250 likes | 484 Views
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGIES: Tiered Assignments. Tiered Assignments. What are they?
E N D
Tiered Assignments • What are they? • Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind.
Tiering Instruction • Change the nature of the task, not the workload • Change the sophistication of the prompt and/or the student’s response to it • Remember to keep all students “above water” by adjusting challenge levels so all students can make sense of their learning
are designed tomaximize eachstudent's growth bychallenging students with learning experiences that are slightly above their current level of knowledge and performance. Tiered Assignments Tomlinson
Tiered Assignments • What are they? • Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth.
Tiered Assignments How to use them? 1.Make sure all tiered activities are introduced with the same level of enthusiasm and interest. 2.Take care to give different work, not simply more or less work, for different tiers. 3.Ensure that all students are equally involved and active. 4.Ensure that all activities are equally appealing and desirable.
Designing a Tiered AssignmentA six step process • Identify the content • Consider your students’ needs • Create an activity • Chart the complexity of the activity • Create other versions of the activity • Match one version of the task to each student Tomlinson
Tiered Assignments • Why use them? • One of the main benefits of tiered assignments is that they allow students to work on tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult. • They are highly motivating because they allow students to be successful at their level of readiness. • Tiered assignments also allow students to work in their specific learning styles or preferences.
Tips • All students need coherent lessons that are relevant, powerful, and meaningful. • Good curriculum pushes students a bit beyond what is easy or comfortable. • Encourage students to “work up” and complete tasks that stretch them.
Analyzing aTiered Assignment • Parallel tasks • Varying levels of complexity • Various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction • Different levels of activity with same essential goals • Builds on prior knowledge and encourages continued growth
The Equalizer: A Tool for Planning Differentiated Lessons • Foundational…………….Transformational • Concrete………………….Abstract • Simple…………………… Complex • Single Facet………………Multiple Facets • Small Leap………………..Great Leap • More Structured…………..More Open • Less Independence………More Independence • Slow………………………..Quick
Tiered Activity – Writing a Persuasive Essay 4th–6th Grade Classroom
Learning Contract #1 Name _______________________ My question or topic is: To find out about my question or topic… I will read: I will look at and listen to: I will write: I will draw: I will need: Here’s how I will share what I know: I will finish by this date:
Learning Contract #2 To demonstrate what I have learned about ____________________, I want to _ Write a report _ Put on a demonstration _ Set up an experiment _ Develop a computer presentation _ Build a model _Design a mural _ Write a song _ Make a movie _ Create a graphic organizer or diagram _ Other This will be a good way to demonstrate understanding of this concept because ______________________________________________________________ To do this project, I will need help with ______________________________________________________________ My Action Plan is________________________________________________ The criteria/rubric which will be used to assess my final product is _________ ______________________________________________________________ My project will be completed by this date _____________________________ Student signature: ________________________________ Date ___/___/___ Teacher signature: ________________________________ Date ___/___/___
Flexible grouping is at the heart of differentiated instruction
The real art of discovery consists not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes. Marcel Proust