Pre-requisite: Defining Differentiated Instruction

First, view the video on YouTube: Animal School https://youtube.com/watch?v=o8limRtHZPs

While watching the video... did you envision any of your students? How did you feel about grouping all the animals into one category?

What is differentiated instruction?

"A differentiated classroom is one in which the teacher responds to the unique needs of the students. Differentiated instruction gives a variety of options to successfully reach targeted standards. It meets learners where they are and offers challenging, appropriate options for them in order to achieve success"(Gregory & Chapman, 2007).

What is successful differentiated management look like?

1. "Maintaining a learning environment that is comfortable and stimulating

2. Assessing students' individual needs before, during and after learning

3. Using the assessment data to plan strategically with the most beneficial instructional models, techniques, and strategies

4. Selecting and organizing instructional activities for the total group, individuals, partners and small groups

5. Instilling each student's desire to learn and improve" (Chapman & King, 2008).

There are six ways to integrate differentiation

1. Process: How you teach the content and/or how students experience it
2. Product: What you expect students to produce
3. Content: different skills
4. Readiness: Same skill is targeted yet the complexity and support varies
5. Interest: Students choose from various topics
6. Learning Modality: Auditory, Visual, Hands-on

(Tienken)

Questions to consider moving forward:

1. How do you implement differentiation into your pedagogy? (Daily, weekly, monthly)

2. How ready are you to change and/or enhance your existing lessons?

3. How can creating differentiated lessons assist in identifying evidence for achieving highly effective evaluations?

Unit 1: Classroom Environment or go back to main page Jennifer Legzdin