The Basic Steps Towards Differentiation

2 What is your definition of differentiation ? 6 Give an example of when you have used differentiation? 1 What is something you would like to learn about differentiation? 5 Are you teaching a subject or teaching a person? 9 Does differentiation mean more work for the tutor? 4 How do you discover how your students learn? 7 What is one way you can form groups in your classroom? 8 What are some quick on-going assessments in your class? 3 Is differentiation aimed at the slower/weaker learner? If you have a spare minute now or during this evening, respond to the questions on your ‘Do you know more than you think’ paper. DO YOU KNOW MORE THAN YOU THINK?

ALL INCLUSIVE What would you expect at an all inclusive holiday? What type of person are you on holiday?

LET’S GO SWIMMING Which one of these sums you up? Strip off and dive straight in Sit on the side and slide in gently Take the steps Dip your toe in Needs to be persuaded to leave the changing room

Once you are in What type of swimmer are you? Front crawl head in the water and off Breast stroke, head above water Arm bands and doggy paddle Feet won’t leave the ground

The Rationale for Differentiation Different levels of readiness Different Ability Levels Different Needs Different Interests

What is your role? Are you teaching your subject? Are you teaching your learners your subject? Is there a difference?

What is differentiation? So what is actually meant by the term ‘differentiation’? It simply means teaching people differently according to their needs, their capabilities or even their preferred ‘learning styles’. You can use a variety of teaching approaches capable of accommodating the different abilities and learning preferences of your students.

Modifying Content Some students learn better through direct instruction, while others would rather read or look at pictures. Some tutors differentiate in the classroom by offering options to students during lessons. For example, students may be able to learn the same material by reading a book, listening to a lecture on tape or completing an interactive assignment online.differentiate

MODIFYING CONTENT Because some students learn course material faster than others, tutors may also differentiate by tailoring each student’s session for the day to his or her skill level.

There are three categories of differentiation differentiation by task, which involves setting different tasks for students of different abilities differentiation by support, which means giving more help to certain students within the group differentiation by outcome, which involves setting open- ended tasks and allowing student response at different levels.

Varying Support Not all students require the same amount of support from the tutor. While some students may benefit from one-on-one interaction with a tutor, others may be able to progress by themselves. Tutors can enhance student learning by offering support based on individual needs. Tutors can differentiate instruction in the classroom by allowing students to choose between working in groups with other students or completing assignments individually.

Starter activities All lessons should have a starter activity. The purpose of the starter is to get students fully engaged in the learning process as soon as possible, and to engender a sense of pace within the lesson. Starter activities do not have to be directly linked to the main body of the lesson, although they are a good opportunity to use creative strategies to provide that all- important ‘hook’. It is very important that your starter does not take too much time, and that it doesn’t dominate the lesson.

STARTER ACTIVITY The starter activity could take on numerous forms, including: a brief quiz; a brief research task using reference book or internet; an anagram or crossword puzzle; interpretation of visual or textual material; responding to questions having heard a music track, or having seen a brief video clip; paired discussion on a relevant topic; an opportunity to revisit and improve previous work.

Main activities When selecting the activities and tasks you intend to use in your lesson, you need to think about a number of key questions: Will the tasks and activities enable the learning objective(s) to be met? Will the tasks/activities enthuse and engage students of all ability levels? Will they enjoy learning? How successful will these tasks and activities be in catering for the different types of learners in your lesson? How can you use these tasks and activities to monitor and assess learning?

Plenary activity Some tutors find that because of their inability to plan effectively, this phase of the lesson often gets squeezed out. this is a crucial part of the lesson because, if carried out properly, it will provide you and the students with an indication of whether the learning objectives have been met.

PLENARY ACTIVITY As is the case with your starter activities, there is a range of possible formats for your plenary sessions. The suggestions made below, along with those made for starter activities, only ‘scratch the surface’ and you need to carry out more specific and focused research into this aspect of your teaching: verbal or written quizzes supported by a follow-up discussion; question/answer sessions in which you select responses from students across the ability range; role-play scenarios in which students are required to apply their newly gained knowledge, understanding and/or skills.

Differentiating Content Here are a few types of differentiation:  by classroom organisation and grouping as a way of helping students to access knowledge, increase their understanding, develop concepts and practise skills  by paired tasks as a way of helping students to self-assess, peer assess, target-set and practise skills  by outcome as a way of both accessing knowledge and experiences and assessing at the end of the activities  by resource in order to allow students to access information at their own level  by questioning in order to allow you to target your questions at specific students  by learning style and/or intelligence type in order to allow students to access information and/or present their work according to their preferred way of learning.

Differentiating Products (showing what is known and able to be done) Tiered activity choices Model, use and encourage student use of technology within activities and presentations Provide activity choices that range from all options for gender, culture, and race

Tiering Key Concept Or Understanding Those who do not know the concept Those with some understanding Those who understand the concept

What Can Be Tiered? Processes, content and activities Assignments Homework Learning environment Assessments Writing prompts Anchor activities Materials

What Can We Adjust? Level of complexity Amount of structure Pacing Materials Options based on student interests Options based on learning styles

Strategies to Make Differentiation Work Anchoring Activities These are activities that a student may do at any time when they have completed their present assignment or when the tutor is busy with other students. They may relate to specific needs or enrichment opportunities, including problems to solve, quizzes, research. They could also be part of a long term project.

Strategies to Make Differentiation Work Flexible Grouping This allows students to be appropriately challenged and avoids labeling a student’s readiness as a static state. It is important to permit movement between groups because interest changes as we move from one subject to another

Strategies to Make Differentiation Work Compacting Curriculum Compacting the curriculum means assessing a student’s knowledge and skills, and providing alternative activities for the student who has already mastered curriculum content. This can be achieved by pre-testing basic concepts or using performance assessment methods. Students demonstrating they do not require instruction move on to tiered problem solving activities while others receive instruction.

ADAPTING YOUR LESSON PLAN Take your lesson plan and for each activity/task you have set find ways to adapt them for: 1.A student falling behind the others 2.A student who has already achieved that skill Put your adaptations in the E & D/Differentiation column

Time s or mins Content Teaching methods Learning Activities ResourcesAssessment Links (e.g. with (E&D / Other) Homework Evaluation

End of session evaluation Your evaluation states that two students are way ahead of the rest of the group and one student is struggling to keep up but the majority are doing well. What are you going to do about it? How are you going to show that you are catering and challenging all students next week?

What Differentiation Isn’t One Thing A Programme The Goal Hard questions for some and easy for others 12 different plans for one classroom A chaotic classroom

What Differentiation Is … Student Centred Best practices Different approaches 3 or 4 different activities Multiple approaches to content, process, and activity A way of thinking and planning Flexible grouping

In Summary….. Differentiation gets us away from “one size fits all” approach to curriculum and teaching that doesn’t fit anyone