Standard #1 – Learner Development
Grammar Fair: Prepositions
All students learn differently, making differentiating learning experiences imperative to classroom success. My Grammar Fair presentation closely aligns with this standard since it integrates multiple learning styles. My goal was to teach prepositions to fourth graders, so I created beneficial visual and artistic guides with textual information and headers to accompany my verbal presentation. Then, I included kinesthetic learners through a game of Simon Says: Prepositions. In a short amount of time, I integrate multiple learner types while making the information and activity appropriate for the grade level. At the same time, this lesson challenges students to connect the grammar concept and apply it to physical movements through play. With my understanding of learner development, my Grammar Fair presentation accommodated students’ development and learning styles to ensure multiple access points to the content.
The presentation expands my pedagogical knowledge regarding implementing lessons that blend multiple “intelligences,” as Gardner would call them. While creating this project, I earnestly considered the audience and purpose of the presentation. Which, therefore, effectively relays content to students. I am always looking for new ways to make instruction more engaging, so this artifact showed me additional ways to make English content fun. As I move into a career as an educator, I will continue to differentiate instruction, as it is a pivotal aspect of being a well-rounded teacher. In my future classroom, I hope to include more learner types in my instruction and alter my approach to fit the needs of every student. Every student is unique, and not every instructional strategy will work for every student, so understanding this enhances my cognition and toolbox as a teacher.
