Transcript A Friendly Reminder - Haddonfield Public Schools

Differentiated Instruction in the
Classroom
November 15, 2006
Mary Hall
What is Differentiated Instruction?
What does it bring to mind?
What does it look like in the classroom?
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction is responsive instruction. It occurs as
teachers become increasing proficient in understanding their
students as individuals, increasingly comfortable with the
meaning and structure of the disciplines they teach, and
increasingly expert at teaching flexibility in order to match
instruction to student need with the goal of maximizing the
potential of each learner in a given area.
- Carol Ann Tomlinson, Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, 2003
Teachers need to embrace and understand the theory / rationale
behind differentiated instruction.
Completing activities that are differentiated without understanding
underlying theory only leads to a teacher then not being able to
generate activities herself.
Differentiation of Instruction
Teachers can differentiate
Content
Process
Product
Learning Environment
According to a Student's
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
Affect
A Traditional vs. Differentiated Classroom
Classroom
Element
Traditional Classroom
Differentiated
Classroom
Role of the teacher
Front of the classroom
Does all the talking
Teacher does very little
talking
Hard to find the teacher
Role of the student
Listens
Complete activity on their own
Engaged
Working as a team
Sharing and exchanging of
ideas
The Curriculum
Follow the manual- do not divert
from it
Create activities that
enhances learning
Group as well as
individualized activities
Materials
Manual
Depending on activity
(bingo boards,
alphabox,frayer model,
cubes, etc.)
Assessment
Tests
Quizzes
Student self evaluation
Portfolios
Rubrics
Teacher observation
Tests and quizzes
What A Differentiated Classroom
Looks and Sounds Like...
 Looks Like
 Students are engaged
 Students are all over the
place
 Students are grouped in
various ways
 Organized chaos
 Creativity and
imagination are
everywhere
 The room is frequently
messy
 Sounds Like
 Noisy
 Students are teaching
one another
 Sharing of ideas
 Conversation is busy but
on task
 Compliments and praise
(teacher to students and
students to students)
Role of the Teacher in Creating a
Positive Classroom
Considerations
 Several guiding principles
must be considered when
modifying a classroom:
• Be learner centered
• Emphasize student
•
•
•
•
•
independence
Exercise acceptance
Be flexible rather than rigid
Encourage high mobility
Be open to exploration and
novel ideas
Provide feedback
Some Principles of a
Differentiated Classroom

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The teacher is clear about what matters in subject matter.
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Assessment and instruction are inseparable.
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All students participate in respectful work.

Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.
The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon
student differences.
The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in
response to student’s readiness, interests, and learning
profile.
Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.
Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth
and individual success.
Differentiated Instruction in
Mathematics
1. Differentiate based on learning style by providing more hands-on
activities, allowing the use of calculators and other tools, encouraging
students to draw or explain verbally rather than write.
2. Consider the appropriate level of practice (guided, massed, or
distributed) when assigning homework.
3. Allow for extended time for practice or review of the most
essential concepts by setting appropriate priorities.
4.
Group with better problem solvers for open-ended problems.
5. Pre-assess before beginning new units of study to identify areas
of strength and weakness.
6. Use a variety of assessment strategies including teacher
evaluation and performance tasks.
7. Use authentic activities, connecting math to students’ lives and
interests.
8. When appropriate, allow for student choices in activities and
problems.
Differentiation: A Way of Thinking
About the Classroom
1. Students who are the same age differ in their readiness to learn, their
interests, their styles of learning, their experiences, and their life
circumstances.
2. The differences in students are significant enough to make a major
impact on what students need to learn, the pace at which they need to
learn it, and the support they need from teachers and others to learn it
well.
3. Students will learn best when supportive adults push them slightly
beyond where they can work without assistance.
4. Students will learn best when they can make a connection between
curriculum and their interests and life experiences.
5. Students will learn best when learning opportunities are natural.
6. Students are more effective learners when classrooms and schools
create a sense of community in which students feel significant and
respected.
7. The central job of schools is to maximize the capacity of each student.
Planning Tiered Assignments
Identify Outcomes
What should the students know, understand, or be able to do?
Think About Your Students
Pre-assess readiness, interest, or learning profile
Initiating Activities
Create a common experience for the whole class
Group 1 Task
Group 2 Task
Group 3 Task
Questions to Ask When Planning
Tiered Assignments
1. What is the outcome? What do I want students to know, understand,
or be able to do?
2. Will this lesson, activity, or workshop help students achieve this
outcome?
3. Who needs this? Who knows this already? How do I know?
4. Are there some students who should do this lesson or activity as is?
5. Are there some students who need more challenge? How can I
provide this?
6. Are there some students who don’t need this at all? What will they
do instead?
7. Are there some students who need more support or modification?
How can I provide this?
8. Are there some students who would not benefit even with more
support or modification? What will they do instead?
Tiered Questions for
Paper Bag Princess
Question #1:
Describe the princess. Write about how she looks, feels and
behaves.
Question #2:
Compare the princess to a character from another story you
read. Tell how they are alike and how they are different.
Question #3:
It is one year after the story ended. Write about the princess
now. What did she learn from her adventure? What is she
doing now?
Bingo Board
Choose enough activities to make a bingo.
Paraphrase/Summarize
Predict
Create a poster or
brochure. Draw a
picture.
Write a letter or a
postcard. Write a
journal entry.
Compare/Contrast
Imagine
Make a decision
Write a rhyme or jingle.
Write a poem or a
riddle
Evaluate
Choose 3 tasks that make a bingo. Everyone must complete the center task.
List the common parts
of a line graph and a bar
graph. You must
include at least 3 things
these graphs have in
common and use
correct math terms in
your list.
Create and solve your
own mystery message
using ordered pairs. Your
message must include at
least 10 words and the
clues must lead us to the
correct message.
Answer questions based
on the attached circle
graph. You need 100%
accuracy in your answer
and you must use
appropriate math terms.
Refer to the temperature
line graph and create
three questions about
the data. Make sure
your questions use
correct math terms.
Prepare an answer
sheet with sample
answers to the
questions.
Create a graph using the
data available. Your
teachers will assign your
color for this task.
Create a poster showing
the three types of graphs.
Make use the graphs
include correct labels and
a title. Create situations
where each graph could
be used. You may draw
or cut out pictures to add
to your poster.
Compare and contrast a
bar graph and a line
graph using a Venn
diagram. Find at least 3
accurate similarities and
differences. Use correct
math terms.
Write a story that the
attached graph illustrates.
Your story must be at
least 2 paragraphs and
include accurate
information from your
graph. Use correct math
terms.
Complete the
performance assessment
task worksheet, “Ticket
Sales”. You need 100%
accuracy in the date you
display and your choice
must make sense based
on the data.
Examples of Differentiated Activities
 Reading

Princess Bag Story (tiered activities/bingo board)
 Principal’s New Clothes (index cards)
 Barnegat Bay Estuary Program (main idea)
 Writing

Alphabox
 Alice Paul (writing a summary – highlighting)
 Train to Somewhere (predict/writing a summary)
 Mathematics

Scavenger hunt
 Frayer Model
 Social Studies


United States (zap)
Martin Luther King, Jr. (gathering grid) – playing cards
 Science

Estuary Program (gathering facts sheet) – letter grouping
Hope you enjoyed the presentation!
Thank You!