Teaching and Learning Strategies
for Differentiated Instruction
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Dr. Summer Whitmore
Attendance
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People First
Language
“People First Language puts the person before the disability and describes
what a person has, not who a person is.”
Kathie Snow. (n.d.) A few words about People First Language. Disability is Natural. Retrieved
August 1, 2012 from http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl-sh09.pdf
• Gain knowledge of the essential elements
of differentiated instruction.
• Gain knowledge related to tiered
assignments, role-audience-format-topic,
and think-tac-toe.
5
What do you already know?
In an effort to better understand
participant knowledge level,
please take a moment to answer
these pre-questions that will
appear on your screen:
Differentiated Instruction
• Differentiated instruction is based on the
assumptions that students differ in their
learning styles, needs, strengths, and abilities,
and that classroom activities should be
adapted to meet these differences.
Differentiated Instruction Is…….
• effective instruction that is responsive to the
learning preferences, interests and readiness of
the learner
• an organized framework for teaching and learning
• responds to the need of the student by providing
a balance of shared, guided, and independent
instructional strategies
DI means……..
DI does not mean……….
Flexible, short term groupings that allow
students to work with a variety of peers
with the same or different strengths and
interest.
Labelling students or grouping by ability
Engaging and interesting tasks for all
learning preferences, interest and levels of
readiness
Confining some students to low level,
repetitive or rote tasks while others
engage in higher-order thinking
A reasonable number of well constructed
choices that address identified
needs/strenghts of students
Different students working on different
expectations with varying success criteria
(e.g., different rubrics)
Students learning about themselves to
help them make effective and informed
choices
Teachers assuming responsibility for
making all decision regarding student
choice
Routines, procedures, and classroom
agreements are in place
A chaotic or unstructured classroom
environment
Differentiation-How does it Work?
• Teachers can differentiate at least four
classroom elements based on student
readiness, interest, or learning profile:
• Content
• Process
• Product
• Learning environment
Content
What the student
needs to learn or
how the student will
get access to the
information?
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Content Examples
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Reading materials at varying readability levels
Text materials on tape
Spelling/vocabulary lists at readiness levels
Ideas through both auditory and visual means
Reading buddies
Small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling
learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of
advanced learners
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Process
Activities in which the
student engages in
order to make sense of
or master the content.
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Process Examples
• Tiered activities at different levels of support,
challenge, or complexity.
• Centers that encourage students to explore subsets
of the class topic of particular interest to them.
• Manipulatives for students who need them.
• Varying the length of time a student may take to
complete a task- for a struggling learner or an
advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.
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Product
Culminating projects
that ask the student
to rehearse, apply,
and extend what he or
she has learned in a
unit.
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Product Examples
• Giving students options of how to express required
learning (e.g., create a puppet show, write a letter, or
develop a mural with labels).
• Using rubrics that match and extend students’ varied
skill levels.
• Allowing students to work alone or in small groups on
their products.
• Encouraging students to create their own product
assignments as long as the assignments contain required
elements.
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Learning Environment
The way the classroom works and feels. In
addition, it’s the way the classroom and/or
school, creates a sense of community
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Learning Environment Examples
• Places in the classroom to work quietly without
distraction, as well as places that invite student
collaboration
• Materials that reflect a variety of cultures
• Guidelines for independent work that matches
individual needs
• Routines that allow students to get help when
teachers are busy with other students
Strategies for Differentiation
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Higher Prep
Tiered Lessons
RAFT
Think-Tac-Toe
Multiple Intelligence
Options
Graphic Organizers
Response/Exit Cards
Multiple Texts
Flexible Grouping
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Lower Prep
Reading & Study
Buddies
Anchor Activities
Think-Pair-Share
Choices of books
Interest Surveys
Multiple Levels of
Questioning
Three Differentiation Strategies
Tiered
Instruction
RAFT
Role-AudienceFormat-Topic
Think-Tac-Toe
TIERED INSTRUCTION
What is Tiered Instruction?
Provides teachers with a means of assigning
different tasks to students within the same
lesson or unit.
• The tasks will vary according to the students’:
• Readiness
• Interest
• Learning Profile
Tiered Instruction & Common Core
• All students focus on the skills of common
core but at different levels of complexity.
• Keeping the focus of the activity the same, but
providing routes of access at varying degrees
of difficulty will maximize each student being
challenged.
Tiered Instruction Example
Students are to understand the effect of global
warming.
Tier 1
Students write a
public service
announcement using
jingles, slogans, or art
to convey why global
warming is a problem
and what people can
do to prevent it.
Tier 2
Students conduct a
survey of peer
awareness and
understanding of
global warming.
They design
questions and report
their results using
charts and news
format.
Tier 3
Students debate
the issue about
global warming,
each side
expressing a
different viewpoint
with credible
evidence to
support the
argument.
What Can be Tiered?
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Assignments
Activities
Homework
Centers
Experiments
Materials
Assessments
Writing Prompts
When Tiering Adjust…
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Level of Complexity
Amount of Structure
Materials
Time/Pace
Number of Steps
Form of Expression
Level of Dependence
Tiered Assignments Video
http://youtu.be/1ob4eGz04G4
Or
http://youtu.be/nPb4owVY-M0
RAFT
ROLE-AUDIENCE-FORMAT-TOPIC
What is RAFT?
• Have any of you heard of and/or used Raft in
your classroom?
RAFT is…
• an engaging, high level strategy that
encourages writing across the curriculum
• a way to encourage students to…
– assume a role
– consider their audience
– write in a particular format
– examine a topic from a relevant perspective
The RAFT Strategy…
• forces students to process information
• allows for more creative responses to learning
the materials
• gives students choice, appealing to their
interests and learning profiles
Choice Variations
RAFT
• RAFT Writing Strategy (JHAT, Jr.)
http://youtu.be/OLJ_32y6lR0
Common Core and RAFT Example
• American Revolution-students in 8th grade
must analyze the events leading up to the
revolution. Students must be able to
determine the causes and effects.
RAFT Topic- What’s Worth Fighting For?
ROLE
AUDIENCE
FORMAT
TOPIC
Patriot
Town Folks
Speech
“Get on my
side!”
Loyalist
English Relative
Post Card
What is
happening in
the colonies
G. Washington
Patriot Soldier
News Letter
Why join the
fight
Soldier
Wife, Martha
Letter or Poem
What a great
leader GW is
King George
His Subjects
Political
Cartoon
Making fun of
the AR
RAFT-Sample Roles & Audience
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Ad agencies
Athletes
Cartoonist
Editors
Pen Pals
Animals
Historical figures
TV Characters
Doctors
Lawyers
Politicians
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Poets
Plants
Parents
Historical events
Literary
characters
Body parts
Binoculars
Rear-view
mirrors
Musicians
Artists
• Branches of the
Government
• Presidents
• Military figures
• Husbands/wives
• Famous cooks
• Political activists
• Freedom fighters
• Authors
• Heroes
• Villains
• Frontiersmen
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RAFT-Format
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Advertisement
Anecdote
Application
Blurb
Board game
Brochure
Critique
Dear Abby letter
Debate
Dialogue
Directions
Editorial
E-mail
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Epitaph
Free verse poem
Graffiti
Greeting card
Instructions
Interview
Journal entry
Lecture
Letter
List
Map
Math problem
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Motto
News article
Picture
Post card
Poster
Puzzle
Screen play
Ship’s log
Skit
Song
Speech
Telegram
Wanted poster
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THINK-TAC-TOE
What is Think-Tac-Toe
• A simple way to give students
alternative ways of exploring key
ideas
• Designed to help students think
about a topic from different
angles
• Game-like—motivates children
• A grid consisting of 9 or more
boxes
Think-Tac-Toe Setup
• It does not matter the choices students make,
they must work with key ideas and use the key
skills central to the topic.
Think-Tac-Toe & Common Core
Knowledge
list, define, tell, describe,
identify, show, label, collect,
examine, quote, name, who,
when, where
Comprehension
summarize, describe,
interpret, contrast, predict,
associate, distinguish,
estimate, discuss, extend
Application
apply, demonstrate, calculate,
complete, illustrate, show,
solve, examine, modify, relate,
change, classify, experiment,
Analysis
analyze, separate, order,
explain, connect, classify,
arrange, divide, compare,
select, explain, infer
Synthesis
combine, integrate, modify,
rearrange, substitute, plan,
create, design, invent, what
if?, compose, formulate,
prepare, generalize, rewrite
Evaluation
assess, decide, rank, grade,
test, measure, recommend,
convince, select, judge,
explain, discriminate, support,
conclude, compare
Comprehension or Evaluation Application or Evaluation
Knowledge or Analysis
Algebra Think-Tac-Toe Board
Summarize the most
important information
about linear functions and
put it to a beat.
Draw the sequence of
events to graph a linear
equation on a timeline.
Create a way to
remember how to graph
linear equations given in
standard form.
Reflect on the application
of linear functions to
something in your life in
your journal.
WILD CARD !!!
Your choice after getting
approval.
Create a series of at least
six cartoon frames to
capture the most
important information
about linear functions.
Condense the information
about linear functions and
create an advertisement,
banner, or slogan.
Act a short skit that
conveys the life of a
linear function.
Write a poem that
conveys the main ideas
about linear functions.
Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Develop Instructional Routines
– Identify your own learning preferences and your
students using inventories and observations
– Deliberately plan part of a lesson so that it appeals
to a learning preference that you do not usually
address
Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Expand Routines and Skills
– Determine ways of learning that motivate your
students the most
– Over several days provide the class with learning
experiences that introduce them to different ways
of learning and allow you to observe which
opportunities work for which students
Implementing Differentiated
Instruction
• Sustain a Differentiated Instruction Culture in
the Classroom
– Challenge students to experiment with other ways
of learning
– Reflect on what helps to engage students and
respond by refining your instructional approaches.
Additional DI Webinars
www.laspdg.org
– Inclusive Practices Webinar
– 2012-2013 Webinars
Titles
– Flexible Grouping
– Cubing & Think Dots
– Choice Boards
– Learning Materials
Building Capacity
• When you leave today, what will you do with this
information?
• How will you share it with others in your district?
• When will you share it? (Timeline)
Note: If you are on the district leadership team, this
information will be useful in completing your district’s LASPDG
5 Year Plan
48
Let’s Take a Poll!
Please take a moment to answer
these post-questions regarding
your knowledge:
Questions?
Please use your chat pod if you have
questions related to this presentation
• You may email any questions to
Summer Whitmore swhitm1@lsu.edu
Thank you for participating in today’s webinar!
www.laspdg.org
The contents of this PowerPoint presentation were developed under a grant from the US Department of
Education, #H323A110003. However those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US
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