Differentiated Instruction 101 Clare Kilbane, Ph. D.

Goals for this presentation 4 To ensure that all participants members have exposure to a common core of knowledge, vocabulary, and strategies. 4 Participants will : –Understand what differentiated instruction is and why it is important, –Learn how technology can support the goals of differentiated instruction, and –Expand the tools they have available to make instruction more efficient, effective, and engaging for all learners.

Today’s classrooms are typified by academic diversity (Darling-Hammond, Wise, & Klein, 1999, Meier, 1995). 4 Seated side-by-side in classrooms are: –highly advanced learners, –English language learners, –students who are chronically underachievers, –students with learning disabilities and reading difficulties, –students of both genders, –students from broadly diverse cultures, –students from highly diverse SES, and –students displaying varying levels of motivation, interests, skills, etc.

Thinking about English Language Learners 4 More immigrants arrived in the late 1990s than in any other decade on record 4 Today, students in our schools speak more than 450 languages 4 More than 12% of all pre-k-12 students are considered to be ESL learners 4 By the year 2015 more than 50% of all students in K- 12 public schools across the US will not speak English as their first language. Gray, T. and Fleishcman, S. (2004). Successful strategies for English Language Learners, Educational Leadership, 62 (4),

Thinking about Students with Disabilities 4 96% of general education teachers have students with disabilities in their classrooms. 4 On average, there are at least 3-4 students with IEPs integrated into each general education class. 4 Three of four students with disabilities spend 40% or more of their day in general education classrooms. US Department of Education (2001). 23rd report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Washington, DC. US Govt Printing Office.

What is differentiation?

Some definitions 4 Differentiation is 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.

4 Differentiation means that teachers proactively plan varied approaches to what students learn, how they will learn it and/or how they will demonstrate their learning in order to ensure that every student learns as much as he/she can as efficiently as possible.

4 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.

4 Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher can be all things to all students all the time. It does however mandate that a teacher create a responsible range of approaches to learning much of the time so that most students find learning a fit much of the time.

What is Differentiated Instruction? 4 It is an instructional approach 4 It is a community 4 It is a new way of doing old things

What can be differentiated? 4 Content- the standards about which students interact to gain knowledge. 4 Process- the activities and materials engaged in/with while knowledge is gained. 4 Evaluation- the methods through which students demonstrate their learning.

What do we consider when differentiating? 4 Readiness- a combination of ability and other factors which influence the ability to learn. 4 Interest- that which evokes intellectual, psychological, and emotional attention. 4 Learning Profile- a blanket term that refers to factors not related to readiness or interest such as cognitive style.

How does technology support differentiation? 4 To learn more, –