Diff Mod

1
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Supporting and Challenging English Language
Learners
November 4, 2004 Developed and Presented by
Karen Demilliano, Kerri McLaughlin-Phillips Making
Differentiated Instruction Doable
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What We Already Know about Teaching and Learning

• Classrooms contain increasingly diverse
• populations.
• No two students are alike.
• No two teachers are alike.
• Students learn in a variety of ways and have
• different interests.
• Teachers teach in a variety of ways and respond
• to students needs.

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What does your classroom look like?
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• Do you believe that all students in your
  classroom will experience success?
• How will you support and challenge all your
  students in manageable ways?

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• Collect and use a variety of
• instructional tools and strategies to
• set your students up for success.
• If you were to fold your hands together
  naturally, you would have a comfortable, close
  fit. The goals of curriculum differentiation are
  to find the closest, most comfortable fit between
  the learner and the curriculum...varying the
  process or content or product to match the needs
  of the learner can help us reach that close fit."
  
• 
  
  (Curry, January '99)

Differentiating Instruction Teacher Toolbox
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• BEFORE
• Why might learning about differentiated
  instruction be worth your time?
• Ask yourself Whats in it for me? Record your
  personal WIIFM.
• __________________________________________________
  ______
• WHOLE GROUP
• What questions do you want answered through
  todays workshop?
• 
  
• AFTER
• Consider what you have learned today about
  differentiating instruction.
• How will you connect this information with
  improving student learning and instruction in
  your classroom?
• What are you ready to take with you into your
  classroom?

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Supporting Students with Special Needs/Learning
Differences Differentiating, Adapting, Modifying
A Clarification of Terms
INCLUSION As a faith community, Edmonton
Catholic Schools welcomes all students. Through
inclusive practices inspired by the Gospel, the
District seeks to meet students' needs in the
regular classroom settings within the
neighbourhood school community, where a variety
of services and supports are available.

Edmonton Catholic Schools Administrative Policy
305 An
inclusive environment sets the stage for
differentiating instruction.
DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION is the application of
inclusivity through good teaching practices. It
is a teachers response to learners needs guided
by principles such as respectful tasks, flexible
grouping and ongoing assessment and adjustments.
ADAPTED PROGRAM An adapted program retains the
learning outcomes of the prescribed curriculum
and adjustments to the instructional process are
provided to address the special needs of the
student.
MODIFIED PROGRAM A modified program has learning
outcomes which are significantly different from
the provincial curriculum and are specifically
selected to meet the students special needs.
When needed
when needed
Teachers can differentiate one or more curricular
elements through content, process or
product/performance
Students are assessed in reference to the
prescribed learning outcomes at their grade
level. Students may have IPPs.
Students are assessed in reference to goals and
objectives in their IPPs. Assessments determine
what the IPP goals are.
according to students readiness, interests, and
learning profile through a range of instructional
and management strategies.
Instructional Practices/Assessment Practices Know
your students. Know your program of studies.
Identify a variety of instructional activities
and strategies. All differentiation of learning
begins with student assessment.
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What is Differentiated Instruction?

• Differentiating instruction means finding
  manageable ways to meet
• ALL students needs within a safe, open,
  inclusive environment.
• Differentiating instruction involves teachers
  addressing students
• Readiness Levels
• Interests
• Learning Profiles
• Affect
• Instructional plans that incorporate a range of
• content adjustments
• learning processes
• Products and performances
• in response to varying learner needs.
• It is not individualized instruction.
• Differentiating instruction is more than a series
  of strategies.
• It is a way of thinking about teaching and
  learning.

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What student traits do teachers address through
differentiating instruction?

• Readiness
• - Students abilities, knowledge, understandings
  and skills
• Interests
• -Those topics or pursuits that evoke curiosity
  and passion in the learners
• Learning Profiles
• -How students learn best (learning styles,
  intelligence preferences, culture, gender, Ll and
  L2 literacy levels, and linguistic preferences)
• Affect
• -How students feel about themselves, their work,
  and the classroom as a whole
• Tomlinson, C. A. Fulfilling the Promise of the
  Differentiated Classroom, ASCD.

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What classroom elements do teachers
differentiate?-1

• CONTENT is the what of teaching.
• Involves the planning and preparation.
• Teaching of knowledge and skills is based on the
  students readiness.
• Facts, skills, ideas, concepts, topics, rules,
  principles
• What do the students need to learn?
• PROCESS is the how of teaching.
• Involves the implementation of instruction
• The teaching reflects the learning styles and
  preferences of the students.
• Presentation of content, the ways students will
  work to learn the content, including the
  questions asked, the teaching methods and
  thinking skills used
• How do the students make sense of the content?

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What classroom elements do teachers
differentiate?-2

• PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE is the end result of
  learning.
• Involves assessing the evidence of learning.
• Teachers can provide greater challenge, variety,
  and choice in how students demonstrate or
  represent what theyve learned.
• Culminating projects, demonstrations,
  performances, and other assessments
• What do the students do to show the knowledge or
  skills learned?
• LEARNING ENVIRONMENT is the operation and tone of
  the classroom.
• Considers what is valued in the place where
  learning happens.
• How does the teacher create a learning
  environment that is student-
• centred, supportive, flexible, and safe?

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• THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
• (physical, psychological)
• What is valued in the place where learning
  happens?

The Learning Experience
Process How will we teach it?
Content What will we teach?
Product/Performance How will we measure progress?
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Why should teachers identify students who need
to be supported and challenged?

• Proper identification of student needs, and
  background information is important in helping
  them succeed.
• Academic, behavioral, inter/intra personal,
  literacy, L1 literacy skills, English language
  proficiency are concerns that may indicate the
  need for program adaptations or modifications.
• Frustration, withdrawal, or shutting-down can
  occur if needs of individuals are not identified
  and acted upon.
  

Where do you start?
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Start in your classroom.

• Know your students.
• Read student files, ensure that
  family/educational background information sheets
  are completed and reviewed.
• Recognize knowledge of their own languages and
  cultures.
• Use curriculum based assessments only when a
  child is fluent.
• Be aware of default curriculum content and
  structure.
• Make reference to English Language Proficiency
  assessments when you need more information.
• Use observation surveys or checklists.
• Look for patterns and chunks of abilities, needs
  and interests.
• Watch and listen to your students.

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INCLUSION
The Inclusive Learning Environment
DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION for ESL Students

• Content

Process
Product/Performance
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Creating a Differentiating Learning Environment

• Consider what is valued in the place where
  learning happens.
• Create a respectful classroom where students feel
  safe, secure , supported and valued.
• Make sure there are places in the room for
  students to work quietly and without distraction,
  as well as places that invite student
  collaboration.
• Provide materials that reflect a variety of
  cultures and home settings.
• Set out clear guidelines for independent work
  that matches individual results.
• Develop routines that allow students to get help
  when you are busy with other students and cannot
  help them immediately.
• Help students understand that some learners need
  to move around to learn, while others do better
  sitting quietly.
• Morning routines, dismissal routines,
• Smooth transitions
• Classroom agenda
• Colour-coding student supplies/books

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Possibilities for Differentiating Content-1

• Reading Materials at different
• levels and interests
• Organize a classroom environment that provides
  many opportunities for your students to access
  books at different levels, of different genres
• Use your school library to bring in resources, at
  different reading levels, to support your science
  and social and math curriculum. Students will
  explore and create their own extension choices.
• A reading buddy can help a student deal with the
  content. Finding a buddy with the same first
  language is more beneficial for language learner.
• Taped books

• Activating Prior Knowledge
• Use techniques such as KWL,
• timelines, flow charts. or
  think/pair/share to activate prior knowledge and
  experience.
• When students come from cultures with rules for
  conduct that dont match up with western rules
  for scientific inquiry, they may have to be
  consciously taught.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Content-2

• Using Websites
• http//edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html web
  quest page
• www.linguistic-funland.com/tesl.html 
• Eg. Exercises/Activities for students
• www.webct.com/esl ESL Web CT Site
• http//www.ucalgary.ca/dkbrown/
• teaching ideas, recommended books, etc
•  www.everythingesl.net On-line book with ideas
  and tips for lessons, resources and inservices,
  especially useful for beginning ESL students and
  for schools which are starting up ESL programs.
• See ESL in Our Schools Guidelines for
  Implementation for other Websites.

• Implement Curriculum that is
• Meaningful to the Children
• Provide comprehensible input when presenting new
  ideas through the use of visuals, realia,
  manipulative and other concrete materials.
• Find ways to involve English language learners
  and their worlds in the day-to-day life of the
  classroom.
• Use issues in the childrens lives as foundation
  for literacy instruction.
• Focus on concepts and essential understanding
  rather than facts.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Content-3

• Create Interest Centres
• Organize an area of the classroom where children
  can be actively involved in the learning process.
• A centre can be a bucket, a bag, a box, a tote, a
  table, a file drawer, a ledge, hanger pockets,
  or a bulletin board.
• Teach, model, set the criteria, have samples on
  your the centre.

• Provide Choice and Opportunities
• Choice is a huge factor in engaging students in
  the learning process.
• Students strengths and abilities are recognized
  when they are given opportunities to choose the
  books they read, the activities they engage in,
  the research they do
• All students are taught the same big ideas or key
  concepts. The degree of complexity is adjusted by
  the resources students use.

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Differentiating Learning Processes-1

• Processes are the presentation of content,
  including the learning activities for students,
  the questions that are asked, as well as the
  teaching methods and thinking skills that are
  used.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Process-1

• Turn-and-Talk
• Focused, structured conversations
• Think alone, A/B talk, reporting out
• Turn to a partner and talk
• about feelings
• predictions
• responses to questions
• reviewing lesson concepts
• Eye-to-eye, knee-to-knee.
• Always model ad explain.

• Quick Cooperative Strategies
• involves childrens participation in small group
  learning activities that promote positive
  interaction
• promotes academic achievement, is relatively easy
  to implement, and is not expensive
• Creates a safer environment where
• students can take risks and learn from each
  other.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Process-2

• Venn Diagrams
• are graphic organizers which invite students to
  analyze how things are the same and how they are
  different students use these charts to compare
  and contrast topics.
• All students respond at their ability levels.
• Hoola hoops or tape on the floor work.

• 4-Squares
• a simple graphic organizer that can be used to
  teach basic writing skills that are applicable
  across grade levels and curriculum areas
• learning the 4-Squares
• understanding relationships
• brainstorming
• adding details
• connecting words
• Students fold a piece of paper into four parts.
• multi-use and cheap.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Process-3

• Graphic Organizers
• Provides plenty of concrete and visual support
  for concept learning with ESL students
• Are useful thinking tools to
• organize information
• let students see their thinking
• Thinking Tools for Kids Practical Organizer A
  GT/E resource in every school

• Comprehensible Input
• simplify vocabulary
• pre-teach vocabulary
• repeat and rehearse new words
• print rather than write
• simply sentence structure
• emphasize key ideas and instructions
• encourage oral rehearsal
• check often for comprehension
• speak naturally
• allow sufficient response time
• provide bilingual support
• be aware of figurative language

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Differentiating Products/Performances Evidence
of Learning-1

• Products and performances are the end result of
  instruction those things that consolidate the
  learning and communicate ideas. They are the
  evidence of the students learning. Examples of
  differentiating products and performances for
  English language learners

• give students options of how to express required
  learning in their preferred learning style (e.g.
  create a puppet show, write a letter, develop a
  mural with labels, etc.)
• use rubrics that match and extend students'
  varied skills levels
• allow students to take tests orally (an
  accommodation)
• allow beginner ESL students to use texts, notes,
  dictionaries and other aids during tests so that
  the tests become learning opportunities.
• allow extra time (accommodation)

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Differentiating Products/Performances Evidence
of Learning-2

• allow students to work alone or in small groups
  on their products
• provide students with readers and scribes
• simplify language in test questions
• encourage students to create their own product
  assignments as long as the assignments contain
  required elements
• use a wide range of assessment options
• lighten the linguistic load by simplifying
  grammatical structures and paraphrasing.

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Possibilities for Differentiating Products-1

• Story Maps
• students create a map that illustrates the story
  setting, characters and sequence
• an open-ended student response to literature
• the student responds at his/her level of ability
  and understanding
• students use pictures, symbols, words and/or
  phrases
• put on Strategy Wall

• Story Boards
• students illustrate the story, setting, and
  sequence
• a student can add text, responding at his/her
  level of ability and understanding
• student retells story to a partner
• Support- 4 sections
• Challenge- 6 sections

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Possibilities for Differentiating Products-2

• Diorama/Triorama/Quadraramas
• can be used in all subject areas, and can be used
  at various levels of complexity
• students illustrate the story setting and
  sequence
• students can add text, responding at their levels
  of ability and understanding
• Support- 3 sections BME
• Challenge-4 sections BMME or BME Prediction

• Learning Logs/Journals
• notebooks or scribblers students use to record
  information they are learning, write questions
  and reflections about their learning
• students can make charts, diagrams and webs
• students reflect and think about learning and
  thinking
• give the sentence starters or the context

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Possibilities for Differentiating Products-3

• Accordion Books
• easy-to-make response booklets
• used for any subject
• no run-off sheets necessary

• Fold and Flip Little Books
• easy-to-make books to record all kinds of
  information or to respond to literature
• a favourite to take home
• model and practice
• any level of complexity

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Trioramas
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Storyboards
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Hotdog Accordian Book
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Refer to your BookmarkTips for the Teacher
Criteria For Choosing Resources for E.S.L.
students Understanding ESL Learners Pamphlet 5
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• Some Important Questions
• to ask Yourself when Planning.
• Consider what you have learned today about
  differentiating instruction. How will you
  connect this information with improving student
  learning and instruction in your classroom? What
  are you ready to take with you into your
  classroom?
• (Go back to your AFTER page.)
• Start one step at a time, one lesson at a time.
• Plan a basic lesson/unit and then
• think support and challenge
• Lets take our first steps together.