This slideshow is intended for teachers or instructional staff looking to optimize instruction through the use of appropriate student groupings.

1. A Pathway to Differentiation:
Flexible Student
Grouping
Sean M. Hildebrandt
Secondary High Potential Specialist
Phone: (952) 496-5768
Email: shildebr@shakopee.k12.mn.us

2. Differentiation is a teacher’s
response to learner needs
shaped by mindset and
guided by general principles.
Teachers can differentiate
through content, process, or
product according to
students’ readiness, interest,
or learning profile.
- Carol Ann Tomlinson (1999)

3. Sound Differentiated
Instruction is predicated on
flexible student grouping.
Knowing your students
well and arranging them into
strategically-designed, fluid
groups optimizes learning
and is generally considered
best practice.

4. Groups of students are
arranged based on
readiness, learning
profiles, or interests.
These groups change from
activity to activity.
Flexible Grouping employs
combinations ofwhole
group, small group &
independent work.

5. “Homogeneous” Groups: Students are
arranged based on a measured criterion
Heterogeneous Groups: Students are a
“mixed bunch”

6. These groups are formed based on a
shared criterion – most often
ability or classroom performance
These criterion-based groupings allow
teachers to tier or level instruction.
Allows for clustering of
Gifted and Talented
students

7. Students benefit from these mixed ability
groupings when the following are ALL true:
Material is new for everyone
Learning is genuine – no “peer
tutoring”
Activity relies on multiple
perspectives
These groups could be student-selected or
random

8. Teacher selected groups:
Students are strategically
arranged based on student criteria
and the instruction
Randomly selected Groups
Used when mixed-ability, learning
styles, and interests are desired but
not required
Student selected Groups:
Used when mixed-ability,
heterogeneous groups don’t truly
require multiple perspectives

9. The schematic to the
left provides quick
guidance when
forming groups?
Sean M. Hildebrandt, M.S.
Secondary HP Specialist

11. As you examine the learning targets
of the activity, be mindful of:
Number of pupils in class
Number of groups
Students per group
Roles within the group
Teacher role
Physical limitations (Facilities)
Overall safety

12. Form groups of 4-5 students if the activity
is collaborative in nature:
Create tasks students can do independently
Provide checklist of procedures & Rubrics
Establish behavior guidelines and
expectations for lesson beforehand
Be flexible with time spent per group (≠)
Consider a whole-group activity to bring
everyone together at end or beginning
Thomas L. Good & Jere E. Brophy, Looking in Classrooms (Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 2000)