Page 39 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 9–12 | Classical Studies and International Languages

A Differentiated Approach to Teaching and Learning
A differentiated approach to teaching and learning, as part of a framework for effective classroom practice, involves adapting instruction and assessment in response to differing student interests, learning preferences, and readiness in order to promote growth in learning.
An understanding of students’ strengths and needs, as well as of their backgrounds, life experiences, and possible emotional vulnerabilities, can help teachers identify and address the diverse strengths and needs of their students. Teachers continually build their awareness of students’ learning strengths and needs by observing and assessing their readiness to learn, their interests, and their learning styles and preferences. As teachers develop and deepen their understanding of individual students, they can respond more effectively to the students’ needs by differentiating instructional approaches – adjusting the method or pace of instruction, using different types of resources, allowing a wider choice of topics, even adjusting the learning environment, if appropriate, to suit the way their students learn and how they are best able to demonstrate their learning. Differentiation is planned as part of the overall learning design but also includes adaptations made during the teaching and learning process in response to assessment for learning. What students learn continues to be guided by the curriculum expectations and remains the same for all students.
In the international languages classroom, it is often necessary to support learning across a range of language levels – there are often a wide variety of students with diverse language backgrounds, strengths, needs, and motivations. For example, although credit courses in international languages begin at the secondary school level, many students bring prior knowledge of languages to these programs. Students may have developed such knowledge through the non-credit International Languages Elementary (ILE) program offered in some Ontario schools. Some students may speak an international language at home, or may have studied a classical language in their country of origin. Other students may have used, or had extensive exposure to, additional languages thanks to community events, media and electronic communications, or personal relationships. Differentiated instruction is an essential tool to meet the needs of students with different levels of prior experience.
Lesson Design
Effective lesson design involves several important elements. Teachers engage students
in a lesson by activating their prior learning and experiences, clarifying the purpose for learning, and making connections to contexts that will help them see the relevance and usefulness of what they are learning. Teachers select instructional strategies to effectively introduce concepts, and consider how they will scaffold instruction in ways that will best meet the needs of their students. At the same time, they consider when and how to check students’ understanding and to assess their progress towards achieving their learning goals. Teachers provide multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills and to consolidate and reflect on their learning. A three-part lesson design (e.g., “Minds On, Action, and Consolidation”) is often used to structure these elements.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR PROGRAM PLANNING IN CLASSICAL STUDIES AND INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES
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