Vicki Gibson

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s

Differentiating Instruction:Making It Happen in Classrooms

By

Dr. Vicki GibsonGibson Hasbrouck & Associates

Wellesley, MA

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s

Differentiating Instruction: Making it Happen in Classrooms

Identifyingwhatliteratureandresearchreportaboutdifferen-tiatinginstructioniscriticaltounderstandinghowtomakeithappeninclassrooms(Gibson&Hasbrouck,2008;Marzano,Marzano,&Pickering,2003).Numerouspublicationsareavail-ablethatdescribethecharacter-isticsofdifferentiatinginstructionorsuggestcurriculaandactivitiesthatcanbemodifiedtoaddressstudentvariance(Evertson&Harris,1999;Marzano,Marzano,&Pickering,2003;Rothstein-Fisch&Trumbull,2008;Tomlinson&Eidson,2003).Thoseresourcesareimportantsupportsforteachersandadmin-istratorswhodesiretounderstandtheconceptofdifferentiatinginstruction,andtoidentifyresourcesforformingaplanofaction.However,research-based methodsareneededtocarryouttheplan,successfullyimplementchange,monitorprogress,andassesseffectsonteacherandstudentoutcomes(Evertson,Emmer,&Wor-sham,2003;Gibson,et.Al,2008;McLeod,Fisher,&Hoover,2003);Tomlinson&McTighe,2006).

Atitssimplest,differentiatinginstructionmeansteachingdifferentlytoaddressthediversityofstu-dents’needs.Itiscontrastedtotraditionalprac-ticesusingwhole-grouplectureformatwherestu-dentlearningandparticipationaremorepassiveandunresponsivetoindividualneeds.Increasing

studentvariance,oftendescribedasdisparityinskillsandknowl-edge,presentshugechallengesforteachersandadministratorsassignedthejobofdifferentiatinginstruction.Manyeducatorsarewonderinghowtomakedifferen-tiatinginstructionhappensuccess-fullyinclassrooms?

Teachingdifferentlytoaddressstudentvarianceispossible,butitrequireschangesinpractice,

whichinvolveschangingthebehaviorofteach-ing.Inordertoknowwheretobegintheprocessofimplementingchangesininstructionaldelivery,teachersandadministratorsneedtoevaluatethefollowing:

• Howinstructioniscurrentlydeliveredinclass-rooms:usingwhole-classlectureoracombinationofwhole-classandsmall-grouplessons

• Whatistaughtandwhetherpacingandcur-riculaareappropriatetoaddressstudentneeds(i.e.,instructionalandprogrameffectiveness—thequalityoftheteachingandcurricula)

• Whatprofessionaldevelopmenttraininghasbeenprovidedtoprepareteachersfordifferentiat-inginstruction,includinghowtoobservepatternsoferrorandusedatatoinformpractice,groupingforinstruction,andaligningcurriculatoneeds

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• Whatprofessionaldevelopmentwillbere-quiredtoimproveinstructionaleffectivenessandsustainchange

Often,administrativeexpectationsforteachers’performanceexceedpriortrainingandexpertise,andonlyminimal,ifany,on-the-jobsupportisprovided.Teachersareaskedto:1)assessstu-dentstrengthsanddiagnoseneeds,2)usedatatogroupstudentsforinstruction,3)usedatatoselectcurriculaandactivitiesthatwillbeacademi-callyprofitable,4)deliverhighquality,differentiat-edinstructionfordiverseneeds,5)monitorprog-ressandadjustinstruction,reteachingasneeded,and5)manageclassroomsofactivestudents.Justthedescriptionoftheseexpectationssoundsover-whelming,especiallyifnomethodologyhasbeenprovidedforhowtomakethishappen.

Theproblemteachersfaceishowaretheysupposedtogeteverythingdoneanddifferentiateinstructiontoincreasestudentachievement?Whereistheirguideforscalingthatmoun-tain?Scientificresearchhasnotprovidedproceduralmodelsfordifferentiatinginstructionpar-tiallybecauseoftheambiguitysurroundingwhatitisandthelimitedresearchonhowtoimple-mentitsuccessfullyinclassrooms.Inordertoclarifyexpectations,theFloridaCenterforReadingResearch(FCRR,2006)presentedthisdefinitionofdifferentiatedinstruction:“matchinginstructiontomeetthedifferentneedsoflearnersinagivenclassroomthatincludessmall-groupsandincreasedpracticeopportunitiesintheformofreadingcenters.”Whilethedefinitiondescribescomponents—matchinginstructiontoneeds,small-groups,andmorepractice—itdoesnotprovidethemethod-ologyformakingdifferentiationoccur.Withnotraining,teachersareforcedtorelyonpersonaleducationalexperiencesandbeliefsystemsastheirmodelforgoodinstruction.Teachersteachthewaytheylearned.Traditionalwhole-classlectureprevailsbecauseitisafamiliarhabitand

environmentdespiteevidencethatwhole-classlectureformatsrestrictopportunitiesforindividu-alizinginstructionandfailtoaddressthediverseneedsofalllearners(Vaughnetal.,1998).Incon-trast,student-responsive,multi-tieredsmall-groupinstructionhasbeenproventoimprovereadingachievement,butdeliveringthattypeofinstruc-tionwillrequireteachertraining(Hall,2002;Tilly,2003;Vaughn,2003).

Simplygroupingstudentsforinstructionisnotnecessarilydifferentiatinginstructioneither.Groupingitselfisonlyaproceduralchange.Inordertodifferentiateteaching,changesmustoccurinlessoncontentandselectionofcurriculaandactivitiestoensureinstructionandpracticearealignedtostudentskillsandneeds.Teachersmustselectmaterialsthatareacademicallyprofit-able,notjustbusyworkortimefillers.Teachingin

small-groupsisnotdifferentiatedwhenallstudentsreceivethesameinstructionorusethesamecontent,materials,andactivities.

Changingpracticewillrequiremoreprofessionaldevelopmentthathelpsteachersdevelopnewdeliveryanddecision-makingtoolssotheycanincorporatenewteachingandlearningbehaviorsintheclassroom.Specifically,teachersneedhelptodifferentiateinstruction.Theyneedtoknowhowto:

• Changeinstructionaldelivery,managingwhole-classandsmall-groupinstruction;

• Collectandusedatatoaligncontent,orwhatistaught,tostudentneeds,and

• Improveinstructionaleffectiveness,enhancingthequalityoftheinstruction.

Changingdeliveryinvolvesgroupingforinstruc-tionsothatopportunitiesforexplicit,skills-focusedteachinginsmall-groupsincrease.Researchfindingsrevealthatstudentsreceivinginstructioninsmall-groupslearnedsignificantlymorethanstudentswhowerenotinstructedin


“ In order to differentiate teaching, changes must occur in lesson content

and selection of curricula and activities to ensure instruction and practice are aligned to student

skills and needs.”


small-groups(Louetal.,1996;Mathes&Fuchs,1994;Moodyetal.,1997).Thisoccurredwheninstructionandmaterialsusedinthesmall-grouplessonswereadjustedforspecificstudentneeds.Ideally,teachersshouldalternatetimeperiodsforwhole-classlessons(usedtointroducecontent,modelexpectations,orreviewpreviouslytaughtcontent)andsmall-group,teacher-ledlessons(providingopportunitiesformorestudenten-gagementinexplicit,skills-focusedinstructionwithconstructivefeedback).

Inadditiontoidentifyingnecessaryenvironmentalandinstructionalchanges,twoimportantteacherconcernsmustbeaddressedwheninitiatingim-plementationofdifferentiatedinstruction.Teach-ersoftenask,“WhataretherestofthestudentsdoingwhileIamteachingasmall-group?”and“HowdoIgeteverythingdone?”Theanswertothesequestionsisfoundinaninstructionman-agementsystemthatincludesfoursteps:

1. Preparingtheclassroomenvironmentforcol-laborationandsmall-groupinstruction

2. Assessingstudents’strengthsandneedstoaligncurriculumwithneeds

3. Creatingteachingtoolsformanagingresourc-essuchastime,pacing,andwork

4. Developingarotationchartthatidentifiesgroupmembershipsandclarifiesperformanceexpectations,(i.e.whereandwhenstudentspar-ticipateinvariousactivities)

StepOneinvolvespreparingthephysicalenvi-ronmentbyarrangingfurnituretocreatelearn-ingcentersorworkstationswherestudentscancompleteassignmentsorprojectseitherworkinginsmall-groups,withapartner,orindependently.Desksmaybepushedtogetherortablesmaybeusedforsmall-groupactivities,formingaTeach-ingTableforteacher-ledlessons,workstationsforcollaborativepractice,andaworktableusedforhomeworkpractice.Collaborationinsmall-groupsandpeertutoringareencouragedtoenhancelearningwithoutinterruptingtheteacher,whomaybeworkingwithanothergroup.

StepTwoinvolvesdividingstudentsintosmallergroupsusingeitherhomogeneous(bysimilarskill)orheterogeneous(mixedskill)groupings.Membershipschangeflexiblyaccordingtostudentprogressandachievement,typeofactivity,orresources(time,equipment,personnel).Assign-ingsmall-groupmembershipsensurescompat-ibilityforbehaviorsandguidedpractice.Teachersusuallycreatethreetofoursmall-groupswithapproximately4–8studentspergroup.Smallergroupsarepreferredtoallowmoreopportunitiesforparticipation,questions,andcorrectivefeed-back(Vaughn&Linan-Thompson,2003;Vaughnet.al.,2001).Explicitinstructionmaybemoreefficientandeffectiveconductedwithsimilarskillgroupings,whereasmixed-skillgroupsworkbetterforpracticeactivitiessostudentscanassisteachother.

StepThreeinvolvesmanagingresourcessuchasinstructionaltime,pacing,andstudentwork.Teachersadjusttheirdailyschedulestoalternatetimeperiodsforwhole-classandsmall-groupinstruction.Mostdailyschedulesbeginwitha10-to15-minuteoverviewusedbyteacherstointroduceorreviewvocabularywords,ormodel,teach,andclarifyexpectationsforperformance.Aftertheoverview,a20-minutetimeperiodforsmall-groupworkbegins.Assignedcurriculaandactivitiesarebasedonneedsidentifiedbyassess-ments.StudentsparticipateinpracticeactivitiesusingWorkContractstohelporganizetheirwork,monitortheirprogress,andcompleteassign-ments.Onesmall-groupworkswiththeteacherwhoprovidesskills-focusedinstructionspecifictoneed,i.e.,differentiatedinstruction.Otherstu-dentsattendworkstationsparticipatingasstudygroupsandcompletingguidedpracticeactivities,oraworktableusedtobeginhomeworkassign-mentswithsupport,orcompletetasksindepen-dentlyatdesks.

StepFourinvolvescreatingarotationchartthatidentifiessmall-groupmembershipsandcom-municateshowthegroupswillparticipateattheworkstations,worktable,orteachingtable.Teach-ersconstructtherotationcharttoreflecthowmanysmall-groupswillbeformedandwhatac-tivitiesareavailable.Mostrotationchartsincludeanareaforsmall-groupskillsinstructionwiththe

D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s


teacher,workstationsforsmall-grouppracticeactivitiesorhomework,andaworktableforpartnerorindependentpractice.Computers,languageandliteracycenters,andwritingandspellingworkstationsarecommonlyusedforsmall-grouppracticeactivities.

Aftereachsmallgrouphasattendedases-sionwiththeteacher,awhole-groupactivitymaybeusedforquicklessonorreviewortosummarizetheday,connectexperiences,reviewvocabularyandkeyconcepts,andanswerquestions.Dependingontimesched-ules,small-grouptimeperiodsmaybeusedconsecutively,onesmall-groupactivityfollow-inganother.Often,teachersgroupwithinalargegroupbyassigningorusingpartnerstorepeatinformation,restateforclarification,oraskaquestiontomonitorcomprehension.Basedonobservationsinwhole-andsmall-groups,teachersdeterminewhatadditionalinstructionisneeded.Membershipsforsmall-groupsmayneedmodificationtoaccommo-datechangingneedsforcompatibilityorskilldevelopment.

Insummary,differentiatinginstructionin-cludes:

• Changingthebehaviorsofteachingandinstructionaldeliverytoaddressstudentvariance.

• Implementingdata-informedwhole-classandsmall-groupinstruction.

• Usingleveledcurriculathatenhancesstudentlearningandachievement.

• Usingflexiblegroupingpatternsthataresensitivetostudentprogress.

Differentiatinginstructionrequiresachar-teredcourseforsuccessfulimplementationanditmustbeaddressedfirstasatrain-ingandmanagementissue.Administratorsmustprovideteachertrainingandsupportthatidentifieshowtomanagegroupingfordifferentiatinginstructionandhowtoimple-mentitsuccessfullyovertime,notatonce.Areviewofcurrentteachingpracticeswillbe

necessarytodetermineneeds.Differentiat-ingassessmentmayneedreflectiontode-termineifpacingschedulesorperformanceexpectationsarereasonableandattainable.Evaluatingprogrameffectivenessisneededtodetermineifcurriculumsusedinclassroomsareevidence-based,effective,andcapableofprovidingmultipletoolsandmaterialsforusewithvaryingstudentperformancelevels.Iden-tifyingchangesthatmaybeneededinclass-roomstructureandenvironmentsisnecessarysosmall-group,differentiatedinstructioncanoccur.

Instructionbecomesdifferentiatedwhenteachingisindividualized,sensitive,andresponsivetoneeds,bothteachersandstudents.Practiceactivitiesthatincorporatestudentcollaboration,studygroups,anddis-cussionswillenhancecomprehensioniftheyareusedtoincreasestudentengagement,interests,andmotivationtocompletetasks.Differentiatinginstructionmeansteachingdifferently,usinganinstructionmanagementsystemthatcreatesclassroomsandteachingbehaviorsthatsupportwholeclassandsmall-grouplessons,collaborativelearning,andindependentpracticeAFTERstudentsreceivesufficientinstructionandhaveparticipatedinguidedpracticesBEFOREtheyareexpectedtoworkindependently.

Biography

VickiGibson,Ph.D.hasbeenteachingstu-dents,trainingteachers,writingcurriculum,anddirectinginstructionsince1975.SheistheCurriculumDirectorforLongmireLearn-ingCenter,Inc.(LLC),aprivateeducationalfacilityservingfamilieswithchildrenages2–8years.SheistheChairmanandCEOofGib-sonHasbrouck&Associates,aneducationalconsultingfirmthatprovidesintenseprofes-sionaldevelopment.Priortobecomingacon-sultantandauthor,Dr.Gibsonownedthreeprivateschools,servingchildrenages2-12years.ShetaughtandlecturedfortenyearsatTexasA&MUniversity,andspenttenyearsteachinginpublicschoolsasaKindergartenteacher,specialeducationresourceteacher,



D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M sD i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s

adaptivebehaviorspecialist,andlearningdis-abilityspecialist.Dr.GibsonreceivedherB.S.,M.S.,andPh.D.atTexasA&MUniversity.

Dr.Gibsonisawell-respected,nationallyrec-ognizedauthorandspeakerondifferentiatinginstruction,earlychildhoodcurriculumdesignandmethodology,classroommanagement,andusingeffectiveinstructionalstrategiesforemergingandlow-performingstudents.Sheprovidesconsultationandconductsworkshopsforteachers,administrators,andparents.SheauthoredWe Can!,acompre-hensiveearlychildhoodcurriculum,asupple-mentalLanguageArtsprogramtitledLetter Sounds & Strokes,andapre-writingprogram,I Can Draw,allpublishedbySoprisWest.Dr.Gibsonco-authoredRoad to Reading,aReadingandCollaborationTrainingProgramforTeachersofAt-RiskReadersinGrades3–8.Sheco-authoredabookwithJanHasbrouck,PH.D.,titledDifferentiated Instruction: Group-ing for Success,publishedbyMcGraw-HillHigherEducation.Dr.GibsonisanauthorforTreasures,theK-6readingprogrampublishedbyMacmillan/McGraw-Hill.

References

Evertson,C.M.,E.T.Emmer,andM.E.Worsham,Classroom Management for El-ementary Teachers,6thed.,Allyn&Bacon,Boston,2003.

Evertson,C.M.andA.Harris,“Supportformanaginglearning-centeredclassrooms:Theclassroomorganizationandmanage-mentprogram,”inH.J.Freiberg(ed.),Be-yond Behaviorism: Changing the Classroom Management Paradigm,Allyn&Bacon,Boston,1999,pp.59-74.

Gersten,R.,S.Vaughn,D.Deshler,andE.Schiller,“WhatWeKnowAboutUsingResearchFindings:ImplicationsforImprov-ingSpecialEducationPractice,”Journal of Learning Disabilities,30(5),1997,pp.466–476.

Gibson,V.andJ.Hasbrouck,Differentiated Instruction: Grouping for Success,McGraw-HillHigherEducation,2008.

Lou,Y.,P.C.Abrami,J.C.Spence,C.Poulsen,B.Chambers,andS.D’Appolonia,“Withinclassgrouping:Ameta-analysis,”Review of Educational Research,66(4),1996,pp.423-458.

Marzano,R.,J.S.Marzano,andD.J.Picker-ing,Classroom Management that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher,AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelopment,Alexandria,Virginia,2003.

Marzano,R.,J.S.Norford,D.E.Paynter,D.J.Pickering,andB.B.Gaddy,A Handbook for Classroom Instruction that Works,Associa-tionforSupervisionandCurriculumDevel-opment,Alexandria,Virginia,2001.

Mathes,P.G.andL.S.Fuchs,“Peer-MediatedReadingInstructioninSpecialEducationResourceRooms,”Learning Disabilities Re-search and Practice,8,1994,pp.233-243.

McIntosh,R.,S.Vaughn,J.Schumm,D.Haager,andO.Lee,“ObservationsofStu-dentswithLearningDisabilitiesinGeneralEducationClassrooms,”Exceptional Chil-dren,60(3),1993,pp.249-261.

McLeod,J.,J.Fisher,andG.Hoover,The Key Elements of Classroom Management: Man-aging Time and Space, Student Behavior and Instructional Strategies,AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelopment,Alexandria,Virginia,2003.

Moody,S.,S.Vaughn,andJ.Schumm,“In-structionalGroupingforReading:Teach-ers’Views,”Remedial & Special Education,18(6),1997,pp.347-356.

Rothstein-Fisch,C.andE.Trumbull,Managing Diverse Classroom: How to Build on Stu-dents’ Cultural Strengths,AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelopment,Alexandria,Virginia,2008.


D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s D i f f e r e n t i a t i n g i n s t r u c t i o n : M a k i n g i t H a p p e n i n c l a s s r o o M s

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Taylor,B.M.,P.D.Pearson,D.S.Peterson,andM.C.Rodriquez,“LookingInsideClassrooms:Re-flectingonthe“How”asWellasthe“What”inEffectiveReadingInstruction,”The Reading Teacher,56(3),2001,pp.270–279.

Tomlinson,C.A.,How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms,2nded.,Associa-tionforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelop-ment,Alexandria,Virginia,2001.

Tomlinson,C.A.andS.D.Allan,Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms,Asso-ciationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelop-ment,Alexandria,Virginia,2000.

Tomlinson,C.andC.Eidson,The Differenti-ated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners,AssociationforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelopment,Alexandria,Virginia,1999.

Tomlinson,C.andC.Eidson,Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum: Grades K–5,AssociationforSuper-visionandCurriculumDevelopment,Alexan-dria,Virginia,2003.

Tomlinson,C.A.andJ.McTighe,Integrating Dif-ferentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids,Associa-tionforSupervisionandCurriculumDevelop-ment,Alexandria,Virginia,2006.

Vaughn,S.,M.T.Hughes,S.W.Moody,andB.Elbaum,“InstructionalGroupingforReadingforStudentswithLD:ImplicationsforPractice.” Intervention in School and Clinic,36(3),2001,pp.131–137.

Vaughn,S.andS.Linan-Thompson,Group Sizes and Time Allotted to Intervention: Effects for Students with Reading Difficulties,inB.Foor-man(ed.),Preventing and Remediating Read-ing Difficulties: Bringing Science to Scale,YorkPress,Baltimore,Maryland,2003.

Vaughn,S.andS.Linan-Thompson,Research-Based Methods of Reading Instruction: Grades K–3,AssociationforSupervisionandCurricu-lumDevelopment,Alexandria,Virginia,2004.


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Vicki Gibson