, May 15). 9 examples of assistive technology and adaptive tools in school. Understood. https://www.understood.org/en/articles/examples-of-assistive-technology-adaptive-tools

Finley, Todd. (2017, April 13). Teaching a Class With Big Ability Differences. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-class-big-ability-differences-todd-finley

Smale-Jacobse, E. Annemieke & all. (2019). Differentiated Instruction in Secondary Education: A Systematic Review of Research Evidence. Frontiers of Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02366