Session 1

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 1

Foundations and Applications of Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction: Differentiating Instruction:

Competencies Four and FiveCompetencies Four and Five

Session I - OverviewSession I - Overview

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 2

Florida’s Formula forReading Success

Florida’s formula for reading improvement is based on the current scientific research in reading:

5 + 3 + ii + iii = No Child Left Behind

HOW WE LEARN… (DALE’S CONE OF EXPERIENCE)

3

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 4

Quote

“What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals.”

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2001How to Differentiate Instruction

in Mixed-ability Classrooms, p. 1

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 5

Principles of Differentiation

• Students differ in experience, readiness, interest, intelligences, language, culture, gender, and mode of learning.

• Educators must meet each student at his or her starting point and ensure substantial growth during each school term.

• Teachers that ignore student differences are unlikely to maximize potential in any student who differs significantly from the “norm.”

• Teachers need to make modifications in instruction for students rather than assume students must modify themselves to fit the curriculum.

• Teachers should always keep in mind that human brains learn best when curriculum is highly interesting and highly relevant.

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2001The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners, p. 24

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 6

Definition of Differentiation(Formal)

“…differentiated instruction refers to a systematic approach to planning curriculum and instruction for academically diverse learners. It is a way of thinking about the classroom with the dual goals of honoring each student’s learning needs and maximizing each student’s learning capacity.”

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2003Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide

for Differentiating Curriculum Grades 5-9, p. 3

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 7

Definition of Differentiation(Informal)

“At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means ‘shaking up’ what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.”

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2001How to Differentiate Instruction

in Mixed-ability Classrooms, p. 1

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 8

Quote

“It is important for all educators to view differentiation as a philosophy and then to assess the manner and degree to which differentiation occurs within each classroom. It is also important to realize that teachers will vary along the lines of a continuum in their expertise in knowing how to differentiate in the teaching and learning environment. When educators have the time to study their content and to clarify what they want students to know, understand, and be able to do, I often find that the instructional tasks that they design become more meaningful and require students to think more deeply.”

~ Jann Leppien, 2006Talent, Winter 2006, pp. 4-5

Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 9

Not Differentiated Fully Differentiated

Differentiation Continuum

Examine the differentiation continuum and place yourself on the continuum for each of the specific areas.

Not Differentiated Fully Differentiated

Assessment is at the end. Assessment is ongoing.

A single form of assessment is used. Diagnostic assessment is used.

Intelligence is viewed narrowly. Multiple forms of intelligence are valued.

Single option assignments. Assignments offer multiple options.

Time is inflexible. Time is flexible in terms of student needs.

Instruction is whole class. Flexible grouping is practiced.

Teacher directs student behavior. Teacher scaffolds self-reliant learning.

Coverage of texts and curriculum drive instruction.

Materials are varied.

Teacher solves problems. Teacher facilitates student problem-solving.

Grading is based on teacher-set, inflexible objectives.

Grading is determined by learning goals.

adapted from Tomlinson, 1999

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 10

Quote

“Assessment is today’s means of understanding how to modify tomorrow’s instruction.”

~ Carol Ann Tomlinson, 1999The Differentiated Classroom: Responding

to the Needs of All Learners, p. 10

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 11

Ongoing Classroom Assessment:A Diagnostic Cycle

SummativeAssessment

FormativeAssessment

Pre-Assessment

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 12

Quote

“Challenges must be at the proper level of difficulty to be and to remain motivating; tasks that are too easy become boring; tasks that are too difficult cause frustrations.”

~ National Research Council, 1999

  How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School, p. 61

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 13

Definition of Scaffolding

“Scaffolds are forms of support provided by the teacher (or another student) to help students bridge the gap between their current abilities and their intended goal. Scaffolds may be tools, such as cue cards, or techniques such as teacher modeling.”

~ Barak Rosenshine & Carla Meister, 1992Educational Leadership, 49(7), p. 26

Foundations and Applications of Differentiating Instruction:Competencies Four and Five

S1 - 14