NEW TEACHER ORIENTATION, 2010LISA D. THOMPSON

Differentiation in the Inclusion Classroom

Differentiation

“For variety of mere nothings give more pleasure than uniformity of something.” Jean Paul Richter

“It is easier to do many things than to do one thing continuously for a long time.” Marcus Fabius Quintilian

Differentiation encourages the use of a variety of instructional strategies and assessments to help all students be

successful.

Differentiation Using the Triarchic Theory of Successful Intelligence

Theory of intelligence formulated by Robert J. Sternberg

Contends that intelligent behavior arises from a balance between

analytical, creative, and

practical abilities, and that these abilities function collectively to

allow individuals to achieve success. . . 1

Successful Intelligences

Analytical Intelligence

Creative Intelligence

Practical Intelligence

Analytic Thinkers Like to. . .

Analyze when reading

or listening

Compare and contrast

points of view

Criticize my own or

other’s work

Think clearly and

analytically

Evaluate points of view

Appeal to logic

Judge behavior

Explain difficult

problems

Solve logical problems

Make inferences and

derive conclusions

Sort and classify

Taken from TriMind: Differentiating for Sternberg’s Thinking Styles, http://www.teach.virginia.edu/files/nagc_tri-minder.pdf

Suggested Strategies for Analytical Thinkers

Use literacy strategies to support reading and writing. 2

Embed prompts (writing, reading, reflection, and activity) into presentations to shorten lecture time.

Use journals or learning logs to help students reflect on what was learned. 3

Suggested Strategies for Analytical Thinkers

Use graphic organizers to scaffold content or to check for conceptual change. 4

Analyze the scientific validity of TV commercials, print ads, or movie clips.

Special Modifications

Chunk lecture notes, study guides, and tests items, making large amounts of material more manageable.

Have a spokesperson report out after small group activities to protect students with anxiety disorders.

Provide fill-in-the-blank lecture outlines for students who have difficulty writing.

PowerPoint NotesPowerPoint Notes Student NotesStudent Notes

Facilitated Diffusion

The diffusion of molecules across a membrane with the

help of carrier proteins imbedded in the cell membrane.

Facilitated Diffusion

The diffusion of molecules across a

membrane ____________________________________imbedded in the cell membrane.

Example of Fill-in-the-Blank Notes

Creative Thinkers Like to. . .

Design new things

Come up with ideas

Use his/her imagination

Play make-believe and pretend games

Think of alternative solutions

Notice things people usually tend to ignore

Act and role play

Think in pictures and images

Invent (recipes, words, games)

Suppose that things were different

Think about what would happen if

Compose (new songs, melodies)

Taken from TriMind: Differentiating for Sternberg’s Thinking Styles, http://www.teach.virginia.edu/files/nagc_tri-minder.pdf

Suggested Strategies for Creative Thinkers

Acting

Digital photography

or video

Visual arts

Creative writing

Storyboarding or

cartooning 5

Interviews

Brochures, pamphlets,

and newsletters

Concept posters

Use Visual and Literary Arts strategies to draw out the creativity of your students.

Example of a Creative Writing Assignment

Hello Rutland Physics Students,

   I am writing to you to ask for your help.

For as long as I’ve been in school, math has

been my most hated subject. Every year I go

through the same thing: lots of numbers,

formulas, and problems that make absolutely

no sense to me. It’s easy in the beginning,

because I’m going over stuff that I’ve learned

before. But after that it just goes down hill.

The teacher’s voice puts me to sleep, or I get

so lost and confused I just quit. And now I’m

in physics.

I don’t even know what physics is to tell

you the truth. But I hear there’s Math

involved, which is what I’m most worried

about. If I can’t get regular math, how in the

world am I going to pass physics class? The

more I learn about the class, the more

hopeless I feel. I need to get some help now or

else I’ll fail the class. Can you help me?

  Sincerely,

 Lost and Confused

Practical Thinkers Like to . . .

Take things apart and fix them

Learn through hands-on activities

Make and maintain friends

Understand and respect others

Put into practice things learned

Resolve conflictsAdvise friends on their

problemsConvince someone to

do somethingLearn by interacting

with othersApply knowledgeAdapt to new

situations

Taken from TriMind: Differentiating for Sternberg’s Thinking Styles, http://www.teach.virginia.edu/files/nagc_tri-minder.pdf

Suggested Activities for Practical Thinkers

Allow students to work in small groups.

Make a product or build a model. 6

Perform mini-labs or labs as often as possible.

Use labs to introduce or discover concepts

(inquiry).

Use time-saving labs with simple materials, simple

instructions, and a few post-lab questions. 7

Suggested Activities for Practical Thinkers

Use lab stations. Allow students to choose from

available stations.

Use post-lab discussions to make connections to

the big idea.

Allow students to take things apart and fix

them to figure out how they work.

Allow students to form their own groups.

Examples of Modeling

The Egg Drop Project

The Toothpick Bridge Project

The Roller Coaster Project

Tips for Successful Co-Teaching

Respect your co-teacher as a professional.

Allow your co-teacher to teach to her strengths.

Share ownership of instruction, student support,

and assessment.

Make time for co-planning and reflection.

Support each other against the student power-

play.

Be flexible and spontaneous. Have fun!

Resources

1 Human Intelligence. (2007). Robert Sternberg,

http://www.indiana.edu/~intell/sternberg.shtml

2 Barton, M. L., & Jordan, D. L. (2001). Teaching

reading in science. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.

3 Lovrich, D. (2004, April). A ladder of thinking:

Discovering the value of reflection through

metacognition. The Science Teacher, 71, 56-59.

Resources

4a Kern, C., & Crippen, K. (2008, September).

Mapping for conceptual change. The Science

Teacher.

4b EdHelper.com, Graphic Organizers

4c Zike, D. (n.d.) Dinah Zike’s teaching science with

foldables. Glencoe McGraw-Hill: New York.

5 Spevak, A. (2008, December). The art of physics.

The Science Teacher, 44-46.

Resources

6 The Ultimate Roller Coaster Contest. (2010).

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/

programs/rollercoaster/

7a Horton, M. (n.d.). Take-home physics: 65 high

impact, low costs labs. NSTA Press: Arlington, VA.

7b Williams, P. (2003). Bottle biology. Kendall/Hunt:

Dubuque, IA.