Differentiation Prepared by: Shuhudha Rizwan (2007)

What is differentiation? Differentiation an attempt to recognise individual differences among students and to find ways to consider these differences in the process of teaching and learning. Differentiation is classroom instruction that caters for all the different needs of learners.

Why Differentiate? One size does not fit all. No two human beings are the same. To make it possible for all the learners to access all curriculum.

What do you differentiate? You can differentiate: Content: What is being taught Process: Product: How the student learns what is being taught How to show what is being learnt

How do you differentiate? You can differentiate content, process and product according to students’: Readiness: Learning Profile: Interest: Skill level and background knowledge of child What interests the child or his/her preferences learning style, environmental Preferences and grouping factors

Characteristics of differentiated classrooms The basis for planning and instruction are the individual differences of the learners. Assessment is diagnostic and formative so that instruction responds to the learner Students are guided in making choices according to their interests and learning profiles. Instruction is based around the ways in which students learn. Many instructional groupings and arrangements are used Multi-option assignments are used, providing students choices in the ways in which they show what they have learned. Student readiness, interests and learning profiles guide instruction that incorporates multiple materials. School curriculum guides and standards are still used, but they are supplemented by other materials.

Differentiation Strategies Choice Boards Learning Contracts Tiered Activities Compacting Interest Centers or Interest Groups Flexible Grouping

Choice Boards Choice boards are organizers that contain a variety of activities. Choice boards require students to choose one or several activities as they learn something. Choice boards can be used to differentiate according to students’ readiness, interest or learning profile. “Dinner menu” and “Tic-tac-toe” can be very interesting activities of choice boards.

An example of “dinner menu” Topic: Healthy Eating (Science, Grade 7) Appetizer (Everyone Shares)  Name the 3 main food groups with 4 examples each. Entrée (Select one)  Describe a balanced diet with an example.  Draw a poster of a food pyramid showing a balanced meal.  Create a song/poem explains a balanced diet. Side Dishes (Select two)  Why is it important to have a balanced diet in order to avoid heart attacks?  Why does your heart beat very fast when you play a basketball match?  What type of food should people with constipation problem have in their diet? Why?  Why do we need to eat more carbohydrates than any other type of food? Dessert (optional)  Draw a line graph showing your heart rates when you are engaged in different activities at home (example: watching TV, playing football, eating, writing, resting)

An example of “Tic-tac-toe” (Select any 3 activities, including the middle one) Human Digestion (Science, Grade 7) Name the parts of the digestive system. Design an activity to show the action of peristalsis Write a story about what happens to a piece of bread you eat (you have to start the passage of the bread piece from the mouth until absorption takes place) Write a poem about human digestion In your group perform a play about the functions of different parts of the digestive system. Write the order of events as they take place in the human digestive system. Create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the digestion of carbohydrates and proteins. Write two paragraphs about the events that take place in the mouth, which help digestion. Draw a poster of a the human gut to be pasted on the classroom wall.

Tiered Activities Tiered activities are designed to instruct students on essential skills that are provided at different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. The curricular content and objective(s) are the same, but the process and/or product are varied according to the student’s level of readiness.

An example of a tiered activity Volume of irregular objects (Science, Grade 7) Low ability group: Ask them to measure the volume of some objects like a key, coin, paper clip High ability group: Ask them to measure the volume of ONE single needle from a bundle of 100 needles.

Learning Contracts Learning contracts are agreements between the teacher and the student. Teacher specifies the content/skills expected to be learned, while the student identifies methods for completing the tasks. This strategy - Allows students to work at an appropriate pace - Caters for learning styles - helps students work independently, learn planning skills, and eliminate unnecessary skill practice.

Example of a learning contract Example of a learning contract (Science, Grade 7) My topic is : Acid Rain To find out about my topic: I will read: __________________ I will look at and listen to:____________ I will write: ____________________ I will draw: __________________ I will need: _______________ After studying I will share what I know by: ________________________________________________ I will complete my task on: ______________________________

Compacting Compacting is the process of adjusting instruction to account for prior student mastery of learning objectives. Compacting involves a three-step process: 1. assess the student to determine his/her level of knowledge on the material to be studied and determine what he/she still needs to master 2.create plans for what the student needs to know, and excuse the student from studying what he/she already knows 3. create plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study.

An Example of Compacting A student who knows the basic concepts of circuits would not participate in a direct instruction lesson, but might be provided with small group or individualized instruction on deeper understanding of the topic. Circuits (Science, Grade 7)

Flexible Grouping Students work as part of many different groups depending on the task and/or content. Sometimes students are placed in groups based on readiness, other times they are placed based on interest and/or learning profile. Groups can either be assigned by the teacher or chosen by the students themselves. Students can be assigned purposefully to a group or randomly. This strategy allows students to work with a wide variety of peers and keeps them from being labeled as advanced or slow-learners.

An example of flexible grouping Activity 1: Students work in groups to write down a list of activities that can help them to keep fit. Activity 2: Students work in groups to prepare a poster or a leaflet aimed at creating awareness on the importance keeping fit. Activity 3: The whole class is grouped into two to debate for one of the following topics -Exercise is the most important factor for keeping fit. -Healthy food is the most important factor for keeping fit. Keeping Fit (Science, Grade 7) For each of the above mentioned activities, students should change their groups.

Assessment in differentiated classrooms Diagnostic assessmentDiagnostic assessment Assessing students’ readiness, interest, and learning profiles to find out where and how to begin instruction. Formative or continuous assessmentFormative or continuous assessment Ongoing assessment that continually inform the teacher about a students’ progress and future instruction should be based on that information Instruction dependent assessmentInstruction dependent assessment Assessment should be based on the content and manner in which the students were taught Student dependent Assessment:Student dependent Assessment: Assessment should be based on the needs of the students and the way in which they have been interacting with the material.