Instructional Differentiation for Instructional Differentiation for English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners
MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeDr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher
Instructional Differentiation for Instructional Differentiation for English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners
MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeDr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher
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What does this picture have to do with Differentiated
Instruction?
What does this picture have to do with Differentiated
Instruction?
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What is Differentiated Instruction?What is Differentiated Instruction?
Differentiated Instruction IS:
Meeting students where they are.
Based on premise that the TEACHER must adjust the learning to give access to the curriculum
Done intentionally, in lesson planning stage.
Thinking of higher level students first and tiering downwards.
Modifying the same base activity. Everyone should be able to share out at closure.
Flexible grouping-sometimes heterogeneous, sometimes homogeneous. 3
Differentiated Instruction is NOT:
Treating all the students the same.
Based on premise that the student must adjust to the learning.
Always done spur of the moment.
Starting with the lowest level student and tiering upwards.
Giving everyone different activities.
Fixed grouping.
What does differentiated instruction provide?
What does differentiated instruction provide?
Differentiated instruction provides MULTIPLE APPROACHES to content, process, and product.
– Content – The teacher provides alternative materials, modifying or adapting the input students will use to learn the topic.
– Process – The teacher provides alternative structures for how the learning activity will take place.
– Product – The teacher provides alternative options for how students may demonstrate their learning.
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How do I Differentiate Instruction?How do I Differentiate Instruction?
1.Students don’t have to know you are differentiating.
2.Maintain activity length constant.3.Offer a choice of activities to let
students do the differentiating.4.Use tools like Bloom’s Taxonomy to
design prompts, tasks and questions at different cognitive complexity levels.
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Continuum of Task ComplexityContinuum of Task Complexity
Concrete---------------------------------------------Abstract
Simple-----------------------------------------------Complex
Fewer facets-----------------------------------Multi-Facets
Smaller leap----------------------------------Greater Leap
More structured-------------------------------More Open
Clearly Defined Problem-------------Fuzzy ProblemLess Independence-----------Greater IndependenceSlower Pace----------------------------------Quicker Pace
Modified----------------------------------------Unmodified
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Developing a Tiered ActivityDeveloping a Tiered Activity
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1. Select the activity-concept, skill, understanding
1. Select the activity-concept, skill, understanding
2. Think about your students’ language proficiency-reading, writing, listening & speaking (interests, talents)
2. Think about your students’ language proficiency-reading, writing, listening & speaking (interests, talents)
3. Create an activity that is interesting, causes students to use key skills to understand a key idea
3. Create an activity that is interesting, causes students to use key skills to understand a key idea4. Chart the complexity of the activity
4. Chart the complexity of the activity
5. Clone the activity along the continuum, as needed to ensure challenge and success for your students, in terms of:
• materials-basic to advanced
• form of expression-familiar to unfamiliar
• from experience-personal to removed from personal
5. Clone the activity along the continuum, as needed to ensure challenge and success for your students, in terms of:
• materials-basic to advanced
• form of expression-familiar to unfamiliar
• from experience-personal to removed from personal
Let’s Try Differentiating a Speaking Activity
Let’s Try Differentiating a Speaking Activity
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Language objective:
Use stress and intonation to orally present a poem aloud to class.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas with a couple of different stress patterns
Process Stress marks identified and practiced independently
Product Ss orally present a 6-line poem without notes
Examples of Differentiating a Speaking Activity
Examples of Differentiating a Speaking Activity
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Language objective:
Use stress and intonation to orally present a poem aloud to class.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given short poem with one main stress pattern
Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas with a couple of different stress patterns
Process Stress marks identified working in small group with teacher
Stress marks identified and practiced independently
Product Ss orally present a 3-line poem and may refer to notes
Ss orally present a 6-line poem without notes
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.
Let’s Try Differentiating a Listening Activity
Let’s Try Differentiating a Listening Activity
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Language objective:
Listen to a poem read aloud and mark stress in appropriate places.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content X
Process Ss have the complete text in front of them while they listen and mark stress.
Product Ss must mark at least 2 examples of stress in the poem.
Examples of Differentiating a Listening Activity
Examples of Differentiating a Listening Activity
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Lesson objective:Listen to a poem read aloud and mark stress in appropriate places.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content X X
Process Ss have the complete text in front of them while they listen and mark stress.
Ss have partial text (cloze) in front of them while they listen and mark stress.
Product Ss must mark at least 2 examples of stress in the poem.
Ss must mark at least 5 examples of stress in the poem.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone of poem is.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone of poem is.
Let’s Try Differentiating a Reading Activity
Let’s Try Differentiating a Reading Activity
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Language objective:
Read a poem with a clear stress pattern and mark this stress.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Ss given “Windy Nights” by Robert Louis Stevenson
Process
Product
Examples of Differentiating a Reading Activity
Examples of Differentiating a Reading Activity
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Language objective:
Read a poem with a clear stress pattern and mark this stress.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Ss given “Windy Nights” by Robert Louis Stevenson
Process Ss work with ESL teacher in small group and read poem as a shared reading activity.
Ss work with a partner trying to identify the stress pattern and taking turns reading aloud.
Product Ss asked to read poem aloud and partner claps where they see stress falling.
Ss asked to read poem aloud and also clap where they see stress falling.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-proficiency students look for rhyme.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-proficiency students look for rhyme.
Let’s Try Differentiating a Writing Activity
Let’s Try Differentiating a Writing Activity
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Language objective:
Write a poem with a clear stress pattern.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content
Process
Product
Examples of Differentiating a Writing Activity
Examples of Differentiating a Writing Activity
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Language objective:
Write a poem with a clear stress pattern.
Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency
Content Ss are provided with some sentence frames to build their poem.
Ss are provided with key vocabulary to incorporate into their poem.
Process Ss work with ESL teacher in small group and draft poem as a shared writing activity.
Ss work independently to draft their poems.
Product Ss asked to write a one-stanza poem as they pattern their poem from “We Real Cool”
Ss asked to write a one-stanza poem as they pattern their poem from “Windy Nights”
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.
Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.