Differentiation Matters!

Six Successful Cross Curricular Strategies That Provide Process Support for African American K-6th Grade Learners

Authors

  • Tami Morton Texas A&M University-Commerce
  • Jennifer Dyer Texas A&M University-Commerce

Keywords:

Differentiation, culturally relevant pedagogy, African American

Abstract

This article provides an in-depth examination of differentiation, instructional strategies that cater to all learners. Differentiation is beneficial when teachers are able to select content, process, and products that meet student’s needs. While teachers incorporate differentiation to modify instruction with struggling students, gifted and talented students, English Language Learners, and culturally diverse learners, this article specifically focuses on African American learners in K-6th grades. Elementary-level African American students can benefit from differentiation that include culturally relevant processes. Teachers of elementary grades must be prepared to teach all curricular areas including English language arts, reading, math, science, social studies, and history. English language arts, history, math, science, and social studies strategies are explored in this article. Recommendations have been made to make them culturally relevant pedagogy. Six strategies are introduced that provide examples of each of the recommended processes for various curricular areas that can be used with African American students.

 

 

 

 

Author Biography

  • Jennifer Dyer, Texas A&M University-Commerce

    Jennifer Dyer Ph. D.  is a Professor in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction at Texas A & M University in Commerce, Texas.  In addition, she currently serves as Interim Assistant Dean for the Graduate School. She teaches undergraduate, master’s and doctoral courses. Dr. Dyer has taught in elementary school and has conducted numerous workshops for teachers in childcare and elementary settings. Her primary research interests are teacher’s beliefs and change, equity and diversity education for preservice and in service teachers.  She can be reached by email, [email protected].

References

Acosta, M. (2016). Reauthorizing Excellence in Literacy Teaching for African American Learners. In Scott, L. M., & Purdum-Cassidy, B. (Eds.) Culturally affirming literacy practices for urban elementary students. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Brown, B. A., Boda, P., Lemmi, C., & Monroe, X. (2019). Moving culturally relevant pedagogy from theory to practice: Exploring teachers’ application of culturally relevant education in science and mathematics. Urban Education, 54(6), 775–803. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918794802

Daniels, H. (2006). What's the Next Big Thing with Literature Circles? Voices from the Middle, 13(4), 10-15. https://login.proxy.tamuc.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/whats-next-big-thing-with-literature-circles/docview/213930702/se-2?accountid=7083

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice. Teachers College Press.

Gonzalez, Moll, L. C., & Amanti, C. (2005). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities and classrooms. Erlbaum. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781410613462

Guido, M. (2017). 15 Culturally-Responsive Teaching Strategies and Examples + Downable list https://www.prodigygame.com/in-en/blog/culturally-responsive-teaching/

Hall, T, Strangman, N, & Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL implementation. Wakefield, MA: National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/differentiated.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children. Jossey-Bass.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2012). Through the Glass Darkly: The persistence of race in education. In J. Banks & C.A. Banks (Eds.) Handbook of Multicultural Education (second edition, p. 340-62). Jossey-Bass.

McCullough. (2013). The relationship between reader response and prior knowledge on African American students’ reading comprehension performance using multicultural literature. reading psychology, 34(5), 397–435. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2011.643531

National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Racial/Ethnic Enrollment in Public Schools. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cge.

Parsons, & Morton, T. R. (2022). My best science teacher: The views of Black students and implications for science education reform. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 17(1), 63–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-022-10106-7

Tomlinson, C.A. (1999). The differentiated classroom responding to the needs of all learners. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tomlinson. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2nd edition.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Ullucci. (2011). Culturally relevant pedagogy: Lessons from elementary classrooms. Action in Teacher Education, 33(4), 389–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/01626620.2011.620

Van Tassel, N. (2022) https://iexplorescience.com/how-to-science-stations/

Walls. (2012). Third grade African American students’ views of the nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49(1), 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20450

Waterman. (2013). Handbook on differentiated instruction for middle and high schools. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315856230

Cover of Journal

Downloads

Published

2022-12-17

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2022): Texas Journal of Literacy Education

Section

Articles

License

All copyright remains with the author.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 4 5 6 > >>