Differentiated Instruction Overview

1. Differentiated InstructionOverview One Size Doesn’t Fit All Radnor Township School District

2. The biggest mistake of the past centuries in teaching has been to treat all children as if they were variants of the same individual and thus to feel justified in teaching them all the same subjects in the same way. -Howard Gardner

3. Summer Vacation Survey For vacation this summer, I traveled: 4: abroad 3: to another state 2: somewhere in PA 1: I left the house at least once. On a scale of 1-4, hold up the number of fingers that most closely identifies you.

4. My summer reading 4:20+ books 3: 5-20 books 2: 1-4 books 1: People, Cosmo, or The Fisherman magazines

5. Physical Fitness 4: I learned a new sport, completed a triathlon, or jogged daily. 3: I was on a tennis or volleyball team and played. 2: I was on a tennis or volleyball team. 1: I played mini-golf or floated in the pool.

6. Cultural Events 4: Attended a symphony or a ballet 3: Went to the theater to see a play. 2: Jimmy Buffett concert 1: Saw the Pirate movie.

7. Professionally 4: Wrote new curriculum or took a course. 3: Read a profssnl. book or planned new units. 2: My room is ready. 1: I remembered to come today!

8. Pre-assessment Survey on my knowledge of differentiating for gifted learners 4: I could write a book on it or teach it. 3: I’ve done a few things but want to know what else I can do. 2: If they already know what I’m teaching, I don’t make them suffer through it again. 1: I’m pretty sure the law says I have to do something.

9. WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES • To develop and extend vocabulary • To understand the link between assessment and differentiated instruction • To develop a comfort with key principles and practices of differentiating content, process and products in academically diverse classrooms, and • To implement one or more instructional strategies that support differentiation

10. Today’s Agenda • Introduction to DI pedagogy • Assessment anchors instruction • Differentiate by Process • Cubing as a means to use Tiered Activities • Station activity to explore more process differentiation options • Wrap-up and evaluation

11. WHY? • Brain-based learning • Changing demographics emotion attention memory Sensory input processing

12. Children who learn differently need to be taught differently.

13. Connection to Understanding by Design? • YES • It’s NOT changing what we did • DI integral to classroom assessments and learning plan • Defines our UbD program • Click to show UbD design template

14. Debunking the Myths • DI is NOT chaotic, individualized instruction with fragmented lessons • DI is NOT giving students more work • DI does NOT assume a separate entry level for each student • DI is NOT only for the stronger or weaker learners

15. Activity OneBreaking the Myth • Think of a time when your classroom was a model instructional experience • Share that experience with a partner • List the common elements of each experience • Share those elements with others at your table

16. Activity TwoGet Real • Describe unique learning needs of some ‘outstanding’ students in your class. • How do you currently meet their needs? • What are the factors that make it difficult for you to adapt curriculum and/or instruction for those students?

17. Start small, Think BIG

18. Activity ThreeK-N-W • Complete the K-N-W chart • Self-reflect on instructional practices you currently use in your class • Where do you think you could be?

19. The essence of our effort to see that every child has a chance, must be to assure each an equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different, to realize whatever unique potential of body, mind and spirit he or she possesses. -John Fischer

20. Carol Ann Tomlinson • How we’re alike makes us human • How we’re different makes us unique • Goals for all: • Challenge • Growth • As teachers, we define these

21. Differentiated Instruction IS: • Proactive • Qualitative • Student centered • A blend of varying sizes of learning groups • Multiple options • For taking in information • For making sense of ideas • For expressing what we learn

22. Learning Cycle and Decision Factors Used in Planning and Implementing Differentiated Instruction

23. GENERAL PRINCIPLES Environment readiness interest According to students’: affect learning profile

24. Differentiation • Content - subject matter students need to master and materials used in learning based on readiness and interest • Process – sense making activities based on learning profile • Product - student created tangible outcomes to demonstrate mastery based on interest and learning profile • Environment – operation and tone of classroom, mood and respect

25. Examples of differentiating for classroom elements • Content: varying reading materials, presenting info through audio/visual means, reteaching or extending • Process: tiered activities, interest centers, contracts, compacting, manipulatives, varying time • Products: oral vs. written expression, personal choice, rubrics to extend skill levels, tiered products, alternate exams

26. CURRICULUM DIFFERENTIATION … • is a process teachers use to increase student achievement by improving the match between the learner’s unique characteristics: • Prior knowledge • Cognitive level • Learning style • Motivation and affect • Strength or interest

27. And a direct connection to UbD • through various curriculum components: • Stage 1: Identified Desired Results • Enduring understandings • Essential questions • Knowledge and skills • Stage 2: Acceptable Evidence • Core assessments • Representative classroom assessments • Stage 3: Learning Plan • Experiences • Resources • Products

28. Will Rogers “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

29. ACTIVITY FOURSELF-ASSESSMENT ON CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT FOR DIFFERENTIATION • As you reflect on your own growth as a teacher in managing or leading students in the classroom, assess your comfort with skills. • Complete the self-assessment individually.

30. THE FLOW OF INSTRUCTION OF A DIFFERENTIATED CLASSROOM • A differentiated classroom is marked by a repeated rhythm of whole-class preparation, review, and sharing, followed by opportunity for individual or small-group exploration, sense-making, extension, and production.

31. Rhythm of class starts large & moves to smaller & back Exploration of topic Study by readiness and learning styles Share information and pose questions Assigned tasks Review of key ideas and concepts through sharing Small group apply key principles Introduce a skill Self-selected interest areas Whole class listens RHYTHM of DI CLASSROOM Whole class Small group Whole class Individual/group….

32. HALLMARKS of a DI CLASS 4. Guide on the Side rather than Sage on the Stage • All students have the opportunity to explore and apply the key concepts and principles through a variety of avenues and approaches. • On-going assessment of student readiness and growth • Flexible grouping consistently used

33. He who deliberates fully before taking a step will spend his entire life on one leg. - Chinese proverb

34. Communicating with parents about DI The Role of the Teacher in a Differentiated Classroom Teaching for individual growth Coaching for individual growth Balancing whole class and small-group instruction Helping groups work Grading for excellence and equity Preparing students for DI Charting Individual growth

35. Think BIG, Begin small!

36. ASSESSMENT GUIDES INSTRUCTION • Teachers (& students) accept & respect uniqueness of each • On-going diagnostic activities • Learning tasks planned & adjusted based on assessment data ASSESSMENT DI PLANNING INSTRUCTION

37. Group A Write statements on card about teachers’ purposes of assessment. Prioritize total responses. Choral read: “I give assessments ____.” Group B Write statements on card about students’ feelings or thoughts on assessment. Prioritize total responses. Choral read: Appropriate response to teacher prompt. A New Perspective

38. Performances Conferences Concept Maps Learning Style Inventories PREASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES FOR DIFFERENTIATION include • K-N-W Charts • Journals • Lists, Surveys • Products • Misconception checks

39. K-N-W CHARTS

40. JOURNALS Ask students to describe processes, examples and reflections related to a curricular objective Tell me what you know about… What is the purpose of…? Gives the teacher an opportunity for a One-On-One interchange with each student

41. LISTS AND SURVEYS • Tell me all the words that • come to mind when I say… • List the attributes of… • Name several types of… • Give examples of …

42. PRODUCTS • Create a bar graph using data from … • Show me your latest … report

43. MISCONCEPTION CHECK • Provide sample problems with errors in solutions • Students determine why solution incorrect • Teacher deduce degree of understanding or area for instruction • Try one for your subject and share at your table.

44. Performances or Conferences • Explain how you found the answer • Import a graphic for… • Use a graphing calculator to plot an equation • Read to me • Complete a pretest (post-test)

45. CONCEPT MAP Word Bank: heat, sun, hot gas, space, night, constellation, day day sun Star space heat constellation night hot gas

46. Activity fiveThe Assessment Puzzle • Put the puzzle together using the puzzle pieces found in each box. • Discuss with your tablemates any of the pre-assessment strategies you may have tried.

47. Albert Einstein: “ Intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”

48. Start small, butThink GREAT!

49. Lilian Katz: “ 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 will get it; and the remaining third won’t. So two-thirds of the kids are wasting their time.” Lilian G. Katz has a PhD from Stanford University and is Professor Emerita of Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois. She is the Director of the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education. She is a world renown authority in Early Childhood Education and has published and lectured extensively on the subject.

50. "The whole process of education should  be thus conceived as the process of learning to think through the solutions of real problems."~John Dewey