Differentiation of Instruction

How to Reach All the Children in Your

Classroom

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 Differentiation of Instruction is

A teacher’s response to learner’s

needs
Differentiated instruction is an approach to planning so that one
lesson is taught to the entire class while meeting the individual needs
of each child.

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Why Differentiate?
 Students

 come in all different sizes, shapes

 have different readiness levels

 have different learning profiles

 they learn best in different ways

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Why Else?
 Classrooms in which students are active
learners, decision makers and problem
solvers are more natural and effective
than those in which students are served
a "one-size-fits-all" curriculum and
treated as passive recipients of
information 
 "Covering information" takes a backseat
to making meaning out of important
ideas.

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Teachers can differentiate

Content – Process – Product

“the what” “the activities” “the how”

According to student’s

Readiness Interests Learning Profile

(entry point to (curiosity or passion) (how they learn)
understanding)
 Differentiated Classroom Traditional Classroom

Teachers begin where Teachers begin where

students are curriculum guide says to
start
Teachers use different Teachers don’t use
teaching techniques to different teaching
reach all levels techniques – teaches to
one level
Assessment and instruction Assessment and instruction
are inseparable often are separated
Classroom time/groups are Classroom time/groups are
flexible not flexible
Teacher considers the Teacher doesn’t consider
students’ learning styles the students learning styles
Students are evaluated All students are evaluated
based on their differences the same way
Teacher is facilitator Teacher directs learning

Independent study allowed No independent study

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights
Reserved.
 How to Plan for a Differentiated
Classroom

 Determine the ability level of your

students
 Survey the students’ interests
 Determine learning styles
 Visual learners learn from seeing
 Auditory learners learn from listening

 Tactile/kinesthetic learners learn from

touching, moving and doing

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 How to Plan for a Differentiated
Classroom

 Have a variety of teaching strategies:

 Direct instruction
 Inquiry based
 Cooperative learning
 Information process strategies
 Independent study
 Centers
 Tiered assignments

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

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 How to Plan for a Differentiated
Classroom

 Identify Ways to Assess or Evaluate

Student Progress
 Portfolios
 Rubrics
 Performance based
 Knowledge mapping

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 DIFFERENTIATION FOR ADVANCED
LEARNERS

 Depth – venture further, deeper

 Complexity – makes connections,
associations between, within, and
across subject areas
 Novelty – personal understanding
 Acceleration or Pacing – altering
pace to challenge learners

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Samples
 Grade 1 – Nature Newsletter
 Students take a nature walk to gather
objects for a newsletter about their local
area
 One 1st grade objective is classification
 All students will classify the items using any of the
following:
 classify items as living or non-living

 classify items by other similarities

 classify items using the actual object

 classify items using cards that have the objects

name

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Samples
 Grade 6 – Spelling
 Students have a spelling notebook where
they write 10 new spelling words from
their own color-coded list
 The color-coded spelling lists are varied
based on the students level
 Words missed go on the list for the next

week
 Students who demonstrate proficiency with

8th grade words move to a different

vocabulary activity

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Sample
 Middle School Math Applications
 Mathematics in the News – Elections,
Sports, Stocks
 Everyone gets equal time at an appropriate
entry point of instruction for them
 Math concepts are first taught then students

apply them to a real-world problem

 Groups are constantly being changed so

students hear a variety of voices in their

journey to think mathematically

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Sample
 Upper Elementary - African Safari
Adventure
 Student naturalists help safari guests learn about
the diversity, interdependence, and life in the
African wilds.
 Developing student responsibility: students

help develop the evaluation rubrics, write project

proposals, and complete self and group
evaluations
 Chunking: breaking assignments/activities into

smaller, more manageable parts and providing

more structured directions for each part

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Samples
 Grade 12 – Government
 Students conduct research in small groups on how
the role of government has expanded over time
and impacted various groups in society
 The requirements for all groups would be similar.

Some same ability level groups will investigate

issues that are clearly defined and where there is a
lot of reading material at a basic level
 Other groups will investigate more issues that are

more complex with higher level reading materials

 There is a choice of product. Some examples

could be essay, newspaper, or multimedia

presentation

© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights

Reserved.
 Sources
 Tomlinson, Carol Ann. The Differentiated Classroom,
Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD, 1999.
 Ross, Bev. Differentiated Instruction, A Model for Kyrene
Educators. Phoenix, AZ: 2001
 "Teach-nology, The Web Portal for Educators." How to
Differentiate Instruction. 2002. . January 28, 2003
http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/differentiate/
planning/
.
 Elizabeth Bogod. "Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligence." .
2002. The Vancouver Island Invisible . January 28, 2003
http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm#Copyright%20I
nformation
.
 Smith, Jody. "Instruction and Management Practices."
Accelerated and Enriched Instruction. 22 02 2001.
Montgomery County Public Schools. 05 02 2003
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/eii/eiimanagepracti
cespage.html#Effective%20Teaching%20Strategies%20for%
20Differentiated%20Classroom
.
© 2003 Intel Corporation. All Rights
Reserved.