How do you approach planning and teaching to diverse learners? What accommodations have you made for diverse learners?

My approach to teaching to diverse learners is to first and foremost, create a classroom that is safe for everyone to express their views and take risks. I believe that creating this type of environment allows students from different backgrounds to flourish by making them feel like they can ask questions to reach full understanding or experience new activities that they could benefit from. Students will be encouraged in my classroom to openly discuss each others work with care and we will take time to get to know one another.

Part of creating this community and bond, will come from getting to know the hopes, concerns, strengths, and needs of these diverse learners. Digging a little bit to get familiar with a student's culture so that I can develop my understanding of their classroom behavior will be part of this effort. As teachers we should also do everything in our power to get parents and guardians to participate inside and outside of the school.

I will be sure to emphasize that every student has the same high expectations. Along with these expectations, I will be there to provide the support the students need to reach those expectations. If a student comes in behind the rest in a certain area or lacks a specific skill set, they should not receive a watered down lesson that ultimately lowers their standards and self esteem. I want students to know that they can achieve on the same level regardless of their background.

My instruction will acknowledge diversity and use it to form different points of view through which students can learn once the classroom community is strong enough. Effective instruction takes diversity and turns it into an opportunity to build new knowledge and perspective, further developing a diverse learner's connection to the classroom community while building on their abilities.