Adapting to
students needs
How to teach English
efficiently and with fun
16.03.2016
Presenter: Voula Papadimitriou,
Greece
Every teacher’s question

Classrooms are more diverse
nowadays than in previous years
Classroom
Various
backgrounds
Learning
styles
Different
abilities
Different
preferences
and needs
A typical classroom
‱ pupils bored and ready
to move on
‱ others struggling to
figure it out
‱ pupils who are far
behind
What can teachers do to manage the complex
needs of many different students?
How can we make our classrooms more flexible
— and turn the diversity into an asset?
Need for emotional safety
Need for appropriate
challenges
Need for self-constructed
meaning
Principles of Differentiated Instruction
Teachers can differentiate
Content Process Product
Learning
Environment
according to students’
Readiness Interests
Learning
profile
Examples
 Content
 Matching activities
 Reading & questions
 Reading in varied levels
 Auditory/visual presentation
 Spelling-vocabulary lists
-Information / material
given to students
Examples
 Process
 Varied textbooks
 Audio books
 Online interactive assignments
 Tiered activities
 Interest centers
 Varied length of time
- When students work
on the given information
Examples
 Product
 Different learning style ->
different kind of report
 Options on expression
 Rubrics
 Students work alone or in groups
 Students create their own
assignments
-What students create
at the end of the lesson
Examples Learning
environment  Reading in groups or
individually
 Give students more options
 Quiet spots & co-working spots
 Multicultural materials
 Clear guidelines
 Develop routines
-Conditions for
optimal learning
Enough with the theory now
.
Let’s move on to the more practical stuff

Strategies for
effective and fun
learning
Who said learning has to be
boring
?
The key is

Get to know as much as
possible for each
student!!
‱ Role play
https://en.islcollective.com
‱ Creative teaching
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/creativity-in-classroom-trisha-riche
‱ Writing exercises
http://www.storybird.com
‱ Using songs
http://www.tuneintoenglish.comSee also:
‱ Technology in the classroom
Online tools for the classroom
https://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/20-online-tools-to-make-learning-fun/
‱ Real World Learning
Theory of Multiple Intelligences
You can take the test here:
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/ict/multiple_int/index.htm
References and links
http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/what-is-differentiated-
instruction/
http://study.com/academy/lesson/differentiated-instruction-adapting-
the-learning-environment-for-students.html
https://www.google.gr/imgres?imgurl=https://s-media-cache-
ak0.pinimg.com/236x/56/9b/cb/569bcb4b0dae38ba980542b7c5fbc5
15.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.pinterest.com/LPFlannigan/differentiat
ed-
instruction/&h=309&w=236&tbnid=AqKoHH27jcBbxM:&docid=tnzbd
Q2kBr5nEM&ei=rILiVsAb5aDoBKbCvIAP&tbm=isch&ved=0ahUKEw
jAoZSznLjLAhVlEJoKHSYhD_AQMwhxKE4wTg
http://ht.ly/ZhjUT
References and links
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100216/chapters/Under
standing-Differentiated-Instruction@-Building-a-Foundation-for-
Leadership.aspx
http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/documentlibrary/differentiatedinstru
ction.aspx
http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/teaching-
strategies/examples-of-differentiated-instruction/
http://busyteacher.org/7372-teacher-tested-ways-keep-class-
interesting.html
http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/10-Reasons-Today-s-
Students-NEED-Technology-in-the-Classroom
 http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-research

Adapting to students needs