Differentiation

What is Differentiated Instruction?

“Differentiated instruction is the process of ensuring that what a student learns, how he or
she learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he or she has learned is a match is a
match for that student’s readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning”-Carol
Ann Tomlinson

Major Principles of Differentiation

Ongoing Assessment Flexible Respectful Tasks Principles

Principles Classroom/Grouping
Examples
 Student differences  Purposeful and varied  Equally interesting to
are expected, student groupings all students
appreciated and  Whole class  Equally engaging to
studied  Small Group all students
 Instructional planning  Individual exploration  Equal access to
is based on assessed  Like learning styles understanding and
differences  Varied learning styles skills
 Teacher recognition  Like interests  Each student feels
of where students are  Similar academic challenged
in relation to learning needs  Students and teachers
goals  Student directed collaborate in learning
 Teacher awareness of
student needs and
interests

The Learner Relationship

What Teachers Prepare How Learners Engage

Content: The knowledge, concepts, and skills Readiness: Student ability to work with a
that students need to learn based on the particular skill or idea at a given time.
curriculum. Teachers can differentiate content Teachers can adjust for readiness by…
by…  Adjust the degree of difficulty to
 Giving different instructional delivery appropriate student level
formats  Adding or removing teacher or peer
 Video coaching
 Lecture  Varying direct instruction by small
 Readings group need
 Audio  Make the task more or less familiar
 Graphic organizers based on student proficiency, skills
and experience
  Jigsaw groups
Process: How students make sense of the
content. Teachers can differentiate the
learning process by…
 Appropriate pacing
 Allow students time to internalize
material
 Reflection strategies
 Think-Pair-Share
 Journaling
 Partner talk
Product: The items a student can use to
demonstrate what he or she has come to
know, understand, and be able to do as the
result of an extended period of study.
Teachers can differentiate product by…
 Allow students to help design
products around learning goals
 Allow students to express what they
have learned in varied ways
 Allow varied types of resources in
preparing products
 Assignments at varied level of
difficulty to match student readiness
 Wide variety of student assessments
 Allow students to participate in
developing rubrics
Two Types of Differentiation
Intuitive (Mid Teaching)
 Respond to student needs in the
moment
 Recognizing daily student
frustrations/issues
 Be flexible
 Empathy
Interests: Aligning material for understanding
with topics that intrigue students. Teachers
can gauge student interest by…
 Using adults or peers with expertise to
serve as mentors in an area of shared
interest
 Provide multiple avenues for student
exploration
 Provide access to a wide range of
technologies and materials
 Allow student directed tasks and
options
 Encourage investigation of key
concepts within student areas of
interest
Learning Profile: Addressing different student
learning styles, talent, and intelligence
profiles. Teachers can differentiate in
response to student learning profiles by…
 Create flexible learning environment
with multiple options
 Auditory instruction
 Visual instruction
 Kinesthetic instruction
 Allow student options to work alone
or with peers
 Allow choice of competitive,
cooperative and independent learning
experiences
 Give varied perspectives
 Encourage student expression in areas
of talent and/or intelligence
Intentional (Prior to Teaching)
 Lesson planning is based on the
ongoing student assessment data
 Backwards design
 Anticipate student needs
 Have appropriate resources available
 Prepare Back up/contingency plans
 Utilize back up plans if necessary