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
Dec 27, 2015
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