Students differ in many ways fundamental to learning: prior knowledge, ability, conceptions of learning, learning styles and strategies, interest, motivation, self-efficacy beliefs and emotion, as well in socio-environmental terms such as linguistic, cultural, cultural and social background. A fundamental challenge is to manage such differences, while at the same time ensuring that young people learn together within a shared education and culture.

Reference: The nature of learning: using research to inspire practice (OECD 2010) (.pdf 179kB).

©DEC

Read the executive summary from The nature of learning: using research to inspire practice (OECD 2010) (.pdf), which will provide an orientation and background to this section of the course, then watch this video presentation by Janice Farmer-Hailey on How students learn.

Janice Farmer-Hailey
Leader, K-4 Initiatives
NSW Curriculum and Learning Innovation Centre

Enhanced learning

Learning is enhanced when teachers:

• pay attention to the knowledge and beliefs that learners bring to a learning task

• use this knowledge as a starting point for new instruction

• monitor students' changing conceptions as instruction proceeds.

Reference: How people learn

So, teachers need to recognise:

• cultural and linguistic capital

• multicultural perspectives

• different life experiences.

Zone of proximal development

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is just beyond what the child can do alone. New capacities can only be developed in the ZPD through collaboration in actual, concrete, situated activities with an adult or more capable peer.

Reference: http://www.myread.org/scaffolding.htm