Hitting a Home Run
with Differentiation!
Say the direction each arrow is
pointing
Move in the direction each arrow is
pointing
Say the direction each arrow is
pointing and move in the same
direction
Say the opposite direction each arrow
is pointing
Move the opposite direction each
arrow is pointing
Say and move in the opposite direction
each arrow is pointing
Say the OPPOSITE direction the arrow
is pointing, but move in the SAME
direction the arrow is pointing
Say the SAME direction the arrow is
pointing, but move in the OPPOSITE
direction
Where do you fall on your
Differentiation skills?
What Differentiation Is/Isn’t
“I liken the teacher in the classroom to a pitcher
at a baseball game, and the students are the batters. It
is our job to set up the information in a way that will
allow for students to knock it out of the park, so to
speak. We don’t want to make it too easy and lob the
information right over the plate. We also don’t want to
make it too hard, causing the student to “strike out.”
We want to throw a couple curves at them to make
them do their own thinking, so they will eventually see
it coming and score a run for the home team. “ (Farkas
and Duffett 2012)
Questions, Questions
PLC Question
1. What do we expect our
students to know and be
able to do?
Differentiation
Question
1. Planning Question: What
do I want students to
know, understand, and be
able to do?
Questions, Questions
PLC Question:
2. How will we know they are
learning?
Differentiation
Question:
2. Preassessment Question:
Who already knows,
understands, and/or can use
the content or demonstrate
the skills?
Questions, Questions
PLC Questions:
3. & 4. How will we respond
when they don’t learn? How
will we respond if they already
know it?
Differentiation
Question:
3. Differentiation Question:
What can I do for him, her, or
them so they can make
continuous progress and
extend their learning?
Concept Map for Differentiating
Instruction
Content:
the facts, concepts, generalizations, or
principles, attitudes, and skills related to the
subject, as well as materials that represent
those elements. Content includes both what
the teacher plans for students to learn and how
the student gains access to the desired
knowledge, understanding, and skills. What is
most likely to change in a differentiated
classroom is how students gain access to core
learning.
Examples of Differentiating by
Content:
• Using math manipulatives with some, but not all
learners
• Using texts at more than one reading level
• Presenting information through both whole-to-part
and part-to-whole approaches
• Using a variety of reading-buddy arrangements
• Exempting students who already demonstrate mastery
from a task or assignment
• Using texts, computer programs, audio files, and videos
as a way of conveying key concepts to varied learners
• Small groups to re-teach or extend learning
Process:
Process is how the learner comes to make sense
of, understand, and “own” the key facts,
concepts, generalizations, and skills of the
subject. A synonym for process is “activity” or
“task”.
Examples of Differentiation by Process:
• Using tiered activities through which all learners work with
the same important understandings and skills, but proceed
with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity
• Providing interest centers that encourage students to explore
subsets of the class topic of particular interest to them
• Developing personal agendas or contracts to be completed by
students
• Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for
students who need them
• Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a
task in order to provide additional support for struggling
learners or to encourage advanced learners to pursue a topic
in greater depth
• Most difficult first
Product:
Products refer to the items a student can use to
demonstrate what he or she has come to know,
understand, and be able to do as a result of
learning. A good product causes students to
rethink what they have learned, apply what they
can do, extend their understanding and skill, and
become involved in both critical and creative
thinking.
Examples of Differentiation by Product:
• Allow for varied working arrangements (ie partner work, group
project, individual)
• Work with student to develop rubrics for producing quality
work
• Encourage students to create their own product assignments
as long as the assignments contain required elements (ie
create a puppet show, write a letter, develop a mural with
labels, etc…)
• Use a wide variety of kinds of assessments
Domino Math
• Ways to differentiate the
content?
• Ways to differentiate the
process?
• Ways to differentiate the
product?