Differentiating Instruction

by

Process

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Definitions of Differentiating Instruction by Process

• How students think about or make sense of ideas and information

• The “how” of teaching

• How students engage in learning

• Often a synonym for “activities”

Differentiating Instruction by Process

You can use process to differentiate instruction by

adding greater complexity or abstractness to tasks, by

engaging students in critical and creative thinking, or by

increasing the variety of ways in which you ask them to learn.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Process can be differentiated by:• Readiness:

a student’s entry point relative to a particular understanding or skill

• Interest:a student’s affinity, curiosity, or passion for a particular topic or skill

• Learning Profile:a student’s ability to learn and may be shaped by intelligence preferences, gender, culture, or learning styles

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies for Differentiating Process

Readiness• Use tiered activities

(activities at different levels of difficulty, but focused on the same key learning goals).

• Make task directions more detailed and specific for some learners and more open or “fuzzy” for others.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies forDifferentiating Process

Readiness• Provide resource materials at

varied levels of readability and sophistication.

• Provide teacher-led mini-workshops on varied skills at varied levels of complexity to support student work.

• Use both like-readiness and mixed-readiness work groups.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies for Differentiating Process

Readiness

• Use a variety of criteria for success, based on whole-class requirements as well as individual student readiness needs.

• Provide readiness-based homework assignments

• Vary the pacing of student work

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies for Differentiating Process

Interest• Use interest-based work groups and

discussion groups.• Use both like-interest and mixed-

interest work groups.• Use the Jigsaw cooperative strategy

to allow students to specialize in aspects of a topic that they find interesting.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies for Differentiating Process

Interest

• Design tasks that require multiple interests for successful completion.

• Encourage students to design or participate in the design of some tasks.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Strategies for Differentiating Process

Learning Profile

• Allow multiple options for how students express learning.

• Encourage students to work together or independently.

• Balance competitive, collegial, and independent work arrangements.

• Develop activities that seek multiple perspectives on topics and issues.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

Using these strategies, the students will come to understand and “own” the

knowledge, understanding, and skills essential to achieve success in any content area.

Differentiating Instruction by Process

ReflectionExit Slip

1. Name one strategy we have discussed that you are currently using in your classroom.

2. Name one strategy we have discussed that you intend to implement in your classroom.

3. In your opinion, what was the most important part of this session?