Differentiated Learning Experience

Name & Student Number: Jessica Hoepner (2136134)

Curriculum (Learning) Area of Lesson or Learning Task: English
Specific Topic of Lesson or Learning Task: The Fabulous Friend Machine RAFT
Year Level/s: 4

Differentiation Choices
Mark the appropriate box/es

1. For this assignment, I have chosen to design a differentiated:

Learning Menu or Agenda
Choice Board
*** RAFT
Summative Assessment Task for Unit of Work
Lesson with Specific Adjustments for Students with Special Needs
Series of Tasks for Learning Centres or Stations
Learning Task or Lesson with Innovative Use of Technology to Support
Differentiation

2. My lesson or learning task is differentiated to address differences in student:

Readiness
Interest
*** Learning profile preferences

Context (about 1 paragraph)

This differentiated task is included in lesson 4 of a 6 lesson unit for English which spans over
3 weeks. The main text focus of the unit is a picture book called The Fabulous Friend
Machine by Nick Bland. The overall aims of the unit is that students will understand that
texts have different text structures depending on purpose and context and be able to use
language features to create coherence and add detail to their texts, (English Foundation to
Year 10 Curriculum by rows - The Australian Curriculum v8.3., 2017)
This task will be the main activity for lesson 4 unless students require more time to complete
their chosen activity. The students have had multiple introductory lessons where they have
looked at the literacy features, font and vocabulary more specifically, used within the text
and this differentiated task, allows the students to apply their knowledge to a particular
situation and format.
Learning Objectives
As appropriate, these should be based on the Australian Curriculum. You can include specific references to ACARA in
parentheses where you have taken an objective verbatim (ACMMG006), or use language like Adapted from.. if you
have made some changes to statements from ACARA, but been guided by these.

As a result of engaging with the differentiated lesson or task, students will:

understand that (Concepts, principles, big ideas. Make sure your objectives are statements that work in the
form, Students will understand that)

- Students will understand that literacy features can come in many forms.
- Students will understand that there are many aspects to consider when looking at literacy
features.

Know (e.g. facts, vocabulary, dates, information) Be able to (do) (Skills, processes)

Formats: speech, interview, diary entry, text
messaging, letter.
Students will know that literacy features
vary depending on the purpose.
Writers use many literacy features within
their writing.
- Create literary texts that explore students own experiences
and imagining (ACELT1607) (English Foundation to Year 10
Curriculum by rows - The Australian Curriculum v8.3., 2017)
- Students will be able to identify when a specific format is
required to respond to a text.
- Students will be able to create texts that allow them to
explain ideas to particular and varying audiences.
- Students will be able to incorporate literacy features in their
own texts.

Essential Questions (These should help students engage with the big ideas or understandings)

- Why do we read texts?

- Why do we respond to texts?

Lesson Plan
Introduction
Briefly revise over last lessons content and discuss the literacy features that we have been paying
particular attention too (font and vocabulary).

Introduce the RAFT activity (see appendix 1).

Today we will be completing a set of activities called a RAFT. The way that we use a
RAFT is that you choose one row of the RAFT and complete the activity. The first column
is the role; the person/object you are pretending to be. The second column is the audience;
the person/object that you are writing or speaking too. The third column is the format in
which you are writing; so a speech or a diary entry. And the final column is the topic that
you are addressing.

Have students choose a row on the RAFT and form groups of the same RAFT activity. Hand out
the task cards (see appendix 2) to the groups so the students know what is expected of them.

Body
The students are given the rest of the lesson to complete their chosen RAFT activity.

Lesson Closure/ Check for Understanding

Before the end of the lesson, the students are required to complete an exit card (see appendix 3).

This allows the teacher to get a grasp on which students are understanding and comprehending
the task and those they still require some guidance. The results from this lesson and the exit cards,
 will determine the content of the next lesson. If students are requiring more explanation and explicit
teaching around the literacy features, then this will become the focus of the next lesson. However,
if students have a solid grasp on the literacy features that occur in The Fabulous Friend Machine
then the lesson will consist of their final summative assessment for the unit.

Explanation:
Provide 1-3 paragraphs to clearly explain how your assignment is an example of a differentiated lesson or
learning task designed to address student differences and what specific aspect/s of student diversity you are
aiming to address. This explanation should demonstrate your understanding of the principles and application of
differentiation, supported by the topic readings and materials.

This is a differentiated learning task in that it addressed both differences in learning profile and student interest
but for this lesson, the focus is on the differences in learning profile. The student learning profiles vary greatly
within the class and through the use of this differentiated task, the students are given some choice over their
task. Through the use of a RAFT, the students are given multiple activities that still require the same outcome.
The students are to put into practice, using the technique of using different fonts and colour for a particular group
of words. For example; The Fabulous Friend Machine uses a different colour and font for all the adverbs within
the text. They are to create a piece of writing using the RAFT, which includes the literacy features of using
different colours and fonts for a particular word group.

While students will often choose preferences over abilities (Jarvis, 2017, Module 5), through the use of the RAFT,
the students are given a choice about how they want to complete their task but the ability is the same. Although
the students have a choice over which task they complete, it is critical that students understand the learning
outcomes of the task they are completing, (Jarvis, 2017, Module 2). This task offers students the opportunity to
show and extend what they have come to understand and can do, (Tomlinson, 2014).

There are 5 different format options available for students to choose from. Of these 5 options, the creativity of
each varies and students are able to express their ideas and opinions in a format that they want to use. When
students are given the opportunity to work in areas that they are comfortable in, their achievement outcomes can
become more efficient (Jarvis, 2017, Intensive 2). This differentiated learning task, addressed differences in
students learning profile and allows students to work in a format that they find more comfortable or interesting.
While there are 5 options for the students to choose from, there is also an empty row that allows students to
create their own role, audience, format and topic. However, the free choice option still needs to be discussed with
the teacher but it still allows the students to have some choice over their task.

References
English Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum by rows - The Australian Curriculum v8.3.
(2017). Australiancurriculum.edu.au. Retrieved 4th April 2017, from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/english/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level4

Jarvis, J. (2017). Intensive 2: Foundations of Inclusion and Differentiation (Part 2). Lecture,
Flinders University.

Jarvis, J. (2017). Module 2: High Quality Curriculum as the Foundation for Differentiated
Planning. Lecture, Flinders University.

Jarvis, J. (2017). Module 5: Differentiation in Response to Different Interests and Learning

Profile Preferences. Lecture, Flinders University.

Tomlinson, C. (2014). The differentiation classroom: responding to the needs of all learners;
Good Curriculum as a Basis for Differentiation. Alexandria, Virginia, pp. 60-79
 APPENDIX
Appendix 1 - RAFT
The Fabulous Friend Machine
R.A.F.T

Task Role Audience Format Topic

1 Popcorn Old friends Speech Why the fabulous friend machine is

the greatest invention

2 The Old friends Interview The fabulous friend machine

farmer

3 Wolf The wolf himself Diary entry My favourite recipe for cooking
chicken

4 Popcorn New friends Text messaging What I like in a new friend

(wolves) conversation

5 Old The farmer Letter Why you shouldnt leave you

friends mobile phone in the barn

6 Free Choice

Appendix 2 Task Cards

Task Card 1 Task Card 2

Role: Popcorn Role: The Farmer

Audience: Old Friends Audience: Old Friends
Format: Speech Format: Interview
Topic: Why the fabulous friend Topic: The Fabulous Friend
machine is the greatest Machine.
invention!
For this task, you are the farmer.
For this task, you are required to You are interviewing Popcorns
write a speech pretending that old friends about how they feel
you are Popcorn. You are writing about the fabulous friend
a speech for all your old friends machine.
to hear about why the fabulous
friend machine is the greatest You are to use a different font
invention! and/or colour for all the words
that describe a feeling (for
You are to use a different font example: sad, mad, unhappy,
and/or colour for all the words happy and excited).
that start with the letter F.
 Task Card 3
Role: Wolf
Audience: The wolf himself
Format: Diary Entry
Topic: My favourite recipe for
cooking chicken.
For this task, you are pretending
to be the Wolf! You need to
write a diary entry about your
favourite recipe for cooking
chicken.
Remember, you are to use a
different font and/or colour for
all the words that relate to
measurement (for example, cup,
tablespoon, teaspoon, , , ).
Task Card 5
Role: Old Friends
Audience: The Farmer
Format: Letter
Topic: Why you shouldnt leave
your mobile phone in the barn!
For this task, you are pretending
to be Popcorns Old Friends.
You are writing a letter to the
Farmer about why you shouldnt
leave your mobile phone in the
barn.
Remember, you are to use a
different font and/or colour for
all the words that end in the letter
E.
Task Card 4
Role: Popcorn
Audience: New friends
(Wolves)
Format: Text messaging
conversation
Topic: What I like in a new
friend.
For this task, you are required to
be Popcorn. You are having a
text messaging conversation with
your new friends (the Wolves)
about what you like in a new
friend.
Remember, you are to use a
different font and/or colour for
all the words that are describing
a good friend (for example, nice,
kind, caring).
Task Card 6
Role:
Audience:
Format:
Topic:
For this task, you are to choose
your own role, audience, format
and topic. However, you must
show the teacher before you start
creating your text.
Remember, you are to use a
different font and/or colour for a
particular word group (for
example, all words that start with
the letter S or all describing
words or nouns).
Appendix 3 Exit Card

Exit Card RAFT Activity

Name: _____________________________________ Date: ____________________

Which RAFT task did you choose? (Please circle) 1 2 3 4 5 6

Why did you choose this task?

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________

Did you include literacy features? If so which literacy features did you include?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________