DIFFERENTIATEDINSTRUCTION (A.K.A. INCLUSIVE PRACTICES)

Delaware County Intermediate UnitProfessional DevelopmentDiane Messer

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Define Differentiated Instruction• Apply basic principles of Universal Design for

Learning• Acquire a set of strategies that support varied

student learning across the curriculum• Address common areas of concern related to

differentiated instruction.

DISCUSS WITH A PARTNER:

1. What is differentiated instruction?

2. What is it not?

3. What are some concerns teachers, parents, and/or administrators frequently have about differentiated instruction?

TWO DEFINITIONS

“At its most basic level, differentiation consists of the efforts of teachers to

respond to variance among learners in the classroom.

Whenever a teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching in order to create the best learning experience possible, that teacher is differentiating

instruction.”- Carol Ann Tomlinson

(Excerpted from Tomlinson, 2000)

“If we teach so that students learn, we do whatever it

takes to make this happen.

This is differentiation.

”

(Wormeli, p. 11)How do these

definitions differ?

Tomlinson speaks to changing instruction for individual student needs.

Wormeli is vague about what

WHY YOU SIGNED UP FOR THIS CLASS (PROBABLY)

Read the excerpt from Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2003.

Reflect in writing:How does the information in the reading

relate to what is happening in your school?

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONVS. INCLUSIVE PRACTICES

Compare definitions:

“Whenever a teacher reaches out to an individual or small group to vary his or her teaching in order to create the best learning experience possible, that teacher is differentiating instruction.”

- Carol Ann Tomlinson, 2000

“If we teach so that students learn, we do whatever it takes to make this

happen. This is differentiation.”- Rick Wormeli, 2007

DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES . . . THE MULTIPLE LESSON PLAN METHOD*

MAINLESSON

LOW READER LESSON

ELL LESSON

BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGED

LESSON

GIFTED LESSON

SLOW PROCESSER

LESSON

ADHD LESSON

AKA: The Teacher- Burnout Method

DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES . . . THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING METHOD*

Good Teaching Helps All Students

AKA: The Unrealistically Optimistic Method

DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES . . . THE UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING WITH AS-NEEDED DIFFERENTIATION METHOD.

6 KEY PRINCIPLES

1. IDENTIFY THE BIG IDEAS2. UNIVERSAL DESIGN COMES BEFORE

DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION3. UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO LEARN A NEW

CONCEPT4. TYPES OF DIFFERENTIATION5. RESPOND TO COMMON PROBLEMS IN WAYS

THAT INCREASE LEARNING6. RECOGNIZE AND PREPARE FOR THE NEEDS OF

EXTREME CASES.

IDEA 1: IDENTIFY THE BIG IDEAS

What do you want them to remember a year from now?

Start with ten big ideas. Plan everything around these ten important ideas.Teach these big ideas every way you can think of.Have them use the ideas to make connections.Pull in other content, but remember that is just gravy.

Based on 2 truths: You can’t cover it all. They won’t remember it all.

You can’t teach it all.They can’t remember it all.

IDEA 2: UNIVERSAL DESIGN COMES BEFORE DIFFERENTIATION.

Background: UNIVERSAL DESIGNS are essential for some and useful for all.

RampsClosed captioningPush to open doorsLow sinksElevatorsWide doorwaysHand rails

TOPIC TALK: UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING

Say as many ways as you can think of that information can be made more accessible to

struggling students AND

that actually end up helping all students learn more quickly and more thoroughly

A FEW TO THINK ABOUT . . .• Posted vocabulary• Formulas provided• Teacher takes notes• Provide outline of topic• Frontloading• Explain• Retest• Rubrics• Syllabi• Sorting• Mapping

• Give out test questions• Example / non-example• Essential questions• Semantic feature analysis• Instruction in nonfiction text

structures• I do, We do, You do• Connections

IDEA 3: UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO LEARN A NEW CONCEPT.

Prior knowledge accounts for up to 81% of the difference between high and low performing students.

True, long-term Connecting new learning information with what we

already know

The more we know, the easier it is to learn.

BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

Read to them. Take them places. Talk to them about everything. Give direct instruction on a topic BEFORE you ask

them to read about it or study it. Don’t remove kids from science and social studies. Do not limit their reading material by their decoding

proficiency.

Teaching Content is Teaching Reading

TEACHING CONTENT IS TEACHING LEARNING

Reflect in Writing:

How will the information in this video impact your work?

IDEA 4: RESPOND TO COMMON PROBLEMS IN WAYS THAT INCREASE LEARNING.

• They can’t come up with anything• They don’t finish on time.• Short attention span.• Text is too difficult• Written answers are off-mark• Homework is not completed

IDEA 5: RECOGNIZE THE NEEDS OF EXTREME CASES• Students who speak little or no English.

• Students who decode more than 3 years below grade level.

• Students with physical handicaps that make writing difficult.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

WORKS CITED Preston, Alison. "How Does Short-term Memory Work in Relation to Long-term Memory? Are

Short-term Daily Memories Somehow Transferred to Long-term Storage While We Sleep?: Scientific American." How Does Short-term Memory Work in Relation to Long-term Memory? Are Short-term Daily Memories Somehow Transferred to Long-term Storage While We Sleep?: Scientific American. Scientific American, 26 Sept. 2007. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Strangman, Nicole, and Tracey Hall. "Background Knowledge." Aim.cast.org. National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum, 26 Oct. 2004. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Tomlinson, Carol A., and Caroline Cunningham Eidson. Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for Differentiating Curriculum, Grades 5-9. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003. Print.

Tomlinson, Carol A. Differentiation of Instruction in the Elementary Grades. Champaign, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education, University of Illinois, 2000. Print.

Tomlinson, Carol A. Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom: Strategies and Tools for Responsive Teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2003. Print.

Willingham, Daniel. "Teaching Content Is Teaching Reading." YouTube. YouTube, 09 Jan. 2009. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Wormeli, Rick. Differentiation: From Planning to Practice, Grades 6-12. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse, 2007. Print.