Departments 2015/2016 Research Work A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON THE ROLE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN EFFECTIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHING

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A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON THE ROLE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN EFFECTIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHING

A GROUNDED THEORY STUDY ON THE ROLE OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN EFFECTIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHING

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a model explaining the role of differentiated instruction DI in effective middle school science teaching. The study examined the best teaching practices and differentiated elements from eight general education middle school science teachers, all scoring at the highest level of a teaching effectiveness measure on their evaluations, through a collection of observational, interview, survey, and teaching artifact data. The data were analyzed through the methodology of a systematic grounded theory qualitative approach using open, axial, and selective coding to develop a model describing how and to what degree effective middle school science teachers differentiated their best teaching practices. The model that emerged from the data shows instruction as a fourphase process and highlights the major elements of best practices and DI represented at each phase. The model also depicts how teachers narrowed the scope of their differentiating strategies as instruction progressed. The participants incorporated DI into their pedagogies, though in different degrees at each phase, and primarily by using variety to present concepts with multiple types of instruction followed by a series of sensemaking activities related to several learning modalities. Teachers scaffolded students carefully, using informal and formal assessment data to inform future instructional decisions and especially their plans to reteach or extend on a concept. The model is intended to provide insight into the value of DI for middle school science teaching.

Keywords: differentiated instruction, middle grades, best practices, science teaching

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

For all the change in the world of the public school teacher, many challenges are ironically the same. Oneroom schoolhouses challenged teachers to meet the range of learning needs that a set of students brings into a single class Tomlinson, 1999. Today, even with the dramatic change of the past century that saw transportation shrink the distances between communities and the advent of the Internet that linked people to more information than has ever been available, teachers still face the timeless challenge of meeting the learning needs of a diverse set of students in a single classroom. To address the diverse learning needs of a group of students, teachers are challenged to identify a variety of teaching strategies to best reach all of their students. Teachers must also continue to refine their instruction as their students and their classroom environment change in response to the evertransforming social context. As the social context of classrooms change, so too must teachers knowledge of their students and their instruction as a response to that knowledge. Understanding what makes teaching effective and how to adapt instruction to meet the specific needs of the individuals is essential to ensuring that all students are given the best opportunities to learn.

Differentiated instruction DI is a system of teaching strategies based on a philosophy geared towards addressing classroom diversity including students various levels of achievement, levels of readiness, interests, preferences, and background experiences Tomlinson, 1999; Sousa amp; Tomlinson, 2011. It is not one specific strategy, nor is it necessarily one set of strategies. It is a responsive pedagogy built upon knowing ones students and adapting instruction to meet their needs. Therefore, DI may take on different appearances from classroom to classroom Tomlinson, 1999. DIs common intent is to maximize each students growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is and assisting in the learning process Hall, ...Get Complete Material.


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