Support Struggling Students: Easy Differentiation Tips for New Teachers

As a new teacher, one of the biggest challenges you’ll face is supporting students who need extra help. Every classroom has learners who struggle for various reasons—whether due to learning differences, language barriers, or gaps in prior knowledge. The good news? Differentiation strategies can make a significant impact, and you don’t have to tackle it alone. Let’s explore four effective ways to support struggling learners while maintaining balance in your classroom.

1. Collaborate with Co-Teachers and Specialists

You are not alone in this! If your school has co-teachers, special education staff, or instructional specialists, lean on them. These professionals bring expertise and experience in targeted interventions, accommodations, and modifications that can benefit struggling students.

How to Implement:

• Plan together. Set up a recurring meeting with your co-teacher or specialist to strategize and adapt lessons.

• Leverage small-group instruction. If you have additional classroom support, use it to run targeted small groups while others work on independent tasks.

• Use their insights. Specialists often have data, tools, and strategies that can pinpoint exactly how to assist a student more effectively.

2. Use Scaffolded Assignments

Struggling learners often need extra steps to bridge the gap between their current understanding and the grade-level expectation. Scaffolding provides temporary supports that help them build confidence and mastery over time.

How to Implement:

• Break assignments into smaller steps. Provide clear checkpoints and check-ins.

• Offer graphic organizers. These can help with writing, problem-solving, and organizing ideas.

• Provide sentence starters or word banks. For students struggling with language processing or writing, giving a framework can ease frustration and boost success.

3. Get a Mentor or Coach

Differentiation is a skill that takes time to develop. Seeking guidance from an instructional coach or mentor teacher can help you fine-tune your differentiation strategies and give you support with specific student cases.

How to Implement:

• Ask for classroom observation. A mentor can watch a lesson and provide feedback on where differentiation might help.

• Bring student challenges to a coaching session. Get personalized strategies for both whole-class differentiation and individual student concerns.

• Join a new teacher community. Having a support system, like Helping New Teachers, can give you access to advice, resources, and encouragement.

💡 Need structured guidance? Check out our mentorship and differentiation planning tools!

Final Thoughts

Supporting struggling learners doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire teaching approach. Small, intentional differentiation strategies can create significant academic gains and boost student confidence. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone—collaborating with specialists, getting mentorship, and using structured planning tools can make all the difference.

Want a head start? Book a Call at Helping New Teachers for support to start implementing these strategies today!