DIFFERENTIATON is the key to success.

Differentiation of instruction requires teachers to respond to learners’ needs through flexible grouping and individualized and/or adjusted tasks with on-going feedback and assessment.

As a teacher, you may elect to differentiate the content, the process or the product according to students’ readiness, interests and/or learning profiles.

Guiding Principles:

•Teacher is clear about what matters most in content. Vital information is clearly outlined.

•Teacher understands, appreciates and builds upon student differences.

•Assessment and instruction are inseparable.

•All students participate in appropriate work.

•Students and teacher collaborate in learning.

•Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximizing growth and individual success.

Learning Environment

1. Encourage the development of self-understanding through:

• recognizing and using one’s abilities,

• becoming self-directed, and

• appreciating likenesses and differences between one’s self and others.

2. Encourage self-directed learning to promote the development of independent research studies.

3. Encourage the development of a positive attitude toward creative challenges, investigative activity and knowledge creation.

Strategies for Curriculum Differentiation

Content

1. Present content that is related to broad-based issues, problems or themes.

2. Integrate multiple disciplines into an area of study.

3. Present comprehensive, reinforcing, related experiences within an area of study.

4. Delete curriculum that has already been mastered.

5. Streamline curriculum that can be mastered quickly.

6. Organize content to accentuate higher level skills and concepts.

7. Select representative topics that illustrate the basic principles, functional concepts and methodologies.

Ways to Differentiate Content

• Individual Reading Activities:

• Chapter Maps

• Double-Entry Journals

• Individual Investigations

• Paired Reading Activities:

• Reading Partners

• Read/Summarize

• Read/Question/Answer

• Visual Organizer/Summarizer

• Think-Pair-Share

• Large Group Reading Activities:

• Chalk Talk

• Choral Reading

• Fish Bowl

• Role Playing

• Seed Card Discussion

• Simulations

Small Group Reading Activities:

• Text Rendering

• Save the Last Word for Me

Process

1. Encourage the in-depth learning of a self-directed topic.

2. Emphasize independent or self-directed study skills.

3. Encourage the application of advanced research and methodological skills.

4. Focus on open-ended tasks.

5. Promote productive, complex, abstract and higher level thinking skills.

Ways to Differentiate Process

• Individual Activities:

• Acceleration

• Curriculum Compacting

• Individual Investigation

• Group Activities:

• Ability Grouping

• Cluster Grouping

• Interest Groups

Whole Class Activities:

• Peer Teaching

• Role Playing

• Simulations

Product

1. Encourage the development of products that challenge existing ideas and promote new ones.

2. Encourage the application of the methodologies in product development.

3. Evaluate student outcomes by using appropriate and specific criteria through self-appraisal, criterion referenced and standardized instruments.

4. Promote the creation of products that focus on real-world problems presented to appropriate audiences.

Ways to Differentiate Products

• Games

• Board Game

• Card Game

• Puzzle

• Presentations

• Demonstration

• One-Act Play

• Panel Discussion

• PowerPoint

• Writing/Narrative

• Biography • Memoir

• Cartoon • Myth

• Comic Strip • Ode

• Diary / Journal • Parody

• Epilogue • Pamphlet

• Folk Tale • Resume

• Greeting Card • Script

• Letter • Short Story

• Memo • Storyboard

REVIEW

DIFFERENTIATION INCLUDES:

1. Modifications to CONTENT, PROCESS and PRODUCT

2. Addressing LEARNING CHARACTERISTICS

3. An INTERDISCIPLINARY approach to teaching

4. COMPLEXITY and AUTHENTICITY

5. Being RELEVANT and MEANINGFUL

6. EXPERT-LIKE WORK

7. MORAL, ETHICAL, CULTURAL and PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

1. Based on STUDENTS’ STRENGTHS, ABILITIES, QUALITIES and NEEDS

2. PROCESS SKILLS are embedded in content – Communication, Creativity, Problem Solving, Research, Self Awareness and Thinking

3. Skills needed include DECISION MAKING, GOAL SETTING, ORGANIZATION, PLANNING and TIME MANAGEMENT

4. METACOGNITIVE SKILLS

5. A myriad of possibilities for PRODUCTS

WHEN EVALUATING MATERIALS CONSIDER:

1. Clarity and Nature of Objectives

2. Instructional/Learning Activities

3. Alignment of Objectives and Activities

4. Student Assignments and Products

5. Resources

6. Nature of Differentiation

7. Evaluation

8. Evidence of Effectiveness

9. Ease of Use