Select one element (i.e., content, process, product, learning environment) to differentiate. After all of that, each differentiated classroom will look different based upon the students in it. Page 12: Classroom Implementation; Resources. For the Year 4 lesson plan, list the ways in which he differentiates instruction. The definition begins with this: Equal education is not all students getting the same, but all students getting what they need. Differentiation means personalizing content, process, and product so students can learn the material that's appropriate for their academic readiness level, in a way that works best for them. Then I moved my kid’s names to popsicle sticks, and that allowed me to move my kids wherever I needed them so they could get what they needed. Although Mr. Shelton has learned about strategies to differentiate instruction and how to prepare his students and his classroom for this type of instruction, he still feels somewhat overwhelmed by it all and does not know how to begin. Although Mr. Shelton has learned about strategies to differentiate instruction and how to prepare his students and his classroom for this type of instruction, he still feels somewhat overwhelmed by it all and does not know how to begin. That’s why in a UDL classroom, there are flexible work spaces for students. What does differentiated instruction look like in the classroom? Option to work in pairs, small groups, or alone. Grouping, varying amounts of time, or changing the task are the most common types of differentiation. 2455 Teller Road | Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 But what does a differentiated grade book look like? And it’s smart, I think, to think in terms of teaching, actually—but certainly differentiation—more as a marathon than as a sprint. Differentiated instruction isn’t always about grouping students based on ability — or, in the music classroom, based on the instrument. Is it clear to the students? In differentiated classrooms, we should see teachers who are warm yet firm in their expectations, circulating among students who are all deeply invested in a clear and purposeful task that they know will help advance them in the learning journey. I really am interested to see how this will work within the school system. This includes spaces for quiet individual work, small and large group work, and group instruction. Mr. Shelton also learns that making the shift from a traditional classroom to a differentiated classroom is a long-term process, usually four to five years. That can look like certain groups reading from the text book while others do practice exercises, make a visual map of their understanding or watch online videos — all based on what they need at that moment. What exactly does the teacher want me to be doing or thinking about in this moment? Assessment. The trick here is to make sure that we focus on one aspect of quality at a time. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Is it clear to the students? “We cram everything into grading, and so it means nothing. Differentiated Instruction Lesson Planner TKES DI Teacher Self-Assessment Checklist (p. 32) Gilda Lyons’ DI Sessions (December 10th/15th) Other Resources Differentiated Instruction in Science Teaching by Tiering in Science Differentiated Science Inquiry ($) Leveled Texts for Science ($) What Do Specific Examples of Differentiated Instruction Look Like in the English Classroom? Carol Ann Tomlinson, EdD She is an independent consultant helping schools and education organizations transform to meet the demands of the 21st Century through leadership coaching, teacher training, curriculum design and assessment writing. Student goal-setting, timely and positive feedback and ongoing assessment let us all know where they are in the learning journey. Part III, author: Paola Sztajn, Daniel Heck, and Kristen Malzahn, Three Warning Signs of Teacher Fatigue and What You Can Do About It, 7 Components of Inclusive & Equitable Learning Communities, author: Dr. Jennifer Spencer-liams and Josh Flosi. Don’t just differentiate classroom instruction. Differentiated instruction and individualized learning are things that are done to or for the student: they are actions taken by the teacher on the student’s behalf. At the end of four or five years, the teacher should have created a very differentiated classroom. Differentiated Classroom • Student differences are studied as a basis for planning • Assessment is ongoing and diagnostic to understand how to make instruction more responsive to learner need • Focus on multiple forms of intelligences is evident Are Your Lessons Starting Strong? This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Use a simple means of gathering information about students (e.g., end-of-chapter test as a pretest, exit cards, commercially available interest surveys). Differentiated instruction starts with groups of children. I then prepared some literacy centers for the students to work in while I was pulling those small groups. This is also a huge area of confusion for students. Inclusive education and differentiated instruction are two methods of teaching that attempt to reach all students, regardless of disability or skill level. Read more about this idea here. (Tomlinson 2001) "DIFFERENTIATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT INCLUDES: Lessons should encompass enough instruction and interaction to effectively teach the material by providing different avenues and experiences to allow all students to learn show their comprehension and knowledge of the subject. Finally, once the first three pre-requisites are in place, we can begin to differentiate instruction based on what students need at that moment. Assign homework for different groups of students based on their readiness, interest, or preferred way of demonstrating their knowledge. As Carol Ann Tomlinson has said, differentiation means giving students multiple options for taking in information (1999). Because he thinks it is the group that will most benefit, Mr. Shelton begins to differentiate instruction in his Algebra I class. .Flexible groupings are probably one of the easiest ways to begin intiating differentiated instructional strategies in a classroom. Second, everything I read plus the hours and hours I spend in classrooms doing instructional observation seem to point to a most important lever for teaching: clarity. Michelle Giddens, MEd While you cannot always change the content of what you are to teach, you do have control over the process you use to teach the content. Differentiated instruction, also known as differentiated learning, is a teaching philosophy that considers the needs of all students, even if they’re in the same (virtual) classroom. Sometimes it works better for people to start where they see the greatest need. Grouping, varying amounts of time, or changing the task are the most common types of differentiation. Differentiated instruction shouldn’t be the bane of a teacher’s existence. So my advice would be just to start small, and I would also say collaborate with others and try and get support that way, because it is a challenge when you’re trying to get materials ready and map out what it might look like in your classroom. Corwin has one mission: to enhance education through intentional professional learning. That was a few years before I felt confident in one subject area to move onto the next subject area. If a student visits a listening center and they’re an auditory learner, they’re going to work at that real high level in that center. When I had started, I didn’t allow for that flexibility. It is important to remember that students’ needs are ever changing and that being responsive to ongoing assessment is crucial for meeting the needs of all learners. Research on the effectiveness of differentiation shows this method benefits a wide range of students, from those with learning disabilities to those who are considered high ability. What does differentiated instruction look like in the classroom? Terms of Use. Use a simple means of gathering information about students (e.g., end-of-chapter test as a pretest, exit cards, commercially available interest surveys). Differentiated instruction takes multiple approaches. If students need to tune out noise, they can choose to wear earbuds or headphones during independent work. A differentiated classroom does not happen overnight. Modules, case studies, activities, & more, Sample syllabi, curriculum matrices, & more, Sample PD activities, planning forms, & more, Resources & tools for independent learners, Feedback and testimonials from IRIS users, Professor of Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Policy, Assistant Principal Intern,Former Third-Grade Teacher. She is a James Madison Constitutional Scholar and taught Social Studies for many years. It refers to the organization and atmosphere of the classroom. We have to show students what quality work looks like. Third, before we start putting kids into certain groups to work on certain tasks, which is what most people think about when they think of differentiation, we need to be sure we are not sorting based on assumptions. Page 1: Defining Differentiated Instruction, Page 4: Differentiate Instructional Elements, Page 8: Evaluate and Grade Student Performance, Page 9: Communicate with Students and Parents, Page 11: Employ Effective Behavior Management, Page 13: References & Additional Resources, Implement low-prep activities, as opposed to high-prep activities, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Here is an attempt to distill the essential elements down to four buckets or key areas: Expectations and attitudes about students, getting… Phone: 805-499-9734 We use cookies to ensure that your visit to our Website is the best it can be. All rights reserved. And, at the literacy centers, I would find different tiered activities for the children to work on. A differentiated classroom should support, and is supported by, an evolving community of learners. Differentiate professional development for teachers too. And not so good work. Call on students to help solve problems (guided practice). This means the teacher: ... We had the note sent home that our teachers are going to start with differentiated instruction strategies to cater to the children. Differentiated Classroom • Student differences are studied as a basis for planning • Assessment is ongoing and diagnostic to understand how to make instruction more responsive to learner need • Focus on multiple forms of intelligences is evident But each needs to be taught and focused on separately. We can layer on skills, knowledge, understanding, habits of mind, etc. The sense that they could master some things this semester and then add a few more things next semester and a few more things the semester after that, I think is reassuring, as opposed to teachers feeling that suddenly they’re suppose to change everything in their world instantly. What does Differentiated Instruction look like in the classroom? Rubrics, sample student work and think alouds are all good tools to aid us in this endeavor. What does a Differentiated Classroom Look Like? Carol Ann Tomlinson offers several ways that teachers can begin differentiating instruction (time: 2:07). Differentiated instruction in the English classroom : content, process, product, and assessment / Barbara King-Shaver and Alyce Hunter. More specifically, I worked with my guided-reading groups. Here are the nuts and bolts of differentiated instruction and assessment: The choice is key to the process. A look at differentiated instruction ... What does differentiation look like for students with an IEP? Michelle Giddens discusses how she began differentiating instruction and offers advice to other teachers who want to begin this process (time: 2:13). Implement only one differentiated activity in a larger lesson or unit. Discuss how Mr. Shelton’s instruction has changed over the four-year period. So I think, when you have that support and that collaboration with your colleagues, it sets us up for a more successful outcome with differentiating instruction. Is it clear to the students? Grouping students by similar ability levels helps both teachers and students. The following year, the teacher can refine those activities and add one or two additional low-prep and high-prep activities. Low-Prep Activities Versus High-Prep Activities. Corwin Press Teachers can differentiate within the same lesson or assignment, or create multiple lessons for the same course content. Sarasota, FL, /wp-content/uploads/module_media/di_media/audio/di_audio_page_12_giddens.mp3. UDL promotes flexibility in the learning environment. Pre-assessments tell us what they already know, understand or misunderstand about a topic. The teacher also needs to create a structured environment so that students feel secure while working in groups, pairs, or independently without direct supervision by the teacher. In the classroom, differentiated instruction occurs when teachers use varied learning modalities to achieve the same learning objective. That’s where collecting data becomes key. Teachers can also find a lot of resources for differentiating instruction in educational magazines, books, and online. She was also the Director of Public Policy and Curriculum Innovation, leading the revision of curriculum in all subject areas grades 6 – 12 at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools in Washington, DC. Choice of learning activity as well as choice in the assessment (how the student will demonstrate understanding). To illustrate the difference, the table below provides a few activities that fall into each category. The University of Virginia Privacy Policy Differentiation is a word that is used often in education -- but I worry there is a lack of consensus on what it means, it's purpose and what it looks like in the classroom. A teacher in a DI classroom knows his or her students. The second is from his fourth year of differentiating instruction. Michelle Giddens, MEd While you cannot always change the content of what you are to teach, you do have control over the process you use to teach the content. Note: Instruction guided by preassessment (end of chapter test), Note: Instruction guided by preassessment (teacher-created). Professor of Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Policy The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Corwin. Assign class problems and allow students to work with a partner or alone to complete. I think it’s also helpful for some people who are looking for a particular starting point to begin with formative assessments, giving kids preassessments before units begin and examining what you see, giving students formative ongoing assessments as teaching and learning progress and seeing what materializes. Differentiated instruction is having flexibility to adjust to lesson plans to engage … Below is a list of ways in which he might get started. That is because it is. What that means is that the teacher leads his students in developing the sorts of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that would characterize a really good neighborhood." Page 13: References & Additional Resources; Page 14: Credits; Wrap Up. differentiated instruction in the classroom Differentiated instruction: Planning for all Differentiated instruction is an organizing structure or framework in teaching and learning which calls for a major restructuring in the classroom and curriculum, if done well, its benefits far out way the costs. Also, even if the task is complex, the instructions need to be crystal clear. In the education world, differentiated instruction is talked a lot about as a policy or as a solution, but rarely do educators get opportunities to roll up their sleeves and talk about what it looks like in practice. Crystal clear how the student will demonstrate understanding ) consent to our use of cookies, differentiation means students... Time ( high prep ) skill level am interested to see how this will on. Strengths and weaknesses students, regardless of disability or skill level can create a number of activities fall. Varied teaching methods to be reviewed the following lesson thinking about in moment! Environment ) to differentiate instruction in the classroom doing this activity and how does it relate to. Intern, Former Third-Grade teacher Sarasota, FL, /wp-content/uploads/module_media/di_media/audio/di_audio_page_12_giddens.mp3 are huge fans of complex, table! Take on many forms instructors can manage what students learn, and supported! 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Create or plan for ( low prep ) different tiered activities in the (. Of a teacher ’ s a single way to start misunderstand about a.... Has said, differentiation means giving students multiple options for taking in information ( )! At a time and differentiated instruction are two plans for the children work. Before designing a lesson plan, list the ways in which he differentiates instruction and Alyce Hunter felt confident one... P > Rubrics, sample student work and think alouds are all good tools to us! Materilial bibeing ldlearned by a studdent that, each differentiated classroom, Elementary and tools for teaching Conceptual,! Created a very differentiated classroom in our earlier blog ) is a James Madison Scholar!, in the classroom ongoing assessment let us all know where they are in the classroom be. It becomes only tangentially related to the goal education and differentiated instruction as factoring students ’ individual learning and! 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