Relevant research related to the Standards for Graduates 1.5 & 1.6...
AITSL (2011) Standards for Graduates:
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.
According to Hyde (2014, p.130) differentiation is "an overall approach to planning, teaching and managing the classroom that systematically takes into account individual students’ needs." Therefore, it is imperative that we, as educators, seriously consider how we can assist each individual student, regardless of their previous experiences or their current ability, to move forward, to grow and to learn. Fortunately everybody, no matter what their disability, can learn. Research into neuroplasticity has proven that the nervous system has the capacity to change its structure and ultimately its function over a life (Kolb, Muhammad and Gibb, 2011 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67)(Kolb, Muhammad and Gibb, 2011 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67). Therefore our brains are malleable, they are pliable and they can be transformed no matter what challenges may be present.
If the human brain is able to "adapt to environmental pressures, experiences, and challenges including brain damage" (Johansson 2011, p.147 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67) what is preventing certain students within our classrooms from learning? Unfortunately a great number of students, due to repeated negative experiences, develop learned helplessness, a condition where they believe that no matter how hard they try, failure will result (Tait, p.212). Dweck (2014) would refer to this as a fixed mindset. When students feel that they are not intelligent, that they are born with certain abilities and this cannot be changed, their mindset in fixed. It is our responsibility as educators to assist them to believe that this is in fact NOT TRUE!
What is required is a growth mindset! When students learn that what they know and what they can do is not fixed "equality can happen" (Dweck, 2014). "Adopting a growth mindset enables students to remain engaged and achieve well. Students with a growth mindset outperform controls because they believe in effort and are resilient in the face of setbacks. Teachers who have a growth mindset have students who improve faster. Changing students’ mindsets from a fixed (I can’t do any better) to a growth (I can improve) raises their achievement scores" (Fuller, n.d.).
Appendix A provides some more insightful information related to this topic.
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities
Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
1.6 Strategies to support full participation of students with disability
Demonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.
According to Hyde (2014, p.130) differentiation is "an overall approach to planning, teaching and managing the classroom that systematically takes into account individual students’ needs." Therefore, it is imperative that we, as educators, seriously consider how we can assist each individual student, regardless of their previous experiences or their current ability, to move forward, to grow and to learn. Fortunately everybody, no matter what their disability, can learn. Research into neuroplasticity has proven that the nervous system has the capacity to change its structure and ultimately its function over a life (Kolb, Muhammad and Gibb, 2011 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67)(Kolb, Muhammad and Gibb, 2011 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67). Therefore our brains are malleable, they are pliable and they can be transformed no matter what challenges may be present.
If the human brain is able to "adapt to environmental pressures, experiences, and challenges including brain damage" (Johansson 2011, p.147 as cited in Purje, 2014, p.67) what is preventing certain students within our classrooms from learning? Unfortunately a great number of students, due to repeated negative experiences, develop learned helplessness, a condition where they believe that no matter how hard they try, failure will result (Tait, p.212). Dweck (2014) would refer to this as a fixed mindset. When students feel that they are not intelligent, that they are born with certain abilities and this cannot be changed, their mindset in fixed. It is our responsibility as educators to assist them to believe that this is in fact NOT TRUE!
What is required is a growth mindset! When students learn that what they know and what they can do is not fixed "equality can happen" (Dweck, 2014). "Adopting a growth mindset enables students to remain engaged and achieve well. Students with a growth mindset outperform controls because they believe in effort and are resilient in the face of setbacks. Teachers who have a growth mindset have students who improve faster. Changing students’ mindsets from a fixed (I can’t do any better) to a growth (I can improve) raises their achievement scores" (Fuller, n.d.).
Appendix A provides some more insightful information related to this topic.
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