Join us as we explore the art of differentiation in education, revealing how personalised teaching strategies can effectively meet individual student needs and foster inclusivity, transforming classroom dynamics and empowering every student to reach their full potential.

Our guests in this episode - Dr Penny Round and Madaline Curtain dive into the essential teaching strategy of differentiation. They explore how adapting lessons to cater to the unique needs of every student creates a nurturing educational environment.

Together, we explore:

• The role differentiation and why personalised instruction and inclusivity is so important in the classroom.
• Understanding individual student profiles including their learning styles and unique needs forms the foundation for effective teaching strategies.
• Strategies for adapting teaching methods including modifying task complexity, scaffolding and classroom pacing to support diverse learning needs.
• The importance of documenting educational adaptations and collaboratively setting goals with students to track progress.
• The role of ongoing assessment and feedback in improving educational outcomes.
• How building strong, supportive relationships with students and recognising their successes is critical in creating positive and inclusive classroom environments.
• How collaboration and resource sharing with colleagues can enhance the implementation of differentiated strategies and enrich teaching practices.
• Practical examples of how you can seamlessly integrate differentiation into daily lesson planning, ensuring that teacher adjustments are both manageable and effective.

With actionable tips and valuable resources, this episode aims to empower educators to adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of all students, ensuring every individual’s potential is maximised through innovative and personalised educational strategies. Join us today and Let’s Talk Teaching.

Resources:

• Simply Kinder
• Twinkl
• Australian Journal of Teacher Education ‘Differentiated Instruction at Work. Reinforcing the art of classroom observation through the the creation of a checklist for beginning and pre-service teachers’
• ‘Preparing beginning teachers for inclusion: designing and assessing supplementary fieldwork experiences’

Other suggested resources:

• Top teacher
• Mrs learning bee
• Elizabeth Richards and mta for support resources (furniture, sensory etc)
• Diverse Learners Hub (Department of Education)
• High Ability Toolkit - Identifying High Potential
• Universal Design for Learning (Cast)
• PBIS World

Special Guests:

Dr Penny Round
Lecturer in Inclusive and Special Education - Monash University

Madaline Curtin
Learning Specialist and Foundation Teacher - Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School, Cranbourne

If you’re enjoying Let’s Talk Teaching, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review! You can follow us on Instagram, X and Facebook, and share your thoughts on the show by using the hashtag #letstalkteachingpodcast

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We are grateful for the support of Monash University’s Faculty of Education in producing this podcast.