Ideas and Strategies Strategies that Support Differentiated

Instruction

What is differentiation?

Differentiation is classroom practicethat looks eyeball to eyeball with the reality that kids differ, and the most effective teachers do whatever it takes to hook the whole range of kids on learning.

-Tomlinson (2001)

It means teachers proactively plan varied approaches to

•what students need to learn,

•how they will learn it,

•and/or how they will show what they have learned

in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible.

Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one-size-fits-all teaching.

Differentiation is making sure that the

•right students get the

•right learning tasks

•at the right time.

Once you have a sense of what each student holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.

Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher can be all things to all individuals all the time. It does, however, mandate that a teacher create a reasonable range of approaches to learning much of the time, so that most students find learning a fit much of the time

At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means “shaking upshaking up” what goes on in the classroom

so that students have multiple options for

• taking in information,

• making sense of ideas,

• and expressing what they learn.

Differentiation begins with the teacher’s mindset that

students of any age need active involvement with and

support from adults who care to help them construct a

worthy life.

Differentiation Is a teacher’s response

to learner’s needs

Guided by general principles of

differentiation

Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment

Teachers can differentiate through

Content Process Product Affect/Environment

According to students’

Readiness

Interest

Learning Profile

Quality Curriculum

Building Community

Three questions that drive differentiated curriculum

What is the teacher differentiating?

How is she differentiating?

Why is she differentiating?

What can the teacher differentiate/ What can the teacher differentiate/ modifymodify

Content – what students will learn

Process – activities through which students make sense of the key ideas using the required skills

Product – how students demonstrate and extend what they understand

Learning Environment – the classroom conditions that set up the tone and expectations of learning

How can the teacher differentiate/ modify

The teacher can differentiate her instruction by responding to the students’

Readiness

Interest

Learning Profile

Readiness Readiness refers to a student’s • knowledge, • understanding, • and skill related to a particular sequence of learning. Only when a student works at a level of difficulty

that is both challenging and attainable for that student does learning take place.

InterestInterest refers to those topics or pursuits that • evoke curiosity and • passion in a learner. Thus, highly effective teachers attend both to

developing interests and as yet undiscovered interests in their students.

Learning profileLearning profile refers to how students learn best. Those include

• learning style, • intelligence preference, • culture and • gender If classrooms can offer and support

different modes of learning, it is likely that more students will learn effectively and efficiently.

AffectAffect has to do with how students feel about • themselves, • their work, • and the classroom / relationships ( teacher / peers

) Student affect is the gateway to helping each student

become more fully engaged and successful in learning.

Preassessment Is...

Any method, strategy or process used to determine astudent’s current level of readiness or interest in order toplan for appropriate instruction.

• provides data to determine options for students • helps determine differences before planning•helps teacher design activities that are respectful and challenging•allows teachers to meet students where they are•identifies starting point for instruction•identifies learning gaps•makes efficient use of instructional time

Formative Assessment Is...

A process of accumulating information about a student’sprogress to help make instructional decisions that willimprove his/her understandings and achievement levels.

• used to make instructional adjustments• alerts the teacher about student misconceptions “early warning signal”• allows students to build on previous experiences• provides regular feedback• provides evidence of progress• aligns with instructional/curricular outcomes

Summative Assessment Is...

A means to determine a student’s mastery andunderstanding of information, skills, concepts, orprocesses.

• Should reflect the formative assessments that precede it• should match material taught• may determine student’s exit achievement• may be tied to a final decision, grade or report• should align with instructional/curricular outcomes• may be a form of alternative assessment

Two Views of AssessmentTwo Views of AssessmentAssessment is For:

Gate Keeping

Judging

Right Answers

Control

Comparison to Others

Use with Single Activities

Assessment is For:

Nurturing

Guiding

Self Reflection

Information

Comparison to Task

Use Over Multiple Activities

Reflection and Discussion

What instructional strategies will you take with you from this session and use with your students?