8. “ It means teachers proactively plan varied approaches to what students need to learn, how they will learn it, and/or how they will show what they have learned in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible .”
9. Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher can be all things to all individuals all the time. It does, however, mandate that a teacher create a reasonable range of approaches to learning much of the time, so that most students find learning a fit much of the time.
10. “ Differentiation is making sure that the right students get the right learning tasks at the right time. Once you have a sense of what each student knows and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.”
11. At its most basic level, differentiating instruction means “ shaking up ” what goes on in the classroom so that students have multiple options for taking in information, making sense of ideas, and expressing what they learn.
12. Differentiation Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation Meaningful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment Teachers can differentiate through Content Process Product Affect/Environment According to students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile Through a variety of instructional strategies such as: RAFTS …Graphic Organizers…Scaffolding …Cubing…Tic-Tac-Toe…Learning Contracts….Tiering… Learning/Interest Centers… Independent Studies…Intelligence Preferences..Orbitals..Complex Instruction…ETC. Quality Curriculum Building Community
22. CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT ASSESSMENT Pre - Post - Ongoing for Interest – Readiness – Learning Profile by Self – Peers - Teachers
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24. When Do You Assess? Most teachers assess students at the end of an instructional unit or sequence. When assessment and instruction are interwoven, both the students and the teacher benefit. The next slide suggests a diagnostic continuum for ongoing assessment.
34. Flexible Grouping Students are part of many different groups (and also work alone) based on the match of the task to student readiness, interest, or learning style. Teachers may create skills based or interest based groups that are heterogeneous or homogeneous in readiness level. Sometimes students select work groups, and sometimes teachers select them. Sometimes student group assignments are purposeful and sometimes random.
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36. RAFT Activities Language Arts & Literature Science History Math Role Audience Format Topic Semicolon Middle Schoolers Diary entry I Wish You Really Knew Where I Belong Huck Finn Tom Sawyer Note hidden in a tree knot A Few Things You Should Know Rain Drop Future Droplets Advice Column The Beauty of Cycles Lung Cigarettes Public Service Announcement What you do to me! Reporter Public Obituary Hitler is Dead Water The Sun A love letter I think you are hot Thomas Jefferson Current Residents of Virginia Full page Newspaper Ad If I Could Talk to You Now Fractions Whole Numbers Petition To Be Considered A Part of the Family A word problem Students in your class Set of Directions How to Get to Know Me
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38. TIC-TAC-TOE Choice Board For a Book Report Draw a picture of the main character. Perform a play that shows the conclusion of a story. Write a song about one of the main events. Write a poem about two main events in the story. Make a poster that shows the order of events in the story. Dress up as your favorite character and perform a speech telling who you are. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the introduction to the closing. Write two paragraphs about the main character. Write two paragraphs about the setting.
39. I will read: I will look at and listen to: I will write: I will draw: I will need: Here’s how I will share what I know: My question or topic is: I will finish by this date: To find out about my question or topic… Learning Contract #1 Name _______________________
40. Learning Contract #2 To demonstrate what I have learned about ____________________, I want to _ Write a report _ Put on a demonstration _ Set up an experiment _ Develop a computer presentation _ Build a model _ Design a mural _ Write a song _ Make a movie _ Create a graphic organizer or diagram _ Other This will be a good way to demonstrate understanding of this concept because ______________________________________________________________ To do this project, I will need help with ______________________________________________________________ My Action Plan is________________________________________________ The criteria/rubric which will be used to assess my final product is _________ ______________________________________________________________ My project will be completed by this date _____________________________ Student signature: ________________________________ Date __/__/__ Teacher signature: ________________________________ Date __/__/__
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45. Let's Take Look at Some Examples Teacher prepared pretests KWL charts and other graphic organizers Writing prompts/samples Questioning Guess Box Picture Interpretation Prediction Teacher observation/checklists Student demonstrations and discussions Initiating activities Informational surveys/Questionnaires/Inventories Student interviews Student products and work samples Self-evaluations Portfolio analysis Game activities Show of hands to determine understanding Drawing related to topic or content Standardized test information Anticipation journals
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54. Begin Slowly – Just Begin! Low-Prep Differentiation Choices of books Homework options Use of reading buddies Varied journal Prompts Orbitals Varied pacing with anchor options Student-teaching goal setting Work alone / together Whole-to-part and part-to-whole explorations Flexible seating Varied computer programs Design-A-Day Varied Supplementary materials Options for varied modes of expression Varying scaffolding on same organizer Let’s Make a Deal projects Computer mentors Think-Pair-Share by readiness, interest, learning profile Use of collaboration, independence, and cooperation Open-ended activities Mini-workshops to reteach or extend skills Jigsaw Negotiated Criteria Explorations by interests Games to practice mastery of information Multiple levels of questions High-Prep Differentiation Tiered activities and labs Tiered products Independent studies Multiple texts Alternative assessments Learning contracts 4-MAT Multiple-intelligence options Compacting Spelling by readiness Entry Points Varying organizers Lectures coupled with graphic organizers Community mentorships Interest groups Tiered centers Interest centers Personal agendas Literature Circles Stations Complex Instruction Group Investigation Tape-recorded materials Teams, Games, and Tournaments Choice Boards Think-Tac-Toe Simulations Problem-Based Learning Graduated Rubrics Flexible reading formats Student-centered writing formats
55. Reform must come from within, not from without. James Gibbons WE, are the Agents of Change… nothing can change unless we change ourselves and our ways of teaching
56. We Need To Ask Ourselves… Do all students have access to the tools, knowledge and guidance that they need to succeed? If not, what can we do to give them those tools?
Tell participants they are now going to look at some strategies in more depth. Go to the next slide.
Start Slowly – begin with one subject and one technique – use it for a while then add more It will take students, as well as the teacher, time to adjust to a new way of learning. Organize your classroom space – think about how your room is arranged and whether it provides space and materials for students to work in various configurations Go to the next slide
Student Files: Have a set of folders where you can easily place anecdotal notes about students or copies of completed assessments. Student portfolios: Have students keep work in portfolios or independent work folders that they monitor (see record keeping chart handout – kids can use it to monitor their work and it provides you with an easy way to see what they’re doing). Portfolios can also be examples of best work or of a progression of skills. If kids put writing samples in a portfolio every month then the teacher has a basis of assessment and can discuss with the student how his or her work has progressed over the months. This also helps teach students how to set their own goals. Clipboard: If you always carry a clipboard, kids get used to you writing on it. Carry goal tracking sheets on your clipboard so that you can keep track of what students are working on on a daily basis. You can also put blank index cards on your clipboard and take anecdotal notes throughout the day. Those note cards can then be placed in student files. Use of technology: Providing students with websites and other technology can allow them to work more independently. There are websites listed on the Resources handout that fall in this category. Start class with familiar tasks: this allows everyone to have a starting place (a warm-up question, for example) that can be completed while the teacher takes care of administrative tasks or moves students to groups. Task cards, tape recorder, or overhead for directions: give students ways to hear and review directions so that they do not need to interrupt instruction or a teacher’s work with a small group. Directions can be written on index cards, tape recorded, and/or posted on an overhead or chart paper in the room. System for student questions: Decide on steps that students should take before they ask the teacher a question. For example, first they use a set of pre-determined strategies (looking in their journal, skimming the textbook, looking online, etc.), next they ask a peer, finally they can ask the teacher. Then decide how students should ask the teacher questions if the teacher is working with a small group at the time (for example, they could write their question on an index card and place it by the teacher, who could write a response without interrupting much of the small group work.
Point out that there is a handout on investing students. Buy in – The teacher has to invest students in differentiation. Many students may not be used to working this way. Ask for student opinion. Chart student differences in the classroom and point out when lessons address those differences. Choice – Choice validates a student’s opinion and promotes self-efficacy. Give students a choice in at least one aspect (content, activity, or product) of a differentiated lesson. The more they have choice, the less likely they are to think that differentiated instruction is “unfair” Assess own mastery – Hold feedback meetings with students where you look critically at their portfolios and teach theme the process of goal setting. Physical environment – Make sure there is space for students to work in groups, individually, and with the teacher. It is also important to have room for equipment, computers, etc. Increase student responsibility - Involve students more throughout the year in planning, contracting, assessing, group work, peer tutoring, and investigation. This can help to increase their investment in classroom activities.
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