Strategies for Differentiating Instruction

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  ... continue reading Strategies for Differentiating Instruction.

Unlock Content-Area Success with Explicit Academic Vocabulary Instruction

By Jane Moore and Georgia Thompson

Why Is Academic Vocabulary So Important?

We know that all students arrive at school with some knowledge of the world outside the school doors. Some come with enough knowledge and vocabulary to succeed in school, but many students, especially those from families with few resources, lack the necessary background knowledge—and vocabulary foundation—to make content learning easily accessible. Without focused instruction, a student’s academic vocabulary gap ... continue reading Unlock Content-Area Success with Explicit Academic Vocabulary Instruction.