Differentiated Instruction:Adapting the Product

Facilitated BySara Fridley & Kathleen West Region 3 Education Service Agencysara.fridley@k12.sd.uskathleen.a.west@k12.sd.us

Workshop 3

Workshop Outcomes

Share and reflect on lesson planning

Review understanding of how to differentiate the “process”

Increase understanding of how to differentiate the “product”

String Activity

Indicators that students DO NOT understand where the unit/lesson is headed. They ask:

Why are we doing this? Does this count? How am I doing? How does this relate to . . .? Is this right? Is this what you want? They don’t know how to prepare for the

culminating assessments.

Indicators that the unit/lesson WILL NOT be effective: The textbook seems to be the only source of content

to be understood. There is little or no inquiry, exploration, or

questioning. Unit/lesson design assumes the students have all

needed performance skills without adequate time to practice/rehearse.

Students seem unprepared for/surprised by final assessment/performance tasks.

Unit/lesson seems driven more by the goal of “coverage” than by the students’ needs to make sense of and use the content in meaningful ways.

Share & Reflect on Lessons

Peer Review of Lessons– Indicators of teaching for

understanding– Rubric

Reading Strategies

USF Credit Registration

EDU 529L Differentiating Instruction Feb-May 2008 2 credits

Time For Lunch

“The Equalizer”

One way to think about readiness variance using the same topic – can be a guide to Tiering Assignments.

Essential Question

How might you use “The Equalizer” to address varied readiness levels, interests, learning profiles, and talents in your own classroom to benefit the range of learners you teach?

Key #3 – Adapt Product

Students have choices of product Students use key skills to create product

– Bloom’s Taxonomy– Multiple Intelligence Theories

Common focus– Vary student activities– Vary complexity

Create Multiple Paths For Learning

Key Conceptor

Understanding

StrugglingWith TheConcept

SomeUnderstanding

UnderstandThe

Concept

READINESS LEVELSReaching Back Reaching Ahead

When Tiering – Adjust . . .

Level of Complexity Amount of Structure Materials Time/Pace Number of Steps Form of Expression Level of Dependence

Tiered Assignments Based on Multiple Intelligences

Choices of process or product Match the Tier with the Intelligence

– Gardner Theory– Sternberg Theory

Tiered Assignments Rationale – “when tasks are well beyond the

grasp of students, those students do not learn.”– Burn out

Rationale – “advanced learner may make A’s when tasks are too easy for them, but they also do not learn.”– Tedium

Zone of Proximal Development– “we learn only when tasks are a little too hard for

us and a support system is available to help us.”– Moderate Challenge

Indicators of Effective Tiers Tiers are squarely focused on essential

knowledge, understanding, and skill Tiers are equally engaging to students Pre-assessment formed basis for assigning

students to tiers ALL students must think at a high level to

complete task Support system is in place Students understand the task and why they

are not all doing the same thing

Layered Curriculum

Kathie Nunley– “C” Level (knowledge base)– “B” Level– “A” Level (highest level thinking skills)

Layers based on Bloom’s Taxonomy Each student makes choices from ALL

layers

Differentiated & Tiered Lesson Resources Kathie Nunley’s Layered Curriculum

– http://www.help4teachers.com/

Indiana Dept. of Ed Gifted & Talented– http://www.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/w

elcome.html

Regina, Saskatchewan Schools– http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/

– Check out their other resources too

Washington and Lee University– http://teachereducation.wlu.edu/courses/practicum/Differenti

ation.htm

Homework for May

Email final version of first lesson to Sara to post on ESA web page

Begin Lessons 2, 3, 4 (can be Tiered, Layered, RAFTS, Web Quests, etc.)