DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION

Created by

Rocio Ayala

Narrated by

Deirdre Ayala

Non-differentiated Vs Differentiated Instruction

In the non-differentiated content area reading, writing, and subject matter the instruction is the same for all the students regardless their strengths or weaknesses.

While in the differentiated content area classroom the instruction for the students is differentiated and modified to fit the individual’s needs.

The following four aspects are essential in a differentiated instruction classroom:

1. Learners deserve fair opportunities for success.

Due to the high-stakes in educational accountability differentiated instruction is a requirement., so all the students accomplish the rigorous standards for literacy.

For ELLs bilingual and sheltered English programs are available.

Special Education programs address the needs of students with cognitive differences, emotional problems, physical, or learning disabilities.

Special reading programs are available for students that struggle with literacy.

Teachers in regular classrooms adjust their teaching because they know that not all the students learn the same way.

2. Differentiation Begins with a climate of Respect.

The teacher establishes respect by acknowledging the students differences in learning and honoring them.

The teacher shows respect by having high expectations for all of his/her students.

The students must respect their classmatesTeachers form flexible groups of three or four who are

at different levels of academic proficiency.The students work in projects and divide the tasks

equally between themselves.The teacher creates an environment of trust and

respect between himself/herself and his/her students.

3. Utilize Supportive People

Instructional aides, paraprofessionals, or teaching assistants help students in reading, writing, and subject matter.

Partners in flexible groups can help each other in literacy and learning. Forming a literature circle which roles are:

Content Connector: relates the reading material to a personal experience.

Discussion Director: ensures everybody completes their roles.

Summary Spokes Person: summarizes the chapterVocabulary Virtuoso: selects and explains the

meaning of unknown words.

Other roles for a literature circle are:

Active Participant: contributes to the group proceedings in an active and involved manner.

Encourager: promotes efforts to accomplish the task, cheers on the participants.

Mayor: leads the group’s effortsRecord Keeper: takes notes is the scriber.Time Keeper: monitors the time to complete

the task.Tutors work individually with students in the

classroom or outside the classroom.Teachers make themselves available to help

students who are struggling before or after school.

4. Provide Structured Freedom

Structured freedom is balance between classroom control and the students’ liberty and decision making

The teacher introduces the unit and work with the students until the first standards-based outcome.

When the students are ready to work independently the teacher fades out.

The teacher and the students meet at regular intervals to monitor progress, share understanding, and gear for future study. A whole class meets for a culminating activity.

Planning Structured Freedom

Same Different

Same

1

Same text, same task

2

Different texts, same tasks

Different

3

Same text, different tasks

4

Different texts, different tasks

The Same Text / Same Task

The ways students accomplish the same text and task can be differentiated

For example, all the students may read the same book like Into thin Air and write a response in their reading journals, then discuss their answers.

On the other hand , the students can read the same book, then go to different stations such as:

a) Read silently to themselvesb) Form a group with the teacher and take turns

reading aloudc) Have a partner to take turns reading and

discussing the book out-loudd) Read along with an audio-taped version of the

book.

Different Texts/Same Task

The students read different books and work towards an identical end product.

The students could read different topic-related novels with different levels of complexidity as a group or individually.

Books such as Into Thin Air, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Hatchet, and The Cay.

All the students will work towards the same culminating activity such as write a narrative with a theme of survival.

Same Text/Different Tasks

All the students read the same material, like Into Thin Air. Based on the multiple intelligences theory of Gardner, the

students have a variety of choices while responding to a passage. Such as:

Verbal/Linguistic: write a speech to limit the access to Mount Everest.

Logical/Mathematical: create a chart of the causalities climbing the mountains.

Visual/Spatial: produce a story book with the key elements on the mountain

Bodily/Kinesthetic: role play a scene where someone wants to continue to the summit, and someone else want to go back.

Interpersonal: conduct a panel to see if the team leaders acted appropriately.

Intrapersonal: write a reflective journal recounting the thoughts of a climber.

Musical: perform a song based on the tragic events of the story..

Different Texts/Different Tasks

This method combines different texts and tasks with some minor adjustments.

The teacher provides different reading materials such as: Into Thin Air, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Hatchet, and The Cay.

Then the teacher could provide different tasks like:

Verbal/Linguistic: write a speechLogical/Mathematical : prepare a chartVisual/Spatial: produce a story book of key

elementsBodily/Kinesthetic: role play a conflictInterpersonal: conduct a panel discussionIntrapersonal: write a reflective journalMusical: perform a song

Three Levels of Vocabulary Recognizing cognates

Connecting vocabulary levels with cognates

Vocabulary clusters

.

English oxidation English reproduce

Spanish oxidacion Spanish reproductivo

French oxydation French reproductif

Portuguese

oxidacao Kreyol repwodiktif

Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

eat consume masticate

food nutrients substance

skin hide, pelt epidermis

English Academic (Latin-based) English Spanish

Tier 1 Tier 2,3 Tier 1

Home habitat habitat habito

Pound lb. (libra) libra

Vocabulary Cluster All words relate to …

biology, biosphere, bionic, antibiotic, biodegradable

“life”

geology, paleontology, mammology “principles of” or “studies of” something

cent, centennial, centimeter “100”

oxidation, peroxide, carbon dioxide “oxygen”

Eileen Deluca states that teaching science to ELLs is like teaching a third language. The following are some of her suggestions:

Complete each sentence. 1. Today I learned about _______________

2. The most interesting thing I learned is _______it is interesting to me because________

3. I want to learn more about_______________ because__________________________

Sentences frames

English verb Spanish verb English noun Spanish noun

distill destile distilation destilacion

evaporate evapore evaporation evaporacion

precipate erecipite precipitation precipitacion