lOMoAR cPSD| 6861666
1
WGU D187 Task 2 D187: Analyzing Individual Learning
Differences and Strategies with Complete Solutions | 2025
Update
Task 2: Analyzing Students’ Individual Differences
Kirstin Boggs
MSCI, Western Governors University
The Reflective Practitioner – D187
Terrance Siler
July 2, 2025
, lOMoAR cPSD| 6861666
2
Task 2: Analyzing Students’ Individual Differences
A. Differentiated Instruction Strategies
• Individual Students’ Learning Preferences: There are many different strategies of
differentiated instruction that could benefit individual students’ learning preferences.
Tomlinson states, “For instance, some students may generally learn best when they can
move around; others need to sit still. Some students enjoy a room with lots to look at,
color, and things to touch and try out. Other students appear to function best when the
environment is more “spare” because they find a “busy” classroom distracting. Some
students need a great deal of light in a room in order to feel comfortable. Other students
prefer a darker working space. Some students will learn best through oral modes, others
through visual means (which might be further broken down into a preference for images
vs. a preference for reading and writing), and others through touch or movement
(Tomlinson, 2017).” Since I teach special education, I try to teach with a variety of oral,
visual, and demonstrated means to support different types of learners. I also have my
classroom lighting dim on one side and brighter on the other to balance the lighting in
the classroom. Additionally, I have fidgets and flexible seating available to my students
who need different ways to focus when learning. I can use a variety of these strategies to
learn about my students’ various learning preferences and utilize the strategies that work
best for their learning needs.
• Intelligences: There are different types of strategies to support students with intelligence
preferences. Tomlinson states, “Intelligence preference refers to the sorts of brain-based
predispositions people have for learning. Two theorist/researchers have proposed ways of
thinking about intelligence preferences. Howard Gardner (1983, 1993) suggests that we
each have varying strengths in combinations of intelligences he calls verbal-linguistic,
logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, musical-rhythmic, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal,
1
WGU D187 Task 2 D187: Analyzing Individual Learning
Differences and Strategies with Complete Solutions | 2025
Update
Task 2: Analyzing Students’ Individual Differences
Kirstin Boggs
MSCI, Western Governors University
The Reflective Practitioner – D187
Terrance Siler
July 2, 2025
, lOMoAR cPSD| 6861666
2
Task 2: Analyzing Students’ Individual Differences
A. Differentiated Instruction Strategies
• Individual Students’ Learning Preferences: There are many different strategies of
differentiated instruction that could benefit individual students’ learning preferences.
Tomlinson states, “For instance, some students may generally learn best when they can
move around; others need to sit still. Some students enjoy a room with lots to look at,
color, and things to touch and try out. Other students appear to function best when the
environment is more “spare” because they find a “busy” classroom distracting. Some
students need a great deal of light in a room in order to feel comfortable. Other students
prefer a darker working space. Some students will learn best through oral modes, others
through visual means (which might be further broken down into a preference for images
vs. a preference for reading and writing), and others through touch or movement
(Tomlinson, 2017).” Since I teach special education, I try to teach with a variety of oral,
visual, and demonstrated means to support different types of learners. I also have my
classroom lighting dim on one side and brighter on the other to balance the lighting in
the classroom. Additionally, I have fidgets and flexible seating available to my students
who need different ways to focus when learning. I can use a variety of these strategies to
learn about my students’ various learning preferences and utilize the strategies that work
best for their learning needs.
• Intelligences: There are different types of strategies to support students with intelligence
preferences. Tomlinson states, “Intelligence preference refers to the sorts of brain-based
predispositions people have for learning. Two theorist/researchers have proposed ways of
thinking about intelligence preferences. Howard Gardner (1983, 1993) suggests that we
each have varying strengths in combinations of intelligences he calls verbal-linguistic,
logical-mathematical, visual-spatial, musical-rhythmic, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal,
