National Conference on Differentiated InstructionJuly 15, 2013 - July 18, 2013

DF32 Advanced Differentiation: Adding Complexity & Rigor (Gr. 1–8)

Richard Cash, Ed.D.

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D900‐DF32‐WUP‐052386.pdf 

Content

• Know• Understand• Be Able to Do

Process

• Learning Activities

Product

• Show what you learned

FormativeAssessment

FormativeAssessment

Interest ReadinessLearning Profile

All Rights Reserved RCash, Ed.D.

Amount of intellectual

energy required

Amount of text available

Level of thinking skill

used

Remember

Create

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Differentiation Strategies for the 21st Century

R. Cash, © 2012 All Rights Reserved www.nrichconsulting.com

Curriculum, teaching and learning happens in three ways (knowing, understanding and being able to do). We can use readiness, interest and learning profiles to differentiate what we want students to know, understand and be able to do. Know: Factual information that grounds the discipline, which is learned through repetition.

Objective Example: Students will list major innovators in the field of science.

The “who, what, when, where” questions.

Example: Who invented the light bulb? Readiness

• Less/more repetition (oral, or written) • Use Mnemonics to remember facts, vocabulary, terms (My Very Excellent Mother

Just Served Us Nachos=the 8 planets) • Use incomplete lists and have students fill in missing information as a form of

repetition • Students keep a log/journal to log factual information (My Fact Log) • Students create a Wiki, blog or website page that lists the factual knowledge needed

for the study. This portal can be accessed by students when needed • Highlighted text • More sophisticated text • Your idea:

Interests

• Link facts to area of interest through text or explanation • Link facts to prior knowledge • Your idea:

Learning Profile

• Make a song, poem, story, poster, audio-file, iMovie, ppt, etc. that lists the facts for easy access

• Work as a team to create a game that uses the facts (such as a Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit)

• On your own, create a 3-D object (such as dice) that has the fact on it and another with the definition

• Create a ranked order listed (from most important to least important) of the facts • Alphabetize the facts • Use different modes (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) to repeat the facts • Your idea:

Differentiation Strategies for the 21st Century

R. Cash, © 2012 All Rights Reserved www.nrichconsulting.com

Be Able To Do: Strategies and skills used in the discipline, including thinking strategies/skills, communication and collaboration, which is learned through practice.

Objective Example: Students will be able to write a cohesive paragraph.

The “how” questions.

Example: HOW do you write a well-constructed paragraph?

Readiness • Use more/less practice • Use guided or independent practice • Greater levels of modeling (visual) • Different types of explanation (auditory) • Use graphic organizers (visual) • Students share how they do the practice with others • Partner practice • Simple to complex practice • Your idea:

Interests

• Link strategy or skill to that used in interest area • Clearly define the meaningfulness of the strategy/skill to the immediate use/need

(relevance) • Your idea:

Learning Profile • Practice the strategy/skill with a partner • Practice the strategy alone • Create an analogy of the strategy/skill to music or athletics • Set up step-by-step directions (either written or graphic) for the student to follow • Allow the student to come up with a new way to do the strategy/skill that results in

success • Have students define when the strategy/skill is best/most efficiently applied • Your idea:

Differentiation Strategies for the 21st Century

R. Cash, © 2012 All Rights Reserved www.nrichconsulting.com

Understand: Concepts, generalizations, principles and theories (the big and enduring ideas) of the discipline which is learned through experience.

Objective Example: Students will understand math as a problem solving tool.

The “why” questions:

Example: Why is math a useful tool in solving problems? Readiness

• Simple to complex experiences that demonstrate how the factual and procedural knowledge are infused

• Multiple experiences/ more sophisticated experiences (authentic) • Field trips, mentors, role-models to enhance the experience • Your idea:

Interests

• Link the experience to interests • Use the interest to demonstrate the experience (ex: when working with the concept

of statistic/probability use baseball cards to show students how it is used in the game to promote or deter success)

• Have students develop an experience using their area of interest • Get students interested in the concept/theory/models through showing real-world

examples or career-based examples • Your idea:

Learning Profile

• Have students produce using their preferred style (writing about it, designing a cause/effect chain, draw a picture, role play, create a piece of music that represents the concept, interview people in the discipline, work alone, work in a group…)

• Your idea:

General Strategies to Differentiate ENVIRONMENT

Where & when students learn

Created by: R. Cash, (2009)

Differentiating the learning environment means to allow students options for engaging in the knowledge, skills and concepts in the topic of study.

1) Have multiple resources at varied reading levels available for students to explore on your topics including bookmarked websites, various media sources (pod-casts, videos, newspapers, magazines). 2) Use computer programs and websites as forms of enrichment, extension and remediation. 3) Use interest centers as ways to engage learners through exploration of new topics; or allow students to share their interests/passions with other students through their development of an interest center. 4) Use learning contracts as a way to allow students to explore topics at their own pace or in greater detail. 5) Compact units so students can buy time to do studies in areas of interest or go more deeply into a topic. 6) Tier activities and assignments so students are working at a level that encourages growth. 7) Design lessons or activities based on multiple learning profiles and allow students to work both within and outside their preferred learning style. 8) Focus instruction on 21st Century Skills such as creative thinking, critical reasoning, problem solving, higher order thinking skills (HOTS) and meta-cognition. 9) Use standing flexible groups as a way to allow students to learn from each other. 10) Develop rubrics that provide for negotiation. 11) Have students keep records through “growth profiles.” 12) Include students in the design/negotiate/articulate of classroom procedures. 13) Prepare students and parents for a differentiate classroom by completely informing them as to what they can expect, how assignments will be different and how learning is the learner’s responsibility. 14) Create a “Success Team” made up of family, friends, relations, clergy, business associates, teachers and peers who

are focused on the boy’s success. The “Team” acts as a support system, which can assist with interventions when/if failure/underachievement becomes an issue.

15) Incorporate successful, well-adjusted role models who can mentor students along in school and life. 16) Physical activities, games and competitions develop resiliency and allow students chances to bond with others.

Students who are involved in organized sports are more likely to be healthy, well adjusted, and resistant to adversity and delinquent activities (such as gangs, graffiti, and other unlawful behavior).

17) Use and celebrate “rite of passage” as a way to motivate and build self-esteem. These “rites” could be anything from getting a driver’s license to graduation from high school and beyond.

18) Use “brain breaks,” such as a Nerf ball or other “fidgets.” Students should use them while at school or when doing a task that requires long periods of attention.

19) Provide students with experiential (authentic) and kinesthetic (doing) outings. These outings should be with specific groups to build social interaction/self-esteem/affiliation & a sense of belonging.

20) Reduce the amount of verbal instructions, or repeat the verbal directions several times, and then have the students repeat the directions back to you. Another idea is to give students a list of directions along with the verbal instructions.

21) Increase students’ sense of attachment through allowing them to personalize their own space. 22) Assist parents in becoming a “Homework Coach.” Since homework for some students can be tedious and laborious,

show parents how they can spend this time with their child keeping them focused and supported throughout the work. 23) Use literature as a way of shaping identity and form social groups. 24) Focus curriculum and instruction on the self. Adolescence is a period of ego-centric development. Focusing the

content on how the adolescent fits within the subject will engage them more and encourage them to participate more completely.

25) Provide for “safe” risk-taking. The competitive nature of some students may stunt their intellectual risk-taking. Ensure that the community of scholars is free of intimidation and is supportive when mistakes happen.

26) Allow for choices. When adolescents don’t have power over or within a situation, they will rebel and are less likely to participate in the learning activities. 27) Create a learning environment that is focused on the learner.

General Strategies to Differentiate CONTENT

What we teach and want students to learn

Collected by: R. Cash, (2009)

Differentiating content means to adapt and or modify the knowledge, skills and concepts so that every student finds success in the topic of

study. • Concept-based instruction: Learning through concepts and principles that undergird the topic. • Acceleration: Moving the student into content that is at least one grade level above. • Curriculum compacting: Based on proficiency measures, minimizing the time students spend in a topic of study. • Different levels of text and supplemental resource materials: A range of materials and resources appropriate to the range of students’ needs. • Multi-leveled computer programs or on-line learning options: Can be used for acceleration, enrichment/enhancement or remediation. • Flexible pacing: Allowing students the time necessary to become proficient in the content (some more, some less). • Flexible grouping: Grouping and re-grouping students based on academic need within the content. • Pre-testing: Finding out what students know and don’t know within the topic of study and then modifying the delivery of content. • Learning contracts: Agreements negotiated between teacher and individual students to access content in different ways and through different manners. • Mini-lessons: Short lessons to introduce new content, usually as a general overview or “big picture” take on the topic. • Varied support systems such as:

o Technology to “read” text, o Graphic organizers o Highlighted print materials o Lists of key ideas, terms, facts o Mentors or peer learners o Guides for note-taking

General Strategies to Differentiate PROCESS

How students make sense of the content

Collected by: R. Cash (2009)

Differentiating process means to provide multiple or varied options for students to learn and make sense of the knowledge, skills and concepts

in the topic of study. • Varied learning preferences: Instructional strategies and activities that address the different ways students take in information (i.e. Sternberg’s Successful Intelligence, Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic, Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences) • Tiered activities: Parallel activities varied based on interest, readiness or learning style. • Learning/Interest centers: Stations or areas in the classroom where students can work semi-independently on a topic of interest or need. Can be considered “Anchor Activities.” • Student goal setting: Students set, implement, monitor and evaluate learning goals during a topic of study. • Independent study: Based on student interest or desire, students engages in a study that may be outside of, in addition to, or a substitution for the regular content. • Adjusted degrees of sophistication: Students engage in activities that vary the degree of thinking skills, creativity, problem solving or critical reasoning. • Flexible grouping: Grouping and re-grouping students based on interest or learning style. • Learning contracts: Agreements negotiated between teacher and individual students to access content in different ways and through different manners. • Assortment of learning groups such as:

o Literature Circles o Role playing o Cooperative controversy (students argue both sides of an issue) o Jigsaw o Think-pair-share

• Varied sense making graphic organizers such as: o Journals/ learning logs o Guides for note-taking o Plus, minus, interesting

General Strategies to Differentiate PRODUCT

How students display their learning

Adapted from: C.A. Tomlinson (2001) By: R. Cash, (2009)

Differentiating product means to allow students options to rethink, use,

and extend the knowledge, skills and concepts in the topic of study.

Keep in mind! High Quality Product Assignments should:

1) Cause students to think about, apply and expand on the knowledge, skills and concepts

2) Be designed to meet curriculum expectations, encourage unique ways of expressing learning, or display the student’s talents

3) Be assessed based on universally agreed upon measures and expectations 4) Have built-in supports and scaffolds to assist students to success

• Design a web page • Develop an authentic solution for a community problem • Create a public service announcement • Write a book • Take a test/quiz • Write an editorial • Produce a play • Make a posters • Present a mock trial • Do a demonstration • Design & teach a class • Give a speech • Interview & report • Develop a collection • Offer a multimedia presentation • Plan an expedition • Design, conduct and report on an experiment • Write a song or poem • Create a subject dictionary • Create a political cartoon • Present a news report • Choreograph a dance • Compile & annotate a set of Internet resources • Create a simulation • Write a musical • Develop a museum exhibit • Write a newspaper story

• Present a photo essay • Hold a press conference • Conduct a debate • Make a video documentary • Develop an advertising campaign • Present an iPod download • Create a brochure • Draw blueprints • Do a puppet show • Present an interior monologue • Generate charts or diagrams to explain ideas • Create a character diary • Draw a map • Do a book report • Make a model • Interpret through another form of representation • Organize ideas into a graphic web • Make a “sales pitch” • Recreate characters or period of time • Build a planetarium • Hold a symposium • Conduct a training session • Write a biography • Develop & use a questionnaire • Write a research report • Create a (new) game • Make a diorama

LIST OF RELATED CITIATIONS

ADVANCED DIFFERENTIATION: Adding Complexity & Rigor DR. RICHARD M. CASH

Ben-Hur, M. (2006). Concept-rich Mathematics Instruction: Building a strong foundation for reasoning and problem solving. Alexandria, VA, ASCD. Cash, R. (2011). Advancing Differentiation: Thinking and learning for the 21st century. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing. Erickson, H.L. (2002). Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction; Teaching beyond the facts. Thousand Oaks, CA, Corwin Press, Inc. Erwin, J. C. (2004). The Classroom of Choice. Alexandria, VA, ASCD. Forte, I. & Schurr, S. (1994). Interdisciplinary Units and Projects for Thematic Instruction: For Middle School. Nashville, TN, Incentive Publications. Geake, J. & Dodson, C. (2005). A neuro-psychological model of the creative intelligence of gifted children. Gifted and talented international. Spring, Vol. 20, Number 1. Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN Free Spirit Publishing. Heacox, D. (2009). Making Differentiation a Habit. Minneapolis, MN Free Spirit Publishing. Jensen, E. (2000). Brain-Based Learning. San Diego, CA The Brain Store. Johnson, E.B. (2002). Contextual Teaching and Learning. . Thousand Oaks, CA, Corwin Press, Inc. McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G. (2004). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA, ASCD. Schlemmer, P. & Schlemmer, D. (1999). Challenging Projects for Creative Minds, for grades 6 & up; 20 Self-directed enrichment projects that develop and showcase student ability. Minneapolis, MN Free Spirit Publishing. Sternberg, R.J. & Grigorenko, E.L. (2000). Teaching for Successful Intelligence to Increase Student Learning and Achievement. Arlington Heights, IL Skylight Training and Publishing, Inc. Tomlinson, C.A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria VA, ASCD. Tomlinson, C.A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms, 2nd Ed. Alexandria VA, ASCD. Tomlinson, C.A. (2003). Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA, ASCD. Tomlinson, C.A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating Differentiated Instruction + Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA, ASCD.