Differentiated Instruction to Improve

Achievement of Diverse Learners

in an Inclusive Setting

IU 8 New Teacher Induction for Elementary Teachers

Dr. Barbara Kehr
bkehr@earthlink.net

March 2018


What is your definition of Give an example of when What is something you

differentiated instruction? you have used DI? would like to learn about
DI?

When do you use small Differentiation means as How do you discover how
group instruction? many lesson plans as you your students learn?
have students. Agree?

What is one way you can What are some quick on- Are DI and assessment
form groups in your going assessments related?
classroom? in your class?
 Opportunities for Differentiation
Standards:










Know Do




























 Informal Pre-Assessment Strategies
Carousel Brainstorming K-W-L or K-N-L

Think-Ink-Pair-Share Anticipation Guides

 Differentiated Instruction Anticipation Guide

Mark each statement as True or False.

____ 1. Differentiation is a teaching concept that enables
teachers to plan strategically in order to meet the
needs of the diverse learners in the classroom.

____ 2. Differentiation is necessary because classrooms are

often homogeneous and inclusive.



____ 3. Students may choose to differentiate content and

materials, process and strategies, assessment and
assignments or the time provided for tasks as outlined
by the teacher.

____ 4. Flexible grouping – changing groups each marking
period – is a key component to differentiated
instruction.

____ 5. To facilitate maximum student learning, the role of the
teacher needs to shift from that of a manager of
learning to a provider of information.


____ 6. Planning and preparing students to do meaningful
anchor activities is key to managing flexible grouping.

____ 7. Pre-assessment is not necessary in a differentiated
classroom because of state standards and because all or
most students need the same instruction on a given topic.

____ 8. Teaching to the middle is a viable alternative to
differentiated instruction.






 My Pre-assessment
Topic:

 Differentiation

A teacher’s response to needs

Guided by the principles of differentiation

Teachers can differentiate

According to students’

Through a variety of instructional strategies such as

 Content, Product, Process, or Learning Environment?

1. Using reading materials at varying readability levels.

2. Using tiered activities through which all learners work with the same important
understandings and skills, but proceed with different levels of support, challenge,
or complexity.

3. Giving students options of how to express required learning (e.g., create a puppet
show, write a letter, or develop a mural with labels).

4. Using different rubrics that match and extend students' varied skills levels.

5. Making sure there are places in the room to work quietly and without distraction,
as well as places that invite student collaboration;

6. Providing interest centers that encourage students to explore subsets of the class
topic of particular interest to them.

7. Helping students understand that some learners need to move around to learn,
while others do better sitting quietly

8. Developing routines that allow students to get help when teachers are busy with
other students and cannot help them immediately.

9. Putting text materials on tape.

10. Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for students who need them.

11. Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students.

12. Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means.

13. Encouraging students to create their own product assignments as long as the
assignments contain required elements.

14. Using reading buddies.

15. Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task in order to
provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced
learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.

16. Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to
extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.

Adapted from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-differentiated-instruction

 Stations

Using stations involves setting up different spots in the classroom
where students work on various tasks simultaneously. These stations
invite flexible grouping because not all students need to go to all
stations all the time.


How Differentiated Stations are Different from Learning Centers

• Teachers base differentiated stations on student assessment data,

whereas a traditional station is based on whole-group instruction.

• In a differentiated station, students work within multilevel resources,

whereas traditional station resources are not differentiated.

• Differentiated stations have tiered assignments, which include varied

student responses, whereas a traditional learning station only has one
level of response for all.

• Differentiated stations have tiered activities, whereas traditional

stations do not.

The Daily 5
Students select from five authentic reading and writing choices, working
independently toward differentiated goals, while the teacher meets
individual needs through whole-group and small-group instruction, as well
as one-on-one conferences. These choices include

• Read to Self
• Work on Writing
• Read to Someone
• Listen to Reading
• Word Work
The Teacher’s Challenge Things to Tier

Tiered Instruction

Planning for Tiered Instruction Grade level learners

Concrete level learners

Advanced level learners

 Tiered Lesson Example - Math

Essential Question: How much does it cost to drive a car a mile?
This lesson is tiered in process according to readiness.

Tier I: Basic Learners
Pairs of students are given a state map and should plan a trip between
two cities within the state. The two cities should be a fair distance apart
and it may be most appropriate for the teacher to choose the two cities.
Depending on the level of your students, you might also give them a
road atlas and choose two cities in adjacent states. Students are to plan
a route and estimate the cost of the trip using the “per-mile” estimate
for their vehicle.

Tier II: Grade Level Learners
Pairs of students are given a road atlas which contains maps for all the
states. Students are to plan a trip between two cities in non-adjacent
states. Students are to plan a route and estimate the cost of the trip
using the “per-mile” estimate for their vehicle.

Tier III: Advanced Learners
Pairs of students are given a road atlas which contains maps for all the
states.
Students are to plan a trip between two cities which are on opposite
coasts.
Students are to plan a route and estimate the cost of the trip using the
“per/mile” estimate for their vehicle.

Assessment:
The first part of the lesson should be graded for accuracy. The second
half of the lesson could be presented to the class by the various pairs.
An extension of the lesson would be to have the students make a
comparison of the various vehicles and determine which is the most
economical to drive.

http://www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/highability/8mr.pdf




Tier I: Basic Learners: Knowledge/Comprehension Activity
This group struggles with understanding ideas clearly. They will answer the
questions that are distributed on a work sheet for them to do individually.

After answering the worksheet questions individually, put the students in groups of
four to go over their answers with each other so that they can get some clarification
about facts from each other. They should be ready to share their factual information
with the entire class.

Tier II: Grade Level Learners: Analytical Activity

These students need to read the Langston Hughes poem individually, making notes
about why the mother would tell these thoughts to her son. What did he ask her?

Then analyze the poem’s line length, repetition, word choice, and rhythm. Analyze
the poem for the way meaning is conveyed through these elements.

After students take time to do individual analysis, they should meet in groups of four
students to discuss their analysis. They should be ready to share ideas with the class
as a whole.

Tier III: Advanced Learners: Synthesis/Evaluation

These students should read the poem individually. They need to think about the
1920's when Langston Hughes wrote this poem. Depending on how much they
know about African Americans in the 1920's, they should research some
information about what life could be like and why the Mother would write this
poem.

Next, individually, they should make note of how effective the Mother is in
conveying meaning in this poem.

• What poetic devices does Hughes use to emphasize how rough life is and yet
how she survived?
• What effect would this poem have on her son?
• What would lead to the conclusion?

Share ideas within groups of four, and be ready to share with the entire class.

www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/highability/6lar.docx



 Differentiated Instruction: Worksheet for Tiered Assignments

Unit
Objective(s) (what students will know, understand, and/or be able to do as a result of this
assignment/lesson):

Grade-Level Assignment (for students who did not quite meet mastery level on the
preassessment, are working at the middle of the class and at an average pace…this is probably
the assignment you would use if you were not differentiating)

Advanced-Level Assignment (for students who demonstrated solid mastery on the preassessment,
grasp material quickly, work quickly, grasp complex and abstract concepts, would benefit from
acceleration and/or enrichment)

Basic-Level Assignment (for students who did not do well on the preasessment, take a while to
grasp new ideas, may need extra explanation and additional exposure to basics in order to be able
to reach more complex and abstract ideas, may need support to work independently)
 Learning Menus

• Present students with 4-6 options

• All should require approximately the same amount of time to complete
• All should be challenging

MENU CONTRACT

“Probability” Due: __________

All items in the main dish and the specified number of side dishes must be complete by
the due date. You may select among the side dishes and you may decide to do some of
the desserts items, as well.

Main Dishes (complete all)

1 Complete the “meteorology simulation” on p. 88-89 of your textbook.

2 Create a list of 10 pairs of events. 5 pairs should contain events that are dependent;
5 pairs should contain events that are independent. Explain each classification.

3 Complete the “frequency table” assignment on p. 506-507 of your textbook.

4 Examine the attached list of functions and determine which functions represent
probability distributions.

Side Dishes (Select_2 )

1 Work with a partner to analyze the game of “Primarily Odd.” See your teacher
for game cubes and further instructions.

2 Design a “game spinner” that has this probability distribution: P(red) =0.1;
P(green) = 0.2; P(blue) = 0.3; P(yellow) = 0.4.

3 Suppose a dart lands on a dartboard made up of four concentric circles. For the
center of the board (the “bull’s eye”), r=1.5; the remaining rings have widths of
1.5. Use your understanding of area and probability to determine the probability
of 1) hitting a “bull’s eye” and 2) landing in the outermost ring.

Desserts (Select 1)

1 Figure the probability of “Murphy’s Law” and make a case for whether or not it
should indeed be a “law.”

2 Use a frequency table to chart the colors that your classmates wear for a week.
Then, use probability to predict how many students will wear a certain color on a
given day.
 MENU PLANNER

Menu for: _________________________ Due: __________

All items in the main dish and the specified number of side dishes must be complete by
the due date. You may select among the side dishes and you may decide to do some of
the desserts items, as well.

Main Dishes (complete all)

Side Dishes (Select _____)

Desserts (Optional)

3
 Think Tac Toe
The Pythagorean Theorem

Dire c t ions: Com ple t e t he a c t ivit ie s de sc ribe d in e it he r one ve rt ic a l or

one dia gona l row .

Draw a right Name a career in Design a teaching

triangle and label which one would tool with a diagram
the right angle, have to use the of a proof of the
legs, and Pythagorean Pythagorean
hypotenuse. State Theorem. Give an Theorem.
the relationship of example of when, Label it for all
the sides of a where and how it to understand.
triangle. would be used.

Complete all of Complete the Create four (4) real

the EVEN Practice Practice Problems
Problems on found at this site:
p. 266 of your http://regentsprep/
Prentice Hall text. Regents/math/fpyth/
PracPyth.htm
world problems that
would need the use
of the Pythagorean
Theorem. Show the
solutions.

Determine a set of Write a descriptive Find another

8 Pythagorean essay about mathematical
“TRIPLES.” Pythagoras: theorem. State
Prove them with his life, it, diagram its
equations. accomplishments, proof, and write a
and failures. paragraph about
why, how and
where it works.
































 Resources and References

Assessment and Student Success in a Differentiation in Practice Grades K-5

Differentiated Classroom Carol Ann Carol Ann Tomlinson, Caroline
Tomlinson and Tonya R. Moon Cunningham Eidson
A great resource for looking at Entire instructional units for
assessment and grading through science, social studies, math, and
the lens of differentiated language arts, including lesson
instruction. plans, worksheets, and other
materials for classroom instruction.

Differentiation: From Planning to Practice How the Best Teachers Differentiate
Grades 6-12 Rick Wormelli Instruction Elizabeth Breaux and Monique
A step-by-step guide to the Boutte Magee
planning that goes into A practical and readable
effective lesson design for resource for busy classroom
diverse classrooms, including teachers, including
example lessons in a variety of management tips and 12
content areas. strategies for differentiation

The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-
the Needs of All Learners, 2nd Edition Carol
Ability Classrooms 2nd Edition Carol Ann
Ann Tomlinson
Tomlinson
Vivid classroom examples of real
Numerous practical examples
teachers ensure you always know
assist teachers to use
what to differentiate, how to
instructional strategies such as
differentiate it, and why.
curriculum compacting, entry
points, graphic organizers,
Differentiation in Practice Grades 9–12 Carol contracts, and portfolios.
Ann Tomlinson and Cindy A. Strickland
Annotated lesson plans with Dare to Differentiate
correlations to state standards, https://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/
learning goals, and links to other Learning NC
units and disciplines. http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-
learner/6680

Differentiation in Practices Grades 5-9 Teaching Channel

Carol Ann Tomlinson, Caroline
Cunningham Eidson
Annotated lesson plans for
differentiated units in social
studies, language arts, science,
mathematics, and world
language.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differe
ntiating-instruction
Canton Public Schools
http://www.cantonschools.org/filestorage/184/1
296/1568/1647/Elementary_RAFT_CARDS%5
B1%5D.pdf
Differentiation and LR Information for SAS
Teachers
https://sites.google.com/site/lrtsas/differentiatio
n/5-preassessment-ideas