Communicating Effectively With Parents About Differentiated Instruction

Communicating effectively with parents about the way you meet the diverse learning needs of your students can help to create a supportive partnership between parent and teacher. If Differentiated Instruction is a mainstay in your classroom then you are aware of the unique learning environment you are creating for your students. Parents will become empowered to help their child learn in different ways by understanding the concept of this teaching method. I would recommend beginning your explanation by defining Differentiated Instruction. Basically, it is a learner-centered teaching method that modifies curriculum to meet the wide range of learner needs within the classroom.

Citing several examples of Differentiated Instruction will give parents an idea of the modifications you make in the classroom to accommodate different learning styles.

Examples of Differentiated Instruction Used in the Classroom

• Flexible Grouping - Organizes students into different groups based on readiness and interest.
• Scaffolding - Teacher models a concept or activity and then encourages students during participation.
• Compacting - Enables students to skip content they already know and move to more advanced work.
• Tiering - Gives students of different learning levels parallel tasks at different levels of complexity.

It would be wise to reassure parents that tasks and groupings are ever changing, and that you continually assess each student's skills and progress.

Introducing parents to several aspects of Differentiated Instruction will help them understand how this teaching method encourages students to be active learners, and nurtures creative spirit.

Through the process of effectively communicating important aspects of Differentiated Instruction, you may find a bond develop with parents as you work together to ensure student success and independence.