What is differentiation

Hopefully this won’t be a
debate in the style of………….

A little more like this
We won’t rule out some push and pull!

Differentiation
Objectives
 To have a consistent understanding
of differentiation across the DPPS
 To have clear understanding of the
legislation – SEND Code of Practice
2014
 To be able to think of and use a
number ways to differentiate

Differentiation
 Post it notes
 Write down your definition of
differentiation

Differentiation
 Share your idea with the person next to
you to come up with one agreed
definition

Differentiation
 Join together with another pair to
combine ideas into one definition

Differentiation
 Join together with another set of four to
come up with one definition of
differentiation.

This is DPPS’s understanding
of
Differentiation
 Do we have a current working definition
of differentiation?


A Definition by Weston 1992
& Visser 1993
 Weston 1992: Differentiation is the process of
identifying with each learner the most effective
strategies for achieving agreed targets.
 Visser 1993: Differentiation is the process
whereby teachers meet the need for progress
through the curriculum by selecting appropriate
teaching methods to match the individual
students learning strategies within a group
situation.

Activity……
 How do you learn? What kind of learner are
you?
 Visual
 Reading, watching, reading and watching
 Kinaesthetic
 Watching, doing, doing with guidance
 Listening
○ Listening, listening and watching, listening and doing
 Does listening always mean processing?

SEND Code of Practice 2014
6.36 and 6.37
Stipulations not Recommendations
 Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress
and development of the pupils in their class including
where pupils access support from teaching assistance or
specialist staff.
 High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils is
the first step in responding to pupils who may have SEN.
 Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for
a lack of good quality teaching. Schools should regularly
and carefully review the quality of teaching for all pupils,
including those at risk of underachievement. This includes
and where necessary improving teachers’ understanding of
strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and
their knowledge of the SEN most frequently encountered.

Differentiation
In summary
 It is the teachers responsibility to
differentiate, match the learning
objective and outcomes to the need of
the individual child.
 Each child has their own unique profile,
learning style and pockets of strengths
and difficulties.

Mini Case Study
of lower ability SEN group
3 children identified with SEN, in Sparrow Grp. a KS1 class
1. Child A has a diagnosis of ASC with associated social impairments. Does not
independently start, stay on or finish tasks. Level 1A for reading; 2C for writing; 1C
for comprehension. Has an EHCP and assigned LSA.
2. Child B has repeatedly witnessed one parent using physically violent behaviour
against the other parent. Although now safer, the pattern and history of violence
has impacted on child B’s social, emotional and academic development. Child B is
at level 1A for writing, P5 for reading. Does not independently start, stay on or
finish tasks.
3. Child C has EASL. Arrived to UK 18 months ago and was not able to
communicate in English. Now making very good progress with language skills.
Does not independently start, stay on or finish tasks. Easily distracted. Polite,
socially engaging and so far never challenging.
-

Discussion in Groups
This is not meant as a test, it’s a debate
 What do you think of this as a grouping?
 Is it appropriate?
 Could it be effective?
 Is it resourceful?
 Is it manageable?
 Would each child be able to access the curriculum?
 Will each child in this group have a good chance of meeting the
differentiated learning objective
 Is each child expected to complete the task in line with each
other and the rest of the class?
 What are the common links for these children?
 How will Child A’s LSA be used.
 If the differentiation is not working currently what do you do
next?
 What could be the barriers to success for you as teaching
teams or the children be?
 How many levels of differentiation are there?
 Any other points or issues

Discussion
 ASC Child has delayed reading skills. Is developing the ability to
decode and write. He can talk at length but his spoken language is
difficult to understand. He is well behaved but highly anxious which
can be perceived as oppositional to adults who do not know him well.
He struggles with comprehension and imagination tasks. He finds it
extremely difficult to sequence in most contexts.
 DV child is emotionally damaged, unable to read and is an extremely
reluctant writer . This child has excellent comprehension and
understanding in more practical situations and the real world. This
child has a significant gap between what is understood about the world
compared to what is able to record. Very low self esteem.
 EASL child had limited ability to independently write tasks. This child is
well behaved however, will happily opt out of tasks to move around the
room (low level self distraction, e,g. finding something interesting to
look at to fiddle with.
 Discuss

Differentiation
 Common links for these children are their communication
difficulties and lack of independence about starting and
staying on task.
 But each of these children's communication difficulties are
different from each other and sometimes different for
themselves from context to context..
 These children’s needs strengths and difficulties are
unique, which brings grouping them as a homogenous
SEN group with one differentiated task sheet into question.
 Are you confident in you current approach to
differentiation?
 Score you confidence level on a scale of 1-5.
 What could get you up to the next level or higher?
 Any comments, questions discussion points

Accountability and
Responsibility
 Is your classroom Inclusive?
 Socially
 Emotionally
 Behaviourally
 Academically
 Sensory
 Culturally
 Environmentally
 Etc.,
 If so, how? If not, what changes can be made?

Accountability and
Responsibility
on your white board
 In your classrooms and teaching teams,
is it clear who is responsible and who is
accountable for personalised
differentiation of all children?
 Who is it?

Accountability and
Responsibility
 Are you aware of SEND’s (UK GOV
2014) stipulation that : Assess, Plan Do
Review is statutory?
 Is this approach embedded in your
provision planning?
 If so how?
 If not, what are the barriers?

SEN 2014 Code of Practice
 This Code of Practice provides statutory
guidance on duties, policies and
procedures relating to Part 3 of the
Children and Families Act 2014 and
associated regulations and applies to
England. It relates to children and young
people with special educational needs
(SEN) and disabled children and young
people. A ‘young person’ in this context is a
person over compulsory school age and
under 25.

In this Code of Practice, where the text uses the word
‘must’ it refers to a statutory requirement under primary
legislation, regulations or case law. The bodies listed in
paragraph iv. must have regard to the Code of Practice.
This means that whenever they are taking decisions they
must give consideration to what the Code says. They
cannot ignore it. They must fulfil their statutory duties
towards children and young people with SEN or
disabilities in the light of the guidance set out in it. They
must be able to demonstrate in their arrangements for
children and young people with SEN or disabilities that
they are fulfilling their statutory duty to have regard to the
Code. So, where the text uses the word ‘should’ it means
that the guidance contained in this Code must be
considered and that those who must have regard to it will
be expected to explain any departure from it.

This Code of Practice is statutory guidance for the
following organisations:
• local authorities (education, social care and relevant
housing and employment and other services)
• the governing bodies of schools, including non-
maintained special schools
• the governing bodies of further education colleges
and sixth form colleges
• the proprietors of academies (including free schools,
university technical colleges and studio schools)
• the management committees of pupil referral units •
independent schools and specialist providers approved
under Section 41 of the Children Act 2014 • all early
years providers in the maintained, private, voluntary
and independent sectors that are funded by the local
authority

Pose, pause, pounce and bounce
Answers on your white board
 Whose responsibility is it to differentiate?

Tying it together!
SEND (UK GOV’s)
stipulate that it is the
teacher’s statutory
duty to differentiate
and differentiate
according to need?

ACTIVITY
 If you can tie your laces and tie different
knots confidently, please go to the
Navigators Post.
 If you have some skills tying knots, feel
you have some confidence but little
experience please go to the
Quartermasters Post.
 If you use Velcro and at this point have
self diagnosed yourself as dyspraxic,
please go to the Bosuns Post.

ACTIVITY
 Higher Ability Group
 L/O I will know
 How to tie 6 knots
 Each knots name
 And will be able to write instructions for
tying knot each knot

Activity
 Quartermasters group
 L/O I will know
 How to tie 3 knots
 Each knots name
 And will be able to write instsructions for
tying knots

Activity
Bosuns Group
L/O I will know
 How to tie 2 knots
 Both knots name
And will be able to write instructions for
tying knots

Discussion
 Was this a good way to differentiate this
task?
 How was this task differentiated?
 Did you need help?
 What would have helped you?
 How did being in these groups feel?
 What was you own behaviour like?

Differentiation
 More than one type of differentiation can
be employed within the same task or
piece of work.
 Appropriate and skill use of
differentiation is vital to the well-being of
students (and of course teachers)
 Differentiation should not be left to
chance and should be written into
schemes of work.

Differentiation
 Recap on objectives
 Reflect on how tasks could have a
number of differentiations
 Reflect on this session focussing on:
DPPS having a consistent approach to
differentiation; personalising
differentiation & SEND Statutory
Guidance 2014

OFSTED
The Guardian – Notes on the Ofsted framework:
How to be outstanding?
 What is outstanding according to the frame work?
 Open Classrooms
 Pose Pause pounce and bounce and Anne-Marie
 Judgements:-
 A school is not outstanding with outstanding teaching alone
 The quality of teaching must take account of evidence of pupils’ making
progress over time.
 The inspectors will ask the school to provide its own record of
observations to see if inspection judgements are in line with the schools
judgements. This must be accurate.
 Teaching:-
 Inspectors will not want to see a lesson plan but will want to see a well
planned lesson that enable pupils to learn and make progress
 Teachers are expected to meet the needs of all children they teach
without necessarily mentioning the word differentiation!

What is differentiation

More Related Content

What's hot (10)

Viewers also liked (13)

Similar to What is differentiation (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

What is differentiation