1. 5/13/2011
Differentiated Instruction
Kit Giddings
Utah Personnel Development Center
Objectives
Definition
Creating a Differentiated Classroom
Differentiating Lesson Content
1

2. 5/13/2011
Definition
What is It?
Differentiated classrooms provide a variety
of approaches to:
Learning content
Making sense of ideas
Effective learning
2

3. 5/13/2011
How is it Different?
Traditional teaching is more unitary in its
approach, uses the same content, and processing
activities. For example:
1st graders listening to a story then drawing a
picture
5th graders listening to general instruction about
fractions then completing the same homework
assignment
Secondary students sitting through a history or
science lecture then watching a video
Is That Wrong?
No! Traditional teaching covers about 80-85%
of the students in our classrooms.
It’s the remaining 15% of struggling students
who need more instruction, guidance, and
feedback.
These 15% learn because of us, not in spite of
us.
3

4. 5/13/2011
What “DI” is not
Differentiated Instruction is NOT:
The “individualized instruction” of the 1970’s
(assuming a separate level for each student)
Chaotic (teachers don’t lose control)
Homogeneous grouping (blue group never
works with red group)
What Is “DI”?
Differentiated Instruction is:
Proactive (preparing lesson ahead)
More qualitative than quantitative (adjusting
the nature of an assignment rather than
more of the same thing)
Rooted in assessment (research-based)
Uses multiple approaches
Student centered
A blend of whole-class, group, & individual
instruction
4

5. 5/13/2011
Keep in Mind...
Differentiation doesn’t suggest that a teacher
can
be all things to all students all of the time. It
does, however, mandate that a teacher create a
reasonable range of approaches to learning
much of the time so that most students find
learning a fit much of the time.
(Tomlinson,
2001)
Psychological Needs
Student psychological needs must be met
before learning can occur
Physical
Safety
Acceptance
Self-esteem
Self -actualization
5

6. 5/13/2011
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Self-
Actualization
Needs
To develop our talents and be true
to our goals; to realize our potential;
to have “peak experiences”
Self-esteem and Competence
Needs
To achieve; to gain approval and
recognition from others for our
achievements; to trust in our abilities
Belonging and Love Needs
To love and be loved; to have relationships and be
accepted; to know that we are a valued member of a
group
Safety Needs
To feel safe, secure, and out of danger; to feel confident that we will not be harmed
either physically or psychologically
Physiological Needs
To have the food, water, clothing, shelter, sleep, exercise, and comfort we need to survive
Creating a Differentiated
Classroom
6

7. 5/13/2011
Rules of Thumb
Be clear on key concepts as you plan your
lessons (background knowledge)
Think of assessment as a road map for your
planning (progress monitoring data)
Lessons should emphasize critical & creative
thinking (Inferential over literal questions)
Make your lessons engaging (present
problems, issues, dilemmas, & unknowns)
Is your classroom...
A welcome, safe place that invites learning?
A center for mutual respect?
Where students know they will be challenged?
Part of a team where students can confidently
contribute?
Supportive towards struggling students?
7

8. 5/13/2011
Key Strategies
Begin at a pace that is Have a procedure for
comfortable for you. turning in work
Time activities to support Minimize “stray” movement
student success.
Have a plan for the “quick
Use an “anchor activity” to finishers”
free you up to focus your
attention on your students. Give your students as
much responsibility for
Create & deliver their learning as possible
instructions carefully
Make transitions smooth &
quick
Begin Slowly
Choices of books Homework options
Reading buddies Journals
Work alone or together Flexible seating
Whole-to-part Part-to-whole
Computer programs Stations
Think-Pair-Share Jigsaw activities
Multiple level of questions Choice boards
Multiple textbooks Alternative assessments
8

9. 5/13/2011
Graphic Organizer
The Curriculum Diamond is a graphic
organizer for teachers.
Helps us visualize and organize what we area
going to teach and in what order
Curriculum Diamond
Hitler/Nazis
Invasion of Poland
Isolationism Hitler/Nazis
Berlin Pearl Harbor
Rationing War
Reconstruction Poland
of Japan Dates Freedom
Axis/Allied Pearl Harbor
Battles
Powers
Key Individuals
9

10. 5/13/2011
Curriculum Diamond, cont.
Team up with someone who teaches similar
content as you
Decide on a concept you teach
Create a Curriculum Diamond for your classes
Differentiating
Lesson Content
10

11. 5/13/2011
Designing Concepts
Foundational: Basic information presented in
ways that help build a solid foundation of
understanding (ex.: cutting fruit and placing it to show
fractions)
Transformational: Detailed information when
something is already clear to students (ex.: writing
measures of music that represent certain fractions)
Concepts, cont.
Concrete: Understanding the literal aspect of a
concept (grasping the plot)
Abstract: Gleaning meanings and implications
(Investigations of a theme)
11

12. 5/13/2011
Concepts, cont.
Simple: Developing a clear framework with
resources, research, issues, problems, skills, & goals
(Black Holes for Dummies)
Complex: Adding to their framework with abstract
ideas and questions (Stephen Hawking’s research)
What is Scaffolding?
Scaffolding is a term taken from the construction industry
where a student receives academic support from the
teacher. Since the student isn’t able to understand the
entire concept or complete the steps by him or herself, he
or she is guided through the necessary steps until he or
she can think or perform independently. Scaffolding helps
students successfully move from one level of knowledge
to a higher level.
12

13. 5/13/2011
Scaffolding Examples
1. Directions that give more structure
2. Tape record lectures or readings
3. Re-teaching a concept different ways
4. Modeling
5. Clear and concise directions
6. Reading buddies
7. Teaching through multiple modalities
8. Manipulatives
9. Matching reading materials to student reading level
10. Study guides
11. Graphic organizers
Lesson Checklist
What do I want the students to know or do?
How will I monitor progress with this task or concept?
Does the task I assign match what I’m teaching?
What do the students already know?
Are the students are comfortable asking questions?
Do I give the students enough opportunities to respond?
Do the students understand the concept enough to work independently?
How will I give the students feedback?
Is the task slightly beyond the student’s comfort zone but not so demanding that
it is frustrating?
13

14. 5/13/2011
Focus Activity
Pick any number from 1-9
Multiply it by 9
Add the two digits
Take away 5
Locate the corresponding number in the alphabet
Pick a country that begins with that letter
Pick an animal that begins with the last letter of the country
Pick a color that begins with the last letter of your animal
Did You Come Up with:
An Orange Kangaroo in
Denmark?
14

15. 5/13/2011
Other Strategies
From the chapter that you read last night,
choose one of the following tasks & work alone
or with a partner:
Draw a comic strip to show the events in the chapter
In your journal, chronicle the events in the chapter
Describe the setting & how it relates to the events in the chapter
Rewrite a passage of the chapter in your own words.
Jigsaw
Perfect for articles or long reading
assignments
Divide article into sections
Assign one group for each section
Ask each group to read a designated section from the article and discuss it
Gather the groups back to share what they read
15

16. 5/13/2011
Think-Pair-Share
Students think about a concept by themselves
Pair with other students & share ideas
Bloom’s Taxonomy
1. Knowledge-Recall: What is the story about?
2. Comprehension-Understanding: Why did this happen?
3. Application-Transfer: Use the information to predict...
4. Analysis-Examining: How many elements are present?
5. Synthesis-Combining: Change the story to a new setting
6. Evaluation-Rating: Rank all the solutions in priority order
16

17. 5/13/2011
Cubing
Cubing with its many sides, allows students to
look at an issue or topic from a variety of
angles (outside the box!)
Side 1: Describe it
Side 2: Compare it
Side 3: Associate it
Side 4: Analyze it
Side 5: Apply it
Side 6: Argue for or against it
Cubing, cont.
Levels of Thinking
Tell
Review Discuss
Describe
Prepare Diagram
Recall Name
Cartoon
Locate List
Compare Explain Propose Suggest
Contrast Define Finish Prescribe
Example Write Devise
Debate
Connect Make
Formulate
Design Produce
Choose Support
Develop
In your opinion...
17

18. 5/13/2011
Remember...
All students need lessons that are coherent,
relevant, powerful, transferable,
authentic, and meaningful.
We shouldn’t consign the struggling students to
“drill & practice” and save the rich and engaging
lessons for the higher achievers
A curriculum that is good for students pushes them
a bit beyond what they find easy or comfortable.
Design your lessons to stretch all students
beyond their comfort zones in knowledge,
insight, thinking, basic skills, production,
presentation skills, and affective awareness.
18

19. 5/13/2011
Plan to encourage your students to “work up”, or
to be ready to match students to tasks that will
stretch them.
A task is challenging for a given student when it
causes the student to reach beyond the
information given in a text or from reading class
notes.
Questions?
kitg@updc.org
19