Running Head: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION

Developmentally-Appropriate Instruction

Emily Brannock

Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2018

DEVELOPEMENTALLY-APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION

Introduction

Instruction must meet a variety of standards, even in a single day; instruction should be

developmentally appropriate to the student’s age as well as differentiated to each learning level.

Instruction should allow each student to learn and accomplish daily learning goals. One of the

many jobs of a teacher is to understand the many aspects of their students’ life and abilities

(social, economic, age, abilities) (Radford, 2013, p. 172). Understanding developmental stages

of students is important so that teachers are more likely to be successful in their lessons. This

competency will include three different artifacts that will demonstrate appropriate instruction at

the developmental stage of my students.

Rationale for Selected Artifacts

The first lesson plan that was selected for this competency is a lesson on theme. I choose

this lesson as evidence of my competency in developmentally appropriate instruction. The SOL

ELA 4.5.13 is a standard that these fourth graders needed to learn. I spent time researching to

not only find a good book that would clearly tell my students a clear cut theme but also a book

that would keep their attention. When I found the book, Salt in His Shoes, I knew it would be

the perfect book to use; the kids loved it. Salt in His Shoes is a story about Michael Jordan and

how he learned to work hard and be patient to become a better basketball player. By choosing a

book I knew my students would enjoy, I knew they would be engaged and would be able to

grasp the lesson easier. The students also completed graphic organizers discussing what they

saw as the theme, big idea and supporting ideas; this allowed the students to write down their

ideas as well as communicate with their peers during the lesson.

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The second lesson plan included got my students up and moving. The students needed to

learn text structures; compare and contrast in nonfiction texts. I was able to come up with a

lesson that engaged the students and taught them what they needed to know. This lesson plan

not only taught students what they needed to know but it allowed them to work together. When

grouping students, I considered the placement of each student. Gifted or higher level students

were placed in each group with lower students so that they would be able to assist one another.

Students’ abilities were also considered when grouping them for the activity. The students

worked as a group to write down compare and contrast concepts on their Venn diagram. Before

students were grouped, I read the article to all students so that every student understood the text

that was used for the group activity. My students needed communication skills, teamwork and

critical thinking skills when they participated in this lesson. These two lessons are great

examples of how I was able to teach my fourth graders developmentally appropriate lessons. I

enjoyed the challenge of thinking outside the box to in turn challenge my students to think

differently but also consider ideas that they can relate to.

The third artifact is the diversity report from the fourth grade placement at Bettie F.

Williams. This was an eye opening experience where I as a teacher was forced to consider

different lifestyles than my own and anything I was use to. There are many different cultures

and diversity in the fourth grade classroom. This classroom not only had gifted students which

needed to be taken into consideration but also ESL students. This fourth grade classroom was

full of new experiences for me to cultivate new ideas and allow my mind to be opened for my

students. When creating lessons, I took my students into consideration. I feel that including this

diversity report is important because it shows the wide variety of students that were needed to

take into consideration when planning lessons.

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Reflection on Theory and Practice

Reflecting on developmentally appropriate instruction, I can truly say that through

Regent Education classes, I am prepared to consider what is necessary to teach all students. The

artifacts that I used are clear examples of my understanding and ability to examine all students’

needs and to apply the knowledge. Radford (2013) stated that, “diversity illustrates that all

students are unique and that teaching to varying needs in today’s classroom is a complex task”

(p. 148). Understanding what is developmentally, individually and culturally important to each

student means so much in the classroom today. Taking the time to consider these aspects allows

teachers to provide their students with applicable and meaningful learning experiences that

students can relate to. “When we design classrooms, lessons, curricular projects, and routines

according to our knowledge of students’ strength and needs, we create classrooms that allow

students to be more successful, both socially and academically.” (Anderson, 2010, p. 2). It is

truly interesting what we can accomplish when we open our minds to all that our students needs.
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Resources

Anderson, M. 2010. What Every 4th Grade Teacher Needs to Know About Setting Up and

Running a Classroom.

Radford, C.P. (2013). Strategies for Successful Student Teaching. Boston, MA: Pearson.