Differentiated In

struction

Leyme V. Gonzales
 Definitions of Differentiated
Instruction (DI)
 refers to a systematic approach to planning
curriculum and instruction for academically
diverse learners.
 It is a way of thinking about the classroom
with the dual goals of honoring each
student’s learning needs and maximizing
each student’s learning capacity
(Carol Ann Tomlinson)
 In a DI class...
 a teacher proactively plans varied
approaches to what students need to
learn, how they will learn it, and/or how
they will express what they have learned
in order to increase the likelihood that each
student will learn as much as he or she
can.
 The Goals of Differentiation
 Every student will make continuous progress
no matter how old she is or at what level her
knowledge and skills are as she begins the
unit of study.
 Every student will become a lifelong learner,
the long-term goal for all children and young
people.

-Julia A. Roberts and Tracy F. Inman

 Purposes of DI
According to Melanie Bailey-Bird,
 To differentiate instruction is to RECOGNIZE students
varying background knowledge, readiness, language,
preferences in learning, interests, and to react
responsively.
 It is a PROCESS to approach teaching and learning for
students of differing abilities in the same class.
 The intent of differentiating instruction is to
MAXIMIZE each student’s growth and
individual success by meeting each student where he or
she is, and assisting in the learning
process.
 How to start?
 do a formative assessment
 create an individual profile of each of
his/her student in each class he/she is
handling.
BUT assessment should be on-going and
diagnostic for these assessments
provides teachers a day-to-day data on
their students.
 Remember that
Assessment is today’s means of
understanding how to modify
tomorrow’s instructions.
 Using the results of the assessment, teachers can
modify/differentiate content, process or product
along with the learning area.
 The differentiation should be based on the
students’ Readiness, Interest and Learning
Profile.
 Interest
 Interest refers to a child’s
affinity, curiosity or passion
for a particular topic or skill.
 Learning Profile
 Learning profile has to do with
how the students’ learn.
 It may be shaped by
intelligence, preferences,
gender, culture, or learning
style.
 Content
 Content is input.
 It is what a student should come to
know (facts), understand (concepts
and principles), and able to do
(skills).
Differentiating Content
 Determine the  Survey Student
Ability Level of Interests
Your Students › Interest
› Survey Past Inventories,
Records, Look at Interview/
Their Chums Conference, Respond
 Align Tasks and to Open-Ended
Questionnaire with
Objectives to
Questions
Learning Goals
Differentiating Content
 What are Your  Instruction is Concept-
Students Multiple Focused and Principle-
Driven
Intelligences &  What do Brain-Based
Learning Styles? Research say?
 What are Your  Ultimately, teachers
Student’s need to Know
Preferences and THEIR Students.
Motivators?
 Differentiating Content
Sample Activities
 Use Reading  Use Reading
Materials at Varying Buddies
Readability Levels  Meet with Small
 Put Text Materials on Groups to Re-Teach
ppt, mp4 or mp3 an Idea or Skill for
format Struggling Learners,
 Use Spelling/Vocab. or Extend the
Tests at Readiness Learning
Levels of Students
 Process
 Process is the opportunity for
students to make sense of the
content.
 Part of process is the activities in
the lesson. They should be well-
thought of.
 How to differentiate
Process
 Flexible Grouping is Consistently Used.
› Groupings are Not Fixed, and Should Be Dynamic in
Process.
› Teach Whole Class Introductory Discussions, then Follow
with Small Group (or) Pair Work.
 Direct Instruction
 Inquiry-Based Learning
 Cooperative Learning
 Classroom Management Benefits Students and
Teachers
› Organization & Routines
 Differentiating Process
 Use Tiered Activities
 Provide Interest Centers
 Develop Personal Agendas for
Completion of Work
 Manipulatives (or) Hands on Supports
 Varying the Length of Time
 Memorization
 KWL
 Differentiating Process
 Reciprocal teaching
 Graphic organizing
 Scaffolding
 Webbing
 Self Talk
 Web Quests
 Guided Notes
Effective ONLY if they ...
› have a clearly defined instructional purpose
› focus students squarely on one key
understanding
› cause students to use a key skill to work with
key ideas
› ensure that students will have to understand
(not just repeat) the idea
› help students relate new understandings and
skills to previous ones, and
› match the student’s level of readiness.
 Product
 Product is a vehicle through which a
student show (and extends what he or
she has come to understand and can do
as a result of a considerable segment of
learning.
 It is something students produce to
exhibit major portions of learning.
 Product
 These are culminating projects that
ask the student to rehearse, apply,
and extend what he/she has learned
in a unit.
Remember...
 Initial and on-going assessment of student
readiness and growth are Essential
 Authentic Assessment is a must.
 Students should be trained to be active and
responsible explorers.
 Teachers should vary expectations and
requirements for student responses
 For outcomes, teachers should consider each
student’s multiple intelligences and learning styles
 How do we do that?
 Give Students Options of How to Express Required
Learning
 Create a Puppet Show, Write a Letter, Develop Mural with
Labels
 Use Rubrics that Match Student’s Varied Skill Level
 Use RubiStar.com
 Allow Students to Work Alone (or) in Small Groups
 Performance -Based Assessment
 Student Portfolios
 Knowledge Mapping
Keep in mind...
Teachers should look at the
level of readiness of their
students as they differentiate
content, process or product.
Students with less–developed
readiness may need:
 someone to help them identify and make-up
gaps in their learning so they can move ahead;
 more opportunities for direct instruction or
practice;
 activities or products that are more structured
or more concrete, with fewer steps, closer to
their own experiences and calling on simpler
reading skills; or
 a more deliberate pace of learning.
 While advanced students may
need:
 to skip practice with previously mastered skills and
understandings;
 activities and products that are quite complex, open-
ended, abstract, and multifaceted, drawing on
advanced reading materials; or
 a brisk pace of work or perhaps a slower pace to
allow for greater depth of exploration of a topic.
 Modify a curricular
element only when
 a student needs it and
 modification increases the likelihood
that the learner will understand
important ideas and use the
important skills more thoroughly as
a result.
 EVERY MAN is in certain
respects
a. like all other men,
b. like some other men,
c. like no other man.
-Murray, H. A. & C. Kluckhohn, 1953
Thank you