Ideas and Strategies Strategies that Support Differentiated
Instruction
What is differentiation?
Differentiation is classroom practicethat 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.
-Tomlinson (2001)
It means teachers proactively plan varied approaches to
•what students need to learn,
•how they will learn it,
•and/or how they will show what they have learned
in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible.
Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one-size-fits-all teaching.
Differentiation is making sure that the
•right students get the
•right learning tasks
•at the right time.
Once you have a sense of what each student holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.
Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher can be all things to all individuals all the time. It does, however, mandate that a teacher create a reasonable range of approaches to learning much of the time, so that most students find learning a fit much of the time
At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means “shaking upshaking 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.
Differentiation begins with the teacher’s mindset that
students of any age need active involvement with and
support from adults who care to help them construct a
worthy life.
Differentiation Is a teacher’s response
to learner’s needs
Guided by general principles of
differentiation
Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment
Teachers can differentiate through
Content Process Product Affect/Environment
According to students’
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
Quality Curriculum
Building Community
Three questions that drive differentiated curriculum
What is the teacher differentiating?
How is she differentiating?
Why is she differentiating?
What can the teacher differentiate/ What can the teacher differentiate/ modifymodify
Content – what students will learn
Process – activities through which students make sense of the key ideas using the required skills
Product – how students demonstrate and extend what they understand
Learning Environment – the classroom conditions that set up the tone and expectations of learning
How can the teacher differentiate/ modify
The teacher can differentiate her instruction by responding to the students’
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
Readiness Readiness refers to a student’s • knowledge, • understanding, • and skill related to a particular sequence of learning. Only when a student works at a level of difficulty
that is both challenging and attainable for that student does learning take place.
InterestInterest refers to those topics or pursuits that • evoke curiosity and • passion in a learner. Thus, highly effective teachers attend both to
developing interests and as yet undiscovered interests in their students.
Learning profileLearning profile refers to how students learn best. Those include
• learning style, • intelligence preference, • culture and • gender If classrooms can offer and support
different modes of learning, it is likely that more students will learn effectively and efficiently.
AffectAffect has to do with how students feel about • themselves, • their work, • and the classroom / relationships ( teacher / peers
) Student affect is the gateway to helping each student
become more fully engaged and successful in learning.
Preassessment Is...
Any method, strategy or process used to determine astudent’s current level of readiness or interest in order toplan for appropriate instruction.
• provides data to determine options for students • helps determine differences before planning•helps teacher design activities that are respectful and challenging•allows teachers to meet students where they are•identifies starting point for instruction•identifies learning gaps•makes efficient use of instructional time
Formative Assessment Is...
A process of accumulating information about a student’sprogress to help make instructional decisions that willimprove his/her understandings and achievement levels.
• used to make instructional adjustments• alerts the teacher about student misconceptions “early warning signal”• allows students to build on previous experiences• provides regular feedback• provides evidence of progress• aligns with instructional/curricular outcomes
Summative Assessment Is...
A means to determine a student’s mastery andunderstanding of information, skills, concepts, orprocesses.
• Should reflect the formative assessments that precede it• should match material taught• may determine student’s exit achievement• may be tied to a final decision, grade or report• should align with instructional/curricular outcomes• may be a form of alternative assessment
Two Views of AssessmentTwo Views of AssessmentAssessment is For:
Gate Keeping
Judging
Right Answers
Control
Comparison to Others
Use with Single Activities
Assessment is For:
Nurturing
Guiding
Self Reflection
Information
Comparison to Task
Use Over Multiple Activities
Reflection and Discussion
What instructional strategies will you take with you from this session and use with your students?