What is Differentiated Instruction and How Can it Help?

Differentiated instruction, as the name suggests, is the idea that, in order to serve different types of learners, teachers must be willing to teach in different and dynamic ways. This means more than simply varying lectures or photocopying colorful handouts, but rather, exploring new ways of transferring information and tailoring lessons to reach all types of learners. As you will see below, young people learn in many different ways, and it is, therefore, vital that we “play to their strengths” and work to include and engage all students, differentiating instruction to cover the various learning styles.

The Learning Styles and How to Accommodate Them:

Visual: This learner is best served through pictures, images, and spatial relationships. This type of student will often prefer a “show me” approach to a “tell me” one. The modern classroom allows us to accommodate these learners in a number of ways. Visual aids, for instance, have progressed well beyond the simple chalkboard of old. Technology allows teachers today to reach these learners in a variety of forms. An interactive whiteboard, for example, can be perfect for the visual learner who prefers to interact with the information. Still, “old” visual formats like flash cards, flow charts, pictures, and cartoons can also work for the student who needs to see to retain.

Auditory: Just as the visual learner above might say “show me,” the auditory learner might say “tell me.” The transfer of information is best presented through means such as oral summaries, recordings of lectures and lessons, and classroom conversation and discussion. Again, technology offers a myriad of resources for the listening-inclined student, for instance, apps like Duolingo for learning a foreign language and audiobooks to supplement readings.

Kinesthetic: This type of learner, also known as a “tactile” learner, prefers a hands-on approach, and might ask “let me try.” Incorporating body movement, using role play, having students act out scenes and scenarios, and bringing in materials like kinetic sand and textured paper can appeal to this student’s way of learning. The kinesthetic student sometimes gets a bad rap for being “fidgety,” but it may be more that he requires a creative, hands-on classroom environment.

Verbal: This is the “English person” who loves reading and writing, and best understands the world through words and language. This type of learner will benefit from activities that incorporate speech, debate, creative writing, narration, and wordplay. Differentiated instruction comes in handy with this type of learner in teaching, for instance, word problems. Taking the mathematical and framing it in language can help this student understand abstract concepts that might otherwise be difficult to grasp.

Logical: This is the “math person” who learns best through logical means such as equations, systems, and reasoning. Just as a creative math teacher might appeal to the verbal learner through utilizing language, a creative English teacher might, for example, teach grammar by focusing on its mathematical elements like parallelism and congruity in sentences, thus appealing to the logical learner and the way his mind works.

Social: This type of learner (also known as an “interpersonal learner”) prefers to work in groups and takes a social attitude to learning. Teachers who are willing to incorporate groupwork and projects into their lessons are likely to resonate with this type of learner. Peer editing, group presentations, and group activities like skits and games will work well with this population.

Solitary: This is the student who prefers to work alone, shying away from collective activities in the classroom. It is important to allow this student the opportunity to be comfortable in his own style of learning and not to force him into a group setting. Do not assume that this type of learner is “antisocial,” but rather that he is simply more comfortable learning in a solitary environment.

The commonality in all of the above styles of learning is that they require teachers to employ creative and varied methods to reach students. The concept of differentiated instruction is that all learners will have an opportunity to retain information in their own way without being bound to an inflexible teacher’s methodology. When educators and tutors are familiar with these varied styles, they are better able to reach and engage students who learn in all different ways.

Written by Phil Lane

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