1. Differentiating Instruction: Beginning the Journey
"In the end, all learners need your energy, your heart and your mind. They have that in common because they are young humans. How they need you however, differs. Unless we understand and respond to those differences, we fail many learners." *
* Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms (2nd Ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

2. Differentiated Instruction Defined
“Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophy based on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to student differences. Rather than marching students through the curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their instruction to meet students’ varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests. Therefore, the teacher proactively plans a variety of ways to ‘get at’ and express learning.”
Carol Ann Tomlinson

3. Key Principles of a Differentiated Classroom
The teacher is clear about what matters in subject matter.
The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences.
Assessment and instruction are inseparable.
The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning profile.
All students participate in respectful work.
Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.
Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and individual success.
Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.
Source: Tomlinson, C. (2000). Differentiating Instruction for Academic Diversity. San Antonio, TX: ASCD

4. Differentiation of Instruction
Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by general principles of differentiation
Respectful tasks
Flexible grouping
Continual assessment
Teachers Can Differentiate Through:
Content
Process
Product
According to Students’
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile

5. Interest – Readiness – Learning Profile
CONTENT
PROCESS
PRODUCT
ASSESSMENT
Pre - Post - Ongoing
for
Interest – Readiness – Learning Profile by
Self – Peers - Teachers

6. Teacher and whole class begin exploration of a topic or concept
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. 1 3 5 7 9
Teacher and whole class begin exploration of a topic or concept
Students and teacher come together to share information and pose questions
The whole class reviews key ideas and extends their study through sharing
The whole class is introduced to a skill needed later to make a presentation
The whole class listens to individual study plans and establishes baseline criteria for success
Students engage in further study using varied materials based on readiness and learning style
Students work on varied assigned tasks designed to help them make sense of key ideas at varied levels of complexity and varied pacing
In small groups selected by students, they apply key principles to solve teacher-generated problems related to their study
Students self-select interest areas through which they will apply and extend their understandings 2 4 6 8
A differentiated classroom is marked by a repeated rhythm of whole-class preparation, review, and sharing, followed by opportunity for individual or small-group exploration, sense-making, extension, and production

7. 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.

8. A Differentiated Classroom in Balance
Teacher-Student
Partnerships F L E X I B
Solid Curriculum
Shared
Vision
Shared
goals
Inviting
Shared
responsibility
Focused
Concept-
based
A Growth
Orientation
Product
Oriented
Sense Of
Community
Resource
On-going
assessment
to determine
need
Feedback
and
grading
Time
Groups
Respect
For
Group
ZPD
Target
Approaches
to teaching
and learning
Safe
Respect for
individual
Affirming
Shared
Challenge
Tomlinson-oo

9. How Does Research Support DI?
Differentiated Instruction is the result of a synthesis of a number of educational theories and practices.
Brain research indicates that learning occurs when the learner experiences moderate challenge and relaxed alertness –readiness
Psychological research reveals that when interest is tapped, learners are more likely to find learning rewarding and become more autonomous as a learner.
when the learner experiences neither boredom or anxiety and when the learner is neither over- nor underchallenged.

10. Checklist for Brain Based Classrooms
Brain organization and
Building safe environments:
Do students feel safe to risk and experiment with ideas?
Do students feel included in the class and supported by others?
Are tasks challenging enough without “undo distress?”
Is there an emotional “hook” for the learners?
Are there novel, unique and engaging activities to capture and sustain attention?

11. Checklist for Brain Based Classrooms
Recognizing and honoring diversity:
Does the learning experience appeal to the learners’ varied multiple intelligences and learning styles?
May the students work collaboratively and independently?
May they “show what they know” in a variety of ways?
Does the cultural background of the learners influence instruction?

12. Checklist for Brain Based Classrooms
Assessment:
Is there enough time to explore, understand and transfer the learning to long term memory (grow dendrites)?
Is there time to accomplish mastery?
So they have opportunities for ongoing, “just in time” feedback?
Do they have time to revisit ideas and concepts to connect or extend them?
Is metacognitive time built into the learning process?
Do students use logs and journals for reflection and goal setting?

13. Checklist for Brain Based Classrooms
Instructional Strategies:
Are the expectations clearly stated and understood by the learner?
Will the learning be relevant and useful to the learner?
Does the learning build on past experience or create a new experience?
Does the learning relate to their real world?
Is it developmentally appropriate and hands on?
Are the strategies varied to engage and sustain attention?
Are there opportunities for projects, creativity, problems and challenges?

14. Checklist for Brain Based Classrooms
New Models:
Do students work alone, in pairs and in small groups?
Do students work in learning centers based on interest, need or choice?
Are some activities tiered to provide appropriate levels of challenge?
Is compacting used to provide enrichment and challenge?
Is integrated curriculum, problem based and service learning considered?
Are contracts negotiated to provide appropriate learning activities for students?

15. Best Practices for Standards-based Instruction
Student Voice and Involvement
Balanced with teacher-chosen and teacher-directed activities:
Students often select inquiry topics, books, writing topics, etc.
Students maintain their own records, set goals, and self-assess
Some themes / inquiries are built from students’
own questions
Students assume responsibility and take roles
in decision making

16. Best Practices for Standards-based Instruction
Activities and Assignments
From:
Teacher presentation
Whole-class instruction
Uniform curriculum
Short-term lessons
Memorization and recall
Short responses, fill-in-the-blank
Same assignments
To:
Students experiencing concepts
Centers, groups, variety
Topics by students’ needs or choice
Extended activities
Application and problem solving
Complex responses, evaluations and writing
Multiple intelligences, cognitive styles

17. Best Practices for Standards-based Instruction
Language and Communication
From:
Forced constant silence
Short responses
Teacher talk
Focus on facts
To:
Noise, conversation alternates with quiet
Elaborated discussions
Student-teacher, student-student
Skills, concepts, synthesis, evaluation

18. Best Practices for Standards-based Instruction
Student Work and Assessment
From:
Products for teacher / grading
No student work displayed
Identical, imitative products
Feedback = scores or grades
Seen / scored only by teacher
Teacher grade book
Standards set during grading
To:
Products for real events / audience
High quality / all students
Varied and original products
Substantive, varied, formative feedback
Public displays and performances
Student-maintained portfolios, assessments
Standards co-developed with students

19. Best Practices for Standards-based Instruction
Teacher Attitude and Initiative Toward Self:
From Helpless victim To Risk taker, experimenter, creative agent
From Solitary adult To Member of team within school and network beyond school
From Staff development recipient To Directing
own professional growth
From Role of expert or presenter To Coach,
mentor, model and guide

20. to Differentiate Content
Ways
to Differentiate Content
Reading Partners / Reading Buddies
Read/Summarize
Read/Question/Answer
Visual Organizer/Summarizer
Parallel Reading with Teacher Prompt
Choral Reading/Antiphonal Reading
Flip Books
Split Journals (Double Entry – Triple Entry)
Books on Tape
Highlights on Tape
Digests/ “Cliff Notes”
Notetaking Organizers
Varied Texts
Varied Supplementary Materials
Highlighted Texts
Think-Pair-Share/Preview-Midview-Postview
Tomlinson – ‘00

21. TO DIFFERENTIATE PROCESS
WAYS
TO DIFFERENTIATE PROCESS
Fun & Games
RAFTs
Cubing, Think Dots
Choices (Intelligences)
Centers
Tiered lessons
Contracts

22. USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES.
The following findings related to instructional strategies are supported by the existing research:
Techniques and instructional strategies have nearly as much influence on student learning as student aptitude.
Lecturing, a common teaching strategy, is an effort to quickly cover the material: however, it often overloads and over-whelms students with data, making it likely that they will confuse the facts presented
Hands-on learning, especially in science, has a positive effect on student achievement.
Teachers who use hands-on learning strategies have students who out-perform their peers on the National Assessment of Educational progress (NAEP) in the areas of science and mathematics.
Despite the research supporting hands-on activity, it is a fairly uncommon instructional approach.
Students have higher achievement rates when the focus of instruction is on meaningful conceptualization, especially when it emphasizes their own knowledge of the world.

23. to Differentiate Product
Ways
to Differentiate Product
Choices based on readiness, interest, and learning profile
Clear expectations
Timelines
Agreements
Product Guides
Rubrics
Evaluation

24. 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

25. OPTIONS FOR DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION
To Differentiate Instruction By Readiness
To Differentiate Instruction By Interest
To Differentiate Instruction by Learning Profile
equalizer adjustments (complexity, open-endedness, etc.
add or remove scaffolding
vary difficulty level of text & supplementary materials
adjust task familiarity
vary direct instruction by small group
adjust proximity of ideas to student experience
encourage application of broad concepts & principles to student interest areas
give choice of mode of expressing learning
use interest-based mentoring of adults or more expert-like peers
give choice of tasks and products (including student designed options)
give broad access to varied materials & technologies
create an environment with flexible learning spaces and options
allow working alone or working with peers
use part-to-whole and whole-to-part approaches
Vary teacher mode of presentation (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, concrete, abstract)
adjust for gender, culture, language differences.
useful instructional strategies:
- tiered activities
Tiered products
compacting
learning contracts
tiered tasks/alternative forms of assessment
interest centers
interest groups
enrichment clusters
group investigation
choice boards
MI options
internet mentors
multi-ability cooperative tasks
Triarchic options
4-MAT
CA Tomlinson, UVa ‘97

26. Thinking About the Role of Instructional Strategies in Differentiation
Strategy for Differentiation
Primarily Used to Differentiate
Positives
Cautions
Tiered Assignments
Readiness
Meat & Potatoes differentiation
Must use as only part of a flexible grouping pattern
Tiered Products
Readiness, Interest, Learning Profile
Can be passion-producing
Must provide coaching for quality
Learning Contracts
Encourage student autonomy
Be sure to blend skill and content
Drill-Focused Cooperative Tasks
Low End Readiness
Deals with coverage and mastery issues
May aggravate have/have not status
Thought/Production Focused Cooperative Tasks
Interest, Learning Profile
Involves all students with high level tasks
Be sure tasks call for varied intellectual skills
Alternative Assessments
Readiness, Learning Profile
More of a real-world way of measuring student learning
Be sure assessment focus on essential understandings and skills
Graduated Rubrics
Clear coaching for quality and success
Take care to stress ideas and process more than mechanics
Choice Boards
Readiness, Interest
Balances teacher choice and student choice
Teacher choice should target readiness
Learning Centers
Can target varied skills levels in a class
Don’t send all students to all centers

27. Strategy for Differentiation
Thinking About the Role of Instructional Strategies in Differentiation, cont’d
Strategy for Differentiation
Primarily Used to Differentiate
Positives
Cautions
Interest Centers
Interest
Can link classroom topics to areas of student talent and interest
Be sure centers provide depth or breadth (vs cute)
Enrichment clusters
Interest, Learning profiles
Stresses student choice and students as producers of useful products
Lose their punch without teachers skilled in the cluster domain
Compacting
High End Readiness
Can reduce unnecessary redundancy for advanced or eager learners
Loses its punch unless Column 3 is rich and challenging
Peer Tutoring
Low End Readiness
Gives struggling learners additional explanation opportunities
Can over-use high end learner in teacher role and may short change struggling learner if tutor is weak
Multi Ability Options (MI, Triarchic Theory)
Interest, Learning Profile
Encourages teachers to be flexible in planning routes to learning
Can easily become just a learning style vs. intelligence approach
4-MAT
Learning Profile
Helps teachers be more conscious of student learning style/mode
Can become formula-like – does not address readiness
Independent Study
Encourages student autonomy in planning and problem-solving
Students need an amount of independence suited to their readiness for it
Small Group Direct Instruction
Readiness
Cuts down size of class and increases student participation
Students not being taught must be well anchored

28. LOOK-FORS in the Classroom
Learning experiences are based on student readiness, interest, or learning profile.
Assessment of student needs is ongoing, and tasks are adjusted based on assessment data.
All students participate in respectful work.
The teacher is primarily a coordinator of time, space, and activities rather than primarily a provider of group information.
Students work in a variety of groups configurations. Flexible grouping is evident.
Time use is flexible in response to student needs.
The teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to help target instruction to student needs.
Clearly established criteria are used to help support student success.
Student strengths are emphasized.

29. Whatever it Takes!