Differentiated instruction (DI) has been gaining attention in recent years as educators realize its potential in classroom teaching and learning. As educators recognise that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, there is a need to understand that pupils enter the classroom with varying degree of differences in their readiness levels, interests and learning profiles. Therefore, pupils will learn more effectively and efficiently when teachers differentiate their instructions in class according to the content being taught, process of learning or pupil’s product according to each pupil’s needs. In order to better facilitate DI, ICT could be integrated into such lessons to further enhance pupils’ learning.
As uses of tablets (for example, iPads) become increasingly widespread, it would be beneficial for educators to tap into its potential affordances for teaching. Tablets are interactive and their capability to run various multimedia functions could better engage pupils during the learning process. They are also mobile, which allows for traditional classroom lessons to be carried out outdoors or on-the-go. Their ability to stay connected to the internet through cellular data also allows teachers to monitor and assess pupils in real-time. As pupils are familiar with tablets and their functions, this will enable lessons to be conducted smoothly. Lastly, the large repertoire of applications that is readily available could also be taken advantage of. This session aims to create an Upper Primary English lesson by harnessing the affordances of a tablet in developing a seamless DI lesson. We will be utilizing the following application – Nearpod for the demonstration. Within the application, pupils are able to draw images, take photographs and answer questions in various formats. Their responses would then be submitted to the teacher who is able to check and assess their progress simultaneously. The teacher is also able to dispatch each of the responses to all pupils through the application for discussion.
As the session aims to explore the possibility of creating differentiated activities within an ICT platform, participants are encouraged to suggest and experiment with possible modifications to the activities. It also aims to look into how pupils will get to experience both self-directed and collaborative learning through the various differentiated activities. Lastly, the session will end by discussing the benefits and sustainability of conducting a DI lesson using Nearpod or other related applications on a tablet.
