Differentiated Instruction and How to Implement It - Learning A-Z

Differentiated instruction is the process of tailoring lessons to meet each student's individual interests, needs, and strengths. Teaching this way gives ... Start14-DayFreeTrial.NoCreditCardRequired. ShopProductsProductsReadingA-ZRaz-KidsRaz-PlusVocabularyA-ZScienceA-ZHeadsproutWritingA-ZFoundationsA-ZComingSoonNEWWritingA-ZRaz-PlusADD-ONSRaz-PlusELLRaz-PlusConnectedClassroomRaz-PlusEspañolShopAllProductsCompanyWhatWeDoWhoWeServeHowWeAlignWhatWeSupportHowWeDeliverCompanyNewsCulturalResponsivenessAwardsandAccoladesReviewsandTestimonialsEventsReferralProgramTeamCareersPartnersACambiumCompanyResourcesResourcesBreakroomBlogDownloadLibraryResearchandEfficacyVideosFundingandGrantsFreeTrialsFreeSamplesProfessionalDevelopmentAccessProductOrientationExploreLearningServicesGetHelpfulResourcesContactPDContactLogin Search GetStarted Search Home WhatWeDo DifferentiatedInstruction DifferentiatedInstruction DifferentiatedInstructionDefinedandHowtoImplementIt Engagethemoststudentsandcreatethebestoutcomesforentireclassroomswithdifferentiatedinstruction.It’sateachingmethodthathelpsbringstrugglingstudentsuptospeed,enablesgiftedstudentstolearnatafasterpace,and makesteacher’sliveseasierbecauselearningismoreeffective.Whenyouusedifferentiatedinstruction,you’resteeringallyourstudentstowardthesamelearningobjectives,whilegivingstudentsthefreedomtochoosehowtheygetthere.WhatIsDifferentiatedInstructionandWhyIsItImportant? Differentiatedinstructionistheprocessoftailoringlessonstomeeteachstudent’sindividualinterests,needs,andstrengths.Teachingthiswaygivesstudentschoiceandflexibilityinhowtheylearn,andhelpsteacherspersonalizelearning.Thismethodalsorequiresinstructionalclarityandclearlydefinedgoalsforlearning,betterenablingstudentstomeetthosegoals.WhatAreSomeDifferentiatedInstructionStrategies? Youcandifferentiateinstructionacrossfourmainareas:content,process,product,andenvironment. To differentiatecontent,teachersconsidertheobjectiveofalesson,thenprovidestudentswithflexibleoptionsaboutthecontenttheystudytomeettheobjective,fromsubjectortopictoapproachorpresentation. Withprocessdifferentiation,teachersdifferentiatehowstudentslearn.Groupingstudentsbasedontheirindividualreadinessortocomplementeachotherisonewaytoaccomplishprocessdifferentiation.Anotherisvaryingthewayconceptsaretaught:throughvisual,auditory,orkinestheticlessons,forexample. Productdifferentiationappliestothetypesofassignmentsstudentscreate.Ateachermightaskstudentstoexplainaconcept;theproductcouldbeawrittenreport,astory,asong,aspeech,oranartproject.Varyingthe typesofassessmentsyougivestudentsisalsoanexampleofproductdifferentiation. Theclassroomenvironmentalsoaffectslearning.Changingphysicalthingsintheclassroom,likehowdesksaresetuporarranged,orwherestudentscansit(onbeanbags,forexample),servesasclassroomenvironmentdifferentiation,whichcanalsoincludechangestoroutinesandhabits.WhatAretheBenefitsofDifferentiatedInstruction? Differentiatedinstructionisbeneficial becauseithelpseducatorsconnectwithdifferentlearningstyles.Notallstudentswillrespondtoaclasslecture;agameoravideomayworkbetterwithotherstudents.Somestudentsmaylearnbetterbyreadingthantheydousingacomputer.Givingstudentschoicesabouthowtheylearnenablesthemtomeetlearningobjectivesinthebestwayforthem. Insomeclassrooms,differentiationwillberequiredforstudentswithdisabilitiesandfor Englishlanguagelearners.Differentiatinginstructiongivesallstudentstheopportunitytokeeppacewithlearningobjectives. Nomatterwhatyou’reteaching,somestudentswillfindcertainmaterialengaging,whileotherswon’t,andstudentswilllearnthesamematerialinvaryingamountsoftime.Wanttomakewhateveryou’reteachingmorelikelytoresonatewitheachoneofyourstudents?Differentiatedinstructionmotivatesthemtolearnthematerialinawayconducivetotheirowninterestsanduniquelearningstyles.WhatDoExpertsSayAboutDifferentiatedInstruction? “Wedifferentiateinstructiontohonortherealityofthestudentsweteach.Theyareenergeticandoutgoing.Theyarequietandcurious.Theyareconfidentandself-doubting.Theyareinterestedinathousandthingsanddeeplyimmersedinaparticulartopic.Theyareacademicallyadvancedand‘kidsinthemiddle’andstrugglingduetocognitive,emotional,economic,orsociologicalchallenges.Manyofthemspeakadifferentlanguageathome.Theylearnatdifferentratesandindifferentways.Andtheyallcometogetherinouracademicallydiverseclassrooms.”–CarolAnnTomlinson(WilliamClayParrish,Jr.ProfessorandChairofEducationalLeadership,Foundations,andPolicy) “Differentiatinginstructionisreallyawayofthinking,notapreplannedlistofstrategies.Oftentimes,itismakingdecisionsinthemomentbasedonthismindset.It’srecognizingthat‘fair’doesn’talwaysmeantreatingeveryoneequally.It’srecognizingthatallofourstudentsbringdifferentgiftsandchallenges,andthataseducators,weneedtorecognizethosedifferencesanduseourprofessionaljudgmenttoflexiblyrespondtotheminourteaching.”–LarryFerlazzo(award-winningteacheratLutherBurbankHighSchoolinSacramento,California,whowritesateacheradvicecolumnforEducationWeek) “Allteacherswanttheirstudentstosucceed,andallteacherstrytomakethishappen.Thatisalldifferentiationis.Wecomplicatedifferentiationbynotallowingourselvestobeprovisionalwithhowweapplythefoundationalpiecesofdifferentiatedinstruction.Instead,ifweaddressthesefourquestionsinourinstructionalplanning,differentiationwillalwaysbetheresult:Whatdomystudentsneed?HowdoIknow?WhatwillIdotomeettheirneeds?HowdoIknowifwhatI’mdoingisworking?”–LisaWestman(instructionalcoaching,differentiation,andstandards-basedgradingconsultantandprofessionaldevelopmentfacilitator) “Differentiatedinstructionisdynamicandorganic.Inadifferentiatedlearningspace,teachersandstudentslearntogether.Studentsfocusonlearningthecoursecontent,whileteacherstailortheirinstructionalstrategiestostudentlearningstyles.”–AlexaEpitropoulous(mediaandauthorrelationsspecialistatASCD)HowtoImplementDifferentiatedInstruction Toensurethatthesameobjectivesarebeingpursuedbyallstudents(thoughtheyeachtaketheirownpathtogetthere),differentiatedinstructionmustbestandards-based. Firststepsforteachersshouldincludediagnostictestingandlearninginventories.Yourgoalistosetbaselinesforindividualstudents.Thenyoucanidentifytacticstohelpeachstudentachievetheobjectivesanddelivercustom-tailoredcontent. Differentiatedinstructionisevidentwhenteachers: Offerstudentsoptionstochoosefrominassignmentsorlessonplans. Providemultipletextsandtypesoflearningmaterials. Utilizeavarietyofpersonalizedlearningmethodsandstudentassessments. Customizeteachingtosuitmultipleformsofintelligence. Fordifferentiatedinstructiontobesuccessful,teachersmustclearlyexplainthelearninggoalsandthecriteriaforsuccess. Differentiatedlearningthrivesinaclassroomenvironmentwherestudentsareworkingtowardsharedgoalswithagrowthmindset.Teachersmustidentifyandberesponsivetostudentneeds,creatingasupportiveclassroomculturewherestudentsembracedifferentiationforthemselvesandtheirpeers. Knowingtheuniqueneedsofyourstudentsenablesyoutoteachthemmoreeffectively,withthegoalofimprovingcognitiveandacademicoutcomes.LearningA-Zprovidesthousandsof differentiatedinstructionresourcesforalltypesoflearners.Ourproductsmaketeachingeasierandmoreeffective,givingstudentsmoreflexibilityandlearningoptions. SupportDifferentiatedInstructioninYourClassroom Exploreourliteracysolutionstrustedbyteachersworldwide,orstartacomplimentarytrialwithyourstudentstoday. EXPLOREPRODUCTSSTARTTRIAL YouMayAlsoLike ShopProducts Ourcollectionofhigh-qualityproductsexpandsliteracyanddevelopscritical21stcenturyskills. LearnMore AwardsandAccolades LearningA-Zcontinuestoreceiveanumberofeducationalnominationsandawardseachyear. LearnMore SignuptoreceiveoureNews,updates,andoffers. Subscribe Youmayunsubscribeatanytime. 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