Differentiation
Is it just another buzz word in education?
What does it really mean in practice?
This training explores not only why it is important to Ofsted, and every pupil in the group, but also how to differentiate in practice.
All too often students are tested for things like Learning Styles at induction - only to have the data shelved (yet another meaningless exercise for box-tickers). This training goes beyond poor quality tests, to discover what differentiation-in-action might look like. It helps staff to progress beyond the mere "what do we have to do?" approach to a deeper understanding of how true differentiation can enrich their provision, and their students progress.
The best teachers teach to each - but how can we reach this 'each' in a class of 25? We explore the theories of differentiation and make use of them in practical terms. Its aim is to give teachers the hands-on tools to differentiate in practice.
The Training includes a rich exploration of the following:
- Student friendly teaching methods
- Curriculum friendly teaching methods
- Why constructivist teaching works so well
- The Differential climate
- Learning styles - how to really use them to your advantage (practical tips and approaches)
- Multiple intelligences - how to really use them to your advantage (practical tips and approaches)
- Right Brain / Left Brain - how to really use them to your advantage (practical tips and approaches)
- A case study of poor differentiation
- Rapport - four levels (from the field of NLP)
- Differentiation in Lesson planning
A man in Dublin once asked a woman the way to Limerick. To which she replied:
"If you are travelling to Limerick, I wouldn't start from here."
In essence that is the case with all non-differentiation (i.e. it is asking the student to begin from somewhere else - other than where they actually are). Sadly we do it in all kinds of ways.
Summary: A training designed to deliver and develop high level differentiation skills in any member of staff who works with students. It borrows advanced communication skills from award winning educators and the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming.
