Differentiation

• Read “Sharing” slide

• Choose a column and create your definition

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Sharing

Write a definition of differentiation that you believe clarifies its key

intent, elements and principles---in

other words—a definition that

could clarify thinking in your school or district

1. Pick a column2. Write or think silently3. Be ready to share

Explain to a new teacher what

differentiation is in terms of what he/she would be doing in the classroom—and why. The definition should help the new teacher develop an image of

differentiation in action

Develop a metaphor, analogy

or visual symbol that you think represents and clarifies what’s important to

understand about differentiation

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Myths About Differentiated Instruction

• Individualized instruction a la special education

• Chaotic• Homogenous grouping all the time• Tailoring the same suit of clothes• Expecting more of advanced learners

and less of struggling learners• New• It’s formulaic; there are a finite

number of “correct” strategies that always work

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A proactive decision-making process that considers critical student learning differences and the curriculum. Differentiated instruction decisions are made by teachers and are based on: (1) formative assessment data, (2) research-based instructional strategies, and (3) a positive learning environment.**Districts should adapt and adopt their own**

Differentiated Instruction Is…

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THE DI DECISION-MAKING PROCESSCONTENTINTRODUCTIONINITIAL INSTRUCTIONPREASSESSMENTDIAGNOSIS

MANAGEMENT OF FLEXIBLE, SMALL GROUPS

CHOICE orALTERNATIVES

Adjusting the Breadth

TIERING

Adjusting the Depth

What are the CRITICAL DIFFERENCES in my students?

How can I MODIFY one or more of the 10 curriculum components to address difference?

POST ASSESSMENT: Impact of DI

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The Common Sense of Differentiation

• Crafting an environment that actively supports each student in the hard work of learning (see Carol Dweck articles)

• Having absolute clarity about the learning destination (KUDs)

• Persistently knowing where students are in relation to the destination all along the way (assessment)

• Adjusting teaching and learning to make sure each student arrives at the destination (and, when possible, moves beyond it. (tiering and/or choice)

Unwrapping Standards vs Identifying KUDs

Unwrapping Standards• Usually done by central

office personnel/SDE• Identifies “big ideas”

essential questions, and concepts, by grade level

• May be accompanied by the development of common assessments

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Identifying KUDs• Completed by classroom

teacher (s) of a targeted unit• The process may capitalize on

the essential questions and large conceptual understandings completed by central office/SDE

• Takes a “finer-grain” approach to identifying what students should know, understand and be able to do at the completion of a unit

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KUDsKNOW

• Facts• Vocabulary• Dates• Places• Names

Carol Tomlinson

UNDERSTAND• Concepts• Macro-Concepts• Principles• Content-Specific laws• Statements of Truth

DO• Discipline-Specific Skills• Thinking Skills• Planning Skills• Collaboration Skills

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CCSS.7.R.L.9 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Compare and contrast a

fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how

authors of fiction use or alter history

KNOW UNDERSTAND DO

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KNOW UNDERSTAND DO

CCSS.7.SP.2Use data from a random sample to draw inferences about a population

with an unknown characteristic of interest. Generate multiple samples (or simulated samples) of the same size to gauge the variation in estimates or

predictions. For example, estimate the mean word length in a book by randomly sampling words from the book; predict the winner of a school election based on randomly sampled survey data. Gauge how far off the

estimate or prediction might be.

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Which ONE Difference Will I Address With Tiering?

• Prior Knowledge?• Learning Styles?• Interests?• Readiness to

Learn?

Ways to Address Readiness

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• Books, materials/resources at different reading levels• Highlighted texts•Materials in a student’s first

language• Small group instruction• Peer teaching• Varied homework

assignments• Provide more/less

background information

•More/Fewer examples• Pacing adjustments• Books on tape•Models of quality at the

student’s level• Skill-based learning centers

•Tiering• Different vocabulary lists• Increase/Decrease the

abstractness• Increase/Decrease the

familiarity

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What is TIERING?

• Tiering is a strategy teachers use to increase the match between students’ various levels of learning readiness to the content and instruction of particular lessons

• It is NOT TEARING!!

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Another Metaphor for Tiering

• Tricycle• Two-wheeler with

training wheels• Two wheeled

bicycle

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Tiering for Struggling Learners: DECREASING the Cognitive Load

• What is the representative topic?– How can I break it down into smaller

parts?– Can I change it into something more

familiar?– Can I provide more examples to help

ensure understanding? – Can I gather reading materials that are at

students’ instructional reading level?

Instructional reading level: Students recognize between 90%-95% of the wordsIndependent reading level: Students recognize more than 95% of the words

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Tiering for Advanced Learners: INCREASING the Cognitive Load

• What is the representative topic?– Make the RT less familiar– Make the RT more abstract– Use the “big idea” in the RT to require students

“bridge” across time periods, cultures, disciplines– Require comparison/contrast among two examples of

the RT– Require increasingly more difficult thinking skills (e.g.,

inference-making, synthesis (Learning activity)– Use more challenging reading materials (Resources)

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CT SS Grade 7: World Regional Studies

• Standard 1: Content Knowledge 1.3 (Significant events and themes in world history/international studies– (5) Explain how a civilizations/nation’s arts, architecture, music and

literature reflect its culture and history

• Standard 1: Content Knowledge 1.4 (Geographical space and place)– (9) Identify selected countries and determine the advantages and

challenges created by their geography– (10) Examine historical events and factors that help explain historical

events and contemporary issues.

• Standard 1: Content Knowledge 1.10 (How limited resources influence economic decisions)– (21) Analyze how resources or lack of resources influenced a

nation/region’s development

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Curr.Comp.

Novice Apprentice Practitioner

ContentGoal

Research the internet for information about Mexico, Guatemala, Panama and Nicaragua. Specifically, look for information about each culture’s literature, music, textiles, folklore, religious traditions, dance and cuisine. Create a Gallery Walk that showcases, in pictures with captions, the similarities and differences among the cultures of these two (4) Latin American cultureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_culture#Central_America

Given a variety or resources on one Latin American culture (maps political and resource maps, pictures of art work, early civilizations, literary selections), students will propose a theory about why the culture evolved the way it did.

Given a variety or resources on two different Latin American cultures (maps political and resource maps, pictures of art work, early civilizations, literary selections), students will compare and contrast the cultures and propose a theory about why the two cultures evolved differently.

Designing a Tiered

Lesson Plan: Grade 7

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Curr.Comp.

Novice Apprentice Practitioner

ContentGoal

Research on two cultures (DECREASE cognitive load)

Use of Internet (Resources) Gallery Walk (Different

product)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Latin_American_culture#Central_America

Research on ONE culture PLUS develop theory (INCREASE cognitive load) (Learning activity)

Primary sources (Resources)

Theory (Different product)

Research two cultures; compare and contrast, propose theory about why cultures evolved differently (INCREASE cognitive load through content and learning activity)

Primary sources (resources)

Theory (Different product)

Peeling Back the

Tiered Lesson Plan

2020

Know: Names of New World Explorers Key Events of contribution Principle / Generalization

Understand: Exploration involves risk Exploration involves costs and benefits Exploration involves success and failure

Do:Group A: Using a teacher provided list of resources –primary and secondary—and a list of product options, show how two key explorers took chances, experienced success and failure, and brought about both positive and negative change to North America. Provide proof/evidence.

Group B: Using reliable and defensible research, as well as primary and secondary sources, develop a way to show how the New World explorers were paradoxes. Include and go beyond the unit’s principles.

New World Explorers: Grade 8

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New World Explorers: Grade 8 CCSS Standards

• STRAND 1.1 – Significant events and themes in United States history. – 1. Analyze how specific individuals and their ideas and beliefs influenced U.S. history. –

• STRAND 2.1 Access and gather information from a variety of primary and secondary sources including electronic media, recordings and text.• 1. Gather information from multiple print and digital sources.• 2. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and

secondary sources. • 3. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or

secondary source and provide an accurate summary.• 5. Analyze how a text makes connections among, and distinctions

between, individuals, ideas, or events. • 6. Conduct short and sustained research projects based on focused

questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

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6th Grade Vocabulary

CC.6.R.I.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings

CT.6.R.1 Vocabulary: Use word origins to determine the meaning of unknown words. CT.6.R.2 Vocabulary: Use abstract, derived root words, prefixes and suffixes from Greek and Latin to analyze the meaning of complex words, e.g., process, procession.

CT.6R.3 Vocabulary: Define vocabulary critical to the meaning of content-area texts and use that knowledge to interpret the texts , e.g., property in science or social studies

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6th Grade Vocabulary

EXAMPLE 1Mr. Jenkins pretests his students on the required lists of vocabulary words at two week intervals. When students demonstrate at least 80% mastery on the list, they do not have to write out the words, a definition, and an accompanying sentence. He does require all students to take the posttest at the end of the two week period because he want to make sure everyone really knows the words.

EXAMPLE 2Mr. Forrester pretests his students on the required lists of vocabulary words at two week intervals. Students have a vocabulary notebook in which they write the next ten words. Each writes the word, a definition, and a sentence. Students work in pairs, correcting each other’s work, which is then reviewed by the Mr. Forrester. Peers administer the quizzes. Words missed are recycled into next week’s list. Repetitions help students internalize key spelling patterns. Students who demonstrate mastery are provided with other words that emphasize roots and/or students’ own personal list of vocabulary words.

EXAMPLE 1Ms. Stanwood introduced this beginning lesson on slope by

explaining what students would learn: “Today we will learn about slope, which is an important concept in algebra. We will spend about three weeks on this unit and by the time we are finished with the unit, you will see how civil engineers, builders, surveyors, and landscapers use this concept in their work.

She invited students to arrange themselves in groups of four because they were about to begin a scavenger hunt about slope (www.quia.com). Small groups were a way of differentiating because they were responsive to students’ individual questions. As groups, they were going to use the web to find the answers to the following questions: – What is slope?– What letter of the Greek alphabet is used to represent slope?– If a line rises from let to right is the slope positive or negative?– What is the slope of a vertical line? Horizontal line?

While students were working, she rotated among the groups, responded to questions, and listened to students’ questions. Later in the period, Ms. Stanwood assigned them some homework, which she knew would help students internalize the concept of slope and answer that arose in their small group work.

Algebra, Grade 8CCSS Mathematics: Standard 8- (Gr. 6-8): Students will understand and apply basic

and advanced properties of functions and algebra

EXAMPLE 2Mr. Grenke prepared to begin a 3 week algebra unit on slope with his 8th graders. From past

experiences, he anticipated that there would be critical differences among his students with respect to conceptual understanding and abstract thinking, so he gathered a variety of resources as he planned his teaching strategies. He would begin with a motivating problem, that could “double” as a hook: “How Steep Can a Ramp Be?” (www.figurethis.org) He would listen carefully to students’ mathematical discourse about the problem to diagnose students’ foundational understanding and misconceptions. Based upon his diagnosis, he would initially divide the students into two groups: those who had incomplete or missing foundational concepts and those who already had some knowledge of the concepts and skills.

For the first group, he would scaffold mini-lessons around the concepts students didn’t know. He might use a geoboard applet (www.enc.org) that allows students to use virtual elastics and pegs to draw conclusions about rise and run. He would use demonstration, the concept attainment model, Socratic questioning and feedback to support the first group’s learning.

He went on the web and located another real-world problem related to slope that would extend the second group’s understanding of slope and rate of change: “The Lost House Keys.” (http://mathcentral.uregina.ca) Working in a small group, he would invite students to discuss and answer a series of open-ended questions: What is this problem about? What are some of the factors that are important when you set up the ladder? What is causing the steepness if the ladder to change? What is the relationship between the amount of vertical distance covered with respect to that covered by the horizontal distance? How is this problem similar/different to the one done by the whole class? Can rise and run be expressed mathematically? What new questions do I/we have? He planned to use Socratic questioning and feedback to support the second group’s learning.

Based upon student learning at the outset of this lesson, he would reevaluate group membership before proceeding with the next phase of the lesson, determine their learning needs and the best teaching strategy to support their learning.

Algebra, Grade 8CCSS Mathematics: Standard 8- (Gr. 6-8): Students will understand and apply basic

and advanced properties of functions and algebra

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Phy. Fitness and Weight TrainingAnalyze the effects of regular participation in a self-selected program of moderate to vigorous

physical activities EXAMPLE 2

Jean Mee, a PE teacher and coach, was deeply committed to teaching to her PE standards. Equally important, she knew that her students varied widely on their physical abilities and interests. Some girls wanted to look better in jeans; others wanted to quit eating junk foods. Many of her young men longing for a “six-pack,” wanted upper body, torso and abdominal training suggestions.

With her students’ help, she conducted pre and post assessments to not only ascertain each student’s beginning level of fitness, but also their end point and physical wellness growth. Collaboratively with individual and small groups of students, she developed wellness plans around:

• Aerobic Capacity (running, tread mill programs, stairs, cycling, elliptical training, walking)

• Upper Body Muscle Strength and Endurance (Shoulder girdle exercises, bicep crunches, triceps extensions, chest presses, lat pulls)

• Lower Body Muscle Strength and Endurance (ham string extensions, compliments of leg presses and extensions)

• Flexibility (yoga and general stretching)• Back, Abdominal and Torso Strength and Flexibility

EXAMPLE 1Mary Trainer, a high school PE teacher and basketball

coach, was a strong believer in health, fitness

and wellness. She was familiar with her physical education standards and knew that each student

needed a wellness plan to support life-long health.

To that end, she insisted that all of her students completed prescribed

exercises in 4 categories: flexibility, muscular

strength/endurance, upper body strength, and aerobic endurance. She provided different proficiency levels

for her young men and women.

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Grade 8+: Biology, Mitosis

EXAMPLE 1Mrs. Clark began her unit on cell reproduction by asking students to work

in small groups. She asked them to write down what they already knew about mitosis. She reconvened the class and discovered than some students had more prior knowledge than others. She decided to form cooperative groups for the duration of the unit. She would place students with more background knowledge strategically in the cooperative groups to assist those who were less familiar with the process of mitosis.

She then proceeded to introduce key vocabulary (cell, cell division, chromosome, DNA, interphase, prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase). Later, she asked students—in small groups—to visit www.sfscience.com/admin/pdf/6A2_1BLM.htm and complete a worksheet in preparation for a class discussion. After the class discussion, she had pairs of students visit The Cell Cycle website http://www.biology.arizona.edu/CELL_BIO/tutorials/cell_cycle/cells3.html that included an animated presentation about mitosis. She reconvened the whole class to review their learnings.

Content Standard: Heredity and Evolution-What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity?

.

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Grade 8+: Biology, Mitosis

EXAMPLE 2Ms. Sims knew at the outset of her unit on cell division that her 28

students varied widely in prior knowledge. Furthermore, her ELL students would need extra support. She began the lesson with an engaging animation, Anatomy of a Splinter, to illustrate how cells multiply to help repair injuries. She knew this would make her students curious about the topic.

She grouped her grade-level learners together into three groups of seven students. She placed one of her ELL students in each of the grade-level groups. Each group was responsible for viewing the website, The Cell Cycle: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/CELL_BIO/tutorials/cell_cycle/cells3.html and creating a poster illustrating and explaining two of the phases (controlled choice). Ms. Sims provided her ELL students a vocabulary table that included everyday terms to describe each of the phases. Poster materials included construction paper that was cut into the shapes of chromosomes and cells that could be used to graphically reproduce the process.

.

Content Standard: Heredity and Evolution-What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity

.

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Grade 8+: Biology, Mitosis

EXAMPLE 2

Above-grade level students were asked to view a University of Arizona Biology site for on online onion root tip activity http://www.biology.arizona.edu/Cell_BIO/activities/cell_cycle/cell_cycle.html Students were invited to categorize 36 pictures of onion root tip cells in various stages of the cell cycle, categorize them according to stage, determine the percentage of cells at each stage and generate an hypothesis about which stage takes the longest.

Content Standard: Heredity and Evolution-What processes are responsible for life’s unity and diversity

.

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Mitosis: Key Words

Interphase Prophase Metaphase Anaphase Telophase

• Mother chromosome

• Father chromosome

• Make copies• Replicate• Duplicate• Double

• Daughter chromosome

• Stick together

• Combine• Condense

• Move to the center

• Line up

• Separate• Divide

• Move apart• Move to

opposite places

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Sample Teacher Prompts for Stages in Second Language Acquisition

Stage Characteristics:The student:

Approx. Time

Teacher Prompts

• Preproduction • Has minimal comprehension

• Does not verbalize• Nods “yes” and

“no”• Draws and points

0-6 months • Show me…• Circle the…• Who has…• Point to…

Hill, J. D & Bjork, C. L. (2008). Classroom instruction that works with English Language Learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

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Early Production

• Has limited comprehension.

• Produces one- or two-word responses.

• Uses key words and familiar phrases.

• Uses present-tense verbs.

6 months-1 year

Yes/No questionsEither/or questionsWho…?What…?How many…?

Speech Emergence

• Has good comprehension.

• Can produce simple sentences.

• Makes grammar and pronunciation errors.

• Frequently misunderstands jokes.

1-3 years • Why…?• How…?• Explain…?• Question requiring

phrase or short-sentence answer

Stage Characteristics Approx.Time

TeacherPrompts

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Inter-mediate Fluency

• Has excellent comprehension.

• Makes few grammatical errors.

3-5 years • What would happen if…?

• Why do you think…?• Questions requiring

more than a sentence response

AdvancedFluency

• Has a near-native level of speech.

5-7 years • Decide if…• Retell

Stage Characteristics Approx.Time

TeacherPrompts

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Fine Arts: Beginning InstrumentalPerforming on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.

EXAMPLE 2Scott Shuler, a long-time high school music teacher,

always auditioned his instrumental students to determine their skill level. Although he assigned students to “chairs” as they progressed through their high school years, he also recognized his responsibility to cultivate achievement and talent in all of his students. Thus, he mixed his top students in different sections, asking all students to not only carry the melody, but also the harmony parts.Furthermore, he often disaggregated his orchestra. For example. when he knew that the wind players were strong and reasonably comfortable with a piece of literature, he excused them from whole group practice. This strategy provided him with more time to work with the rest of the orchestra members who needed more intense practice and a smaller teacher-student ratio.

He used his chamber groups to further differentiate his curriculum and instruction. His chamber groups were often co-operative clusters of students, and this grouping strategy allowed him tailor the literature to the expertise of the students.

For his highest level students, Scott always found time to work with them on solos for school and community based programs.

EXAMPLE 1John Vee, a long-time, high school music teacher, loved

his instrumental music classes. He especially

loved his ensemble group that often played at school

and town functions. He always auditioned his players to ascertain their skill level and—as they

progressed through their high school years—moved them through the “chairs” in the orchestra. His top

students were able to carry the rest of the students, who often “made it” by

simply playing along imitating the section

leaders. Some of his top students continued to play after high school, including two students who now play

with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

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Instrumental Music

One critical student learning difference– Interest– Learning Profile– Readiness/Prior

knowledge– Motivation

– Literature• Grouping: (e.g., chamber

ensembles, solos, jazz band)• Technical demand of the piece• Complexity of the music notation• Rhythmic demand• Range of the instrument’s

requirements– Part Assignment– Techniques for approaching

instruments in each family (e.g., percussion)

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Guided Practice

For next time…bring a standard and materials to create a tiered lessonIt will be helpful to preview the slides that follow and read a provided

article or visit differentiation central (http://differentiationcentral.com/resources.html)

Your Turn• Identify a grade level and select a unit of your choice. • Check your standards to make sure you are “on target.”• Write down the “essential understandings:” facts, concepts and

principles (KUDs) related to your unit.• Anticipate ONE critical student difference that might emerge

from preassessment data (e.g. prior knowledge, reading, learning rate).

• Brainstorm 2-3 different ways to differentiate the unit to attend to the targeted student difference.

• Vary the content, teaching strategies, learning activities, resources, and/or products to address students’ readiness levels

• Explain in 3-4 sentence why you believe the differentiation will address your targeted student difference.

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Creating a Tiered Lesson1. Identify grade level and subject2. Target the concepts/principles that may

require tiering3. Target the critical students difference to

be addressed (e.g., learning rate, prior knowledge, readiness)

4. Visualize the differences in prior knowledge for above-grade level, on-grade level and below grade level students

5. Vary the content, teaching strategies, learning activities, resources, and/or products to address students’ readiness levels

6. Reflect

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Reflecting On My Tiered Lesson• Did I stick to my

concepts/principles?• Is each of the tiers respectful

to learners?• Do I have rubrics to share with

students?• What resources will I need?• How will my students be

grouped?• What other management

issues do I need to consider? (e.g. anchor activities, how completed work will be shared?)

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Component Novice Apprentice Practitioner

Goal

Teaching

Learning

Product

Resources

Designing a Tiered Lesson Plan

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Creative Tension…Any change comes from creative tension. Creative tension is the difference between the vision (where we want to be) and current reality (where we are). By harnessing creative tension, we can learn to use the energy it creates to move current reality toward the vision. Our role is to make sure that there is both an accurate picture of the current reality and a complete picture of the desired future.

Senge, P. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday