Date
01 July 2024

Use flexible teaching approaches

Proactive planning for learner variability requires flexible learning approaches that cater for diverse ākonga.

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Promote inclusive teaching practices

Promote inclusive teaching practices

Shelley Moore uses a bowling metaphor to talk about inclusive practices.

Develop your vision

Develop your vision

Jo Grant talks about the school’s vision and how using the Universal Design for Learning framework helps them achieve equity for all learners.

Cater for variability

Cater for variability

In any classroom the needs of students are diverse. People are at different stages on their learning pathway, they take different amounts of time to master new skills, they think differently, respond differently and have a range of strengths and needs.

Examples strategies.

Flipped learning

  • Offers pre-made or curated learning resources at different levels such as videos, screencasts, tasks and readings. Develop pathways as part of a whole unit or system, not on a day to day basis.

Tutorials or groups focused on learning needs

  • Allows a focus on specific needs rather than a whole-class approach where learning is too easy or too hard for some. Smaller groups mean teachers can be more responsive to student needs.

 Visible learning and student agency to support individual pathways

  • Makes student needs and goals, and progress towards them, highly visible and easily accessible to students and their whānau. Gives students agency to take ownership of their learning.

Explore a flipped approach

Explore a flipped approach

Ashhurst School staff talk about how flipped learning gives them more one-on-one time with students, resulting in greater student independence and writing achievement.

For a secondary example see 'Going Digital' the Tamaki College Story, NZQA

Use multiple approaches

Use multiple approaches

Consider learner variability from the outset.
  • social and collaborative learning
  • student-directed/teacher-directed learning
  • independent learning
  • project work
  • direct instruction.

Flexibility and choice is highly valued

Flexibility and choice is highly valued

Students share why having ownership over learning pathways supports their motivation and engagement in learning.

Next steps

More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Design learning for all”:

Return to the guide “Behaviour and learning”

Guide to Index of the guide: Behaviour and learning

Strategies for action:

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