Differentiated by Task

Teachers should be ensuring that lessons have tasks and activities matched to the
learning needs of all students. However, much of the differentiation built into our
lessons is differentiation by outcome, which does not always enable students to be
fully engaged with the work or produce their best work. What we need to do to a
greater extent is differentiate by task. The following is a suggested range of ways in
which differentiation by task can be achieved in the classroom.

Choice of tasks

Create different 'learning stations' around the classroom. At each station there needs
to be tasks from a particular topic area of the specification. The tasks then need to
be varied to allow students to choose those they want to complete. Tasks on each
table could include:

* matching exercises;
* missing word exercises;
* sorting exercises;
* definition questions;
* explain questions;
* discuss questions.

The teacher can guide students towards particular tasks (if need be), then mark and
provide feedback. The tasks can also be on colour coded cards/sheets, coded
according to the grade/level so that students can choose tasks accordingly and will
choose to stretch themselves. This method is particularly suited and is a useful
approach during revision time.
Using tables to develop concepts and understanding
Using tables can help weaker students to be able to apply knowledge and to analyse.
Also, students can be given different versions of the table as a starting point, for
example, very able students can have a table with just the concepts column filled in
whereas, weaker students could be given a table with some completed examples.
Those of mid-ability could be given a table with the concepts and some analysis
leaving them to suggest relevant businesses. This approach can be adapted for
different lessons.

Providing examples/model material

Students can be given different worksheets which may include the following different
task options.

1. A question (e.g. from a past paper) with an answer that shows where the marks
have been awarded.

2. A question and answer along with mark scheme, which students have to mark and
highlight where they think the marks would be awarded.

3. A similar question (same command word and mark allocation) with space for an
answer that has been partly written.
Reference:

https://educationtothecore.com/2016/02/engage-and-differentiate-with-task-cards/

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Text-Evidence-Reading-Passages
Differentiated-Task-Cards-Distance-Learning

https://lessonplandiva.com/2012/10/differentiated-poetry-task-cards.html