ongoing assessment and flexible grouping.
equence of common-sense decisions made by teachers with a student-first orientation. Differentiated instruction
sequence of common-sense decisions in Differentiated instruction 1.)classroom environment 2.)high-quality curriculum 3.) on-going assesment 4.) tailor my lesson plans based on Formative assesments 5.)manage a classroom in which it's possible for more than one thing at a time to happen
What does the environment look
like in a Differentiated classroom? creating a classroom environment that invites kids to the table of learning, that encourages them to take the risk of learning, that helps them understand that they need to work hard and shoot high, but also causes them to understand that there's a support system there to help with that.
Pupose of high-quality curriculum in a Differentiated Model It engages kids and that we be able as teachers to say at any point here's what kids should know, what they
should understand, what they should be able to do as a result of this sequence of learning. In other words, it matters that we have clear learning targets, that they are understanding-focused, that they're clear to us and clear to kids, and that we have organized learning around those in such a way that it makes sense to kids, that it's relevant to them.
On going assessment means continue to check to see where kids are constantly, relative to those learning outcomes.Not teach a whole unit
then give a test and say, well, gee, some of them got it and some of them didn't. But using preassessment and using formative assessment consistently so that we have a good sense at any particular moment of who's confused, who's behind, who's ahead, and who's missing knowledge.
How can you tailor you lesson plans based on Formative assesments? when you monitor the kids using formative assessment, you're likely to find out they aren't all in the same place, and so it becomes instructionally
important to say, okay, now, how do I tailor my lesson plans tomorrow or this week so that I can get to kids where they are? When do I need to meet with some kids in small groups and for what purpose? Are there students who need to be using different resources? Is there a different way I can help kids that didn't understand this yesterday try to wrap around it today? Those were his four elements.
manage a classroom in which it's possible for more than one thing at a time to happen to help
kids be our partners in creating a classroom which allows for flexibility but which also has clear structures that give kids and teachers the stability and predictability that they need.
How can a teacher consider the continuum of differentiation? You don't get to a point and say, well, okay, I've finished that. It's always a question of, okay, let me acknowledge what I do and then let me look at some rubrics, some standards, some examples of teachers, some writings, some videos, anything I
can look at that can continue to help me stretch and think through what I can do better. The people that I know who are the best with differentiation can explain to you really clearly and articulately how much further that they have to go.
differentiation is a continuum; it's not a point
Differentiate instruction is based on based on students' readiness level, interests, and learning needs
Differentiated instruction is not a single strategy but rather a framework that teachers can use
to implement a variety of strategies, many of which are evidence-based.
evidence-based strategies include: GATE "Grouping students for instruction (especially students with significant learning problems)
Assessing readiness
Teaching to the student's zone of proximal development Employing effective classroom management procedures (nmonic: GATE)"
differentiated instruction as a whole is yet to be validated by scientific research, However, a growing body of evidence shows that the
approach has positive effects on student learning.
Research indicated that (McQuarrie, McRae, & Stack-Cutler (2008)Strategies used to differentiate instructional and assessment tasks for students in the classroom were also effective "for English language learners, gifted students, and struggling students
"
teachers who differentiate instruction often: "Use a variety of instructional approaches
Alter assignments to meet the needs of the students
Assess students on an ongoing
basis to determine their readiness levels
Use assessment results to adjust instruction as needed
Provide a variety of options for how students can learn and demonstrate their knowledge
Strive to make lessons engaging and meaningful
Employ different grouping formats for instruction (e.g., whole-class, small groups, independent instruction) and use flexible grouping."
"Lilian Katz,
Professor Emeritus,
College of Education,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign said"
"When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, "chances are, one-third of the kids already know it, one-third of the kids will get it, and the remaining third won't. So two-thirds of the children are wasting their time."
Differentiated Instruction is provided in multiple ways (e.g., via lecture, modeling, hands-on, visual representations)
Different grouping formats (e.g., whole-group, small-group, pairs) are used for instruction.
Although the teacher
may give a written test at the end of the unit, he also provides the students with several options (e.g., written report, model, video) to demonstrate their knowledge.
What is the difference between differentiated instruction and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)? Both attempt to maximize the learning of all students by offering multiple ways to learn content or skills and to demonstrate that knowledge. Additionally, both emphasize learning environments that are engaging and utilize ongoing
assessments to make adjustments to meet the instructional needs of students. So what is the difference? The difference is in when and how changes are made to address the needs of students.
Teachers often have a number of misperceptions about differentiated instruction on is it takes too much time to plan, but the other is it takes too much time in a classroom to differentiate. If you let kids make meaning of stuff in two different ways, or if you let kids make meaning of stuff working alone
or working with somebody, or if you let kids making make meaning working independently or working with a teacher, that doesn't take any longer.
How does response to intervention (RTI) fit in with differentiated instruction? Both are instructional frameworks. Whereas the purpose of differentiated instruction is to address the needs of all students, the purpose of RTI is to identify and address the needs of struggling students. Though the two frameworks overlap—differentiated instruction is
often provided in an RTI classroom—under RTI, students may receive more intensive levels of instruction than they would normally receive in a differentiated classroom.
When does Differentiated Instruction make changed to curriculum? During instruction when the teacher notices the students' needs
When does Universal Design for Learning make changes to curriculum? When designing the curriculum
During instruction when the teacher notices the students' needs, within a Differentiatied
Instruction model, how does the teacher make changes? Makes changes or adjustments to the curriculum
Within the Universal Design for Learning Model, How does a teacher make changes? When designing the curriculum, the teaccher builds resources and options into the curriculum
"How do adaptations (i.e., accommodations and modifications) fit with differentiated instruction?
" Differentiated instruction might not be enough for some students to succeed. Those with disabilities might need
additional supports—accommodations or modifications—to learn the concepts and skills being taught. These supports are identified in the student's individual education program (IEP).
Differentiated instruction is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but instead should be shaped to meet the needs of students. This does not mean that teachers individually tailor instruction. Rather, they differentiate instruction for groups of students.
" differentiating instruction for groups of studentsis
challenging for teachers is that students' needs vary:
" "Across content areas (e.g., some students excel with math but struggle with reading)
Within content areas (e.g., some students excel at addition but struggle with fractions)
Across the school year (e.g., at the beginning of the year, some students struggle with reading but improve greatly due to effective instruction)"
Because students' needs change frequently, teachers should be familiar with two general principles or
strategies of differentiated instruction: ongoing assessment and flexible grouping.
Ongoing Assessment Rather than assessing students only at the end of a unit, teachers can use assessments before, during, and after teaching a unit to gather information critical to providing effective instruction.
By frequently assessing students' knowledge and skills, teachers can use that information to develop and refine instruction to meet the students' shifting needs. Additionally, by assessing
students' interests and learning profile, teachers can design tasks that are engaging, motivating, and accessible.
Teachers can assess students in a number of ways. 1.) formal (e.g., a unit test) 2.)informal (e.g., an exit card [View sample]) and can often be conducted quickly.
Why should teachers use more than one type of assessment? teachers can get a better understanding of how to teach content or a skill for the diverse group of students in the classroom.
Because assessment can
provide valuable information about student learning, it should be an integral part of instruction.
Teachers should avoid scheduling regular testing days (e.g., tests are routinely given on Fridays) but rather should assess students as needed.
To best address the learning needs of all students, teachers should use a variety of grouping methods—whole-group, small-group (usually no more than six students), or peer pairs—in addition to having students work independently. Flexible
Grouping
If teachers choose to use small groups or pairs in Flexible Grouping, they need to consider whether the groups should be: "Homogeneous—Teachers might group students with similar needs so that they can work with them to focus on specific content or skills.
Heterogeneous—Teachers might group students with different learning needs or dissimilar interests. In this way, each student brings unique strengths and knowledge to the group."
Homogeneous— Teachers might group students
with similar needs so that they can work with them to focus on specific content or skills.
Heterogeneous— "
Teachers might group students with different learning needs or dissimilar interests. In this way, each student brings unique strengths and knowledge to the group."
The teacher should use grouping methods flexibly (i.e., flexible grouping). Instead of belonging to static groups, group membership is fluid or dynamic, changing to meet the different needs of the students.
In the
generalization stage of learning, skills the student has learned in one situation are applied to different ones
Once students have passed through the acquisition stage of learning, teachers work on increasing the learner's speed and accuracy; in other words, their proficiency
Some current research supports Piaget's suggestion that diverse learners may benefit from instruction that progresses from "
concrete- to pictorial- to abstract- level instruction.