Differentiation of Instruction Kryza, K., Stephens, S., & Duncan, A. (2007). Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners. California: Corwin Press. “Equal

Differentiation of Instruction

Kryza, K., Stephens, S., & Duncan, A. (2007). Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners. California: Corwin Press.

“Equal treatment of unequals is the greatest injustice of all.”

Edmund Burke

Name Tag Glyph Activity

What does this cartoon tell us about school?

The Road to Student Success

Although the destination remains constant, the routes we take to reach that destination and the time it takes us to get there may vary.

Essential Question:

How does differentiation meet

the needs of all learners?

Activating Strategy:

Animal School

Equality vs. Equity

What is the difference?

Differentiation is based on which of these?

What is differentiation?

• “…To make unlike; to develop specialized differences.” Webster’s Dictionary

• “…A philosophy which enables teachers to plan strategically in order to reach abilities and needs of diverse learners in today’s classrooms.” Gayle Gregory

• “…Student’s differences may be an inconvenience, but adapting to diversity is the inevitable price for productivity, high standards, and fairness to the students.” Theodore Sizer

• “…Shaking up what goes on in the classroom so that the curriculum is a better fit for all.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

What is Differentiation Handout

(LFS Differentiation book)

Comparing Classrooms Activity

Comparing Classrooms

Traditional• Single option assignments

are the norm• Time is relatively inflexible• Whole-class instruction

dominates• A single definition of

excellence exists• Coverage of texts and

curriculum guides drives instruction

• Assessment is most common at the end of learning to see “who got it”

Differentiated• Multi-option assignments

are frequently used• Time is used flexibly based

on students and levels• Many instructional groups

are used• Excellence is defined both

by growth and quality• Student levels, readiness,

and interests drive instruction

• Assessment is on-going & diagnostic with multiple uses

(Carol Ann Tomlinson)

Traditional or Differentiated?

Seinfeld History

Differentiation of Instruction: Part I

Honor & Inspire LearnersWhile Building Community


How to Honor & Inspire Learners

•Gather data•Create an environment that

honors students


Gather data through…

• Academic scores• Learning preferences• Learning styles• Interest inventories


Resources for gathering data can be found at:http://troup612resources.troup.k12.ga.us/Instructional%20Strategies%20&%20Resources/Differentiation/Differentiation.htm

Use data to…

•Help students know themselves, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their processes of learningBaseball Clip

•Make decisions about classes and individual needsGerman Coast Guard (We need to know their language in order to keep them from sinking)


Distributed Summarizing:

Use the Distributed Summarizing handout to

answer the questions below.

What data do you use?

How do you use the data?

How could you use more data in your classroom?

Create an environment that honors students

through…• Physical settings

• Routines

• Emotional tone


Physical Setting

• Adjust lighting to suit learners• Provide music• Offer options in the use of

classroom space• Teach from different locations in

the classroom


Routines• Teach students how to enter and exit the

classroom• Teach students where and when to turn in

papers• Teach students how and when to ask for

help• Teach students where to go for

supplies/materials• Teach students what to do when they are

finished with their workKryza, K., Stephens, S., & Duncan, A. (2007). Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners. California: Corwin Press.

Emotional Tone

• Affirmation Posters – For example – “Fair is not everyone getting the same

thing, fair is everyone getting what they need to be successful”

– “This is a risk-taking, mistake-making classroom”

• Model Honor and Inspiration


Setting Emotional Tone

• Michael Jordan Clip

• Life = Risk

• Concert/Encouragement

• 212 degrees


On your distributed summarizing handout sheet answer the following question.

Which factor of the classroom environment

(physical setting, routines, or emotional tone) has the greatest impact? Why?

Building Community

The same factors that honor and inspire students can also build classroom community.


Building Community

• Interest• Choice• Readiness• Learning Styles

Use data to strategically group students by


Using Grouping to Build Community Handout


Building Community

• Create places for groups to work• Provide access to materials

conducive to group work– Chart paper– Markers– Box of project materials

Create an environment that nurtures community through physical setting


Building Community

• Practice transitioning into and out of groups• Establish core groups that are responsible

for helping each other• Appoint jobs for group members• Have “anchor” activities that students

automatically work on without teacher direction after completing regular class work

Create an environment that nurtures community by establishing group routines


Building Community

• Students determine and set classroom expectations

• Celebrate all learners by posting student work

• Students create bulletin boards• Facilitate team building activities

Create an environment that nurtures community by setting a positive emotional

tone


Resources for Building Community

• Promote “Random Acts of Kindness” in your classroom. Visit www.actsofkindness.org for activities and lessons for educators.

• Sharing literature, articles, etc. that speak to the message of accepting others. www.teachtolerance.org

• Build a “peace corner” in the room where students can go to work things out

Each student has a role to play in the community! (play clip)

http://www.actsofkindness.org/

http://www.teachtolerance.org/


On your distributed summarizing sheet answer the following question.

Why is building community important for

a differentiated classroom?

Differentiation of Instruction: Part II

Engaging & Meaningful Lessons

Through Differentiation

Ferris Bueller Clip

Students are more engaged and learning is more

meaningful when students’ needs are met.

Differentiation puts the focus on students’ individual needs.


5 Elements of differentiation to meet students’ needs

• Chunk – How students take in information• Chew – How students process information• Check – How students show what they know• Environment – Tone & routines • Information – What students learn


Differentiation techniques can occur whole group, small

group, or individually


There are many variations to differentiate using these

elements


Chunk

Chew

Check

Information

Whole group, small

group, or individually

Accordingto

Learning Profile

Student Interest

Readiness

“Lite-n-Lean” Activities for differentiation

• Discussion/Journaling

• Offering Student Choices

• Graphic Organizers• Vocabulary

Instruction

• Varying Text Levels

• Memory Techniques

• Learning Profile/Interest-BasedProjects


Discussions and Journaling


Chunk Chew Check Information

Accordingto

Learning Profile

Student Interest Readiness

Start with questions everyone can answer, then move to more challenging questions for students that need to think

more deeply.

X X

Is this the only way to differentiate discussions/journaling?

On your own, come up with three journal questions in your content area that are at three different readiness levels. When everyone is finished, share with your

table. Freelology Journal Topics – http://www.freeology.com/journal/index.php

Teachers.net 180 Journal Topics – http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1860.html

http://www.freeology.com/journal/index.php

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1860.html

Offering Student Choices on:


Accordingto

Learning Profile Student Interest

Readiness

•Homework (select ___ out of ___)

•Tests (selection of essay or short answer questions)

•Vocabulary (select ___ out of ___)

X

X

X


Graphic Organizers


Accordingto


Readiness


•Allow students to create their own organizers

•Provide categories for some while allowing others to create their own categories

•Allow students to create graphic organizers on the computer

X

X

X

Differentiated Graphic Organizers

A lesson was conducted on the art of origami. The sample below has three

versions of a graphic organizer on the topic.

Sample Origami Differentiated Graphic Organizers

Vocabulary Instruction



Accordingto


Readiness

Address different learning styles through activities such as bingo,

picture words, charades, matching cards, ball toss, learning stations,

etc.

X

X

Varying Text Levels



Accordingto


Readiness

It is essential that various text levels are used such as textbooks, short

essays, magazines, and informational articles related to

lessons.X X

Memory Techniques



Accordingto


Readiness

Brains learn and recall information in a variety of ways. Some memorization

techniques include: Copy Change (copy pattern but change content), Total Physical

Response (movement), Interactive Note TakingX X

Learning Profile/Interest-Based Projects



Accordingto


Readiness

Assess student interests prior to a unit and then group

students accordingly

X

X

X


On your distributed summarizing sheet answer the following questions.

Which “lite-n-lean” strategies have you used?

Which “lite-n-lean” strategies could you incorporate?

“Deep & Dynamic” Lessons for

Differentiation•Choice Menus•RAFT Plus•Tiered Lessons•Contracts•Learning Stations


In small groups, complete the Bloom’s Ball handouts for the assigned strategy.

When finished, glue or tape the sheets to make a

ball.

Choice Menus• Choice menus provide a graphic “menu”

of activities from which students choose• Learners feel more in control of their

learning environment• Learners are more engaged, accountable,

and responsible for their learning• Learners must be taught how to make

appropriate choices• Tic-Tac-Think menus are similar


RAFT PlusR – Role (can be animate or inanimate)

A – Audience (someone or something affected by the role)

F – Format (choices based on learning styles or multiple intelligences)

T – Task/Learning outcome

Students gain deeper understanding of content when they can view it from the perspective of

someone or something else.Kryza, K., Stephens, S., & Duncan, A. (2007). Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners. California: Corwin Press.

Tiered Lessons

The teacher develops levels of lessons based on the same

curriculum so that students may experience learning at their

appropriate ability level.


Contracts

•Teachers design individual or class contracts

•Contracts can be designed at different readiness levels

•Contracts can address behavior as well as academics


Learning Stations• Students rotate to different stations

to examine new concepts or skills• Stations can include products or

process• Stations can be differentiate by

readiness• Stations can differentiate by learning

styles or intelligences


Menu Strategy based on Learning Preferences

Based on this strategy, students primarily learn in one of four ways: Mastery, Understanding, Interpersonal, Self-Expressive. In this model, tasks are developed in each of the four styles.

Teachers can either require students to select one task or add more complexity by

requiring students to go out of their comfort zone and do more than one task. Also called

Task Rotation when students complete all four sections.

See handoutsThis strategy is based on the work of Silver & Strong (1995, 1998)

Cubing/Bloom’s Ball

• Both of these techniques are used for considering a subject from many points of view

• They may vary with tasks or questions that are at different levels of readiness of the group or learning styles/preferences (use different colors to represent different levels)

How can these differentiated tasks fit

into my Learning-Focused lessons?

See Handout

Select one of the following graphic organizers to

complete:• Flower• Sandwich• Ice Cream• Tree• Open Mind• Create your own

What type of differentiation did we do here?

Summarizing Strategy

R.A.F.T. Handout

Without differentiation, our students might just end up

like the people in this video. (Stuck on an Escalator)

These and other resources on differentiation can be found

at:

http://troup612resources.troup.k12.ga.us/Instructional%20Strategies%20&%20Resources/Differentiation/Differentiation.htm

Documents

Differentiation of Instruction Kryza, K., Stephens, S., & Duncan, A. (2007). Inspiring Middle and Secondary Learners. California: Corwin Press. “Equal