Meeting Learner needs through differentiation, inclusion and SETT
By considering the complete community available to support students, educators can design experiences that engage learners and meet a range of learner profiles. Using a SETT framework, a team of educators can gather information, articulate goals and design learning activities considering Students, Environment, Tasks and Tools (Zabala, 2005). While the framework has benefits for individual students, SETT can be effectively applied to consider the overall design of outcomes implementation
Student
Environment
What are the details of the learner's specific environment that will need to be considered, including
Tasks
Tools
Student
- Who is the student as a learner, what are the areas of strength and need?
- What special needs need to be considered when planning the learning activities?
Environment
What are the details of the learner's specific environment that will need to be considered, including
- how is the physical space designed and arranged?
- how do the students work in the space?
- who are the peers and education team supporting the learner?
- what equipment and access are available
Tasks
- what tasks is the learner being asked to demonstrate or deliver?
- what tasks must be the educators put in place to support the outcomes?
- what are the critical elements of the tasks for the student?
- What modifications may benefit the development of the skill or outcome?
Tools
- which tools can be considered to meet the learner needs to ensure successful progress toward a goal?
- which tools will be the least invasive, and most accessible to support the student
- which tools will be most applicable to success both in school and outside of school?
The attached video provides a snapshot of our unique learner profiles, and how we can meet their needs in out learning environment.
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With the SETT framework in mind, we have considered the needs of 4 specific learners for whom access, outcomes or engagement may need to be modified.
Learner Profile: Gifted Student (SETT) Learner Profile: Blended delivery due to away from physical class frequently (SETT) Learner Profile: Academically strong, Emotionally sensitive (SETT_) Learner Profile: Potential ADHD, highly Distracted (SETT) |
Crawford, K. (2015). Grade 4 STEAM: Exceptional Learner profiles. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/8ssrTNMXJ4w
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Meeting learner needs through differentiation
This video provides an overview of the tools and resources the students will access to support their learning throughout the project.
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“[...] teachers must take into account who they are teaching as well as what they are teaching” (Tomlinson, 2003, p. 2). Learning environments can provide numerous supports for learner development (Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor & Schellinger, 2011). When designed with community, support networks and interests beyond the curriculum, learning environments can foster development in areas of long term social and emotional well being, including:
We have designed a learning space that ensures learners have the opportunity to practice and implement competency in areas of need, areas of strength and areas of interest using a design based on CAST's (2014) three principles of Universal Design for Learning. |
Students will be using both indoor and outdoor spaces, as well as core subject, fine arts and performing art outcomes to explore their understanding and application of learning. Incorporating outdoor learning space is intentional to foster a connection to nature, and take advantage of the social, emotional and academic benefits to learning in the outdoors. Extending the learning environment to include outdoor spaces that encourage play, activity and exploration has been shown to release stress (Chawla, Keena, Pevec & Stanley, 2014), foster cooperation and problem solving and decrease peer-to-peer conflict (Durlak et al., 2011).
Keeping individual student learning needs and preferences in mind, we have designed a universal learning environment that facilitates student choice in numerous areas, including access to assistive technologies through the learning commons (as an assistive technology lab), strategies to complete work, and roles within the stages of the project. Educators are able to access a variety of resources By housing the technologies in the Learning Commons as 'lab', out intention is to:
The assistive technology lab, together with environmental and organization supports are in place to support the acquisition of competencies that facilitate independence, critical thinking and optimizing student strengths. Below are links that demonstrate the various areas in which we have differentiated our learning environment for our learners.
- purposefully encourage learners and educators to access the resources,
- learn how to use the tools and resources effectively
- keep as many tools with the school as a component of the school culture
- decrease any stigma that comes with one learner's reliance on a tool to successfully complete learning outcomes
- gather data regarding use and need of various high and low tech assistive tools
- facilitate and coordinate borrowing and training resources or programs
The assistive technology lab, together with environmental and organization supports are in place to support the acquisition of competencies that facilitate independence, critical thinking and optimizing student strengths. Below are links that demonstrate the various areas in which we have differentiated our learning environment for our learners.
- differentiation strategies
- differentiated learner roles
- access to assistive technology lab form
- AT Lab mindmap
Refer to this toolkit for more strategies to support students with emotional or behavioural concerns.
What Learning Supports and resources will make learning accessible for everyone?
What Learning Supports and resources will make learning accessible for everyone?
contributing author: Kathryn Crawford
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