Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
1.5: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it
2.6: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students. |
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Artefact 1: Differentiated Learning Activities Throughout my teaching practicum, I endeavoured to differentiate the content of each lesson to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. In KV, I supported students with special needs such as: Autism, ODD, ADHD, Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder and a Hearing Impairment. In addition, I worked with students with EAL/D and Aboriginal backgrounds. |
Artefact 2: Evidence of Differentiation in Lesson Plans In order to effectively educate all students, my lesson plans contained detailed information for differentiation. |
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Artefact 4: Implementation of ICT in Teaching and Learning Activities To enrich curriculum learning opportunities for students, I employed authentic and valuable uses of ICT. This teaching strategy allowed for increased student engagement which had positive effects on academic achievement. |
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Artefact 5: Evidence of ICT Integration Throughout my teaching practicum, I implemented ICT use as a strategy to support and extend learners in KV. |
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Artefact 7: Standard Comment from Final Practicum Report Excerpt from the Final Practicum Report identifies my ability to fulfil Standard 1: Know students and how they learn and Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it to a graduate level. |
Reflection
Effective teaching is reliant on a comprehensive understanding of student’s learning preferences and content delivery strategies. Deppeler, Loreman and Smith (2015) suggest that high quality teaching is characterised by the effective differentiation of content for mixed ability students. During lessons in my teaching practicum, I developed the ability to identify and respond to individual student’s learning needs. In particular, I implemented a range of differentiated teaching strategies to ensure that all students were successful in meeting the learning intention.
Standard 1.5.1 requires pre-service teachers to “differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities” (Education Services Australia, 2011, p. 11). Henderson and Jarvis (2016) suggest that, “differentiating high quality curriculum and pedagogy is key to effective teaching for diverse learners” (p. 68). Consequently, early in my practicum, I engaged in observations and compiled data on student’s abilities and preferences to gain a comprehensive understanding of each student and how they learn. To cater for the needs of diverse leaners, I employed the use of mini whiteboards and word wall prompts for emergent students during writing activities. In addition, the use of TEN time activities allowed advanced students to be challenged by figurative counting problems. By altering tasks, providing concrete materials and offering additional assistance, I was able to assist all students to achieve the success criteria.
Standard 2.6.1 outlines that graduate teachers must utilise Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to enrich curriculum learning opportunities for students. In contemporary classrooms, authentic integration of ICT allows for increased flexibility and customisation of curriculum content to support a range of student abilities. During my practicum, I engaged students with genuine learning activities using ICT. In my lessons, YouTube videos were used as hooks for lesson stimulation and iPads were used as tools for informal recordings of inquiry-based investigations. In addition, through ICT use, students were exposed to multimodal texts to enhance the acquisition of 21st century learning skills.
During my teaching practicum, I utilised effective teaching strategies to deliver curriculum content to students with identified needs. In future teaching practice, I will expand my repertoire of teaching strategies to offer alternative content delivery.
Standard 1.5.1 requires pre-service teachers to “differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities” (Education Services Australia, 2011, p. 11). Henderson and Jarvis (2016) suggest that, “differentiating high quality curriculum and pedagogy is key to effective teaching for diverse learners” (p. 68). Consequently, early in my practicum, I engaged in observations and compiled data on student’s abilities and preferences to gain a comprehensive understanding of each student and how they learn. To cater for the needs of diverse leaners, I employed the use of mini whiteboards and word wall prompts for emergent students during writing activities. In addition, the use of TEN time activities allowed advanced students to be challenged by figurative counting problems. By altering tasks, providing concrete materials and offering additional assistance, I was able to assist all students to achieve the success criteria.
Standard 2.6.1 outlines that graduate teachers must utilise Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to enrich curriculum learning opportunities for students. In contemporary classrooms, authentic integration of ICT allows for increased flexibility and customisation of curriculum content to support a range of student abilities. During my practicum, I engaged students with genuine learning activities using ICT. In my lessons, YouTube videos were used as hooks for lesson stimulation and iPads were used as tools for informal recordings of inquiry-based investigations. In addition, through ICT use, students were exposed to multimodal texts to enhance the acquisition of 21st century learning skills.
During my teaching practicum, I utilised effective teaching strategies to deliver curriculum content to students with identified needs. In future teaching practice, I will expand my repertoire of teaching strategies to offer alternative content delivery.