DIFFERENTIATION IN MS ELAR

January 28, 2011

CAROL ANN TOMLINSON

AND MARCIA B. IMBEAU

LAURA ROBB

WE’VE DONE DIFFERENTIATION

Misunderstanding

Differentiation is a set

of instructional

strategies.

Reality

Differentiation is a

philosophy--a way of

thinking about teaching

and learning. It is, in

fact, a set of principles.

WE’VE DONE DIFFERENTIATION

Misunderstanding

Differentiation is just

about instruction.

Reality

Although differentiation

is an instructional

approach, effective

differentiated

instruction is

inseparable from a

positive learning

environment.

WE’VE DONE DIFFERENTIATION

Misunderstanding

Differentiation is something a teacher does or doesn’t do.

Reality

Most teachers pay attention to student variation and respond to it in some way—especially when students threaten order in the room. But few teachers plan proactively for these students.

WE’VE DONE DIFFERENTIATION

Misunderstanding

It’s adequate for a trainer to show or tell teachers how to differentiate effectively.

Reality

Learning to differentiate instruction well requires rethinking one’s classroom practice and results from an ongoing process of trial, reflection and adjustment in the classroom itself.

WHERE DO I START?

Invitation

Investment

Persistence

Opportunity

Reflection

INVITATION

Excellent

Great

Good

Fair

Poor

Reading Writing Math Drawing Athletics

INVITATION

Dancing

Singing

Being a friend

Keeping a clean room

Public speaking

Keeping a pet

OPPORTUNITY

Learning Centers

There may be some where everyone attends, and some where only certain students attend.

Some can be based on slots available (computers, listening).

Be sure they’re engaging

Be sure the work is appropriately leveled.

OPPORTUNITY

Learning Centers

Writing Center

Book Nook

Computer Center

Grammar Center

Listening Center

Word Center

Meet with the Teacher

SUMMARIZING FICTION OR BIOGRAPHY

Somebody: Name an important character or the

person in your biography

Wanted: State the problem the character or person

faced.

But: Explain some forces that worked against the

character.

So: Without giving the ending away, show how the

character/person resolved the problem.

SUMMARIZING A NONFICTION TEXT

Topic: Explain what the topic was.

Fascinating Facts: Choose two facts that you

found fascinating. For each fact, explain why it

fascinated/interested you.

How Facts Changed My Thinking: Show how the

information changed your thinking about this topic.

Did it add knowledge to what you already knew?

Did it make you rethink your ideas? If so, explain.

TIPS FOR SUMMARIZING SUCCESS

Have students take notes using the summary scaffold.

Help struggling students take notes, and support them through the process.

Read students’ notes before they write their summaries, so that you can meet with any students who require extra support before they begin writing.

Tell students that you want the title and author mentioned in the first sentence.

Explain to students that the notes under each scaffolding term can be turned into one or two sentences. A summary should be short—about five to seven sentences.

LETTERS BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS

For these letters to be successful, both characters need

to have lived through the same experiences.

Be sure to create a mentor text to scaffold the learning.

Write two exchanges between the characters, using two

or more experiences they shared.

Show each character’s point of view and perspective on

the lived-through experience. What would each

character remember most? What would each character

feel? What caused these feelings? How would each

character feel about the person he/she is writing to?

Show how the experience has changed one character,

or both.

OPPORTUNITY

Consider creating a “hint board” or “hint cards”

where you can collect reminders of how to do

things that students need to know but may have

forgotten.

Hint boards and cards help students to work more

independently and thus preserve teacher time to

work with individuals or small groups.

OPPORTUNITY

Use task cards to indicate where students should

be when they enter the classroom.

I am working on my oral

presentation.

I am working with

vocabulary.

I am working on my culture

project.

I am work ing with my teacher

on my choice assignment.

AND REMEMBER…

Fair Is Not Always Equal!