Differentiation in Science

Welcome to our online course on Differentiation in Science for Science Teachers!  

This course is designed to provide teachers with practical strategies and tools to effectively teach science to students with diverse needs. Covering students with disability as well as gifted and high potential students, this course will help you create an inclusive classroom environment that supports all learners. 

Differentiation is a teaching approach that recognises that students have different learning needs, interests, and abilities. In this course, we will explore various methods and techniques for adapting instruction to meet the needs of all learners in your classroom. You will learn how to use assessment data to inform your teaching, differentiate content and materials, and provide multiple opportunities for your students to demonstrate their learning. 

By the end of this course, you will have a deeper understanding of how to create a classroom  that promotes equity and excellence in science education. You will be equipped with a range of strategies to support students with diverse needs, including those who are underrepresented in STEM fields.  

This intensive online course will cover differentiation for students with disability and high potential, and will develop skills in:

• Supporting students and catering to different and diverse needs
• Developing skills for differentiation in lesson planning
• Understanding wellbeing and how to develop personal and social capability

We believe that every student deserves access to high-quality science education. 

Who should attend?
This course is suitable for K-12 teachers

Day 1: Students’ Characteristics & Wellbeing ONLINE
Thursday 18th May 2023, 4:00 PM - 6:15 PM

Part 1: Students with disability , Fiona Buttler 

This session will explore the interplay between learning and well-being in a practical context. The presenters will discuss the nature of common learning disabilities, including ADHD, ASD and the variety of Specific Learning Disorders.  The session will focus on how to how to cater for students with disability through assessment and in the classroom via differentiation. Factors informing planning and teaching, such as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the NCCD, will be explored.

Part 2: Gifted and High Potential Students, Estee Stephenson

This session will discuss the characteristics of high potential and gifted students, as well as the importance of identifying high-ability students and implementing differentiated learning strategies that enhance engagement.  Participants will discuss challenges in identification of HPGE students, including twice exceptional students, disengagement, and students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.  

All sessions will be held virtually and recorded. The course is deigned to be collaborative and will involved discussion and sharing. 

Day 2: Differentiation for Disability and Gifted & High Potential Students ONLINE
Friday 19th May 2023, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Part 1: Inclusive education for students with disabilities: collaborative teaching practice (CTP),  Mark Finlayson 

This session is a presentation on applying collaborative teaching practice for inclusive education for students with disability.  The  presenter will provide discussion on the methodology and best practice for collaboratively approaching differentiation in the inclusive classroom. 

Part 2: Science in the Fishbowl, Beth Hodson and Silvia Rudmann

This session is a presentation based on putting theoretical and pedagogical frameworks on High Potential Gifted Education into practice. With a focus on differentiation in action, this presentation will provide deconstructed examples of how specific outcomes can be authentically applied to K - 12 contexts. Participants are invited to 'look in' through the glass to see how program, practice and pedagogy can keep the fish happy. 

Day 2 is designed to be collaborative and will involve presentations as well as discussion and sharing. 

Registration Close: Wednesday 10 May 2023

NESA Accredited PD

Completing Differentiation in Science will contribute 6 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and Assessment of NSW Curriculum/EYLF addressing Standard Descriptor(s) 1.5.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.

Teachers must participate in the whole course to receive accredited hours. If a teacher is absent for any part of the conference, the number of hours attended may be recorded as Elective PD.