What is Differentiation of Instruction and How Do We Implement it

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What is Differentiation of Instruction and How Do
We Implement it?

• A CSC Extension Workshop
• Melanie Bloom
• University of Nebraska at Omaha

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What is Differentiated Instruction?

• A teachers response to learners needs
• The recognition of students varying background
  knowledge and learning styles
• Instruction that honors students differences
• A philosophy of teaching and not just a set of
  strategies

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Differentiated Instruction

• What do we differentiate?
• Content
• Process
• Product
• How do we differentiate?
• Readiness
• Interest
• Learning Profile
• Why do we differentiate?
• Access
• Motivation
• Efficiency

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Key Principles

• The teacher knows what is important and the key
  components of the subject matter
• The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds
  on student differences
• Assessment and instruction are inseparable
• The teacher adjusts content, process and product
  in response to student readiness, interest, and
  learning profile
• All students participate in respectful work
• Students and teachers are collaborators in
  learning
• Goals of a differentiated classroom are growth
  and individual success
• Flexibility is the centerpiece of the classroom

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Characteristics of a Differentiated Classroom

• High expectations
• Respectful tasks
• Flexible grouping
• Ongoing assessment
• A positive and safe learning environment
• Providing choice
• Collaboration

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Traditional or Differentiated

• Fill out the Traditional or Differentiated
  handout
• When finished, turn to a partner and discuss any
  patterns you observed

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Some Differentiation Strategies

• Menu Choice Boards
• Tiered Lessons
• Learning Centers
• R.A.F.T.s

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Menu Choice Boards - Elementary
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Menu Choice Boards Intermediate/Advanced
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Tiered Lessons

• Tier 3Basic Studentsvery concrete
• Your group works for an ad agency whose job is to
  create a mini-catalog and a sales ad for one of
  the big department stores in Ciudad de México in
  order to draw-in more customers. The market
  research shows that the customer base is very
  multicultural. Using magazines pictures, drawings
  and/or pictures from the Internet create a
  mini-catalog with 12 clothing items. Decide on a
  theme or age or gender group. Describe each item
  using models from previous readings. Price each
  item in pesos. Type the descriptions and neatly
  layout the catalog to make it appealing to
  customers. Also create an ad promoting at least
  three of these items that are on sale. Be ready
  to present both the mini-catalog and the ad to
  the class. Research department store sites in
  D.F.

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Tiered Lessons

• Tier 2Middle StudentsSomewhat complex and
  concrete
• Your group is the school rule committee for a
  high school in Mérida, México. You have been
  assigned to write a small section of the school
  handbook that explains the schools dress code.
  For this handout write a brief general statement
  about the dress policy. Then write 12 school
  rules discussing the dos and donts of school
  dress. Turn in a typed copy of the description
  and the dress code for publication in the school
  handbook. Also create a poster for an Internet
  site with these 12 guidelines. Be ready to
  present it to the class. Visit school sites in
  México to get some ideas.

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Tiered Lessons

• Tier 1Advanced studentsComplex and abstract
• Your group works for a business-training
  institute. Your task is to write two role-play
  scenarios for students to use as a practice when
  dealing with a variety of customers in a clothing
  store. You are to set up each scenario and then
  write a practice conversation between a
  challenging client and a vendor for each
  scenario. These conversations will be used by
  business school students to practice appropriate
  interaction with challenging clients. These
  conversations should be persuasive. Submit a
  written copy of the two scenarios and be ready to
  present one conversation as a model for the
  class. The conversation must be memorized.
  Research Internet business training sites in
  México for ideas.

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Learning Centers
Chronicle
Report
Interview
Article Writing Subgenres
Editorial
Headline News
Column
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R.A.F.T.s Elementary/Intermediate
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R.A.F.T.s Intermediate/Advanced
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Create your own R.A.F.T.

• In small groups, work together to built a
  R.A.F.T. for a unit topic of your choosing