Task 1 and 2
 Identify a student or group of students to track and post in the Moodle forum for this week
(pseudonymise) by --13th December. What are their needs? What is currently in place to
support them? (observe and talk to them and other adults). This information will be useful, as
a follow-up activity for the next session, to look at further for differentiation strategies.
A student needs help
In the year 8, history class I am noticing a student (X) who do not pay attention to the teacher’s
instructions, stay silent during the whole class, mostly engaged with a laptop placed Infront of him.
He sits at the back benches in the classroom away from the teacher’s eye. He does not speak to the
fellows as well, nor he do any behaviour disruption. Whenever, I went to observe the class the child
drags my attention towards him. In today’s class I again found him working on his laptop doing some
translations that might be because he was not understanding probably due to the language barrier. I
assumed the language barrier issue because the student has a Muslim name which probably means
that English may not be his first language. This time a lady was also sitting beside him probably to
support him, but he was not that much engaging and responsive towards her as well. I was feeling
worried for the child since he wants help. Since, I have observed his history class only, may be the
child is not behaving the same in other class. The history class might be a problem for him to
understand but to get a clear picture I wanted to observe his other classes as well.
While reflecting on the lesson the situation reminded me of a strategy (Differentiated) shared by Miss
Sian which she uses in hers Physics class to place subtitles in required languages for the students
having English as their secondary language. This strategy might be helpful for the student to
understand the instructions well and have a greater engagement in the learning. Another strategy
could be keeping an eye on the student and try to include him in the classroom verbal discussions, so
make him feel belonging.
Another strategy can be relating the lesson to students’ experiences, where a teacher can make
learning more meaningful, and theories resonate deeper helping an EAL child relate to his context.
A good teacher- student relationship would be pivotal in such scenarios where a student with learning
issue can easily approach their teacher for help. A teacher may ask the student (X) to use a sticky note
on his desk whenever they need help (strategy). This will allow that student to ask for help without
feeling hesitated.
Other Differentiation Strategies
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Fill in the blanks, cards, drawing,
Role playing, games such as crosswords, puzzles,
Reading skills (oral reading, and role-play reading),
Discussions and Problem-solving activities (This can be implemented in the social justice class
by giving students a case study of ‘Suppose you have a friend who is does not understand
English very well, how are you going deal with it and help him in surviving in the school’
These methods may be helpful to engage students with different learning needs.