Closing Achievement Gaps through Differentiated Instruction

Alabama Department of Education

Alabama Department of Education Alabama Leadership Academy

John Bell Deann Stone Tony Thacker

The Animal Schoolby Dr. G. H. Reavis, Cincinnati Public Schools

Differentiated instruction is not a set of tools but a philosophy that a teacher embraces to reach the unique needs of every learner.

Public schools are expected to… Teach good nutrition

habits Treat the emotionally

disturbed Teach first aid

procedures Assist in disease

prevention….

What is Differentiated Instruction?Read Primary, Elementary, Middle, or High School Sample from pages 3 – 7 in your book.

Write one or two word descriptors and place on word wall.

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher focuses on the essentials.

Concepts Principles Skills

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher attends to student differences.

Culture Gender Genetic Code Neurological wiring

Elements of Differentiation: Assessment and instruction are

inseparable. Ongoing Diagnostic Used to benchmark Formal Informal

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher modifies

Content: Multiple options for taking information in

Process: Multiple options for making sense of the ideas

Product: Multiple options for expressing what they know

Elements of Differentiation: All students participate in respectful work.

Respect the readiness level of each student. Expect all students to grow, and support their

continual growth. Offer all students the opportunity to explore

essential understandings and skills at varied degrees.

Offer all students interesting, challenging tasks.

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher and students collaborate in

learning. Student-centered classroom. Teacher coordinates learning.

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher balances groups and

individual norms.“A great coach never achieves greatness for himself

or his team by working to make all his players alike.”

Elements of Differentiation: The teacher and students work together

flexibly. Group work Individual work Readiness, interest, learning style

Why differentiate instruction?Accountability

Changing Classroom

Changing Schools

Accountability Standards-driven No Child Left Behind Adequate Yearly Progress

Changing Classroom High Expectations Cultural Relevance Student Diversity Cognitive Research Societal and Technological Change

Changing Schools

C – Connected, Competent, Confidence, Compassion

A – Acceptance, Affection, Appreciation

R – Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic, along with Responsibility, Respect, and Relationships

T – Thinking, Technology, Teamwork

Reflecting on Learning Experiences Think about a negative learning experience

you have had as a learner. Based on these experiences, what would you

have changed to create a positive learning environment?

IF I HAD IT TO DO ALL OVER….Group Sharing

The ‘Silver Cup’ of Differentiated InstructionRead the article.

Choose a learning station.

Respond to the statements in your workbook.

Learning Stations Guided Note Taking

I.Q. Pairs

Mind Mapping

Match to Make Meaning

Reflection: What did you learn? Respond to the following statements in your

workbook: Define Differentiated Instruction List common themes between the activities used

to accomplish the task. Why did you choose the particular activity to

accomplish this task?

Approaches to DifferentiationResources for further study and implementation

Creating a Healthy Classroom Environment

Teacher

Students Content

Case Study of LearnersContinuum of Learner Satisfaction and Success

1 2 3 4 5Low Satisfaction High Satisfaction

and success and success

Three Approaches to Differentiation

Learning Contracts

Intelligence Preferences

Tiered Assignments

Learning Contracts

Learning Contract

An agreement between a teacher and a student.

Learning Contracts are written agreements that outline… What students will

learn How they will

learn it In what period of

time How they will be

evaluated

Instructional Values of Contracts Help students learn to

make decisions about their learning

Help students learn to manage their time

May involve the student in curriculum planning

Can be used to support students with learning difficulties

Can be used to facilitate learning for other students

Help the teacher manage group work Individual projects Investigations centers

How do you begin? What do students like

to do? What materials and

resources do you have available?

What technology do you want students to use?

Developing Contracts Tiered Contracts Variety of activities Everyone has the same

goals Supply reading

materials on varied levels

Give choices Make requirements

Reviewing Sample Learning Contracts With your table group, review the sample

contracts in your workbook. Respond to the statements on the ‘Analyzing

a Learning Contract’ handout. When your table has completed the handout,

move with your table team to the appropriate poster.

Gallery Walk Move with your table to the appropriate

number. Write your response on the poster. When time is called, move to the next poster. Read the former groups’ response Clarify their response by making amendments

or additions as needed.

Contract Do’s Start small (1 or 2 day

contracts). Explain the role and

function of contract. Help set realistic

deadlines. Renegotiate the contract if

it isn’t working. Gradually involve students

in contract development.

Contract Don’ts Expect all students to be

able to use contracts effectively immediately.

Expect all students to like contracts.

Assume contracts can take the place of regular instruction.

Use contracts without a good management system.

Developing a Learning ContractUse the planning guide as a resource to develop learning contracts for your students

Intelligence PreferencesSchool Smarts

Street Smarts

Imagination Smarts

Sternberg’s Intelligence Preferences Analytic Intelligence (“school smarts”) –

People with strengths in this area tend to do very well with school tasks such as making meaning of text material, organizing information, seeing cause and effect, taking notes, and memorizing information.

Sternberg’s Intelligence Preferences Practical Intelligence (“street smarts”) –

People with strengths in this area learn well when they see how things work in the world and how ideas and skills help solve problems. They learn better by using ideas rather than just learning ideas. They need to solve problems in a meaningful context.

Sternberg’s Intelligence Preferences Creative Intelligence (“imagination smarts”) –

People with strengths in this area tend to come at ideas and problems in fresh and surprising ways. They prefer to experiment with ideas rather than work like everyone else They “think outside the box.”

What Does It Look Like? Watch the video of a high

school ecology teacher differentiating instruction using intelligence preferences.

As you watch, use the video viewing guide to jot down practices currently in place in the left column and practices you would like to include in your classroom in the right column

Reflection Discuss the video

clip with your table team using the “Analyzing One Use of Sternberg’s Intelligences” handout in your workbook.

Working Lunch What is your

Style of Thinking and Learning Complete the

inventory in your workbook

What is your learning style?

How Do Your Students Learn? Read the case studies on the handout labeled

“How People Learn” in your workbook. Complete the table to

Identify each student’s intelligence preference. Provide two descriptors for the preference. List one instructional strategy that would be

effective for this student List one instructional strategy that would be

ineffective for this student.

Reflecting on What We Learn Use the handout “Thinking About the Sternberg

Intelligences” to categorize learning tasks with your table team.

Tiered InstructionA Planning Strategy for Mixed Ability Classrooms

Tiered Instruction“When somebody hands you a glob of kids, they don’t hand you a matched set.”

Carol Tomlinson

• Provides teachers with a means of assigning different tasks within the same lesson or

unit.

• The tasks will vary according to:

•Readiness

•Interest

WHAT CAN BE TIERED? Assignments Activities Homework Centers Experiments Materials Assessments Writing Prompts

WHY USE TIERED INSTRUCTION? To build “multiple avenues” to content The focus is on key concepts and

understandings of the lesson or unit To provide optimal learning experiences

The task difficulty and skill level are slightly above the student level

IDENTIFY OUTCOMES

What should the students know, understand, or be able to do?

INITIATING ACTIVITIES

Use a common experience for whole class

THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS

Pre-assess readiness, interest, or learning styles.

Group 1

Task

Group 2

Task

Group 3

Task

Creating Multiple Paths for Learning

Key Concept

Or

Understanding

Struggling Learners

On-level Learners

Highly Able Learners

The Teacher’s ChallengeDeveloping “Respectful Activities”

Interesting Engaging Challenging

Creating An Optimal Match

The “Equalizer”Take another look at our case study of learners. How would you adjust the equalizer for each of them?

Tiered AssignmentsWhat does it look like?

Examining Tiered Assignments

Individually respond to the questions in your workbook.

Interview Design

All Participants will:

Ask Questions

Answer Questions

Analyze Responses

How to Differentiate InstructionSteps to Success

Step One: Know Your Students Ability

Levels Interests Behavior

Step Two: Vary Instruction Direct Instruction Inquiry-based Learning Cooperative Learning Information Processing Strategies

Step Three: Vary Activities Cubing Webquest Power Point

Step Four: Vary Assessments Pre-Assessments During Learning Assessments Reflection Activities Authentic Assessments Rubrics Portfolios

Closing Thoughts Learning and Growing Comfort Zone Invitational Learning Help

dstone@alsde.edu or ccrawford@alsde.edu