DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION:

1. DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION: REACHING ALL CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM Tempest G. Leake

2. Our Objectives • Understand the model for Differentiated Instruction • Discover strategies to differentiate a lesson based on student interest • Create a differentiated lesson and discuss building a differentiated classroom

3. What is Differentiated Instruction? “Differentiated instruction is a teaching philosophybased on the premise that teachers should adapt instruction to student differences. Rather than marching students through the curriculum lockstep, teachers should modify their instruction to meet students’ varying readiness levels, learning preferences, and interests.” Carol Ann Tomlinson

4. Challenges • I Long to return to the Good Old Days • I thought I was differentiating • I teach the way I was taught • I don’t know how • I have too much content to cover • I’m good at lecturing • I can’t see how I would grade all those different assignments • Kathie F. Nunley, Differentiating in the High School, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2006.

5. Challenges • I thought differentiation was for the elementary school • I subscribe to ability grouping • I have real logistic issues • I want my classroom under control • I don’t know how to measure my student’s learning styles • I have neither the time nor the funding for all that • Kathie F. Nunley, Differentiating in the High School, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2006.

6. Challenges • I’ve been teaching this way for years and it works • There’s no support for it at my school • My district requires me to follow a prescribed text • Parents expect lecture format in high school for college prep • The bottom line – if they are learning, you are teaching • Kathie F. Nunley, Differentiating in the High School, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2006.

7. What We Expect From You Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction

8. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Risk Taking– “We should not be afraid to innovate, experiment, confront, dump “sacred” lessons, or reach out to others in an effort to improve our practice.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

9. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Empathetic – “Try to experience the lesson from the perspective of your student.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

10. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Organized – “Organization helps us be more creative, flexible, impulsive and confident.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

11. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Tenacious – “They set rigorous goals and show students how to reach them. They know that hard work is motivating as long as students consider it important.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

12. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Fleet of Foot – “Teachers who use differentiated instruction effectively take whatever steps are necessary to make ideas clear to their students.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

13. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Resourceful– “Such teachers have an ever-ending repertoire of instructional strategies. They are aware of the differences in learners and they know how to engage them. They never stop looking for new ideas….” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

14. Characteristics of Successful Teachers of Differentiated Instruction: • Able to Collaborate – “They know they make better decisions in collaboration with others than they would if they acted alone.” • Rick Wormeli: “Meet Me in the Middle”

15. Think 7 to Differentiate Instruction By addressing student You can differentiate the Content Readiness Process Interests/Passion Product Learning Profile Learning Environment

16. Based on the student’s Readiness How students perform in your class, such as their reading ability, pace of learning, dependence on the teacher, or independence, …. Interests Passions What does the student enjoy? Learning Profile What learning preference does the student have? Auditory, visual, kinesthetic? Multiple Intelligence preference(s)?

17. We might differentiate the Content: What students learn Process/Activities: Six Thinking Hats® Strategies through which students process, or make sense of, understandings and skills Products: Multiple Intelligences/SMART Choices – Tic Tac Toe Menu How students demonstrate and extend what they have learned Learning Environment: Varied resources and flexible grouping structures

18. PRIOR KNOWLEDGE/READINESS:The Value of Pre-Assessment... • Textbook Pretest • Student/Teacher Conference - as short as a 5 minute talk • K-N-W Chart - What do I Know, Need to know & Want to know • Journal - Write what you know about... • List - If I say ... What does it make you think of? • Concept Map... • Student Reflection ~You can’t figure out what to teach ’em if you don’t know ’em!

19. STRATEGIES • RAFTs • Dinner Menu • Tiered Activities • Cubing • BINGO • Tic-Tac-Toe

20. RAFT assignments encourage students to uncover their own voices and formats for presenting their ideas about content information they are studying.  Students learn to respond to writing prompts that require them to think about various perspectives: • Role of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A movie star? The President? A plant? • Audience: To whom are you writing? A senator?  Yourself? A company? • Format: In what format are you writing? A diary entry? A newspaper?  A love letter? • Topic: What are you writing about? • Santa, C., Havens, L., & Valdes, B. (2004). Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-owned Strategies. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt. • Dean, Deborah. 2006. Strategic Writing: The Writing Process and Beyond in the Secondary English Classroom. Urbana, IL: NCTE.

22. R.A.F.T.(S). Prompts • Imagine that you are Goldilocks’ mother. Explainin a note to Goldilocksthe importance of using good manners as she prepares to venture out for the day. • 1. Identify the: • Role Format • Audience Topic • 2. Write a short note to Goldilocks

23. Dinner Menu – Photosynthesis • Appetizer (Everyone Shares) • Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis. • Entrée (Select One) • Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis. • Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis. • Create a rap that explains what happens during photosynthesis. • Side Dishes (Select at Least Two) • Define respiration, in writing. • Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn Diagram. • Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant. • With a partner, create and perform a skit that shows the differences between photosynthesis and respiration. • Dessert (Optional) • Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.

24. Tiered Activities Tiered Instruction features: • Whole group introduction and initial instruction • Identification of developmental differences • Ladder Analogy (bottom – up; challenge/complexity) • Increase or Decrease the: • Abstraction/Challenge Levels (ie. application, analysis & synthesis) • Extent of Support • Complexity of: • outcomes • resources (reading levels, types of text [on-line, magazine, etc…], based on prior-knowledge levels) • processes (way in which students obtain information) • products (M.I. products)

25. Tiered Assignment~ Middle School Unit: Dinosaurs Objective: In their study of dinosaurs, the students will be able to research and identify various theories of dinosaur extinction. Task 1 - After researching and identifying various theories of dinosaur extinction, students will be able to create their own theory and draw a picture or diagram illustrating that theory. Task 2 - After researching and identifying various theories of dinosaur extinction, students will be able to create a visual representation of their theory (i.e. diorama, timeline, or three dimensional model). Task 3 - After researching and identifying various theories of dinosaur extinction, students will be able to create a visual representation of their theory and defend their theory during a class debate.

26. Student Choice Boards • Enable students to choose learning activities that are designed by the teacher • Can be used in any subject area and enhanced with nonlinguistic representation

28. Think Tac ToeAncient Civilizations – Grade 6 GEOGRAPHY IMPORTANT PEOPLE CONTRIBUTIONS Charles Kyle & Kathy Reed * Illinois

29. Fractions Choice Board • Learning Goals: Students will… • KNOW: Fractions show parts of a whole and can be expressed numerically. • UNDERSTAND: Fractions represent equal sized portions or fair shares. • Be able to DO: Use different materials to demonstrate what the fraction looks like. Turville, J. (2007) Differentiating by Student Interest

31. Insects Choice Board • Learning Goals: Students will… • KNOW: The characteristics of insects. • UNDERSTAND: Insects have particular characteristics and parts and are different from other kinds of bugs. • Be able to DO: Create a product that demonstrates an understanding of characteristics that are particular to insects. Turville, J. (2007) Differentiating by Student Interest

33. Considerations for Planning a Differentiated Lesson • Identify the student learning target/s that ALL students must reach • Decide WHAT you will differentiate and WHAT assessment method(s) you will use • Decide HOW you will differentiate your instruction and assessment methods