By Jane Moore and Georgia Thompson

What is differentiated Instruction?

Differentiated Instruction is not an instructional strategy or a teaching model. It is a way of thinking about teaching and learning. It is not about trudging through a district or state curriculum or adopted teacher manuals that were not written to meet the needs of every student. It is a process of approaching students of differing abilities in the same classroom. It is developmentally appropriate, uses best practices to maximize students’ learning, and gives the students tools to handle the content presented. It begins where the individual student is in regard to content being presented, learning styles and differences. The end results are student products that reflect mastery of content.

The diverse classroom may include English language learners, at-risk populations, special needs students, talented and gifted students, or those considered average. Teachers use assessments and interest surveys to determine background knowledge, experiences, interests, learning styles, and readiness of the subject matter to be taught. Teachers may need to frontload concepts to prepare some students to understand the content more easily. On the other hand, teachers may need to compact lessons to meet the needs of others. The goal is to make grade-level content accessible to all students. Teachers create multiple paths of learning so that students with varying needs experience rigorous and appropriate ways of developing, understanding and applying concepts in learning.

Classroom Environment

Pivotal to the successful implementation of differentiated instruction is the classroom environment. Many instructional groupings and arrangements are used. Students no longer sit in straight silent rows, working on the same tasks in the same way. Student differences are the basis for planning and instruction. Students are guided in making interest- and learning-profile-based choices. Assessment is diagnostic and formative so that instruction responds to the learner. Interest centers, interest groups, enrichment clusters, group investigations, choice boards, and Internet searches are the instructional norms.

The teacher uses the gradual release model to manage the success of each student. With this approach, whole-class instruction provides an opportunity for broad conceptual understandings, teacher modeling, and general background knowledge. The teacher is sensitive to and carefully monitors students’ understanding by scaffolding the language and content, and by gradually releasing the responsibility for knowledge, skill, and strategy attainment to students.

Discipline problems are rare due to high expectations, shared decision-making, and the positive energy of a synergetic learning environment. Students are highly motivated by success and choice. The teacher can stay out of the way of the learning, while fostering an  environment in which all are successful. Wonderings, discoveries, and dialogue are part of this healthy classroom.                                   

Content

Teachers provide a variety of options for students to take in and receive the content. It presents what the students need to learn and outlines how the students gain access to the information. It does not mean teaching different content; it means teaching the content differently by adjusting the levels of depth, complexity, and readability of the materials. Assessment drives the instruction and informs the teacher in making strategic adjustments before, during, and after teaching.

This is accomplished through:

• Audio Books / lessons
• Graphic Organizers
• Note-taking Organizers
• Varied levels of texts
• Various supplementary materials
• Adjusting proximity of ideas to student experience(s)
• Reading Partners / Reading Buddies
• Choral Reading
• Think-Pair-Share
• Small groups to reteach or extend

Process

Teachers provide multiple options for making sense of the ideas, themes, and content. The teacher differentiates the process by planning for students who need more scaffolding or compacting.  Flexible groupings and activities that acknowledge different learning modalities are accomplished through:  

• Choices of text, tasks, and partner(s)
• Interest Centers/Zones/Workstations
• Tiered lessons and activities
• Learning contracts: personal agendas
• Hands-on activities/manipulatives
• Varied time to complete tasks

Product

Teachers should provide multiple options for students to express what they know. Culminating activities chosen by students let them apply and extend what they have learned in a lesson/unit of study. Teachers must be open-minded about how each student shows content understanding and mastery. Students are given the opportunity to produce work individually or in groups based on their proficiency levels, talents, and interests.

Teachers should provide:

• Choice based on readiness, interest, and learning profiles
• Clear expectations
• Timelines
• Agreements
• Product Guides
• Rubrics and criterion charts

Examples of product options may include the following:

• Create a model, poster, game, advertisement, map, survey, puzzle, cartoon, brochure, dance, habitat, or illustration.
• Write a diary entry, speech, recipe, poem, letter, news report, essay, or song.
• Collect pictures, create a timeline or calendar, make a recording or video invite a speaker, teach a lesson, or give a demonstration.

Conclusion

One of the biggest challenges for teachers is addressing the learning differences and needs of all students while moving them toward high levels of mastery. Differentiated instructional strategies have students’ levels of interest, readiness, and understandings in mind. Students choose materials and activities and teachers facilitate learning. Success requires ongoing formative assessment, frequent flexible grouping and regrouping of students, effective classroom management skills, and a supportive physical environment. No single set of strategies defines or constitutes differentiated instruction. The practice of differentiated instruction rests on a set of guidelines and principles that suggest the teacher proactively assess and adjust instruction..

References

Campbell, B. (2008). Handbook of differentiated Instruction using the multiple intelligences: Lesson plans and more. Boston, MA. Pearson.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA:  Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development  (ASCD).
Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Fulfilling the promise of the differentiated classroom.  Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and Instruction by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Dr. Jane Moore and Dr. Georgia Thompson serve as instructional coaches in the Dallas Independent School District. Their primary responsibility is to empower teachers through staff development, modeling, and scaffolding instructional practices that enhance student achievement.