Differentiate Instruction based on Students' Knowledge and Mindset
Tags
^21st Century Skills All Ages Strategy
Skills
Verbal Reasoning
Abstract Reasoning
Differentiate Instruction based on Students' Knowledge and Mindset
All students, particularly those who are behind in a topic or who are anxious about the subject
How To Apply It!
Modify teaching approaches depending on the student's familiarity with the topic as well as the student's self-confidence
When first introduced to new information, novices and beginners benefit from step-by-step instructions rather than problem-solving tasks. It is most important that they master basic facts, vocabulary and core information. In CONTRAST,
Knowledgeable and experienced learners can be held back by step-by-step instructions and benefit from active problem-solving tasks. They benefit from making connections to previous learned information to develop a deeper understanding.
Non-anxious students do better when they are provided the maximum amount of autonomy they can handle and well-designed options to choose their learning path. In CONTRAST,
Anxious students respond better to strong guidance, direct supervision, and a restriction on choices.
Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!
Global studies of education have found that there are certain aspects of learning that are truly universal. When parents and teachers are familiar with these studies and apply them, they are better able to support every student. Notable is the expertise reversal effect that shows the strategies you use for a novice learner are very different from those you use with some more experienced in the subject.