Not every student has the same learning style or speed, so many students struggle in traditional school systems. Fortunately, some educators have developed a solution to this problem: differentiated learning.
Differentiated learning curriculums are adapted to meet the needs of individual students. They help students stay engaged and provide extra learning resources when needed to help them to succeed.
What Is Differentiated Learning?
A differentiated learning curriculum is exactly what it sounds like: a school curriculum that can be adjusted and personalized. This type of curriculum gives students the opportunity to learn somewhat independently and try different routes when learning.
Differentiated learning allows teachers to provide lessons that meet the needs of every student, regardless of their learning style or speed. They also allow each individual student to move at their own pace. The focus is on individual learning needs and strengths rather than the class average.
Traditional school curriculums are often planned in advance for the whole class, leaving little to no room for adjustment based on how each student is performing. This means that many students may either fall behind or stop paying attention out of boredom. Students often have no opportunities for further exploration during class time.
With a more personalized approach to learning, students and teachers can work together to tailor their education, allowing everyone to feel supported and engaged throughout the year.
Why Schools Need Differentiated Learning Options
Differentiated or personalized learning has been gaining popularity over the years, especially after nearly two years of remote learning. Educators have found that there are many benefits of adopting differentiated learning rather than only using traditional teaching styles.
Below are just a few of the ways in which personalized curriculum options can help students succeed:
1. Children can learn at their own pace.
Differentiated learning allows students to learn at their own pace. In traditional schooling, it is likely that some students will fall behind if the class is moving through a lesson at a faster rate, while others will lose interest if the class moves too slowly for them.
With a personalized curriculum, students who understand a lesson quickly can pause to dive deeper into the subject if it is of particular interest to them. On the other hand, students who are having a harder time with a subject can slow down if they require a bit more time to understand the content.
2. Students can dig deeper into topics that interest them.
Unlike traditional curriculums which may force students to breeze past lessons that are uniquely interesting to them, differentiated learning curriculums allow students to take time to dive into subjects that excite them.
By providing students with additional assignments or lessons that help them delve into certain topics, you can give students the chance to indulge in more learning when they crave it. They may be more likely to develop a love of learning and become lifelong learners.
3. Differentiated learning options encourage students to explore and develop research skills.
Differentiated learning helps students to learn the art of research. In most cases, the curriculum teaches students to find their own sources of information on the topics they are studying, especially if they advance ahead of the class into extended learning.
With extra exploration and research, students get to see different angles of each subject and gain a more well rounded view of the concepts they learn.
About Yeti Academy’s Differentiated Learning
Yeti Academy modules offer seven learning modalities to give students different ways to learn and grow in their education. Our courses include enrichment activities for students who may speed through the lessons quicker than their classmates. At the same time, we support students who may be struggling with a concept by offering them strategic practice assignments.
Try Yeti Academy Today!
Yeti Academy’s custom STEM curriculum offers personalized learning resources to give teachers and students the knowledge driving the workforce of tomorrow. We offer a full suite of tech-based modalities and lessons which can be easily navigated by educators and students alike.
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