1. Effective Differentiation in K-8 Mathematics
A SIP Day Presentation
created by the
ISBE Math Content Specialists

2. Session Objectives: Define Differentiation
Assess, Group, and Consider the needs of all level learners.
Explore DI strategies for math.
Open-ended questioning
Number Talks/Math Talks
Small Group instruction
Student Choice aka Stations/Centers/Choice

3. ASCD’s interpretation of differentiation:

4. A definition for today…
Differentiation refers to a wide variety of teaching techniques and lesson adaptations that educators use to instruct a diverse group of students, with diverse learning needs, in the same course, classroom, or learning environment.
Differentiation is modifying the content, process, or product of a learning experience based on individual students’ needs and/or interests.

5. Why is differentiation so important?
Our classrooms are full of diverse learners
Teaching everyone one way will alienate someone
Meeting students needs and interests will help alleviate many discipline issues
Meeting students needs and interests will help them achieve at a higher level

6. Differentiation is NOT:
Proactive
More qualitative than quantitative
Rooted in assessment
Student Centered
Multiple approaches to content, process and product
A blend of whole-class, group and individual instruction
Differentiation is NOT:
Individualized instruction
Chaotic
Just for outliers
Small group instruction all the time
Just Centers

7. Roadblocks to Differentiation
What obstacles keep us from differentiating?
Not enough time for planning, not equipped/trained to differentiate,

8. Preparing to Differentiate
First, we must know the needs and interests of our students.
What information will help you determine the needs/interests of your students?
How will you collect this information?

9. Data collection to prepare for Differentiation
This could be…
Exit ticket from last class
Entrance ticket with warm up
Pre-Assessment – post it note or half-sheet
When developing a pre-assessment:
Keep the answers simple
4 questions
Two at grade level
Two above grade level or at a challenging level
Besides performance levels, what other information about our students can help us differentiate?
On grade level
Above grade level
This “Sticky Note Assessment” is a quick way to collect data. 4 questions can be quickly completed, collected, checked, and sorted—instantly giving you a detailed picture of where your students are What other ways can you collect the data you need to effectively differentiate?

10. Using the data we collect…
“3” performance levels that seem to occur in every classroom
Group A –
Proficient
80% of most classes
Group B –
Emerging/Developing
10% of most classes
Group C –
Exemplary
Lesson with modeling, practice, and application is sufficient
Will need additional examples, pre-requisite work reinforced, hands-on
Needs beyond the lesson and practice, take it to a deeper level, bring in the real-world application, make it open-ended, project, creations
These “performance levels” are constantly changing. Students can fluidly move from one group to another throughout the school year…even within a single unit…depending on the topic of study.

11. Strategies for Differentiating in the Math Classroom
There are MANY different ways to differentiate math instruction to meet the needs of all the learners in your classroom. Today we are going to look at these 3 methods. Feel free to share out other ideas for differentiation.
1. Open-Ended Questions
2. Math Talks
3. Student Choice/Menu/Math Pass
4. Group Instruction

12. 1. Open-Ended Problems What it is… Examples… Why it works…
Open-ended refers to a problem which had more than one correct answer and more than one strategy to obtain an answer.
Video-Jo Boaler’s TED Talk featuring an open-ended math problem
Grade 1 - How could you organize 27 skittles to make them easier to count?
Grade is ___% of ___.
Grade 8 – Find 3 positive integers that add up to 10. Use them to fill in the blanks and find the largest possible result.
( ___ ) x ( ___ ) __
Students are exposed to many different ways of thinking.
All students can approach the problem using the skills they are personally comfortable with.
Many different ways of thinking are acknowledged and validated.
Students reach a deeper level of conceptual understanding.
Address for the Jo Boaler video
Develop or find an open-ended question for your grade level and share it with the group.

13. 2. Math Talks What it is… Examples… Why it works…
The teacher poses a purposeful problem. Students signal when they are ready to share a solution. The teacher collects answers orally. Students explain or defend their answers. The teacher records student strategies and asks questions to facilitate mathematical discourse. Finally, the class comes to a consensus.
Jo Boaler Video about Number Talks
Video #1 – Kindergarten Example
Video #2 – Grade 5 Example
Video #3 –HS Geometry
Students become more active listeners, eager to hear the different strategies shared.
Emphasis is on the solution path or strategy not the answer.
Deeper conceptual understanding due to the analysis of the mathematical reasoning behind the strategies.
Students use the math skills they are the most comfortable with to approach the problem.
Learn more about Facilitating Math Talks in our Math Talks SIP Day Learning Experience. Find a problem that would be suitable for a Math Talk.

14. 3. Student Choice What it is… Examples… Why it works…
Engaging students with Variety and Choice. Provide your students with a variety of contexts in which they can apply the math. Provide different ways for them to explore the math – hands on manipulatives, technology, drawings, etc.
**Also called Math Menu, Choice Boards, Workshops, Math Pass
Menu Video
Choice Board Examples and how one teacher implements them for her 8th grade math class
Mrs. Delfino,
Math Pass Workshops Example
Students feel ownership of their learning and are therefore more engaged.
Students are given opportunities to demonstrate their talents while exploring math concepts. Very empowering!

15. 4. Group Instruction What it is… Examples… Why it works…
Remember that data we collected (slide 9). Use it to strategically group your students according to a skill they need help with. Take turns meeting with different groups while the groups that are not with you are working on practice, rotating through workshops, doing Math Choice or Menu activities.
This teacher used a number talk to assess understanding, a menu activity to keep students engaged, and small group instruction with students who needed support.
Reteach and Enrich
Small group work with “I Choose”
Teacher is able to work in small groups with students to correct misconceptions that if not addressed would have sabotaged learning.
Groups are fluid—students are not permanent members of any group. Every formative assessment potentially changes the grouping.
Small GROUPS—students are learning from each other. It’s still student driven.

16. Twitter—https://twitter.com/ILContentSpec
Need support with any of the materials included here?
Reach out to one of our Math Content Specialists!
Heather Brown Jeanine Sheppard
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17. Tools and Resources for: ELA MATH Science Social Science Social Emotional Learning Technology Fine Arts