1. Differentiated Instruction
Tracy Quattrone
Hamilton County Educational Service Center
January 2008

2. Differentiated Instruction
Responding to All Students’ Needs

3. Programming for Talent Development: “Levels of Service”
I: Services for ALL students in the classroom, building, district – General Differentiation
(Ohio Content Standards, Thinking Skills, Learning Styles, Group Projects…)
II: Service for MANY students – General Differentiation
(projects and groupings based on interest and emerging talents, activities and groupings targeting readiness, advanced classes…)
III. SOME students-need alternative opportunities – Systematic Differentiation based on learner need
(ELO Resource Room and Math for a Grade options…)
IV: A FEW students- benefit from services that are highly individualized
(Activities planned through careful, detailed assessment of student’s unique characteristics, acceleration, self-contained classes)
(Grade and/or subject Acceleration…)
Adapted from Center for Creative Learning 1997

4. Understanding Differentiation
Differentiation is a philosophy which includes pre-planning as well as a set of instructional strategies.
Differentiation is not always visible, but is a way of thinking about instruction.
Differentiated lessons have rigorous expectations for all.
Differentiation offers time for choice, however the teacher guides students in making those choices.
Differentiation means providing appropriate scaffolding to help all learners reach common learning goals.
Differentiated lesson planning takes professional understanding and often a change in beliefs which may result in more planning time for teachers.
Differentiation is different and thus not “fair”.

5. According to Student’s
Differentiation of Instruction
From works by
Carol Ann Tomlinson
Is a teacher’s response to learners’ needs
Guided by general principles of differentiation
such as
Flexible
Grouping
Ongoing Assessment
And Adjustment
Respectful
Tasks
Teachers can differentiate
Process
Product
Content
According to Student’s
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
Through a range of instructional and management strategies

6. Questioning Strategies Menu Boards Tiered Assignments Reading Groups
As a parent you may notice that thoughtful Differentiation can be delivered through instructional and management strategies such as:
Questioning Strategies
Menu Boards
Tiered Assignments
Reading Groups
Flexible Grouping
Anchor Activities
Classroom Community and Environment

7. Synthesis Evaluation Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Synthesis Evaluation Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge

8. Bloom’s Level and Learning Style Menu Board Example:
Standard: MUSIC: Analyzing and Responding
Benchmark: Identify the sounds of a variety of instruments including orchestra, band and classroom instruments. (K-4)
3rd Grade Level Indicator: Identify the four families of orchestral instruments visually and aurally.
Bloom’s Level: Synthesis
Learning Style: Visual
Bloom’s Level: Knowledge
Learning Style: Written-Tactile
Bloom’s Level: Application
Learning Style: Oral-Auditory
After examining a catalog of musical instruments, create a collage depicting each orchestral family.
Using the jigsaw strategy, list characteristics of an orchestral family in a crossword puzzle.
Listen to the sounds of various orchestral instruments (e.g., brass, percussion, strings and woodwinds) and identify orally the family into which they belong.

9. Reading Assignment Tiered by Challenge Examine the dimensions of setting, character, plot, mood/tone/point of view, theme.
WORKING TOWARD
Define the elements and place on a chart.
Describe how the author addresses each dimension in the short story.
Share your work in a journal or self-selected product.
BEYOND
Justify which setting best furthers the plot or theme in a critical essay. OR
Devise alternative settings and describe how they might affect the plot or ending. (essay, drama, or chart) AT
Compare and contrast the impact of point of view on character development in first and in third person stories.
Share your findings in an essay or chart.

10. FLEXIBLE GROUPING

11. Anchor Activities are ongoing assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit, a grading period or longer.
Enrichment Folders
Centers
Independent Studies
Technology Programs and Exploration

12. in the Classroom Community
Addressing Fairness
in the Classroom Community
“Not that everyone gets the same, rather,
everyone gets what he/she needs.”
“In order to be fair, we must
treat them differently.”

13. Planning for Differentiation

14. Visioning… for Differentiation
Understands that implementation is a multi-year approach and has many implementation facets.
Provides consistency of direction and sustainability of action over a long period of time.
Focuses on classroom practices that are responsive.
Connects to current initiatives and compliments professional learning.
Assesses, meets and trains teachers where they feel comfortable (zone of proximal development).
Sparks the interest and excitement of stakeholders.
(Leadership for Differentiating Schools and Classrooms)

15. Forest Hills
Past professional learning that included specific differentiation strategies
Current Technology and T.A.B.L.E.T. Initiative provides avenues in which to implement differentiation
Current Understanding by Design Initiative provides a framework for differentiation to fit authentically
Current analysis of student data provides a rationale and need for differentiated instruction
Future Curriculum Reviews allow for strategies to be embedded as well as targeted training to occur

16. Differentiated Schools
Targeted Professional Learning
Varied Instruction Based on Student Need
High Quality Curriculum
Flexible Grouping
Differentiated Schools
Choices
Teachers as leaders
Community Building
On Going Assessment
Collaboration and Sharing of Ideas, Resources and Materials

17. What can parents do: Ask questions Support rigorous learning at home
Understand you may not see differentiation every day
Realize differentiation could look different depending on the topic of study
Provide avenues for deeper exploration
Discuss fairness with your child
Promote effort and not just grades

18. Differentiation Resources
Carol Ann Tomlinson
Bertie Kingore
Carolyn Coil
Diane Heacox
Susan Winebrenner
Sheryn Spencer Northey
Joan Smutny