DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION

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DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION

• Strategies to make all students successful
• Learners
• Dr. Lynne Thies, 2005 NYASP Conference

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DEFINITION OF DIFFERENTION

• A teaching philosophy based on the premise that
  teachers should adapt instruction to student
  differences
• Rather than marching students through the
  curriculum in lockstep, teachers should modify
  their instruction to meet students varying
  readiness levels, learning preferences, and
  interests. (Willis and Mann, 2000)

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DEFINITION (continued)

• AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL
• DIFFERENTIATION CONSISTS OF THE EFFORTS OF
  TEACHERS TO RESPOND TO VARIANCE AMONG LEARNERS IN
  THE CLASSROOM

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MORE DEFINITION

• shaking 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
• A differentiated classroom provides different
  avenues to acquiring content, making sense of
  ideas, and developing products

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DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IS

• PROACTIVE
• QUALITATIVE more than quantitative
• MULTIPLE approaches to content, process, product
• STUDENT CENTERED
• BLEND of instructional approaches whole class,
  group, individual

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differentiation

• IS NOT
• MODIFICATION

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MODIFICATION PROCEDURES

• FLEXIBLE FORMAT less items on page, larger
  print, color coding
• REVISED DIRECTIONS simplify language, read
  aloud, pictorial cues
• FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING extend time limit, multiple
  testing sessions
• FLEXIBLE SETTING separate location
• USE OF AIDS matrix, calculator, scribe

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Is differentiated instruction the same as
individualized instruction?

• NO!!!
• IT DOES NOT MEAN COMING IN WITH A DIFFERENT
  LESSON PLAN FOR EACH STUDENT.
• TYPICALLY TWO TO FOUR DIFFERENT LEARNING
  EXPERIENCES ARE OFFERED BY THE TEACHER OR
  STUDENTS ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THEIR
  OWN CHOICES

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CURRENT STATUS OF DIFFERENTIATION IN
HETEROGENEOUS SETTINGS

• LIMITED USE OF CONSISTENT PRE-ASSESSMENT IN MANY
  CLASSES PROMOTES THE ILLUSION THAT ALL OR MOST
  STUDENTS NEED THE SAME INSTRUCTION TO MASTER A
  TOPIC
• MOST INSTRUCTIONAL VARIATIONS THAT ARE MADE USE
  TAILORING (keeping content, activities, products
  the same for all learners making small
  adjustments) RATHER THAN DIFFERENTIATION
• AS LONG AS WE SEE STUDENTS AS A GROUP RATHER THAN
  AS INDIVIDUALS, IT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK CRUCIAL
  DIFFERENCES THEY BRING WITH THEM TO THE CLASSROOM
• Howard Gardner SUGGESTEDTHE GREATEST SINGLE
  ERROR IN MODERN EDUCATION IS TO PERCEIVE STUDENTS
  AS VARIANTS OF THE SAME INDIVIDUAL, GRANTING US
  PERMISSION TO TEACH THEM THE SAME THINGS IN THE
  SAME WAY

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Comparing classrooms

• Traditional differentiated
• Single definition of Excellence defined by
• excellence individual growth
• Whole class instruction Many instructional
• dominates arrangements used
• Student differences masked/ Student differences
  used
• acted on when problematic as a basis for
  planning
• Teacher directs student teacher guides students
  to
• behavior be self-reliant learners

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Comparing classrooms

• Traditional differentiated
• A single text prevails Multiple materials
  provided
• A single assessment form Students assessed
  multiple
• used ways
• Coverage of curriculum Student readiness,
  interest,
• guides texts shape learning profile shape
• Instruction instruction
• Assessment at end of Assessment is ongoing and
• learning to see who diagnostic to understand
  how
• got it to make instruction better

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HALLMARKS OF DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOMS

• Teachers begin instruction where students are,
  not at the beginning of the textbook or
  designated Curriculum
• STARTING POINT
• Teachers ensure that students compete against
  themselves rather than each other
• Teachers use time flexibly, employ a variety of
  instructional strategies, hold all students to
  high standards (relative to their individual
  starting points)

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HALLMARKS OF DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOMS

• Teachers provide specific ways for each student
  to learn without assuming that one students
  roadmap for learning is the same as anothers
•  
• Teachers begin with a solid sense of what
  constitutes powerful curriculum and engaging
  instruction
•  
• Then they employ varying approaches to customize
  the instruction so that each learner comes away
  with understanding and skills
•  
• Teachers understand that there is no one right
  way to create and effectively differentiated
  classroom

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DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

• DIFFERENTIATING CONTENT
• CONTENT refers to the concepts, principles, and
  skills that teachers want students to learn.
• Teachers should address the SAME CONTENT with all
  students but adjust the degree of complexity.
• Teachers may direct advanced students who think
  abstractly to more complex texts and web sites
  while providing less accomplished students with
  reading buddies, videos, demonstrations, etc.
• Examples of differentiating content
• - using reading material at varying readability
  levels
• - using multiple spelling or vocabulary lists
• - meeting with small groups of students to
  extend or reteach curriculum

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DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

• DIFFERENTIATING PROCESS
• PROCESS refers to the activities that help
  students make sense of the ideas skills being
  taught
• Teachers can provide some students with more
  complexity, others with scaffolding (step-by-step
  directions, reteaching, additional models)
  depending on the students level of readiness
  relative to the topic
• PROCESS can be varied by student interest and
  learning preferences
• Examples of differentiating process
• - hands-on support such as math manipulatives
• - interest centers
• - tiered activities
• - using personal agenda (task lists based on
  individual goals)

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DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

• DIFFERENTIATING PROduct
• PRODUCTS refer to culminating projects that allow
  students to demonstrate and extend what they have
  learned
• PRODUCTS reveal whether students can apply
  learning beyond the classroom to solve problems
  and take action
• Different products can be assigned based on
  readiness levels, interests, learning
  preferences, etc.
• Examples of differentiating product
• - options to demonstrate learning (write a
  letter, create a diorama)
• - rubrics that match differing readiness levels
• - individual versus group products

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DIMENSIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION

• DIFFERENTIATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
• LEARNING ENVIRONMENT is the way the classroom
  works and feels
• Examples of differentiating learning environment
• - making sure there are places in the classroom
  to work quietly, without distraction and places
  that invite student collaboration
• - providing materials that reflect a variety of
  cultures and home settings
• - setting clear guidelines for independent work
  that matches individual needs

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HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTION AND KEEP
STUDENTS ON THE SAME PAGE?

• The teacher must be clear about what he/she wants
  the students to learn as a result of this segment
  of learning
• The teacher should focus on a KEY CONCEPT or BIG
  IDEA as well as a KEY SKILL that helps the
  students work with that concept
• The teacher designs activities that aid all
  students in understanding this same big idea
  and use the same basic skill at different levels
  of simplicity vs. complexity or concreteness vs.
  abstractness
• All students have the opportunity to make sense
  of the essential understandings, each at a level
  that provides the appropriate degree of challenge
  

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENTIATION

• CURRICULUM COMPACTING
• Assess what a student knows and what they need to
  master about material to be studied
• Plan for learning what is not known about the
  material and excuse student from what is known
• Use freed-up time for enriched/accelerated study
• See USING CURRICULUM COMPACTING TO CHALLENGE THE
  ABOVE-AVERAGE
• (Reis Renzulli, Educational Leadership,
  October, 1992).

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENTIATION

• TIERED ASSIGNMENTS
• Focus on key concept crucial to material being
  studied
• Use a variety of resource materials at different
  levels of complexity
• Adjust task on basis of abstractness, complexity,
  number of steps, independence match to need
  students need
• Present clear criteria for task completion
• Allows students to begin learning where they
  are, work with appropriately challenging tasks,
  avoid work that is anxiety-producing or boring,
  be successful

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENTIATION

• VARIED SUPPORT SYSTEMS
• STUDY BUDDIES match students for practice, may
  be same or different skill level
• READING PARTNERS use for oral reading (fluency)
  practice, writing books, etc.
• PEER AND ADULT MENTORS - for practice and
  extension of learning, partner with higher grades
  and/or senior center
• FLEXIBLE GROUPING students are of different
  groups based on match of task to student
  readiness, interest, or learning style group
  can be teacher appointed or student selected
• LEARNING CENTERS, CONTRACTS, INTEREST GROUPS,
  APPRENTICESHIPS/MENTORSHIPS, VARYING QUESTIONS

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DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION HOW TO BEGIN

• START SMALL try a differentiated task for a
  small block of time
• GROW SLOWLY BUT GROW take notes so you can see
  what works and what doesnt for various learners
  assess before you teach a new topic and use
  results to guide the differentiation
• ENVISION IN ADVANCE HOW AN ACTIVITIY WILL LOOK
  write out procedures for yourself and directions
  for the students, think about what might go
  wrong, plan alternative options
• STEP BACK AND REFLECT ask yourself questions
  like were all students engaged in learning? did
  grouping (size, arrangements) work? Note what to
  keep as well as what requires modification.

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Is it worth it?

• THERES NO BIGGER CHALLENGE THAN INSERTING KIDS
  IN A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL CLASSROOM AND THEN DEALING
  WITH THE SPILLOVER OF EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL
  REACTIONS (from Differentiating Instruction
  Finding Manageable Ways to Meet Individual Needs,
  ASCD Curriculum Update, Willis Mann, 2001)