Running Header: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION

Developmentally Appropriate Instruction

Rachel Chadwick
Regent University

In partial fulfillment of UED 496 Field Experience ePortfolio, Spring 2015

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Introduction
Developmentally appropriate instruction is an approach to teaching that takes into
consideration the current learning needs of students that stem from many different
factors. In my current placement in kindergarten, framing my teaching around the
students abilities and readiness levels is of utmost importance. Part of developmentally
appropriate instruction involves recognizing the individual needs that are to be addressed
and providing students with the tools to succeed in these areas. Our students lives are
not just who we see at school, but encompass a broader spectrum of cultural and socioeconomic experiences and backgrounds. As a teacher, we must offer instruction that is
hands-on, student centered, and reflective of their current developmental level and
growth.
Rationale
The first artifact I selected is a building sentences activity used in the writing
center during our language arts block. Students in my kindergarten class are currently
developing their writing skills and ability to decipher and create complete sentences.
Since they are routinely practicing recognizing the different words in a sentence and
rewriting them, I decided to create a hands-on activity that would aid in this process.
Using sentence strips, I wrote three developmentally appropriate sentences that included
words from their word wall (i.e. like, play, brown, little, my, the). I then cut out each
individual word and put them in three separate bags, one for each sentence. These were
to go with the Sentence Scramblers worksheet that I made for this activity. Students
would arrange the words in each bag to create a sentence, and then write the sentence

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they created on the given line. Through this hands-on practice, students received
developmentally appropriate learning in both reading and writing.
The next artifact includes two pictures of hands-on math activities that facilitates
students understanding of extending basic patterns and identifying fractions. The first
activity was used during a remediation lesson that I did with students who performed
below average on the initial patterns assessment. By using this pattern mat, students
were able to interact with the concept of extending patterns in a meaningful way through
the use of manipulatives and repetition. The second math activity that demonstrates
developmentally appropriate instruction is a fraction flap-up book and Spin and Cover
game. This activity allowed students to further explore the concept of one-half and onefourth fractions by using the visual representation of a pizza. From this, they were able to
develop a spatial awareness for a half and a fourth of an object, and represent this
pictorially. My students responded very well to these artifacts due to high engagement
with the material. In addition, both demonstrate active student involvement that furthered
their understanding of the lesson and ability to grasp the different concepts.
Reflection
I chose these artifacts because both of them allowed the students to experience the
learning through a hands-on method. Through interacting with manipulatives, and having
to arrange and create their work, these artifacts provided students with a way to construct
their own meaning by connecting the abstract concepts to practical examples. In writing,
students were able to physically manipulate or unscramble the parts of a sentence and
see just how to arrange them in order to form a coherent thought. In math, they grasped
the concept of patterns and fractions by interacting with different examples of each. Both

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of these activities allowed for students of all backgrounds to experience the learning at
hand and relate to one another in the classroom.
Developmentally appropriate instruction is important because it touches on the
parts of each child that are different and seeks to promote their optimal learning and
development. It involves teachers meeting young children where they are, both as
individuals and part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable
goals (Developmentally appropriate practice). This instruction should include students
active exploration of their environment and learning through hands-on, direct
experiences. Since all students construct their understanding of the world through these
direct experiences, it is crucial for teachers to provide opportunities for meaningful
learning to take place (Bergin & Bergin, 2012). The more students are offered content,
materials, activities, and approaches that are coordinated with their level of readiness and
development, the better off their learning experience will be.

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Resources
Bergin, C. C. & Bergin, D. A. (2012). Child and adolescent development in your
classroom. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (n.d.) Developmentally
appropriate practice (dap). Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/DAP