Differentiation & Inclusion
The concept of knowing students and how they learn is imperative to differentiation and inclusion strategies because it provides the means for all students to engage in learning regardless of factors of diversity such as cultural and linguistic background, academic ability, socioeconomic status, gender, religion, health status and geographical area. Therefore, in response to diversity, differentiation and inclusive strategies were incorporated into formative and summative assessment tasks in order to account for the learning needs of all students. The use of differentiated assessment tasks was implemented in junior science, and had to account for different factors of diversity such as special needs, and advanced academic ability.
During my final placement, the year 7 science class that I was teaching had a diverse range of learners, which included a small group of advanced students, and a student with special needs that was associated with an unspecified learning difficulty; while the rest of the class was across the middle range of academic ability (intermediate). In response to this range of diversity in academic ability, I introduced a summative differentiated learning task for a unit of work that covered dichotomous keys. The "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment was differentiated (tiered) to suit the appropriate challenge for learning and readiness for a beginner (special needs), intermediate and advanced students. Furthermore, to ensure that student had suitable and clear learning objectives, I used the school’s dichotomous key assessment rubric and the ACARA year 7 Science content to guide the development of the assessment.
TPA 5 (Rubric and evaluation of The "under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment)
CUE_Under The Sea Dichotomous Key Assessment TPA-Rubric_annotated.pdf
The modifications made for the advanced students
- Increased number of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Increased diversity of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Increased complexity of dichotomous key
CUE_Advanced_Under The Sea Dichotomous Key Assessment_annotated.pdf
The modifications made for the intermediate students
- Moderate number of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Moderate diversity of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Moderately complex dichotomous key
CUE_ Intermediate _Under The Sea Dichotomous Key Assessment_annotated.pdf
The modifications made for the student with special needs
- Reduced number of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Reduced diversity of animals included in the dichotomous key
- Reduced complexity of the dichotomous key
CUE_Beginner_Under The Sea Dichotomous Key Assessment_annotated.pdf
The use of the tiering strategy for the “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment enabled all students to attempt and complete the task successfully. Therefore, the use of the differentiation strategy of tiering provided the appropriate challenge for learning and was also suited to each students level of readiness. This means that the use of differentiation successfully promoted the engagement of all students in learning, whether they were academically advanced or had special needs. Hence, my choice of pedagogy enabled me to broaden their knowledge and understanding of dichotomous keys according to their ability. As a result of the use of differentiation and inclusive strategies, the student with a learning difficulty was able to achieve a passing grade, as did the whole class. The "under the Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment was marked according to the school's assessment procedure, which required the use of a rubric. Overall, the rubric and the ACARA year 7 Science content descriptors guided the development of the assessment.
- Student grades for the "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" Assessment posted on the school's LMS: CUE_Under The Sea Dichotomous Key Feedback_annotated.pdf
Sample of Student Work: Under The Sea Dichotomous Key
I believe the most reliable form of evaluating the effectiveness of the tiered “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment was the achievement outcomes of the students, especially for the student with special needs. The student with an unspecified learning difficulty was able to achieve a “C” grade, which was an improvement compared to their earlier work which was continually being adjusted to determine their appropriate challenge for learning. Therefore, the effectiveness of tiering was demonstrated because even though there was a diverse range of academic ability in the class; each and every student was able to achieve the same learning objectives. Overall, this demonstrates the successful use of differentiation and inclusive strategies in a year 7 science unit of work on classification (dichotomous keys). Furthermore, I was happy that the students enjoyed the "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment, which was made evident by the effort they put into their drawings. The "Under The Sea" theme was used because students were really engaged when completing a prior dichotomous key formative assessment that included 'Finding Nemo' characters. Overall, the difference in complexity between the 'Finding Nemo' and "Under The Sea" Dichotomous keys tasks demonstrated substantial development in student learning.
Sample of Student Work: 'Finding Nemo' Dichotomous Key (Formative Assessment)
1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students The "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment was developed using the differentiation strategy of tiering to suit a range of academic abilities. |
1.2: Understand how students learn The "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment was developed using a theme because students enjoyed a formative assessment that included the use of finding Nemo characters. |
1.3: Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds The language used included in the "Under The Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment aimed to support any language barriers that may have been associated with diverse linguistic and cultural background. |
1.5: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities The "Under the Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment was able to provide the appropriate challenge for learning for all students regardless of academic level, as all students were able to attempt and complete the task. |
1.6: Strategies to support full participation of students with disability The development and use of a tiered task, The “Under the Sea Dichotomous Key” was used to support the learning of a student with an unspecified learning difficulty, and resulted in the achievement of a “C” grade. |
2.1: Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment required knowledge of what ACARA curriculum content descriptors were relevant for the purpose of the assessment. |
2.3: Curriculum, assessment and reporting Developing a summative assessment in alignment with the ACARA science curriculum. |
2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment included prompts to help students understand the terminology associated with dichotomous keys. |
2.6: Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The "Under the Sea Dichotomous Key" assessment was distributed via the classroom OneNote, and therefore, students used OneNote to access, complete and submit the task. |
3.1: Establish challenging learning goals The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment took into account student readiness and appropriate challenge for learning to ensure that students could attempt and complete the task, but they were still required to develop or extend their learning. |
3.2: Plan, structure and sequence learning programs The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment was introduced after formative assessments to ensure that students were able to successfully attempt and complete the task. |
3.3: Use teaching strategies The “Under the Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment used the differentiation strategy of tiering. |
3.4 Select and use resources The “Under the Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment worksheet (digital) was developed using selected images to create a theme that students found engaging. |
3.5 Use effective classroom communication The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment worksheet was used to instruct students on how to complete the task (verbal), and students could also refer to the worksheet to help them complete the task (non-verbal). |
3.7: engage parents/ carers in the educative process The grades for the “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment were posted on the school’s Learning management System, where parents and caregivers could view their child’s learning outcomes. |
4.1: Support student participation. Student participation in the “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment was encouraged through the use of differentiation strategies, which allowed all students to participate in learning. |
4.2: Manage classroom activities Creating a tiered assessment ensured that students would be more likely to engage in learning, because every student had a task suited to their readiness and appropriate challenge for learning level. |
4.3: Manage challenging behaviour The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment took into account readiness and appropriate challenge for learning, and therefore it helped to minimise disruptive behaviours that are caused by boredom, anxiety or lack of interest. |
4.5: Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically. All teaching and learning resources were distributed through the class OneNote. The class OneNote ensured that students were able to access the assessment tasks in a safe, responsible and ethical manner, of which all students were able to use competently and confidently. |
5.1: Assess student learning Students work was assessed according to the school’s assessment reporting procedures for summative assessments. |
5.2: Provide feedback to students on their learning The students were provided feedback about the “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment via the school’s Learning management System. |
5.3: Make consistent and comparable judgements The “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment was marked using a rubric. |
5.5 Report on student achievement The students’ “Under The Sea Dichotomous Key” assessment achievement results were reported via the school’s Learning management System which students, parents and caregivers were able to view. |
7.1: Meet professional ethics and responsibilities I was required to uphold the school’s ethical responsibilities in relation to ICT when using the school’s Learning Management System to submit graded student work. |
7.2: Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements I was required to uphold legislative, administrative and organisational requirements for OneNote and Learning Management System use. |
