Differentiation

Logos International SchoolOctober 2012Pam Sephton

Differentiation

Most classes in the world fall into a normal distribution curve of ability

How about your class? What would the curve look like?

Lower Ability (LA)

Middle Ability (MA)

High Ability (HA)

Differentiation

So how can we teach them all ensuring that they learn and make progress?

One way is through differentiation… so what is it?

Write down what you think it means?Talk to the person next to you and share your ideas…Share any ideas with us all…

Differentiation

Differentiation is an approach to teaching that attempts to ensure that all students learn well despite their many differences.

We can differentiate in 2 main ways through:

1. The process

2. The content

Differentiation

Process

Teaching method and

style

Activities / choice

Pacing

Language

Thinking process

Support

Resources

Questions

Differentiation

Content

Ideas

Concepts

Information + Facts

Organization of information

Skills

Differentiation

Let’s focus on the process…

Step 1: know your class think of the 3 main groupswho is in which group

These will be different for different curriculum areas e.g. English and Mathematics etc. These groupings can be used to create other groupings which include gender, friendship, or a mix depending on the activity.

Differentiation

Let’s focus on the process…

Step 2: be clear about the objective for the lesson

What do you want the children to have learned by the end of the lesson?

What do they need to do to succeed – success criteria

The objective may be the same but the activity and outcome may be different for different groups – remember to extend and challenge the HA chn

Differentiation

Let’s focus on the process…

Step 3: decide what each group needs and make a plan

How will you differentiate the whole class teacher input? (questioning, expectation, compacting, support, paired talk)

How will you differentiate the groups activities? (outcome, support, change content, collaboration, other strategies)

Remember the TA’s role – make it clear

Look at the various grouping strategies: cascade, envoy, goldfish, carousel, snowball, jigsaw, pair swapping

DifferentiationLet’s focus on the process…

Step 4: Assess how the groups did by looking at their work talking to the TA talking to the children – ask them if they think they have

achieved the objective Give them a specific task to complete that will show

their learning –see differentiating the plenary

It is important for children to learn to evaluate their own learning and to be willing to evaluate others too (peer assessment and marking / feedback)

Differentiation

Let’s focus on the process…

Step 5: Evaluate the lesson Make notes on your plan about how each group did

and what they need to do next Make notes about what worked well and what didn’t Consider tasks for consolidation or extension for

homework

This information will inform future planning as it gives information about children’s prior learning and areas for development or next steps

Differentiation

What have you learned today? (tell the person next to

you)

Write 2 things that you can put into practice

straightaway

Write questions on a post-it note

Same same but different and equal

Check out the booklet