Dif f erent i a t ion

1. Differentiation Component 5 of the Competencies Collaboration SEVA Council of Gifted Administrators

2. Reflection Questions 1. What are the five main components of classroom differentiation? 2. The teacher’s responsibility in providing appropriately differentiated instruction includes what five tasks?

3. Table of Contents • Definition of Differentiation • The Basics of Differentiation • Differentiation of Content • Differentiation of Instructional Process • Differentiation of Products • Differentiation of Assessments • Differentiation of Learning Environment • Summary

4. What is Differentiation? • Definition Differentiation is the deliberate adjustment of the content, process, and products of instruction to make sure that each student can maximize his or her learning. It is the process of making the instruction a good fit for each student. • Why differentiate? Think of it as a baseball analogy. The pitcher will need different training than the outfielder or the person on first base, but if everyone gets the right coaching, then the whole team wins the game.

5. Starting Point: Questions Teachers Should Always Ask Before Starting a Unit of Instruction • What should students know, understand, and be able to do as a a result of this learning assignment? • How am I going to know who’s learning what I intend, and who already knows it? • What am I going to do now that I know who’s where relative to my learning goals? • What do I need to do to ensure that my classroom actively supports the success of each student? That’s differentiation!

6. The Basics • Differentiation is not… • Just more of the same work for advanced students • Random groups all doing the same work • Advanced students tutoring struggling students • Mostly whole class instruction with the same assignments for everyone • Just remediation • Only for elementary classes • Grading differently based on perceptions of students’ capabilities • Blue paper vs. green paper • Differentiation is… • Varied assignments for students at different levels of readiness or achievement • Authentic choices for students to demonstrate what they have learned • Adjustment of pacing, resources, and instructional strategies to meet the needs of ALL students • Using pre- and post- assessments to create a good fit of instruction to the students But you already knew that, right? OK, differentiation for you! Let’s take it to the next level.

7. What is appropriately differentiated instruction for gifted students? From the Regulations: • “Appropriately differentiated curriculum and instruction” means curriculum and instruction adapted or modified to accommodate the accelerated learning aptitudes of identified students in their areas of strength. Such curriculum and instructional strategies provide accelerated and enrichment opportunities that recognize gifted students’ needs for • Advanced content and pacing of instruction; • Original research or production; • Problem finding and solving; • Higher level thinking that leads to the generation of products; and • A focus on issues, themes, and ideas within and across areas of study. Such curriculum and instruction are offered continuously and sequentially to support the achievement of student outcomes, and provide support necessary for these students to work at increasing levels of complexity that differ significantly from those of their age-level peers.

8. What does effective differentiation look like? The five main components of classroom differentiation: • Content/curriculum • Instruction (process) • Student products • Assessments • Learning environment According to Dr. Joyce VanTassel-Baska, appropriate differentiation to meet the needs of gifted students includes increased: • Acceleration and abstraction • Depth and complexity • Creativity and challenge As you go through this presentation, note how these concepts can be included in each of the five main components.

9. Understanding Differentiation of Content Effectively differentiated content includes adjustments in: • Subject specific content • Mandated SOL content • Pacing guides, aka compacting • Resources • Vocabulary • Themes and concepts • Goal-setting • As you go through the next sets of slides, try to see where you are on the continuum – are you at the novice level or professional level or master level? What ideas do you have for reaching the next level?

10. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Subject specific content What does it look like?

11. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Mandated content (SOL) What does it look like?

12. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Pacing of Curriculum What does it look like?

13. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Vocabulary Development What does it look like?

14. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Resources What does it look like?

15. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Themes and Concepts What does it look like?

16. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Goal Setting What does it look like? You know those class goals on your new teacher evaluation form? Make sure you have accounted for the students who mastered the pretest at 80% or above – what do THEY get to learn?

17. Understanding Differentiation of Content • Summary We have reviewed differentiation of subject specific content, mandated SOL content, pacing guides, resources, vocabulary, themes and concepts, and goal-setting. • Your turn • What do you already do in your classroom to differentiate content for your students? • Have we left out any critical pieces to this so far? If so, what? • What are the possible barriers that you see to implementing differentiated content? How might you overcome them? • What do you think you might be willing to try next?

18. A word about fairness… • Sometimes teachers or students may feel that it isn’t fair for some students to be doing more (or less) than other students. Remember that everyone is unique and has different educational needs. Just as it wouldn’t be fair to leave Babe Ruth on a Little League team, or leave Yo-Yo Ma in a garage band, it wouldn’t be fair to deny students appropriately challenging work and the support they need to help them fly.

19. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process Effective differentiation of instructional delivery includes adjustments to: • Developing student skills • Lesson structure • Questioning strategies • Use of technology • Assignments • Independent work • Accommodations • Acceleration • Helpful forms

20. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Content Presentation and Instructional Delivery What does it look like?

21. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Developing Student Skills What does it look like?

22. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Lesson structure What does it look like?

23. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Questioning Strategies and Discussions What does it look like?

24. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Use of Technology What does it look like?

25. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Assignments (seatwork, homework, “fun” sheets, worksheets) What do they look like?

26. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Differentiate the amount of work required by: • Number and difficulty of problems • Length and type of writing • Pages of reading and type of reading • Type of questions • Demonstrated need for practice • Choice of products • Complexity of tasks • Remember - Just more or less of the same work is not adequate differentiation! • Strategies for assignments Consider using: • Tiered lessons • Mini lessons • Graphic organizers • Anchor tasks • Thinking maps • Jigsaws • Literature circles • Choice boards • Tic-tac-toe choices • KWL charts

27. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process That’s just for elementary classes, right? AP classes don’t need to be differentiated, because the students are all advanced. • AP classes and other honors classes at the middle and high school levels also have students with very different abilities, skills, interests, and needs, and consequently need to be differentiated-- just in different ways than in an elementary class. While covering the required content, the depth and breadth of the content, instructional strategies, and student products should all be differentiated to provide the most appropriately challenging experience for all of the students in the class.

28. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Strategies for assignments Most Difficult First: Do consider giving your advanced students the 20% of the problems on your assignment that are the most difficult first. If they get the problems correct at 80% or higher, let them move on without having to do the rest of the problems. This strategy not only motivates the students to do well on harder problems, but it saves them the frustration of having to complete repetitive work that they have already mastered. Don’t require students to always achieve 100% mastery before accelerating them or allowing them to move ahead. It is unrealistic – we all make occasional mistakes!! Some teachers would argue with this… what do YOU think?

29. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Independent Work What does it look like?

30. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Strategies for independent work assignments Consider using: • Learning centers • Learning contracts • Mini lessons • Task cards • Independent study/research contracts • Menus of choices (on a cube, in a recipe box, in file folders) • Technology-based presentations • Online lessons • Clear rubric for evaluation of independent projects

31. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Accommodations for Special Needs What does it look like?

32. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Acceleration What does it look like? “When the student is so advanced that you can no longer accelerate the content, then it only makes sense to accelerate the student.” Acceleration can mean moving a group of students through the curriculum at a faster pace, thus making time for additional enrichment or advanced learning opportunities, or it can mean moving a student to a different group, class, or grade level. If whole grade acceleration for a student is a possibility, consider using something like the IOWA Acceleration Scale, which helps teachers and administrators objectively evaluate all of the factors that need to be considered in making this decision for an advanced student.

33. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Helpful forms What do they look like? Sample forms that might be useful to you (can be obtained from the internet, professional teacher resources, your gifted coordinator, or colleagues): • Student learning profile form • Learning plan/grid • Progress chart for each student • Project/product evaluation rubrics • Independent learning contracts

34. Understanding Differentiation of Instructional Process • Summary We have looked at a number of concepts and strategies for differentiating the instructional process in a classroom, including instructional delivery, development of student skills, lesson structure, questioning strategies, use of technology, assignments, independent work, and acceleration. • Your turn • What other instructional strategies have you already used to differentiate for your students? Were they successful? Why or why not? • What assistance would help you be able to differentiate more effectively? • Do you remember a time when one of your teachers differentiated an assignment for you? How did you feel about that experience?

35. Understanding Differentiation of Products Effective differentiation of products includes consideration of options for: • Projects • Choices • Problem solving

36. Understanding Differentiation of Products • Projects What do they look like?

37. Understanding Differentiation of Products • Projects The key to differentiated projects is really to go beyond the basic poster, diorama, or timeline. Projects should have a real-world or cross-disciplinary connection whenever possible. Try a public service announcement for____; a web page of authoritative resources for____; publishing a story or article; a multimedia report including animations, edited photos and theme music; writing a costume drama; or a cross-disciplinary timeline relating discoveries in science to political activities and changes in artistic portrayals in the middle ages. Give students choices so that they can use their strengths in music or photography, or their interest in animals or outer space, or their knowledge of languages or mathematics or robotics, to demonstrate understanding of content in creative and intriguing ways. Then publish their work! (The ultimate motivator is public recognition for great work.) How do you grade such diverse projects? Use rubrics based on understanding of the content and clarity of concepts presented. And that brings us to…

38. Understanding Differentiation of Products • Student Choices What does it look like?

39. Understanding Differentiation of Products • Problem Solving What does it look like?

40. Understanding Differentiation of Products Checklist for Projects and Products • Does the final product include evidence of critical (analytical or evaluative) thinking? • Does it give the student a chance to demonstrate deep understanding of a concept? • Is there a cross-disciplinary connection? • Does it involve creative thinking or originality? • Does it involve research or independent learning? • Does it involve real-world problem solving? • Are there multiple possible solutions? • Do the students have choices? • How is it differentiated for different skill levels? • Is there a clear rubric for evaluating the project? • How can the projects be shared?

41. Understanding Differentiation of Products • Summary We’ve given you lots of ideas here about differentiation of projects and products, about including problem solving activities, and about giving students choices. • Your turn Sometimes teachers say they cannot do these kinds of activities because it takes so much time, and sometimes teachers say they cannot do this because they can only teach what is on the SOL exams. What is your response to those concerns?

42. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments Effective differentiation includes an understanding of how to use options in: • Pre-assessments • Content knowledge assessments • Reporting of outcomes

43. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments • Pre-Assessment What does it look like?

44. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments Pre-assessments can include: • Flow charts • KWL charts • Venn diagrams • Concept maps • Drawing or labeling diagrams or pictures • Experimental design • Short answers; true-false responses • Brief essays or other written responses • Multiple choice quizlets • Entrance/exit “tickets” • Responses to discussions • Pre-tests should not be more comprehensive than post-tests • Motivation is key – use “Here is what you will learn in the next six weeks” rather than “Here is a test I know you will fail.”

45. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments • Content Knowledge Assessments

46. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments • Reporting of Outcomes What does it look like?

47. Understanding Differentiation of Assessments • Summary Pre-assessments are critical, content assessments should include higher level thinking, and outcomes should be reported in multiple ways. • Your turn • Who says assessments can’t be fun? Instead of having assessments be a necessary torment, how can you make them more appealing? • How can the assessments be a real part of the learning experience, rather than an over-and-done assignment?

48. Understanding Differentiation of Learning Environment An effectively differentiated classroom includes adjustments in: • Flexible grouping • Schedules • Behavioral expectations • Student support

49. Understanding Differentiation of Learning Environment • Flexible grouping What does it look like? According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, the teacher deliberately places students in groups or teams based on the students’ • readiness (skill levels in reading, math or writing), • interests, or • learning profile (learning style) Students may work with one group for one activity, and a different group for another activity. For some assignments, the student may be given the option to work alone instead of in a group, or may choose team members. Groups may be small or large. The key is flexibility.

50. Understanding Differentiation of Learning Environment • Flexible grouping What does it look like? Do you think this murmuration of starlings is an example of flexible grouping? Why?