Differentiation and its Effects on the Development of Student Study Skills

Differentiation is used by educators to better meet the needs of all students; yet, differentiation has been found most effective when students are a part of the discussion regarding their individual needs, learning styles and preferences in the classroom (Tomlinson, 2008). Making students aware of differentiation and choices in the classroom raises student self-awareness and the development of skills overtime. During my student teaching, I implemented differentiated review activities and began a dialogue with students about their learning preferences, studying habits, and experience with taking social studies exams. Over the course of the semester, students began choosing study materials that aligned with how each of them learned best. Through self-reflection activities, students better understood why their study habits and choices were effective or not. I utilized these self-reflection activities, field notes, and a summative survey as data sources to determine how differentiation impacted the development of student study skills throughout the semester. Students were enthusiastic about receiving guidance and information about effective studying; students became aware of the correlation between effective study habits and test performance throughout the semester.