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Today's classrooms are becoming more academically diverse in most regions of the United States (and elsewhere, for that matter). Many, if not most, classrooms contain students representing both genders and multiple cultures, frequently include students who do not speak English as a first language, and generally contain students with a range of exceptionalities and markedly different experiential backgrounds. These students almost certainly work at differing readiness levels, have varying interests, and learn in a variety of ways?
Psychologists tell us that a student learns only when a task is a little too hard for that student. When a student can do work with little effort, and virtually independently, that student is not learning, but rather rehearsing the known. When a student finds a task beyond his or her reach, frustration, not learning, is the result. Only when a task is a bit beyond the student's comfort level, and the student finds a support system to bridge the gap, does learning occur. This optimum degree of difficulty for learning is referred to as a student's zone of proximal development. Considering today's diverse classrooms, it is unlikely that a teacher will be consistently able to develop one-size-fits-all learning experiences that are in the zones of proximal development of all students in a particular class.
Culture has an important bearing on how individuals learn. While it is clearly not the case that all members of a given culture learn in similar ways, it is the case that learning environments and procedures that are comfortable for many members of one cultural group may not be so to many members of other cultural groups. Students whose classrooms are a cultural misfit often do poorly in school In classrooms where varied cultural groups are represented, a single approach to teaching and learning is unlikely to serve all students well. In fact, because students in any cultural group also vary, even classrooms that are more culturally homogeneous would benefit from multiple approaches to teaching and learning.
Student motivation and task persistence increase when students can work with topics that are of personal interest. Modifying instruction to draw on student interests is likely to result in greater student engagement, higher levels of intrinsic motivation, higher student productivity, greater student autonomy, increased achievement, and an improved sense of self-competence. Encouraging students to link required learning to that which is personally interesting to them seems an important modification for teachers in most classrooms. • The opportunity to learn in ways that make learning more efficient is also likely to make learning more effective. Attention to a student's preferred mode of learning or thinking promotes improved achievement.
What is Differentiated Instruction? -video Differentiated Instruction is an instructional concept that maximizes learning for ALL students regardless of skill level or background. It's based on the fact that in a typical classroom, students vary in their academic abilities, learning styles, personalities, interests, background knowledge and experiences, and levels of motivation for learning.When a teacher differentiates instruction, he or she uses the best teaching practices and strategies to create different pathways that respond to the needs of diverse learners.
Differentiated instruction (sometimes referred to as differentiated learning) is a way of thinking about teaching and learning. It means using a variety of instructional strategies that address diverse student learning needs. It places students at the center of teaching and learning and student needs drive instructional planning. Differentiated instruction is a way to enhance learning for all students by engaging them in activities that respond to particular learning needs, strengths, and preferences.
The goals of differentiated instruction are to develop challenging and engaging tasks for each learner (from low-end learner to high-end learner). Instructional activities are flexible and based and evaluated on content, process and product. Teachers respond to students’ readiness, instructional needs, interests and learning preferences and provide opportunities for students to work in varied instructional formats. In a nutshell, a classroom that utilizes differentiated instruction is a learner-responsive, teacher-facilitated classroom where all students have the opportunity to meet curriculum foundational objectives. Lessons should be on inquiry based, problem based and project based instruction.
Step 1- Know Your Students • Determine the ability level of your students. This can be done by surveying past records of student performance to determine capabilities, prior learning, past experiences with learning, etc. Learning Styles
Survey student interests. It is also important to get to know your students informally. This can be done by an interest inventory, an interview/conference, or asking students to respond to an open-ended questionnaire with key questions about their learning preferences (depending on the age group). • Is behavior management a problem? This is key when planning for activities that require less structure. However, it is still important to determine learning styles and preferences for students who may have a hard time controlling their behaviors. Sometimes knowing preferences can help to motivate students to attend to any tasks that are presented
Step 2- Have a Repertoire of Teaching Strategies Because "one size does not fit all," it is imperative that a variety of teaching strategies be used in a differentiated classroom. Among many teaching strategies that can be considered, there are four worth mentioning: direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, and information processing models.
Direct Instruction This is the most widely used and most traditional teaching strategy. It is teacher centered and can be used to cover a great amount of material in the amount of time teachers have to cover what students need to learn. It is structured and is based on mastery learning. More information can be found on: • http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/methods/models/
Inquiry-based Learning Inquiry-based learning has become very popular in teaching today. It is based on the scientific method and works very well in developing critical thinking and problem solving skills. It is student centered and requires students to conduct investigations independent of the teacher, unless otherwise directed or guided through the process of discovery. For more information, go to: • http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/inquiry/
Cooperative Learning Probably one of the most misunderstood strategies for teaching is "cooperative learning." Yet, if employed properly, cooperative learning can produce extraordinary results in learning outcomes. It is based on grouping small teams of students heterogeneously according to ability, interest, background, etc. However, one of the most important features of cooperative learning is to pick the best strategy that will be used to assign the task for students to accomplish. The more popular strategies include Jigsaw, STAD-Student Teams, or Group Investigation. For more information, go to: • http://www.teach-nology.com/currenttrends/cooperative_learning/
Information Processing Strategies Teaching students "how to" process information is a key factor in teaching students how to strategically organize, store, retrieve, and apply information presented. Such strategies include, but are not limited to, memorization, KWL, reciprocal teaching, graphic organizing, scaffolding, or webbing. More information on this topic can be found at: • http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/methods/info_processing/
Strategies for Differentiated Instruction
Assessment • Informal and formative as opposed to summative • Classroom assessment is ongoing through personal communications: • Questioning: try to question all students – level the question to ability and aim at higher order thinking • Observation: move around the room, have a room chart and make notes • Observation II (class management): you should know when you have lost “them” • Discussion: with the whole class, group, or individual
Questioning I • Remember wait time • Provide at least three seconds of thinking time after a question and after a response • Utilize "think-pair-share" • Allow individual thinking time, discussion with a partner, and then open up the class discussion • Ask "follow-ups" (Why? Do you agree? Can you elaborate?) • Tell me more. Can you give an example? • Withhold judgment
Questioning II • Respond to student answers in a nonevaluative fashion • Ask for summary (to promote active listening) "Could you please summarize John's point?" • Survey the class "How many people agree with the author's point of view?" ("thumbs up, thumbs down") • Allow for student calling "Richard, will you please call on someone else to respond?" • Play devil's advocate
Questioning III • Require students to defend their reasoning against different points of view • Ask students to "unpack their thinking" • "Describe how you arrived at your answer." ("think aloud") • Call on students randomly. Not just those with raised hands • Student questioning. Let the students develop their own questions. • Cue student responses. "There is not a single correct answer for this question. I want you to consider alternatives."
Tiered Assignments • Designed to provide different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. The curricular content and objective(s) are the same, but the process and/or product are varied according to the student’s level of readiness
Interest Centers or Interest Groups • Interest centers are set up so that learning experiences are directed toward a specific learner interest. Allowing students to choose a topic can be motivating to them. The teacher may select a variety of topics or areas that students or groups can select.
Flexible Grouping • Students work as part of many different groups depending on the task and/or content. • Groups assigned: • Readiness • Assigned by teacher • Randomly • Chosen by students • Allows students to work with a wide variety of peers and keeps them from being labeled
Learning Contracts • An agreement between the student and the teacher (they may or may not be written, but written often works better) • Teacher specifies the necessary skills • Student identifies the methods for completing the ask (there may or may not be debate on establishing and there may or may not be amendments) • Allows students to: • Work at an appropriate pace • Target their learning style • Helps students work independently • This is an excellent way for students to understand what is EXPECTED of them.
Other Differentiation Strategies • Acceleration • Flexible Grouping • Literature Circles • Mentoring • Contracting • Independent Study • Learning Centers • Tiered Instruction • Tic-Tac-Toe Choices • Differentiated Assessment • Learning • Collaborative Learning • Project Based Learning • Inquiry Based Learning
What is Tiered Instruction? Tiered instruction is a means of teaching one concept and meeting the different learning needs in a group. • What are the steps for tiered instruction? There are 5 major organizational points to tiering instruction: • Choose a concept that students should know or understand and whether to tier according to readiness, interest, or learning profile. • Assess student's profile, readiness, and interest. • Create an activity or project that is clearly focused on the concept. • Adjust the activity to provide different levels of difficulty. • Match students to appropriate tiered assignment.
Tiered LEssons • 3-5 Example http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/tiered/examples2.html • 6-8 Example http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/bestpractice/tiered/examples3.html
