Achievement for AllAchievement for AllImplementing DifferentiationImplementing Differentiation

““When a teacher tries to teach something to When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, “chances the entire class at the same time, “chances are, one-third of the kids already know it; are, one-third of the kids already know it; one-third will get it; and the remaining third one-third will get it; and the remaining third won’t. So, two-thirds of the children are won’t. So, two-thirds of the children are wasting their time.”wasting their time.”Lilian KatzASCD Wilis, S., “Teaching Young Children: Educators Seek Developmental Appropriateness.”

What is What is DifferentiatedDifferentiated Instruction? Instruction?

Differentiation is consistently using a Differentiation is consistently using a variety of instruction approaches to variety of instruction approaches to modify content, process, and/or products modify content, process, and/or products in response to learner readiness and in response to learner readiness and interest of academically diverse students.interest of academically diverse students.

• The “Individualized Instruction” of the 1970’s

• Just another way to provide homogeneous grouping

• Chaotic

• Just “tailoring the same suit of clothing”

• One traditional assessment for all students

Differentiation is NOT...

What are the most important What are the most important concepts, ideas, and skills for my concepts, ideas, and skills for my students to learn?students to learn?

How and when do I differentiate How and when do I differentiate instruction so that I can meet my instruction so that I can meet my students’ individual learning needs students’ individual learning needs and promote growth?and promote growth?

Deciding What to DifferentiateDeciding What to Differentiate

Differentiation should Differentiation should respond to learner needs respond to learner needs

through….through…. Content – what a student learnsContent – what a student learns Process – opportunities through which Process – opportunities through which

the students process, or make sense the students process, or make sense of, understandings and skills; andof, understandings and skills; and

Products – how students demonstrate Products – how students demonstrate and extend what they have learnedand extend what they have learned

ContentContent Does the level and pace of the Does the level and pace of the

content match the student’s ability content match the student’s ability and interest?and interest?

Does he or she fall behind in any Does he or she fall behind in any area?area?

Does he or she finish assignments Does he or she finish assignments quickly and well?quickly and well?

ProcessProcess Does the student learn more by Does the student learn more by

doing (through experiments, doing (through experiments, building, constructing, designing, building, constructing, designing, etc.), or by listening to etc.), or by listening to information? information?

Does the student show his or her Does the student show his or her greatest gifts in creative processes greatest gifts in creative processes such as open-ended assignments?such as open-ended assignments?

ProductProduct Does the student have a hard time Does the student have a hard time

relating to the materials, the relating to the materials, the products needed to express what products needed to express what he or she knows?he or she knows?

Principles of DifferentiationPrinciples of Differentiation

Based on diagnosis of student Based on diagnosis of student readiness, interests, and learning readiness, interests, and learning profileprofile

Students doing engaging and Students doing engaging and challenging workchallenging work

Continual progression for every learnerContinual progression for every learner Flexible use of time and spaceFlexible use of time and space Use of a variety of instructional Use of a variety of instructional

strategiesstrategies Adaptation of materials and resourcesAdaptation of materials and resources

Instructional and Management Instructional and Management Strategies for a Differentiated Strategies for a Differentiated

ClassroomClassroom

Curriculum CompactingCurriculum Compacting Independent ProjectsIndependent Projects Interest Centers or Learning Interest Centers or Learning

CentersCenters Tiered Assignments/ScaffoldingTiered Assignments/Scaffolding Flexible Skills GroupingFlexible Skills Grouping Learning ContractsLearning Contracts

Curriculum CompactingCurriculum Compacting Assessing what the student knows Assessing what the student knows

about the material to be studied and about the material to be studied and what the student still needs to masterwhat the student still needs to master

Plans for learning what is not known Plans for learning what is not known and excusing the students from what is and excusing the students from what is knownknown

Plans for freed-up time to be spent in Plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated studyenriched or accelerated study

In discovery learning and inquiry based In discovery learning and inquiry based instruction, curriculum compacting may instruction, curriculum compacting may not be appropriatenot be appropriate

Independent StudyIndependent Study Process through which student(s) and Process through which student(s) and

teacher identify problems or topics of interest teacher identify problems or topics of interest to the studentto the student

Student(s) and teacher plan a method of Student(s) and teacher plan a method of investigating the problem or topic and investigating the problem or topic and identifying the type of product the student identifying the type of product the student will developwill develop

The product should demonstrate the The product should demonstrate the students’ ability to apply skills and students’ ability to apply skills and knowledge to the problem or topicknowledge to the problem or topic

Discourse and collaboration should be Discourse and collaboration should be embedded in the studyembedded in the study

Learning CentersLearning Centers Can be “stations” or collections of Can be “stations” or collections of

materials learners can use to explore materials learners can use to explore topics or practice skillstopics or practice skills

Can be to provide study in greater Can be to provide study in greater breadth and depth on interesting and breadth and depth on interesting and important topics important topics

Can have learning-center tasks that Can have learning-center tasks that require transformation and applicationrequire transformation and application

Should provide a balance between Should provide a balance between student and teacher choice about student and teacher choice about centers to be completedcenters to be completed

Tiered Tiered Assignments/ScaffoldingAssignments/Scaffolding

Prescribing particular assignments based Prescribing particular assignments based on particular needs of groups of studentson particular needs of groups of students

Can be tiered by challenge level (starting Can be tiered by challenge level (starting with application based on Bloom’s with application based on Bloom’s taxonomy), complexity, resources, taxonomy), complexity, resources, outcome, process or productoutcome, process or product

Tiering means creating different work, Tiering means creating different work, not simply more or less work and not simply more or less work and assignments should be equally active, assignments should be equally active, interesting, and engaginginteresting, and engaging

Flexible Skills GroupingFlexible Skills Grouping Students are matched to skills work by Students are matched to skills work by

virtue of readiness, not with the virtue of readiness, not with the assumption that all need the same task, assumption that all need the same task, drill, writing assignment, etc.drill, writing assignment, etc.

Movement among groups is common, Movement among groups is common, based on the readiness on a given skill based on the readiness on a given skill and growth in that skilland growth in that skill

Students are exempted from basic skills Students are exempted from basic skills work in areas where they demonstrate a work in areas where they demonstrate a high level of performancehigh level of performance

Learning ContractsLearning Contracts An agreement between student and teacherAn agreement between student and teacher Teacher grants certain freedoms and choices Teacher grants certain freedoms and choices

about how a student will complete tasksabout how a student will complete tasks The student agrees to use the freedoms The student agrees to use the freedoms

appropriately in designing and completing appropriately in designing and completing work according to specificationswork according to specifications

Contracts should focus on themes, concepts, Contracts should focus on themes, concepts, or problems and integrate skills into the or problems and integrate skills into the required product or projectrequired product or project

Should be in writing and have clear and Should be in writing and have clear and rigorous standards for successrigorous standards for success

To the crazy ones. Adapted f rom an Apple Computer ad in

The New York Times, Monday, September 29, 1997 Here’s to the crazy ones. The mifi ts. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things diff erently. They’re not f ond of rules. And they have no respect f or the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorif y them or vilif y them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race f orward. Maybe they have to be crazy. How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels? And it’s the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, who actually do. Think diff erent.

ResourcesResources Bertie Kingore, Differentiation: Simplified, Bertie Kingore, Differentiation: Simplified,

Realistic and EffectiveRealistic and Effective Susan Winebrenner, Teaching Gifted Kids in the Susan Winebrenner, Teaching Gifted Kids in the

Regular ClassroomRegular Classroom Differentiated Instruction, Joan Franklin SmutnyDifferentiated Instruction, Joan Franklin Smutny Carol Tomlinson, ASCD Association for Carol Tomlinson, ASCD Association for

Supervisrino and Curriculum DevelopmentSupervisrino and Curriculum Development Dr. Denise Pupillo, Parkway School District Dr. Denise Pupillo, Parkway School District

Gifted CoordinatorGifted Coordinator