Differentiated instruction is responsive instruction; it involves understanding students as individuals and planning for their differences. The term can be used to describe a variety of instructional models and strategies, but at its core, differentiation involves instruction that addresses student differences in “readiness, interest and learning profile, with the goal of maximizing the capacity of each learner” (Tomlinson, 2013). Our elementary video looks at form of differentiation that delivers content through multiple modes helping to address students’ preferences in learning styles and personal interests. Our secondary video looks at differencing the learning process specifically for students of varying English proficiency levels. To learn more about differentiation, click here.
Elementary
Secondary
Objective: By the end of this video, viewers will have an understanding of specific techniques to differentiate instruction in a general classroom setting.
Essential Question: How can I differentiate process and product without differentiating content? How can I offer content in multiple modes?
Questions to consider as you watch the video:
- How does Ms. Toenniessen & Ms. Walters address the variety of student readiness levels in her classroom?
- What are the different ways Ms. Artis presents the content?
- What different types of interests or intelligences are accessed?
- How do the different modes of teaching lead to student mastery of the content?
- What explicit planning for differentiated instruction is evident in the lesson?
- How does collaborative learning practices address the variety of language levels in Ms. Toenniessen’s class?
- How can I bring these practices into my own teaching?
Tools & Templates for Differentiation:
- Professional Learning Implementation Tool- Differentiation
- Professional Learning Implementation Tool- Multiple Modalities
- Differentiated Transition Word-Bank
- Multiple Modalities Menu
- Multiple Modalities Menu- Blank
- MI Student Survey- What is Your Learning Style?
- Diferentiation-Strategies
- BlackBoard: A variety of differentiation resources can be found under the Curriculum Tab
Texts on Differentiation:
- Books by C.A. Tomlinson for Purchase: Available in the ACPS Professional Library
- Differentiation Starts with Pre-Assessment Webpost
- What’s DI? Scholastic
- About UDL- Universal Design for Learning
- Teaching to Multiple Intelligences Webpost from Edutopia
- Teaching with Multiple Modalities Webpost by ReadWriteThink
Related Videos:
- Differentiation Videos from the Teaching Channel
- Classrooms in Focus- Class Climate
- Multiple Modalities Videos from the Teaching Channel
Have an idea or routine in your classroom for using Differentiation you believe other teachers would benefit from learning about or seeing? Email PL, write “Differentiation” in the subject line.
Tools & Templates used in the Lesson:
Tools & Templates used in the Lesson:
Elementary Lesson Plan: Lunar Phases
Templates & PowerPoint:
- Phases of the Moon Rap Lyrics Handout
- Sun Picture
- Moon Calendar Questions
- Lunar Calendar
- EARTH PICS
- Moon Phases PowerPoint
- YouTube Moon Phases Rap
Secondary Lesson Plan: Characterization 7th Grade ELA