Definition of Differentiated Instruction Quick Overview of DI with an SDA Perspective Some Stages to Implementation of DI

“Differentiation is simply a teacher attending to the learning needs of a particular student or small groups of students, rather than teaching a class as though all individuals in it were basically alike.” —Carol Ann Tomlinson (2000)

Differentiated Instruction is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs guided by general principles of differentiation such as respectful tasks flexible grouping ongoing assessment and adjustment

through a range of instructional and management strategies such as according to student’s Content Teachers can differentiate Process Product ReadinessInterestsLearning Profile Multiple intelligences Taped material Anchor activities Varying organizers Varied supplementary materials Literature circles Tiered lessons Tiered centers Tiered products Learning contracts Small-group instruction Group investigation Independent study 4MAT Varied questioning strategies Interest centers Interest groups Varied homework Compacting Varied journal prompts Allan, S.D. & Tomlinson, CA (2000). Leadership for Differentiating Schools & Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

PROCESS PROCESS CONTENT CONTENT PRODUCT PRODUCT

“Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s ideal for His children. Godliness—godlikeness—is the goal to be reached. Before the student there is opened a path of continual progress. He has an object to achieve, a standard to attain, that includes everything good and pure and noble. He will advance as fast and as far as possible in every branch of true knowledge.” —Ed 18

READINESS READINESS INTEREST INTEREST LEARNING PROFILE LEARNING PROFILE

“The teacher should carefully study the disposition and character of his pupils, that he may adapt his teaching to their peculiar needs. He has a garden to tend, in which are plants differing widely in nature, form and development…Those to whom was committed the care of these plants left them to the mercy of circumstances, and now the difficulties of correct cultivation are increased tenfold.” —CT

“In all true teaching the personal element is essential. Christ in His teaching dealt with men individually…The same personal interest, the same attention to individual development, are needed in educational work today. The true educator, keeping in view what his pupils may become, will recognize the value of the material upon which he is working. He will take a personal interest in each pupil and will seek to develop all his powers.” —Ed

ASSESSMENT Pre- assessment Pre- assessment Formative Assessment Formative Assessment Summative Assessment Summative Assessment

“Before taking up the higher branches of study, let them master the lower. This is too often neglected… A thorough knowledge of the essentials of education should be not only the condition of admission to a higher course, but the constant test for continuance and advancement.” —Ed 234

DI CLASSROOM

A Coach or mentor. An organizer of learning opportunities! He or she gives students as much responsibility as they can handle for learning. Assess student readiness through a variety of means. “Reads” and interprets students clues interests and learning preference. Creates a variety of ways for students to gather ideas an information. Presents varied channels through which students can express and expand information —Carol Ann Tomlinson 2001

If you are in a multi-grade classroom teacher, chances are you Differentiate Instruction. Fine tune it now. Learn the DI Philosophy and its Components. You can change, You can make a difference! In reality, no teacher teaches a single grade. They just teach an average age group. That is all!

BABY STEPS

How are you already using Differentiated Instruction? What is something new you learned about DI today? What is one thing you could you do tomorrow or next week to incorporate DI in your room?

Establish classroom management procedures (without Classroom management you are lost/get help!) Start using pre-assessment to find out students’ readiness level Begin using formative assessments Begin learning about students’ interests and learning profiles Experiment with flexible grouping SDE The Differentiated Instruction Continuum A self Assessment for DI implementation 2009

Use data from pre-assessments to design lessons Use data from formative assessments to guide instruction Design activities to target students’ interest and learning profiles Explore types of flexible grouping Begin using anchor activities Incorporate learning contracts for some students. SDE The Differentiated Instruction Continuum A self Assessment for DI implementation 2009

Invite me or another educator trained on Differentiated Instruction to in-service your conference and/or school. For information me at: Ask your conference to send you to a DI Convention! Check out

DIFFERENTIATION DOES NOT SUGGEST THAT A TEACHER CAN BE ALL THINGS TO ALL INDIVIDUALS ALL THE TIME. IT DOES, HOWEVER, MANDATE THAT A TEACHER CREATE A REASONABLE RANGE OF APPROACHES TO LEARNING MUCH OF THE TIME, SO THAT MOST STUDENTS FIND LEARNING A FIT MUCH OF THE TIME. —Carol Ann Tomlinson 2001

Differentiated Instruction is outstanding teaching. Teaching that cares for the success of each individual student as a whole person. It is Christian Education at its BEST! —Martha Delapava Havens

National Conference on Differentiated Instruction; July 10 – 13, 2012; Las Vegas, Nevada; Books: The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Carol Ann Tomlinson, ASCD, Leading and Managing A Differentiated Classroom. Carol Ann Tomlinson and Marcia B. Imbeau, ASCD, Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom: How to Reach and Teach All Learners, Grades Diane Heacox, Free Spirit Publishing, Differentiation in Action. Judith Dodge, Scholastic, How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms. Carol Ann Tomlinson, Pearson Merrill Hall, 2001.