Differentiating Instruction: Universal Ways to Unlock Learning

1. Differentiating Instruction: Universal Ways to Unlock Learning Tricia Bronger in collaboration with Michael Abell University of Louisville www.house.gov/list/press/fl20_schultz/Artcomp05.html

2. Objectives • Participants will listen to a process for differentiation in their classroom • Participants will engage in generalization for their classroom and individual student needs • Participants will relate to a novel that can be used to differentiate for individual student needs and then apply process with their own sound curriculum

3. Differentiating instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners’ needs, styles, or interests.

4. Planning and Implementing Differentiated Instruction Learning Cycle and Decision Factors Used in Planning and Implementing Differentiated Instruction www.ed.gov

5. Differentiation of Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needsguided by general principles of differentiation Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment Teachers Can Differentiate Through: Process Product Content According to Students’ Readiness Interest Learning Profile www.wi-rsn.org

6. A Differentiated Classroom in Balance Teacher-Student Partnerships F L E X I B L E Solid Curriculum Shared Vision Shared goals Inviting Shared responsibility Focused A Growth Orientation Concept- based Product Oriented Sense Of Community Resource On-going assessment to determine need Feedback and grading Time Groups Respect For Group ZPD Target Approaches to teaching and learning Safe Respect for individual Shared Challenge Affirming Tomlinson-oo www.wi-rsn.org

7. Elements of Differentiation The teacher focuses on the essentials The teacher attends to student differences Assessment and instruction are inseparable The teacher modifies content, process and products All students participate in respectful work The teacher and the students collaborate in learning The teacher balances group and individual norms The teacher and students work together flexibly

8. Steps to Differentiation Create a Climate for Learning Know the Learner Assess the Learner Adjust Compacting and Grouping Include Instructional Strategies for Student Success Vary and Extend Curriculum Approaches

9. Tuesday, January 15, 2008 • Kentucky House Education Committee Approves Bill That Would Require Public Schools To Teach About Jewsish Holocaust • The House Education committee today approved a resolution that would require the state to develop curriculum on the Jewish Holocaust for use by Kentucky's public schools.House Joint Resolution 6, sponsored by Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, now goes to the full House for consideration. If passed into law, the curriculum--developed by a state work group--would be available to teachers by the 2009-2010 school year."It's not a mandate, but it would be offered as a curriculum," Marzian said.Several students from St. Francis of Assisi School in Louisville who have received Holocaust education testified to the committee about why the legislation is necessary. By remembering the Holocaust, student Bennett Heine said, Kentucky can honor its victims by "never letting it happen again.""Kentucky students can set a precedent for kids throughout the country and around the world that we can no longer leave it up to others to fight for the forgotten," Heine said. "We must take a stand."Rep. Charlie Siler, R-Williamsburg, who visited the concentration camp of Auschwitz in Germany during his early days in the Army, thanked the students for their work on the resolution."They're doing something very important that will stick with them a long time," Siler said.

10. Universal Design for Learninghelps to engage all learners by- • making curriculum content accessible and understandable to all students • allowing for multiple methods of content presentation, student expression, and engagement with ongoing relevant assessment

11. Digital Curriculum & Technologies Students Universal Design for Learning & Instruction • Universal Design for Learning • Challenges how we teach and to rethink the nature of curriculum so that one size “Doesn’t” fit all. • Focus is on the limitation of the curriculum vs. presumed limitations of the student.

12. Universally Designed Instructional components should: Support diverse recognition networks: (Recognition) •  Provide multiple examples •  Highlight critical features •  Provide multiple media and formats •  Support background context Support diverse strategic networks: (Expression) •  Provide flexible models of skilled performance •  Provide opportunities to practice with supports •  Provide ongoing, relevant feedback Offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill Support diverse affective networks : (Engagement) •  Offer choices of content and tools •  Offer adjustable levels of challenge •  Offer choices of rewards •  Offer choices of learning context

13. Learning Styles Chart Adapted from Colin Rose(1987). Accelerated Learning. http://www.internet4classrooms.com/di.htm Adapted from Colin Rose(1987). Accelerated Learning

14. Number the StarsActivity • IntroductionLois Lowry, author of "Number the Stars" begins her novel in Denmark in the year 1943. World War II is now into its fourth year and the Nazi military has occupied Denmark for three of them. The Danish Jews are about to be arrested and the Danish Resistance is determined to smuggle their Jewish countrymen to the safety of Sweden. This passage covers the history behind these and other events Lowry mentions in her novel.

15. Support diverse recognition networks: (Recognition) • Provide multiple examples •  Highlight critical features •  Provide multiple media and formats •  Support background context

16. Support diverse strategic networks: (Expression) • Provide flexible models of skilled performance •  Provide opportunities to practice with supports •  Provide ongoing, relevant feedback • Offer flexible opportunities for demonstrating skill

17. Alignment to Core Content Novel: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry Standards Based Unit of Study (SBUS): Materials for instruction and assessment activity

18. Alignment to Core Content http://www.kimskorner4teachertalk.com

19. Organizer of Curriculum

20. Number the StarsChapter 1: Why Are You Running? “I’ll race you to the corner, Ellen!” Annemarie adjusted the thick leather pack on her back so that her schoolbooks balanced evenly. “Ready?” She looked at her best friend. Ellen made a face. “No,” she said, 1aughing “You know I can’t beat you — my legs aren’t as long. Can’t we just walk, like civilized people?” She was a stocky ten-year-old, unlike lanky Annemarie. “We have to practice for the athletic meet on Friday — I know I’m going to win the girls’ race this week. I was second last week, but I’ve been practicing everyday. Come on, Ellen,” Annemarie pleaded, eyeing the distance to the next corner of the Copenhagen street. “Please?” Ellen hesitated, then nodded and shifted her own rucksack of books against her shoulders. “Oh, all right. Ready,” she said. “Go!” shouted Annemarie, and the two girls were off, racing along - the residential sidewalk. Annemarie’s silvery blond hair flew behind her, and Ellen’s dark pigtails bounced against her shoulders. “Wait for me!” wailed little Kirsti, left behind, but the two older girls weren’t listening. Annemarie outdistanced her friend quickly, even though one of her shoes came untied as she sped along the street called Osterbrogade, past the small shops and cafés of her neighborhood here in northeast Copenhagen. Laughing, she skirted an elderly lady in black who carried a shopping bag made of string. A young woman pushing a baby in a carriage moved aside to make way. The corner was just ahead. Annemarie looked up, panting, just as she reached the corner. Her laughter stopped. Her heart seemed to skip a beat. “Halte!” the soldier ordered in a stern voice. Play audio sounds

21. Questioning Techniques Number the Stars How To Ask Questions What Kind of Questions Do We Ask Pausing Prompting Clarifying Refocusing Synthesis Redirecting Affective Techniques Knowledge Comprehension Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation

22. Support diverse affective networks : (Engagement) • Offer choices of content and tools •  Offer adjustable levels of challenge •  Offer choices of rewards •  Offer choices of learning context

23. Consider when planning…Differentiation by… Learning Styles, Student Interests and Readiness levels Content Product Process

24. Consider when planning…Differentiation by… Learning Styles, Student Interests and Readiness levels • Learning Styles of Students • The Interests of the group and of individual students • Students readiness levels (reading, math, content and activity) • Unique needs of the individual student Content Product Process

25. To Differentiate by Readiness Add or remove the scaffolding Vary difficulty level of text & supplementary materials Adjust task familiarity Vary task instruction by small groups Adjust proximity of ideas to student experiences Adjust complexity, open-endedness to equalize understanding and access

26. To Differentiate by Interest Encourage application of broad concepts and principles of student interest areas Give choice of mode of expressing learning Use interest based mentoring of adults and peer tutors Give choice of tasks and products Give broad access to varied materials and technologies

27. To Differentiate by Learning Profile Create an environment with flexible learning spaces Allow working alone or working with peers Use part to whole and whole to part learning approaches Vary teacher mode of presentation (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, concrete, abstract) Adjust for gender, culture, language differences

28. Scaffolded Instruction Scaffolding is the systematic sequencing of prompted content, materials, tasks and teacher and peer support to optimize learning. Students are given supports until they can apply new skills and strategies independently. The responsibility of learning moves from the teacher to the learner. UDL Example would be making text reader software available for student to use or video clips (Hitler speaking) to explain concepts.

29. Scaffolding Guidelines Pre-engagement with the student and the curriculum Establish a shared goal Actively diagnose student needs and understanding Provide tailored assistance Maintain pursuit of the goal Give feedback Control for frustration and risk Assist internalization, independence, and generalization in other context

30. Support Systems for Instruction Use reading materials at varying readability levels Audio and video recordings Peer and adult mentors Keyed concepts and highlighted vocabulary Present ideas through both auditory and visual means (graphic organizers, flip chart) Use of varied manipulatives and resources http://remember.org/then-and-now/

31. Technology Supports Scaffolding Text readers (Read and Write Gold) Alpha Smarts Talking or graphing calculators Talking dictionaries Touch screens Smart boards Laptops & software Internet 2.0 websites

32. Consider when planning…Differentiation by… Learning Styles, Student Interests and Readiness levels Content Product • Choices of expression • Multi-media • Personalized • Alternative • Multiple intelligence • Talent or passion-driven Process

33. Vary the Product Choices of expression Multi-media Personalized Alternative Multiple intelligence Talent or passion-driven Examples Oral reports and demonstrations Experiments, three dimensional projects, art Dance, role playing, debates Continuous assessment options http://remember.org/then-and-now/

34. Number the Stars Instructional Examples

35. In a Differentiated Program/Classroom: Not Differentiated Reactive Fixed Closed Fully Differentiated Proactive Fluid Open • Use of computers/Programs • Assessment & Diagnosis • Adjusting Questions • Learning Contracts • Flexible Grouping • Tiered Activities • Anchor Activities • Independent Study • Differentiated Centers • Curriculum Compacting • Use of the Internet/Learning centers • Graduated Task- Product-Rubrics • Use of Multiple Texts and Supplementary Materials MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Instructional and Management Practices www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/eii

36. Assessment is for: Gatekeeping Judging Right Answers Control Comparison to others Use with single activities Assessment is for: Nurturing Guiding Self-Reflection Information Comparison to task Use over multiple activities Two Views of Assessment -- www.wi-rsn.org

37. STUDENT DATA SOURCES Journal entry Short answer test Open response test Home learning Notebook Oral response Portfolio entry Exhibition Culminating product Question writing Problem solving TEACHER DATA MECHANISMS Anecdotal records Observation by checklist Skills checklist Class discussion Small group interaction Teacher – student conference Assessment stations Exit cards Problem posing Performance tasks and rubrics THINKING ABOUT ON-GOING ASSESSMENT www.wi-rsn.org

38. Group Assignments Bookshelf with print and digital books Teacher Computer Station Student Computer Stations Schedule Smart Board Inboxes Elmo Camera LCD Projector Wireless Tablet Manipulative station http://www.k8accesscenter.org/

39. Begin Slowly – Just Begin! www.wi-rsn.org

40. Tomlinson/UVa/2000

41. Differentiated Instruction Points to Remember • Start slow but START! • Make learning fun and interesting. • Think about what excites you about learning. • Learn some new type of technology for your classroom. • Remember, we are all life long learners who learn differently.