Dare to Differentiate Deborah Espitia Coordinator of World Languages & ESOL Leslie Grahn World Language Resource Teacher Howard County Public Schools, Maryland despitia@hcpss.org lgrahn@hcpss.org

Let’s do a fuel gauge check 1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel” 1/2 tank: enough to take short trips Leslie 3/4 tank: ready for a long journey full tank: enough fuel to share with others

Warm-up: Mixed readiness groups Create a group of 3 or 4 who have a variety of fuel levels indicated on their gauge. Sit together in a group. Leslie

Warm-up: Readiness groups Cut and paste activity: In your groups, cut apart and collaboratively develop categories for the ideas on the strips of paper. Glue them to the large colored paper and label with the agreed upon categories.

Differentiation Foldable Differentiation strategies I’ve tried Challenges to incorporating differentiation Questions I have about differentiation

Workshop Choice Board

Dare to Differentiate Outcomes Participants will: Build background knowledge of research and application of differentiation strategies. Participate in simulations of differentiation strategies. Create differentiated activities for immediate use in their classrooms. Receive a packet full of differentiation activity templates and examples.

What about my special needs learners?

Who are the diverse learners in our classrooms?

The diversity of our diverse learners Ability Gender Ethnicity Socio-economics Interests Prior experiences Learning preferences

Lining it all up: TRADITIONAL TEACHING LENS   Teaching to the middle  Struggling learners Advanced learners Regular/Average learners

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION TEACHING LENS          Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Speaking Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Writing Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Preterit Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Imperfect Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Art Unit Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Lining it all up: DIFFERENTIATION Sports Unit Struggling learners Advanced learners Students’ positions on this continuum change from theme to theme, topic to topic, level to level.

Suggestions for working with struggling learners Look for the learner’s positives. Don’t let what’s broken extinguish what works. Pay attention to relevance. Go for powerful learning. Teach up. Use many avenues to learning. See with the eyes of love. Tomlinson, How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms, ASCD

DIFFERENTIATION: What is it?

Differentiation based on research and writings of: Carol Ann Tomlinson Professor of Educational Leadership University of Virginia

A definition… "What we share in common makes us human. How we differ makes us individuals. In a classroom with little or no differentiated instruction, only student similarities seem to take center stage.

A definition… In a differentiated classroom, commonalities are acknowledged and built upon, and student differences become important elements in teaching and learning as well ....

A definition… Students have multiple options for taking in information making sense of ideas expressing what they learn.

A definition… acquiring content processing or making sense of ideas In other words, a differentiated classroom provides different avenues to acquiring content processing or making sense of ideas and developing products." Carol Ann Tomlinson

Differentiation Non-Negotiables Supportive learning environment Continuous assessment High-quality curriculum Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Leslie

The Cogs of Differentiation Tomlinson, 2003

Differentiation is a teacher’s response to learners’ needs guided by general principles of differentiation, such as respectful tasks ongoing assessment flexible grouping Teachers can differentiate Content Process Product according to students’ Readiness Interests Learning Profile through a range of instructional and management strategies

Differentiation concepts Classroom elements Content Process Products Learning Environment/ Affect Assessment

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment Assessment

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment Assessment

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment Assessment

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment Assessment

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment Assessment

How do I know how to DIFFERENTIATE?

Strategies for getting to know our learners

Knowing the learner WHO Knowing the Learner Development Personal Cognitive Development Personal Social

Differentiation Concepts Student characteristics Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Differentiation Concepts Learning Profile Grouping Preferences Cognitive Style Learning Environment Needs Information Processing

Differentiation Concepts Readiness & Interests Pre-assessments Every Student Response Surveys ??

TV Interest groups On a colored index card, write the name of your two favorite television shows. Find five other people who have at least one show/type of show in common with you. Sit together in a group.

How well do I know my students? Think of a particular student. Create a web of information you know about that student.

How well do I know my students? Highlight and label the learner characteristic for each item Learning profile = LP Interest = I Readiness = R

How well do I know my students? What don’t you know that would be helpful? Reflect on how you might get to know that student better.

Strategies for getting to know our learners- LEARNING PROFILE

Strategies for getting to know our learners- LEARNING PROFILE

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES Visual- Spatial Naturalist Musical- Rhythmic Logical- Mathematical Bodily-Kinesthetic Verbal-Linguistic Intrapersonal Interpersonal

Strategies for getting to know our learners- LEARNING PROFILE

Strategies for getting to know our learners- INTEREST

Strategies for getting to know our learners- READINESS

Time for a break!

Digging deeper into DIFFERENTIATION

What are respectful tasks? Emphasize strengths. Are relevant. Provide choices. Stretch students. Scaffold learning.

Differentiation Strategies Learning Centers Tiered Assignments R.A.F.T.s Choice Boards Flexible Grouping

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: Learning Centers

What are Learning Centers? Areas set up in the classroom with learning activities directed at a specific: Interest Skill Extended study of essential concept

Learning Centers (random groupings) (pink) A (green) B (yellow) C (orange) D (white) E

Reflection on Learning Centers How could I transform the learning centers I just experienced to ones I can use for my classroom?

Learning Centers A = Picture prompt B = Color coding activity C = Experience with/not D = Highlight words that relate E = Choose from lists

SUGAR RUSH!!! What’s your favorite dessert? Line up alphabetically based on your favorite dessert’s first letter.

Fuel gauge check Think about your comfort level with differentiation in terms of a fuel gauge. 1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel” 1/2 tank: enough to take short trips 3/4 tank: ready for a long journey full tank: enough fuel to share with others

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: RAFT Assignments

RAFT Assignments Focus on: Writing and reasoning Ideas around a topic Student choice, interest Learning styles, preferences

What does RAFT mean? R = ROLE A = AUDIENCE F = FORMAT T = TOPIC

Let’s build a RAFT

RAFT Assignments As a group, choose a topic for your RAFT. Individually, choose a role and then add your RAFT idea to the template.

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: Choice Boards

CHOICE BOARDS Students choose from a menu of options Tasks vary by process and interest Some anchor activities can be required of all students Can be used for homework, projects, and assessment

Build Your Own Choice Board Choose a content topic and language structure. Create a choice board of activities, projects, or performances with your diverse student learners in mind.

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: Tiered Assignments

Tiered Assignments What are they? Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind.

Tiered Assignments What are they? Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth.

Tiered Assignments Why use them? One of the main benefits of tiered assignments is that they allow students to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. They are highly motivating because they allow students to be successful at their level of readiness. Tiered assignments also allow students to work in their specific learning styles or preferences.

Tiered Assignments How to use them? 1. Make sure all tiered activities are introduced with the same level of enthusiasm and interest. 2. Take care to give different work, not simply more or less work, for different tiers. 3. Ensure that all students are equally involved and active. 4. Ensure that all activities are equally appealing and desirable.

Tomlinson’s Equalizer

Analyzing a Tiered Assignment Parallel tasks Varying levels of complexity Various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction Different levels of activity with same essential goals Builds on prior knowledge and encourages continued growth

DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: Flexible Grouping

How did we group you today? Interest (TV shows) Random (colored index cards) Interest (favorite dessert) Mixed Readiness (fuel gauge)

Fuel gauge check Think about your comfort level with differentiation in terms of a fuel gauge. 1/4 tank: in need of more “fuel” 1/2 tank: enough to take short trips 3/4 tank: ready for a long journey full tank: enough fuel to share with others

Dare to Differentiate Wiki daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com

Dare to Differentiate wiki: daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com

Differentiation Buddies

Wait! We’ve got . . . PRIZES !!!

Dare to DIFFERENTIATE Take the dare.

despitia@hcpss.org lgrahn@hcpss.org Dare to DIFFERENTIATE despitia@hcpss.org lgrahn@hcpss.org