Instructional Differentiation for Instructional Differentiation for English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners

MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeDr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher

Instructional Differentiation for Instructional Differentiation for English Language LearnersEnglish Language Learners

MA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeMA in TESOL Program, Hunter CollegeDr. Laura BaecherDr. Laura Baecher

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What does this picture have to do with Differentiated

Instruction?

What does this picture have to do with Differentiated

Instruction?

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What is Differentiated Instruction?What is Differentiated Instruction?

Differentiated Instruction IS:

Meeting students where they are.

Based on premise that the TEACHER must adjust the learning to give access to the curriculum

Done intentionally, in lesson planning stage.

Thinking of higher level students first and tiering downwards.

Modifying the same base activity. Everyone should be able to share out at closure.

Flexible grouping-sometimes heterogeneous, sometimes homogeneous. 3

Differentiated Instruction is NOT:

Treating all the students the same.

Based on premise that the student must adjust to the learning.

Always done spur of the moment.

Starting with the lowest level student and tiering upwards.

Giving everyone different activities.

Fixed grouping.

What does differentiated instruction provide?

What does differentiated instruction provide?

Differentiated instruction provides MULTIPLE APPROACHES to content, process, and product.

– Content – The teacher provides alternative materials, modifying or adapting the input students will use to learn the topic.

– Process – The teacher provides alternative structures for how the learning activity will take place.

– Product – The teacher provides alternative options for how students may demonstrate their learning.

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How do I Differentiate Instruction?How do I Differentiate Instruction?

1.Students don’t have to know you are differentiating.

2.Maintain activity length constant.3.Offer a choice of activities to let

students do the differentiating.4.Use tools like Bloom’s Taxonomy to

design prompts, tasks and questions at different cognitive complexity levels.

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Continuum of Task ComplexityContinuum of Task Complexity

Concrete---------------------------------------------Abstract

Simple-----------------------------------------------Complex

Fewer facets-----------------------------------Multi-Facets

Smaller leap----------------------------------Greater Leap

More structured-------------------------------More Open

Clearly Defined Problem-------------Fuzzy ProblemLess Independence-----------Greater IndependenceSlower Pace----------------------------------Quicker Pace

Modified----------------------------------------Unmodified

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Developing a Tiered ActivityDeveloping a Tiered Activity

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1. Select the activity-concept, skill, understanding

1. Select the activity-concept, skill, understanding

2. Think about your students’ language proficiency-reading, writing, listening & speaking (interests, talents)

2. Think about your students’ language proficiency-reading, writing, listening & speaking (interests, talents)

3. Create an activity that is interesting, causes students to use key skills to understand a key idea

3. Create an activity that is interesting, causes students to use key skills to understand a key idea4. Chart the complexity of the activity

4. Chart the complexity of the activity

5. Clone the activity along the continuum, as needed to ensure challenge and success for your students, in terms of:

• materials-basic to advanced

• form of expression-familiar to unfamiliar

• from experience-personal to removed from personal

5. Clone the activity along the continuum, as needed to ensure challenge and success for your students, in terms of:

• materials-basic to advanced

• form of expression-familiar to unfamiliar

• from experience-personal to removed from personal

Let’s Try Differentiating a Speaking Activity

Let’s Try Differentiating a Speaking Activity

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Language objective:

Use stress and intonation to orally present a poem aloud to class.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas with a couple of different stress patterns

Process Stress marks identified and practiced independently

Product Ss orally present a 6-line poem without notes

Examples of Differentiating a Speaking Activity

Examples of Differentiating a Speaking Activity

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Language objective:

Use stress and intonation to orally present a poem aloud to class.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content Ss given short poem with one main stress pattern

Ss given poem of 2-3 stanzas with a couple of different stress patterns

Process Stress marks identified working in small group with teacher

Stress marks identified and practiced independently

Product Ss orally present a 3-line poem and may refer to notes

Ss orally present a 6-line poem without notes

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will present.

Let’s Try Differentiating a Listening Activity

Let’s Try Differentiating a Listening Activity

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Language objective:

Listen to a poem read aloud and mark stress in appropriate places.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content X

Process Ss have the complete text in front of them while they listen and mark stress.

Product Ss must mark at least 2 examples of stress in the poem.

Examples of Differentiating a Listening Activity

Examples of Differentiating a Listening Activity

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Lesson objective:Listen to a poem read aloud and mark stress in appropriate places.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content X X

Process Ss have the complete text in front of them while they listen and mark stress.

Ss have partial text (cloze) in front of them while they listen and mark stress.

Product Ss must mark at least 2 examples of stress in the poem.

Ss must mark at least 5 examples of stress in the poem.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone of poem is.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will listen to the poem read aloud and draw a picture. Higher-proficiency students will listen and determine what the tone of poem is.

Let’s Try Differentiating a Reading Activity

Let’s Try Differentiating a Reading Activity

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Language objective:

Read a poem with a clear stress pattern and mark this stress.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Ss given “Windy Nights” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Process

Product

Examples of Differentiating a Reading Activity

Examples of Differentiating a Reading Activity

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Language objective:

Read a poem with a clear stress pattern and mark this stress.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content Ss given “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks

Ss given “Windy Nights” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Process Ss work with ESL teacher in small group and read poem as a shared reading activity.

Ss work with a partner trying to identify the stress pattern and taking turns reading aloud.

Product Ss asked to read poem aloud and partner claps where they see stress falling.

Ss asked to read poem aloud and also clap where they see stress falling.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-proficiency students look for rhyme.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will read for stress and higher-proficiency students look for rhyme.

Let’s Try Differentiating a Writing Activity

Let’s Try Differentiating a Writing Activity

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Language objective:

Write a poem with a clear stress pattern.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content

Process

Product

Examples of Differentiating a Writing Activity

Examples of Differentiating a Writing Activity

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Language objective:

Write a poem with a clear stress pattern.

Lower-proficiency Higher-proficiency

Content Ss are provided with some sentence frames to build their poem.

Ss are provided with key vocabulary to incorporate into their poem.

Process Ss work with ESL teacher in small group and draft poem as a shared writing activity.

Ss work independently to draft their poems.

Product Ss asked to write a one-stanza poem as they pattern their poem from “We Real Cool”

Ss asked to write a one-stanza poem as they pattern their poem from “Windy Nights”

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.

Non-Example: Lower-proficiency students will work with a higher-level buddy, but higher-level buddy will write.