One student might create a visual story board while another student might write a book report. According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, there are four ways in which teachers may differentiate their instruction. Here are a variety of goals teachers can set to improve their professional expertise and effectiveness in the classroom: 1. Discover ASCD's Professional Learning Services. Available in a condensed and printable list for your desk, you can use 16 in most classes and the last four for math lessons. First, make or identify tasks and questions that youd typically find on worksheets or in textbooks. As well as offering set options, encourage students to take their projects from concept to completion by pitching you ideas. "Why did you continue?" Trust and fit, also evident in his classes, are intertwined with voice. The think-pair-share strategy exposes students to three lesson-processing experiences within one activity. Differentiation is all about creating a personalized learning experience for each student. I like to condense the info from an IEP into this easy reference sheet so I can easily refer to it when planning lessons and differentiation.There is a space for their goals, your pull-out and push-in schedule, 504 accommodations, name and classification. Such opportunities make learning efficient rather than cumbersome and enhance the likelihood that students' efforts will lead to success. Use a multi-sensory approach. Striving for similar benefits may be ambitious, but you can start by surveying students. A flexible grouping and ongoing assessment can make differentiation one of the most successful instructional strategies. Provide textbooks for visual and word learners. Critics argue there isnt enough research to support the benefits of differentiated instruction outweighing the added prep time. This helps students learn faster and retain information better. Through those avenues, they come to believe that they are captains of their own fate as learners. If the pitch doesnt meet your standards, tell the student to refine the idea until it does. Product: After completing a lesson, the students create a product to show content mastery. Manage the classroom to create a safe and supportive environment. These experiences range from practice to learn to assessment checks on progress. However in 1912, achievement tests were introduced, and the scores revealed the gaps in students abilities within grade levels. While running learning stations or a large-group activity, pull each student aside for a few minutes. Clearly linking math to personal interests and real-world examples can help some learners understand key concepts. Each station should use a unique method of teaching a skill or concept related to your lesson. Here are a few factors to keep in mind: What differentiated instructional strategies can you use in your classroom? Ask about: Track your results to identify themes and students with uncommon preferences, helping you determine which methods of instruction suit their abilities. Join our learning research newsletter, all the news from the worlds leading universities and schools. Or, use Teachers Pay Teachers to buy pre-made cards. Throughout the project, students should be reflecting on their work and setting goals for further learning. .css-10epfjb{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(0, 94, 71, 0.4);color:#ffffff;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-10epfjb:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}.css-10epfjb:hover{color:#bee3da;}.css-10epfjb:hover .MuiSvgIcon-root{color:#bee3da;}.css-13ljmie{margin:0;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit;letter-spacing:inherit;color:#005E47;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:rgba(0, 94, 71, 0.4);color:#ffffff;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-13ljmie:hover{text-decoration-color:inherit;}.css-13ljmie:hover{color:#bee3da;}.css-13ljmie:hover .MuiSvgIcon-root{color:#bee3da;}Learn more. So, here are our top tips for teachers to differentiate class instruction. Gradually, her young students became proficient at naming the skills the assignment called for. Solicit a member from each campus department who is confident in content. If you want to learn more, check out K-5 Math Teaching Resources for a detailed overview. We create practical, timely, affordable professional learning to help educators and instructional leaders provide students with a modern, equitable, and quality education. In doing so, youll refine your approach to appropriately accommodate the multiple intelligences of students. In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring that children with disabilities had equal access to public education. Teachers might start with differentiating one activity. Most educators agree that differentiated instruction can dramatically help students to succeed, but good differentiation needs careful planning to make sure students of all abilities are engaged and it can be a challenge when teachers are already so pressed for time. 20 Differentiated Instruction Strategies and Examples [+ Downloadable No student feels engaged with a lesson or session that delivers content they have long since mastered. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Assess students learning using formative assessment. To help create lessons that engage and resonate with a diverse classroom, below are 20 differentiated instruction strategies and examples. Teachers differentiate instruction through a variety of different ways: flexible grouping, learning centers, and independent study, to name a few. Differentiation through processes is applied in one or more of these activities that make up the lesson. 1. Students have different backgrounds, language abilities, disabilities, and academic levels. Differentiation is a way to modify instruction to meet students' individual needs. Explain -- on a personal level how you study and review lessons. Most educators agree that differentiated instruction can dramatically help students to succeed, but good differentiation needs careful planning to make sure students of all abilities are engaged and it can be a challenge when teachers are already so pressed for time. For primary grades give out lined paper instead of a journal. 2. Teachers can differentiate in various ways, such as through the process of instruction, the content being taught, the resources used, or the learning environment. Provide content learning in various formats such as showing a video about dinosaurs, handing out a worksheet with pictures of dinosaurs and labels, and providing a fill-in-the-blank work sheet with interesting dinosaur facts. Each group collaborates to solve the six tasks in a random order of choice. Teachers can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs. Create Learning Stations Provide different types of content by setting up learning stations divided sections of your classroom through which groups of students rotate. A Practical Guide to Planning for Intentional Differentiation By Lina Raffaelli. Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia's School of Education and Human Development, where she served as Chair of Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Policy and Co-Director of the University's Institutes on Academic Diversity. Due to audience interest, weve preserved it. Talking about your own strengths and weaknesses is one way of doing this. The first one to link three Xs or Os by correctly completing questions wins.. The idea comes from a grade 9 teacher in Ontario, who recommends creating three stations to solve similar mathematical problems using either: Only allow students to switch stations if they feel the need. Differentiated instruction incorporates varied teaching methods and creates individual goals for a student's education. At age 6, these students were already becoming metacognitively aware. Continually assess and adjust lesson content to meet students needs. What Is Differentiated Instruction? | Reading Rockets As students with diverse learning styles fill the classroom, many teachers dont always have the time, or spend additional hours to plan lessons that use differentiated instruction (DI) to suit students unique aptitudes. If they do, consult them about their decision. With help from the downloadable list, use these differentiated instruction strategies and examples to suit the diverse needs and learning styles of your students. Provide the students that need them with screen readers, personal tablets for communication, and voice recognition software. They couldn't, and they weren't going to. Interest centers or groups are a way to provide autonomy in student learning. 1. 2. There are several broad differentiation strategies that can be used across different subject areas. Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. Try fill-in-the-blank notes that guide the students through each step of the writing process for those who need additional assistance. Differentiated Instruction: Examples & Classroom Strategies | Resilient This stage of planning also helps to confirm gaps in knowledge. Differentiation also counsels thatarmed with assessment information and other knowledge about a studentthe teacher should adapt teaching plans to attend to learner readiness, interest, and preferred modes of learning. For example, if the bulk of students discuss a certain aspect of the science curriculum, you can design more activities around it. A Differentiated Approach to the Common Core: How do I help a broad range of learners succeed with a challenging curriculum? However, it can be done for all students. Because differentiated instruction enables teachers to individualize so they can better respond to student needs, it provides a nurturing environment for student voice to grow. Here we will take a look at each of them. By tailoring lesson plans to individual students' needs, teachers can ensure that all students receive the most effective form of learning.