Technology In Support of
Differentiated Instruction
Willa Spicer
Jennifer Hunsinger
Definition
“Differentiating instruction is not an instructional strategy or a teaching model. It’s a way of thinking about teaching and learning that advocates beginning where individuals are rather than with a prescribed plan of action, which ignores student readiness, interest, and learning profile.”
- Tomlinson
Differentiated InstructionTeacher’s Response to Learner’s Needs
Guided By General Principles
Respectful TasksLearningEnvironment Ongoing Assessment
Process ProductContent
Teacher Can Differentiate:
Through A Range of Instructional Strategies-Tomlinson
According to Student’s
Readiness Interests Learning Profile
Assumptions
Flexible Groups
Assumptions
• The information can be useful for your purposes.• Students and teachers have access to the
Internet.• Teacher knows the 21st Century Skills and wants
to teach them.– Search strategies– Ability to evaluate information on the basis of what
you want to know – Ability to recognize bias, falsehoods, propaganda
The Learning Environment
Click here to view“How People Learn”
The Teacher
The Student The Content
Policy Teaching
Learning
BALANCED ASSESSMENT
Summative Formative
Content
Facts, Principles, Concepts,
Generalizations, Skills
Which are
Relevant, authentic, usable, essential
* Content doesn’t often change because we differentiate!!
Learning Styles -Lens on the Learners
• Multiple Intelligences
• Jung - Myers-Briggs
• 4MAT
• Gender
• Cultural
Readiness
•Prior Knowledge and/or skill set
•Speed of Learning
NCREL’s Critical Issue: Promoting Children's Readiness to Learn
Respectful Tasks
Guiding Principles
• Classroom is flexible
• Instruction stems from ongoing assessment
• Flexible grouping
• All learners have tasks that are interesting, engaging and moderately challenging.
• Students and teachers are collaborators in learning
Process: Activities
Product: Demonstrating Learning
• Tests• Interviews• Survey• Performance and
Exhibition• Portfolio
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Newsletters, Publications
• Podcasts• Blogs, Wikis• Movies (YouTube)• Inspiration Maps
Instructional Strategies
• Anchoring Activities• Jigsaw• Literature Circles• Tiered Lessons• Learning Contracts• Cooperative Learning• Independent Learning• Orbital Studies
• Questioning Strategies• Interest Groups • Varied Homework• Compacting• Group Investigation• Varied Supplementary
Materials• Varied texts
Task
• Find a strategy that relates to the needs of your students.
• Write one or two sentences on that relationship.
News Sources• CBC Kids - from Canada• CBBC - from the UK for kids• Channel One• Discover• Earth & Sky Radio Show • Environmental News Network• Kid's Castle from Smithsonian• KidsNewsroom• LA Youth - by youth for youth• Newz Crew from PBS • National Geographic Kids• National Geographic News • National Geographic Today -
great list of stories; leads to other stories
• Nature.com• News Hour Extra from PBS• NOAA.com• NY Times Student Connection
s• Scholastic News Zone - listen
to scholastic radio• Student News Net• Time for Kids• Washington Post for Kids -
registration required • Weekly Reader - subscription
based • Why Files• World Wildlife Federation New
sroom • Yahooligans News
Your Task
Find what interests you the most within the context of the technology shared in this presentation.
Write one or two sentences that explain why you found this topic most interesting.
What Differentiation is Not
• A set of strategies, but a way of thinking about teaching and learning.
• Individualization of learning
• More work at the same level
• All the time differentiation, whole group activities continue to have role
• Group work without accountability
• Limited to acceleration
Differentiation into Practice
Thank you
Willa Spicer at [email protected]
Jennifer Hunsinger at [email protected]
Materials available on www.njelite.org