Differentiated Instruction in Mixed Ability Classes

Teacher Training Sessions for Primary and Secondary Teachers of English in Ilia January and February 2014

This picture is your English class. What is the message it sends to the teacher?
For a fair selection, everybody will take the same test: please climb that tree.

Types of student diversity

Culture,
Social background, Cognitive development, Skills, Learning styles, Interests, Motivation, Intellectual challenge,

Emotional maturity,
Learning goals, expectations and needs Learning difficulties

Multiple intelligences (Howard Gardner )

Linguistic Logical-Mathematical Visual-Spatial Bodily-Kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Existential

Multiple intelligences in teaching and learning

Differentiation
is a teachers response to learners needs
guided by general principles of differentiation

Meaningful tasks
Quality Curriculum

Flexible grouping

Continual assessment
Building Community

Teachers can differentiate through

Content

Process

Product

Affect/Environment

According to students

Readiness

Interests

Learning Profiles

through a VARIETY of INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Graphic OrganizersScaffolding CubingTic-Tac-ToeLearning Contracts.Tiering Learning/Interest Centers Independent Work Preferences....ETC.

JUSTICE IN DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Everyone gets what s/he needs to develop

Key principles of the differentiated classroom

The teacher is clear about what matters in subject matter. The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences. Assessment and instruction are inseparable. The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student readiness, interests, and learning profile. All students participate in respectful work. Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.

Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and individual success.

Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.

The 3 Factors of Differentiation

Students

Readiness

Interests

Styles

Do tasks fit the students skills and learning abilities?

Do tasks motivate the students interest and curiosity?

Do tasks allow the students to work in their preferred manner?

Key features of differentiated teaching

: the teacher is aware and sensitive to his students differentiated needs and provides them varied learning experiences. : we do not adapt the extent of a task, but the nature of the task.

: we differentiate the input, the tasks and the way our students show what they have learnt.

: students and teachers learn from each other.

In action, differentiation means

Assessing before-during and after

Scaffolding
Reinforcing autonomy Varying material Flexible grouping Encouraging choice

Varying time limits

Promoting problem solving

Assessing according to aims

Graphic representation of information

Turning a text into a timeline of events

This picture can be used in a grammar-focused lesson. Can you a) determine the main teaching aim and b) justify the use of the picture as a teaching tool?

Addressing strong students

Addressing weaker students

Tracing positive qualities Developing positive elements rather than correcting weak ones Making learning appear useful Teaching basic not detail Providing varied approaches to learning Assigning slightly more challenging tasks Personalising learning Encouraging use of new knowledge Building on self-confidence

Raising challenge and expectations

Setting clear goals for them

Providing support according to goal Balancing challenge and pleasure

Blooms Taxonomy in task design

KUD Teaching
K
U D

Know
Understand Do

Facts, vocabulary, functions, text structure

Concepts, principles, rules, generalisations Skills Basic skills Skills to develop during the lesson Thinking skills Planning skills Cooperative skills Autonomous learning skills

Cubing
1. Describe It Look at the subject closely (perhaps with your senses in mind).

2.
3.

Compare It What is it similar to? What is it different from?

Associate It What does it make you think of? What comes to your mind when you think of it? People? Places? Things? Feelings? Let your mind go and see what feelings you have for the subject. Analyze It Tell how it is made. If you cant really know, use your imagination. Apply It Tell what you can do with it. How can it be used? Argue for It or Against It Take a stand. Use any kind of reasoning you wantlogical, silly, anywhere in between.

4.

5. 6.

Teaching as an equalizer

Carol Ann Tomlison, 2001

Providing choice
Writing a review
Choice 1 Restaurant Choice Choice 3 Movie Choice

2
Book

4
Video game

TIC-TAC-TOE Choice Board For a Book Report

Draw a picture of the main character. Write a poem about two main events in the story. Perform a play that shows the conclusion of a story. Make a poster that shows the order of events in the story. Write a song about one of the main events. Dress up as your favorite character and perform a speech telling who you are.

Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the introduction to the closing.

Write two paragraphs Write two paragraphs about the main about the setting. character.

Think-Pair-Share
Work on a topic Discuss about the topic with a partner
Share your ideas with others
We set the pairs
WE set the topic/question

We allow some time to think about it

We ask the ss to share ideas with a partner We invite pairs to share ideas with the class

Multiple Intelligences and Product Choice

The 3 roles of the teacher in the D. classroom

Director of orchestra

Coach

Jazz musician

Strategies for the management of the differentiated class (1)

1. We prepare our students for our new approach
2. We start small with slight differentiations 3. We provide more time to the strong and less time to the weak 4. We assign thematically related tasks to early finishers 5. We provide short and clear instructions, preferably in card,

worksheet, or other visual form

6. We divide students in flexible groupings

Flexible grouping

Strategies for the management of the differentiated class (2)

7. We allocate mentoring roles to students (the expert of the

group)
8. Tasks are checked by the expert before submitted
9. We assign responsibility to students 7. We encourage students to evaluate their findings 8. We evaluate every student according to personal output, not

in relation to others

Groups perform well when .

they know what they have to do they know how to do it they know what each member has to do they know what quality of results means

Product types

-

-
/ debate -

Quality Assessment Criteria for the Final Product : content

Ideas

Concepts

Information
Content

Material

Quality Assessment Criteria for the Final Product : procedure

Argumentation

Organisation

Research

Aims

Procedure

Editing

Learning Contract 1
Name _______________________ My question or topic is: To find out about my question or topic I will read: I will look at and listen to: I will write:

I will draw:

I will need:

Heres how I will share what I know:

I will finish by this date:

Assessing right
Summative assessment
Formative assessment

Diagnostic assessment

Learning aims

On-going Assessment: A Diagnostic Continuum

Feedback and Goal Setting
Preassessment Formative Assessment Summative Assessment (Finding Out) (Keeping Track & Checking -up) (Making sure)

Pre-test KWL Checklist Observation/Eval uation Questioning

Peer evaluation Portfolio Observation Quiz Talk around Self-evaluation Questioning Exit Card

Unit Test Performance test Task Product/Exhibit Demonstration Portfolio Review

Exit card 3-2-1

Fast assessment before the end of a lesson The students write 3 important ideas from the lesson, 2 queries and 1 way to use what they learnt

Ofsted DO NOT want a lesson plan(!),

but evidence of a planned lesson

(September 2012 evaluation criteria)