Differentiated Differentiated InstructionInstruction

One size does not fit allOne size does not fit all

Let’s Differentiate!Let’s Differentiate!

In your groups, think of a way to In your groups, think of a way to present the nursery rhyme “Mary present the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”Had a Little Lamb.”

How many different ways did we How many different ways did we come up with?come up with?

How many different How many different ways can you get to ways can you get to Florida?Florida? Car (personal, rented, taxi, hitchhiking)Car (personal, rented, taxi, hitchhiking) TrainTrain BoatBoat PlanePlane Bicycle Bicycle On Foot (you’ll get there eventually)On Foot (you’ll get there eventually)

The same method may not work for The same method may not work for everyone. Our individual needs and everyone. Our individual needs and resources help us choose the best resources help us choose the best method for us.method for us.

Children are Children are individuals, tooindividuals, too Knowing your students is key!Knowing your students is key! Varying factors includeVarying factors include

– Student’s learning paceStudent’s learning pace– Background knowledgeBackground knowledge– Student interestsStudent interests

How do we figure out that information?How do we figure out that information?– ObservationsObservations– PALS, PPVT, other assessmentsPALS, PPVT, other assessments– Parents and familiesParents and families– Knowledge of child developmentKnowledge of child development– Home VisitsHome Visits

What is What is differentiation?differentiation? Not so much WHAT you teach, but Not so much WHAT you teach, but

HOW you teach.HOW you teach. Learning experiences are tailored Learning experiences are tailored

to the needs and preferences of to the needs and preferences of the childthe child

Every child does not have to do the Every child does not have to do the same thing same thing

What is your definition of What is your definition of differentiation?differentiation?

Differentiation

Create your own concept Create your own concept webweb

Differentiated Differentiated Instruction Suggests…Instruction Suggests…

Teachers can challenge all learnersTeachers can challenge all learners– By providing materials and tasks on By providing materials and tasks on

the standard at varied levels of the standard at varied levels of difficultydifficulty

– With varying degrees of scaffoldingWith varying degrees of scaffolding– Through multiple instructional groupsThrough multiple instructional groups

What is a scaffold used for?What is a scaffold used for?

What’s the difference?What’s the difference?

Differentiated Instruction

Scaffolding

Same Objective

Recognizes diverse learners

Can occur simultaneously

Change Material

Change Activity

Change student product

Bridge building on what they know

Adding to instruction to assist the learner

Support withdrawn as students gains proficiency

How can I How can I differentiate?differentiate?Three main ways to differentiate:Three main ways to differentiate: Differentiating the ContentDifferentiating the Content

– Knowledge and skills students are to Knowledge and skills students are to gaingain

Differentiating the ProcessDifferentiating the Process– They way students practice what they They way students practice what they

are learningare learning Differentiating the ProductDifferentiating the Product

– Outcome of the lessonOutcome of the lesson

Nine types of Curriculum Adaptations

QuantityQuantityAdapt number of items Adapt number of items the learner is expected the learner is expected to learn or completeto learn or complete

TimeTimeAdapt the time alloted Adapt the time alloted and allowed for learning, and allowed for learning, task completion, or task completion, or testingtesting

Level of SupportLevel of SupportIncrease the amount of Increase the amount of personal assistance to keep personal assistance to keep the student on task or to the student on task or to reinforce or prompt use of reinforce or prompt use of specific skills. Enhance specific skills. Enhance adult-student relationships; adult-student relationships; use physical space and use physical space and environmental structureenvironmental structure

InputInputAdapt the way Adapt the way instruction is delivered instruction is delivered to the learnerto the learner

DifficultyDifficultyAdapt the skill level, Adapt the skill level, problem type, or rules problem type, or rules on how the learner on how the learner approaches the workapproaches the work

OutputOutputAdapt how the student Adapt how the student can respond to can respond to instructioninstruction

ParticipationParticipationAdapt the extent to Adapt the extent to which a learner is which a learner is actively involved. i.e. actively involved. i.e. One student may have a One student may have a copy of the book and be copy of the book and be expected to follow along expected to follow along during story timeduring story time

Alternate GoalsAlternate GoalsAdapt the goals or outcome Adapt the goals or outcome expectations while using expectations while using the same materials. When the same materials. When routinely utilized, this is routinely utilized, this is only for students with only for students with moderate to severe moderate to severe disabilities. i.e. A non-disabilities. i.e. A non-verbal student learning verbal student learning colors may point as the colors may point as the teacher names a color. teacher names a color. (Verbal students would (Verbal students would name the color)name the color)

Substitute CurriculumSubstitute CurriculumProvide different instruction Provide different instruction and materials to meet a and materials to meet a learner’s individual goals. learner’s individual goals. When routinely utilized, this When routinely utilized, this is only for students with is only for students with moderate to severe moderate to severe disabiilities. i.e. During disabiilities. i.e. During centers a student is centers a student is learning toileting skills with learning toileting skills with an adult.an adult.

Specific ways to Specific ways to differentiatedifferentiate Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction CompactingCompacting Centers/Interest GroupsCenters/Interest Groups Flexible GroupingFlexible Grouping Learning ContractsLearning Contracts Choice BoardsChoice Boards

Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction

Create tiers based on students’ Create tiers based on students’ readiness, interests, and learning readiness, interests, and learning profileprofile

Plan various activities based on Plan various activities based on needs of students in the tierneeds of students in the tier

Essential skills at varying levels of Essential skills at varying levels of complexity and abstractnesscomplexity and abstractness

Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction

Groups are flexibleGroups are flexible No definite number of tiersNo definite number of tiers Complexity is relativeComplexity is relative High-level thinking in each tierHigh-level thinking in each tier Support all students in all tiersSupport all students in all tiers

Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction

What to adjustWhat to adjust– ComplexityComplexity– StructureStructure– MaterialsMaterials– TimeTime– Number of stepsNumber of steps– Student productStudent product– Level of supportLevel of support

Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction

ExampleExampleAll: discuss plant life cycle plant seeds All: discuss plant life cycle plant seeds

and observe growing processand observe growing processTier 1: discuss what plants look like, Tier 1: discuss what plants look like,

where plants are seen, why plants are where plants are seen, why plants are important, draw pictures of plantsimportant, draw pictures of plants

Tier 2: name different types of plants, Tier 2: name different types of plants, discuss what plants need to livediscuss what plants need to live

Tier 3: label parts of plants, compare Tier 3: label parts of plants, compare plants and animalsplants and animals

How can we tier a pattern activity?How can we tier a pattern activity?

CompactingCompacting

Adjusting instruction based on Adjusting instruction based on prior students’ masteryprior students’ mastery

Three stepsThree steps1.1. Pre-assessPre-assess

2.2. Plan accordinglyPlan accordingly

3.3. Plan for accelerationPlan for acceleration

CompactingCompacting

ExampleExample In the PALS assessment, Joseph In the PALS assessment, Joseph

already showed evidence of already showed evidence of beginning sound awareness. beginning sound awareness. Instead of more beginning sound Instead of more beginning sound instruction, his time can be spent instruction, his time can be spent practicing name writing which he practicing name writing which he did not show proficiency on.did not show proficiency on.

Centers/Interest Centers/Interest GroupsGroups Learning experiences directed Learning experiences directed

towards specific intereststowards specific interests Allowing children to choose their Allowing children to choose their

center can be motivatingcenter can be motivating Intentionally planned based on Intentionally planned based on

datadata

Centers/ Interest Centers/ Interest GroupsGroups

Example: Some students may work Example: Some students may work in dramatic play for extra support in dramatic play for extra support in interactions or social/emotional in interactions or social/emotional developmentdevelopment

Can use interest/unit themes Can use interest/unit themes such as a favorite character or such as a favorite character or animalanimal

Flexible GroupingFlexible Grouping

Groups that constantly change based Groups that constantly change based on the activity, interests, readiness, on the activity, interests, readiness, or levelor level

Can be purposefully or randomly Can be purposefully or randomly assignedassigned

Allows students to work with a wide Allows students to work with a wide variety of peers and avoid the stigma variety of peers and avoid the stigma that comes with labeling “struggling” that comes with labeling “struggling” groupsgroups

Flexible GroupingFlexible Grouping

Example:Example:

Student are assigned to a group Student are assigned to a group based on readiness for letter based on readiness for letter recognition but based on interests recognition but based on interests for an animal activity.for an animal activity.

Learning ContractLearning Contract

Teacher and student together Teacher and student together decide on a task for student to decide on a task for student to completecomplete

BenefitsBenefits1.1. Student works at own paceStudent works at own pace2.2. Can target learning stylesCan target learning styles3.3. Student uses planning skillsStudent uses planning skills4.4. Eliminates unnecessary skill practiceEliminates unnecessary skill practice

Think-Pair-Share: How can we Think-Pair-Share: How can we adapt this strategy to pre-k?adapt this strategy to pre-k?

Learning ContractsLearning Contracts

ExampleExample

Justin and Mrs. Gray decide that Justin and Mrs. Gray decide that he is going to work on an ABC he is going to work on an ABC book. Mrs. Gray provides support book. Mrs. Gray provides support and guidance but allows him to and guidance but allows him to work at his own pace. When he is work at his own pace. When he is finished, he shares it with the rest finished, he shares it with the rest of his class.of his class.

Choice BoardsChoice Boards

Organizers with a Organizers with a variety of variety of activities that activities that students can students can choosechoose

Can be set up so Can be set up so students have to students have to choose certain choose certain types of activities types of activities or skillsor skills

Choice BoardsChoice Boards

ExampleExample

After reading After reading The Three Little The Three Little PigsPigs, each student chooses two , each student chooses two activities from a list of visual, activities from a list of visual, kinesthetic, auditory, or tactile kinesthetic, auditory, or tactile activities. Each student will do activities. Each student will do activities in two different learning activities in two different learning styles.styles.

Differentiated Differentiated InstructionInstruction

““What we call differentiation is not What we call differentiation is not a recipe for teaching. It is not an a recipe for teaching. It is not an instructional strategy. It is not instructional strategy. It is not what a teacher does when he or what a teacher does when he or she has time. It is a way of she has time. It is a way of thinking about teaching and thinking about teaching and learning. It is a philosophy.”learning. It is a philosophy.”

-Carol Ann Tomlinson-Carol Ann Tomlinson