Chosen Issue
The main aim of this paper is to discuss the importance of differentiation strategies in increasing student engagement and comprehension. In order to study the question at hand in a very thorough manner, and understand the different aspects of the same, a research study is to be conducted. This report talks about the proposed research study in this area, and also conducts a literature review, where the research questions and the findings of the study are critically analysed with the aim of understanding the relationship dynamic between differentiation strategies, student engagement and student comprehension (Ocampo, 2018).
Chosen Issue: In the field of education, differentiation strategies are used by educators in order to ensure that students who begin with different extent of knowledge in different areas of their educational curriculum are being provided with an equal chance of learning and succeeding. As a result, the coursework or the different concepts included with the educational curriculum can be changed or revised by the educator (Setyosari, Kuswandi & Widiati, 2021). These strategies are helpful for many students as it not only provides them with an opportunity to truly learn from their coursework and improve their basic knowledge in different areas, but also provides them with the ability of starting from the same place, so that they can catch up to the more advanced students.
Pedagogical Importance: The main importance of utilization of differentiation strategies among children is to help them develop a strong basis for their further education. These methods help introduce a child into the learning process, and helps them understand the different learning processes. These strategies are often used by educators to help teach young children who has had limited exposure to quality education or effective educators (Chandra Handa, 2020). The two most important aspects of differentiation strategies are being outlined below.
- The effective utilization of the differentiation strategies is done to help young students think creatively and flexibly, thus improving their understanding and their creativity. These children are also provided with the necessary tools that helps nullify both their strengths and weaknesses, as the whole class starts their education from the same base, and the tests are also structured accordingly (Duke, Ward & Pearson, 2021).
- These strategies play a major role on increasing both curiosity and engagement of the students to a certain extent. Furthermore, the ability of the student to comprehend a problem before resolving them is also developed through the implementation of differentiation strategies in the field.
Differentiation strategies:
Differentiation strategies are defined as the different strategies that an educator needs to implement in order to ensure that all the students under their supervision are being grouped based on their prior educational knowledge as well as exposure to the basic concepts of learning. One of the articles that were chosen for this literature review revealed that the most significant research questions that were chosen in this area of study were the identification of the different strategies that are helpful and how the same are to be incorporated into the teaching curriculum. Studies revealed that the proper application of differentiation strategies have a positive impact on the learning processes of the young students (Kim et al., 2021). However, if the correct strategies are not used, or the same are not implemented in a proper manner, the learning process of the child was impacted in a negative manner. Another aspect of the research studies conducted in this area reveal that, for students with different learning issues, different and appropriate differentiation strategies are to be implemented. Their progress after the implementation of these strategies is to be monitored periodically, and any necessary changes are made within the same. Thus, inclusion of the correct differentiation strategies for different students are also to be studied as a part of the research study that is to be conducted.
Pedagogical Importance
Student engagement and comprehension:
Student engagement is defined as the degree of attention and curiosity that a student develops during the process of learning. On the other hand, student comprehension is defined as the process of the reding, understanding and interpreting different information. Research studies conducted in this area have revealed that a student is able to comprehend any task that is being given to them, and then doing the same is a positive learning outcome (Jang, Henretty & Waymouth, 2018). The main research questions that arose in different areas of the student engagement and comprehension were that of the different strategies that the educators might utilize in order to improve upon the engagement and comprehension of the students under their supervision. It has been seen that if a young student has developed a proper base in a particular language, both their engagement as well as their comprehension in that particular area is increased manifold. Therefore, it was seen that the introduction of proper differentiation strategies and their implementation was a good way to achieve better learning outcomes for young students. The research question that has been identified for the research study proposed in this report will discuss the different ways in which student engagement and comprehension can be increased manifold. This research question is to be answered with the help of the data collected from different sources, as well as the results of the analysis of the same.
Role of differentiation strategies in student engagement and comprehension:
Differentiation strategies are seen to have a positive impact on a student as it does not force them to catch up with basic knowledge in different area, before having to start learning new concepts. With some changes in the educational curriculum, a child’s learning ability can be boosted significantly. Research studies conducted in this area also revealed that the proper choice and implementation of differentiation strategies have a positive impact on the learning process for young children. This is because their engagement and comprehension of the students are boosted as well. One of the most common research questions that have been identified in this area of study asks how differentiation strategies are closely related to student engagement and comprehension. This is also the primary focus of the research study that has been proposed in this report. Other articles and journals on this topic also state that the link between differentiation strategies, student engagement and comprehension is a positive one (Hiver, Al- Hoorie & Mercer, 2020). However, in some cases, poor implementation of such strategies, combined with the same has been seen to have a negative impact on the learning process of a child. The extent of these positive and negative impacts of differentiation strategy in student engagement and comprehension will also be studied as a part of the proposed research study.
The educator should first identify the reading and learning level of their students. Once the same has been done, they need to utilize different strategies to help the students improve. The different research papers identified on this topic reveal the following useful differentiation strategies.
- Introducing the students to different books that have varying levels of readability, so that the reading skills of different students are boosted. In doing so, the educator should ask all children to study a particular topic, keeping in mind their readability levels. Being able to do the same boosts the student’s confidence and helps create a curiosity in different areas of study.
- When a new topic is to be introduced to a group of students, some students may not be able understand the same verbally. In such cases, the educator should introduce visual mediums for teaching. This spikes the interest among the student, and has a positive impact on their learning process.
- Another strategy identified in relevant research papers outline the importance of mini- lessons in relation to the topic at hand. Mini- lessons help students in retaining new information that they have learnt, and try to interpret the same. This is not overwhelming for a child and allows for their curiosity to grow with time. Students move seamlessly from product work to learning stations, resources, and mini-lessons based on what they know. However, not all students may need the mini-lesson, so you can offer or demand it for the students who will really benefit.
Differentiation Strategies
Methodology: In order to conduct a research study in the area of study outlined in this essay, a primary research study is to be conducted in this area. Both quantitative and qualitative research studies may be conducted, in order to study the topic in really depth, and understand the impact of differentiation strategies on student engagement and comprehension. The different research questions that are relevant to this proposed research study, has been identified from the literature review conducted in this topic in this report. In order to find the answers to these research questions, the qualitative study will be conducted among 15 school students under the age of 12 who were under such differentiation strategies. A structured interview questionnaire is to be developed for this study, and the data collected from the same are to be analysed. For the quantitative research study, any student under the age of 12 as well as an educator who uses differentiation strategies as a part of their teaching process are chosen as participants. A total of 221 participants were chosen for this research study (Sokmen, 2021). The survey questionnaire that is to be used for this research study is also to be prepared in a structured manner so that the identified research questions can be answered effectively, after the analysis process.
Analysis: One of the most important stages of a research study is proper analysis of the data collected from both qualitative and quantitative research studies that are conducted among the chosen participants. A number of different methods of analysis are available for segregating the collected data, and discussing the implications of the same on the research study. The findings from this analysis are the basis for the answers to the identified research questions. When analysing the data collected from the qualitative research, the method of narrative is to be used to identify the findings from the same, as well as their implications on the topic at hand. On the other hand, analysis for the data collected from the quantitative study, a statistical analysis of the same is to be conducted in a very critical manner. The findings from these two types of studies are compared with each other, and the findings from the study are to be derived from the same.
Ethical considerations: Ethical considerations are an important part of all research studies. Thus, it becomes the duty or the responsibility of the research team to ensure that they are prepared to deal with any ethical issue that might arise during the research study. A few common ethical considerations are being outlined below.
- The ethical issue of confidentiality is extremely important. All the individuals taking part in the research study are to be made aware of the fact that the study itself will not require any personal information from the participants. Furthermore, the information that is to be collected from them are only to be used for academic purposes (Cho et al, 2019).
- Getting the consent of all individuals who have been chosen as parts of the research study is also an important issue that needs to be addressed, before the qualitative or the quantitative study is conducted. For qualitative studies, the consent forms are provided to the participants, which they have to sign in order to take part in a research study. On the other hand, online consent forms are generated for the participants who have been chosen for this research study.
- The choice of the proper pool of participants for the research study is extremely important when outlining the inclusion- exclusion criteria. If not done in a methodical manner, participants who are a part of the same community or have similar cultural influences may be chosen for a research study. This leads to the development of a bias within the study, and the authenticity and reliability of the same are compromised (Xu, Chen & Chen, 2020).
References:
Chandra Handa, M. (2020). Examining students’ and teachers’ perceptions of differentiated practices, student engagement, and teacher qualities. Journal of Advanced Academics, 31(4), 530-568. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1932202X20931457
Cho, E., Toste, J. R., Lee, M., & Ju, U. (2019). Motivational predictors of struggling readers’ reading comprehension: The effects of mindset, achievement goals, and engagement. Reading and Writing, 32(5), 1219-1242. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-018-9908-8
Duke, N. K., Ward, A. E., & Pearson, P. D. (2021). The science of reading comprehension instruction. The Reading Teacher, 74(6), 663-672. https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/trtr.1993
Hiver, P., Al-Hoorie, A. H., & Mercer, S. (Eds.). (2020). Student engagement in the language classroom. Multilingual Matters. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RqMJEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT6&dq=Hiver,+P.,+Al-Hoorie,+A.+H.,+%26+Mercer,+S.+(Eds.).+(2020).+Student+engagement+in+the+language+classroom.+Multilingual+Matters.&ots=LAQsHORtzo&sig=SCPyItvFjbbPIKshCbAlPvfsRuk
Jang, B. G., Henretty, D., & Waymouth, H. (2018). A pentagonal pyramid model for differentiation in literacy instruction across the disciplines. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 62(1), 45-53. https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jaal.757
Kim, J. S., Burkhauser, M. A., Mesite, L. M., Asher, C. A., Relyea, J. E., Fitzgerald, J., & Elmore, J. (2021). Improving reading comprehension, science domain knowledge, and reading engagement through a first-grade content literacy intervention. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(1), 3. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-ZsqnXIAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra
Ocampo, D. M. (2018). Effectiveness of Differentiated Instruction in the Reading Comprehension Level of Grade-11 Senior High School Students. Online Submission, 6(4), 1-10. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED613584
Setyosari, P., Kuswandi, D., & Widiati, U. (2021). Reading Comprehension Skills: The Effect of Online Flipped Classroom Learning and Student Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic. European Journal of Educational Research, 10(4), 1613-1624. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1318607
Sökmen, Y. (2021). The role of self-efficacy in the relationship between the learning environment and student engagement. Educational Studies, 47(1), 19-37. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03055698.2019.1665986
Xu, B., Chen, N. S., & Chen, G. (2020). Effects of teacher role on student engagement in WeChat-Based online discussion learning. Computers & Education, 157, 103956.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131520301548
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
