1. FULFILLING THE
PROMISE OF THE
DIFFERENTIATED
CLASSROOM By Carol
Tomlinson
Rebecca Barringer, Sally Irmer, Kyla
Magun, Leah Vanevenhoven& Millicent Younger

2. Overview
 Carol Tomlinson identifies the core elements
that should lay the foundation for differentiation
 Student needs
 Teacher responses
 Curriculum and instruction
 Tomlinson provides real world examples and
strategies to create a flexible differentiated
learning environment that incorporates the
above elements

3. Chapter 1: What’s Behind the Idea
of Differentiated Classrooms?
 Effective instruction takes into account who the
learners are and how they learn best
 Differentiation should be guided by the student’s:
 Readiness
 Interest
 Learning profile
 Affect
 Educators should differentiate:
 Content
 Process
 Product
 Learning environment

4. Chapter 1: What’s Behind the Idea
of Differentiated Classrooms?
 Teachers must accept their role as the “tamer”
 Three cogs of differentiation:
 “The Student Speaks”
 “The Teacher Responds”
 “Curriculum and Instruction are the Vehicle”
 Discussion: What can you do to improve your
learning environment, either in terms of
procedures or culture, to make more of your
students feel comfortable and motivated to
learn?

5. Chapter 2: Student Needs as the
Impetus for Differentiation
 Educators must earn students’ trust and
respect to make them comfortable learners.
 In order for students to become invested in
school, the following basic needs must be met:
 Affirmation
 Contribution
 Power
 Purpose
 Challenge

6. Chapter 2: Student Needs as the
Impetus for Differentiation
 Discussion: This chapter suggests that cultural
barriers might make understanding how to
fulfill student’s needs difficult, especially if the
teacher is not familiar with the culture. How
can we as teachers work to be more culturally
competent for our students?

7. Chapter 3: Teacher Response to Student
Needs – A Starting Point for Differentiation
 Teachers should respond to student needs and
create a positive classroom culture through…
 Invitation
 Opportunity
 Investment
 Persistence
 Reflection
 Discussion: Think of a year in school you enjoyed.
What was it about the teacher, classroom and
atmosphere that made that year stand out? Do
you see any ways that invitation, opportunity,
investment, persistence or reflection may have
been used?

8. Chapter 4: Teacher Response to
Student Needs – Rationale to
Practice
 What does it look like when teacher responses
align with student needs in the classroom?
Teacher Responses Student Needs
Invitation Affirmation
Opportunity Challenge
Investment Contribution
Persistence Power
Reflection Purpose

9. Chapter 4: Teacher Response to
Student Needs – Rationale to
Practice
 What does it look like when teacher responses
align with student needs in the classroom?
 Celebrate student work, creativity and achievement
for all learners (ie. bulletin boards, displays, charts)
 Promote communication (ie. conferences, dialogue
journals)
 Highlight successes from different types of learners
 Establish predictable classroom routines
 Create a flexible environment for differentiation
 Discussion: How does your physical classroom
address each of type of student need? What
improvements could you make to address each
need more fully?

10. Chapter 5: Curriculum and
Instruction as the Vehicle for
Addressing Student Needs
 The teacher’s primary responsibility is to
teach.
 Curriculum and instruction are the tools used
to carry out this responsibility.
 Effective curriculum and instruction are:
 Important
 Focused
 Engaging
 Demanding
 Scaffolded

11. Chapter 5: Curriculum and
Instruction as the Vehicle for
Addressing Student Needs
 How can effective curriculum and instruction apply to
students with diverse needs?
1. Every child should have the opportunity to learn from a
rich and important curriculum.
2. Because learners are so diverse, students can lose
access to such a curriculum unless they interact with it in
meaningful ways.
 Bottom Line: Curriculum and instruction can only be
powerful tools if the teacher knows their students
well and adjusts instruction to meet those needs.
 Discussion: Think about a lesson that you taught this
week. How could you make the lesson more
engaging, demanding, and scaffolded to better meet
the needs of your learners?

12. Chapter 6: Curriculum and Instruction as the
Vehicle for Addressing Student Needs –
Rationale to Practice
 What does it look like when a teacher employs
effective curriculum and instruction to meet
student needs?
Curriculum and Student Needs
Instruction
Important Affirmation
Focused Challenge
Engaging Contribution
Demanding Power
Scaffolded Purpose

13. Chapter 6: Curriculum and Instruction as the
Vehicle for Addressing Student Needs –
Rationale to Practice
 What does it look like when a teacher employs
effective curriculum and instruction to meet student
needs?
Create a unit map Develop inquiry activities
Plan challenges for advanced Use a variety of rubrics
learners
Make concepts relevant and Focus instruction around significant
applicable to students’ lives problems/issues
Provide choices that ensure focus Implement small group instruction
 Discussion: Think about how you would plan a
lesson centered around teaching students how to
work with a rubric. What would they need to know
and understand? What would they need to be able
to do?

14. References
 Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Fulfilling the promise
of the
differentiated classroom: Strategies and tools
for responsive teaching. Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.