Differentiated Instruction Abdelaziz Adnani ELT Supervisor

One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Differentiating Instruction 2

People learn differently— we have various learning styles, learning strengths, abilities, and interests. also learn alike in that we need to find meaning and make We learn best from work that demands we stretch ourselves, but does not intimidate us.

4 Addressing Diverse Learner Needs l 1. Describe one or two students you teach who have unique learning needs. l 2. What would those learners need in their classes to make it a great year?

The Rationale for Differentiated Instruction Different levels of readiness Different Interests

Define it – what is it? Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach in which teachers adapt their instruction to student differences. teachers modify their instruction to meeting individual student’s readiness levels, preferences, and interests. recognizing the fact that we have a diverse student population and enabling educators to teach students of varying abilities in one class. ELT General Supervision

l Content—what students learn l Process—how students go about making sense of ideas and information l Product—how students demonstrate what they have learned l Learning environment Classroom elements that can be differentiated:

Differentiating Content l Resource materials at varying readability levels l Audio and video recordings l Highlighted vocabulary l Charts and models l Interest centers l Varied resources l Peer and adult mentors

Differentiating Process (making sense and meaning of content) l Use leveled or tiered activities l Hands-on materials l Vary pacing according to readiness l Allow for working alone, in partners, and small groups l Allow choice in strategies for processing and for expressing results of processing

Differentiating Products l Leveled product choices l Model, use and encourage student use of technology within products and presentations l Provide product choices that range in choices from all multiple intelligences, options for gender, culture, and race l Use related arts teachers to help with student products

leveling Key Concept Or Understanding Those who do not know the concept Those with some understanding Those who understand the concept

What Can Be leveled? l Processes, content and products l Assignments l Homework l stations l Learning l Assessments l Writing prompts l Materials

What Can We Adjust? l Level of complexity l Amount of structure l Pacing l Materials l Concrete to abstract l Options based on student interests l Options based on learning styles

How to apply DI ? Step 1 - Know Your Students Step 2- Have a Repertoire of Teaching Strategies Step 3- Identify a Variety of Instructional Activities Step 4- Identify Ways to Assess or Evaluate Student Progress ELT General Supervision

Differentiated Instruction Strategies Questioning for quality thinking. Using the eight Multiple Intelligences. Differentiated according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. ELT General Supervision

Knowledge—Identification and recall of information Who, what, when, where, how _____? Describe ________________________. Comprehension—Organization and selection of facts and ideas Retell _________ in your own words. What is the main idea of ________? Questions for Quality Thinking ELT General Supervision

Application—Use of facts, rules, principles How is _____ an example of ______? How is ________ related to ______? Why is ______________ significant? Analysis—Separation of a whole into component parts What are the parts of features of _____? Classify _____ according to _______. Outline/diagram/web __________. How does ___ compare/contrast with ____? Questions for Quality Thinking ELT General Supervision

Evaluation—Development of opinions, judgments, or decisions l Do you agree _________________? l What do you think about_________? l What is the most important ________? l Prioritize __________________ l How would you decide about ____________? Questions for Quality Thinking ELT General Supervision

Synthesis—Combination of ideas to form a new whole l What would you predict/infer from _____? l What ideas can you add to _____________? l How would you create/design a new _____? l What might happen if you combined _____ with ______? l What solutions would you suggest for _____? Questions for Quality Thinking ELT General Supervision

leveling Instruction 1. Identify the standards, concepts, or generalizations you want the students to learn. 2. Decide if students have the background necessary to be successful with the lesson. 3. Assess the students’ readiness, interests, and learning profiles.

leveling Instruction 4. Create an activity or project that is clearly focused on the standard, concept or generalization of the lesson. 5. Adjust the activity to provide different levels or tiers of difficulty that will lead all students to an understanding. 6. Develop an assessment component for the lesson. Remember, it is on- going!

Flexible Grouping Homogenous/Ability -Clusters students of similar abilities, level, learning style, or interest. -Usually based on some type of pre-assessment Heterogeneous Groups -Different abilities, levels or interest - Good for promoting creative thinking. Individualized or Independent Study -Self paced learning -Teaches time management and responsibility -Good for remediation or extensions Whole Class -Efficient way to present new content -Use for initial instruction

What Differentiation Is … l Student Centered l Best practices l Different approaches l 3 or 4 different activities l Multiple approaches to content, process, and product l A way of thinking and planning l Flexible grouping

What Differentiation Isn’t l One Thing l A Program l The Goal l Hard questions for some and easy for others l 35 different plans for one classroom l A chaotic classroom l Just homogenous grouping

In Summary….. What is fair isn’t always equal… and Differentiation gets us away from “one size fits all” approach to curriculum and instruction that doesn’t fit anyone.

Thank you for your attention! 26