Differentiated Instruction
- 1. Ideas and Strategies that Support Differentiated Instruction
- 2. What is differentiation? Differentiation is classroom practice that looks eyeball to eyeball with the reality that kids differ, and the most effective teachers do whatever it takes to hook the whole range of kids on learning. -Tomlinson (2001)
- 3. Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one-size-fits-all teaching. It means teachers proactively plan varied approaches to •what students need to learn, •how they will learn it, •and/or how they will show what they have learned in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible.
- 4. Differentiation is making sure that the •right students get the •right learning tasks •at the right time. Once you have a sense of what each student holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response. Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher can be all things to all individuals all the time. It does, however, mandate that a teacher create a reasonable range of approaches to learning much of the time, so that most students find learning a fit much of the time
- 5. At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means “ shaking up” what goes on in up the classroom so that students have multiple options for • taking in information, • making sense of ideas, • and expressing what they learn. Differentiation begins with the teacher’s mindset that students of any age need active involvement with and support from adults who care to help them construct a worthy life.
- 6. Differentiation Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment Teachers can differentiate Building Community Quality Curriculum through Content Process Product Affect/Environment According to students’ Learning Readiness Interes Profile t
- 7. Three questions that drive differentiated curriculum What is the teacher differentiating? How is she differentiating? Why is she differentiating?
- 8. What can the teacher differentiate/ modify Content – what students will learn Process – activities through which students make sense of the key ideas using the required skills Product – how students demonstrate and extend what they understand Learning Environment – the classroom conditions that set up the tone and expectations of learning
- 9. How can the teacher differentiate/ modify The teacher can differentiate her instruction by responding to the students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile
- 10. Readiness refers to a student’s • knowledge, • understanding, • and skill related to a particular sequence of learning. Only when a student works at a level of difficulty that is both challenging and attainable for that student does learning take place. Interest refers to those topics or pursuits that • evoke curiosity and • passion in a learner. Thus, highly effective teachers attend both to developing interests and as yet undiscovered interests in their students.
- 11. Learning profile refers to how students learn best. Those include • learning style, • intelligence preference, • culture and • gender If classrooms can offer and support different modes of learning, it is likely that more students will learn effectively and efficiently. Affect has to do with how students feel about • themselves, • their work, • and the classroom / relationships ( teacher / peers ) Student affect is the gateway to helping each student become more fully engaged and successful in learning.
- 12. Preassessment Is... Any method, strategy or process used to determine a student’s current level of readiness or interest in order to plan for appropriate instruction. • provides data to determine options for students • helps determine differences before planning •helps teacher design activities that are respectful and challenging •allows teachers to meet students where they are •identifies starting point for instruction •identifies learning gaps •makes efficient use of instructional time
- 13. Formative Assessment Is... A process of accumulating information about a student’s progress to help make instructional decisions that will improve his/her understandings and achievement levels. • used to make instructional adjustments • alerts the teacher about student misconceptions “early warning signal” • allows students to build on previous experiences • provides regular feedback • provides evidence of progress • aligns with instructional/curricular outcomes
- 14. Summative Assessment Is... A means to determine a student’s mastery and understanding of information, skills, concepts, or processes. • Should reflect the formative assessments that precede it • should match material taught • may determine student’s exit achievement • may be tied to a final decision, grade or report • should align with instructional/curricular outcomes • may be a form of alternative assessment
- 15. Two Views of Assessment Assessment is For: Assessment is For: Gate Keeping Nurturing Judging Guiding Right Answers Self Reflection Control Information Comparison to Comparison to Task Others Use with Single Use Over Multiple Activities Activities
- 16. Reflection and Discussion What instructional strategies will you take with you from this session and use with your students?
Editor's Notes
- #3: Show overhead 7-if time