Differentiated instruction
- 1. Differentiating Instruction TED 406 Teaching Secondary Reading Jill A. Aguilar (Adapted from Tomlinson, 1995, 1999; Winebrenner, 1992, 1996)
- 2. What is Differentiated Instruction? • To differentiate instruction is to recognize students varying background knowledge, readiness, language, preferences in learning, interests, and to react responsively.
- 3. What is Differentiated Instruction? • Differentiated instruction is a process to approach teaching and learning for students of differing abilities in the same class.
- 4. What is Differentiated Instruction? • The intent of differentiating instruction is to maximize each student’s growth and individual success by meeting each student where he or she is, and assisting in the learning process.
- 5. What is Differentiated Instruction? Learning Environment
- 6. 4 Elements to Differentiate • Content – what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access to the information; • Process – activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of or master the content; • Product – culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and extend what he or she has learned in a unit; and • Learning environment – the way the classroom works and feels.
- 7. Content Examples of differentiating content: 1. Using reading materials at varying readability levels; 2. Putting text materials on tape; 3. Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students; 4. Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means; 5. Using reading buddies; and 6. Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.
- 8. Process Examples of differentiating process: 1. Using tiered activities; 2. Providing interest centers; 3. Developing personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both in-common work for the whole class and work that addresses individual needs of learners); 4. Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports; and 5. Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task.
- 9. Product Examples of differentiating product: 1. Giving students options of how to express required learning; 2. Using rubrics that match and extend students' varied skills levels; 3. Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their products; and 4. Encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as the assignments contain required elements.
- 10. Learning Environment Examples of differentiating learning environment: 1. Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction, as well as places that invite student collaboration; 2. Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home settings; 3. Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual needs; 4. Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy and cannot help them immediately; and 5. Helping students understand that some learners need to move around to learn, while others do better sitting quietly
- 11. Full Range of Students • Students with identified special needs (IEP); • Struggling readers; • English learners; • Speakers of non-standard Englishes; • Gifted students; • Who else?
- 12. 12 What Differentiation Is NotWhat Differentiation Is Not • Class centeredClass centered • Mainly for students with learning problemsMainly for students with learning problems • A tracking system by abilitiesA tracking system by abilities • A recipe for learningA recipe for learning • A different lesson plan for every studentA different lesson plan for every student • Whole-group drill and practice or any singleWhole-group drill and practice or any single structure or activitystructure or activity • Fact-based learning aloneFact-based learning alone
- 13. 13 What Differentiation Is NotWhat Differentiation Is Not • Unmanageable or undisciplinedUnmanageable or undisciplined • Modifying the instruction up or down inModifying the instruction up or down in difficultydifficulty • A method you will need all new materialsA method you will need all new materials forfor • Cost freeCost free • Just about learning stylesJust about learning styles • A set of strategies and activitiesA set of strategies and activities
- 14. 14 What Differentiation IsWhat Differentiation Is • Student centeredStudent centered • For all studentsFor all students • For heterogeneous groupsFor heterogeneous groups • A change in philosophy about how learningA change in philosophy about how learning should take placeshould take place • Multiple approaches or options for content,Multiple approaches or options for content, process, and productprocess, and product • A mix of whole-class, group, andA mix of whole-class, group, and independent learningindependent learning • More about quality than quantityMore about quality than quantity
- 15. 15 What Differentiation IsWhat Differentiation Is • Flexible and variedFlexible and varied • Proactive in the planning stageProactive in the planning stage • Rooted in assessmentRooted in assessment • Based on continual reflection andBased on continual reflection and adjustment to help students learn welladjustment to help students learn well • A belief system that says all learners comeA belief system that says all learners come to the classroom with potential ready to beto the classroom with potential ready to be accessedaccessed
- 16. Let’s Try It Out… Learning Environment Content Product Process Curriculum Student