While teaching this unit, the teacher should differentiate instruction based on students' needs and abilities. At one time during my career as an educator, I struggled with keeping students engaged in learning activities suitable or appropriate for their various learning styles. One strategy that I found to be useful is having students work in cooperative groups. The text
RTI Success: Proven Tools and Strategies for Schools and Classrooms
taught me how to group my students, in order to accommodate their needs. The text explains that grouping students will allow flexibility in my instruction to address unique learning deficits, strengths, interests and learning styles. It also states that, grouping of students should change frequently and form based on regular assessment of students' needs and strengths. This information made me realize that grouping should be purposeful and used as a tool for differentiation.
One grouping strategy for the tier I level is to establish groups through clock grouping. Clock grouping is designed to accommodate students' needs, interests, and ability. The 12:00 groups consist of twelve pairs of students with similar thinking and learning styles. The 3:00 groups consist of four groups of six kids who have similar interest. The 6:00 groups consist of six groups of four students who have the same deficits or strengths. The 9:00 group is made up of four heterogeneous groups. These grouping arrangements allow students to practice a skill or concept within groups that interest them and accommodate their deficiencies across content areas. Students aren't always placed with peers of the same skill level, but they still receive the small group instruction they need based on their interests and learning styles.
Although flexible grouping is beneficial to provide students with a form of differentiation, there has to be another method that ensures that all students are actively participating in the lesson.
Total Participation Techniques
by Persida Himmele and Willliam Himmele, provides educators with methods to ensure that every student is actively involved during the lesson. This particular text also provides a model for total participation and methods that ensure higher-order thinking. Students shouldn't only be engaged because they are interested or having fun, but their minds should be consumed with making connections, drawing conclusions so that they gain deeper understanding. "The use of higher-order thinking is what takes students beyond simple engagement. Instead it ensures that students are cognitively engaged. Students aren't just engaged and having fun; they are also thinking deeply."
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The ultimate ideal of student engagement is the notion that students aren't only having fun but they are flexing their cognitive muscles in order to think critically about the concept or lesson.
Another tool for total participation is the use of picture notes and pausing to allow students to think about a particular statement or prompt in regards to the topic. The Himmeles explain that picture notes aren't meant to replace written notes but to accompany them. Due to the nature of this unit, it would be beneficial to have students grapple with the concept of using pictures to express what they know. While students are working with peers the teacher serves as a facilitator. The teacher doesn't relinquish all responsibility to the students. The teacher should be walking around observing, making gentle suggestions or recommendations, and providing meaningful feedback. This could also be a means of gauging students understanding of the lesson. According to Moss and Brookhart one element of feedback is the mode: one can give oral, written comments or provide a visual demonstration. Visual demonstrations as a method of feedback would be ideal since the purpose of the activities is to have students become visual thinkers, as they draw information from images.
Picture notes can be used during any topic or lesson. The text recommends that as students draw their notes they can share their thoughts and ideas with peers. This particular activity can be done within students' assigned flexible group.
Total Participation Techniques
provides a template that students can use and reminds the reader that students can use their notebooks for picture notes as well.
Teachers can create their own picture note template that will be beneficial to their students. Students should practice taking picture notes while reading a text and then share their notes with peers to see if they have similar or contrasting ideas about the text.
