DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONBy Stacey O’Connell

Reaching Students: One Child at a Time

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: WHAT IS IT?

Implementing a variety of instructional methods within the classroom in order for students to learn effectively

Students are provided with diverse opportunities to acquire content in order to process, construct, and/or making sense of ideas

Each student is able to succeed regardless of differences in ability

STEPS TO PLANNING DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Step 1: Know Your Students

Step 2: Have a Repertoire of Teaching Strategies

Step 3: Identify a Variety of Instructional Activities

Step 4: Identify Ways to Assess or Evaluate Student Progress

STEP 1: KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

Identify the Students’ Ability Level Survey Past Records for Prior Learning or Past

Learning Experiences (Special Needs, Gifted, etc.)

Survey Student Interests Interest Inventory (Google Docs, Survey Monkey, etc.) Interview or Conference Answering Open-Ended Questionnaire

Behavior Management Problems Is it an Issue?

STEP 2: HAVE A REPERTOIRE OF TEACHING STRATEGIES

Direct Instruction Teacher-centered Instruction Structured for Covering Large

Quantity of Material Based on Mastery Learning

Inquiry-Based Learning Develops Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills Student-centered Conduct Investigations for Discovery

STEP 2: HAVE A REPERTOIRE OF TEACHING STRATEGIES CONT’D.

Cooperative Learning Heterogeneously Grouping Small Teams of Students Assigning Tasks for Students to Accomplish

Jigsaw Group Investigation

Information Processing Strategies Teaching Students “how to” Process

Information Organize, Store, Retrieve, and Apply

Graphic Organizing, KWL Chart, Webbing, Scaffolding, or Memorization

STEP 3: IDENTIFY A VARIETY OF INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES

Using Activities that Motivate and Challenge Students

Suiting Activities to Needs of Students Mixed Ability Levels Interests Backgrounds

Develop and Apply Knowledge that Makes Sense Examples:

Tic-Tac-Toe Activities Learning Contracts Tiered Activities

STEP 4: IDENTIFY WAYS TO ASSESS OR EVALUATE STUDENT PROGRESS

Authentic Assessment to Measure Student Progress Fairly Relating Content to Real-World Experiences

Using a Variety of Assessment Techniques Portfolios Performance-based Knowledge Mapping Rubrics

RESOURCES Baxter, J. (Photographer). (2007). Graphic organizers for math.

[Web]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/judybaxter/1472413809/

Dave, Initials. (Photographer). (2009). Tic-tac-$oug$. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/eapoe/ 3360752525/

Differentiated instruction. (2010). Wikipedia. Retrieved September 30, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differentiated_instruction

How to differentiate instruction. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/differentiate/ print.htm

Kellum, S. (Photographer). (2009). Portfolio mailer. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/devoinregress/3505849421/

Lopez, K. (Photographer). (2008). To be taught. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/katrinasagemuller/

3751402009/ Suderman, C. (Photographer). (2006). Kids in the classroom. [Web].

Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissuderman/248876814/