Diversity & Inclusion- How to differentiate instructions and address different students’ needs

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the principles of effective differentiation of instruction and its importance in educational process, 
• Deeper understanding of the Universal Design for Learning concept,
• Acquiring practical strategies and methods of differentiation of instructions,
• Engaging in collaborative activities to create a classroom which gives voice and choice to students,
• Gaining practical skills to create teaching tools and materials that meet different individual students’ educational needs.

Benefits for Learners:

• Gain a deep understanding of effective differentiation of instructions,
• Recognize the importance of addressing different individual students’ educational needs,
• Explore an innovative and inspiring teaching methods,
• Develop strategies for seamlessly integrating elements of UDL and differentiation of instructions into existing subjects.

The Course Content:

1. Why do we need to differentiate instructions? 

Discussing the challenges that teachers must face in academically, culturally, linguistically, cognitively diverse classrooms. Defining the most common groups of learners and most characteristic learning preferences. Defining one’s own teaching style. What kind of teaching/learning “mix-and-much” patterns can be discovered. 

2. Universal Design for Learning

Universal Design for Learning aims at addressing the needs of different types of learners through developing flexible learning environment where information is presented in different ways, students can engage in the classes and present learning outcomes in many different forms. Workshops will be dedicated to the basic rules of UDL and the way they can be implemented into everyday teaching practice even by the teachers who have never tried it before.

3. Differentiation of instruction in academically diverse classrooms

The concept of Carol Ann Tomlinson who demonstrates how effectively differentiate instructions in order to meet different needs and use different abilities of students is going to be presented. Differentiation can concern content, process, and product. Selected examples of useful differentiating strategies are going to be presented and discussed during the workshop.

4. Differentiating of instructions – class management

Differentiating of instructions requires special class management, lesson design, rethinking the strategies of feedback given to the students as well as evaluation methods. All practical aspects of implementing this kind of instructional design are going to be discussed and tested through a set of interactive exercises.

5. Reflections and wrap us sessions

Integrating elements of differentiation of instructions into everyday curriculum: can it be implemented in the participants’ schools? Discussing necessary preconditions: how to prepare learners for differentiated classroom?

Methodology & assessment

The course combines theory and practice through interactive workshops, group discussions, role-play scenarios, outdoor activities, and collaborative projects. Teaching modes include hands-on activities and reflective group exercises on diversity and inclusion. Participants also work on curriculum integration projects and develop actionable plans for inclusion.
Teaching and learning activities include:

• before the learning experience: carousel brainstorm, concept map, focused freewriting, in a content/in a news, Knowing – Want to know – What have I learnt;
• during the learning experience: question&answer, think-pair-share, group work, pyramids, demonstration, microteaching, integrating seminar, independent work, project, jigsaw;
• after the learning experience: quiz, concept map, reflective diary, exit ticket.

Participants are required to actively contribute to the course activities by sharing their work and presenting a course product. Facilitators provide feedback on group activities, collaborative projects, and individual contributions. Self-assessment, peer assessment and co- assessment play important role in the evaluation process. The course concludes with group reflection sessions, allowing participants to share insights, evaluate learning outcomes, and identify next steps for implementation of differentiated instructions and inclusion strategies into their teaching practice.

Materials, digital tools & other learning recourses

The course utilizes a range of materials and digital tools, including printed guides, texts, and work cards, as well as interactive resources for diversity and inclusion. Materials worked out under various international didactic projects will be used and presented during the classes (their open-access online repositories form a rich reservoir of educational aids though need some guidance to be used effectively by all teachers in their everyday work). Educational technologies used during the course include presentation software, educational applications, mobile response systems. Participants receive a comprehensive packet of ready-to-use materials, online resources, and guidance for continued implementation of differentiated instructions and inclusion strategies into their teaching practice.

Certification details

• Certificate of Attendance in line with Erasmus quality standards
• Europass Mobility Document 
• Learning Agreement

Language: English

Target audience ISCED:

• Primary education (ISCED 1)
• Lower secondary education (ISCED 2)
• Upper secondary education (ISCED 3)

Target audience type: 

• Teacher
• Head Teacher / Principal
• Teacher Educator
• NGO staff
• ADU education staff

Learning time: 35 hours / 7 days

Costs:

The 560 EUR fee covers the course tuition, issuing the required Erasmus+ documents, coffee breaks, and a guided tour.

We offer an optional cultural programme in order to provide you with opportunities to explore the wonders of the area. All the details including the destinations and the prices will be sent to the participants two months before the course starts.