EDUC 3270

Differentiation and
Collaboration for Inclusive
Teaching

Session 6

Differentiating Instruction

EDUC 3270
Differentiation and Collaboration for Inclusive Teaching

Opening Activity
Individual
On the post-it notes, write your ideas and thoughts on the
topic of Differentiation (one idea per note)

Small groups (3-4 students)

Draw a picture of a cloud on the poster paper and write
the word Differentiation in the center
Sort the ideas each person wrote on the post-it notes to
identify central themes and stick them on the outside of
the cloud; connect ideas by drawing lines to show the
connections.

Whole group
Walk around the room and look at each groups poster.
What was similar and what was different?

What is differentiated instruction?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWxsI2g5yp8

Definition I
Differentiated instruction is a process through which
teachers enhance learning by matching student
characteristics to instruction and assessment.
Differentiated instruction allows all students to
access the same classroom curriculum by providing
entry points, learning tasks, and outcomes that are
tailored to the students needs.

Definition II
In differentiated classrooms, teachers begin where
students are, not the front of a curriculum guide.
They accept and build upon the premise that learners
differ in important ways.
Thus, they also accept and act on the premise that
teachers must be ready to engage students in instruction
through different learning modalities by appealing to
differing interests, and by using varied rates of
instruction along with varied degrees of complexity.
(Carol Ann Tomlinson)

Definition III
In differentiated classrooms, teachers provide specific
ways for each individual to learn as deeply as possible
and as quickly as possible, without assuming one
student's road map for learning is identical to anyone
else's.
These teachers believe that students should be held to
high standards.
They work to ensure that struggling, advanced, and inbetween students think and work harder than they
meant to; achieve more than they thought they could;
and come to believe that learning involves effort, risk,
and personal triumph.

(Carol Ann Tomlinson) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bApuBiitL8Q

What Differentiated Instruction Is

PROACTIVE
QUALITATIVE rather than quantitative
Rooted in ASSESSMENT
Provides MULTIPLE APPROACHES to content, process,
and product
STUDENT CENTERED
A BLEND of whole-class, group, and individual
instruction
ORGANIC

Teachers can differentiate according to .

The content
The process

The product
The environment

In response to students .
Readiness

Interests
Learning style

Carol Tomlinson identifies four classroom

elements that can be differentiated:
Content: What the student needs to learn.
The instructional concepts should be broad based,
and all students should be given access to the
same core content.
However, the contents complexity should be
adapted to students learner profiles.
Teachers can vary the presentation of content,
(i.e., textbooks, lecture, demonstrations, taped
texts) to best meet students needs.

Carol Tomlinson identifies four classroom

elements that can be differentiated:
Process: Activities in which the student engages to
make sense of or master the content.
Examples of differentiating process activities include:
scaffolding, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77vucSD9axA
flexible grouping,
interest centers,
manipulatives,
varying the length of time for a student to master
content, and
encouraging an advanced learner to pursue a topic in
greater depth.

Carol Tomlinson identifies four classroom

elements that can be differentiated:
Products: The culminating projects that ask students
to apply and extend what they have learned.
Products should provide students with:

different ways to demonstrate their knowledge

various levels of difficulty,
group or individual work,
various means of scoring.

Carol Tomlinson identifies four classroom

elements that can be differentiated:
Learning Environment: The way the classroom works
and feels.

The differentiated classroom should include:

areas in which students can work quietly as well as
collaborate with others,
materials that reflect diverse cultures,
routines that allow students to get help when the
teacher isnt available.

Learning Cycle & Decision Factors Used in Planning

and Implementing Differentiated Instruction

Content
How to?
Determine the ability level of your
students:
Survey past records and cumulative
files
Give pre-tests, screening tests

Determine your students preferences

and motivators:
Survey student interests: Interest
inventories, Interviews, Conferences, Openended questionnaires

Be sure to align tasks and objectives to

the Core Curriculum

Examples:
Use reading materials at
varying readability levels
Put text materials on tape
Use spelling/vocab. tests at
readiness levels of students
Use reading buddies
Meet with small groups to
re-teach an idea or skill for
struggling learners, or extend
the learning

The Curriculum Diamond

How Do We Plan?
Determine a Focus Area:
Four Ts

Teaching Objective
Target
Blooms Taxonomy
Text/Materials

Instructional strategies
Learner engagement
Effective presentations

Learning environment

Based on Research:
Good instruction should:
Have active engagement
Have reading and writing
strategies
Address the auditory,
kinesthetic, visual and tactile
learners
Be developmentally
appropriate

Process
How to process information, organize, store
retrieve and apply information?

How to?

Flexible grouping:
Groupings are not fixed, and
should be dynamic in process
Teach whole class introductory
discussions, then follow with
small group or pair work.

Direct Instruction
Inquiry-based learning
Cooperative learning

Examples:
Use tiered activities
Provide interest centers
Develop personal agendas for
completion of work
Manipulatives or hands-on supports
Varying the length of time
Memorization
KWL
Reciprocal teaching
Graphic organizing
Guided Notes
Scaffolding
Webbing
Self Talk
WebQuests
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W26
Cre9I5k4

Products
Culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse,
apply, and extend what he/she has learned in a unit

How to?
Initial and on-going
assessment of student
readiness and growth are
essential
Authentic assessment
Vary expectations and
requirements for student
responses
Consider each students
multiple intelligences and
learning styles

Examples:
Give students options of how to
express required learning:
Create a puppet show, write a letter,
develop a mural with labels

Use rubrics that match students

varied skill level
RubiStar.com
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/

Allow students to work alone or in

small groups
Performance-based assessment
Student portfolios

Learning Environments
The way the classroom works and feels

How to?
How is the classroom
organized?
What classroom behavior
management system is in
place (PBIS)
Procedures
Consequences
Positive Interventions

Examples:
Places in room free of
distractions
Places that invite student
collaboration
Materials that reflect a variety
of cultures and home settings
Clear guidelines for
independent work
Established routines

Tomlinsons Characteristics of an Effective

Learning Community
Everyone feels welcomed and contributes to
everyone else feeling welcomed.
Mutual respect is a nonnegotiable.
Students feel safe in the classroom.
There is a pervasive expectation of growth.
The teacher teaches for success.
A new sort of fairness is evident.
Teacher and students collaborate for mutual growth
and success.

10 Tips for Differentiation

Meaningfulness
Currency
Practice
Reading Level
Authenticity
Active Participation
Experiences
Motivation
Realism
Challenge

Eduscapes.com
http://eduscapes.com/library/index.htm

Meaningfulness
Points to Remember:

Strategies:

Students need work to be

meaningful

Utilize WebQuests

Real life
Interests
Learning styles
Multiple Intelligences

Without meaning, some

students become distracted
and others do mediocre work.
This is where behavior problems
begin to arise.
eduscapes.com

Create one by using Microsoft PowerPoint

through your website, or on a disk
Find a created WebQuest online that will
teach your content

Use PowerPoint as a tool to present

lessons
Use pictures and sounds to make it more
interesting

Have students create their own stories

on PowerPoint

Have students use Microsoft Publisher

and create their own brochures or
create newsletters on a specific topic

Currency
Points to Remember:

Strategies:

Some students are drawn to

activities that connect to local or
world events

Design activities from certain

sections of news articles.
Focus on visuals, for writing
prompts.
Good Sources:

Students will excel when working

with real, current events, and
activities
Provide students with choices that
relate to individual interests, while
still connecting to current
information and ideas.

https://www.n2y.com
Discover
Kidsnewsroom.org
National Geographic Kids
News Hour Extra from PBS
Time for Kids
Washington Post for Kids
http://www.weeklyreader.com/

eduscapes.com

*Consider Different Reading Levels

Practice
Points to Remember:

Some students do
well with a brief
overview of a topic,
and a single example.
Other students need
lots of practice.

Strategies:
Create a list of interactive activities students can
use to practice or review specific skills

FunBrain
National Geographic Games
Yahooligans Games
Discovery School Brain Booster

Use Resources Online for Practice:

bbctype
Starfall.com
Raz-kids.com
Softschools.com
Factdash.com
News2you.com

Design a Word document that uses the highinterest content

eduscapes.com

Yahooligans Music, Movies, Book Club

Scholastic News: Entertainment
Sports Illustrated for Kids
How Stuff Works

Reading Level
Points to Remember:
In most classrooms, students
read at a wide range of reading
levels.
Be sure that you are selecting
resources for a variety of
levels.
Look for websites that provide
leveled reading resources.
eduscapes.com

Strategies:
Create an activity and
provide online readings at 3
different reading levels:

News2you.com
Starfall.com
Readinga-z.com
Raz-kids.com
Enchantedlearning.com
Edhelper.com
Rosetta Stone
Steck-Vaughn

Authenticity
Points to Remember:
Students enjoy working with real
facts, numbers, and documents.
Rather than watered down
resources found in workbooks,
look for the real thing online.
Use real-world data

eduscapes.com

Strategies:
Locate a photograph,
document, or piece of data
that would bring a
classroom topic to life.
Some Good Sites:
American Memories
Learning Page
National Archives Classroom
Stevens Institute
Teacher Tap

Active Participation
Points to Remember:
Students need to be active
Many students are motivated
by interactive resources that
ask them to create, build,
design or make decisions.
They also like to make
decisions and participate in
polls and surveys.

eduscapes.com

Strategies:
Online and Offline Tools:

Inspiration
Timeliner
Timeline builder
KidPix
PowerPoint
Microsoft Publisher
Create a graph
Teacher Tap: Interactive
Websites
Teacher made WebQuests

Experience
Points to Remember:
Some students lack basic
experiences such as visiting
a city or a farm.
Use the Internet to help
students make a connection
and develop prior
knowledge.

Strategies:
Use Virtual Field Trips,
when you cant take them
to far off places.
Google Earth
http://www.google.com/ear
th/learn/beginner.html#tab
=moon-in-google-earth
eduscapes.com

Motivation
Points to Remember:

Some students need

motivation to write, draw,
or express themselves in
other ways.
Sometimes technology
can provide motivating
tools and resources.
eduscapes.com

Strategies:
E-cards
Jan Brett
http://www.janbrett.com/index.ht
ml
Enature cards
http://natureecards.com/
Teacher Tap: Electronic Postcard
Starfall.com

Microsoft Publisher
Newsletter
Brochure
Flyer

Microsoft PowerPoint
Create stories using animation and
sounds

Realism
Points to Remember:

Students enjoy sharing

their ideas with a real-world
audience.
Explore ways to provide
connections for students.

Strategies:
Locate a class and write
emails to the class or assign
for homework
Online projects:

KidsLearn
ePals
Kids Space Connection
Tiggly Wigglys Pen Pal List

eduscapes.com

Challenge
Points to Remember:

Strategies:

Some students need a

challenge.
Ask students to think!
Such as;

Design an activity that

involves students in
critiquing books or websites
created by other students.

Evaluating
Critiquing
Creating.

Book Review Sites

Think Quest Projects

IRIS Module Questions

What is differentiated instruction?
Describe at least four significant ways in which
differentiated instruction differs from traditional
classroom instruction.
How can teachers get to know their students? Make
sure to include the three characteristics of students
that are important for differentiating instruction and
give at least two examples of how teachers can learn
about each.

IRIS Module Questions

Ms. Hasbro has taught high-school Spanish for ten years. She
would like to start differentiating instruction and needs to
make some changes.
Explain why each of Ms. Hasbros classroom practices listed below is
not a differentiated practice.
Describe what Ms. Hasbro can do differently with each of them.
Delivers instruction primarily by lecturing
Does not permit students to retake tests they have failed
Records zeros for missing assignments
Groups students at the beginning of the year based on the previous years
achievement test scores
Gives bonus points for classroom participation
Gives a test every Friday

IRIS Module Questions

Think back to a class you took in high school.
Describe both the class and how the teacher
typically conducted it. Describe five elements
that you would change to make it more
differentiated. (Make sure to include at least
one each for content, process, and product.)