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Blair Community Schools

Curriculum Differentiation

“Teaching with the child in mind.” Caroline Tomlinson

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Differentiating Instruction is a method of planning and teaching that meets the needs of all students

Differentiation is unlike the traditional approach to teaching in which all students are expected to perform exactly the same

Differentiation

+ An Introduction to Differentiation

http://differentiationcentral.com/videos.html#introduction

Carol Ann Tomlinson is an English educator, author and speaker. She is best known for her innovative work with Differentiated instruction education techniques.

Differentiation of Instruction

Teacher Response to Learner’s Needs

RespectfulTasks

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Flexible Grouping

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Assessment &

Adjustmentç

Instructional Elements to Differentiate

Content Process Product

Teachers Can Differentiate

Handout of examples

+ Definitions and Instructional Elements that can be Differentiated Content (Curriculum)

o Definition-What we want students to learn and the materials through which that is accomplished.

o Elements that can be differentiated-compacting, acceleration, meaningful enrichment, independent contracts. added rigor

Process ( Instruction)o Definition-The strategies and activities designed to ensure the students use

key skills to make sense out of essential ideas and information.o Elements that can be differentiated-tiered assignments, tic tac toe choice

menus, flexible grouping, exposure to experts, real-life simulations, themed interdisciplinary units, interest-based learning

Product (Assessment) o Definition-The vehicles through which students demonstrate and extend

what they have learned.o Elements that can be differentiated-choice menus, Bloom’s Taxonomy, take

to production level – debate, mock trials, Night of the Notables

+Suggestions onHow to Begin to Differentiate http://differentiationcentral.com/videos.html#journey

Starting is what matters!

+Differentiated InstructionGuides for Planning

Are you clear on what you want the student to know, understand, and be able to do?

Deciding on content-Have you thought about and selected?

Plans to pre-assess student readiness

Assigning students to groups

Creating differentiated activities

Creating assignments and differentiated products

Other thoughts

+Differentiating Instruction Strategies

Examples:StationsEntry PointsCompactingProblem Based LearningAgendasChoice BoardsComplex Instruction

+What does differentiation look like?

Differentiation in the primary classroom

First Steps for Differentiating at the H.S. level

Tips for Designing Tasks – Top Group First!

http://differentiationcentral.com/videos2.html#elementary

http://differentiationcentral.com/videos2.html#secondary

http://differentiationcentral.com/videos2.html#variouso Musico Foreign Languageo Vocational

+ Questioning-Different types of questions to employ and monitor in a lesson.

Focus on what is important.

Higher level questions produce deeper thinking.

Wait time is important.

Questions before and after learning.

Bob Marzano, “Cuing and questioning are at the heart of classroom practice. Research indicates that cuing and questioning might account for as much as 80% of what occurs in a given classroom on a given day.”

+ Types of Questions

Memory Question Stems: Who, what, when, where?Cognitive Operations: Naming, defining, and

identifying

Convergent Thinking Questioning Stems: Why, how, in what ways? Cognitive Operations: Explaining, comparing, contrasting

Divergent Thinking Question Stems: Imagine, suppose, predict, if/then, how might?Cognitive Operations: Predicting, hypothesizing, inferring

Evaluative Thinking Questions Stem: Defend, justify, judgeCognitive Operations: Valuing, judging,

justifying choices

+Web site for types of questions

http://questioning.org/Q7/toolkit.html

+Differentiated Assessments

Explain assessment purpose

Be clear on expectations & directions

Provide a variety of ways for students to “show” what they “know”

Consider multiple intelligences & time

Emphasis on demonstrating competency

+Differentiated Test

Textbook series often have differentiated assessments in the teacher guides.

Software-Math IXL

Guidelines for Differentiated Test (See handout.)

Example-Cell Structure and Function

+ Tools for the Toolbox

• Internet 4 Classroomso http://www.internet4classrooms.com/

links_grades_kindergarten_12/tips_for_classroom_differentiated_instruction.htm

A Different Place o http://adifferentplace.org/classroom.htm

• Differentiation Central Lesson Planso http://differentiationcentral.com/resources.html

• Blair Mentor Web siteo http://www.blairschools.org/contentm/easy_pages/view.php?

page_id=685&sid=93&menu_id=35

• Hoagies Giftedo http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

• Books in HAL Room

• Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century

Discover the Gifts…

If a child is not learning the way you are teaching, then you must teach in the way the child learns.

- Rita Dunn

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+Nebraska Association for the Gifted Conference

http://www.negifted.org/NAG/Spring_Conference.html

February 20-21, 2014