Differentiated
Classroom
A
differentiated classroom offers a variety of learning options designed to tap
into different readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. In a
differentiated class, the teacher uses (1) a variety of ways for students to
explore curriculum content, (2) a variety of sense-making activities or
processes through which students can come to understand and "own"
information and ideas, and (3) a variety of options through which students can
demonstrate or exhibit what they have learned.
A
class is not differentiated when assignments are the same for all learners and
the adjustments consist of varying the level of difficulty of questions for
certain students, grading some students harder than others, or letting students
who finish early play games for enrichment. It is not appropriate to have more
advanced learners do extra math problems, extra book reports, or after
completing their "regular" work be given extension assignments. Asking
students to do more of what they already know is hollow. Asking them to do
"the regular work, plus" inevitably seems punitive to them
(Tomlinson, 1995
If you give assignments
to children so they can show acquisition of skills and understanding of what is
being taught—but they can do this in different ways. Instead of planning three
or four different assignments for the different levels in your room, you plan
one assignment that can be completed in a variety of ways based on a child`s
interests, prior knowledge, and academic ability.
Most instructional
strategies have some value in working with the gifted, but those that allow for
more open-ended and productive learning are probably most beneficial.
Differentiated assignments
1.
Allowing for multiple right answers:
Open-ended assignments
that focus on the process of solving the problem and.
2.
Attention to social issues, real world
experiences, and community projects:
Performance assessment
tasks, role-plays, simulations, etc. based on authentic situations of interest
to students
3.
Chunking:
Breaking
assignments/activities into smaller, more manageable parts and providing more
structured directions for each part.
4.
Compacting:
A process that involves
pre assessing students, giving them credit for what they already know and
allowing them to move ahead in the curriculum.
5.
Emphasis on thinking skills:
Giving students the
opportunity to think aloud, discuss their thinking with their peers, and
reflect on their thinking in journals.
6.
Developing student responsibility:
Students help develop
the evaluation rubrics, write project proposals, and complete self and group
evaluations.
7.
Flexible grouping:
Matching students to
skill work by virtue of readiness, not with the assumption that all need the
same task, computation skill,
writing assignment, etc. Movement among groups is common, based
on readiness on a given skill and growth in that skill.
8.
Flexible pacing:
Allows for differences
in the students' ability to master the curricula.
9.
Goal setting and planning:
Involving students in
their individual goal setting and the planning of learning activities, one to
one with the teacher.
10.
Group investigation:
Students working in
cooperative mixed-ability groups on open-ended tasks or in like-ability groups
working on appropriately challenging tasks. Usually the focus is on the process
and thinking skills.
11.
High-level questions:
Questions that draw on
advanced levels of information, requiring leaps of understanding and
challenging thinking.
12.
Independent study:
Providing students with
the opportunity to work independently to investigate topics of interest to
them.
13.
Interdisciplinary/integrated curricula
around a theme:
Thematic units which
make connections across multiple curricular areas.
14.
Interest centers:
Stations of academic
activities based on students' interests which are completed independently and
at their own pace.
15.
Learning contracts:
A proposal prior to
beginning a project or unit in which the resources, steps toward completion,
and evaluation criteria are agreed upon with the teacher
16.
Long term projects:
An enrichment
opportunity in which students investigate concepts, issues, topics or
individuals.
17.
Mentorships/ Apprenticeships:
Students work with a
resource teacher, media specialist, parent volunteer, or community member to
develop and carry out all or part of a project or task. This is also a useful
way to help students develop skills of production in a field and to develop
career awareness.
18.
Pre assessment:
A way to determine what
students know about a topic before it is taught. It should be used regularly in
all curricular areas. Teachers can use the information gained in preassessment
to make instructional decisions about student strengths and needs.
19.
Shared Inquiry:
A distinctive method of
learning in which participants search for answers to fundamental questions
raised by a text.
20.
Student choice:
Providing students
opportunities to choose the content, process or product that is of most
interest (and most appropriate)
21.
Tasks and products designed for multiple
intelligences/learning styles:
Designed to allow all
students to tap into their strengths and preferences to encourage maximum
motivation and engagement.
22.
Tiered instruction:
Using varied levels of
activities to ensure that students explore ideas at a level that builds on
their prior knowledge and prompts continued growth. Student groups use varied
approaches to exploration of essential ideas.
23.
Use of computer programs:
a wide range of
computer programs for remediation, additional practice, extension,
acceleration.
24.
Use of multiple texts:
Providing more than one
textbook to accommodate for a range of reading levels in a class and a
classroom library with a range of reading levels that covers several grades.
