Differentiated+Instruction


 * //Why differentiate instruction?//** Not all students are ready to learn the same thing on the same day in the same way. Consequently, teachers can better serve their students by differentiating (or tailoring) instruction to their individual needs.


 * //How can teachers individualize instruction when they teach large groups of very diverse students?// There are a number of different strategies that language teachers can use to differentiate instruction** (in terms of content-**-**//input//, process, and product--//output//) in order to better meet the needs of all of their students. Some of them include:


 * Pre-assessments - These are essential to helping the teacher determine what students already know, what they need to learn, and what their learning styles are. Once teachers have this information, it will be easier for them to select appropriate strategies for differentiation.


 * Choice of Learning/Processing Activities (Game, Homework Bingo, Learning Center, Online Tutorial, Project, Textbook Activity, Video, Webquest, Worksheet, etc.)


 * Choice of Media/Materials (Colored pencils, Computer-generated, Crayons, Cut & Paste from Magazines, Markers, Paints, Pastels, Watercolors, etc.)


 * Choice of Products (Baby Book, Collage, Comic Strip, Diagram, Diorama, Game, Journal, Mobile, Mural, Pamphlet, Poem, Poster, PowerPoint Presentation, Research Paper, Skit, Song, Speech, Story, Timeline, Video, Webpage, etc.)


 * Choice of Resources (Apprenticeships, Library, Mentors, Online Resources, Visual Materials)


 * Choice of Tasks (Assignment Bingo Grid, Multiple Format Options for Same Basic Project, Choose #/type of activities for grade you want)


 * Choice of Tech Tools (Adobe Premier, [|Audacity], Excel, [|Glogster,] [|GoAnimate], [|Google Docs], Inspiration, Photoshop, PowerPoint, Publisher, [|Prezi,] [|Scrapblog], [|Voicethread], [|Voki], Word, etc.)


 * Choice of Texts (Audio Text, Computer-based Text, Image-based Text, Multimedia Text, Print-based Text, Video-based Text, etc.; Children's Book, Essay, Newspaper Article, Short Story, Song, etc.)


 * Grouping Students (Individuals, Jigsaw Groups, Learning Centers, Mentorships, Pairs, Small Groups, etc., based on students' abilities/aptitudes, interests, learning styles, and readiness)


 * Level of Support (No help, open book—for last 5 minutes, prompts, use your neighbor for last 5 minutes, verb chart, word bank, etc.)


 * Level of Reading (Vary texts, supplementary materials, scaffolding, or homework by reading level) [|Readability.info] will help you to determine the reading level required in order for your students to read the things you write


 * Level of Thinking (How much thinking is required--based on Bloom's Taxonomy--changes depending on the capabilities, interests, and needs of the students)


 * Pacing & Timing (The speed with which students move through the material and/or the time allotted for each task varies based on the individual learning styles, needs, preferences, and skills of individual students.)


 * Questions (The teacher poses different kinds of questions to students based on their interests, learning styles, skills, and understandings)


 * Voice (Students have a say in what they do, how it is done, or how it is graded)

Other common strategies include:

Contracts - Students work with the teacher to set individual learning goals, develop action plans for achieving them, determine how progress will be measured, and decide how students will be held accountable for their understanding.

Compacting - A pre-test is used to identify what students know and what skills or understandings students still need to acquire. Students are allowed to skip activities and assignments that are designed to practice what they already know, are given assignments designed to help them fill the gaps in their understanding, and are encouraged to use any free time they might have to pursue enrichment activities of interest to them.

Learning Centers - The teacher prepares learning centers based on curricular goals, student interests and learning styles, and unit themes. Students are allowed to decide which centers they will attend (but a minimum number of centers or tasks is required), which tasks they will complete at a given center, and/or, the peers with whom they will work.

Mentoring - Students needs and interests are used to match them with an appropriate mentor in order to collaborate on research or a project. The teacher monitors progress and provides access/connections to additional resources and support.

Tiered Assignments - Although all students must cover similar content, the teacher develops a continuum of assignments that allow students to explore the key elements of the topic under study at increasingly broader, deeper, more challenging, or more complex levels of coverage, depending on their skills and understandings.


 * //What are some of the resources teachers could use to learn more about differentiating instruction for their students?//**

Gregory, Gayle H., & Chapman, Carolyn. (2002). //Differentiated instructional strategies: One size doesn't fit all.// Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc. ISBN 0-76199-4551-2. This teacher-friendly book outlines key principles related to differentiating instruction for students at the individual, assignment, and curricular levels. It explains the relationship between differentiated instruction and assessment, classroom climate, instructional strategies, and learning styles. It also contains a variety of extremely useful and practical charts, diagrams, ideas, templates, and tools for supporting teachers in experimenting with these principles. Image source: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761945512/104-0595909-7101515?v=glance&n=283155 (excerpts from the book can also be viewed at this link.)

Hall, Tracey, Strangman, Nicole, & Meyer, Anne. (2006). Differentiated instruction and implications for UDL development. //CAST: Universal Design for Learning.// Retrieved March 28, 2006, from http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstructudl.html This report explains how principles of Universal Design for Learning can support teachers' efforts to differentiate instruction while simultaneously meeting the needs of students with special needs.

Heacox, Diane. (2002). //Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom: How to reach and teach all learners, grades 3-12.// Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc. ISBN 1-57542-105-4. This outstanding book offers a useful introduction to differentiated instruction, information on learning styles and curriculum mapping, super examples of strategies for differentiating instruction (including flexible grouping, tiered assignments, project-based differentiation, and ideas for early finishers), techniques for managing differentiated instruction and grading, and an entire chapter on differentiating for students with special needs. The appendices contain sample letters for families, ideas for differentiating classroom discussions, and other helpful materials. Image source: http://www.freespirit.com/catalog/item_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=80


 * Mixed Ability Classrooms**

Tomlinson, Carol Ann. (2001). //How to differentiate instruction in mixed-// //ability classrooms.// (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ISBN 0-87120-512-2.

This book:
 * defines differentiated instruction (in conjunction with helpful examples),
 * offers an excellent rationale for using differentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms,
 * provides techniques for preparing students and parents for a differentiated approach to instruction,
 * discusses the role of the environment, the teacher, and grading in a differentiated classroom,
 * outlines helpful classroom management strategies, and
 * explains how to differentiate content, process, products.

It will be especially helpful to teachers and professional developers who are seeking to deepen their conceptual understanding of differentiated instruction and effective approaches implementing it. Image source: http://shop.ascd.org/productdisplay.cfm?categoryid=books&productid=101043 (Sample chapters from the book and study questions can be viewed here also.)

For additional ideas and information, consider visiting the Differentiated Instruction Group's page on the //Mentoring, Leadership, & Change 2006 Wiki.//

//See also:// Interactive Activities//,// Special Needs