Stephen Allen, Jacquee Leininger,

Candace Mikkelsen, Tazbah Shortey

MTE 533

September 22, 2013

Sylvia Hill

Differentiating Instruction

Introduction

Four trends in differentiating instruction for

mathematics and science are:

Stations

Tiered lessons

Questions

Alternative assessments

Four Trends

Stations

Different types of work at different spots.

Tiered Lessons

Different levels of work for different levels of

learning.

Four Trends

Questions

Students can do the same activities, yet have

different questions to answer.

This can be used in math and science (Van de

Walle, Karp, & Bay-Williams, 2010;

Martin, Sexton, Franklin, Gerlovich, &

McElroy, 2009).

Four Trends

Alternative Assessment

Formal Assessment

Project

Portfolio

Used in math and science

Instructional Issues for Diverse

Learners

Stations

Advantages

• Efficient materials management

• Specific locations

• Lesser supply of materials

• Differentiate levels of accomplishment

Disadvantages

• Multitude of instructions

Instructional Issues for Diverse

Learners

Tiered Lessons

Advantages

• Enables more students to meet standards

• Teacher provides various assistance levels

• Work material adjusted to skill level

Disadvantages

• Whole-class instruction difficult

Instructional Issues for Diverse

Learners

Questions

Advantages

• Higher thinking skills

• Real-world application

• Intellectual inquiry

• Advanced questions and answers

Disadvantages

• Must not be habitually simple-minded

• Poor questions may not develop deeper thinking skills

Instructional Issues for Diverse

Learners

Alternative Assessments

Advantages

• Demonstrate achievement better

• Accommodate various abilities

• Different formats

Disadvantages

• Validity?

• Reliability?

• Bias?

• Accurate measurement of knowledge?

Lesson Plan Outline-Stations

Title: One-digit Multiplication Stations

Grade Level: 4th grade

State Standard:

CCSS 4.OA.A.1: Interpret a multiplication equation

as a comparison. Represent verbal statements of

multiplicative as multiplication equations.

Objective: SWBAT multiply two-digit by one-digit

factors.

Lesson Plan Outline-Stations

Materials Required:

Station signs 1-4

Multiplication sheets: Basic, one-digit x one-

digit, two digits x one-digit, three-digits x one-

digit, four-digit x one-digit, five-digit x one-digit

Pencil

Dry erase markers

Counters

Dry erase boards

Timer

Lesson Plan Outline-Stations

Sequence of Lesson:

Four Stations

Station One & Two: Below Level Students

Station Three: On-Level Students

Station Four: Advance Level Students

Conclusion

"Differentiating instruction means that a teacher’s

plan includes strategies to support the range of

different academic backgrounds frequently found

in classrooms that are

academically, culturally, and linguistically

heterogeneous" (Van de Walle, Karp, & Bay-

Williams, 2010, p. 65).

There are many advantages and disadvantages

to the four trends: Stations, Tiered

Lessons, Questions, and Alternative

Assessments but they help with diverse learners

in the classroom.

References

Martin, R., Sexton, C., Franklin, T., Gerlovich, J.,

& McElroy, Dennis. (2009). Teaching science for

all children (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Van de Walle, J., Karp, K., Karp, & Bay-

Williams, J. (2010). Elementary and middle

school mathematics(7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn &

Bacon.