Welcome Look at the front of your packet and find a shape Find your group by looking for others with the same shape Find two things everyone in your group.

Welcome

• Look at the front of your packet and find a shape

• Find your group by looking for others with the same shape

• Find two things everyone in your group has in common

• Write the two common things on the chart

Differentiated Instruction and

Flexible Grouping

Kimberly A. Mearman

What Is Flexible Grouping?

• Silently for 2 minutes put down your ideas about what flexible grouping is and is not on the concept diagram

• For 10 minutes discuss your ideas with your group. Add any new information to the concept diagram

• With your group develop a definition of flexible grouping

• Be prepared to share with the whole group

What Is Flexible Grouping?

• Groups that are diverse in make-up and account for individual differences

• Groups that are constantly changing to fit a specific purpose

• Flexible grouping is part of a differentiated classroom

Who Is Involved With Flexible Grouping?

• Everyone!

• Flexible grouping is designed to accommodate all learning styles, all learning levels, and all learning needs

Where Do You Do Flexible Grouping?

• In classrooms• In workshops• In meetings• Anywhere people come together

to work on a task or learn new information

When Do You Do Flexible Grouping?

• Throughout the day

• Even whole class is in essence a form of flexible grouping

Why Flexible Grouping?

• It allows for various levels of ability and diversity without creating distinctions

• It promotes interaction and empowers students

• It promotes student-driven instruction • It promotes the use of multiple

intelligences

How Do You Organize Flexible

Grouping? • Understand the various types of

groups and their purposes

What Are Different Types of Flexible

Grouping?• Each group has a selected type of flexible

grouping• For 5 minutes silently read about the

grouping• Discuss the reading in your group for 5

minutes• On chart paper write down the definition

and characteristics of the grouping• Be prepared to report to the whole group

Common Forms of Grouping

• Cooperative grouping– 3-4 students– Student-directed – Mixed ability

• Be strategic with group make-up• Avoid putting very high with very low• Set some time to teach students to work

cooperatively, don’t assume students know how to work together

Common forms of grouping

• Partner– 2-3 students– student-directed or teacher-directed– mixed or leveled

• Be strategic with partner make-up• Avoid putting very high with very low

Common forms of grouping

• Ability or Tiered– no set amount of students– usually teacher-directed– leveled grouping by a specific skill

• Avoid always using the same focus to make up group

• Avoid labeling groups with labels that can indicate order (e.g. 1,2,3 or a,b,c)

• Use some knowledge of multiple intelligences to help create new ideas for leveling

Common forms of grouping

• Compacting– no set amount of students– leveled grouping by a specific skill – usually teacher-directed– criteria for compacting

• much information is already known on the topic

• determine what is unknown and cover just that material

• use with enrichment or accelerated study

Common forms of grouping

• Mixed/Random– no set amount of students– student-directed or teacher-directed– arbitrary mix

• use fun techniques to mix up students, such as, find some who…

Common forms of grouping

• Interest– no set amount of students– student-directed or teacher-directed– students self-select by topic or project

• to avoid students from selecting by basis of membership, have students fill out a slip privately

• sometimes it’s okay to be in a group with your friend

Common forms of grouping

• Learning Styles– no set amount of students– usually teacher-directed– groups are determined by learning

profiles • modality preferences• work habits• multiple intelligences• preferences for learning environment

Common forms of grouping

• Jigsaw-topic related– no set amount of students– student-direct or teacher-directed– can be done as cooperative learning – groups are determined by topic

• can be used to cover much material• always try to keep a common link (objective,

product, materials, format)• always bring back together (liken it to

building a puzzle with all the pieces)

How Do You Organize Flexible

Grouping? • Understand the various types of

groups and their purposes

•Develop the lesson

How to Plan for Flexible Grouping?

• Select the grouping that most interests you

• You will work with the group for each of the planning steps

Designing a lesson• Content/objective

– know what you are going to teach

• Readiness/Assessment– know where your students are currently

functioning

• Process– know how you are going to teach it

• Product– know how the students will express their new

learning

Designing a lessonBegin your planning with your objectives

• Know what you want ALLALL students to learn• Know what you want MOSTMOST students to learn• Know what you want SOMESOME students to learn

– some students need beyond the curriculum– some students need basic skills– some students have IEPs

How to Plan for Flexible Grouping?

• Write the content topic and objectives you would like to use in your flexible grouping lesson plan

• Outline what all students will learn, what most students will learn, and what some students will learn

• Use your group to bounce some ideas

Designing a lessonDetermine what skills need to be

assessed

• Know what curriculum-based assessments connect to your objective

• Know what is the instructional level for each student

Designing a lessonDifferent Types of Assessment to Consider

• Reading (DRA, Running Record, etc.)• Math (work samples, test scores)• Writing samples• Teacher observations (behavior, learning

styles, work habits)• Work samples• Quizzes and tests• Student interviews

How to Plan for Flexible Grouping?

• In your group brainstorm what assessments you will need for this lesson

Designing a lessonDetermine How You Will Teach

• What activities will you use?• What learning strategies will you use?• What teaching techniques will you use?• What types of modalities or

intelligences (multiple intelligence) will you use?

• What type of grouping will you use?

How to Plan for Flexible Grouping?

• In your group brainstorm what kind of grouping you will use

• Brainstorm what process for instruction you will use

• Begin planning how many groups you will have and who will be in each group

Designing a lessonDetermine How Students will Demonstrate

New Learning• Written work• Oral presentation• Graphics or art• Acting out or demonstrating• How about music?

Consider the multiple intelligences when determining a product

How to Plan for Flexible Grouping?

• List what products you will use in your lesson to demonstrate new learning

Designing a lessonWhen designing a lesson for flexible grouping

ask these questions

• What is my purpose for the lesson?• Is this student-directed or teacher-directed?• Has the membership changed from the last

grouping?• What is the common thread with all the

groups?• What is the distinction with each group?

How Do You Organize Flexible

Grouping? • Understand the various types of groups and their

purposes

• Develop the lesson

•Plan your classroom management

Classroom ManagementClassroom management is the key to success

• Preplan how your grouping will look• Consider a method for students to seek help

when you are working with a group so you are not interrupted

• Establish classroom rules that work with grouping• Avoid reward systems that promote competition

Classroom ManagementTeach students how to work in groups

• How to compromise– develop new idea– merge ideas– fair way of determining who’s idea to use

• How to have modified consensus– Everyone can live with it

• How to positively support each other

Classroom ManagementTeam Building

• Have fun team building activities– use them whenever establishing a longer term grouping, especially if student-directed

• make a group flag• find something in common• group name and logo

• Take time to discuss problems– use a no name rule– problem solve withwith students, not for students

Classroom ManagementCommunication

• Listening– look at speaker– ask questions

• Brainstorming• Disagree with ideas, not people• Use positive comments

– cheerleader or encourager

Classroom Management

• Cheerleader or Encourager– cheers group

• Facilitator or Organizer– helps group get organized

• Recorder• Gatekeeper

– keeps group focused• Time keeper

Use Roles for Students

Classroom Management

• Keep the same objective for each group– change materials and/or– change process and/or– change product

Ideas for managing multiple groups

Classroom Management

• Keep the same materials for each group– change objective and/or– change process and/or– change product

Ideas for managing multiple groups

Classroom Management

• Keep the same process for each group– change objective and/or– change materials and/or– change product

Ideas for managing multiple groups

Classroom Management

• Keep the same product for each group– change objective and/or– change materials and/or– change process

Ideas for managing multiple groups

Classroom Management

• Ideal for co-teaching experiences• Paraprofessionals can help facilitate or help

with classroom management• Parent volunteers can help, especially with

hands-on activities• Older students can also help

Ideas for managing multiple groups

Make Flexible Grouping Your Teaching Style

And don’t forget to have fun with it