Differentiation2

Differentiated Instruction in Student Learning

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

What Is Differentiated Instruction?

A  Teaching  Philosophy  Based  On  The  Fact  That  Educators:  

•  Adapt  instruc-on  to  fit  student  differences  •  Modify  instruc-on  to  meet  students’  needs  by  varying  

learning  styles,  readiness  levels,  and  interests  •  Challenges  us  to  ques-on,  change,  reflect,  and  change  

some  more  as  we  teach  to  a  mul--­‐ability  classroom  

Why Differentiate Instruction?

•  Academic  diversity  has  increased  in  schools  •  Greater  number  of  students  being  diagnosed  with  learning  disorders,  others  with  highly  advanced  skills  

•  Greater  number  of  students  with  English  as  their  second  language  

•  Stresses  from  home  affect  students  •  High  levels  of  interest  in  one  or  more  areas  

Give examples of differentiation that you have seen. Group Discussion

 1.  One  person  in  the  group  takes  out  a  piece  of  paper.  2.  Pass  the  paper  around  the  group  and  everyone  records  

an  example  of  differen-a-on  that  you  have  seen.    You  may  go  around  more  than  once.  

3.  Share  out  with  the  en-re  group.    

Before Differentiating

1.  All  differen-a-on  of  learning  begins  with  student  assessment  –  Pretest,  Post-­‐test,  Unit  tests,  ITBS  

2.  Clarify  the  concept  of  fairness  3.  Self-­‐directed  learners    

Three Ways to Differentiate Instruction

1.   Content  •  What  we  teach,  what  we  want  students  to  learn  

•  Look  at  big  ideas  that  everyone  will  learn  and  then  at  ideas  that  some  students  will  learn  

•  Lessons  developed  based  on  standards  of  learning  set  by  district/state  

Strategies:  Curriculum  compac-ng          Learning  contracts  Varied  text  and  resources          Graphic  organizers      

Strategies for Differentiating

Learning  Centers  •  Ac-vi-es  are  used  for  

teaching,  reinforcing  and  extending  a  specific  skill  or  concept  

•  Ac-vi-es  are  varied  by  complexity    

•  Centers  help  students  focus  on  specific  learning  goals  

Three Ways to Differentiate Instruction

2.  Process  •  Process  is  the  teacher  offering  more  than  one  way  to  make  sense  of  the  content  students  learn  –  mul-ple  intelligence  

•  How  the  teacher  delivers  instruc-on  based  on  assessment  results  

•  Reflects:  Student  needs,  Interests,  Learning  styles,  Level  of  prior  knowledge  

Strategies:  Tiered  assignments    Literature  circles  Cubing        Choice  boards    

Examples of Differentiation

Choice  Boards  

•  Extension  of  academic  concepts    

Three Ways to Differentiate Instruction

3.  Product  •  Products  help  the  students  use  and  extend  what  they  have  learned  

•  It  causes  students  to  think  about  and  understand  their  learning  

•  Teachers  vary  expecta-ons  and  requirements  •  Allow  mul-ple  means  of  expression,  provide  for  varying  levels  of  difficulty  

Examples:  Design  webpage    Write  a  puppet  show  Invent  a  game      Do  a  demonstra-on  Compile  newspaper      Conduct  a  debate  

Learning Profiles and Interests

Learning  Profiles/Styles  •  Accommoda-ng  individual  

learning  styles  (auditory,  visual,  kinesthe-c,  etc.)  

     Student  Interest  •  Interest  survey  

Grouping in Differentiated Instruction

Flexible  Grouping  •  Students’  readiness  varies  according  to  subject  

•  Permit  movement  between  groups  

Example of Differentiated Instruction

Project  Based  Learning  and  ThemaIc  Units  

•  Select  a  topic  of  interest  •  Write  a  ques-on  to  

research  on  the  topic  •  Study  that  topic  in  depth  •  Determine  the  ways  to  

present  informa-on    

Your Turn!

 Discuss  with  those  near  you:  •  What  differen-a-on  strategy  would  you  like  to  implement  in  your  Level  II  lesson  plan  reflected  in  the  Teacher  Work  Sample  (TWS)?      

A Challenge Worth Taking

 “If  you  were  to  fold  your  hands  together  naturally,  you  would  have  a  comfortable,  close  fit.    The  goals  of  curriculum  differen-a-on  are  to  find  the  closest,  most  comfortable  fit  between  the  learner  and  the  curriculum…varying  the  process  or  content  or  product  to  match  the  needs  of  the  learner  can  help  us  reach  that  close  fit.”                                                                                            Dr.  James  Curry              January  21,  1999