Lesson Planning/Differentiating Instruction

This week in class we discussed the different types of lesson plans and the most effective ways to use them to promote TEKS and ELPS. At first I was very intimidated by all the standards that had to be included in every lesson, but after going over the handout it all made sense. The information being taught does not have to change to promote TEKS and ELPS, only the way it is presented.

One thing that stands out in my mind, is the use of visual aids and demonstrations. All people learn best by doing. The use of visual aids keeps people engaged and interested. Often times when teachers utilize lectures they forget how boring they are to sit through. Some main points teachers need to keep in mind while utilizing a lecture are: visual aids, handouts, short and to the point. ELLs would benefit from these because they have the key ideas outlined for them and paired with visual aids.

Graphic organizers are an amazing way to get students thinking and writing. These help students viualize key concepts represented in the text. Graphic Organizers also help students draw connections between relating ideas through the physical act of drawing the lines.

When it comes to differentiating instruction for different levels teachers need to have an understanding of the levels the students are operating on and have a realistic goal for where the students should be at the end of the year. Group work is a fantastic way to overcome these level differences. Teachers can group the students into groups based on levels. These groups can consist of students all on the same level so they can all be challenged and raised to the next level together. Or these groups can have a collection of levels to help all students get better at an activity. Both group types are effective for different types of learning activities.

When choosing materials to keep in the classroom the Flesh-Kincaid and SMOG levels need to be considered. Different levels should be present in the classroom, and there should be picture books for entertainment purposes and higher level books to challenge students to raise their reading level.