IS IT DIFFERENTIATED OR JUST DIFFERENT?

Strategies for the Differentiated Classroom

Teacher Resource Booklet

Deveoped By Jan Osier and Marjorie Rodman DoDDs !urope

Differentiated Instruction is.

Proactive: planning ahead to address the varied needs of the learners in the classroom" Qualitative: #djusting the $uantity of an assignment is less effective than adjusting the nature off the assignment" More is not necessarily %etter &hen it comes to masterying a skill" Assessment Based: Discussions' &ork' o%servation' informal and formal assessment are all opportunity to learn more a%out students as individuals in order to plan instruction to meet the needs of all students" Varied: By differentiated content' process' or product different approaches are offered to &hat students learn' ho& they learn it and ho& they demonstrate &hat they(ve learned" #ll approaches are designed to foster ongoing su%stantial gro&th in all students" Student Centered) Students participate in engaging' relevant and interesting learning e*periences" Blending &hole class' group' and individual instruction" Organic: Differentiated +nstruction isn(t a strategy %ut a &ay of life in a classroom utili,ing a &ide range of resources to do &hatever it takes to reach out to each learner"

Differentiated Instruction is NOT

Individualized Instruction: +t doesn(t provide a separate avenue for learning for each individual students' %ut instead utili,ed &hole group' small group' and individual learning to maintain a community in the classroom" Chaotic: -urposeful student movement and talking is esta%lished" .round rules and routines are esta%lished" Homogeneous Grouping: /le*i%le grouping is a key component so that group assignment is fluid" a!ing assignments "harder# or "easier# to accommodate students: #dvanced students may need enrichment and struggling students may need %ackground development"

Strategies for Differentiating Instruction:

-rovide varied learning options to create the %est possi%le fit for all learners in the classroom" !sta%lish guidelines and procedures for all students to follo&" -ost visually" !nsure students understand &hy there are varied approaches to learning in the classroom" Create fle*i%le groups to pull together &hen needed 0groups %ased upon skill level' interest' learning styles1 2se tiered activities) #ctivities and3or assignments given to students %ased upon their various level of understanding and prior kno&ledge 0see e*amples at end of %ooklet1 /ollo& this four step process for esta%lishing a teaching unit) o !sta%lish clear concepts' principles' and skills for the unit o 4ary materials used %ased upon learner readiness and interest o Create tiered activities that reflect key understanding and skills %ased on learner readiness and interest o !nsure a variety of groupings for students occur during the unit" Think a%out &hat could go &rong in an activity or task and structuring student &ork to avoid potential pro%lems" Build a sense of community in the classroom %y follo&ing these guidelines) o !veryone feels &elcome and contri%utes to everyone else feeling &elcome o Mutual respect is nonnegotia%le" o Students feel safe in the classroom" o #n e*pectation of gro&th is e*pected %y all" o The teacher teaches for success" o /airness is not sameness) students and teachers &ork together so that the class &orks &ell for everyone Teachers and students colla%orate #nchor #ctivities) On going assignments tied to the curriculum that students can &ork on independently throughout a period of time" Multiple right ans&ers) open ended assignments that focus on the process of solving the pro%lem and3or critical thinking" -erformance assessment tasks) role plays' simulations Centers Chunking) Breaking assignments into smaller parts and activities &ith more structured directions Compacting) -re assessing students' giving them credit for &hat they kno& and allo&ing them to move ahead in the curriculum either vertically or hori,ontally" !mphasis on thinking skills so that the students have the opportunity to share their thinking' process' and reflect" Thematic teaching units

Managing a Differentiated

!assroo":

5" Communicate to parents and students &hy and ho& you are differentiated instruction %ased upon student readiness' interest' and learning profiles" 6" Start at a pace that is conforta%le for 7O2" 8" Time activities to support student success) a" Time allotted for a task should %e a %it shorter than the attention span of the students &ho &ork on the task %" #dvanced learners often have e*tended attention spans" 9" 2se an :anchor activity; to free you up to focus your attention on your students" 0reading' journal &riting' centers' practicing a skill1 <" Create and deliver instructions carefully" 0task cards or assignment sheets help a variety of learners1 =" #ssign students into groups or seating areas smoothly &ith an esta%lished routine" >" ?ave a :home %ase; for students" @" Be sure students have a plan for getting help &hen you(re %usy &ith another student or group" A" Minimi,e noise" 0use a student monitor in each group' esta%lish a noise signal1 5B" Make a plan for students to turn in &ork" 0use an e*pert of the day that checks &ork to see if it is ready to %e turned inCif so' they sign at the %ottom and it is turned inCif not' it is given %ack to %e finished1 55" Teach students to rearrange the furniture" 56" Minimi,e :stray; movement" 0only one person at a time &ith the :e*pert; of the day' or at the pencil sharpener1 Don(t over do &ith rules' %ut just enough to keep things smooth and not chaotic" 58" -romote on task %ehavior" 0define :on task; %ehavior for your class1" 59" ?ave a plan for :$uick finishers;" 5<" Make a plan for :calling a halt;" 5=" .ive your students as much responsi%ility as possi%le for their learning" 5>" !ngage your students in talking a%out classroom procedures and group processes"

$i%%erentiating &earning '( )eadiness:

4aried te*t %y reading level 4aried supplemental material %y reading level Scaffolding o More or less structured &ritten directions or task cards o +cons to help interpret print o Reteaching3e*tended teaching o Modeling o Clear criteria for success 0ru%rics1 o Reading %uddies o Journals at appropriate level o Te*t survey type strategies o Manipulative &hen needed o Study guides o Organi,ers Tiered tasks and products ?ome&ork options Compacting Mentorships Degotiated criteria for Euality 4aried .raphic Organi,ers /le*i%le time Contracts .raduated task and product ru%rics Computer programs Centers

$i%%erentiating &earning '( Interest:

+ Search) Students research %ased upon a topic of their personal interest" Or%itals) Students raise $uestions and then figure out ho& to ans&er their $uestions and share &ith their peers" Design # Day) Students decide &hat to &ork on for one or more class periods" They set goals' time line' &ork' and assess their progress" .roup +nvestigation %ased upon common interest Fe%Euests) Teacher designed internet lesson" Jigsa&) Cooperative group strategy Giterature Circles) student led discussion %ased upon common reading interest Degotiated Criteria) +ndividual criteria for a product is esta%lished %ased upon students personal interest in activity" Student choice of task +ndependent Study

Differentiated #earning $% #earning &rof!ies:

-rofiles can %e esta%lished %y learning styles' intelligence preferences 0multiple intelligences1' Culture influenced preferences' .ender %ased preferences' Some %ut not all of your students share your learning preferences" ?elp your students reflect on their o&n preferences" 2se teacher structured and student choice for learning" Select a fe& learning profile categories to %egin" Gearn a%out ho& your students prefer learning" 4ary teacher presentation 0auditory' visual' kinesthetic' &hole to part' part to &hole1 4ary student mode of e*pression Fork choice arrangements 9 Mat approach 0lesson designed using the 9 mat approach1 Multiple modes of assessment Organi,ers 0story %oards' concept mapping' outlining' summari,ing1 !ntry points 0Students %egin a task using one of these entry points1 o Darrational 0telling a story1 o Euantitative 0scientific approach1 o /oundational0 looking at the foundation of the topic or underlying %elief1 o #esthetic 0sensory' arts %ased1 o !*periential 0hands on1

Differentiating for t'e Strugg!ing #earner:

Reading partners Taped Te*t Dote taking organi,ers ?ighlighted print materials Summary of Hey +deas from the teaching unit 0sentences' paragraphs' flo& chart' concept map1 #dult mentors -eer Mentors 0only if the advanced peer feels comforta%le and &ants to &ork &ith the struggling learnerCpeers must share similar interests1 .raphic organi,ers Gearning centers Gearning contracts +nterest centers Choice %oards Jigsa& Think -air share Model making Ga%s -arallel tasks +nteractive Journals &ith different &riting prompts %ased upon need or interest" #llo& students to e*press themselves in &ays other than &ritten language alone" .ive assignments in smaller increments and allo& them to complete one part %efore going to another" -ut directions on audio tape or video tape so students can revisit" -repare timelines that are managea%le for the student" 2se mini&orkshops to teach underlining skills to complete task 0research strategies' study skills' summari,ing' editing1 ?elp students find resources %y %ookmarking &e%sites' creating %ook %o*es on specific topics' summaries of key ideas1 -rovide templates or organi,ers that sho& step %y step &hat to do" -rovide consultation' guidance' and coaching &ith others" ?elp students analy,e models of products from prior years to see the important components" +f the student doesn(t have support outside of school to complete project' provide the support in school" /or !SG students' consider having the student perform in their primary language and then help to translate into !nglish"

It is important to remem'er that struggling learners should 'e challenged to *or! +ust a'ove their level o% com%ort, -he( need lots o% positive rein%orcement, -he( ma( 'e struggling *ith readiness. 'ut gi%ted in thin!ing,

Differentiating for t'e Ad(anced #earner:

Curriculum Compacting 0see article at end of %ooklet1 4aried te*ts and resource material Gearning contracts #s much as possi%le include advanced level research" Structure assignments to stretch student #llo& appropriate time for the comple*ity of the assignment" ?ave student help to develop criteria for e*pert level content and product" 2se these for planning and assessment" 4arying $uestions 2se strategies for e*panding 0see end of %ooklet for strategies1 #llo& independent study ?igh Gevel $uestioning /ocus on synthesis' evaluation and analysis rather than kno&ledge' comprehension' and application" o Synthesis) #sks students to derive relationships' produce products' organi,e theories' etc" o !valuation) #sks students to give opinions' defend choices' judge merit' etc" o #nalysis) #sk students to make inferences' find generali,ations' identify causes' etc" +nterdisciplinary activities that cross different curricular areas #dult mentors &ith the same areas of interest

It is important to remem'er the %ollo*ing *hen *or!ing *ith advanced and/or gi%ted learners: 5" $on0t as! (our advanced/gi%ted students to serve as tutors *ith (our struggling students, Just like struggling students' advanced students often learn and think differently" Just %ecause they can do the &ork successfully' doesn(t mean they can teach others" Often this type of pairing results in frustration for everyone" 6" $on0t give (our advanced/gi%ted student more *or! *hen the( %inish earl( " This might %e a clue that the &ork might need to %e more challenging" +nstead use anchor activities that the student can &ork on &hen finished" 8" $on0t restrict an advanced/gi%ted student %rom moving ahead 'ecause the( didn0t %inish their grade/age *or! *ith 1223, Offer them opportunities that are consistent &ith their a%ility" Many people don(t like to complete %oring' easy &ork" +f the &ork is so easy that they are never struggling or challenged' then their coping skills for dealing &ith challenging &ork may not %e developed"

On!ine Resources:
http)33manhattan"k56"ca"us3staff3p&are3diff3 #lready developed differentiated lesson plans and units for primary to secondary grades" http)33ideanet"doe"state"in"us3e*ceptional3gt3tieredIcurriculum3&elcome"html #lready developed lesson plans using tiered curriculum for H 56 in math' science' and language arts" Differentiated lessons are divided into lessons %y readiness' interest' and learning styles" http)33&&&"ldonline"org3ldIindepth3gtIld3jldIgtld"html #rticle on the difficulties that the gifted learning disa%led student has in the classroom"

References:
Tomlinson' Carol #nn :?o& to Differentiate +nstruction in Mi*ed #%ility Classrooms;' 6nd edition" #SCD' 6BB5 !ducational Geadership) ?o& to Differentiate +nstruction' 4olume <@' Do" 5' #SCD' Septem%er 6BBB"

S#M-G! 5
#EARNIN) #ADDER: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRU TION *% READINESS

Su%ject) ST#DD#RD3OBJ!CT+4!3.O#G) Hey Concept to Master) Background3-re #ssessment3Materials Deeded)

.rade Gevel)

Basic &earners Differentiated Content

0Fhat you teach and ho& students &ill learn it1)

On Grade &evel Differentiated Content

0Fhat you teach and ho& students &ill learn it1)

Advanced Differentiated Content

0Fhat you teach and ho& students &ill learn it1)

Differentiated -rocess
0#ctivities1

Differentiated -rocess
0#ctivities1

Differentiated -rocess
0#ctivities1

Differentiated -roduct
0?o& students sho& &hat they kno&1

Differentiated -roduct
0?o& students sho& &hat they kno&1

Differentiated -roduct
0?o& students sho& &hat they kno&1

S#M-G! 5 Readiness Gevel) Basic

Minimal Background information Concrete ideas' applications' materials Simple pro%lems' skill' goals' resources' research Single /acet directions' solutions' approaches Small leap in application' insight' transfer More structured solutions' decisions' approaches Gess independent planning' designing' self monitoring Slo& pace of study and thought

Readiness Gevel) .rade Gevel

Satisfactory %ackground information #verage ideas' applications' materials On level pro%lems' skills' goals' resources' research Multiple step directions' solutions' approaches #verage application' insight' transfer On level solutions' decisions' approaches +ndependent or guided planning' designing' and self monitoring #verage pace of study and thought

Readiness Gevel) #dvanced

#%stract ideas' applications' materials Comple* resources' research' skills' goals' pro%lems Multiple facet directions' pro%lems' solutions' approaches .reat Geaps in application' insight' transfer More open solutions' decisions' approaches .reater +ndependence in planning' designing' self monitoring Euick pace of study and thought

S#M-G! 6

Differentiated Instruction $% Readiness+Interest+#earning St%!e

Su%ject) ST#DD#RD3OBJ!CT+4!3.O#G) Hey Concept to Master) Background3-re #ssessment3Materials Deeded)

.rade Gevel)

-his &esson is tiered in 4Content. Process. Product5 According to 4)eadiness/ Interest. &earning St(le5 -ier 1:

-ier 6:

-ier 7:

Assessment: