Differentiation as It Relates to Kentucky’s Framework for Teaching (TPGES)
Domain 1: Planning & Preparation
1B – Demonstrating Knowledge of Students: Teacher understands the active nature of
student learning and attains information about levels of development for groups of
students. The teacher also purposefully seeks knowledge from several sources of
students’ backgrounds, cultures, skills, language proficiency, interests, and special needs
and attains this knowledge about groups of students.
1C –Setting Instructional Outcomes: Outcomes reflect several different types of
learning and opportunities for coordination. Outcomes take into account the varying
needs of groups of students.
1D – Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources: Critical Attributes: Texts are at varied
levels.
1E –Designing Coherent Instruction: Teacher coordinates knowledge of content, of
students, and of resources, to design a series of learning experiences aligned to
instructional outcomes and suitable to groups of students; the learning activities have
reasonable time allocations, they represent significant cognitive challenge, with some
differentiation for different groups of students; the lesson has a clear structure, with
appropriate and varied use of instructional groups.
1F – Designing Student Assessments: Teacher intends to use assessment results to plan
for future instruction for groups of students.
Trisha L. Carroll, Instructional Consultant/Director
Domain 3: Instruction
3A – Communicating with Students: Teacher’s explanation of content is well scaffolded, clear
and accurate, and connects with students’ knowledge and experience. Teacher’s spoken and
written language is clear and correct and uses vocabulary appropriate to the students’ ages
and interests.
3C – Engaging Students in Learning: The learning tasks and activities are aligned with
instructional outcomes and designed to challenge student thinking, the result being that most
students display active intellectual engagement with important and challenging content and
are supported in that engagement by teacher scaffolding.
3D – Using Assessment in Instruction: Assessment is used regularly by teacher and/or
students during the lesson through monitoring of learning progress and results in accurate,
specific feedback that advances learning. Questions, prompts, assessments are used to
diagnose evidence of learning.
3E – Demonstrating Flexibility and Responsiveness: Teacher promotes the successful
learning of all students, making minor adjustments as needed to instruction plans and
accommodating student questions, needs, and interests. Drawing on a broader repertoire of
strategies, the teacher persists in seeking approaches for students who have difficulty
learning.
Domain 5: Student Growth
5A – Student Growth: The teacher continuously monitors student progress, adjusting
strategies as needed as a part of the goal setting process.
Trisha L. Carroll, Instructional Consultant/Director
Differentiation & CHETL (Characteristics of Highly Effective Teaching & Learning) …
Section 1: Learning Climate
1D – Encourages students to accept responsibility for their own learning and accommodates
the diverse learning needs of all students.
Section 2: Classroom Assessment & Reflection
2A – Uses multiple methods to systematically gather data about student understanding and
ability.
2B – Uses student work/data, observations of instruction, assignments and interactions with
colleagues to reflect on and improve teaching practice.
2C – Revises instructional strategies based upon student achievement data.
2D – Uncovers students’ prior understanding of concepts to be addressed and addresses
students’ misconceptions/incomplete conceptions.
2J – Reflects on instruction and makes adjustments as student learning occurs.
Section 3: Instructional Rigor and Student Engagement
3A – Teacher instructs the complex processes, concepts and principles contained in state and
national standards using differentiated strategies that make instruction accessible to all
students.
3B – Teacher scaffolds instruction to help students reason and develop problem-solving
strategies.
3D – Teacher provides meaningful learning opportunities for students.
Trisha L. Carroll, Instructional Consultant/Director
3F – Teacher integrates a variety of learning resources with classroom instruction to increase
learning options.
Section 4: Instructional Relevance
4A – Teacher designs learning opportunities that allow students to participate in empowering
activities in which they understand that learning is a process and mistakes are a natural part
of learning.
4B – Teacher links concepts and key ideas to students’ prior experiences and understandings,
uses multiple representations, examples and explanations.
4C – Teacher incorporates student experiences, interests and real-life situations in
instruction.
4D – Teacher selects and utilizes a variety of technology that supports student learning.
Section 5: Knowledge of Content
5E – Teacher provides essential supports for students who are struggling with the content.
5F – Teacher accesses a rich repertoire of instructional practices, strategies, resources and
applies them appropriately.
Connections….
KCAS is WHAT you teach. CHETL is HOW you teach it. Formative & Summative Assessments are
how you know your kids have LEARNED WHAT you taught. TPGES is a tool to assess teacher
effectiveness in planning/preparation, classroom environment, instruction, professional
responsibilities & student growth.
Trisha L. Carroll, Instructional Consultant/Director
Trisha L. Carroll, Instructional Consultant/Director