Running head: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Principles of Differentiated Instruction

Arrianna Rosario-Eberhart

MAT 674 Applied Best Practice Strategies in Classroom Instruction

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Abstract

The following paper will rank the principles of differentiated instruction and then goes on to

explain the reasoning behind each of the rankings. For the first principle ranked, there is a further

explanation of how it would be used in a standards-based content lesson.

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1. Rank the Principles of Differentiation

1. Differentiated instruction acknowledges students’ diverse learning styles and provides

multiple modality learning opportunities.

2. Differentiated instruction is a blend of whole group, small flexible groups and

individualized instruction.

3. Differentiated instruction gives all students access to the core curriculum and to grade

level content standards.

4. Differentiated instruction focuses on the quality of instruction, rather than the quantity of

assignments.

5. Differentiated instruction addresses the three curricular elements of Teach, Practice, and

Apply.

6. Differentiated instruction is tied to assessment and target teaching.

2. Explain the reasons for your ranking:

My number principle for differentiated instruction is acknowledging students’ diverse

learning styles and providing multiple modality learning opportunities for them. This was

important to because a teacher has students who “process information and use their creativity in

different ways...students’ learning is affected by the match between their learning styles and how

standard-based content is presented” (Ventriglia, 2013, p. 10). This principle is also essential

since students need “ten learning opportunities to master a skill or concept. Skills and concepts

are mastered easily when a multiple modality approach is employed” (Ventriglia, 2013, p. 11).

The second ranking was using whole groups, small groups and individualized instruction. It is

important while we are teaching standard-based content that not only are we teaching it

numerous styles, but that we also tailor our teaching to meet the diversity of the classroom.
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Students can be placed into groups with students who are native English speakers, so that they

can communicate with them or small groups can be created so that teacher may reteach a concept

to them.

The third ranking of giving students access to both the core curriculum and grade level

content is important because since students are at different learning levels, it is important that for

those who may be behind in the grade level that the teacher be able to reteach an idea before the

students is taught the grade level content. For the fourth rank, it is important that teachers have

focus on the quality of their instruction, in ensuring that students of all levels are transferring the

knowledge and making connections to previous knowledge, rather than having homework for

every lesson. The fifth principle of using the three elements of Teach, Practice and Apply, can be

applied after putting students in groups and acknowledging their learning styles. Finally, tying

assessment and target teaching to differentiated instruction was placed sixth on the list, because

all of the other principles must come first, so that the students may learn what the teacher is

teaching, before they can assess the students on the lesson.

3. Take the principle you ranked as number one and explain how you would

implement it in a standards-based content lesson.

Acknowledging students’ diverse learning styles and providing multiple modality

learning opportunities for them, would enable all students to show their creativity and to

demonstrate their understanding of the standard-based content lesson. Looking at the California

Common Core Mathematics Standard, specifically for a 7th grade class the Geometry sections

states that students will, “draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the

relationships between them” (2014, p. 49). A lesson that could be created to meet this principle

would be to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the geometry unit by giving
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them the freedom to express their understanding. Students in turn could demonstrate the shapes

found in the geometry unit by creating digital models, poster boards, 3D models or even

drawings the shapes.

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Reference

California Department of Education (2014). California common core state standards

mathematics Retrieved from

http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.pdf

Ventriglia, L. (2013). Best practices differentiated instruction: the rule of foot

(8 ed.). Younglight Educate.