Meeting the Needs of
Diverse Learners
Would you Believe?
Today’s classrooms are more diverse
than ever before.
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Differing learning styles
Different intelligences
Hidden or invisible
disabilities
•
•
•
•
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Learning disabilities
Attention deficit
Behavior disorders
Mild cognitive disabilities
Asperger’s syndrome

Sensory & physical
disabilities (often visible)
• Blind
• Deaf
• Cerebral palsy
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Religious & cultural
differences
Socioeconomic differences
Second language learners
Other differences
What we’ll learn about
Learning styles
 Multiple intelligences
 Differentiated instruction
 Gifted learners & extensions
 Special education & adaptations
 Cultural, racial, religious & other
differences

Diverse learning styles

Learning style – how one learns best; influenced
by:
• Psychological factors – left/right brain; reflective or
impulsive; analytic or global
• Sensory preferences – auditory, visual, tactile,
kinesthetic
• Physical needs – mobile/static, morning/afternoon,
eat/not eat
• Environment - light/dark, cool/warm, sound/quiet,
formal/informal
• Social groupings – alone/groups, authority present/not
present
• Attitudes – internal/external motivation, persistence
level, structure/self-directed, routine/variety
Sensory Preferences
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Tactile learners need to touch & manipulate
items related to lesson.
Kinesthetic learners need to move & engage
whole bodies during learning & practice activities.
As they move in conjunction with learning, they
internalize information they’re working with.
Visual learners need to see things to truly grasp
them.
Auditory learners like to hear information.
Matches traditional classrooms.
Knowing and appealing to diverse
learning styles results in:
Increased comfort level for students
 Increased achievement
 Increased self-esteem
 Less behavior problems
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In groups of 3:
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Share details of your own learning styles
(using your Preference Survey Profile),
What different teaching methods would a
teacher need to use to meet the needs of
all members of your group?
How should a teacher arrange the
classroom for your group?
Other considerations for teaching your
group?
Howard Gardner:
Theory of Multiple Intelligences
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Several distinct forms of intelligence each of us possesses in
varying degrees
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Linguistic – capacity to use words effectively
Logical-mathematical – use numbers
Spatial – perceive visual-spatial world (color, line, shape,
form, space & their relationships)
Bodily-kinesthetic – using whole body to express ideas &
feelings, or using hands to produce or transform things
Musical – perceive, discriminate, transform, or express
musical forms
Interpersonal – perceive & make distinctions in moods,
intentions, & feelings of others
Intrapersonal – self-knowledge & ability to act based on
that knowledge
Naturalist –knowledge of the natural world (plants, animals,
geology, etc.)

Gardner believes intelligence
defined too narrowly
• Traditional IQ tests based on
only 2 (Linguistic and Logicalmathematical)
And traditional “school” based on
these as well
 Result = needs of many with other
intellectual strengths not met

Implications for teachers:
1.
2.
3.
Tie teaching to strengths of each student. How
do we find these?
Vary instruction & activities, appealing to
different intelligences.
Vary how we assess, allowing students to use
their varied intelligences. How?
Using Multiple Intelligences assessment &
ways of teaching & learning handout:
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In Figure 5.1 “Summary of the Eight Ways of
Teaching”, identify 4-5 teaching activities,
teaching materials, & instructional strategies
specific to your strongest intelligence that would
be most effective in YOUR learning (what teachers
should use in teaching YOU).
Find 2 classmates with greatest intelligences
DIFFERENT from yours
• Share strongest intelligence & effective ways to teach
you.
• For each classmate, think of at least 1 way to meet
his/her greatest strength in specific lesson/subject.
• Be prepared to share with whole class
What was most important learning
for you regarding LS & MI?
Differentiated Instruction
What is differentiated instruction?
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Differentiated instruction – the process of teaching that
assumes that there WILL be differences in the abilities,
interests & learning styles of students, resulting in the
teacher proactively planning multiple paths to learning to
meet those differences.
Not 25 different plans; rather, 2-4 learning options
Teacher doesn’t wait for students to struggle.
• Proactively plans to meet differences.
- Carol Ann Tomlinson
If you expect 25 bright,
clean, smiling faces of
children who all “get it”
at the same time & in
the same way, you’re in
for a shock.
How do we differentiate instruction?
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Pre-assess
Then, plan varied approaches to the 3
aspects of lessons we can change…
• Content – what we teach;
• Process – how we teach it; and/or
• Product – how students demonstrate understanding or
skill
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These changes can be based on students’:
• Readiness or abilities
• Interests
• Learning profile

Through on-going assessment, adjust as
needed.
Examples:
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Based on readiness/abilities, differentiate content in
math
• subtraction for some, multiplication for others,
division for others
Based on interests, differentiate product in Spanish
• In Spanish, students choose to give play-by-play of
baseball game, critical review of restaurant, critical
review of movie, or news broadcast
Based on learner profiles, differentiate process in
science
• students choose how they learn about mammals
(Internet, text, video, audio, etc.)

Let’s look at the capsules of different
classrooms.
• Divide into primary, intermediate,
middle school, high school & PE.
• Discuss differences between
differentiated classroom and typical
classroom.
Is it new?

Far from it
• one-room schoolhouses
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Contemporary approach shaped by:
•
•
•
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Best practices in special education
Best practices in gifted education
Best practices in multi-age classrooms
Recent research on the brain & multiple
intelligences
Why differentiate instruction?
Because students are different!

NOT meeting diverse
needs of students
results in:
• Frustrated & bored
learners who often lose
motivation to learn
• Associated behavior
problems
• Teacher frustration

Meeting diverse needs
results in:
• Successful learning for
formerly over- & underchallenged
• Fewer behavior problems
• Teacher satisfaction
• Kids aren’t scared of
school
• Opportunities to enrich
gifted
• Encourages inclusion
The easy way –
teach to the middle
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What does this mean??
Problems???
Characteristics of DI classroom:
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Differences are expected,
respected, & celebrated
Fairness redefined – instead
of everyone getting or
doing exactly same thing at
same time in same way,
everyone gets or does what
s/he needs to grow &
succeed
Planning is critical!
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Give yourself permission to
go at own
pace….differentiate 1
lesson at a time, not the
entire school year.
Takes years.
Less than ½ of teachers
differentiate; students
deserve better.
You may be on your own…
…but there’s great
information out there.
• www.ascd.org/pdi/demo/diffinstr
/ differentiated1.html
• www.ascd.org/readingroom/edle
ad/0009/Holloway.html
• www.weac.org/kids/199899/march99/differ.htm
• www.teach-nology.com/litined/
dif_instruction/
• Or just do a search for
differentiated instruction
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Work with partner or alone.
Think of your direct instruction or cooperative
learning microteachings
• Differentiate CONTENT (what you taught) based on
READINESS
 3 different levels
• Differentiate PROCESS (how you taught it – watch
videotape, listen to recording, “feel/do” it with
manipulatives or other hands-on learning, put it to
song, etc.)
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Add at least one new option from your previous lesson.
What is basis, LEARNING PROFILE (ways students or
INTERESTS?
• Differentiate PRODUCT (how students demonstrate
learning – presentation, oral exam, skit, draw picture,
etc.)
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Add at least one new option from your previous lesson.
What is basis, LEARNING PROFILE (ways students or
INTERESTS?
Think of your own experiences in
school – as students, volunteers,
observers, etc.

How have teachers differentiated?
• Content, process, or product
• Based on readiness, interests, learning
profile
Special Education
Reading Disability
The sentences below appear as a person with a
reading disability might see them. Try to decode
or decipher them correctly.
Tobav me are go ing fo siwulate mhaf jt wight de
ljke fo naue a rea biuq bisadilitv.
Let’s renember that tbe chatteuges me faoe in dass
tobay as me sinnlate this pisadility are taoed dy
willious ot cnilbreu aub adnlts on a pailv dasis.
Me mill face fhese chatteuges for onlv a fem
winytes.
Tnev, noweyer, tace tnew eacn aub eyery winvte
eyerv bay ot tneir liyes.
I po NOT maut vou to feel dity for those mitb
bisapilities, inst ewbathy.
Teacners sowefiwes look af sfnbeuts mitn reabiug
bisadilities (aub ofner learuiug bisadilities) as
deiug lazv aub nuwotiyated.
Ayoib ladeliug sfndeuts tnis may.
Iusteab, rewewder tobay’s siwulation aub bo yonr
dest to ewqathize mitn eacn sfndent’s nuiqne
chattenqes.
I hoqe von gaim a qeeper resbect for those mitn
reabiug aub learuiug bitticnlties.
Bv tne mav, wore tnan ohe qersou mitn a reabiug
bisadility nas folb we tnat tnis siwulatiou is yerv
realisfic.
Wauy qeople mitn reabiug disadilifies wnst exqeud so
wuch euergy becobiug eachaud every morb that
mheu fiuisheb mith a seufence, or qaragraqh, or
cnaqter nave uo cowpreheusiou of mhat thev iust
read.
Is it auy mouber they strugg1e iu school?!
Wost qeoqle mitb reabinq bisadilifies ane fanqht (or
beueloq ou their omu) mays fo cowqeusate for tbis
bis adilitv.
Dnrinq this sborf siwn lafiou, von wav have starteb
nsiuq sowe cowqensatorv strateqies.
Fon exawqle, yon way be looxiuq for qatterus,
realiziug tbat lomer case ‘p’ aud ‘q’ are sowetiwes
reyerseb, or that ‘p’ wav be iuvertep and addear
as ‘d’.
Or, you way de trviug fo reap dy lookiuq af tbe
mords in coutext.
Iu schools, wauy are snccessfnllv accowwobated
mith dooks ou tade, lisfeuiug to the mords as
tbey see tbew on the qage.
If giyeu the qroqer suqqorts, stndeuts mith
reabiug bisadilities cau be yery snccesstnl
in scbool.
Oue iwportaut cousiberafiou is tbat reabiug
bisadilities iwqact qeoqle iu ALL asqects ot
their liyes that iuyolve the mriffen worb –
mork, sboqqiug, paviug the dills, briving,
aub so ou – uot jnst iu school.
Tbere yon baye if – yon inst exqerieuceb
mhat if wigbt he like to haye a reabiug
disahility.
People First Language – use when
referring to people with disabilities.
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A disability is a condition someone HAS, not IS.
So, use “has”, not “is” and put person first. (If
not necessary, don’t even refer to disability.)
• Doug HAS a learning disability.
• Doug HAS autism.
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“Accessible”, not “handicapped”.
“Uses” wheelchair, not “confined to wheelchair”
or “wheelchair bound”
“Mental disability” or “cognitive disability”, not
“retarded”
With partner, correct the following:
1. Ahmad is mentally
retarded.
2. Juan is wheelchair
bound.
3. Handicapped restrooms
and handicapped parking
spaces are often not very
accessible at all.
4. Sonny is a paraplegic.
What is Special Education?
Definition - specially designed
instruction to meet unique needs of
student with disability
 It’s a “service”, not a “place”
 About 10% of public school
students identified with disabilities
that require special education.

IDEA
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (federal law concerning
education for children with disabilities)

Requires placement of children with disabilities
in the least restrictive environment (LRE)
• LRE: Placement with peers w/out disabilities in
neighborhood school & regular class to maximum
extent possible (separated as little as possible from
home, family, community, & regular class)
• Ages 0-21
• So, gen ed teachers WILL have students w/disabilities
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Requirements of LRE:
• Bring services to child in gen ed rather than
pull-out
• General ed teachers must be given the
support they need
• Child must benefit
• Does not require child to keep up!!
Don’t panic!!

Don’t panic if you feel you lack
knowledge about disabilities.
• Most important knowledge…each
child & his/her unique needs.
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Get to know
Ask for & use help
Most Important Principle That Guides
Education of Students With Disabilities
All students can learn, and all
students have a right to
learn!
Co-teaching

Co-teaching is central to Iowa’s special
education delivery model
• If you teach in Iowa, must understand coteaching.

Gen ed & special ed teacher teach subject
together, in classroom at same time.
• Equal authority & mutual respect
• Plan together
• Work divided equally

Purpose: Meet needs of special education
students within gen ed classroom (as
mandated by federal law)
Adaptation – any
change in environment,
instruction, materials,
and/or assessment that
enhances student’s
participation, success,
or independence.
First, can ANY school activity be
adapted for ANY student?
Options for student participation
in general education & specific
types of adaptations
Requirements for
designing adaptations:

Requirements:
• Age appropriate
• Look as similar to peers’ work as
possible
• Approved or accepted by student
W/partner, design at least 1 adaptation for each:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3rd grade. Average intelligence. Very “tactile” learner who is
struggling with concept of multiplication.
3rd grade. Student has severe cognitive disability
(retardation). Classmates learning multiplication with
cubes/blocks. This child is just learning 1-to-1
correspondence.
8th grade. Cognitive disability results in student at 3rd
grade level academically. Class is reading Romeo & Juliet.
High school. Student is very bright, but handwriting is
illegible due to fine motor difficulties. Teacher uses a lot of
short answer and essay questions on tests.
High school. Student has average intelligence but, due to
dyslexia, reading fluency/speed at 2nd grade level.
Comprehension is much higher, but student is simply not
able to keep up with reading assignments.
Take the course, “Instruction &
Adaptation Strategies”
(in Disabilities Services Careers major)
Gifted or Advanced
Learners
Winebrenner: Any child who has most
or all of the following is probably gifted.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Learns material faster & earlier.
Remembers forever; review not needed.
Able to deal with concepts too complex or
abstract for peers.
Passionate interests; would spend all available
time learning more.
Doesn’t need to watch teacher to hear; can
multi-task.
If not challenged:
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Resist doing work, or
work carelessly
Frustrated with pace
Rebel against routine
Ask embarrassing
questions
Resist taking
directions
Daydream
Monopolize
discussions
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Bossy
Intolerant of
imperfection in self &
others
Supersensitive to
criticism
Resist cooperative
learning
Act out
Class clown
Impatient when not
called on; blurt out
Compacting the Curriculum

Student already mastered part of curriculum
• What can teachers do to prevent boredom & meet
needs?
 Compact the curriculum:
• Pre-assess (determine what they can do)
• Give credit for it
• Provide alternative activity that challenges

Do NOT just give them MORE of the SAME!
Grading alternate activities can be
confusing; suggestions:
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First, danger in letting kids coast - good grades
with little effort. What are dangers?
Same activity as peers, grade in same way
For those who pass pretest & skip material, two
grades:
• Pretest grade for already mastered material
• Grade on alternative activity
Prepare for resistance from students & parents
• How would you, as teacher, address resistance??
First, to teach & grade students well, we
need to see school through their eyes
• Philip – significant learning problems; reading
is very difficult; feels different & out of place;
too much print makes too little sense & there
is too much sitting & listening
• Xavier – speaks little English; tries very hard
but gains little meaning; feels exhausted by
day’s end
• Anda – learns fast & remembers well; wants to
ask many questions in class, but her questions
puzzle classmates & teacher seems more on
stride when she doesn’t; so she mostly keeps
quiet; school days are long!
Grading, as we typically practice it, is
more about…
…charting circumstances of student
birth & experience than about
documenting growth or learning.
 How might Philip, Xavier & Anda
view the grades they most likely
receive???

We need to see grading as a communication
tool that should serve learning.

Tomlinson’s 2-prong grading approach:
• A-F indicates growth
• 1-3 indicates present level
 1 = above grade level
 2 = at
 3 = below
• Describe A3; F1