Why differentiate learning

Although such approaches to differentiation may seem reasonable, they are typically ineffective. One book report may be too demanding for a struggling learner. A student who has already demonstrated mastery of one math skill is ready to begin work with a subsequent skill. Simply adjusting the quantity of an assignment will generally be less effective than altering the nature of the assignment.

Teachers who understand that teaching and learning approaches must be a good match for students look for every opportunity to know their students better. They see conversations with individuals, classroom discussions, student work, observation, and formal assessment as ways to keep gaining insight into what works for each learner. What they learn becomes a catalyst for crafting instruction in ways that help every student make the most of his or her potential and talents.

In all classrooms, teachers deal with at least three curricular elements: 1 content—input, what students learn; 2 process—how students go about making sense of ideas and information; and 3 product—output, or how students demonstrate what they have learned.

Differentiated classrooms operate on the premise that learning experiences are most effective when they are engaging, relevant, and interesting to students. A corollary to that premise is that all students will not always find the same avenues to learning equally engaging, relevant, and interesting.

Further, differentiated instruction acknowledges that later knowledge, skill, and understandings must be built on previous knowledge, skill, and understandings—and that not all students possess the same learning foundations at the outset of a given investigation.

Tiering asks teachers to adjust class experiences to meet students where they are so students can complete meaningful tasks that move them forward Tomlinson, ; Wormeli, Tiering also means that students read different books for instruction because each student reads and learns at his or her instructional reading level.

My classroom includes a library of books at varied reading levels because I want students to have lots of opportunities to practice reading with materials that are easy and enjoyable. Knowing the research will enable you to select materials to read for building your own background knowledge and expanding your understanding of differentiation. Here are some seminal books on differentiation. Continually ask, How can this information support change in my teaching practices?

This question will start your differentiation journey. Create a List. List Name Save. Rename this List. Rename this list. List Name Delete from selected List. Save to. Save to:. Save Create a List. Create a list. Save Back. What Is Differentiated Instruction? Grades 3—5 , 6—8 , 9— Recognition of diverse learners: The students we teach have diverse levels of expertise and experience with reading, writing, thinking, problem solving, and speaking.

Group Work: Students collaborate in pairs and small groups whose membership changes as needed. Learning in groups enables students to engage in meaningful discussions and to observe and learn from one another. This encourages all students to explore big ideas and expand their understanding of key concepts. At first, he would just sit there quietly, taking things in.

But by middle school, he began to be more vocal about his needs. Share What is differentiated instruction? Podcast Wunder community app. Main menu Our work Blog Surveys and research. Join our team Privacy policy Terms of use Fundraising disclosure Sitemap. It lets students show what they know in different ways.

According to Tomlinson, there are four areas where teachers can differentiate instruction:. Dive deeper How differentiated instruction works. But there are a few key features: Small work groups: The students in each group rotate in and out. Differentiated teaching is how teachers target their instruction to extend the knowledge and skills of every student in every class, regardless of their starting point.

The objective of differentiation is to lift the performance of all students, including those who are falling behind and those ahead of year level expectations. Differentiation benefits students across the learning continuum, including students who are highly able and gifted.

When differentiating teaching to suit the needs of individual students, teachers use a variety of strategies to help students become personally invested in, and take ownership of their learning. Differentiated teaching allows students at risk of disengagement to experience meaningful learning. Teachers who differentiate effectively use a range of data sources to pinpoint what students currently know, and what they are ready to learn next. Data enables teachers to plan well-scaffolded learning pathways so that all students have a point of entry.

Student data can also identify gaps in knowledge and skills that can be used for learning intervention. Some examples of potential data sources include observations in the classroom including the observations of other teachers , formative assessment, and feedback from students and their parents or carers.

Teachers can draw upon existing sources of evidence to assess student learning needs and strengths.