1. Diverse Learners
July 10, 2013

2. Learning Target
I can successfully adapt lesson plans to include differentiated activities.
Should this be tiered activities?

3. Sticky Note Padlet http://padlet.com/wall/diverse_learners
What is a diverse learner?
What is differentiation?
What should differentiation look like?
*Use first padlet to show what it can look like and features.
*Use 2nd and allow teachers to choose which question they answer. All three center around central idea of scaffolding prior knowledge about differentiation. (A differentiation activity by allowing choice in question answered—can choose question that is most comfortable, but all center around central idea)

4. Why Differentiation? Middle school learners are diverse learners:
We must meet students where they are.
Ability Level
Interests
Achievement Level
Maturity
Learning Style
Home Environment
Personality
Language

5. What Differentiation Is—And Is Not
Differentiation Is Not…
Providing learning options:
Ways students explore curriculum
Variety of sense-making activities
Variety of options for demonstration of mastery
All students doing the same assignments
Grading students harder than others
Letting students play games when they finish early
“Regular work, plus”
**Differentiation is the personalization and individualization of teaching. HOWEVER, this does not mean you must create a different activity for EACH child. When using choice in assignments, having a few options is sufficient. When tiering, three tiers are sufficient. (Strategic, on level, advanced)

6. Four Characteristics of a Differentiated Classroom
Tomlinson’s Four Characteristics of a Differentiated Classroom:
Instruction is concept focused and principle driven.
On-going assessment of student readiness and growth are built into the curriculum.
Flexible grouping is consistently used.
Students are active explorers, and teachers are facilitators.
Students have opportunity to explore and apply key concepts; ALL students come to understand key principles; struggling learners can grasp concepts while advance learners expand understanding and application
Continuous assessment takes place in the classroom (formal and informal) to direct instruction and identify students in need of assistance or challenge
Students work in many patterns; teacher selects manner best suited to activity; could be work along, pairs, homogeneous groups, heterogeneous groups
THIS IS A PARADIGM SHIFT!! Teacher is facilitator or guide, not dispenser of information; student-centered classroom; facilitates adolescent learning goal of growing independence—allows students to learn to be responsible for own work

7. Differentiation Through Tiered Activities
Type of differentiation
Learning tasks and projects developed based on student need
Based on pre-assessment
Vary:
TASK for different levels
PROCESS for different levels
PRODUCT appropriately to demonstrate learning

8. Tiered Chocolate Activity
Make a list of descriptive, sensory and/or comparative words to describe your chocolate.
Create 3 SIMILES to help someone understand how you feel about your chocolate.
Create a warning label to attach to your chocolate.
Finish these analogies:
Chocolate is to stress as ___________ is to ___________________.
Chocolate is to happiness as ________ is to ___________________.
At your table, there is an envelope with 4 different activities, centered around the key concept “Attributes of Chocolate”.
Take a moment to make sure you all know what is in the envelope and then divide the cards so everyone at your table has a different activity.
Take two minutes to complete your activity independently. You may write directly on the card.
After 2 minutes…..
Move to assigned groups to compare your work to others who worked on the same activity. Before we conclude, tables will share out responses. (Designate where in the room each group will meet to share their common activity.)
Share out several responses.
Sample questions for whole group:
Did any of you work on an activity with which you weren’t comfortable?
Is it ok for teachers to assign a tiered activity to a student? Why or why not?
What would a teacher do if he/she realized they had assigned the inappropriate level of work to a student?
What if a student does something totally unrelated to the attributes of chocolate?
(From “The Common Tiering”

9. Group Roles Discussion Director: Scribe: Research Extraordinaire:
Leads discussion around differentiating activities; ensures ideas of all group members are heard
Scribe:
Records ideas from the discussion and ensures that activities are written up effectively and coherently
Research Extraordinaire:
Coordinates research on differentiation strategies as needed
Quality Control:
Ensures differentiated strategies align with best practices; plays “Devil’s Advocate” to further facilitate refining activities
Please move into groups of three or four, based on content (and grade level, if enough are present)

10. Tiering by: TASK for different levels PROCESS for different levels
PRODUCT appropriately to demonstrate learning
In your content-specific group, please write a differentiated lesson that includes at least three tiered activities.

11. Tying it all together http://padlet.com/wall/HPS_differentiation
What is a strategy you can use to differentiate in your classroom?

12. Team Reflection 3-2-1 Protocol
3 expectations for differentiation in your team
2 ways in which you need support
1 “go-to” strategy your team can use

13. Resources:
Talented and Gifted Department, Portland Public Schools. (2009). Tiered: Lessons, Activities, Instruction. Retrieved from: Tomlinson, C. A. (1995). Differentiating instruction for advanced learners in the mixed-ability middle school classroom. ERIC Digest, Retrieved from
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