Liceo de Cagayan University

SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION

LEVEL 4 Accredited by PACU-COA

Name : Hannah C. Enanod Course and Year: BSED-ENGLISH4

Individual Differences and Learners' Interaction

A. Relevant principles and concepts:

1. Development and learning proceed at varying rates from child to child, as well as
at uneven rates across different areas of the child’s functioning (NAEYC, 2009).
2. Development and learning is maximized when learners are challenged to achieve
at a level just above their current level of mastery, and also when they have
many opportunities to practice newly acquired skills.
3. Differentiated instruction is a student-centered approach that aims to match the
learning content, activities and assessment to the different characteristics,
abilities, interests and needs of the learners.

B. Analysis. Write your answer on the space provided.

1. In the class you observed, were you able to identify who among the students
performed well and who did not? What behaviors helped you identify them?
(volunteering to answer, responding to teacher’s directions, etc.)

- During my observation, I’ve observed grade 9 students and during their lecture
I’ve noticed that most of the students who performed and participated well are
girls. When teacher’s asked them some questions, only a few of the boys raised
their hands to answer. I’ve also noticed that the students’ who are seated in front
are actively listening and participating in class.

2. Describe the differences in ability levels of the students in class. Is there a wide
gap between the students who are performing well and those who are not?

- Although it has been shown that females are more engaged in participating in
class conversation, this does not imply that males are performing at a lower level
 than girls. Students' refusal to answer a question posed by a teacher, particularly
when the subject is presented orally, may be explained by a number of different
circumstances. Perhaps they are the kind of pupils that are reserved or
introverted, but they excel in a number of other areas of assessment. Due to the
little amount of time I had to observe their class, all I can say is that I am unable
to definitively tell whether or not there is a difference between the students who
are doing well and those who are not since I do not have enough information to
make that determination.

3. Describe the methods used by the teacher in handling the students’ differences
in abilities. How did the students respond to the teacher? Did the teacher use
differentiated instructions? If yes, describe how.

- Sincerity compels me to admit that during my observation, I was unable to

determine whether or not the teacher utilized differentiated instruction to address
students' varying learning abilities and interests; however, I refrained from
passing judgment on the teacher because I understand that it is not an easy job
to manage a classroom of forty students. Simply giving them an assignment or a
quiz that they can easily complete is all that the instructor did. Nevertheless,
owing to the little amount of time that I was able to spend observing, it is possible
that the instructor provided them with differentiated activities that were tailored to
the preferences and interests of the pupils.

C. Insights

Recall the time you were in elementary or high school. Recall the high and low
achievers in class. How did your teacher deal with differences in abilities? Do you think
your teacher was effective?

- My elementary school instructor was great at accommodating students of varying

skill levels. She showed this in her lessons, interactions, actions, and
approaches, as well as in the sternness with which she governed the classroom
environment. When she has a question regarding the subject, for instance, she
will ask the whole class if they have any thoughts instead of singling out an
individual. Like what I've seen everywhere else, teachers who have students that
struggle academically keep at it because they know that even the most
disinterested student can learn something if you teach it passionately enough
D. My Learning Portfolio
With the principle of individual differences in mind, what methods and strategies
will you remember in the future to ensure that you will be able to meet the needs of both
the high and low achievers in your class? Make a collection of strategies on how to
address the students’ different ability levels.

- As someone who plans to become an educator in the future, the purpose of this
exercise is not only to provide me with a great thought but rather to equip me to
one day become an effective teacher. For me, the techniques and strategies that
I will keep in mind in the coming years so that I could ensure that I satisfy the
needs of both high achievers and low achievers in my class are that I will
recognize and accommodate my students fairly and honor their individuality as
well as their upbringings, and most importantly, their individual characteristics in
strengths and weaknesses. I will do this so that that I could ensure that I could
meet the needs of both high achievers and low achievers in my class. I will
refrain from making comparisons, and I will never make an effort to pull people
down. I will make it a point to ingrain these things in my memory so that I can
grasp the temperament of my students, the rate at which they do work, their
relationship with the instructor, and the manner in which they engage with other
people.