Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated instruction is vital to any classroom, regardless of the subject or age group. Using this model ensures that each student in the class will be able to take something away from the lessons or assignments, instead of being left in the dark because their learning style didn’t match the instruction style of the teacher. Through differentiation, the individual needs of each student are addressed and met by modifying and tailoring the content, the process, the product, and the learning environment. This can be accomplished through a variety of instruction styles, assignment modification, and through changes made to the learning environment itself.

When it comes to differentiated instruction in the elementary classroom, one of the

In my personal experience, I have seen many different classroom designs that catered to the subject or content being taught, the teaching style itself, and the learning styles of the students. The physical environment is often modified depending on the type of classroom activities and the age group. In an elementary class, which usually covers all of the core subjects with one teacher, the layout is one in which each student can see and hear the teacher when being given instruction, but they are also usually set up in a way that is conducive for working together in groups. In addition, the walls in the classroom are usually covered in subject/content appropriate and age sensitive material that serves to help the students learn, rather than being a mere decoration. As the age of the students increase, and assignments become more individual based, the layout of the room follows suit, and tends to be set up more for teacher instruction instead of student

That isn’t to say that there aren’t benefits for students from every walk of life, but the fact remains that ELL students are the primary focus of the SIOP program. With that being said, there are many similarities and mutual goals between the two strategies, such as the modification of strategies, lesson delivery, and different types of assessments offered to the students. Just like differentiated instruction, the purpose of SIOP has been to address the different academic needs of students by making appropriate and beneficial changes in the