By: Melissa HofmannAshley Graney

Differentiated instruction is teaching with student variance in mind. It means starting where the kids are rather than adopting a standardized approach to teaching that seems to presume that all learners of a given age or grade are essentially alike.

Differentiated instruction is “responsive” teaching rather than “one-size-fits-all” teaching.

Teachers who are committed to this approach believe that who they teach shapes how they teach because who the students are shapes how they learn.

Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.

Gives students multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas.

It is a method of helping more students in diverse classroom settings experience success.

Requires teachers to be flexible in their approach to teaching and adjust the curriculum and presentation of information to learners rather than expecting students to modify themselves for the curriculum.

Determines the core concepts and key skills to be learned

Determines the most important aspects of a unit that should be included for each child

Concentrates on “big idea” Mediated scaffolding Guided practice

Looks Like Students are engaged Students are all over

the place Students are grouped in

various ways Organized chaos Creativity and

imagination The room is frequently

messy

Sounds Like Noisy Students are teaching

one another Sharing of ideas Conversation is busy but

on task Compliments and praise

(teacher to students and students to students)

In a classroom where teachers use differentiated instruction, the responsibility for learning is shared by all. It becomes a community of learners, characterized by complex, challenging learning environments and

authentic tasks; social negotiation and shared responsibility as a

part of learning; multiple representations of content; understanding that knowledge is constructed; and student-centered instruction

T e ache rs ca n d iffe re n tia te

C o nte n t P roce ss P ro du ct L ea rn ing E nv iro nm ent

A cco rd in g to a S tu d en t's

R e ad ine ss In te re st L ea rn in g P ro fi le A ffe ct

Four elements of the curriculum that can be differentiated: Content, Process, Product, and Learning Environment.

Content Several elements and materials are used to support instructional content. Align tasks and objectives to learning goals. Instruction is concept-focused and principle-driven.

Process Flexible grouping is consistently used. Classroom management benefits students and teachers.

Product Initial and on-going assessment of student readiness and growth are essential. Students are active and responsible explorers Vary expectations and requirements for student responses.

Learning environment Examples of differentiating learning environment at the elementary level include: Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction,

as well as places that invite student collaboration; Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings; Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with

other students and cannot help them immediately.

Enable teachers to open up learning opportunities for all students by offering varied learning experiences.

Allows teachers to put research-based best practices into a meaningful context for learning.

Helps teachers to understand and use assessment as a critical tool to drive instruction.

Adds new instructional strategies to teachers' "toolboxes" — introducing or reinforcing techniques to help teachers focus on essentials of curriculum.

Gives administrators, teachers, and students an instructional management system to more efficiently meet the demands of high stakes testing.

Meets curriculum requirements in a meaningful way for achieving students' success.

 

 1.  Differentiate based on learning style by providing more hands-on activities, allowing the use of calculators and other tools, encouraging students to draw or explain verbally rather than write.

2.    Consider the appropriate level of practice (guided, massed, or distributed) when assigning homework.

3.    Allow for extended time for practice or review of the most essential concepts by setting appropriate priorities.

4.    Group with better problem solvers for open-ended problems.

5.    Pre-assess before beginning new units of study to identify areas of strength and weakness.

6.    Use a variety of assessment strategies including teacher evaluation and performance tasks.

7.    Use authentic activities, connecting math to students’ lives and interests.

8.  When appropriate, allow for student choices in activities and problems.

Reading Princess Bag Story (tiered activities/bingo board) Principal’s New Clothes (index cards) Barnegat Bay Estuary Program (main idea)

Writing Alphabox Alice Paul (writing a summary – highlighting) Train to Somewhere (predict/writing a summary)

Mathematics Scavenger hunt Concept Maps

Social Studies United States (zap) Martin Luther King, Jr. (gathering grid) – playing cards

Science Estuary Program (gathering facts sheet) – letter grouping