 Differentiated Instruction Adapted From:

Directions: Walk around the room and find someone to respond to the questions on your Super Sleuth paper. After a verbal answer the person will initial the square. Rules: - A person can only answer and initial one square. - The goals are to activate prior knowledge and to meet new people with new ideas.

Super Sleuth What is your definition of differentiated instruction ? Give an example of when you have used DI? What is something you would like to learn about DI? When do you use small group instruction? Differentiation means as many lesson plans as you have students. Agree? How do you discover how your students learn? What is one way you can form groups in your classroom? What are some quick on-going assessments in your class? Are DI and assessment related?

Why Differentiated Instruction? Dealing with the reality of diverse learners

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.

“Even though students may learn in many ways, the essential skills and content they learn can remain steady. Students can take different roads to the same destination.” -Carol Ann Tomlinson

Jigsaw Reading Activity “Mapping A Route Toward Differentiated Instruction,” C. Tomlinson, Educational Leadership, 57:1, September 1999 Objective: Participants become experts in one area of an article relating to Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction, share their expertise, and finish by relating new information to their current practice.

 Draw a number  Read corresponding numbered section of article  Make notes

 Meet with others who drew the same number to form Expert groups and assign group roles  Work with group members to create a summary that presents the critical points of the article section  Come to consensus on what will be presented back to Jigsaw groups

 Expert group members return to their Jigsaw groups and assign group roles  Group members present a summary of their section of the article  Group members ask clarifying questions until everyone feels they understand the entire article

Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Ongoing assessment & adjustment Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

Content Process Product Readiness Interests Learning Profile according to student’s through a range of instructional and management strategies… Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

CONTENT PROCESS/ ACTIVITIES PRODUCTS/ ASSESSMENTS Ask yourself about:

Content: How do we adjust or modify the knowledge and skills we expect students to learn?

3-Minute Buzz

Activities: How do we modify our teaching strategies to help students acquire the knowledge and skills they need?

Think – Pair - Share

Products/Assessments: How do we adjust or modify the way we assess student learning to better measure student growth?

Differentiation of Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Ongoing assessment & adjustment Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

Assessment is organic!  Quick, not always recorded for a grade  Is a tool that directly affects ongoing plans for instruction  Leads to increased “yields” in academic growth

Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Ongoing assessment & adjustment Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

What is meant by “Flexible Grouping?”  Students move frequently between groups as learning objectives change, as their needs evolve, and as they gain proficiency  Students sometimes work in groups defined by interests and/or learning styles  Teachers sometimes move between groups to provide instruction

 Teacher becomes more of a “facilitator” of knowledge and skills  Removes the negatives and stigma of “static” groups, i.e. “Once a buzzard, always a buzzard” syndrome  Students see that they can and will progress as they learn. Growth becomes a visible and expected part of the classroom culture

Back and forth over time or course of unit Individual Small Group Whole Group Small Group Individual

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

Differentiation of Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs Guided by general principles of differentiation, such as Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Ongoing assessment & adjustment Source: The Differentiated Classroom, Tomlinson 1999

Just a sampling of strategies that support Differentiated Instruction Multiple IntelligencesTiered Lessons4-MAT JigsawTiered CentersVaried questioning strategies Taped materialTiered ProductsInterest Centers Anchor ActivitiesLearning ContractsInterest Groups Varying OrganizersSmall Group InstructionVaried Homework Varied TextsGroup InvestigationCompacting Varied Supplementary Materials OrbitalsVaried Journal Prompts Literature CirclesIndependent StudyComplex Instruction CubingTiered AssignmentsReading Buddies

Cubing

“I’m a secondary teacher. How can I differentiate?” It can be done! Anchoring Activities Adjusting Questions Tiered Assignments

What are Anchor Activities?

1. Tiered Instruction Changing the level of complexity or required readiness of a task or unit of study in order to meet the developmental needs of the students involved.

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

 Processes, content and products  Assignments  Homework  Learning stations  Assessments  Writing prompts  Anchor activities  Materials

 Level of complexity  Amount of structure  Pacing  Materials  Concrete to abstract  Options based on student interests  Options based on learning styles

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.

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!

4. Compacting Curriculum Compacting the curriculum means assessing a student’s knowledge and skills, and providing alternative activities for the student who has already mastered curriculum content. This can be achieved by pre-testing basic concepts or using performance assessment methods. Students demonstrating they do not require instruction move on to tiered problem solving activities while others receive instruction.

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

 One Thing  A Program  The Goal  Hard questions for some and easy for others  35 different plans for one classroom  A chaotic classroom  Just homogenous grouping

“How do I manage all these strategies?” Differentiated Instruction

 Appoint a class expert (student)  Have clear, written directions for all activities  Grade judiciously  Schedule “quiet” days  Post procedure list for “early birds”  Have sponge/anchoring activities available at all times and well-known to your class

 What is the grade are intended to communicate?  Are those to whom the communication is directed are clear about the grade's meaning and intended purpose?  The answers each district/school will arrive at may be different, but achieving clarity of purpose for grades is of the greatest importance

 Clearly communicates standards that are being used  Clearly delineates separate grades  for growth (changes in learning from the beginning to the end of the instructional component)  for achievement relative to standards of performance  for effort  Provides full disclosure to all Principles of Grading in a Differentiated Classroom: Tomlinson

Goal: Participants actively engage in a discussion about the essential question, beginning with personal reflection and ending with group sharing.

Define the essential question for the workshop.

1.Present the essential question (5) 2.Think about your answer individually (5) 3.Pair with a partner and discuss your reflection(s) (10) 4.Share your reflections with the group (15)

 They have fewer discipline issues  Student growth is significantly increased  Their interactions with students are more positive and productive  Even most traditionally reluctant learners become focused and motivated when appropriately challenging tasks are assigned for them