Differentiation and Planning for Diverse Learners St Catherine School August 22, 2014 Emily Ropars

What are our goals for today?  Understand differentiation more clearly  Build up your toolbox with resources and interventions  Work through some examples  Understand the family’s perspective  Have fun?

Differentiation Differentiated instruction provides support for diverse learning needs and learning styles. The differentiated classroom is flexible in its instructional strategies, activities and assessment.

Diverse learning styles -multiple intelligences -auditory/visual/tactile-kinesthetic

Multiple Intelligences “The biggest mistake we have made in past centuries in teaching is to treat students as variants of the same individual and to thus feel justified in teaching them the same subjects in the same ways.” Howard Gardner

Planning for MI Lesson Title: Teacher: Subject(s): Date: Time: Objective(s): Technology:Standard:Intelligence: Materials: Intelligence: Procedure: Intelligence: Assessment: Intelligence: Reflection: How did the technologies used accommodate the intelligences you identified?

What type of intelligence do you and your fellow staff have? Activity time!

Auditory Learners  Learn through listening and speaking  Most general group instruction is geared toward this kind of learner  Not as common in younger grades  Accommodations not required as much since this is the most frequently used form of group of instruction

Visual learners  Process information best when they see it  Must see it to believe it and to learn it  Will benefit from graphic organizers and pictures  Visual reminders

Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners 1.Most of early childhood is dedicated to tactile learning 2.Students need to physically experience learning 3.Tend to get bored quickly and have a hard time waiting for experiential piece

Ideas in action

Learning Style Auditory Kinesthetic

Learning Style Kinesthetic Visual

Examples 1.Beginning letter activities 2.Touch math PinterestPinterest 3.Good Sensory Learning Learning Specialist and Teacher - Good Sensory Learning: Touch Math GamesLearning Specialist and Teacher - Good Sensory Learning: Touch Math Games

Learning needs -English Language Learners (ELL) -Children with special needs -Children who have immigrated from another country

Why should we differentiate and accommodate all these needs? 1.“Fair is giving students what they need.” Carol Ann Tomlinson 2.Effective teachers consciously create a climate where all students feel included 3.What is good for one learner, often times helps the group 4.Catholic school’s mission is to serve all children

Carol Tomilson

Nuts and Bolts of Differentiation ContentProcessProduct Readiness/ Developmental Level InterestLearning Style

Content Use analogy of a tree: *some students are going to need to build foundation skills (i.e. ELL students, students with learning challenges) *advanced students can be pre-tested to determine mastery of the lesson, and do not require direct instruction *most easily done for math, spelling lessons

Strategies for children who are not keeping up with the pace of the class 1.Limit expectations to two or three concepts per unit 2.Pre-teach vocabulary, draw pictures, use concept mapping, webbing and organizers 3.Re-teach the content only to the students who do not show mastery.

Florida Center for Reading Research 3.asp educators/favicon.ico 1.Printable activities by learning objective 2.Instructional strategies 3.Grades K-5

Process 1.Vary the learning activities to allow students to work from their strengths (i.e. allow student who struggles with writing to make a list of facts, rather than write sentences, and a student who needs enrichment to write an alternative ending to story) 2.Allow students to use alternate paths to explore the content. (i.e. using graphic organizers, use manipulatives, iPad apps, work with a peer mentor) 3.Great way to utilize learning styles-allow kinesthetic learners to walk a number line, use manipulatives for exploring math. For visual learners, allow students to do an interactive game on the computer or iPad.

Additional process ideas  create small group activities  allow students who are challenged by writing to dictate ideas to peers  Allow collaborative writing  Provide a fill-in-the-blank form for note-taking  For children who have a difficult time attending, provide opportunities to change tasks or activities more frequently  Use multiple modalities for the same concept  Independent study

Product Vary the complexity of work required for students Utilize Bloom’s taxonomy to enrich the activity for the students who have mastery of the content, and are able to move up on the higher rungs of the ladder

Differentiating Product Ideas 1.Assess learning over time 2.Narrow the choice of topics 3.Allow for short answer, rather than long essay responses 4.Vary homework complexity- challenge questions or send home foundation knowledge activities such as flashcards 5.Allow for variety in how the work is done: partners, small group, or individual (allow for an individual to do a presentation instead of skit)

Student Readiness  Use assessment data to plan for student work  Pre-tests  Pre K-use developmental checklist  Vary level of teacher involvement based on student’s readiness (i.e. allow for independent work for children who are ready)

Pre-assessment 1.Some text books have pre-test available 2.K-N-W chart- what do I know, what do I need to know, what do I want to know 3.Journal: What do you know about _____ 4.Or have students generate a list: “when I say _____, what do you think of? 5.Children who struggle with writing and generating ideas, can have a brief conference with you.

Instructional results are stronger for all learners if grouping is employed -we need to have a narrower band of ability for optimal instruction -use pretest and assessment to decide on groupings Joyce VanTassel-Baska, EdD

Student interest 1.Use student journals to help generate their understanding of their own interests. 2.Encourage students to start from their own background knowledge to learn new concepts. This is especially important for students who are English language learners. 3.Allow students to explore aspect of a topic that is interesting to them. For example, in social studies allowing student to follow interest in art as it applies to a time period.

Key components from a teacher’s perspective 1.This requires a commitment to a style of teaching that is flexible and dynamic 2.On-going and varied assessment is at the core of planning for groupings, when it comes to content and product. 3.Think of self as “A guide on the side, rather than a sage on a stage” for children who need enrichment.

Differentiation in Middle School: Building Classroom Community

Start putting this together ~working in pairs or alone, differentiate the lesson by process, product or content (thinking about extending or building blocks) ~analyze one of the activities or lessons prepared, and talk about how it is differentiated well, or what you would add ~if you have a lesson you would like to use, please do! ~work for about 20 minutes and then we will gather and share

Moving into Response to Intervention (RTI) When a student needs more than differentiated instruction

Levels of intervention/instruction

RTI made easy:  1. High quality instruction is foundation of RTI. Differentiated instruction, solid curriculum and ongoing universal screening is occurring.  2. Targeted interventions for students are not gaining skills. At this level, interventions take place individually or in small groups. Interventions should happen at least 2-3 times per week. Data collected every 5 days. After 20 days, review the data  3. If a student is making gains, no matter the pace of gains, he/she can stay at tier 2.  4. If student does not make gains, more intensive interventions can begin.

Parents Parents are an integral at every step of the RTI process. -communication regarding curriculum, projects and expectations -parents need to be aware that their child has started receiving interventions -parents can request an evaluation from the public school or seek a private evaluation at any time of this process (however, solid intervention data will give weight to the referral and speed up the process)

Intervention Central  Plan and print interventions  Print behavior plan  Point and click Behavior Motivation | Intervention | Intervention

Florida CRR Also can be used as intervention materials

Executive Function Skills

Executive Function

Center on the Developing Child Harvard University

Challenges -using situational intelligence (using past experiences to novel situations) -estimating the time involved in order to do something completely/do well -putting tasks in a logical order -reading people -reading the room (what is expected)

How can we help in the classroom?  Students need help to develop the ability to imagine their work done, so they can prepare for the task  *cannot start executive function support with “get ready” because that requires applying situational awareness  Rather, use language like “what will it look like when it is done?” or “what will you look like when you are ready for recess?”

Compare the Two sets of Directions  “Third grade, we are going to move on to science now. Put away your math notebook and don’t forget to rip out page 37 to do at home. After you put that in your folder, open your book to chapter 4 and raise your hand when you are ready.”  Class, 1,2,3 eyes on me.  1. Rip out page 37  2. Put it in your folder  3. You will be ready for science when your science book is the only item on your desk.

Situational Intelligence: how do we support it in class work?  Students need to imagine their work done  Start with the finished product, with a visual: Get Ready, Do, Done  1. When it is done, what will I see?  2. What will I need to do to match the picture? How long will it take?  3. Get ready-what materials do I need?  4. Start  5.Check  6. Stop

Sample ways to utilize this concept:

Classroom Routine After teaching the routine through practice, take pictures of students completing each stage of the routine, and post it. Do each step discreetly. Using visuals removes the challenge for many students.

Visual reminders in the classroom Dedicate a bulletin board to EF supporting visuals such as this one.

Using visuals to help students plan for activity

Miss Kartheiser’s Cereal Box Book Report This week students selected a teacher-approved chapter book from our classroom library. Over the next 3 weeks, students will read their self-selected book and create a cereal box book report. Students will decorate a real cereal box with illustrations and information related to the book they read using the directions below. Students will be provided with three one hour blocks of time during the school day to complete their project. However if that is not enough time they will be asked to finish the project at home. FRONT OF BOX: Use a piece of white or light colored paper to cover the front of your cereal box. (You will probably want to create the over before gluing it on your box.) Include the name of the cereal and a picture. Invent a name for the cereal that is related to the title of the book and sounds like a cereal. Do not use the exact title of the book. Choose a shape for the cereal as well as colors and ingredients that all relate to the book. For example, for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you might invent a cereal called Wizard Wands, a toasted oat cereal in the shape of miniature lightning bolts. RIGHT SIDE: Make a list of ingredients that includes the story elements Characters and Settin g. Under the heading "Ingredients," list the main characters and write a sentence about each one. Then describe the setting. A template will be provided or you can choose to cover the side with white or light colored paper and do it in your own way. Just make sure you include the main characters and the setting. LEFT SIDE: Write a summary that describes the main problem and the solution of the book. Ty to use words that will “grab” readers’ attention and make them want to buy your cereal. A template will be provided or you can choose to cover it your own way. BACK OF BOX: Design a game that is based on the story. It can be a puzzle, a word search, a word scramble, a maze, a crossword puzzle, a hidden pictures illustration, or any other fun activity that might be found on the back of a cereal box. Make sure it includes information from the book. TOP OF BOX: Include the title, author, number of pages, and number of stars you would give this book if you were a book critic. The maximum number of stars would be 5. You can use the template or create the top of the box yourself as long as you include all of the things listed above. PRIZE: Cereal boxes often include a prize. Your prize must be something the main character could have used in the book or something that reminds you of the main character. You can even include a picture of the prize on the front of your box to let the reader know what is inside the box. YOUR CEREAL BOX BOOK REPORT IS DUE AT SCHOOL ON MONDAY, MAY 19TH. COMMERCIAL: Students will share their project by doing a 1-2 minute commercial for their cereal. These oral presentations will begin on Monday May 17th. Students should practice their commercials at home to make sure of the timing. The goal is to make other students really want to buy the cereal (read the book).

A little review Differentiation  Using information about children as individuals to plan for instruction  Have flexibility in your instructional style, in the groupings of children, and the work they generate  On-going work, but the rewards are so much greater RTI  Use solid curriculum planning and instruction to reach majority of class  Ongoing assessment to monitor progress  Provide individual and group support to teach and reteach content and skills for children who have not demonstrated mastery  Involve the parents in process

Move out of the classroom for a bit, and talk about working with families.