Differentiated Instruction is based on learning styles and the ability to learn. When thinking about differentiated instruction in the classroom or in my case the gym, we have to find ways to implement activities for the needs of all students. When creating a lesson plan teachers need to be mindful of the fact that we need our students to be active in each and every lesson. Some rely on the IEP’s given for a specific student but the real question is, how are you going to meet the needs of that specific student and how are you going to relate it back to the activity that everyone else is doing. In physical education there can be a simple thing like a push-up. Although this may seem simple to some it is not always simple to all, you still want that student involved and doing some sort of upper body strengthening movement. So instead of demonstrating a perfect form push up, some students can do some other variation of a upper body strength movement. For instance if the student is close to being able to get the regular push-up that you are asking for then have the student go down to their knees and let them take some of the pressure off of their shoulders. If they are nowhere near then you can have them do a wall push up. Where the students stand flat on the wall and push up and out on the wall. If you have a student that is wheelchair bound then you can have them use free weights and push out and in using free weights. Having a plan for your students and planning ahead of time so all the students have something to do and don’t feel neglected in the classroom is something that every teacher should strive to do and improve on each and every year.
Adam EDU 