Differentiation Ties to
OTES
Part Two
Big Rocks of Differentiation
DIFFERENTIATE THROUGH:
• Content – What we teach
• Process – How we teach it
• Product – How we have students show us what they learned
Via
• Readiness – Where is the learner’s knowledge on the continuum?
• Interest – What will create interest for the learner?
• Learning Style – How does the learner process information best?
Other Big Rock Concepts in
Differentiation
• Flexible Grouping – various groups at different times
because there are various entry points for learners
depending on their readiness and the particular topic
• Choice – providing carefully selected choice produces
motivation in learners (too much choice can be overwhelming)
Random Groupings
Popsicle Sticks
• Colored ones; students sit in color groups
• Name on each. Draw for groups or partnerships
Playing Cards
• All 4 suits; students sit with others of their number
Content Cards
• Find the other half – i.e., term and definition
• Four quotations on same theme
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Activity:
Take a hypothetical, life-affirming mini-vacation.
Let’s pretend I have the power to send you home
after this presentation and you have NOTHING
there that needs to be done as far as your normal
chores or responsibilities. You are totally alone
and can do whatever appeals to you concerning
hobbies or interests. It’s 75 degrees outside.
What would you do?
Close your eyes for 1 minute and think about it.
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Call out some ideas:
With a group of people seated by you (8 – 10 per
group), discuss how using knowledge of student
interests or learning styles might benefit
learning in your classroom, or share a success
story related to it. You will have 10 minutes.
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DIFFERENTIATION CHECKLIST
 Lesson uses a variety of strategies to make learning accessible or challenging.
(depth and breadth)
 Lesson uses a variety of materials to make learning accessible or challenging.
(from manipulatives or technological accommodations to more abstract,
complex ideas)
 Lesson uses appropriate pacing to make learning accessible or challenging.
 Evidence is shown of independent, collaborative, and whole-class instruction
to support individual learning goals.
 Evidence is shown of a variety of options to show how students will
demonstrate mastery of content.
 Evidence is provided to illustrate challenging and measurable goals aligned to
Ohio’s learning standards.
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Obstacles in Leading a Differentiated Classroom
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Grouping students smoothly
Helping groups work effectively
Directions for multiple tasks
Minimizing stray movements
Starting or stopping a class or lesson
Productive use of “ragged time”
Promoting on-task behavior
Needing to finish-up and move-on
Re-arranging the furniture smoothly
Curbing noise
Keeping track of who is learning what
Grading daily tasks
Turning in work
Keeping up with on-going papers
Many of these are
class management
issues and they
speak to developing
a positive and
smoother classroom
“culture”.
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• Webb’s Depth of Knowledge
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Evidence of Differentiation Via Strategies
• Multiple Intelligences
• “Jigsaw” Activities
• Taped Material
• Anchor Activities
• Varying Organizers
• Varied Texts
• Varied Supplemental
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Materials
Literature Circles
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Tiered Lessons
Tiered Centers
Tiered Products
Learning Contracts
Small Group Instruction
Group Investigation
Orbitals
Independent Study
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4-MAT
Varied Questioning
Strategies
Interest Centers
Interest Groups
Varied Homework
Compacting
Varied Journal Prompts
Complex Instruction
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Evidence of Differentiation Via Materials
• Materials for advanced learners are more than busy work – they accelerate
conceptually or go into greater depth
• Materials provide pathways to accelerate student learning, where appropriate
• Materials to support struggling learners are more than busy work – they provide
scaffolding for the grade-level curriculum, including auditory support materials
and/or language-simplified or non-English versions
• Materials to support struggling learners are specific to the student’s particular
stumbling blocks
• Materials provide for a variety of learning styles within whole class instruction
and plans for how to use them
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Evidence of Differentiation Via Pacing
Actual and Good Example:
Everyday Math (McGraw Hill/The Wright Group)
provides teachers
with a chart at the beginning of each unit
that shows companion lessons for the units
from the grade level before and the one
following.
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Let’s Take a Quick Look
Seventh Grade Social Studies Textbook Example:
For several units, the option for advanced
students is to create a short children’s book about
the information presented in the text.
Is this an example of good differentiation?
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Let’s Take a Quick Look
This is unlikely to challenge an advanced
learner, particularly since the vocabulary
used in a children’s book is likely to be
simpler. It may appeal to some students
learning style, but not others, and doesn’t
increase an advanced student’s knowledge
or understanding.
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Let’s Take A Quick Look
A section on the history of trade in East
Africa differentiates for advanced
learners by asking students to divide
into small groups, choose one event
described in the section, and write a
short skit depicting the event.
Is this good differentiation?
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Let’s Take A Quick Look
This activity could be suitable for any
student in the class and addresses
learning style,
not advanced learning.
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Better Assignment: (Student Choice)
Students adopt the roles of representatives of
different populations involved in the historical
events (Christian missionaries, Arabs, slaves,
Europeans, etc.) and hold a discussion comparing
their points of view about the historical event.
Students should prepare by doing additional
research through teacher selected articles and/or
internet sites.
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Materials for Struggling Learners
Good: Some textbook series provide CDs, DVDs, or online support
that gives directions orally and/or translated into other languages –
most frequently Spanish.
Quality: A 5th grade unit on American History is supplemented by a
variety of leveled readers (pub. by Scott Foresman) on topics such
as the development of the U. S. Constitution and the role of women
during the Civil War. (Leveled readers are parallel books written at
varied levels of challenge.) Each booklet has two levels – one for
on-grade level/advanced readers and one for students who need
simplified language and writing tasks
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Instructional Processes
Provides options for within-class learning groups –
based upon readiness
Provides options for within-class learning groups –
based upon learning style
Provides options for within-class learning groups –
based upon interest
Provides work that is “respectful of all learners” –
activities are interesting, engaging and
challenging. It is not: MOTS (More Of The Same)
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DIFFERENTIATION CHECKLIST
 Evidence is provided of diagnostic, pre-assessments, formative and summative
assessments that measure a range of learner needs in lesson plans.
 Evidence is provided to illustrate that a variety of learner needs along with
strengths and weaknesses has been identified by an analysis of student and
assessment data (the “entry points” for learning experiences).
 Lesson can demonstrate connections made between prior learning and future
learning.
 Teacher can document how input was gathered from families or colleagues to
understand students’ prior development and learning.
 Teacher can document how connections were made from the lesson to realworld experiences, career options, or how other content areas were addressed.
 Teacher can document how multiple pathways for learning were provided
based upon student needs.
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DIFFERENTIATION CHECKLIST
 Evidence is provided to document the teacher’s familiarity of
students’ background knowledge & experiences.
 Evidence is provided to document the teacher uses multiple
procedures to obtain students’ background knowledge &
experiences.
 Teacher can accurately explain how the lesson fits within the
structure of the discipline.
 Evidence is provided to document the teacher has drawn upon an
accurate analysis of students’ development, readiness for learning,
preferred learning styles & backgrounds & prior experiences.
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DIFFERENTIATION CHECKLIST
 Evidence is provided that demonstrates an analysis of student
data was used to accurately connect the data to specific
instructional strategies & plans.
 Evidence is provided that shows the teacher planned for & can
articulate specific strategies, content, & delivery that will meet
the needs of individual students & groups of students.
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Novice Differentiation Practitioner
 Can plan for individual, small group & large group experiences
 Understands & can plan for readiness groups – making lessons
minimally accessible for handicapped or developmentally
disabled students & challenging for more advanced students
 Understands & can plan for interest groups – using a minimal
variety of strategies to address each group in either the process
or product of the lesson
 Understands & can plan for different learning styles of students
– using a minimal variety of strategies to address each group in
either the process or product
 Allows students some freedom of choice in interacting with the
lesson and/or evidence of mastery of the concept
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Skilled Differentiation Practitioner
 Can plan a lesson using appropriate level of pacing to
meet the range of learner needs within the classroom
 Can develop challenging and measurable goals aligned
to Ohio’s learning standards and 21st century skill
development
 Can use flexible grouping strategies to provide
appropriate interactions among students &
accommodate learning needs/goals
 Has a wider range of strategies & variety of materials to
choose from to plan appropriate lessons for the wide
range of learners within the classroom
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Skilled Differentiation Practitioner
 Can select or develop challenging & appropriate
diagnostic, formative & summative assessments that will
measure the range of learner needs within the classroom
 Teacher can show evidence of the development of a
caring classroom in which student differences in ability,
culture, language or interests are seen as assets, rather
than hurdles.
 Students are given more choice opportunities based upon
sound data to direct the teacher’s decisions.
 Classroom routines and transitions are clearly
established, successfully implemented & students take
ownership for their actions.
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Master Differentiation Practitioner
 Teacher can accurately explain how an accurate analysis of
student data connects the data to differentiated goals,
strategies & assessments used in the lesson.
 Teacher can accurately explain how the differentiated goals,
strategies, & assessments used in the lesson fits within the
structure of the discipline.
 Teacher can demonstrate & articulate a wide range of strategies,
materials & assessments to meet all learner needs within the
classroom.
 Teacher can implement instructional supports on the spot as a
student falters
 Teacher can draw from a rich database of examples, metaphors
& enrichments ideas to deliver tailored explanations of concepts
in lessons.
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Differentiation: Meeting a
Checklist or Making a Difference?
Differentiation can be demonstrated quickly and
evidence provided fairly easily: grouping,
manipulatives given, higher level thinking question
given to advanced students, etc.
However, it requires knowledge, skill and careful
planning if it is going to make a difference in student
achievement, productivity and teacher success.
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Differentiated Instructional & Curriculum Adaptations
 Organization of content presentation: Whole-to-part sequencing of
content, especially in mathematics and science
 Arts-infused curriculum: Training in art history, aesthetics, and criticism
of all art domains integrated within other curriculum areas
 Intuitive expression: Practice to develop empathy and sensitivity to
others through role playing and guided imagery
 Social issues discussion: Integration of current events, social, political,
and philosophical issues within curriculum areas
 Self-concept development: Understanding of own strengths and
talents
 Literary “classics”: Foundations of literature to expand foundations of
thinking
 “World’s great ideas”: Foundations of philosophy, psychology,
sociology, history, humanities to expand foundations of thinking
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Provisions That Develop Self-Direction and Independence
 Discovery learning, inquiry learning: Active practice in finding
problems, solutions, and answers for self
 Independent study: Management of research without teacher
direction
 Self-instructional materials
 Programmed units of study through which student progresses
at own pace
 Flexible project deadlines: Negotiation of time needed to
complete project or task
 Flexible task requirements: Negotiating of time needed to
complete project or task
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Websites & Apps That Support Differentiation
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Bing/Babelfish
Brightstorm
Cast Science Writer
Convert Anything to Anything
DifferentionCentral
Digital History
Discovery Streaming
Free.ed.gov
Gilder Lehrman Collection
Project
Gutenberg
Kahn Academy
Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators
Kidsclick
Lexile.com
Library of Congress
Librivox
Museum Box
National Archives……and many more...
• Universal Design for Learning – CAST
• http://www.pearltrees.com/u/932521
-homepage-differentiation
• http://www.pearltrees.com/t/differen
tiated-instruction/id9151035
• http://www.pinterest.com/jennyanne
davis/differentiated-instruction/
• http://www.techlearning.com/Defaul
t.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=6288
• http://www.tandl.leon.k12.fl.us/lang/
Ellessonspage.html
• allencountyesc.org…”Our Services”….”Gifted”
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/cali/di_websites_chart.pdf
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Quick, Fun Possibilities
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RAFTS Activity
Read the article then argue your view of popular sovereignty using one
of the topics below. Include two to three supporting ideas.
ROLE
AUDIENCE
FORMAT
TOPIC + STRONG VERB
Newly naturalized
Senator
citizen
Outing or
Concept Map
Represent me or I can vote you
out of office.
16 year old
Harvard Scholar
Congress
Person
Op Ed
Give me the vote. I have a
constitutional right to be heard.
The People
Scripted
Speech
I am powerful, so long as you let
me.
President,
Senator, or
Congress person
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Choice Grid for Differentiated Assessment
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Write a text
message explaining
your learning.
Create a link chain to
match key words and
definitions.
Draw what you have
learned today.
Tweet what you have
learned using 140
characters.
Describe your
learning in the form
of a rap/song/poem.
Create a
storyboard/comic strip
based on your learning.
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Use play doh to
illustrate the key
words.
5-5-1: write 5
sentences based on
learning, then 5
words, then I word.
Write 5 quiz
questions for
somebody to answer.
Create a menu of what
you have learned today
(starter, main, dessert).
Just a minutetalk about what you
have learned for 1
minute.
Use Legos to illustrate
what you have learned.
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On a post-it note,
write a sentence of
what you have
learned and a
question for class.
Pick three key words
you learned and
provide a dictionary
definition for them.
Summarize your
learning in
5 sentences on a
mini whiteboard.
Peer assess somebody’s
work using success
criteria.
Create a set of
anagrams with clues
based on key words
and descriptions.
Tell me 3 things that you
have learned today.
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Pick 5 key words
from the lesson and
write a question
for them.
Use hexagons to link
your learning from
today.
Write three exam
questions based on
your learning today.
Using post-it notes,
create dominoes of
your learning.
Draw your brain and
fill it with what you
have learned.
Write a Facebook status
update of your learning.
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Create a revision
tool, e.g. flash cards
to summarize key
words/definitions.
Taboo – write key
words on post-its and
definitions of the
back.
Using a paper plate,
explain what you
have learned today.
3 stars and a wish:
3 things you
understood and 1 thing
you need to improve
Link today’s learning
to 3 other subjects.
Design a poster
advertising you learning
from the lesson.
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Use jigsaw
connections to link
and summarize
your learning.
Relate three things
you have learned to
three sporting
practical examples.
3-4-5:
Tell 3 people 4 things
that you have learned
today in 5 minutes.
Summarize your
learning by
drawing/writing on a
tablet paper.
Create a paper plane
and summarize
learning on each part
of the plane.
Create a mind map to
review your learning.
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Example Tic-Tac-Toe Board for Reviewing a Math Unit
Write clear direction for
performing the math
computation skills from
this unit
Create three word
problems from
information learned in
this unit
Complete the review
problems in the text
book
Solve two of the five
challenge problems
Create a math rap or
rhyme that will help
someone: remember a
concept from this unit
Student Choice Activity
(with teacher approval)
Define the unit’s
vocabulary words with
sketches or drawings
Identify four ways the
Develop a game using
concepts in this unit are
skills learned in this unit
used in the real world.
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DIFFERENTIATION GROWTH GOALS:
1 Unit:
Collaboratively developed with your peers
using a comprehensive approach to
differentiating
2 Lessons:
Collaboratively reviewed by your peers that
you plan on using for your evaluation
5-7 Lessons: Independently targeted to differentiation
areas to address your professional growth
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With an elbow partner, take 5
minutes to share one idea you
plan on using that you’ve never
used before to “move” you along
the differentiation continuum.
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So HOW do we do this?
Just move one step
at a time…or…
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