TAYLORS HI LL PRI MARY SCHOOL - AUGUST 2 0 1 4

Promoting Student Engagement

and Learning Through Effective
DIFFERENTIATION



Guiding Questions

WHAT is differentiation?

WHY do we need to differentiate?

HOW do we differentiate?


Being
different
isnt
always
easy . . .
P
r
o
f
e
s
s
i
o
n
a
l

R
e
a
d
i
n
g
s

Elements of Differentiation
Grade 1 PLT + Dani

Making a Difference
Prep PLT + Stuart

Mapping a route towards
Differentiated Instruction
Grade 2 PLT + Trudy

Deciding to teach them all
Grade 5/6 PLT + Helen

Differentiated classroom learning,
technologies and school
improvement
Grade 3/4 PLT + Sam

The Myths of Differentiation
Specialists

J
I
G
S
A
W

f
o
r

s
h
a
r
e
d

l
e
a
r
n
i
n
g

Groups of 4 find your match!

Each group needs an iPad

Access Nearpod

Discuss each Guiding Question as it
appears on your iPad

One person to scribe and submit a
group response that reflects the all
opinions (scribe will change for each question)

You have 8 minutes per question
http://www.diffcentral.com/model.html

Dr Carol Ann Tomlinson
What is Differentiated Instruction?
Differentiation is responsive teaching rather than one size fits all teaching
(Tomlinson, 2005). To put it yet another way, it means that teachers proactively plan
varied approaches to what students need to learn, how they will learn it,
and/or how they will show what they have learned in order to increase the
likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently
as possible (Tomlinson, 2003).
http://www.diffcentral.com/Video_Clips.html


HOW do we differentiate?
HOW do we differentiate?
CONTENT ...
What students need to learn
The content is what the teachers want the students to learn and the
materials or mechanism through which that is accomplished. (Tomlinson)
Teachers can differentiate content by adding necessary support and challenge to
what students are learning. These may include:
* Offering levelled texts
* Using different resources and materials that cover the same concepts but that
vary in levels of difficulty and abstraction.
(Differentiation Strategies for Mathematics Shell Education)
HOW do we differentiate?
HOW do we differentiate?
PROCESS ...
How the students will learn it
The process describes activities designed to ensure that students use key
skills to make sense out of essential ideas and information. (Tomlinson)
Teachers can differentiate the process by varying instructional techniques and
materials. These include:
* Varying the complexity of assignments
* Using levelled questions
* Assigning self-paced assignments
* Offering different kinds of instruction
* Providing varied grouping techniques
* Altering the classroom environment to better meet the needs of students
(Differentiation Strategies for Mathematics Shell Education)
HOW do we differentiate?
HOW do we differentiate?
Teachers can differentiate the product by offering choices or tiering assigned
products. These include:
* Offering menus of options
* Assigning choices boards
* Setting up levelled learning centres with options
(Differentiation Strategies for Mathematics Shell Education)


PRODUCT ...
How students will show what they have learned
The products are the vehicles through which students demonstrate and extend what
they have learned. (Tomlinson)
Differentiation Strategies
8 Multiple Intelligences
- Seeks to nurture student talents/strengths and develop their weaker areas.
Verbal/Linguistic, Visual/Spatial, Bodily/Kinesthetic, Rhythmic/Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist

Tiered Assessments
- Offers multi level activities based on key skills at differing levels of complexity.

Open Ended Tasks
- Provide students the opportunity to make choices as they create products and
they do not have a single correct answer.

Choices Board
- Combine both choices and tiering by giving students the chance to choose
levelled activities from a larger list.
Differentiation Strategies
Tiered
Assessments
Open Ended
Tasks
Multiple
Intelligences
Choices
Board
Nicky
Erin
Janet
Renee
Kate
Christina L
Emma
Sarah
Amanda
Caitlin
Trent
Hayley
Theresa
Natalie
Leonie
Helen
Stuart

ROOM 9
Chloe
Michelle
Stephanie
Margot
Trudy


LEARNING
SPACE
Ashlee
Mel
Dave
Jess
Chris P
Dani


ROOM 4
Krystal
Angela
Trent
Gloria
Sam


ROOM 6
Differentiation Strategies


REFLECTION:

What do I now know that I can apply?

What question/s do I still have?
WHAT I S THE PURPOSE OF WRI TI NG
MODERATI ON?
HOW DOES MODERATI ON FI T I N WI TH
DI FFERENTI ATI ON?

TURN & TALK WI TH A PARTNER
Writing Moderation
A
u
s
V
E
L
S

Moderation will involve closely looking at
AusVELS and the content descriptors for
each level.

Analysing writing samples again AusVELS
which will lead to group discussion on where
to place samples on the continuum.

Everyone to receive the Writing content
descriptors from Foundation to Level Seven.

Each group will receive a sample writing
piece from each year level from AusVELS.
WRITING MODERATION TASK
Explore task together with your group.
Discussion/come to joint understanding about why
specific samples are at a particular level. Need to be
able to justify why it is at that level as other groups
may agree or disagree. Place your samples on the
continuum in the gym.
Reflect on your decisions. Do you want to change
any?

Group 1
Dave
Margot
Janet
Andrew

ROOM 4

Group 2
Krystal
Theresa
Renee
Christina L

ROOM 5

Group 3
Michelle
Leonie
Mel
Emma

ROOM 6

Group 4
Stephanie
Caitlin
Nicky
Trudy

ROOM 7

Group 5
Angela
Erin
Sarah
Stuart

ROOM 8

Group 6
Hayley
Chloe
Amanda
Chris P

ROOM 9

Group 7
Ashlee
Kate
Jess
Dani

SCIENCE SPACE

Group 8
Nat
Trent
Gloria
Sam

LEARNING SPACE

WRITING MODERATION TASK
REFORM I NTO YOUR PLT. LOOK AT THE
SAMPLES FOR YOUR YEAR LEVEL, THE
LEVEL ABOVE AND BELOW.
DO YOU AGREE? DO YOU NEED TO
CHANGE THE PLACEMENT OF ANY OF
THE SAMPLES? I F SO- WHY?
( RECORD YOUR THOUGHTS ON A STI CKY NOTE AND
I NCLUDE ON SAMPLE) .
AS A PLT..
GOAL SETTI NG: APPROACHI NG WRI TI NG
DI FFERENTI ATI ON I N YOUR CLASS

THI NKI NG ABOUT THE DI VERSE RANGE OF WRI TER S I N
YOUR CLASSROOM, WHAT I S THE NEXT STEP YOUR PLT CAN
TAKE TO DI FFERENTI ATE WRI TI NG I N YOUR CLASSES?
Where to from here?
F
I
R
S
T

.
.
.

What are the things
we need to know,
do or have to assist
us to differentiate
for our students?
Dr Carol Ann Tomlinson
Next Step Ideas On How To Increase Expertise
With Differentiated Instruction.

We all have different steps to take ... the trick is to take one!
(Tomlinson).

http://www.diffcentral.com/Video_Clips.html



R
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F
L
E
C
T
I
O
N

What is your
next step?

What are you going to
do next week to
continue your learning
and put it into practice?