Topic: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION SUBJECT: Principles and methods of teaching

Discussant: MONTON, Reycelle May Y.

Section: II-23

I. WHAT IS DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION?(Mills R. et.al, 2019) & (Weselby,

2014)
- It means teaching the same material but using different strategies
- It requires teachers to be flexible to give variations in terms of learning, and
delivering the lesson with different levels of difficulties.
- It tailors instruction for education to meet individual needs.

II. WHY DO TEACHERS NEED TO DO IT?

- To create the best learning experience possible
- Because not all students learn using the same medium and the same way.
- To assess the diversity of students when it comes to learning.

III. HOW DO TEACHERS IMPLEMENT DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION?

According to Tomlinson (2000), there are 4 elements of a classroom that will allow
teachers to implement differentiated classroom:
 Content – what the student needs to learn or how the student will get access
to the information;
Examples:
a) Using reading materials at varying readability levels;
b) Putting text materials on tape;
c) Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students;
d) Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means;
e) Using reading buddies; and
f) Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling
learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.

 Process – activities in which the student engages in order to make sense of

master the content;
Examples:
a) Providing interest centers that encourage students to explore subsets of
the class topic of particular interest to them.
b) Developing personal agendas to be completed either during specified
agenda time or as students complete other work early.
c) Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for students
who need them.
d) Using tiered activities through which all learners work with the
same important understandings and skills
Topic: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION SUBJECT: Principles and methods of teaching
Discussant: MONTON, Reycelle May Y.
Section: II-23
 Products – culminating projects that ask the student to rehearse, apply, and
extend what he or she has learned in a unit.
Examples:
a) Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on their products
b) Encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as
the assignments contain required elements
c) Giving students options of how to express required learning

 Learning environment – the way the classroom works and feels.

Examples:
a) Setting out clear guidelines for independent work that matches individual
needs;
b) Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are
busy with other students and cannot help them immediately
c) Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without
distraction, as well as places that invite student collaboration
d) Providing materials that reflect a variety of cultures and home
settings;
e) Helping students understand that some learners need to move around to
learn, while others do better sitting quietly

REFERENCES:
Mills, R. et al. “What Is Differentiated Instruction?” Reading Rockets, 25 Sept. 2019,
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction.
Welseby C. Portland, 21 Aug. 2018, “What Is Differentiated Instruction? Examples of
Strategies.”https://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/classroom-resources/examples-of-
differentiated-instruction/.