Flexible Grouping Based on Tiered Instruction—A Planning

Strategy for Mixed Ability Classrooms

Princess Anne Middle School PDP TrainingDecember, 2015

Source: Montgomery County (MD) Schools—Curriculum and Instruction

Adaptations: Cathy Smith, PAMS GRT

What words, phrases, or images come to mind when you heard the term tiered instruction?

•Understand and apply the tiered instruction model in order to meet the needs of individual students.•Reflect on current educational practices.

Goals for Today

What does tiered instruction mean? Tiered instruction, in short, involves teaching or applying the same learning objective in up to three ways to meet the needs of students at three levels of preparation:1) students ready to go beyond 2) students just ready3) students not yet ready for that grade level’s

instruction

Why use Tiered Instruction?

By keeping the focus of the activity the same but providing routes of access at varying degrees of difficulty, the teacher maximizes the likelihood that:1) each student comes away

with pivotal skills and understandings

2) each student is appropriately challenged

Teachers use tiered activities so that all students focus on essential understandings and skills but at different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness.

What kinds of things can be tiered?• assignments• activities• centers and stations• learning contracts• assessments• materials (e.g. reading

levels, complexity)• experiments• writing prompts• homework

Creating Multiple Paths for Learning

Key Concept or Understanding

Struggling with the concept

Some understanding

Understand the concept

Reaching back Reaching aheadREADINESS LEVELS

IDENTIFY OUTCOMESWHAT SHOULD THE STUDENTS KNOW, UNDERSTAND, AND BE ABLE TO DO?

WHAT DOES THE STUDENT WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE TOPIC?

THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTSPRE-ASSESS READINESS, INTEREST, OR LEARNING PROFILE

HOW DOES THE STUDENT WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE TOPIC?

INITIATING ACTIVITIESUSE AS COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR WHOLE CLASS

GROUP 1 TASK GROUP 2 TASK GROUP 3 TASK

Create on-level task first, then adjust up and down.*

*Gifted cluster classes should create the Above-Level Task first and then tier down.

THE TEACHER’S CHALLENGE

Developing “Respectful Activities” that are• INTERESTING• ENGAGING• CHALLENGING• EMPOWERING

Pre-Assessment is Key; On-Going Assessment is

a Must

More on “The Equalizer”• Foundational -> Transformational: information, ideas, materials,

applications• Concrete -> Abstract: representations, ideas, applications, materials• Simple -> Complex: resources, research, issues, problems, skills, goals• Single Facet -> Multiple Facets: directions, problems, application,

solutions, approaches, disciplinary connections• Small Leap -> Great Leap: application, insight, transfer• More Structured -> More Open: solutions, decisions, approaches• Less Independence -> Greater Independence: planning, designing,

monitoring• Slow -> Quick: pace of study, pace of thought

Source: Tomlinson, C. & Eidson, C. (2003). Differentiation in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Kaplan Flip Book

Basic thinking skillDifferentiate content—depthResearch skills/resourcesProducts

Jeff’s Part

Apply

1. Using your Synergy gradebook, identify an objective that you will teach soon. (This is your common objective.)

2. Sort your data and identify what you believe are your three tiers.3. What are three different levels of activities that students could do to meet

the same objective?• Think:

• Complexity• Concrete to abstract• Single step vs. multi-step• Structured (teacher-led) to more open (student discovery)

4. What product(s) could (each) group complete to show mastery (or beyond) of the objective?