Course: Practicum 1a

Code: EPC 1403

Observation Task 6: Different

learning styles and differentiation

Prepared by: Hend Saeed Alyammahi

ID: H00357629
Prepared to: Ms. Hamda Al-awadi
Date of submission: Sunday July 1, 2018
Observation Task 6: Different learning styles and
differentiation
Focus: On a higher-level learner.
Objective: For student teachers to gain an initial understanding of how learners are different.
Procedure:
1. Ask the teacher to help you choose a higher-level learner in the class.
2. Observe the learners all day and make notes on a schedule (see below).
3. After the observation answer:
• How many different activities did the learner do?
• How did s/he interact with the other learners throughout the day?
• What was the longest period of time the learner spent focusing on one
activity?
• What did the learner do during the break times?
• What did the learner’s attention span / interest during activities seem
like?
• What did the learner seem to like doing the most / least during the day?

Here is an example of notes from observation of higher-level child:

Time Activity (what is the Notes (what happens during the activity?)
learner doing?)
9.30 Teacher gives out a math Faten is hands out the materials and shows
activity to do in groups. another child how to do the math.
9.50 Teacher plays a game Faten is shy and refuses to play until the teacher
with the whole class. calls her name.
Observation Task 6: Record sheet - A day in the life of a higher-level learner
Follow a learner for a day and write down the activities and movements in the table
below.
Name: Wadima Ahmed Age: 20 years old Level: 2 of foundation

Date of observation: June 17, 2018 to June 19, 2018

Note: the activities that Level two students do are the same. But, the teacher has extra
activities for the advanced students who finish early.
Time Activity / Notes / comments
Movement
10 mins Crossword Wadima finished the activity in 7 mins. She asked the
teacher to give her the answer key so she can check her
answers

20 mins Finding the Wadima was very excited when the teacher gave them
words in the grid this activity. She finished it in 15 mins then teacher
allows her to leave the class for break.
10 mins unscrambling Wadima used her word list to unscramble the words. It
words took her the whole ten minutes to finish this activity.
10 mins Finding the Wadima searched for the meaning of all the words at
definition in home. The techer asked her to help her colleague Sara.
Arabic
12 mins Matching the That was a group work activity. Wadima gave each
words to the member three words to find their definition and they had
definition to send it to her so she can put them all in one
document.
Reflection
The following question may guide your response:

 What was the same or different about the two learners?

 What did you notice that relates to the theories we have been discussing?
 What interested or surprised you?

Differentiation (high level)

In the classroom that I observed this teaching practice, some students were having
higher abilities than others like Wadima. As a level two of foundation, she had a better
prior knowledge in accordance to vocabulary, grammar, and reading. This knowledge
enabled her to finish the assigned task earlier than everybody else. Furthermore, she was
very interested and excited during the lessons which encourage the other students to act
like her. Even though, the activities were the same for the whole class my MST had extra
“interesting” activity for that student. Activities like Kahoot, Quizlet, Crossword, and
Word Puzzles. Also, sometimes that student get to leave five minutes earlier or not to
have a homework.

In my opinion, I think the strategy that my MST applied with that higher-level student
was effective. If she had to create advanced activities, they are more likely to be boring
and hard for that student. But, having her doing extra interesting work encouraged her to
practice more. According to Levy (2008), it is important to provide the student with extra
practices before moving him/her to the next concept, even though he/she might be very
good at this particular concept. Additionally, when the teacher let Wadima to leave early,
the other students were motivated to finish early and accurately to get that advantage as
well. Moreover, I liked when the teacher asked Wadima to help her colleagues. That
gives her more authority and extra role in the classroom, which minimize the chance for
her to disturb others.
 In the future, as a teacher of elementary school I will try to apply differentiation in
my classroom. Especially with the advanced students because, I want to strengthen their
abilities and knowledge. In addition, I don’t’ want them to lose their passion and curiosity
which might affect their talent. Also, something to be considered is to create “interesting
and joyful” advanced activity because, I don’t want them to feel board or over-used.
Finally, I believe that every mind in my classroom has his/her potential, ability and
power. So, I will make sure to give each child what they can handle.

Reference:

Levy, H. M. (2008). Meeting the needs of all students through differentiated instruction:
Helping every child reach and exceed standards. Clearing House, 8(4), 161-164.