DifferentiatingInstruction(Adapted from Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996)

What is Differentiated Instruction?

• To differentiate instruction is to recognize students varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning, interests, and to react responsively.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

• Differentiated instruction is a process to approach teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same classroom.

What is Differentiated Instruction?

• The intent of differentiated instruction is to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each students where they are, and assisting them in the learning process.

Learning

Environment

What is Differentiated Instruction?

4 Elements to Differentiate

• Content – what the student needs to learn or

how the student will get access to the

information;

• Process – activities in which the student engages

in order to make sense of or master the content;

• Product – culminating projects that ask the

student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or

she has learned in a unit; and

• Learning environment – the way the classroom

works and feels.

Content

Examples of differentiating content:1. Using reading materials at varying readability

levels;

2. Putting text materials on tape;

3. Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students;

4. Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means;

5. Using reading buddies; and

6. Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.

Process

Examples of differentiating process:

1. Using tiered activities;

2. Providing interest centers;

3. Developing personal agendas (task lists written by the

teacher and containing both in-common work for the

whole class and work that addresses individual needs of

learners);

4. Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports; and

5. Varying the length of time a student may take to

complete a task.

Product

Examples of differentiating product:

1. Giving students options of how to express

required learning;

2. Using rubrics that match and extend students'

varied skills levels;

3. Allowing students to work alone or in small

groups on their products; and

4. Encouraging students to create their own

product assignments as long as the assignments

contain required elements.

Learning Environment

Examples of differentiating learning environment:

1. Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and

without distraction, as well as places that invite student

collaboration;

2. Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home

settings;

3. Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches

individual needs;

4. Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers

are busy and cannot help them immediately; and

5. Helping students understand that some learners need to move

around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly

Full Range of Students

• Students with identified

special needs (IEP);

• Struggling readers;

• English learners;

• Speakers of non-standard

Englishes;

• Gifted students;

• Who else?

12

What Differentiation Is Not

• Class centered

• Mainly for students with learning problems

• A tracking system by abilities

• A recipe for learning

• A different lesson plan for every student

• Whole-group drill and practice or any single

structure or activity

• Fact-based learning alone

13

What Differentiation Is Not

• Unmanageable or undisciplined

• Modifying the instruction up or down in difficulty

• A method you will need all new materials for

• Cost free

• Just about learning styles

• A set of strategies and activities

14

What Differentiation Is

• Student centered

• For all students

• For heterogeneous groups

• A change in philosophy about how learning should

take place

• Multiple approaches or options for content,

process, and product

• A mix of whole-class, group, and independent

learning

• More about quality than quantity

15

What Differentiation Is

• Flexible and varied

• Proactive in the planning stage

• Rooted in assessment

• Based on continual reflection and

adjustment to help students learn well

• A belief system that says all learners

come to the classroom with potential

ready to be accessed

Differentiating for SWDs

• 504 Plans

• Individualized Education Plans

• Accommodations v. Modifications

Differentiating for ELs

• California English Language

Development Test (CELDT)

• Test Report

• Domain Performance Level Descriptors

Let’s Try It Out…

Learning

Environment

Content

Product

Process

Curriculum

Student