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Strengths and weaknesses of learning styles
Factors influencing learning style
Reflection on the use of differentiated instruction
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Recommended: Strengths and weaknesses of learning styles
In the modern classroom, one will find a mixture of varied levels of learners and their learning abilities. This diverse classroom setting has become the norm in the music education world as the varied learners mix together into one assorted learning environment. Music educators must then increasingly investigate methods of creating differentiated learning lessons to meet the needs of each of their individual learners. Differentiation describes the instructional planning techniques designed to incorporate all the assorted learning styles of a particular classroom into one larger lesson plan. Through the investigation of a mixture of psychological developmental theories, a music educator can determine which learning theories include successful applications for creating differentiated learning in the music classroom in regards with not only all learners. (I don't understand this part)
Differentiated Instruction Background and Planning
By first examining the makings of differentiated instruction, one can then decipher what elements of each developmental psychology theories work best in aiding differentiation in the classroom. Tomlinson describes differentiation as a method for educators to address the different learning styles of each individual learner in the classroom and to guarantee positive learning results are met by these learners by creating distinct instruction catered to the particular student (Tomlinson, 2004). Educators must first acknowledge that the students in their classroom have different learning approaches and adapt to new material or new methods differently.
Recognizing the diversity of learning styles found in the classroom can be achieved through pre-assessing the students in the classroom or th...
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Kohn, A. (1994). The risk of rewards. ERIC Digest (December 1994). ERIC Identifier: ED376990
Miller, P. (2002). Theories of developmental psychology. New York: Worth Publishers.
Nunley, K. (2008). Facilitator’s guide to differentiating in the high school classroom: solution strategies for 18 common obstacles. California: Corwin Press.
Orzgen, K., & Rustu, Y. (2010). Reliability and validity analysis of the multiple intelligence perception scale. Education, 131(1), 8-32.
Sink, P. E. (2002). Behavioral research on direct music instruction. In R. Colwell & C. P. Richardson (Eds.), The new handbook of research on music teaching and learning (pp. 315-326). New York: Oxford University Press.
Tomlinson, C. (2004). How to differentiate Instruction in mixed ability classrooms. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Cloran (n.d.) suggest teachers need to have a broad understanding of giftedness and learning disabilities, a variety of identification measures and the ability to modify the curriculum and implement differentiated teaching strategies to meet the unique needs of all students. A graduate teacher recognises that students learn in their own way and should understand and be able to identify a number of teaching strategies to differentiate and meet the learning needs of all students. They may create groups based on previous assessment results and set clear or modified instructions for each group based on ability or learning styles. To address the specific learning needs of all student abilities, multi-sensory strategies using charts, diagrams, outside lessons and videos, as well as posters around the room or information on the desk could be used. Tomlinson (1999) suggests that differentiated instruction aims to build on student’s strengths and maximize their learning by adjusting instructional tasks to suit their individual needs. Ensuring teaching and instructions are clear, revising and prompting students during lessons and providing templates and assisting student in breaking down tasks into achievable, systematic chunks are some additional examples. Lucas, (2008) suggests highlighting key vocabulary within the text to focus students on the central concepts within the text. Quick finishing students should be provided with the opportunity to extend themselves with extension tasks that have a specific purpose and
As a teacher it is your responsibility to vary your instruction so that you can reach each different type of learner. Something that may be useful is giving students an assessment that makes the teacher aware of how each student learns, and base your instruction off of the results. Also, you can give them an assessment of Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences to get an even better understanding of their learning styles, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Providing students various opportunities and teaching techniques enables them to learn in way that suits them
This essay will discuss the terms differentiated learnnig and personalised learning as well as highlight how these two forms of learning can be implemented in the classroom. Differentiated learning can be defined as an instruction that is an individualised process of teaching and learning that is based on the learners’ prior knowledge, abilities, development readiness, interests and learning styles (Grierson & Woloshyn, 2012). On the other hand personalised learning involves creating an individual learning plan to meet the needs of a particular student. In addition personalised learning does not mean teaching each child individually but trying to cater in several ways for the variety of children you have in the class (Dean, 2006).
Throughout this semester of college, I have observed three separate Elementary General Music teachers. Each of the teachers had their own personalities that each reflected upon their teaching. They all came from different areas of study, but all still manage to be successful, each with their own pros and cons.
For this lesson I still need to learn how to analyze instructional goals and differentiated instructional strategies. When I transfer to a university to further my education; in my educational classes I will learn about this. In addition to student teaching, I will be learning how to handle future situations with the appropriate grade level. Lastly, I will ask for advice from art teachers and teachers in general to find out more information on differentiated instructional strategies.
Sheftel, B. (2002). Music Education Curriculum in Public Schools. PageWise, Inc, Retrieved August 6, 2003
Early childhood education provides the building blocks to learning. The children who are enrolled in a preschool or child care setting are being exposed to a variety learning materials as well as new concepts and ideas. The young learners need to be taught in a setting that provides strategies that play to their weakness as well as strengths. This is where differentiated instruction comes into play. Differentiated instruction is a model of instruction that allows educators to offer alternatives and options to their learners to meet their learners’ needs. Tomlinson (2001) states “Differentiated classrooms provide different avenues to acquire content, to produce or make sense of ideas and developing product so that each student can learn effectively” (p. 1).
Sims, R. & Sims, S. (1995). The importance of learning styles: understanding the implications for learning, course design, and education. London: Greenwood Press.
“Recent studies show that being involved in music classes makes it easier to learn other subjects and improve skills in other classrooms” (Brown, “The Benefits of Music Education”). A lot of people tend to overlook how much music education has an impact on the success of a student. Because of this, schools should be required to offer fine arts and music classes as electives for the students. Not only will this improve the students test scores, but it will also give the students a broader imagination and more creativity in and out of the classroom. In a lot of schools, fine arts and musical classes are the first to go when there are budget cuts. “Seventy-one percent of the nation’s fifteen thousand school districts have cut instructional hours spent on music and other subjects” (“State of the arts: should music and art classes be brushed aside”). Not only is it affecting the teachers who have specialized in the study of fine arts, it is affecting all of the students and parents who are actively involved in these programs. “Johnson, professor of music education and music therapy and associate dean of the School of Fine Arts at KU, found jumps of twenty-two percent in English test scores and twenty percent in math scores at elementary schools with superior music education” (Lynch “Music Boosts Test Scores”). With that being said, schools should be required to offer music and fine arts classes as an elective for their students.
Currently I am co teaching a fifth grade class of eleven students. The class is a general education class with four students who have disabilities. My main focus for the class is teaching the human body system and implementing writing into the class. Differentiation of instruction is something we need to show that we are implanting in our classroom. There are four levels of differentiation of instruction; content, process, product, and affect. What we teach, how we teach it; how students demonstrate what they have learned, and how students feel about what they are learning is what DI is about. Educators need to start by choosing the best content that will help all of their students. The content not only has to relate to the subject matter, but need to connect to their culture. The process is also a crucial component of DI and Santamaria feels that the best thing to do for the students is having them work in groups, but Utley took an individual approach to DI. Santamaria feels that cooperative learning stimulates learning. The last component to DI is the product. This could be as simple as allowing the students to present their final product
The position that is being argued is that music should stay in schools. This author is making the claim that music makes children excel in their education. This author uses many different sources. The author relies mainly on studies to back up his argument. The article is recent.
When teachers differentiate their lesson, the students are more engaged to learn. Students have some choice in their learning activities, which motivates students to want to learn and also puts more learning responsibility on the students. Some students may prefer to work alone or in groups and some students like to be hands-on. By differentiating the lesson, all students’ needs are being met. “Differentiated Instruction gives students a range of ways to access curriculum, instruction and assessment. DI engages students to interact and participate in the classroom in a richer way. It is based on the assumption that all students differ in their learning styles, strengths, needs and abilities and that classroom activities should be adapted to meet these differences
“A learning style is a way of learning and refers to the way that you learn new information” (2). Most people have one preferred learning style and perform to a lesser standard when learning in a different style than what they’re used to. Nowadays, children are told to take a quiz in school to determine what their preferred learning style is, but after a few years, not many of these children remember what their preferred learning style is, or even if they do, they don’t apply it to their learning.
Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction: helping every child reach and exceed standards. The Clearing House , 161-164.
Thought out our lives, we are faced with many different learning experiences. Some of these experiences have made a better impact than others. This can be attributed to everyone’s different multiple intelligences or learning styles. A persons learning style is the method though which they gain information about their environment. As a teacher, it is our responsibility to know these styles, so we can reach each of our students and use all of the necessary methods.