Differentiation tiering

Differentiated Instruction:

Tiering

Betsey Kennedy-Olotka elizabeth.kennedy@cobbk12.org Liz Cobia elizabeth.cobia@cobbk12.org

Differentiation DefinedDifferentiation is responsive teaching rather than one size fits all teaching (Tomlinson, 2005). To put it yet another way, it means that teachers proactively plan varied approaches to what students need to learn, how they will learn it, and/or how they will show what they have learned in order to increase the likelihood that each student will learn as much as he or she can, as efficiently as possible (Tomlinson, 2003).

What does Tomlinson mean by

“responsive teaching”?

How would you define

differentiation in 10 words

or less?

What does it mean to

“proactively plan”?

Complete the Differentiation

Anticipation Guide

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

There is only one right way to differentiate.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

You have to differentiate all the time to be effective.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Truly differentiated classrooms include whole-group instruction.

TRUE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Differentiation means individualizing assignments for each student.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Advanced students should be used as tutors for struggling students.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

It’s more important to differentiate for struggling students because gifted students will be fine no matter what.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Classroom management is more difficult in a differentiated classroom.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

When tiering a lesson, a teacher should plan for 3 different groups.

POSSIBLY

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Tiered assignments are best for students with IEPs.

FALSE

Differentiation: Fact and Fiction

Tiered assignments lead to unbalanced workloads for students.

FALSE

Tomlinson Framework

• Interesting• Engaging• Challenging• Standards-

Based

Cobb Teacher Keys: Differentiation

So Many Strategies

Learning Stations

Flexible Grouping

CubingCompacting Curriculum

Choice Boards

Menus

Learning Contracts

Orbital Studies

Independent

Study

Think-Tac-Toe

RAFT

Questioning

Tiering

What Is Tiering?Tiered assignments are parallel tasks at varied levels of complexity, depth and abstractness with various degrees of scaffolding, support, or direction. Students work on different levels of activities, all with the same essential understanding or goal in mind. Tiered assignments accommodate mainly for differences in student readiness and performance levels and allow students to work toward a goal or objective at a level that builds on their prior knowledge and encourages continued growth. 

– Williams, 2002

Why Tiering Works

Flow concept based on research by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Choose Your Subject

ScienceSocialStudies

Math

It Starts with Assessment

Observation Self-Assessment

Tickets In/Out the Door

Quick Quiz

Tiered Graphic Organizers

• Change what is expected

• Change the number of items that need to be listed

• Change the resources

• Change the look of the organizer

Below Level:

How do the 2 characters compare? Write one sentence about the characters on the back.

Tiered Graphic Organizers

Above Level:

Choose 2 characters from the book you are reading and compare them to yourself. Write a comparison paragraph to describe how the characters compare to you.

On Level:

Compare 2 characters from the book you are reading. Write 2 sentences about the characters on the back of the paper.

English Language Learners:

Compare the 2 characters from the book. You can use pictures and words.

Tiered Graphic OrganizersRead If You Give a Mouse a Cookie with a partner. In the chart, draw or write the goods and services you find in the book.

Plan your next birthday party. Write or draw at least 5 goods you hope to have at your party. Then, write or draw at least 2 services you hope to have there.

Goods Services

Make a story like If You Give a Pig a Pancake. Each box is one page. Use words or pictures in each box. You need 3 goods and two services in your story.

Goods Services

Pretend you are at a party. Cut out the pictures below. Look at the pictures and glue each on the correct side of the chart.

Goods Services

On Grade Level Below Grade

Level

Above Grade

LevelEnglish Language

Learners

How Might We Tier this Graphic Organizer?

• Change what is expected

• Change the number of items that need to be listed

• Change the resources

• Change the look of the organizer

Tiered ResourcesUse materials at various reading levels

and complexity to tier by resources.

Tiered Resources

Choose 3 characters in the story and describe in pictures or writing how the

changes in the environment affected each character’s ability to meet its basic needs.

Same Task, Different Sources of Content

Tiered ResourcesSame Task, Different Sources of Content

http://www.hcbe.net/media/CMSImport/9DAA50166CF74737BB90B31E8D85B9D6.pdf

Tiered TasksProvide varied tasks that address a student’s level of readiness, from

introductory levels to more abstract, less concrete, advanced work

Tiered Tasks

Above Level:Make a list of 15 quadrilaterals you see in this room. Determine a method to sort these quadrilaterals into groups. Describe the characteristics of each category.

Same Content, Different Process

On Level:

List 3 characteristics of quadrilaterals.

Below Level:These are quadrilaterals.

These are not quadrilaterals:

What are 3 characteristics of quadrilaterals?

ELL:These are quadrilaterals.

Tell 3 things about quadrilaterals.

Tiered TasksSame Content, Different Process

http://www.hcbe.net/media/CMSImport/9DAA50166CF74737BB90B31E8D85B9D6.pdf

Tiered TasksSame Content, Same Process, Different Product

http://www.hcbe.net/media/CMSImport/9DAA50166CF74737BB90B31E8D85B9D6.pdf

Time to Tier• Tiered Graphic Organizers• Tiered Resources• Tiered Tasks