effective teaching in the differentiated instruction class by: stephanie yates

Effective Teaching in the Effective Teaching in the Differentiated Instruction ClassDifferentiated Instruction Class

By: Stephanie YatesBy: Stephanie Yates

How to begin using differentiated How to begin using differentiated instruction…instruction…

Frequently reflect on the match between your Frequently reflect on the match between your classroom and the philosophy of teaching classroom and the philosophy of teaching

and learning you want to practice. Look for and learning you want to practice. Look for matches and mismatches, and use both to matches and mismatches, and use both to

guide you.guide you.

Create a mental image of what you want your Create a mental image of what you want your classroom to look like, and use it to help classroom to look like, and use it to help

plan and assess changesplan and assess changes

Prepare students and parents for differentiated Prepare students and parents for differentiated classroom so that they are your partners in classroom so that they are your partners in making it good fit for everyone. Be sure to making it good fit for everyone. Be sure to talk often with students about the classroomtalk often with students about the classroom—why it is the way it is, how it is working, —why it is the way it is, how it is working,

and what everyone can do to helpand what everyone can do to help

Begin to change at a pace that pushes you a Begin to change at a pace that pushes you a little bit beyond your comfort zone—neither little bit beyond your comfort zone—neither

completely duplicating your past practice completely duplicating your past practice nor trying to change everything overnight. nor trying to change everything overnight. You might being with just one subject, just You might being with just one subject, just one time of the day, or just one curricular one time of the day, or just one curricular

elementelement

Think carefully about management routines—Think carefully about management routines—for example, giving directions, making sure for example, giving directions, making sure

students know how to move about the students know how to move about the room, and making sure students know room, and making sure students know where to put work when they finish it.where to put work when they finish it.

Teach the routines to students carefully, Teach the routines to students carefully, monitor the effectiveness of the routines, monitor the effectiveness of the routines, discuss the results with students, and fine discuss the results with students, and fine

tune togethertune together

Take time off from change to retain your Take time off from change to retain your energy and to assess how things are going.energy and to assess how things are going.

Build a support system of other educators. Build a support system of other educators. Let administrators know how they can Let administrators know how they can

support you. Ask specialists to teach with support you. Ask specialists to teach with you from time to time so that you have a you from time to time so that you have a

second pair of hands and eyes. Form study second pair of hands and eyes. Form study groups on differentiation with like-minded groups on differentiation with like-minded

peers. Plan and share differentiated peers. Plan and share differentiated materials with colleagues.materials with colleagues.

And finally…And finally…

Enjoy your own growth. One of the great Enjoy your own growth. One of the great joys of teaching is recognizing that the joys of teaching is recognizing that the

teacher always has more to learn than the teacher always has more to learn than the students and that learning is no less students and that learning is no less

empowering for adults than for students.empowering for adults than for students.

Now that you’ve begun using Now that you’ve begun using differentiated instruction in your differentiated instruction in your

classroom here are some tips to ensure classroom here are some tips to ensure success for everyone…success for everyone…

Emphasize critical and creative thinking as a Emphasize critical and creative thinking as a goal in lesson designgoal in lesson design

Be sure all students have choices in their Be sure all students have choices in their learning.learning.

Vary tasks within instruction as well as across Vary tasks within instruction as well as across students.students.

Develop tasks, activities and procedures for Develop tasks, activities and procedures for students that require understanding and students that require understanding and

applying meaning.applying meaning.

Identify essential concepts and instructional Identify essential concepts and instructional foci to ensure all learners comprehend.foci to ensure all learners comprehend.

Clarify key concepts and generalizations.Clarify key concepts and generalizations.

Keep focus on concepts, emphasizing Keep focus on concepts, emphasizing understanding and sense-making, not understanding and sense-making, not

retention and regurgitation of fragmented retention and regurgitation of fragmented tasks.tasks.

Differentiate among and within the areas of Differentiate among and within the areas of content, process, products and learning content, process, products and learning

environment.environment.

Be sure several elements and materials are Be sure several elements and materials are used to support instructional content.used to support instructional content.

Key to effectively utilizing differentiated Key to effectively utilizing differentiated instruction is the students’ access to instruction is the students’ access to

content. Through your instruction you want content. Through your instruction you want to be sure every student has access to the to be sure every student has access to the content and understanding at the center of content and understanding at the center of

your lesson.your lesson.

Content of instruction should address same Content of instruction should address same concepts with all students. You only want concepts with all students. You only want

to adjust the degree of complexity, not what to adjust the degree of complexity, not what the students are learning.the students are learning.

In designing lessonsIn designing lessons

Do not assume all students need a certain Do not assume all students need a certain task.task.


Understand differentiated instruction is Understand differentiated instruction is notnot about individualized instruction.about individualized instruction.


Keep in mind, even when done effectively, a Keep in mind, even when done effectively, a limited number of students of specific limited number of students of specific cognitive disabilities will require the cognitive disabilities will require the

student learning outcomes to be modified.student learning outcomes to be modified.


Be sure curriculum is clearly focused on the Be sure curriculum is clearly focused on the information and understandings most information and understandings most

valued by an expert in a particular valued by an expert in a particular discipline. You do not want to be teaching discipline. You do not want to be teaching

unnecessary information.unnecessary information.


Reflect constantly on the quality of what is Reflect constantly on the quality of what is being differentiated.being differentiated.


Carefully select organization and instructional Carefully select organization and instructional delivery strategiesdelivery strategies


Be sure lessons, activities, and products are Be sure lessons, activities, and products are designed to ensure that students grapple designed to ensure that students grapple

with, use and come to understand the with, use and come to understand the essentials of the lesson.essentials of the lesson.


Keep in mind that each child should feel Keep in mind that each child should feel challenged most of the time.challenged most of the time.


Engage all learners. Make sure the students Engage all learners. Make sure the students are active and responsible explorers.are active and responsible explorers.


Vary expectations and requirements for Vary expectations and requirements for students responsesstudents responses


Realize that a student may be below grade Realize that a student may be below grade level in one subject and at the same time be level in one subject and at the same time be

above grade level in another subject.above grade level in another subject.


Give yourself the role of a guide. Help Give yourself the role of a guide. Help students set goals based on readiness, students set goals based on readiness,

interests and learning profiles.interests and learning profiles.


Work hard to develop “respectful activities” Work hard to develop “respectful activities” for all students.for all students.


Provide a balance between teacher-assigned Provide a balance between teacher-assigned and student-selected tasks.and student-selected tasks.

Student WorkStudent Work

Each student’s work should be equally Each student’s work should be equally interesting, equally appealing, and equally interesting, equally appealing, and equally

focused on essential understanding and focused on essential understanding and skillsskills


Products should allow for varied means of Products should allow for varied means of expression, alternative procedures and offer expression, alternative procedures and offer

varying degrees of difficulty, types of varying degrees of difficulty, types of evaluation and scoringevaluation and scoring


Assign tasks by learning stylesAssign tasks by learning styles


Structure problem-based learning to have Structure problem-based learning to have students actively solving problemsstudents actively solving problems


Encourage students to use different tools to Encourage students to use different tools to perform same task: perform same task:

Paper/pencil, manipulatives, computerPaper/pencil, manipulatives, computer


Chunk or break assignments and activities Chunk or break assignments and activities into smaller, more manageable parts and into smaller, more manageable parts and

provide more structured directions for each provide more structured directions for each partpart


Assign tiered activities to allow learners to Assign tiered activities to allow learners to work on same concepts, but with varying work on same concepts, but with varying degrees of complexity, abstractness and degrees of complexity, abstractness and

open-endedness. Tiered activities allow for open-endedness. Tiered activities allow for alternate ways to reach same goals by alternate ways to reach same goals by

taking student needs into account.taking student needs into account.

Use Peer TeachingUse Peer Teaching

After receiving extra instruction, student After receiving extra instruction, student could be designated as the “resident expert” could be designated as the “resident expert”

for that concept or skill and then can get for that concept or skill and then can get valuable experience by being given the valuable experience by being given the

opportunity to re-teach the concept to peers.opportunity to re-teach the concept to peers.

Use Buddy StudiesUse Buddy Studies

A buddy-study permits two or three students A buddy-study permits two or three students to work on a project together. All students to work on a project together. All students

share in the research and share in the research and analysis/organization of information and analysis/organization of information and then complete an individual product to then complete an individual product to demonstrate what they have learned. demonstrate what they have learned.

Creates its own support system.Creates its own support system.

Use Learning ContractsUse Learning Contracts

A learning contract is a written agreement A learning contract is a written agreement between the teacher and student outlining between the teacher and student outlining what assignments or projects the student what assignments or projects the student

will be responsible for doing. The contract will be responsible for doing. The contract helps student set daily and weekly goals as helps student set daily and weekly goals as

well as helps the teacher monitor the well as helps the teacher monitor the student’s progress.student’s progress.

Use Choice BoardsUse Choice Boards

Learners can select one of several Learners can select one of several assignments that are printed on cards and assignments that are printed on cards and affixed to the choice boards. Be sure that affixed to the choice boards. Be sure that

the assignments vary in complexity or they the assignments vary in complexity or they will not be differentiated.will not be differentiated.

Entry PointsEntry Points

By using entry points, students are able to explore a By using entry points, students are able to explore a topic through as many as five paths:topic through as many as five paths:

Narrative – presenting a storyNarrative – presenting a story Logical-quantitative – using numbersLogical-quantitative – using numbers Foundational – examining philosophy and Foundational – examining philosophy and

vocabularyvocabulary Aesthetic – focusing on sensory featuresAesthetic – focusing on sensory features Experiential – hands-onExperiential – hands-on

Compact the CurriculumCompact the Curriculum

Assess a student’s knowledge, skills and Assess a student’s knowledge, skills and attitudes and provide alternate activities for attitudes and provide alternate activities for

the student who has already mastered the student who has already mastered curriculum content. Students who curriculum content. Students who demonstrate that they do not need demonstrate that they do not need

instruction move on to tiered problem instruction move on to tiered problem solving activities while others receive solving activities while others receive

instructioninstruction

Monitor and Adjust PaceMonitor and Adjust Pace

Use flexible pacing to allow for differences in Use flexible pacing to allow for differences in students’ ability to master the key concepts. students’ ability to master the key concepts.

This means you should accelerate or This means you should accelerate or decelerate your pace as necessary as decelerate your pace as necessary as

students move the curriculum.students move the curriculum.

GroupingGrouping

Be sure flexible grouping is consistently being Be sure flexible grouping is consistently being used. used.

GroupingGrouping

Grouping and regrouping should be a Grouping and regrouping should be a dynamic process, changing with content, dynamic process, changing with content,

projects and ongoing evaluations.projects and ongoing evaluations.

GroupingGrouping

Plan extended periods of instruction so that all Plan extended periods of instruction so that all students work with a variety of peers over a students work with a variety of peers over a

period of days.period of days.

QuestionsQuestions

Vary the level of questioning so as to Vary the level of questioning so as to accommodate differences in ability or accommodate differences in ability or

readinessreadiness

QuestionsQuestions

Direct higher level questions to the students Direct higher level questions to the students who can handle them and adjust questions who can handle them and adjust questions accordingly for students with greater needsaccordingly for students with greater needs

AssessmentAssessment

Be sure assessment is tightly linked to Be sure assessment is tightly linked to instruction, as well as, ongoing both instruction, as well as, ongoing both

throughout the lesson and throughout the throughout the lesson and throughout the course. Hence, you should assess before, course. Hence, you should assess before,

during and after a lesson.during and after a lesson.


In your pre-assessment be sure to find the In your pre-assessment be sure to find the students needing more support and those students needing more support and those

who can leap forward.who can leap forward.


Use assessment as a teaching tool to extend Use assessment as a teaching tool to extend versus merely measure instruction.versus merely measure instruction.


Use formal and informal assessments such as Use formal and informal assessments such as interviews, surveys and performance interviews, surveys and performance

assessments.assessments.


Encourage independent study for students Encourage independent study for students who want to work on their own on topics of who want to work on their own on topics of

interest to them.interest to them.


Use portfolios as a means for reflecting on Use portfolios as a means for reflecting on student growth over time.student growth over time.

To keep in mind…To keep in mind…

Time is the greatest challenge in Time is the greatest challenge in implementing differentiated instruction. implementing differentiated instruction.

Also of great consequence is the changing Also of great consequence is the changing role of the teacher, from dispenser of role of the teacher, from dispenser of

knowledge to facilitator of learning and knowledge to facilitator of learning and classroom management. In addition classroom management. In addition

effective use of differentiated instruction effective use of differentiated instruction requires teachers to acquire and use requires teachers to acquire and use strategies that may be new to them.strategies that may be new to them.

There is hopeThere is hope

Through effective professional development Through effective professional development that strongly encourages teachers to apply that strongly encourages teachers to apply

the skills and then provides coaching the skills and then provides coaching throughout the process of moving toward throughout the process of moving toward

differentiation as a teaching approach differentiation as a teaching approach teachers can rise above the previously teachers can rise above the previously

mentioned challenges and use differentiated mentioned challenges and use differentiated instruction to its fullest potential. (Plus instruction to its fullest potential. (Plus

using the tips in this presentation.)using the tips in this presentation.)

ReferencesReferences

http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinhttp://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstruc.htmlstruc.html

http://www.weac.org/kids/1998-99/march99/differhttp://www.weac.org/kids/1998-99/march99/differ.htm.htm

http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.htmhttp://www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/elementary.htmll

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/elements.htmlhttp://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/elements.html http://www.ncsall.net/?id=736http://www.ncsall.net/?id=736 http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentihttp://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differenti

atingstrategies.htmlatingstrategies.html

effective teaching in the differentiated instruction class by: stephanie yates

Documents

changes slide

sure students

lesson design slide

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curricular element slide

students access

content of instruction

differentiated classroom