Differentiating Instruction

Sharing Present Practice:

Give a Few Ideas, Get a Few Ideas

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We are all different.

We have different gifts

in differing proportions.

We are interested in

different things. We

learn in different ways.

Teachers Differentiate Instruction…

…to structure learning

experiences that capitalize

on these differences: to

engage different interests,

to highlight different gifts,

and to honour the many

different ways of

becoming, and coming to

know.

Sometimes we walk the same road. And sometimes we take

our own path.

What is differentiated instruction?

Differentiated Instruction is a FRAMEWORK for all instruction.

Differentiation: The Teacher’s response to LEARNER NEEDS

Guided by these DI principles:

Ongoing Assessment &Adjustment

Flexible GroupingRespectful Tasks

Readiness Learning ProfileInterests

Content Process ProductLearning

Environment

Teachers can differentiate:

According to a student’s:

Adapted by the TDSB from The Differentiated Classroom : Responding to the Needs of All Learners by C.A. Tomlinson, 1999

Students benefit because…

They know we are honouring how they learn, and how they learn differently.We are putting tools and understandings in their hands: they can control their own learning and take responsibility for it themselves. We are connecting them with like-minded and different others to enrich their thoughts and experiences. We see their strengths and help them see the benefits of continuous efforts.We are enabling them to take risks and to be resilient.

Students benefit from Differentiated Instruction

because…

They see that we care, because we are respecting them for who they really are in the light of all the talents they have, and that we are helping them work actively toward becoming the people they want to be.

What Matters to Adolescents

•Affirmation•Contribution•Purpose•Power•Challenge

AffirmationTeachers’ relationships with students correlate very strongly with students’ achievement.•Knowing them—recognizing their uniqueness—creating experiences that capitalize on their gifts—affirms their worth as individuals. •Knowing that their teachers care about them makes them stay in school and try.

ContributionAdolescents need opportunities to share their talents, ideas and thoughts with others:•Opportunities to work with others in partners and small groups•Opportunities to do relevant, original and authentic work

PurposeThey need to discover or know the reasons why they are doing the tasks of school, so they can take responsibility for their actions and their choices.

PowerStudents produce work of significantly better quality when they can make meaningful choices about what they do and how they do it in school.

ChallengeThe work students do must be personally meaningful, and should encourage them to stretch and grow--within the range of the possible.

“Differentiation is classroom practice

that looks eyeball to eyeball with the reality that kids

differ, and the most effective

teachers do whatever it takes

to hook the whole range of kids on learning.”Carol Ann Tomlinson

Differentiated Instruction TDSBDifferentiated Instruction is a teacher’s response to a learner’s need. In the TDSB approach to Differentiated Instruction priority is placed upon emphasizing the importance of student individuality with respect to culture, race, language, learning needs, life

circumstances as well as learning styles.This is guided by general principles of differentiation such as:

Ongoing Assessment and Adjustment

Flexible GroupingRespectful Tasks

Readiness Learning ProfileInterests

Content Process ProductLearning

Environment

Teachers can differentiate:

According to a student’s:

Adapted by the TDSB from The Differentiated Classroom : Responding to the Needs of All Learners by C.A. Tomlinson, 1999

Knowing Our StudentsDifferentiated instruction requires that we

know our students’• readiness• interests• their learning preferences

as they learn new concepts and skills. With this knowledge, we are better able to design and refine instruction and assessment to meet the needs of all learners.

1. Differentiating by Learner Preferences

A Learner’s profile describes the student’s preferred ways of processing what is to be learned. The profile includes learning styles as well as intelligence and environmental preferences.

Learning Profiles

T O E X A M I N E H O W S T U D E N T S ,

, A N D I NFORM ATI ON

M OST EASILY, W E LOOK AT THEORIES OF AND

. AS M ORE INFORM ATION ABOUT EACH STUDENT’S

, , , A N D

IS GATHERED, IT ALLOW S TEACHERS TO

AS AN FOR I N S T R U C T I ON A N D T O C A P T U R E A T T E N T I O N .

A C C E S SP R O C E S S

L E A R N IN G S T Y L E S

E N T R Y PO IN T

EX P R ESS

L EA R N I N G ST Y L ES M U L T I P L E I NTEL L I GENCES

MODALITIES MULTI PLE I N T E L L I G E N C E ST H I N KI N G S T Y LE S

USE TH E K NOW LEDGE OF STUDENT STRENGTHS

( G r e g o r y & C h a p m a n , D i ff e r e n t i a te d I n s t r u c t i o n a l S t r a t e g i e s , “On e S i ze D o e s n ’t F i t A l l ”, p g 2 0 .)

Learning StylesDescribes how we prefer to acquire, process and remember new

information

•Visual•Auditory •Kinesthetic•Combination

Intelligence Preferences

Based on the multiple intelligences work of Howard Gardner and the triarchic intelligences work of Robert Sternberg (2001). Intelligences are what Gardner calls the formats in which our mind thinks.

Multiple Intelligences Since our students are

stronger in some

intelligences than

others, it is important

to address, when

appropriate,

their strongest

intelligence when

teaching new material.

2. Differentiating by Students’

Readiness

The goal of differentiating by readiness is to foster the GROWTH of the learner.

Students’ Readiness

Readiness is different from ability.Students’ readiness depends on:

Their prior knowledge of the topicTheir points of connection Their feelings about learning the new material

Provide content and tasks at an appropriate level of challenge for the students’ readiness.

If we only differentiate for readiness, then

students will settle

into fixed groupings,

which limits students’

growth, keeping them

on one track

within the

classroom.

BUT…

When differentiating for students’

readiness and interests it is

important that teachers recognize

student individuality with

respect to culture, race, language,

learning needs and life

circumstances.

3. Differentiating for Students’ Interests

The goal of differentiating by learner interest is MOTIVATION and

ENGAGEMENT.

Students’ Interests

Capitalizing on students’ interests ignites their motivation to learn.Tasks and topics become relevant when they connect to something the student knows and cares about.When new ideas are personally relevant, students are engaged, and meaningful learning happens.

Tomlinson

Brain Research…

Current research on the brain suggests

that we learn best when

we are

engaged in meaningful

classroom learning

experiences that help us

discover and develop our strengths and talents.

Differentiating by Interest: Your Choice of Readings

Choose one of these readings: “Teaching Beyond the Book”•“The Silver Cup of Differentiated Instruction” •“Radically Redefining Literacy Instruction”•“Multiple Intelligences Meets Blooms’ Taxonomy”•“Help Us Care Enough to Learn”•“If Only They’d Do Their Homework”•“Promoting Respectful Learning” (math)

Differentiating Curriculum: The Content

The same for all students: the overall expectations (the Big Ideas) that students are demonstrating

How they access the content can differ: Different levels of text, same topic/contentDifferent text forms (print), same contentDifferent text forms (media), same content

What they access can differ:Different content/topicsDifferent points of view, same content

Differentiating Curriculum: The Process

The same: they all process the content/acquire understanding

What may differ: how they process the contentIndividually, or in a group, at various stagesHow they do research (read, interview)Tiered questions/activitiesPacing and time requiredProcess according to preferred intelligence

Differentiating Curriculum: The Product

The same: they all demonstrate understanding of the same overall expectations and Big Ideas

What may differ: how they demonstrate understanding:Individual or group effortThe text formComplexity/simplicity of the understandingModality/means of presentationForm of intelligence used to demonstrate

GRASP (Goal, Role, Audience, Scenario,

Product)A GRASP task is… …one which engages students in creative and

meaningful tasks…a way to encourage students to:

assume a role consider their audience examine a topic from a relevant perspective present a product in different form

…a chance for students to explore content from new perspectives, thereby deepening their understanding

This tool helps to understand what a grasp task is all about.

Sample Grasp Task for Gr 9 Chemistry:

Goal: To understand the pros and cons between the use of copper wiring in electrical circuits versus aluminum wiringRole: Representative from Electrical Contractors AssociationAudience: Realtors of first time home buyers in the GTAScenario: the resale of homes built in the decade of 1970 is now reaching its peak. The ECA representative sends out a message of caution about homes built in the era. An emphasis is placed on the use of aluminum wiring in homes built in the time frame.Product: A letter of caution that will outline the following:

historical reasoning for Al wirePros and cons to Al wiring in houses compared to Copper wiringCost benefit analysis of the conversion to copper wiring.

Choice BoardsTo activate multiple intelligences

Knowing our Students: Establishing and

Maintainingrelationships (assessment)

(finding out) (keeping track & checking-up (making

sure)

Pre-testGraphing MeInventoryKLWChecklistObservationSelf-evaluationQuestioning

Conference Exit CardPeer evaluation Portfolio Check3-minute pause ObservationJournal Entry Journal promptSelf-evaluation Questioning Quick-quiz

Unit TestPerformance TaskProduct/ExhibitDemonstrationPortfolio Review

The teacher’s attitude can make all the difference….

Teachers who showed the greatest ability to move

toward differentiated classrooms were inquirers about students and saw

school as an organic enterprise in which

disequilibrium or disturbance was a catalyst for growth

Carol Ann Tomlinson

What Differentiated Instruction is NOT

treating everyone equallyhaving high expectations for some,

and lesser expectations for othersindividualizing for every studentaccelerating some, leaving others

behindgiving those who’ve mastered it more

of the same

The Difference that Teachers Make

Teachers that differentiate instructionmove away from seeing themselves

as keepers and dispensers of knowledge and

move towards seeing themselves as “organizers of learning opportunities”

that allow students to construct understanding themselves.

Carol Ann Tomlinson

Checking in with you…Complete this statement, matching your experience to one of the following photos:

The way I see Differentiated Instruction right now….

…iceberg

…playground

… fireworks

…rollercoaster

…the stars by daylight

…a box of doughnuts

Change produces uncertainty and feelings of incompetence --- uncertainty because we’re caused to deal with the unfamiliar,

incompetence because we don’t know how to do what we’ve never done before.

In the face of fear and feelings of incompetence, people seek security --- and the greatest security they know is found in the status quo. They therefore look for every reason they can find to justify their preference for the old and

their resistance to the new. Phil Schlecty

It’s about helping all students succeed

…one student at a time.

Whatever it takes.