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Differentiated InstructionWhat is it? Why we need it? How we

implement it?

Cecilia Lemon, Instructional Facilitator

Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools

Department of Special Education

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By the end of this workshop, you will:

Solidify your understanding of the definition of differentiated instruction and its guiding principles.

Understand how to differentiate based on content, product, process, and manipulating the environment in your classroom.

Demonstrate how differentiated instruction will be utilized using Think Link data and reflect its usage on your lesson plans.

Create differentiated products to use in your classroom.

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Group Assignment

Within your group, designate these individuals:

A “Giver” A “Keeper” A “Crier” A “Teller”

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“Givers” distribute index cards

Please write on the index card provided:

3 Things you already know about DI

2 Things you want to know more about DI

1 Thing you don’t understand about DI

Share information (2 minutes)

“Teller” will share commonalities and/or differences

Give your cards to the “Keeper”

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What is Differentiated Instruction?

A collection of best practices, strategically employed to maximize students’ learning at every turn, including giving them the tools to handle anything that is undifferentiated.

Highly effective teaching. Requires us to do different things for

different students, based upon individual student needs.

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Differentiated Instruction is. . . .

Whatever works to advance the student when the regular classroom approach doesn’t meet students’ needs.

Designed to tap into different student readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles.

Teaching different students the content in different ways, based on how students learn.

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Differentiated Instruction

Is Is Not

Having high expectations for all studentsHelping the student to “own” the learningHighly effective teachingProviding students with choices about what and how they learnAcknowledgement of individual needsUsing a variety of methods for the student to explore curriculum contentQualitative

Activities that all students will be able to doGetting it on your ownAll assignments are the same for every student except for the number of problemsAllowing the early finishers computer timeAssigning “extra” work for more advanced studentsCooperative learning groups where the “gifted” student gets to be the leaderQuantitative

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Why is Differentiated Instruction necessary?

Current Student DemographicsLearning Style DifferencesInstructional Day DesignAchievement Goals

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If the diverse characteristics of America’s children were merged into one classroom, of thirty students …

18 would be White 15 would live in a single

parent family at some point in childhood

10 would be born to unmarried parents

7 would be born poor 6 would be Hispanic 5 would be African

American

4 would be born to a teenaged mother

3 would never graduate from high school and live at less than half the poverty level

2 would have a disability 1 would be Asian

American 1 would live with neither

parent

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Students Learn in a Variety of Ways

Learning is based on a person’s . . Preferred Learning StyleExperiencesInterests

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The Multiple Intelligences Theory

Verbal/Linguistic magazines, field trips, dramatic reading, problem solving centers, games, graphic organizers

Musical-rhythmic songs, raps, cheers, poems, choral readings, using music

Intrapersonal problem-solving,

journals, centers, independent learning

Intrapersonal video, film, group activities, collages, comic strips, Venn diagrams

Naturalist observing, collecting data from the natural world, experiments, classifying information

Bodily/kinesthetic centers, simulations, projects, creating things

Visual/Spatial art materials, posters, charts, demonstrations

Logical/Mathematical puzzles, calculations, games, patterns, timelines, outlines

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Activity

Take 3 minutes to complete the learning styles survey.

Once you have tallied the results, choose your learning style preference group.

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Product modifications based on multiple intelligences**menu options**

Verbal/Linguistic Write or act out another story using the same character

Musical/Rhythmic Create a poem or rap describing main characters

Intrapersonal Choose a character who you think would make a good friend

Naturalist Collect items from nature that would fit the setting of the story

Bodily/Kinesthetic Make a model of the setting of the story

Logical/Mathematical Create a timeline of the events in the story

Visual/Spatial Draw a costume that one of the characters might have worn.

Interpersonal Create a venn diagram comparing two characters from the story

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Activity Continued

In groups, you will have 5 minutes to complete the learning style activity.

Share out.

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Manipulating the environment

The aim is to create a learning environment which encourages students to engage their abilities to the greatest extent possible. It should be: Student-centered Encouraging independence Open Accepting Complex Highly mobile

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Instructional strategies in a classroom using DI should include a mix of . . .

Individual Activities

Group Activities

Whole Class Activities

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Characteristics of the DI Classroom

Instruction is concept focused and principle driven.

On-going assessment of student readiness and growth are built into the curriculum.

Flexible grouping is consistently used.Students are active explorers.

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Adjustments Based on Assessed Readiness

Concrete to abstractSimple to complexBasic to transformationalFew to multi facetsMore structured to open Quicker to slower

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Getting Started

Start with one subject/conceptPlan for the possibilitiesShare with othersUse all the resources available in

the building: library, computers, specialists

Look to the web for ideas

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How Does DI Work?

Challenged Average Gifted

ContentWhat

Three Crucial Points

Three Concepts

All aspects of the topic In-depth study

ProcessHow

Direct instruction in each step of the research process

ModelingIndependent workReview and practice

Minimal instruction with probing questions for further investigation

ProductEvaluation

One group paper of one page Five page paper per individual Power point presentation with computer generated graphics and charts

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Learning Cycle and Decision Factors Used in Planning

and Implementing Differentiated Instruction

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Streamlining Future Planning

Teachers can use what was successful in the past.

Adjust activities that may need more clarity.

Spend more time on the instruction of each student according to her/his needs.

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Think Link Data

Uses – Refer to your classroom data Share – Co-teacher, team members, content

specialists, stem coaches, administrators, etc.

Collaborate – pre-/post assessments, planning, instructional methods, school/district/state-wide goal setting

Evaluate - ongoing

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Differentiated Learning Plans

Standards: What should students know and be able to do?

Assessment tools for data collection: (logs, checklists, journals, agendas, observations, portfolios, rubrics, contracts)

Essential Questions: Monday:

Tuesday:

Wed:

Thurs:

Fri:

Skills: Mon:

Tues:

Wed:

Thurs:

Fri:

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Content: (Concepts, Vocabulary, Facts)Mon:Tues:Wed: Thurs:Fri:

Activate/Motivation: How will you pre-assess, gain and maintain students’ attention?

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Acquire: Total Group or small groups (How will the lesson be taught?)Lesson Segment 1 (chunk):Activities (chew):Lesson Segment 2 (chunk):Activities (chew): Lesson Segment 3 (chunk): Activities (chew):

Grouping Decisions: (T.A.P.S-Total, Alone, Partner, Small group)(random, heterogeneous, homogeneous, interest, task, constructed) APPLY/ADJUST as needed

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Brain Compatible Strategies: “Which will you use to deliver the content? Brainstorming/Discussion Drawing/Artwork Fieldtrips Games Mnemonic Devices Music/Rhythm/Rhyme/Rap Reciprocal Teaching/Cooperative Learning Storytelling Technology Graphic Organizers/Semantic Maps/Word Webs/Thinking Maps Humor Work study/Apprenticeships Manipulative/Experiments/Labs/Models Role play/Drama/Charades/Metaphor/Analogy/Simile Movement Writing/Journals Visuals Project/Problem-based Instruction Visualization/Guided Practice

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Web-Based Resources

Video- Teachertube.com Teach-nology.com ASCD.org Internet4classrooms.com/di.htm Tutorial- Curriculumassociates.com http://frsd.k12.nj.us/rfmslibrarylab/di/differ

entiated_instruction.htm http://eduscapes.com

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Questions ?????

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How do we do it???

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Instructional Strategies

Multiple texts and materials

Use of computer programs

Interest centers Learning contracts Compacting Group Investigation

Graduated tasks and product rubrics

Tasks and products designed with multiple intelligence orientation

Tiered activities and products

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Tiering Definition

Adjusting readiness, interest, and learning profiles to maximize learning

Changing the level of complexity or required readiness of a task or unit of study in order to meet the developmental needs of the students involved.

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About Tiers

Tomlinson (1999) describes tiered lessons as “the meat and potatoes of differentiated instruction.” A tiered lesson addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components.

Lessons can be tiered according to students’ readiness (ability to understand a particular level of content), learning profiles (style of learning), or interests (student interest in the topics to be studied).

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In tiered lessons, students work in teacher-assigned groups according to the chosen tiering strategy, such as grouping students by their current level of understanding for the topic of study.

The number of groups per tier can vary, as can the number of students per tier.

Groups need not be of equal size; groups are formed based on the needs of individual students.

For example, one tier may have two groups of three students; a second tier, five groups of four students; and a third tier, one group of two students.

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Grouping by Readiness Level

A lesson tiered by readiness level implies that the teacher has a good understanding of the students’ ability levels with respect to the lesson and has designed the tiers to meet those needs.

Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness have three tiers: below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level.

There is no rule that states there may only be three tiers, however. The number of tiers depends on the range of ability levels in the classroom.

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Tiering by readiness or ability can apply to nearly every facet of the science lesson from reading material to hands-on experiences.

For example, when the class is ready to investigate magnetism, one tier of students at a lower readiness level might work very concretely by investigating the kinds of objects that a magnet can attract given a set of 10–12 objects.

A tier of students at a more advanced level of readiness, however, might investigate whether the size of a magnet affects its strength, a more abstract concept.

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When tiering, each lesson is contained; tier groups are formed based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s abilities to handle the material particular to that particular lesson. Therefore, students may be in one tier for one lesson but may be regrouped when a different tiering strategy is used.

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Grouping by Learning Profile

When a lesson is tiered by learning profile, students are placed in groups according to the style of learning in which they work best.

In this type of tiering, students are expected to learn the same level of content as their classmates, but the way in which the material is presented differs.

For example, a lesson might be tiered to focus on three learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Students of varying ability levels would then be placed in the tier that best matches their learning style.

There are a variety of instruments to determine a student’s learning profile. Two good interactive instruments may be found at www.ldpride.net.

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If you choose to tier via students’ learning profiles, it is best to control the number of tiers by using only a few different learning styles. Tiering all eight of Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences (Campbell 1996) in one lesson may not be a good place to start! For example, choose logical mathematical intelligence, spatial intelligence, and linguistic intelligence.

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Grouping by Student Interest

Another possible way to tier lessons is to group students by their interest in various topics to be studied. To pre-assess students’ interests, a teacher can design an interest inventory that lists several topics students will be studying or several activities that the teacher is considering. Students rank their choices, and the teacher uses the rankings to assign students to groups based on their choices.

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Developing a Tiered Lesson

The process boils down to a few essential steps:

Identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.) that you are targeting. A common mistake is to develop three great activities and then try to force them into a tiered lesson.

Identify the key concept and generalization. The key concept follows from the standard, and the generalization follows from the concept. Ask yourself, “What ‘big idea’ am I targeting?” and “What do I want the students to know at the end of the lesson, regardless of their placement in the tiers?”

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Assess whether students have the background necessary to be successful in the lesson. Ask, “What must have been already covered or what must the student have already learned? Are there other skills that must be taught first?”

Select what you will tier. For example, decide whether to tier the content, process, or product.

Next, decide how you will tier—i.e., by student readiness, interest, or learning profile.

Based on the above decisions, determine how many tiers you will need and develop the lesson.

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After the Lesson is Developed…

Once the lesson has been developed, review it with classroom management and student equitability in mind. It is helpful to have a clearly articulated structure for the class when students work in groups. For example, we prepare anchoring activities—

brainteasers or other puzzles or short activities related to the topic—for students who finish early or are waiting for your assistance.

Anchoring activities promote “what’s next” thinking rather than the attitude, “I’m done!” (Suggested resources for anchoring activities may be found at www.bsu.edu/teachers/services/ctr/javits.)

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It is recommended alert school administrators and students’ parents before using new strategies in the classroom. This opens the lines of communication in case questions come up from either group.

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Next …

Next, reflect on the lesson’s tiers. Differentiation means doing something qualitatively different, not quantitatively different. Take care to ensure that the lesson’s tiers differ in the level of complexity of work that students are expected to do, rather than the amount of work students are expected to complete.

Also, be sure that each tier provides challenging and developmentally appropriate work, i.e., no group should be doing practice worksheets while another is doing a hands-on experiment.

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Finally …

Consider assessment. Ask yourself, “How will learning be assessed in the lesson?”

Teachers can use formative or summative assessments or a combination of the two methods to assess learning in tiered lessons.

Some assessment ideas include:

Recording observations of the various groups using flip cards or sticky notes;

Developing a rubric for each tier based on a particular assignment;

Giving a formal paper-and-pencil test.

Choose assessments based on the specific needs of the class and on the lesson design.

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Tiered Lesson Example The following example shows

the basic blueprint of a tiered lesson we developed as part of a unit on environments and habitats (see Figure 1). In the lesson, all three tiers address the same content standard from the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) (Content Standard C: Life Science), concept (organisms react to environmental change), and generalization (all students should come away knowing organisms depend on their environment, changes occur in environments, and organisms themselves cause some of these changes).

Figure 1. Science lesson tiered in content according to students’ readiness. Subject: ScienceGrade: ThirdStandard: Content Standard C: Life Science. Students will develop an understanding of organisms and environments.Key Concept: Organisms react to environmental change.Generalization: Organisms depend on their environment and changes occur in environments; the organisms themselves cause some of these changes.

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Lesson Plan Background: This is one piece in a unit on environments and will introduce the

concept of reactions to environmental change. Each story focuses on a particular environment or series of environments. For each tier, the students will read the assigned book—or listen if the story is taped (for struggling readers who comprehend at a level higher than they can read).

Tier I: Students read Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Aardema 1981). Tier II: Students read The Desert Is Theirs (Baylor 1975).

Tier III: Students read The Story of Jumping Mouse (Steptoe 1972). Whole-Group Process: Students will choose three characters in the story and

describe in writing or pictures how the change(s) in the environment(s) affected each character with respect to their basic needs. The teacher will then initiate a discussion using shared inquiry. Students sit in a circle so that they can make eye contact with each other and the teacher. The teacher has prepared a seating chart for the circle so that she can keep track of student responses and interactions.

Whole-Group Long-Term Product: Students design and paint a mural depicting the various environments they studied.

Assessment: The teacher notes the students’ responses during sharing and checks their writings/drawings for accuracy.Before beginning the lesson, students should have studied basic vocabulary and worked through an introductory chapter from a textbook on the basic needs of living things.

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Lesson Continued …

The lesson’s content is tiered, and students are grouped in one of three tiers based on their ability to comprehend what they have read or what has been read to them.

In this lesson, each group reads a different book with content appropriate for their current level of understanding. For example, students in Tier I read Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, an African folktale retold in the same meter as “This Is the House That Jack Built.” The repetition and illustrations are helpful for students who have difficulty comprehending grade-level material. For students in Tier II, the selected book is The Desert Is Theirs, a more abstract tale that requires students to make more inferences when reading the material. Students in Tier III read The Story of Jumping Mouse, which involves more than one biome (the other two books deal with only one), making it an appropriate choice for students in a more advanced tier.

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Lesson …

After students have individually read their assigned books, the teacher begins the whole-class discussion by asking an interpretive question such as, “Why do you think some animals migrate and some animals don’t?” This question gives students an opportunity to share what they learned and substantiate their point of view from their individual readings. As students share their answers, the teacher jots down notes for a formative assessment of each student. Thoughts to keep in mind are: Which child is struggling with the concept? Which child is moving rapidly and accurately through the material? and Whose answers show more thought and insight?

To demonstrate their knowledge of environmental change and bring this part of the environments unit to a close, students design and paint a mural depicting the various environments they studied.

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Tiering Assignment & AssessmentsAdvice

Begin by listing every skill or bit of information a student must use in order to meet the needs of the task successfully. Most of what we teach has subsets of skills and content that we can break down for students and explore at length.

Tier tasks by designing the full-proficiency version first, then design the more advanced level of proficiency, followed by the remedial or early-readiness level, as necessary.

Respond to the unique characteristics of the students in front of you. Don’t always have high, medium, and low tiers.

Don’t tier every aspect of every lesson. It’s often okay for students to do what everyone else is doing.

When first learning to tier, stay focused on one concept or task.

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Final Thoughts

Time, energy, and patience are required to effectively differentiate instruction in an academically diverse classroom.

Our best advice: start small. Choose a favorite lesson in your next unit and differentiate it according to the needs of your students.

Also, seek the expertise of specialists, such as special and gifted education coordinators, media specialists, and others to collaborate to improve instruction in the academically diverse classroom.

Through tiering, we hope you’ll find you are able to better meet the varying needs of the students in your classroom.

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Tiering: Cubing and R.A.F.T.S.

Cubing: Ask students to create a 3-D cube out of foam board or poster board, then respond to one of these prompts on each side: Describe it, Compare it, Associate it, Analyze it, Apply it, Argue for it or against it. Toss the cube Kids interact with topic through 6 things. Some are

More or less challenging. Kids can create the prompts. All kids must interact to the prompt

R.A.F.T.S- Choose a menu of choices that are not a natural fit. Ex: Crawfish talks about his marine biome to a

fisherman. Give 4-5 topics and 4-5 audiences to address. (R=role, A=audience, F=form, T=time or topic, S=strong adverb or adjective)

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SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLDThe Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

Book by: Jennifer ArmstrongTiered Assignment – Where on Earth is …?

Objectives – Tiered AssignmentStudents will know:

• the equator and the prime meridian divide the globe into four hemispheres• geographic terms: hemisphere, equator, prime meridian, latitude, longitude,

absolute location, and relative location• every point on Earth has a specific location that can be determined by

imaginary grid linesStudents will understand that:

• a map is a visual representation of geographic information• maps are used to locate positions on the Earth’s surface

Students will be able to:• use the equator and prime meridian to identify the four hemispheres of the

Earth• distinguish between parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude• locate places using latitude and longitude on maps and globes• describe a location in relative and absolute terms• utilize a compass rose to identify and make use of cardinal directions

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Tiered Assignment – Where on Earth is …?

Whole Class Activity:Day 1: As a whole class discuss the definitions of relative and

exact location. Use the school as an example for both ways of describing where something is located.

Students will find the school address as the exact location and as a class will generate a description of its relative location – where the school is located in relation to other things. Students will determine the relative and exact locations of their homes. As a class, discuss the benefits of each explanation. In what situation would it be best to use exact? Relative? Why would you use one over the other?

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Day 2:

Using a map of their state, ask students to determine relative and exact location for the town in which they live. Students will determine relative location using cardinal directions and exact location using lines of latitude and longitude.

Using these two assignments, as well as homework and exit cards from each activity, place students in three groups based on their readiness level for this subject matter. Each group will be working toward the same KUDs (listed above) but at varying degrees of difficulty.

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Group One:This group of students has been hired by the families of the crew members to try and locate Shackleton and his lost ship the Endurance. They have been sent coordinates of locations where the ship may be located as well as messages from people who last saw the ship and its crew. They will use these clues to mark the locations on a world map as they plan the route for the search party.

Group Two: Making a Route MapUsing the information from the text, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, students will act as historians; recreating a chronological journal of the crew’s voyage from their starting point in London, England to their final return to South Georgia Island a year and a half later. Each entry in the journal will have exact location points using latitude and longitude as well as an accompanying descriptor of their relative location.

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Group Three:This group has been hired by the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge to create a displayfor the opening of their new wing in honor of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his brave crew members. The institutewould like to hang a large handmade map or globe in the entry way of the wing. The display must have the routeof the expedition clearly marked with location names and latitude and longitude coordinates. They would also like aplaque to hang on the wall that clearly describes this heroic journey using relative information.

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Assessment

All students will be assessed on their ability to:• accurately plot the longitude and latitude coordinates• place the events in the correct sequence• describe locations in relationship to other places• produce professional quality work (neat, eye-catching, error-free)

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Tiering: Learning Menus

Students are given choices of tasks to complete in a unit or for an assessment. “Entrée” tasks are required. Students can select one

from the list of “side dish” tasks, and they can choose to do one of the “dessert” tasks for enrichment. Make a tri-fold menu with a description of the dish. The tier will be each menu choice. Students choose the menu that fits best. The tiering element is the way the student chooses from the menu.

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Additional Strategies

Stations. Using stations involves setting up different spots in the classroom where students work on various tasks simultaneously. These stations invite flexible grouping because not all students need to go to all stations all the time.

Compacting. This strategy encourages teachers to assess students before beginning a unit of study or development of a skill. Students who do well on the pre-assessment do not continue work on what they already know.

Agendas. These are personalized lists of tasks that a student must complete in a specified time, usually two to three weeks. Student agendas throughout a class will have similar and dissimilar elements.

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Additional Strategies

Complex Instruction. This strategy uses challenging materials, open-ended tasks, and small instructional groups. Teachers move among the groups as they work, asking students questions and probing their thinking.

Orbital Studies. These independent investigations, generally lasting three to six weeks, revolve around some facet of the curriculum. Students select their own topics, and they work with guidance and coaching from the teacher.

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Additional Strategies

Entry Points. This strategy from Howard Gardner proposes student exploration of a given topic through as many as five avenues: narration (presenting a story), logical-quantitative (using numbers or deduction), foundational (examining philosophy and vocabulary), aesthetic (focusing on sensory features), and experiential (hands-on).

Problem-Based Learning. This strategy places students in the active role of solving problems in much the same way adult professionals perform their jobs.

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Additional Strategies

Choice Boards. With this strategy, work assignments are written on cards that are placed in hanging pockets. By asking a student to select a card from a particular row of pockets, the teacher targets work toward student needs yet allows student choice. (See Handouts)

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Structures, Processes and Responses of PlantsTic-Tac-Toe for Student Choice Activities

1. Draw some type of visual that differentiates the two types of reproduction in flowering plants

2. Write a short essay explaining the structures flowering plants have for defense.

3. Search the Internet for information about a plant’s response to external stimuli. Print out what you find and summarize your information into your own outline.

4. Create a lesson plan on the life cycle of a flowering plant and teach this lesson to the class.

5. Write a newspaper article highlighting the poisonous plants common to South Carolina (i.e. Mississippi)

6. Write a short story about the life cycle of an apple seed.

7. Create a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting vascular and nonvascular plants.

8. Design a poster shows the parts of a flowering plant that function for survival.

9. Make a collage of various organisms from the five kingdoms. Label and give the characteristics of each kingdom.

Name: ________________________ I/We choose activities #____, #____, #____.

Today’s Date _________________________ Due Date ___________________

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ASSESSMENT FOR TIC-TAC-TOE

1. Drawing/VisualVisual clearly shows both types

_____Accuracy of information ___Differences of 2 types evident ____Detailed & informational labels ____Possible Points = ______

2. EssayExplanation clear and well organized ____Defense structures identified ____Writing mechanics, spelling and grammar are correct __Possible Points = ______

3. Internet Search & OutlineUses at least 3 Internet sites ___Variety of responses ______Accurate summary highlighting important points ____Follows correct outline form ___Possible Points = ______

4. Lesson PlanFollows oral presentation criteria card _____Correct Information ____Explains clearly – Easy to understand _____Answers questions well ___Suggested extension: Give test or quiz and grade it.Possible Points = ______

5. Newspaper ArticleArticle written in an interesting way so the public would like to read it ____Accurate details about poisonous plants of SC ___Knowledge of plant structures shown in the discussion of plants ____Possible Points = ______

6. Short StoryStory has a beginning, middle, and end ____Story reflects knowledge of the life cycle of flowering plants _____Creativity ____Correct, spelling, grammar and mechanics _____Possible Points = ______

6. Venn DiagramFollows Venn Diagram criteria card _____Clearly shows similarities and differences _____Accurate Information ____Possible Points = ______

7. PosterFollows poster criteria card _____Flower parts clearly shown _____Description of each flower part included on poster ____Possible Points = ______

8. CollageFollows Criteria Card ____Shows 15 Organisms ____Each Kingdom well represented ____Accurate labels ___Possible Points = ______

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4MAT. Teachers who use 4MAT plan instruction for each of four learning preferences over the course of several days on a given topic. Thus, some lessons focus on mastery, some on understanding, some on personal involvement, and some on synthesis. As a result, each learner has a chance to approach the topic through preferred modes and also to strengthen weaker areas.

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Anchor Activities

What are anchor activities? specified ongoing activities on which students work

independently ongoing assignments that students can work on throughout

a unit Why use anchor activities?

provide a strategy for teachers to deal with “ragged time” when students complete work at different times

they allow the teacher to work with individual students or groups

provides ongoing activities that relate to the content of the unit

allow the teacher to develop independent group work strategies in order to incorporate a mini lab of computers in classroom

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Anchor Activities are used to keep the concept in position. Walking around room helping students as

they work. Students that needs extra help you pull out

Use small group or individuals to teach a mini lesson, pulling out of group then sending back in.

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The Process

When are anchor activities used? to begin the day when students complete an assignment when students are stuck and waiting for help

Types of anchor activities DEAR Time - Silent Reading Journal Writing or Learning Logs Vocabulary Work Math “Problem of the Day” Learning Centre Spelling Practice Portfolio Management Agenda notes

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Anchor Lesson Design

Activity/Group:

Activity/Group: Activity/Group:

Activity/Group::

Anchor Activity(20-45 min.)

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How Do I Get Started?

1. 1. Teach the whole group to work on an anchor activity independently and quietly. The teacher is not a contact person at this time.

2. Progress to one group on anchor activity and another group on another activity - then flip flop groups. This may be done later in the day or in back-to-back time slots.

Example - One group may be working with the teacher on math manipulatives while the other group works independently on anchor activities.

3. Progress to 1/3 of the class on anchor activities, 1/3 involved in a teacher directed activity and 1/3 working at mini lab on a curriculum related unit.

4. Move to the next stages only when your students are ready. Length of time can be increased at the second stage before moving on to the third stage.

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Advice for Anchor Activities

Use activities with multiple steps to engage students

Require a product: Increases urgency and accountability

Train students what to do when the teacher is not available

Start small: Half the class and half the class, work toward more groups, smaller in size

Occasionally, videotape and provide feedback

Use task cards Use and train students in

attention signals “Fish Bowl:” A group in

the middle of all the other students conduct the task

Scaffolding: A great deal of direct instruction in which support is slowly pull out so that the teacher puts himself out of a job. (Student is a success?) This is only accomplished with consistency throughout the year.

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Examples

In his classroom the

Anchor Activities are hung

from the ceiling.

This pocket chart has removable cards

which can be changed to

reflect the ongoing activities

within a unit of study.

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How can I assess anchor activities?

Help students to take responsibility for their roles in classroom routines. Clear expectations, rationale for expectations and student self evaluation are integral to developing classroom procedures and student ownership within the learning environment.

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How can I assess individual anchor activity work? Ongoing anecdotal records and checklists

Student conferences for evaluation and goal setting

Learning journals

Student portfolios

Rubrics

Random checks

Peer review

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Resources

Internet ResourcesUsing Anchor Activities - Rapid Robin The "Dreaded Early Finisher"

Anchor Activities - a list of sample activities in different subject areas; although American, can provide ideas

Differentiation Strategies - Instructional Strategies to use in Differentiating Curriculum

Communicating in the Literacy Classroom - sample of how a Gr. 3 teacher uses anchor activities

Vocabulary Anchor Activities - a sample daily anchor activity Text Resources by Carol Ann Tomlinson

The Differentiated Classroom - Responding to the Needs of All Learners, Association for Curriculum and Development. Virginia, 1999.

How to Differentiate in Mixed Ability Classrooms - Association for Curriculum and Development. Virginia, 2001

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To Increase (or Decrease) a Task’s Complexity, Add (or Remove) these Attributes:

Manipulate information, not just echo it

Extend the concept to other areas

Integrate more than one subject or skill

Increase the number of variables that must be considered; incorporate more facets

Demonstrate higher level thinking, i.e. Bloom’s Taxonomy

Use or apply content/skills in situations not yet experienced

Make choices among several substantive ones

Work with advanced resources Add an unexpected element to

the process or product Work independently Reframe a topic under a new

theme Share the back-story to a

concept – how it was developed Identify misconceptions within

something

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Increasing/Decreasing Complexity Continued . . .

Identify the bias or prejudice in something Negotiate the evaluation criteria Deal with ambiguity and multiple meanings

or steps Use more authentic applications to the real

world Analyze the action or object Argue against something taken for granted

or commonly accepted

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Continued . . .

Synthesize (bring together) two or more unrelated concepts or objects to create something new

Critique something against a set of standards Work with the ethical side of the subject Work in with more abstract concepts and models Respond to more open-ended situations Increase their atomicity with the topic Identify big picture patterns or connections Defend their work

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Learning Logs Start First Day Of School

Some schools use agendas Can be done instead of agendas or throughout the

lesson Teacher will give instructions to take out the

learning log. Make a large cross on the paper Write a paragraph Make a list Draw a picture Create a rap or a song

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Strategies Used For Lecture Lessons

Better learning comes from making the student … Paraphrase: translations Echo: student attempts to repeat exactly

what the teacher says Followed by class choral response Keeps students at attention Class writes down what you see (3

seconds to finish)

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Lecture Lesson Tips

One problem with at-risk students is that they never heard what was said

Echo – paraphrase - choral response teacher gives invitation

2 ways to raise anxiety level: (pleasant or unpleasant)

Anticipatory set - priming the pump, wait (Why am I talking?)

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What to do if I finish early?

Complete one of the following activities if you complete your class work assignment before the end of the period.

Remember: There is always something to do.

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Work on your Choice Board activities

Design a t-shirt about our current topic

Make a word search using our vocabulary

Read a non-fiction book with a theme

Write a story Draw and properly

label a graph

Work on an independent study of your choice

Help a classmate (This is not a chance to chat)

Make a collage using different types of pictures. The collage should be based on our current topic or a topic the teacher has approved

Choose One

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10 Practices to Avoid in a Differentiated Classroom: They Dilute Grade Validity and Effectiveness

Penalizing students’ multiple attempts at mastery Grading practice (daily homework) as students

come to know concepts (Feedback, not grading, is needed)

Withholding assistance (not scaffolding or differentiating) in the learning when it’s needed

Group grades Incorporating non-academic factors (behavior,

attendance, and effort)

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Continued . . . Assessing students in ways that do not accurately

indicate students’ mastery (student responses are hindered by the assessment format)

Grading on a curve and allowing extra credit Defining supposedly criterion-based grades in terms of

norm-referenced descriptions (“above average,” “average”, etc.)

Recording zeroes on the 100.0 grading scale for work not done

Penalizing a whole letter grade daily as a consequence for lateness is punitive. It does not teach students, and it removes hope. A few points off for each day late is instructive; there’s hope.

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Questions ?????

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What about Johnny?

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Interventions

At-Risk StudentsELL StudentsOver-Active StudentsPoor Hand-Writers

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At-Risk Students

There is more than one way to get the job done.Follow your heart to come up with

alternate ways to accomplish skill mastery. You cannot overwhelm at-risk students

When students attain mastery, give them time to brag.

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ELL Students

Provide English Language Learners (ELL) additional wait-time to process complex information before expecting an answer.

Allow ample time for students to retrieve words from their first language necessary for creating a mental picture. Slow down your speech during conversations in

class. Ask students which language they dream in and

that will be their primary language.

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The Value of Wait Time

Wait time is an academic rainmaker for all students.

We look for strategies that include kids; not exclude them. Kids need time to recall the information, even after they volunteer.

With DI, always try to have good goals. Providing additional wait-time will increase the number of students who respond and the quality and depth of the student’s response.

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Differentiated “Wait-Time”

Wait time allows students sufficient time to process and develop a response to a question before the teacher asks a specific student to respond.

Every 20 minutes provide a 60 second talk break for students to process information

Give students 3-5 seconds of “wait-time”

Some students need more than 5 seconds when the question is above their recall level

Some boys may need up to 60 seconds to bring information up on their “screen”

Many students from poverty need additional “wait-time”

Students whose primary language is not English will need additional processing time

Students with expressive language difficulty need more time for the retrieval of words and thoughts

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With the Overactive student in mind….

REMEMBER: Hyperactive students are never absent! Toddler Proof Your Classroom Change the classroom environment to accommodate

your overactive students. When you escalate your voice, you confirm the lack of

success of that student.

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Over-Active Students

Give students something to do with their hands, i.e., squeeze ball, play dough clay, etc. Provide some students with a “fidget box.”

Attach a bungee cord around the legs of the chair about 4” off the floor (makes a bouncing footrest).

Provide some students with a twelve-inch foot roller.

Provide two desks, one on each end of the classroom

Provide a rocking chair (glue felt to the bottom of each leg).

Encourage thigh tapping.

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Over-Active Students

Attach a tennis ball to the bottom of each chair leg (use a razor blade) and notice students who have allergies to latex.

Allow students to stand when they work (encourage toe rocking). Provide an adjustable height ironing board as a surface for students to use when working standing up.

Provide opportunities for physical movement in the classroom.

Encourage students to lean against a wall or bookcase.

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For Poor Hand-Writers . . .

To address sliding and drifting handwriting in math, turn paper sideways so that students can line up their numbers.

Use graph paper to put math problems on so that students can line up their work.

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All students can benefit from . . .

Creating easy to remember phrases to teach sequential steps.

Does McDonald’s Sell Cheeseburgers Rare? Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Check, Remainder

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Questions ?????