Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Professional Inquiry Project- Findings

Background Information
Placement Context
My placement was conducted at a Category 6 school located in the north-eastern suburbs. It has a
population of 508 students. Over 40 percent of these students come from international backgrounds.
The school has a strong STEM focus and its’ ethos is centred around purpose of developing students to
be resilient problem solvers, innovators and productive global citizens. Its specialist subject areas are
HASS, Japanese, Science, Art and P.E.

The classroom context consists of 24 children, 10 of which are Year 1’s and 14 are Year 2’s. A number of
Year 2 students struggle with their learning, however no learning impairments have been diagnosed.
Although 4 students require additional literacy sessions with an SSO, no NEP’s have been assigned to
any students in the class.

Curriculum Area
My original intention for this inquiry project was to have it focussed upon the learning area of narrative
writing. Due to timing constraints and assessment requirements, however, I was forced to change to the
learning area of 2D and 3D shapes. The broad learning outcomes for this unit were selected from the
Measurement and Geography strand of the Mathematics curriculum area of the Australian Curriculum.
The content descriptors within the Shape sub-strand of particular focus were: “Recognise and classify
familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects using obvious features (ACMMG022)”
and “Describe the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)” (ACARA 2018).

I also generated the specific learning outcomes of:

 Students can distinguish the difference between 2D and 3D shapes

 Students can identify and count the features of corners and sides to identify 2D shapes
 Students can identify and count the features of faces, edges and vertices to identify 3D shapes
 Students are familiarised with drawing and constructing 2D and 3D shapes

Pedagogical Focus
This Professional Inquiry Project will investigate the topic of differentiation in the classroom. The specific
aim of this inquiry will be to uncover what differentiation strategies effectively maximise the learning
potential of each student by accounting for their individual learning needs. This addresses AITSL
Standard 1.5, which states that Graduate teachers should be able to “differentiate teaching to meet the
specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities” (AITSL 2018).

There are multiple reasons I have chosen this pedagogical area to focus on for this inquiry. The first is
due to previous experiences I have had whilst on placement. I have been able to engage with a range of
year levels and students from diverse backgrounds. This presented me with an opportunity to observe
first-hand the many learning abilities that different children offer. I was then challenged to teach these
students, and I immediately was confronted by the need to adjust lesson plans and provide additional
resources to those children who found my lessons too difficult or easy. Although these experiences were
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

beneficial periods of learning, I believe that this facet of my pedagogy was not given its required
importance. I often found myself only adding minor sections on my lesson plans regarding pre-prepared
differentiation strategies, or not finding the time to plan for differentiation entirely. This would result in
repeated failures to adequately engage students and allow them to achieve their full learning potential.

Another reason I have decided upon this focus is due to its significance in providing the best teaching
and learning to all students. When teachers are implementing effective differentiation into their
planning for learning and teaching, students will be appropriately challenged, and engagement can then
take place (Tomlinson & Moon 2013, p. 6). Differentiation, therefore, is a necessary pedagogical skill
that all teachers must develop if students are expected to achieve their highest potential (Hedrick 2012,
p. 31; Tkachov & Pollnow 2011, p. 32).

Process
Data for this inquiry project was collected using a variety of methods. A prior knowledge activity was
used to ascertain students’ level of understanding of 2D and 3D shapes and their features; this level of
understanding was transferred into a table for my own use (See Appendices A). In my lesson plans I have
also clearly identified resources or additional activities and strategies I have implemented to engage and
challenge specific students, dependent on the level they are at. Data collection and analysis will also be
undertaken following lessons by having students fill out a feedback form (See Appendices D). This will
entail a multi-faceted approach to my overall pedagogy to support the specific area of differentiation
(Tomlinson & Moon 2013, p. 2). I intend to demonstrate how I have considered and adjusted the
content that I teach, the process by which I teach and the way I encourage children to demonstrate their
learning (Monaghan 2016, p. 10; Tomlinson 2001, p. 4; Robb & Bucci 2015, p. 15). I will also exhibit how
students responded to this approach.

Findings
Prior Knowledge
To introduce the Shapes unit, I first conducted a prior knowledge activity to obtain information
regarding students’ understanding of the topic. In my lesson plan (See Appendices B) I have identified
what differentiation strategies were considered. Although differentiation was less relevant in a lesson
such as this, I still utilised strategies such as group work and open-ended tasks. Examples of student
prior knowledge posters (See Appendices C) demonstrate a range of understanding, with some groups
focussing on the colour of the shapes they had been sorting with, whilst others attempted terminology
such as ‘parallel’. This information, combined with my own observations, enabled me to fill out a table
of student understanding about the learning area (See Appendices A). This information influenced how I
differentiated learning for multiple students throughout the unit.

Shapes Pizza

In my lesson plan for the following learning activity (See Appendices E) my outcomes were that students
be familiarised with more obscure 2D shapes. They had demonstrated sound understanding of basic 2D
shapes and their features in the prior knowledge task so I did not intend to spend too much time on this
topic. Students were encouraged to select a wide range of shapes, but they did have the freedom to
select whichever shapes they were comfortable with. Extension opportunities included selecting more
difficult shapes and/or writing the features of those shapes. In hindsight, I believe I could have more
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

effectively extended the more confident students. This was reflected in the results from the feedback
sheet that the students completed following the lesson:

Student Feedback Results

Was that lesson: Too easy Too hard Just right
14 0 10
Did you find that No Sort of Yes
lesson interesting? 2 15 7
How happy were you Not very Just okay Very happy
with what you made? 4 17 3
Notable Comments “I like the kites”
“Rhombus looks the same as diamond”
“Really easy”
“I wanted my own shapes”
I concluded from these results and discussions with my mentor teacher and critical friend that the lesson
was not open-ended enough and struggled to challenge students with higher understanding. If I did this
lesson again, I would allow students to cut out their own shapes instead of having them provided.

3D object construction
In the lesson plan for this learning activity (see Appendices G), the intended outcomes were that
students would develop their understanding of 3D shape features; namely faces, edges and vertices. The
differentiation strategies for content, process and product include modelling the labelling of shapes,
having shapes available for students to use as a blueprint and keeping the task open-ended so students
can select their own level of difficulty. I believe the differentiation in this level was much more
successful, and improved upon the lack of open-endedness in the previous lesson. This was reflected in
the student work examples (See Appendices H) and the following feedback results:

Student Feedback Results

Was that lesson: Too easy Too hard Just right
0 3 20
Did you find that No Sort of Yes
lesson interesting? 0 0 23
How happy were you Not very Just okay Very happy
with what you made? 3 2 18
Notable Comments “I liked making shapes but sticks keep falling down”
“I like my shapes”
“I wanted to make more shapes”
The comments suggest that the students who found the task too hard struggled with the construction
aspect of the lesson. If I undertook this lesson again I would use a ‘fishbowl’ strategy that allows all
students in the class to observe me model how to construct a 3D object using the provided materials.
Overall I was pleased with how my differentiation strategies had improved from the previous lesson.
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Summative Assessment Task

This was the final learning activity for the shapes unit. My mentor teacher provided me with feedback
that my lessons lacked written evidence in comparison to her own. Taking this into consideration, I
constructed an assessment task that required students to write down what they knew to clearly
demonstrate the progression of their learning over the unit. I found differentiation more difficult to
account for in a predominantly written assessment task. I needed to allow for all levels of ability to be
shown; I did this by having a wide array of shapes ranging from familiar to obscure for students to
identify. I also had students draw and label the features of shapes. More confident students selected
more complex shapes, while less confident students chose simpler shapes. The student work samples
(See Appendices H) demonstrate the range of abilities shown in this assessment task.

Student Feedback Results

Was that lesson: Too easy Too hard Just right
0 8 16
Did you find that No Sort of Yes
lesson interesting? 3 11 10
How happy were you Not very Just okay Very happy
with what you made? 4 15 5
Notable Comments “It was hard to remember all the shapes”
“I know lots of new shapes”
“I couldn’t count edges on my drawing”
“I like my cube that I drew”
I engaged in reflective discussion with my mentor teacher and she was satisfied with the outcome of the
summative assessment task. My own personal reflection, particularly in relation to the feedback results,
was that I could have provided a more engaging assessment task that catered to student interests. The
comments suggested that some students were overwhelmed by the number of shapes and found it
difficult to count the features of their drawn shapes. I believe I could have improved this aspect by
offering concrete materials for students to count instead. I also would have liked more students to find
the lesson more interesting and be ‘very happy’ with what they had made. In my own classroom I intend
to plan and implement assessment items that allow for all students to utilise their strengths and display
them creatively.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I have greatly benefited from the process of analysing my own practices, seeking to make
changes, implementing them in the classroom and reflecting upon their effectiveness. I have found the
strategy of considering how the content, process and product of a learning activity can be differentiated
to be very helpful and it will remain a permanent addition to my lesson plans. Although I believe
successful differentiation to be a lifelong endeavour, I was pleased to see the progression of my ability
to implement differentiation strategies over the 5 week period which is evident in the snapshot
described in this report.
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

References
ACARA 2018, Mathematics, Australian Curriculum, ACARA, viewed 19 September 2018,
<https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/mathematics/>.

AITSL 2018, Australian professional standards for teachers, AITSL, viewed 10 September 2018,
<https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards>.

Hedrick, K 2012, ‘Differentiation: a strategic response to student needs’, The Education Digest, vol. 78,
no. 4, pp. 31-36.

Monaghan, C 2016, ‘Differentiation is responsive teaching’, Prime Number, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 10-11.

Robb, L & Bucci, P 2015, ‘Differentiation: does it work’, Reading Today, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 14-15.

Tkachov, O & Pollnow, M 2011, A practical guide to teaching and learning, R&L Education, Plymouth,
United Kingdom.

Tomlinson, C 2001, How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms, 2nd edn, Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Virginia.

Tomlinson, C & Moon, T 2013, ‘Differentiation: an overview’, in C Tomlinson (ed.), Assessment and
student success in a differentiated classroom, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
Alexandria, Virginia, pp. 1-16.
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendix
Appendices A: Table of Student Understanding
Level of Understanding
Name of Student Low Middle High
Student 1 ✔
Student 2 ✔
Student 3 ✔
Student 4 ✔
Student 5 ✔
Student 6 ✔
Student 7 ✔
Student 8 ✔
Student 9 ✔
Student 10 ✔
Student 11 ✔
Student 12 ✔
Student 13 ✔
Student 14 ✔
Student 15 ✔
Student 16 ✔
Student 17 ✔
Student 18 ✔
Student 19 ✔
Student 20 ✔
Student 21 ✔
Student 22 ✔
Student 23 ✔
Student 24 ✔
 Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices B: Prior Knowledge Lesson Plan

Shapes- Lesson 2
Outcomes Students will demonstrate their understanding of 2D and 3D shapes
Content Year 1:
Descriptors Recognise and classify familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects using
obvious features (ACMMG022)
Year 2:
Describe and draw two-dimensional shapes, with and without digital
technologies (ACMMG042)
Describe the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)
Resources - A3 paper x6
- 2D & 3D shapes for students to sort
Activity Process Location Time
Introduction- Students will be assigned into pairs Seated in front of 20 mins
Shape Sorting They will be provided with a collection of 2D and 3D board
shapes to sort
They will be encouraged to sort in a variety of ways General classroom
regarding the features of the 2D and 3D shapes
Stop class as they are working to provide examples of what
pairs are doing

Once pairs have had the opportunity to sort in a variety of Seated in front of
ways, they will return to the floor and share how they board
approached the task
Prior Knowledge Pairs will be grouped with another pair Seated in front of 20 mins
Poster Groups will be given A3 paper board
Must write, draw and label what they know about 2D and General classroom
3D shapes and their features
Provide as little direction as possible to allow students to
show their understanding
Differentiation Content No information on topic will be provided; students to supply
Process Concrete materials will assist student thinking and recollection of concepts
Product Pairs/groups will be free to produce any product to the best of their ability
Assessment Poster to provide teacher with knowledge of student understanding
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices C: Prior Knowledge Student examples

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices D: Student Feedback Form

What Did You Think?

Was that lesson:
Too hard? Just right? Too easy?

Did you find that lesson interesting?

No Sort of Yes

How happy were you with what you made?

Any other comments?

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices E: Shapes Pizza Lesson Plan

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices F: Shapes Pizza Student examples

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices G: 3D object construction Lesson Plan

Shapes- Lesson 3
Outcomes Students will develop an understanding of the features of 3D objects.
Students will demonstrate their ability to create 3D objects and identify their
features.

Content Year 1:
Descriptors Recognise and classify familiar two-dimensional shapes and three-
dimensional objects using obvious features (ACMMG022)
Year 2:
Describe the features of three-dimensional objects (ACMMG043)
Resources - 3D shape- Singing Walrus video
- Matchsticks
- Plasticine
- iPads
- Paper slips

Activity Process Location Time

Introduction Play 3D shape- Singing Walrus video Seated in front of 10 mins
board
Have students assist labelling of 3D shapes on
board
Use repetition of terms: Edges, vertices, faces

3D object construction Students will use matchsticks and plasticine to Seated at tables 30 mins
construct 3D objects at their tables. mins
Have examples of 3D constructed objects on
the board to assist students with ideas and
shapes
When they have completed their shape, they
must collect a slip of paper and label the shape
with its name and features
Reflection Students will use iPads to take a photo of their Seated on floor in 15 mins
labelled objects front of board
iPads will be connected to the SmartBoard and
students will share the object they created
with the class
Continue to emphasise terminology of edges,
vertices and faces
Differentiation Content Students will see the labelling of 3D objects on the board modelled by
the teacher and assisted by peers. This will remain on the board to aid
their memory and understanding.
Process This task requires minimal writing, so students less confident with their
literacy can still work at the same level as their peers. Concrete materials
also promote the understanding of the intended concepts and ease
counting of features.
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Product A range of potential shapes will be on the board, ranging from simple to
complex. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves and work to
the utmost of their ability.
Assessment Photos of 3D objects will be used for ongoing assessment of student understanding.
Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices H: 3D Construction Student examples

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897

Appendices H: Summative Assessment Student examples

Professional Experience 4 EDUC 4206 Thomas Brazil 110172897