Differentiating Instruction in the Regular ClassroomDifferentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroomby Diane Heacox by Diane Heacox

Defining Differentiated IDefining Differentiated Instructionnstruction Differentiated Instruction PracticesDifferentiated Instruction Practices Grading in a Differentiated ClassroomGrading in a Differentiated Classroom

““Today's teachers still contend with the essential challenge of the one-roomToday's teachers still contend with the essential challenge of the one-room schoolhouse: how to reach out effectively to students who span the spectrumschoolhouse: how to reach out effectively to students who span the spectrum of learning readiness, personal interests, culturally shaped ways of seeing andof learning readiness, personal interests, culturally shaped ways of seeing and speaking of the world, and experiences in that world.” speaking of the world, and experiences in that world.”

-Carol Ann Tomlinson-Carol Ann Tomlinson

What is Differentiated Instruction?

““Differentiating instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind ofDifferentiating instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind ofinstruction you provide in response to individual learners' needs, stylesinstruction you provide in response to individual learners' needs, stylesor interests.”or interests.”

-Diane Heacox-Diane Heacox

Challenging and engagingChallenging and engagingtasks for each learnertasks for each learner

Flexible approaches to content,Flexible approaches to content,instruction, and productsinstruction, and products

Providing opportunities for studentsProviding opportunities for studentsto work in varied instructional formatsto work in varied instructional formats

Responding to students' readiness,Responding to students' readiness,instructional needs, interests, andinstructional needs, interests, andlearning preferenceslearning preferences

Developing instructional activities Developing instructional activities based on essential topics andbased on essential topics andconcepts, significant processesconcepts, significant processesand skills, and multiple ways toand skills, and multiple ways todisplay learningdisplay learning

Meeting curriculum standards andMeeting curriculum standards andrequirements for each learnerrequirements for each learner

Establishing learner-responsive,Establishing learner-responsive,teacher-facilitated classroomsteacher-facilitated classrooms

How to Differentiate Instruction

TThe Learning Experience =he Learning Experience = Content Content + + ProcessProcess + + ProductProduct

ArticleArticle ArtifactArtifact ArtworkArtwork ChartChart DiagramDiagram DisplayDisplay ExcerptExcerpt ExhibitExhibit Field TripField Trip NovelNovel PoetryPoetry PowerPointPowerPoint ScenarioScenario SpeechSpeech StoryStory InterviewInterview MusicMusic MovieMovie WebsiteWebsite

AdaptAdaptAnalyzeAnalyzeCalculateCalculateClassifyClassifyConvertConvertCritiqueCritiqueDeduceDeduceDramatizeDramatizeEstimateEstimateForecastForecastImplementImplementInventInventJustifyJustifyPracticePracticePrioritizePrioritizeReformatReformatResearchResearchTranslateTranslateVerifyVerify

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How to Differentiate Instruction

Planning for Challenge and VarietyPlanning for Challenge and VarietyChallenge: Bloom's Levels of Thinking:Challenge: Bloom's Levels of Thinking:

Higher-level thinking that motivates all students Higher-level thinking that motivates all students to achieveto achieveSubstantive instruction that is clearly related to Substantive instruction that is clearly related to the essential curriculumthe essential curriculumContent that has both depth and breadthContent that has both depth and breadth

Variety: Gardner's 8 Ways of Thinking & Learning:Variety: Gardner's 8 Ways of Thinking & Learning:Every student has strengths in thinking and learningEvery student has strengths in thinking and learningStudents learn and produce with greater ease when Students learn and produce with greater ease when

they're using an area of strengththey're using an area of strengthAsking students to work in ways in which they're lessAsking students to work in ways in which they're less

able helps them strengthen those intelligences andable helps them strengthen those intelligences andwiden their learning repertoirewiden their learning repertoire

The more variety you offer students, the greater theThe more variety you offer students, the greater thelikelihood of reaching more studentslikelihood of reaching more students

How to Differentiate Instruction

Dozens of Helpful Forms, Worksheets and Checklists:Dozens of Helpful Forms, Worksheets and Checklists:Questions to Spark DialogueQuestions to Spark DialogueStudent Learning ProfileStudent Learning ProfileInterest InventoryInterest InventoryProjects, Presentations and PerformancesProjects, Presentations and PerformancesMultiple Intelligences ChecklistsMultiple Intelligences ChecklistsBloom's Taxonomy MatrixBloom's Taxonomy MatrixContent, Process and Product ToolkitContent, Process and Product ToolkitObserver's ChecklistObserver's ChecklistSample LettersSample LettersWork logWork logAll reproducible forms are on accompanying CDAll reproducible forms are on accompanying CD

Differentiated Instruction and Grading

Grades are CumulativeGrades are CumulativeDifferentiated tasks are only one consideration when gradingDifferentiated tasks are only one consideration when grading

Don't Grade EverythingDon't Grade EverythingTeach students to assess their own workTeach students to assess their own work

Grades = RigorGrades = RigorFor a C: Knowledge/Comprehension/ApplicationFor a C: Knowledge/Comprehension/ApplicationFor a B: Application/AnalysisFor a B: Application/AnalysisFor an A: Analysis/Evaluation/SynthesisFor an A: Analysis/Evaluation/Synthesis

Totally 10Totally 10Students select from assessments valued at 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10Students select from assessments valued at 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10points apiece. Students must complete assignments that sumpoints apiece. Students must complete assignments that sumto a minimum of 10.to a minimum of 10.

The primary purpose of grading is to give students (and theirThe primary purpose of grading is to give students (and their parents) feedback about their learning progress and the qualityparents) feedback about their learning progress and the quality of their workof their work