Urban students are increasingly diverse in race, culture, language, and background knowledge. Educators must consider how students' differences affect learning and align pedagogies that address this diversity. Universal design for learning (UDL) has provided educators with a framework for differentiation to address learner differences. Using UDL…

Learning systems can utilize many practice exercises, ranging from simple multiple-choice questions to complex problem-solving activities. In this article, we propose a classification framework for such exercises. The framework classifies exercises in three main aspects: (1) the primary type of interaction; (2) the presentation mode; and (3) the…

To broaden the appeal of social studies and English content, the authors share how they use multimedia storytelling to increase student engagement, differentiate instruction, and consider multiple viewpoints.

With young children, there is often an instructional focus on naturalistic interactions between the child and environment. In special education, there are times when direct instruction (di) and discrete trial training (DTT) are both needed, requiring a balance of explicit DTT and child-initiated instruction. This article discusses what…

In a traditional classroom of mixed ability levels, it is recommended that differentiation is the answer to helping all students achieve success (Heacox, 2012). This necessitates a shift from a "one size fits all" approach to one of greater emphasis on the individual in the learning process. While teachers seek ways to look at teaching,…

Generalizing patterns is an important feature of algebraic reasoning that is accessible to students across grade-levels because it connects their numerical reasoning to algebraic reasoning. In this article, the authors describe how teachers can use the game Crack the Code to introduce generalizing to their students or can extend students'…

Since 2021, Bellwether has conducted research on flexible learning options, including interviews with 85 policymakers, state administrators, funders, navigation organizations, technology providers, and many others. The goal was to address inquiries in a nascent and fast-growing field, such as how families and students access learning within a…

With the rapid development of the Internet and other related technologies, the educational community has come to accept the use of educational technology in the classroom. Its innovation not only transforms teaching techniques but also expands students' channels and resources for learning. This article explores the use of educational technology in…

For many English Learners (ELs), access to post-secondary education has been limited. Of particular concern to post-secondary educators is that lack of access has been attributed in part to deficits in reading proficiency. Many postsecondary education programs do not adequately differentiate and scaffold instruction, suggesting that these are…

KaiPod Learning is a for-profit company offering students enrolled in online schools the opportunity to learn in a physical location with adult supervision, academic support, and extracurricular enrichment. Tuition is attendance based, with the option of students going two, three, or five days per week. This report discusses how KaiPod Learning…

Children with autism have a right to be within inclusive classrooms. There are many benefits to having inclusive classrooms, including reducing stigma surrounding autism, creating respectful relationships between all students within a classroom, teaching all students how to act positively with others, and increasing knowledge of autism. To best…

"Science of reading" is a term that has been used variously, but its use within research, policy, and the press has tended to share one important commonality: an intensive focus on assessed reading proficiency as the primary goal of reading instruction. Although well intentioned, this focus directs attention toward a problematically…

Differentiation has gained widespread acceptance across the Ontario policy community as a mechanism that can improve the overall quality of the PSE system. Though much has been said locally about the supposed benefits of differentiation, including its ability to reduce programme duplication and boost institutional efficiency, little attention has…

There is a recent advocacy for students to experience their learning as personalised, but this expectation poses challenges for teachers tasked with addressing prescribed curricula. In this article, we draw on relevant literature and our analyses of three case studies to propose a framework within which teachers can achieve both goals. We first…

This topic brief is one in a series on personalized learning prepared for Conversations with Innovators, 2018. The term relational suasion describes a common, human phenomenon: a person is open to guidance from someone he trusts. Any relationship of trust has this potential, and within formal education, it describes a student's openness to a…