“WHATEVER IT TAKES”DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Feb 2010Dawn HoldenInstructional Services, Langley School District

SHAPE OF THE SESSION

• Why differentiate?• What differentiation is and is not

• What and how do you differentiate?• Explore the WIKI•Planning a DI lesson - Introduction

GETTING READY TO GO…Windshield Check:

What do you know about differentiated instruction?

Clear

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Muddy

Walk and Talk

“ Human beings differ with their gifts and their talents. To teach them, you have to start where they are”

- Yuenzheng, Chinese Treatise 4th Century BC

WHY DIFFERENTIATE?

WHAT DIFFERENTIATION IS AND IS NOT

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IS…

• A way of thinking about teaching and learning

• Teachers reacting responsively to each learner’s needs

• A way of addressing the needs of academically diverse learners in increasingly diverse classrooms

Principles of Differentiation

Welcoming and Safe Environment

High Quality Curriculum

Ongoing Assessment

Differentiation is not…

A set of tools or strategies but a philosophy that a teacher embraces to reach the unique needs of every learner

Gregory/Chapman, Differentiated Instruction

Differentiation is not

An add on to an administrator’s or teacher’s already overflowing plate

A set of individualized lesson plans

DIFFERENTIATION IS…

responsive teaching rather than one-size-fits-all teaching.

What do you differentiate?

Content Process Product

Depending on

Interest Readiness Learning Style

Content

Multiple levels of reading material Varying topics for research Independent study options Compacting the curriculum

Process

Flexible groupings Literature Circles Journal Prompts Graphic Organizers Use of technology Homework options

Product

Product options that respond to varied interests/learning styles

Varied timelines or check in points Varied criteria for success

Interest

Passions Hobbies Music Choice of friends Extra- curricular activities

Readiness

Attitude toward school, subject or topic Knowledge, understanding and skill Misunderstandings Sophisticated use of vocabulary Insightful connections between topics General communication, thinking,

reasoning skills

Learning Profile

1. Learning styles2. Intelligence preferences3. Environmental preferences4. Gender or cultural preferences5. Group orientation

Proactive vs Reactive Differentiation

Reactive - Volleyball analogy

Proactive - chess game analogy

Remember

When you do decide to differentiate, you provide students with a limited range of choices that can broaden as they and you discover more about what works for them as learners.

LEARNING COMMUNITY QUESTIONS

1. What do we expect students to learn?

2. How will we know if students have learned it?

3. What will we do if students have not learned it?

QUESTIONS?

Windshield check

Where are you in your understanding of differentiated instruction?

Clear

Buggy

Muddy

RESOURCES

DILangley wiki: http://dilangley.wikispaces.com/“ Start Where They Are” Hume“Differentiated Instructional Strategies” Gregory/Chapman“The Differentiated Classroom” Tomlinson“Whatever it Takes” DuFour