DIFFERENTiating Instruction

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DIFFERENTiating Instruction

• Using Layered Curriculum

Vannetta Chapman
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Kathie Nunley

• Primary source for differentiating instruction
  through layered curriculum
• http//www.help4teachers.com/
• Sample Unit Sheets on her website are WONDERFUL,
  and theres a lot of them.

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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?
various reading levels
2nd grade
on grade level
college level
http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?

• Irving ISD provides Language Services to
  approximately _______ students who represent
  ______ Countries.

http//www.irvingisd.net
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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?

• Irving ISD provides Language Services to
  approximately 10,500 students who represent 80
  Countries.

http//www.irvingisd.net
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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?

• AkanAlbanianAlegeAmharicArabicArmenianBanga
  laBantuBengali, BosnianBulgarianBurmeseChuka
  CreoleDari

• SpanishSwahiliSwedishTamilTegaliTeluguTigr
  eTonganUkrainianUrduVietnameseYoruba

KashmiriKenyan KirundKiswahaliKoreanKosraen
KurdiLaotianLiberian MalayalamMandarin
ChineseNepali

• PariPashto-PatwahPolishPortugueseQuolofRoman
  ianRussian
• ShonaSindhiSomali

CreoleDariDinkaDutchEweFarsiFrench German
GujaratiHindiIgboItalianJapaneseKachchiKiswa
hali
http//www.irvingisd.net
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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?

• We have DIFFERENT students. . .

ADD
Hyperactive
Reluctant Learners
Special Education Students
http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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WHY do you need to DIFFERENTiate?

• . . . who learn differently.

Tactile Learners
Auditory Learners
Visual Learners
http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Layered Curriculum isONE wayto differentiate
http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 1 hand your lesson plan out in advance

• Include a copy of the lesson objectives and
  assignment options at the beginning of each two
  week period.
• These unit sheets contain a variety of assignment
  options that are designed to meet specific core
  objectives. Each assignment has a point value
  based on the complexity and time requirement.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Each layer represents a level or depth of study
  on the topic.
• The bottom layer is called the C layer because
  students working strictly within this layer can
  earn a grade no higher than a "C" on the unit.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Students choose the assignments they want and
  complete them in any order.
• Students can choose any number of assignments for
  any combination of points up to, but not passing
  a grade of a C.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Lets practice!
• Divide your sheet into thirds.
• Now, think of one unit you need to teach in the
  first six weeks.
• Write that title across the top of your paper.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Now imagine your WORSE day in the classroom.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• In spite of EVERYthing going wrong, what are the
  basic objectives you have to get across?
• This is your C Layer.
• Write those objectives on the bottom section.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• The C level represents a basic understanding of
  the topic.
• It is structured so that any student in the room
  can achieve this level of success.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Offer a variety of basic assignments to meet the
  needs of different types of learners.
• Consider having assignments that even your
  non-readers can complete.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Include
• hands-on activities for the tactile learners,
• video and art projects for the visual learners,
• and optional lectures for the auditory learners.
• Include textbook assignments for students who
  prefer traditional methods of learning.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• Consider having one assignment that must be done
  in any language except English. It is interesting
  to watch the interaction between the English-only
  students and the limited-English proficiency
  students when faced with having the tables
  turned.
• You can also include art, poetry or history
  assignments which require cross-discipline
  involvement.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 2 divide the unit sheet into three layers

• According to Nunley, the C section is the largest
  section on the unit assignment sheet because you
  will cover the bulk of your state core curriculum
  in this layer.
• She also recommends offering approximately three
  times as many assignment choices as required. (If
  you expect them to complete 5 C layer
  assignments, have 15 to choose from).

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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STOP!

• Who has time to create 15 assignments?
• Who has time to grade 15 different types of
  assignments?
• Is she crazy?

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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• Remember your WORSE day in the classroom?
• Imagine a day SLIGHTLY better.
• What are the objectives you didnt get to on the
  WORSE DAY?
• This is your B Layer.
• Write those objectives on the middle section.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• B layer requires more complex types of thinking.
• This layer requires the students to manipulate or
  apply the information they learned in the C
  layer.
• Students carry their newly learned basic
  knowledge a step further.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• Students "play" with their new information at
  this layer.
• They build, design, use, apply, problem solve,
  create, brain-storm, etc.
• (You should be hearing echoes of Bloom's
  Taxonomy.)

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• Nunley suggests forcing students into a more
  active role here.
• With high school biology, she has students choose
  from a list of questions that pertain to the unit
  they are studying.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• She gives no other information regarding the lab.
  
• Students write their hypothesis and a detailed
  procedure.
• Students gather what materials they need.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• Nunley says it is critical not to give
  information or help with procedural designs until
  students have written their own ideas.
• This may be very frustrating at first to the
  students as they all want to ask the teacher how
  they are to do the lab.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 3 Create a B Layer

• This sounds insane, but its actually kind of
  fun.
• ESPECIALLY with our technology, students usually
  have better ideas as far as PRODUCT than I do.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 4 Create an A Layer

• Lets pause to imagine the BEST day youve ever
  enjoyed in the classroom?
• These are the days I think, They PAY me to do
  this?
• Yes, Ive actually had a few of these.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 4 Create an A Layer

• Imagine the student who ALWAYS gets done early,
  then bothers you for the rest of the class.
• Imagine your college-bound who need to be
  challenged.
• What would you have them do?

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 4 Create an A Layer

• This is your A Layer.
• Write these objectives on the top section.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Step 4 Create an A Layer

• This section requires the most complex thinking -
  critical thinking.
• Here students mix traditional research with other
  things like values, morality and personal
  opinion.
• Offer students several issues in the topic that
  are currently under debate in the real world.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 4 Create an A Layer

• Students might conduct a literature search to
  find three recent studies on their topic and then
  write a critical evaluation of that issue.
• Final products may take various forms (letter of
  persuasion to a legislator on an environmental
  issue, two minute oral presentation arguing their
  position, etc.)

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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The 10,000question is . . .
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How do you grade these things?
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Step 5 - Assessment

• The final and most important step to Layered
  Curriculum is assessment through an oral defense
  of the students' assignments.
• As students finish an assignment they spend a
  couple of minutes, on a one-on-one basis,
  discussing what they learned.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 5 - Assessment

• Based on the pre-arranged objectives, ask several
  key questions and help clarify their ideas and
  verify that the learning objectives have been
  met.
• You meet face to face with every student and
  confirm that they are indeed learning.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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Step 5 - Assessment

• You can carry note cards with the objectives on
  them to use during these discussions.
• The cards help students understand that there is
  a criteria involved in assessing their learning
  experience.

http//www.help4teachers.com/.
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What worked for me . . .

• The first class period we did this, I monitored a
  little to answer questions.
• I also allowed students to procrastinate, get off
  task, etc.
• BUT I warned them I would check their progress
  the next period.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• The NEXT period, anyone who had not made progress
  lost their computer privileges.
• The rest of the unit was completed by hand.
• Theres always a few non-believers, so Im ready
  with a paper version of the unit.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• I began with a 3 day unit.
• First day was intro and completing the C layer.
• Second day was B layer, and EVERYONE was required
  to do this.
• Third day was completing B and moving on to A.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• On the second and third day, I walked around the
  room and gave a DAILY grade for completion. This
  takes about 10 seconds per student.
• I explain I am not checking for accuracy, just
  completion. (They may have A daily grades and a C
  final grade.)

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• Students must have their project open and ready
  to be checked when I get to their desk.
• If they dont, I circle back to them, but its
  then a late grade.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• On the 4th day, I give a test grade. Each
  student comes to my desk and presents their
  project.
• I have a grading rubric (which I handed out at
  the beginning), and I check the criteria as they
  explain their project to me.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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What worked for me . . .

• I enter the grade in my grade book when were
  done.
• Students receive the rubric sheet to keep in
  their folder.
• There is NO after-class grading at all. Of
  course you need to have another activity for your
  grading day.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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Problems Ive seen . . .

• When teachers give the students the unit sheet
  and say its due in a week (or two).
• If students (especially freshmen) are not held
  accountable EVERY DAY, they will not complete the
  assignment. Theyre simply not self-motivated.

Layered Curriculum according to Chapman
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More Questions?
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Id love to post . . .

• layered curriculum projects in a shared folder.
• If you create some, email them to me.
• If you want to know where the shared folder is,
  email me!
• Vchapman_at_irvingisd.net