Differentiating LearningDifferentiating LearningBy Jenny PearceBy Jenny Pearce

Aims and objectives:

• Plan and structure lessons to include all learners

• Differentiate when planning for teaching and learning

ProgrammeProgramme• Identify aspects of differentiation

• Useful strategies

• Practical activities and top tips

Factors affecting differentiationFactors affecting differentiation

• Educational background• First language• Time spent in the U.K.• Preferred learning style• Physical factors• dyslexia

Look at the list of factors above.• Discuss each one• As an activity in pairs work out other factors affecting

differentiation

Lesson PlansLesson Plans

• Look at the lesson plan and discuss

where you would write about differentiating by:

• group work• room layout• levels of directed questioning• support• task

Lesson plan continuedLesson plan continued

By resources:

• Learners have access to a range of materials from which they select

By task or activity:

• Learners take on roles matched to their own abilities and needs

Lesson plan continuedLesson plan continued

By outcome:

• Learners are given activities which lend themselves to different levels of response

By extension:

• Learners do work to consolidate learning or further extend their skills once they have understood the essentials

ActivityActivity

Work with a partner and consider when you have used or might use one of the above strategies for differentiation when teaching .

• Give an example of when each strategy could be used effectively.

• What are the good points and bad points of each strategy?

Top Tips Top Tips

• Reading activities• Writing activities• Speaking and Listening activities

Other tips• Oral questioning• Visual aids

Reading activitiesReading activities

• Give the learners the same text but use it in different ways

• Play the text on a tape to help less able readers

• Give an extension task to more able readers

• Give a simplified version of the text for less able learners

Writing activitiesWriting activities

• Learners prepare for the task together

• Less able learners have a writing frame ie.guided writing

• More able learners do free writing

• Some students may be given key words

• More able students will plan their writing first

Speaking and ListeningSpeaking and Listening

• Role play activities can be differentiated through support/ questioning

• The less confident speaker takes on the easier role

• In turn taking activities leave the less able student until last so s/he knows what to do

• Give learners headphones and control of the tape so they can work at their own speed

Other tips - oral questioningOther tips - oral questioning

• Repeat and simplify initial questions to aid understanding

• Give an either or option

• Vary the difficulty of questions and target individuals using their name

Visual aidsVisual aids

• Colour code handouts

• Put vocabulary lists on desks or on the wall

• Use visuals to aid understanding

• Pictures and photos can be used too

And finally …And finally …

• Get the students involved (interactive learning)

• Move students around the room from time to time

• Arrange tasks in groups of ability

• Remember to use support effectively