Module in Facilitating Learning
MODULE 4. INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Overview:
Learners have different strategies, approaches and capabilities for learning that
are a function of prior experience and heredity. Individuals are born with and develop
their own capabilities and talents. In addition, through learning and social acculturation,
they have acquired their own preferences for how they like to learn and the pace at
which they learn. However, these preferences are not always useful in helping learners
reach their learning goals.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the different factors that bring about diversity in the classroom.
2. Demonstrate a positive attitude towards diversity as an enriching element in the
learning environment.
3. Come up with teaching strategies that consider student diversity.
Discussion:
In all learning environments, individuals interact with others who are in some way
different from them. Recall how these differences were shown in your class
tally- gender, ethnic or cultural background (nationality, province, language).
This diversity also comes from other factors like the following:
1. Socioeconomic status- the millionaires lifestyle differs from that of the middle
income or lower income group.
2. Thinking/learning style- some of you learn better by seeing something;
others by just listening; and still others by manipulating something.
3. Exceptionalities- in class there maybe one who has difficulty in spoken language
comprehension or in seeing, hearing, etc.
How student Diversity Enriches the Learning Environment
A teacher may be " challenged " to handle a class with so diverse. Why? Because
there are students having different language, abilities, cultural background, different
attitude and behaviors. A wise teacher sees a diversity in a classroom in a respect way
and in a god terms. For other teacher, having a diversity in a classroom is an exciting
part because not only the students are learned also the instructors as well. But a word "
hassle" are upset at the mind of the teacher who are difficult to adapt the diversity
happened in a classroom.
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Module in Facilitating Learning
Let’s discover the benefits and learning opportunities that students’ diversity can
bring to your classroom.
1. Student's Self Awareness is Enhance by Diversity
- exposing students to others with diverse background may enhance their self-
awareness. Because they see the differences between themselves and other, and they
are given points to sharpen an assessment to their own attitudes, values, and
behaviors.
2. Student Diversity Contributes to Cognitive Development
It is the opportunity to gain access to the perspective peers and to other student.
And not only the teacher can gain more cognitive knowledge but also other student can
gain more knowledge and information with diverse culture of other students.
3. Student Diversity Prepares Learners for their Role as Responsible Members
of Society
Suzane Mores argued: " the classroom can provide more than just theory given
by the teacher in a lecture. Which students’ diversity, the classroom becomes a public
place where community can be practiced.
4. Student Diversity can Promote Harmony
When student diversity is integrated into the classroom teaching and learning
process. It can become a vehicle for promoting harmonious race relationship.
SOME TIPS ON STUDENT DIVERSITY
1. Encourage learners to share their personal history and experiences.
2. Integrate learning experience and activities which promote students multicultural
and cross- cultural awareness.
3. Aside from highlighting diversity, identify patterns of unity that transcend group
differences.
4. Communicate high expectations to students from all subgroups.
5. Use varied instructional methods to accommodate student diversity in learning
styles.
6. Vary the examples you use to illustrate concept in order to provide multiple
contexts that are relevant to student from diverse backgrounds.
7. Adapt to the student diverse backgrounds and learning styles by allowing them
personal choice and decision-making opportunities concerning what they will
learn and how they will learn it.
8. Diversity your methods of assessing and evaluating student learning.
9. Purposely, form small-discussion groups of students from diverse backgrounds.
You can form groups of students with different learning styles, different
cultural background.
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Module in Facilitating Learning
Exercises/ drills:
1. Research at least two images for diversity in the classroom and explain what
each picture communicates about diversity.
2. By means of a graphic organizer, identify the factors that bring about diversity in
the classroom.
Evaluation:
1. Discuss the relationship between the learning styles of students and the teaching
styles of the teacher.
2. Cite teaching strategies and explain how these teaching strategies consider
student diversity.
Please visit this link for additional information
[Link]
References:
Maria Rita, D. L. (2014). Facilitating Learning: A Metacognitive Process: Lorimar
Publishing
Brawner, D.G. (2018). Facilitating Learner-Centered Teaching. Adriana Publishing Co.
Inc.
Violeta, A. V. and Nelia, G. P. (2012). Facilitating Learning. Revised Edition
[Link]
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