Curriculum

Differentiation

What Differentiation Is--And Is Not

A differentiated classroom is designed to tap into different student readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles. In a differentiated class, the teacher uses (1) a variety of ways for students to learn the curriculum, (2) a variety of meaningful activities or processes where students gain understanding and form their "own" information and ideas, and (3) a variety of options through which students can demonstrate or exhibit what they have learned.

A class is not differentiated when assignments are the same for all learners and the adjustments consist of varying the level of difficulty of questions for certain students, grading some students harder than others, or letting students who finish early play games for enrichment. It is not appropriate to have more advanced learners do extra math problems, extra book reports, or after completing their "regular" work be given extension assignments. Asking students to do more of what they already know is hollow. Asking them to do "the regular work, plus" inevitably seems punitive to them (Tomlinson, C. (1995). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA:ASCD.)

Ways to Differentiate Instruction:
1. Content/Topic
Students are pre-tested so the teacher can identify the students’ learning needs: below, at and above learning expectations. The students study using different degrees of difficulty around the same topic area. Students demonstrating understanding of the concept proceed to apply the concepts to the task of solving a problem.

2. Process/Activities
Learning activities or strategies are varied to provide appropriate methods for students to learn. The students study the same content but do different activities. Or the students may study different materials within the same topic area and also do different activities. They may study the same materials, do the same activities, but receive different amounts of support from the teacher or from printed information. They may study the same materials and do the same activities with activities becoming progressively more difficult. They may work through the activities at different rates with the more able doing the more difficult tasks.

3. Product
The complexity or number of options students are given to demonstrate mastery of the concepts varies. Students working below grade level may have reduced performance expectations, while students above grade level may be asked to produce work that requires more complex or more advanced thinking. It is motivating for students to be offered choice of product.

4. Environment
Manipulating the school environment, employing multiple intelligence options, and utilization of varying teaching strategies that target individual talents or aptitudes are utilized. 

How Differentiation Works in the Classroom
In a classroom that is practicing multiple components of differentiation, students may be grouped by interest but may also have activities set at different levels of complexity (questioning levels/abstract thinking processes) resulting in varying products that employ students' preferred learning modality (auditory, visual or kinesthetic). Thus the content is being differentiated by interest, the process is being differentiated by readiness (complexity of thinking skills required) and the product is being differentiated by student learning modality preferences.

Characteristics of Differentiated Instruction
Four characteristics shape teaching and learning in an effective differentiated classroom (Tomlinson, (1995).

1. All students have the opportunity to learn and apply key concepts. All students have the opportunity to explore meaningful ideas through a variety of avenues and approaches. Content, activities, and products or other assessments are developed in response to differing needs of varied learners.

2. Assessment is an ongoing diagnostic activity that guides instruction.  Learning tasks are planned and adjusted based on assessment data. Teachers continuously assess student readiness and interest, providing support when students need additional instruction and guidance, and extending student exploration when indications are that a student or group of students is ready to move ahead. Students are assessed in multiple ways, and each student's progress is measured at least in part from where that student begins.

3. Flexible grouping is consistently used. In a differentiated class, students work in many patterns. Sometimes they work alone, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in groups. Sometimes tasks are readiness-based, sometimes interest-based, sometimes constructed to match learning style, and sometimes a combination of readiness, interest, and learning style. In a differentiated classroom, whole-group instruction may also be used for introducing new ideas, when planning, and for sharing learning outcomes. Flexible grouping ensures consistently fluid working arrangements, including whole class learning, pairs, triads, and quads, student-selected groups, teacher-selected groups, and random groups.

4. Because varied activities often occur simultaneously in a differentiated classroom, the teacher works more as a guide or facilitator of learning than as a dispenser of information. Implicit in such instruction is (1) goal-setting shared by teacher and student based on student readiness, interest, and learning profile, and (2) assessment predicated on student growth and goal attainment.