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#4 Tiered Assignments. For any lesson, the ultimate goal is to create an optimal classroom experience for all learners. ‘Optimal’ for one student might prove least favorable for another student.
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For any lesson, the ultimate goal is to create an optimal classroom experience for all learners. • ‘Optimal’ for one student might prove least favorable for another student. • Every student has their own personal and educational experiences YET we are expected to teach them all with the same objectives and goals.
Success begins with a strong foundation. • Assess students’ prior knowledge to determine how ‘stable’ their individual foundations are. • Recognize that many students will have stable foundations but will be on different steps. • Some students will need additional support for their foundation.
We need to ensure all students have a solid foundation so they can begin to climb the staircase and achieve success at each step along the way.
Ways of assessing prior knowledge • Brainstorm information about the topic, listing the information on board/chart. Leave this displayed throughout the lesson. (wordles) • Complete a chart on what students know and what they would like to know. • Relate the topic to something students can identify with in their everyday life.
Example: • Have students place M & M’ s around the outside of a circle. Have students count the number of candies needed. Once students are comfortable with this process, introduce the concept of circumference. Students will have a connection between the M & M’ s and circumference.
At the beginning of the lesson, reiterate all of the basic foundational knowledge that students are expected to have. • Continue the lesson by introducing the objective of the day via modeling. • Offer various methods for processing and learning the skill • Allow student the opportunity to model the skill so they are ready to transition to independent practice.
Consider the staircase before transitioning. Are all students on the same step? • Since the answer is most likely “No” you should not expect one assignment to work for all the students. • The use of “Tiered Assignments” should be used.
Tiered Assignments • Similar assignments that allow all students to work on the same essential skill but at different levels of readiness and complexity. • Allows all students to reach the same common goal but in their own way. • Students are exposed to same foundational instruction before proceeding to individualized Tiered Assignments
Tiered Assignments • Always address the ultimate goal of the lesson • Create the assignment for the “average” student to demonstrate their current knowledge and challenge them to enhance their current level. • From this, create assignments for the more advanced and more challenged students.
Tiered Assignments • All assignments should be similar in time requirements • Advanced students are not just given more work, but instead have more complex work to complete. • Lower level students are not given less work but rather receive less complex work.
Adding fractions example • Objective: SWBAT add fractions with unlike denominators. • Start by assessing students’ prior knowledge • If students are missing the foundational knowledge needed, find intervention means now. • Model the skill in a variety of ways to the whole class. • Provide guided practice to be certain students are ready for individual practice.
Tiered assignments • Group 1 (average student) • Students will solve 15 questions w/unlike denominators from 1to 20 (11 involving 2 fractions, 3 with 3 fractions, and 1 word problem). Students will simplify their answers • Group 2 (advanced student) • Students will solve 8 word problems w/unlike denominators from 1 to 20 involving 2 or 3 fractions. Students will simplify their answers • Group 3 (lower level student) • Students will solve 5 questions with 2 unlike denominators from 1- 10, 3 questions with 3 unlike denominators from 1-10, and 2 questions with unlike denominators from 10-20. Answers do not need to be simplified.
The objective of adding fractions with unlike denominators remains the same for all students but the assignment is tailored to their readiness. • You can incorporate manipulatives into the tiers as well. • You should be able to spend more time with the lower level students.
When creating your tiered assignments, there is no set rule on how many you need. • Start with 3 and increase as your comfort with them increases/as needed by your students. • Remember to give all students a strong support before assigning independent practice. • Your tiered assignments change the complexity of the material to challenge students ‘where they are’ before moving them to ‘where they need to be’
