Ideas and Strategies that Support Differentiated Instruction

Ideas and Strategies that Support Differentiated Instruction
Marcia B. Imbeau Associate Professor University of Arkansas

Differentiation 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 Building Community Quality Curriculum Content Product Affect/Environment Process According to students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile Through a variety of instructional strategies such as: RAFTS…Graphic Organizers…Scaffolding Reading…Cubing…Tic-Tac-Toe…Learning Contracts….Tiering… Learning/Interest Centers… Independent Studies…Intelligence Preferences..Orbitals..Complex Instruction…4MAT…WebQuests & Web Inquiry…ETC.

Let's Take Look at Some Examples
What have you tried? What worked and what didn’t? Working in your small groups, take a minute and share your efforts. This isn’t meant to be a contest but the only way to get very good at something is to practice so….please share what you have been able to do up to this point and thank you for helping us all to learn! To do this task make a chart recording what you have been able to do thus far. Put your name, subject & grade, what you tried, how it worked, and any questions or concerns that you have.

Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one-size-fits-all teaching.

“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.”

What is differentiation?
Differentiation is classroom practice that looks eyeball to eyeball with the reality that kids differ, and the most effective teachers do whatever it takes to hook the whole range of kids on learning. -Tomlinson (2001) Show overhead 7-if time

“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 holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.” Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximize Student Learning Lorna M. Earl Corwin Press, Inc. – 2003 – pp

“It’s a way of thinking about the classroom with the goals of honoring each student’s learning needs and maximizing each student’s learning capacity while developing a solid community of learners.”

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.

Differentiation as “Universal Design”
At the beginning of the planning process, the teacher asks, “What supports and adaptations should I build into the lesson to address learning needs of particular students that will likely help others as well?”

differentiating instruction means “shaking up” what
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.

Not just inclusion, but inclusive teaching.
It’s teaching so that “typical” students; students with disabilities; students who are gifted; and students from a range of cultural, ethnic, and language groups can learn together, well. Not just inclusion, but inclusive teaching. Based on Peterson, J., & Hitte, M. (2003). Inclusive teaching: Creating effective schools for all learners. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, p. xix.

Differentiation begins with the teacher’s mindset that students
of any age need active involvement with and support from adults who care to help them construct a worthy life.

Think about it…….. How do these definitions & ideas mesh with yours?
What else would you add to the definitions and ideas as a result of your evolving understandings? Which ideas seem to you to be “just a part of good teaching”?

Responding to Readiness, Interest, Learning Profile Big Idea
of Differentiation: Responding to Readiness, Interest, Learning Profile

Student Traits There are four student traits that teachers must often address to ensure effective and efficient learning. Those are readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect.

Student Traits Tomlinson, 2003
Readiness refers to a student’s knowledge, understanding, and skill related to a particular sequence of learning. Only when a student works at a level of difficulty that is both challenging and attainable for that student does learning take place. Tomlinson, 2003

Interest refers to those topics or pursuits that evoke curiosity and passion in a learner. Thus, highly effective teachers attend both to developing interests and as yet undiscovered interests in their students. Tomlinson, 2003

Learning profile refers to how students learn best. Those include learning style, intelligence preference, culture and gender. If classrooms can offer and support different modes of learning, it is likely that more students will learn effectively and efficiently. Tomlinson, 2003

Affect has to do with how students feel about themselves, their work, and the classroom as a whole. Student affect is the gateway to helping each student become more fully engaged and successful in learning. Tomlinson, 2003

High Quality Teaching…
Who we teach How we teach Where we teach What we teach It’s About Having All the Parts in Place… Tomlinson ‘01

Unlocking the Meaning of Differentiation
Affirmation Contribution Power Purpose Challenge The Student Seeks Curriculum and Instruction are the Vehicle Important Focused Engaging Demanding Scaffolded The Teacher Responds Invitation Opportunity Investment Persistence Reflection Carol Tomlinson, 2002

First Step in Designing Differentiated Curriculum is…
…FOCUS! Learning Goals: Knows, Understands, Be able to Dos

Concept-Based Teaching
“A concept serves as an integrating lens” and encourages the transfer of ideas within and across the disciplines “as students search for patterns and connections in the creation of new knowledge.”1 Examples: Change, Culture, Systems, Interdependence, Organization 1 Lynn Erickson – Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction, 2002

Concept Understandings = Principles "Knows" = Facts "Be able to Dos" =
Skills

Understandings: These are the conceptual objectives you have for your students. They are statements that… …Represent big ideas that have enduring value beyond the classroom. …Reside at the heart of the discipline and are worthy of exploration …Require “uncoverage” rather than coverage (of abstract or often misunderstood ideas) …Offer potential for engaging students 2 Wiggins and McTIghe – Understanding by Design, 1998

Understandings Examples: Students will understand that…
Social studies: …all cultures have beliefs, roles, traditions, economies, and technologies. …a people changes and is changed by its culture.* Science: … an ecosystem is comprised of interdependent parts.* …change to one part of an ecosystem results in change in its other parts.* English …each of a system’s (story’s) elements exists in an interdependent relationship with the other elements. …changing even one element will alter the story’s organization and outcome in some way.* *=Generalizations: Understandings that show the relationship between two or more concepts 2 Wiggins and McTIghe – Understanding by Design, 1998

Definitions of setting, plot, point of view, conflict...
Interdependence Understanding: Change to one element of a story will result in change to the other elements. Facts: Definitions of setting, plot, point of view, conflict... Skills: Analyze the impact of historical perspective on a piece of writing. Determine the effects of a story’s point of view. Activities: Write a modern-day version of a legend or myth. Rewrite a fairy tale from the perspective of a different character.

Reminder… Knows – Facts, names, dates, places, information The original inhabitants of the Americas migrated from Asia into North America over the Bering land bridge. The multiplication tables Understands -- Essential truths that give meaning to the topic; Ideas that transfer across situations; can be phrased, “Students should understand THAT…” Migration enables organisms to meet basic needs. Multiplication is another way to do addition. Dos -- Skills (basic skills, skills of the discipline, skills of independence, social skills, skills of production); usually verb phrases. Trace and explain the migratory path of the original Americans Use multiplication to solve story problems Work collaboratively in a group to complete an assigned task.

Are These Knows, Understands, or Dos? Based on NC’s EOG’s
ENGLISH An author’s voice reflects his/her perspective. Point of view refers to the authors choice of narrator for his/her story. Project the student’s voice into his/her work through reflective interpretation of prior events MATH Apply geometric properties and relationships, including the Pythagorean theorem. The formula for the area of a triangle is (½)bh. The dimensions of a figure exist in an interdependent relationship with the figure’s perimeter, area, and volume. Also – Identify the concepts present in the Understands.

Are These Knows, Understands, or Dos? Based on Virginia’s SOLs
SCIENCE Design an experiment in which one variable is manipulated over many trials. An experiment is a structured test of a hypothesis. The accuracy of evidence determines the reliability of conclusions. HISTORY Formulate historical questions and defend findings based on inquiry and interpretation. Exploration and colonization result in the redistribution of population. The Middle Atlantic region was settled chiefly by English, Dutch, and German-speaking immigrants seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. Also – Identify the concepts present in the Understands.

Literature Example Know: Definition of Point-of-view
Concept: Perspective Lesson Topic: Point of View in To Kill a Mockingbird Know: Definition of Point-of-view Understand: Truth can look different from different perspectives. Do: Rewrite a scene from a perspective other than the narrator’s.

Secondary Science Example
Concept: Perspective Lesson Topic: History of Science Know: Theory (def.), evidence (def.), steps of the scientific method Understand: Our perspective of the world changes as our knowledge advances. Do: Explain how a theory has changed over time due to the acquisition of new evidence Explain how technology influences the ability of scientists to collect evidence and use it to shape perspectives of how the world works.

Elementary Social Studies Example
Concept: Culture Lesson Topic: Country Study Know: Foods, celebrations, clothing, and jobs representative of specified countries Understand: Every culture has its own unique beliefs, traditions, and behaviors. Do: Compare and contrast the foods, clothing, jobs, and celebrations of different countries. Recognize similarities and differences among people of different cultures.

English/Social Studies Example
Concept: Perspective Lesson Topic: Consumerism Know: Definition of point of view Point of view is used as a tool in advertising Understand: Perspective influences decision making. Do: Explain and analyze advertising Use point of view strategically in creating an ad Critique other ads’ use of point of view to achieve purpose/influence decision making.

Writing Example Concept: Perspective Lesson Topic: Writer’s Voice
Know: Definition of voice Techniques used to communicate voice Understand: A clear writer’s voice communicates the writer’s perspective Do: Identify and describe writers’ voices in literature Hypothesize/explain the relationship between writers’ perspectives and their voices Develop writer’s voice in order to communicate one’s perspective

Planning a Focused Curriculum Means Clarity About What Students Should …
KNOW Facts Vocabulary Definitions UNDERSTAND Principles/ generalizations Big ideas of the discipline BE ABLE TO DO Processes Skills

KNOW Facts, names, dates, places, information
There are 50 states in the US Thomas Jefferson 1492 The Continental Divide The multiplication tables

UNDERSTAND Essential truths that give meaning to the topic
Stated as a full sentence Begin with, “I want students to understand THAT…” (not HOW… or WHY… or WHAT) Multiplication is another way to do addition. People migrate to meet basic needs. All cultures contain the same elements. Entropy and enthalpy are competing forces in the natural world. Voice reflects the author.

Understanding Understanding is more a matter of what people can DO than something they HAVE. Understanding involves action more than possession. D.N. Perkins, Educational Leadership, 10/91

BE ABLE TO DO Skills (basic skills, skills of the discipline, skills of independence, social skills, skills of production) Verbs or phrases (not the whole activity) Analyze Solve a problem to find perimeter Write a well supported argument Evaluate work according to specific criteria Contribute to the success of a group or team Use graphics to represent data appropriately

“There is no such thing as genuine knowledge and fruitful understanding except as the offspring of doing… This is the lesson which all education has to learn.” --John Dewey

Knowledge/Understanding/Skill
Study the following items. Talk with your partners and determine if each of the items represents something that would go in the knowledge, the understanding, or the skill column of curriculum planning. The physical geography of a region directly impacts the development of the civilization that settles in that particular region. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. Locate places on a map using a geographic grid including latitude and longitude. Fair play is an essential part of all sports. The United States of America is divided into specific regions, each of which has unique geographic features and natural resources. Scientists record the results of their experiments in a careful and detailed manner. Count to one hundred in units of ten. Analyze the causes of the American Revolution. Describe the rising action in a dramatic story. Writers use a variety of literary elements to inform, persuade, describe, and entertain readers. Write descriptive text that describes people, places, and events. Good writers use the skills of logical organization and strong voice to convey a message to the reader. You can find the decimal for 3/8 by using equivalent fractions.

KNOW (facts, vocabulary, dates, rules, people, etc.)
ecosystem, elements of culture (housing/shelter, customs, values, geography) UNDERSTAND (complete sentence, statement of truth or insight - want students to understand that . . .) DO (basic skills, thinking skills, social skills, skills of the discipline, planning skills---verbs) Compare and contrast Draw conclusions Work collaboratively Develop a timeline Use maps as data Compare and contrast Write a unified paragraph Examine varied perspectives Tomlinson • 02

Movie Time…. In Rick’s Classroom, Look For:
The nature of the learning environment Connections between teacher and students Quality of curriculum The nature and uses of assessment Your own questions

Why Do You Assess? With your group, take 5 discuss the reasons you assess students.

LEARNING GRADES ONGOING ASSESSMENT Some teachers Some teachers
talk about--- LEARNING Some teachers talk about--- GRADES VS. Can these two coexist peacefully? Should one receive emphasis over the other?

“Assessment is today’s means of
understanding how to modify tomorrow’s instruction.” Carol Tomlinson

How Do You Assess? Take a moment to list some ways you typically assess students in your classroom.

WHAT CAN BE ASSESSED? READINESS LEARNING PROFILE INTEREST Content
Areas of Strength and Weakness Work Preferences Self Awareness Interest Surveys Interest Centers Self-Selection Content Knowledge Skills Concepts

“Assessment should always have
more to do with helping students grow than with cataloging their mistakes.” Carol Tomlinson

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.

On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum
Preassessment (Finding Out) Formative Assessment (Keeping Track & Checking -up) Summative Assessment (Making sure)

On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum
Feedback and Goal Setting Preassessment (Finding Out) Formative Assessment (Keeping Track & Checking -up) Summative Assessment (Making sure) Pre-test Graphing for Greatness Inventory KWL Checklist Observation Self-evaluation Questioning Conference Exit Card Peer evaluation Portfolio Check 3-minute pause Quiz Observation Journal Entry Talkaround Self-evaluation Questioning Unit Test Performance Task Product/Exhibit Demonstration Portfolio Review

Preassessment Is... Any method, strategy or process used to determine a student’s current level of readiness or interest in order to plan for appropriate instruction. provides data to determine options for students helps determine differences before planning helps teacher design activities that are respectful and challenging allows teachers to meet students where they are identifies starting point for instruction identifies learning gaps makes efficient use of instructional time

Formative Assessment Is...
A process of accumulating information about a student’s progress to help make instructional decisions that will improve his/her understandings and achievement levels. Depicts student’s life as a learner used to make instructional adjustments alerts the teacher about student misconceptions “early warning signal” allows students to build on previous experiences provides regular feedback provides evidence of progress aligns with instructional/curricular outcomes

Summative Assessment Is...
A means to determine a student’s mastery and understanding of information, skills, concepts, or processes. Should reflect formative assessments that precede it should match material taught may determine student’s exit achievement may be tied to a final decision, grade or report should align with instructional/curricular outcomes may be a form of alternative assessment

Two Views of Assessment
Assessment is For: Gate Keeping Judging Right Answers Control Comparison to Others Use with Single Activities Assessment is For: Nurturing Guiding Self Reflection Information Comparison to Task Use Over Multiple Activities Tomlinson

What Do You Want to Learn About Rome?
Name: _______________________ These are some of the topics we will be studying in our unit on Ancient Rome. We want to know what you want to learn about. Number your choices from 1 to 8. Make sure that 1 is your favorite and 8 is your least favorite. ____ geography ____ government (laws) ____ agriculture (foods they grew) ____ architecture (buildings) ____ music and art ____ religion and sports ____ roles of men, women, and children What Can You Tell Us About Rome? 1. What country is Rome in? ________________________________________________ 2. What does the word civilization mean?_______________________________________ _________________________________________________________________. 3. Can you give us some examples of different civilizations? ________________________ __________________________________________________________________. 4. Can you name any famous Roman people? ___________________________________ 5. Many things in our country and culture came from the Romans. Can you think of any? ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________.

How Do You Like to Learn? 1. I study best when it is quiet. Yes No
2. I am able to ignore the noise of other people talking while I am working. Yes No 3. I like to work at a table or desk. Yes No 4. I like to work on the floor. Yes No 5. I work hard by myself. Yes No 6. I work hard for my parents or teacher. Yes No 7. I will work on an assignment until it is completed, no matter what. Yes No 8. Sometimes I get frustrated with my work and do not finish it. Yes No 9. When my teacher gives an assignment, I like to have exact steps on how to complete it. Yes No 10. When my teacher gives an assignment, I like to create my own steps on how to complete it. Yes No 11. I like to work by myself. Yes No 12. I like to work in pairs or in groups. Yes No 13. I like to have unlimited amount of time to work on an assignment. Yes No 14. I like to have a certain amount of time to work on 15. I like to learn by moving and doing. Yes No 16. I like to learn while sitting at my desk. Yes No

Poetry Poll Have you ever studied poetry? If you answer yes to question 1, answer question 2 and 3. When did you study poetry? Did you enjoy the poetry unit or writing poetry in general? Why or why not? Have you ever written a poem you were proud of? Which do you like better? _____poetry that has a rhyme scheme _____free verse poetry Rate the following items in order of personal enjoyment using 1-3 _____writing original poetry _____reading poetry aloud to others _____reading and listening to poetry In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of writing a poem? Circle one. Following a given pattern Coming up with at topic of the poem Making sense Coming up other___________________________ What is your favorite poem? Who is your favorite poet? On a scale from 1-10, 10 being the most, how well do you think you will do during this unit? Circle the kinds of poems you are already familiar with: Acrostic, haiku, cinquain, limerick, free verse, couplet, other________ On the back, list some activities you would like to do in this unit. -Kristie Sumpter, English

Pre-Assessment What the student already knows about
what is being planned What standards, objectives, concepts & skills the individual student understands What further instruction and opportunities for mastery are needed What requires reteaching or enhancement What areas of interests and feelings are in the different areas of the study How to set up flexible groups: Whole, individual, partner, or small group Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

Squaring Off Whole Group Assessment
1. Place a card in each corner of the room with one of the following words or phrases that are effective ways to group according to learner knowledge. Rarely ever Sometimes Often I have it! Dirt road Paved road Highway Yellow brick road Tell the students to go to the corner of the room that matches their place in the learning journey. Participants go to the corner that most closely matches their own learning status and discuss what they know about the topic and why they chose to go there. Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

Yes/No Cards YES NO Using a 4x6 index card the student writes YES on one side and NO on the other. When a question is asked the students hold up YES or NO. Ask the students if they know the following vocabulary words and what they mean. Call out a word. If a student is holding a YES they may be called on to give the correct answer. Remind them that if they don’t know the words it is OK because they will be learning them. You can do the same thing with conceptual ideas, etc. Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

Thumb It! Up Sideways Down
Have students respond with the position of their thumb to get an assessment of what their current understanding of a topic being studied. Where I am now in my understanding of ______? Up Sideways Down I know a lot I know some I know very little Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

Fist of Five Show the number of fingers on a scale, with 1 being lowest and 5 the highest. Ask, How well do you feel you know this information? I know it so well I could explain it to anyone. I can do it alone. I need some help. I could use more practice. 1. I am only beginning. Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

Designing a Pre-Assessment..
How do we assess the gap between what we know about students and what performance is expected of them for the final assessment of the next unit? And how should a teacher decide on a method of pre-assessment? Gregory, G.H. and Kuzmich, L. (2004). Data driven differentiation in the standards-based classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Three Questions that Help....
What do I know about my students now? What is the nature and content of the final assessment for this unit or period of time? What don’t I know about the content knowledge, the critical thinking, and the process or skill demonstration of my students? Gregory, G.H. and Kuzmich, L. (2004). Data driven differentiation in the standards-based classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Efficient Methods of Recording or Noting
this Information Take notes Have students complete a quick assignment Have students do a checklist with each other Use a ticket out Create a homework activity that helps gather data Gregory, G.H. and Kuzmich, L. (2004). Data driven differentiation in the standards-based classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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

Differentiation 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 Building Community Quality Curriculum Content Product Affect/Environment Process According to students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile Through a variety of instructional strategies such as: RAFTS…Graphic Organizers…Scaffolding Reading…Cubing…Tic-Tac-Toe…Learning Contracts….Tiering… Learning/Interest Centers… Independent Studies…Intelligence Preferences..Orbitals..Complex Instruction…4MAT…WebQuests & Web Inquiry…ETC.

“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 holds as ‘given’ or ‘known’ and what he or she needs in order to learn, differentiation is no longer an option; it is an obvious response.” Assessment as Learning: Using Classroom Assessment to Maximize Student Learning Lorna M. Earl Corwin Press, Inc. – 2003 – pp

Differentiation begins with the teacher’s mindset that students
of any age need active involvement with and support from adults who care to help them construct a worthy life.

Think about it…….. How do these definitions & ideas mesh with yours?
What else would you add to the definitions and ideas as a result of your evolving understandings? Which ideas seem to you to be “just a part of good teaching”?

Responding to Readiness, Interest, Learning Profile Big Idea
of Differentiation: Responding to Readiness, Interest, Learning Profile

Student Traits There are four student traits that teachers must often address to ensure effective and efficient learning. Those are readiness, interest, learning profile, and affect.

Readiness refers to a student’s knowledge, understanding, and skill related to a particular sequence of learning. Only when a student works at a level of difficulty that is both challenging and attainable for that student does learning take place. Tomlinson, 2003