Differentiated Instruction

Why Differentiated Instruction? Students exhibit a very broad range of capabilities, interests, and learning styles. Even in the early grades, some children have very deep abstract thinking capabilities. Others find abstract reasoning and abstract thinking frustratingly challenging. At a very early stage, some youngsters are quite interested in the number system, reasoning processes, and intensively abstract approaches to thinking about mathematics. Some students simply cannot get enough of mathematics. They want to stride through arithmetic in the same way that a chocoholic gobbles through Nestles candy bars. Differentiated instruction affords all kids the possibility of equal challenge, of allowing them to move forward at a pace that accommodates their interests, their willingness to work, and their current level of intellectual development. Some young people find the traditional textbook to be extremely repetitive and boring. Others need that repetition. Differentiated instruction recognizes that children are different and adjusts instruction to Individual needs. How to Think about Differentiated Instruction There are many ways to manage the classroom to create a better fit for more learners, including those who are advanced. In general, interest-based adjustments allow students to have a voice in deciding whether they will apply key principles being studied to math-oriented, literature-based, hobbyrelated, science-oriented, or history-associated areas. For example, in studying the American Revolution, one student might opt to write a short story about the life of a teenager during the Revolutionary period. Another might elect to apply key ideas about the American Revolution to an investigation of heroes then and now. Yet another might prefer to study ways in which the revolution affected the development of science. Adjustments based on learning profile encourage students to understand their own learning preferences. For example, some students need a longer period to reflect on ideas before beginning to apply them, while others prefer quick action. Some students need to talk with others as they learn, while others need a quiet work space. Some students learn best as they tell stories about ideas being explored, others as they create mind maps, and still others

as they construct three-dimensional representations. Some students may learn best through a practical application of ideas, others through a more analytical approach. Readiness-based adjustments can be created by teachers offering students a range of learning tasks developed along one or more of the following continua: 8. Concrete to abstract. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that involve more abstract materials, representations, ideas, or applications than less advanced peers. 9. Simple to complex. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that are more complex in resources, research, issues, problems, skills, or goals than less advanced peers. 10.Basic to transformational. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that require greater transformation or manipulation of information, ideas, materials, or applications than less advanced peers. 11.Fewer facets to multi-facets. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that have more facets or parts of their directions, connections within or across subjects, or planning and execution than less advanced peers. 12.Smaller leaps to greater leaps. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that require greater mental leaps in insight, application, or transfers than less advanced peers. 13.More structured to more open. Learners advanced in a subject often benefit from tasks that are more open in regard to solutions, decisions, and approaches than less advanced peers. 7. Quicker to slower. Learners advanced in a subject will sometimes benefit from rapid movement through prescribed materials and tasks. At other times, they may require a greater amount of time with a given study than less advanced peers so that they may explore the topic in greater depth and/or breadth.

Preparing the School for Differentiated Instruction

True differentiated instruction in elementary mathematics, for example, involves acceleration. Acceleration requires cooperation across grades. Otherwise, children who have moved forward will ultimately find themselves in a position where they have learned everything and thus sit in a classroom marking time. It is extremely important that differentiation result from a coordinated school-wide collaborative process.

Grouping Strategies in Differentiated Instruction Differentiation is facilitated if the school adopts grouping strategies. For example, young bright math students benefit from working with a group of peers who share their interest. Unfortunately, many schools now purposely group kids across ability and interest levels in mathematics. Often a working group will be purposely created which involves a top student, two middle students, and a struggling student. When this happens, grouping destroys any possibility of differentiation, because it forces the curriculum around topics which the struggling student can comprehend. Here are some grouping strategies worth thinking about: 1. Classroom grouping for instruction. The whole classroom is grouped. 2. Clustering. Within the classroom, students are clustered into four or five groups. Differentiation proceeds with each cluster group proceeding at a differentiated pace. 3. Subject matter skipping. Some students are removed from the classroom and sent to a different grade level for mathematics. 4. High School Style Instruction. Students go to math room at math time. Math only is grouped. 5. Flexible math grouping. The longitudinal instruction is grouped; say three or four days a week. Students move through textbook materials on these days. Some days, however, students work together on cross-ability basis on problem solving or other activities.
Sources: Differentiated Instruction by Dr. Ron Ferguson Differentiation of Instruction by Dr. Gerald Von Korff

INSTRUCTIONAL AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENTIATION

Source: Dr. Carol A. Tomlinson, University Virginia

Strategy

Description of Strategy

COMPACTING

A 3-step process that (1) assesses what a student knows about material to be studied and what the student still needs to master, (2) plans for learning what is not known and excuses the student from what is known and (3) plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study. Process through which student and teacher identify Problems or topics of interest to the student. Both Student and teacher plan a method of investigating the problem or topic and identifying the type of product the student will develop. This product should address the problem and demonstrate the students ability to apply skills and knowledge to the problem or topic. Interest Centers(often used with younger students) and Interest Groups(often used with older students typically provide enrichment for students who can demonstrate mastery/competence with required work. They are sometimes a vehicle for providing students with meaningful study when basic assignments are completed. In a heterogeneous class, a teacher uses varied levels of activities to ensorue that students explore ideas at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and prompts continued growth. Student groups use varied approaches for exploration of essential ideas. Students are matched to skills work by virtue of readiness, not with the assumption that all need the same spelling task, computation drill, writing assignment, etc. Movement among groups is common, based on readiness on a given skill and growth in that skill. Learning centers can be stations or collections of materials learners use to explore topics or practice skills. For gifted learners, learning centers should move beyond cursory exploration of topics and practice of basic skills, and should provide study in greater breadth and depth on interesting and important topics. In class discussions and on tests, the teacher attempts to ensure that the highly able learner is presented with questions that draw on advanced level of information, require leaps of understanding, and challenge thinking. The students works with a resource teacher, media specialist, parent volunteer, or community member to develop and carry out all or part of a project or task. This is also a useful way to help students develop skills of production in a particular field.

INDEPENDENT PROJECTS

INTEREST CENTERS OR INTEREST GROUPS

TIERED ASSIGNMENTS

FLEXIBLE SKILLS GROUPING

LEARNING CENTERS

HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

MENTORSHIPS/APPRENTICESHIPS

DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING WEB SITES 1. Curriculum Differentiationhttp://www.ourworld.compreserve.com/homepages/farmer/ gftsccurhtml 2. Lifelong Learninghttp://www.ideas.uqam.ca/ideas/data/Papers/cepcepops0011.html

3. Differentiated Curriculumhttp://www.visicom.com/users/discovery/diff_curr.html 4. Learning and Teaching Style: In Theory and Practice. http://www.plsbookstore.com/catalog/pages/detail/book/v/0 5. Differentiated Learning: New York Project http://www.sricboces.org/Goals2000/Item01.htm 6. 7. Differentiated Learning: Videotapes http://www.ascd.org/pubs/new/video/03129701video.html Concept/Knowledge Mapping: http://www.spjc.cc.fl.us/0/SPNS/Lancraft/emapping.html 8. A glance: Differentiated Science Teaching http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0335157068/school 9. Learning for All: http://www.misd.net/beal/eng/slinks/s003217.htm 10. Diffenentiated: http://www.k12.hi.us/%7elake/school/AGT/differentiated.html

DIFFERNETIATED INSTRUCTION-EXAMPLES 1. Self-contained class(4-12) in which all students are identified g/t; not honors classes. 2. Cluster Groups in heterogeneous classrooms receive Differentiation by g/t trained teacher. 3. Special School (4-12) includes school-within-school g/t Includes pull-outs. 4. Resource Services-regular and/or short-term grouping of g/t models.

5. Seminar-discussion-based sessions on topics relevant to student needs, interests, abilities. 6. College Board AP or International baccalaureate(IB) Courses. 7. Travel Study Options-Academically-based US/foreign/travel Possible h.s./college credit. 8. Acceleration by Subject/Content-direct instruction in class Beyond assigned grade level. 9. Collaborative Services-G/T specialist works with identified g/t group in regular classroom. 10. Acceleration by Grade-Skipping 11. Instructional Modifications made for regular and special education students in the regular classroom.