The document discusses differentiated instruction, which is an approach to teaching that involves modifying instruction based on student interests, readiness levels, and learning profiles. It defines differentiated instruction and outlines three types: by interest, learning profile, and readiness level. Examples are provided for how teachers can differentiate instruction in their classrooms based on these three types. The document also includes an activity where teachers discuss how they identify student interests and incorporate them into lessons.

1. A LOOK AT DIFFERENTIATED
INSTRUCTION
Presented by
Amy Johnson & Griff Powell

2. Today’s Objectives:
I will be able to:
•Define differentiation
•Identify examples of differentiation
•List and explain the three types of differentiation
•Articulatewhat differentiation looks like
•Explain how differentiation applies to an IEP
•Explain how differentiation is used in classrooms
•Explain my role in differentiated instruction

3. Agenda:
Mini-Lecture • Define differentiation
Game:
Is It • Identify examples of
Differentiation or differentiation
Is It Not?
Mini-Lecture • List and explain the three
Cont’d w/ types of differentiation
• Activity #1- Interest
Partner • Activity # 2-Learning Profile
Activities • Activity #3- Readiness

4. Agenda:
• Articulate what differentiation
Mini-Lecture looks like
• Explain how differentiation
applies to an IEP
Two Para
• Explain how differentiation is
Educator
used in classrooms
Perspectives
• Group Brainstorm: Explain my
Group Activity role in differentiated instruction
• Share responses

5. What is Differentiation?
“A systematic approach to
It is not planning curriculum and
WHAT
we instruction for academically
teach; diverse learners” that provides
it is
HOW students of different abilities,
we interests, or learning needs
teach
equally appropriate ways to
learn (Tomlinson & Strickland 7).

6. What is Differentiation?
What it is: What it is Not:
•Teaching with variance in •New
mind
•Tracking or
•Responsive teaching rather
than one-size-fits-all
streaming
teaching •IEP for every child
•Meeting kids where they •Constant group work
are… not where we wish •Occasional variation
they would be of teaching styles
•“Shaking up” the classroom
•On-the-spot
so
students have multiple adjustments
options for making sense of
information
Chart from Strickland, “Differentiation of Instruction at the High School Level.” ASCD, 2012.

7. “ That students differ may be inconvenient, but it
is inescapable. Adapting to diversity is the
inevitable price of productivity, high standards
and fairness to the students.” –

8. GAME:
IS IT DIFFERENTIATION
OR IS IT NOT???

9. GAME:
Is It Differentiation
or Is It NOT?
DIRECTIONS:
1) Find a group of four Yes No
2) Read the scenario on each label.
3) Determine whether each label is or is not
an example of differentiation.
4) If the label:
• is an example of differentiation, place the
label on the left side of your construction
paper
• is not an example of differentiation, place
the label on the right side of your
construction paper

10. GAME:
Is It Differentiation
or Is It NOT?
 As we review the responses to the
game items, please keep track of the
number of items you answered
correctly.
◦ There were 27 labels in total.
 You will be asked to refer to your score
(total # correct) in a later activity.

11. NO
Differentiation is
not streaming or
leveling or
tracking
“Even in homogenous
classes, there is
considerable
Is this an example of heterogeneity in terms
differentiation? of readiness, interest,
and learning profile”
(Strickland 2).
Strickland,

12. YES
“Differentiation is
meeting kids where
they are … not where
we wish they would
be” (Strickland1).
“Differentiation is
responsive teaching
Is this an example of
rather than one-size-
differentiation? fits-all teaching”
(Strickland 1).
Strickland, 2012

13. YES
Differentiation
is intentional
planning as
opposed to
on-the-spot
Is this an example of adjustments.
differentiation?
Strickland, 2012

14. NO
Differentiation
is not simply
group work,
nor is it
constant
Is this an example of group work.
differentiation?
Strickland, 2012

15. NO
Differentiation
is not an IEP
(Individualize
d
Education
Is this an example of Plan) for
differentiation?
every child.
Strickland, 2012

16. YES
Differentiation
is everywhere.
Is this an example of
differentiation?
Strickland, 2012

17. YES
IT IS NOT NEW

18. YES NO
 Students select one of the  On Monday, students
following options to learn
about the development and watch a documentary
role of the radio in American concerning the creation
history: and use of the radio. On
◦ View a historical documentary
concerning the creation and use
Tuesday, students listen
of the radio to a radio broadcast from
◦ Listen to a radio broadcast the 1920s. On
concerning the creation and use
of the radio Wednesday, students set
 Students later work in groups up their own radio station
to create a radio broadcast on and deliver a broadcast
a 1920s topic of their choice.
concerning an assigned
1920s topic.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

19. YES NO
 Students select one set of  Students must complete
problems to complete for either problems 1-20 odd
homework according to or problems 1-20 even
what interests them the for homework.
most.
◦ #1-5 involves a data set
concerning sports statistics
◦ #6-10 involves a data set
concerning the stock market
◦ #11-15 involves a data set
concerning iTunes hits
◦ #16-20 involves a data set
concerning fashion sales
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

20. YES NO
 Students enter their  Students enter their
science classroom to find science classroom to find
five stations concerning the
plant cell. Each station five stations concerning
contains a different 40 plant cells. Students are
minute activity that is broken into groups of
designed to arrive at the four. Each group visits
same KUD. Students are
each station for 10
broken into four groups.
Each group selects one of minutes. By the end of
the five stations (with the the class, all groups have
activity that speaks to them visited all stations and
the most) to complete completed five tasks.
during the class period.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

21. YES NO
 The teacher asks each  The teacher puts a Post-
student to answer an exit
question on a post-it note. The It note on each student’s
teacher reviews this formative desk and asks the class
assessment and forms 3
tiered groups the next day to record their questions
according to: 1) who had a and thoughts for the day
strong grasp of the information
that was taught, 2) who knew on the Post-It note. At
the concept but struggled to the end of class,
apply the information, and 3)
who needed to be re-taught students submit their
the concept. Each group was Post-It notes.
then assigned a different
activity designed to meet their
relevant learning needs.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

22. YES NO
 A class of students is  A class of students is
given an article to read. given an article to read.
After reading the article, All students are then
each student completes paired with their elbow
a series of partner to complete a
comprehension series of reading
questions. Students comprehension
choose to complete questions.
these questions either
independently or with a
partner of their choice.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

23. YES NO
 Students are asked to visit  Students line themselves
the corner of the room that up according to birth
indicates their level of
interest (on a scale of 1 to date. The teacher then
5) in a particular science partners the students by
topic. Students are then birth date. Together, each
asked to partner with a pair completes a lab
student with a similar level
activity.
of interest in the topic.
Together, the pair selects
one of three possible lab
activities to complete based
upon their shared interest.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

24. YES NO
 Students receive a mini-  On Wednesday, students
lecture concerning a new receive direct instruction
mathematical concept. After
the mini-lecture, students as a whole class. On
select one of the following Thursday, students work
options to apply their as pairs to complete a
knowledge of this concept: series of word problems.
◦ Independently work on a On Friday, students work
series of word problems
in groups of four to solve
◦ Work in pairs to complete a
series of word problems a multi-step real world
◦ Work in a group to solve a problem.
multi-step real world problem
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

25. YES NO
 The teacher has pieced  Students take turns
together selections from
different leveled texts to reading the text out loud
create one article. The one paragraph at a time.
teacher has pre-determined The first student in the
the Lexile® level of each
paragraph. The teacher row reads the first
intentionally selects a paragraph, the second in
specific student to read
each paragraph out loud, the row reads the second
thereby ensuring that each paragraph, and so forth
student is appropriately and so on.
challenged by the text
he/she is asked to read.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

26. YES NO
 Students are grouped  Students enter the
according to reading classroom and are
level. Each group reads divided into groups. Each
a text selection that is group reads a section of
appropriate for their an article and orally
reading level and then shares information from
shares the information their section with the
from their text selection entire class.
with the entire class.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

27. YES NO
 An entire class re-enacts  The entire class re-
a historical event enacts a historical event
according to a script. The according to a script.
teacher assigns Students all play different
appropriate historical roles assigned by the
roles to the students teacher.
based upon their reading
levels.
Review of the answers to the game:
Is It Differentiation or Is It Not?

28. 3 Ways to Differentiate
“What a “A student’s “Current
student enjoys preferred knowledge,
understanding,
learning mode of
and skill level a
about, thinking learning” student has
(Tomlinson & Strickland
about, and 6). related to a
doing” particular
(Tomlinson & Strickland sequence of
6)
learning”
(Tomlinson & Strickland
6).

29. Differentiating by INTEREST
Why? When we differentiate by
 Because interest we should
interest is a consider student:
great motivator
 Because  Passions
interest relates  Hobbies
to relevancy (for  Family interest or pursuits
the students)  Clubs or sports
 TV shows they watch
 Music they listen to
 Friends
 Electives they take
Strickland 3

30. Example of Differentiating by
Interest inthe Transition Program
At the onset of the year, Coaster Company
students participate in  The information
gathered determines the
conversations, interests, job each student fulfills
and in the Coaster
Company.
surveys concerning their
job  Sales Team- works the
interests. cash register and is
responsible for sales
 Product Team- cuts the
 The information cork and assembles the
gathered coasters
 Graphic Artists-
determines the job training designs, draws, or
site that the students in photographs the picture
on the tops of the

31. Example of Differentiating by
Interest in Math
Look for examples of vectors in your
after school activities. Record what
you find in one of the following three
ways:
◦ Explain these examples in writing
◦ Illustrate these examples
◦ Prepare a 2 minute explanation to share
orally with the class
Differentiation by Differentiation by
Interest Learning Profile
Example adapted from Strickland 3

32. Example of Differentiating
by Interest inScience, Health, or Social Studies
Select one of the following roles to
assume as we discuss the tobacco
industry in North Carolina:
◦ Tobacco farmer
◦ Lobbyist for the tobacco industry
◦ Person with emphysema
◦ Teen who smokes
◦ Oncologist
Example from Strickland 3

33. Ways to get the information you need to
differentiate by INTEREST
In General: Within an
Instructional Unit:
• Administer a student  Create an assignment
interest survey in August: that involves a personal
• What is your favorite sport? Why? profile
• Who is your favorite team? Why?
• What is your favorite TV show?
Why?  Assign journal entries
• Who is your favorite musical artist? that ask your students to
Why?
• What is your favorite thing to read relate to your subject
about? Why?
 Ask the question: “What
• Hallway chats are some of the things
• Personal relationships that you hope we do
during the unit?”

34. Ways to Differentiate by INTEREST
Three Ways to Incorporate
Differentiation by Interest
1. Show how current topics relate to or enhance skills
required for success in various student activities
• like previous Math example
2. Design assignments that relate your subject matter
to current events (that the students are likely to
relate to)
• Like Special Education example
3. Ask students to share their personal experience
with, preferred perspective, or interest in the topic
of study
• like previous Tobacco example Strickland, p. 3- 4

35. ACTIVITY #1
Take two minutes to think about and
discuss the following with your
elbow partner:
1) How do you identify the interests of the
students you work with?
2) Once you know these interests, how do you
incorporate these interests into the interactions
you have with your students to increase their
learning?
SHARE YOUR EXAMPLE WITH AN
ELBOW PARTNER

36. 3 Ways to Differentiate
“What a “A student’s “Current
student enjoys preferred knowledge,
understanding,
learning about, mode of
and skill level a
thinking about, learning” student has
and doing” (Tomlinson &
Strickland, 6). related to a
(Tomlinson & Strickland 6)
particular
sequence of
learning”
(Tomlinson & Strickland
6).

37. Differentiating by
LEARNING PROFILE
Why? When we differentiate
 Because efficiency by
results when Learning Profile we
learners are taught should
in ways that are
natural for consider student:
them(Tomlinson & Learning Styles
Strickland 7) Visual
Kinesthetic
Auditory
Group Orientation
Intra personal
Strickland 5
Inter personal

38. Example of Differentiating by
Learning Profile in Language Arts
“ To get started with today’s work on
alliteration in poetry, you may choose
to:
 listen to poems using alliteration
 read poems using alliteration
 write a poem using alliteration
Example from Strickland 5

39. Example of Differentiating by
Learning Profile in Science
Water Cycle Activity: Choose one of the
following options to complete:
CHOICE A Design a cartoon that illustrates your journey as a
water droplet. Include appropriate captions.
CHOICE B Draw an accurate version of the water cycle that
includes all steps. Be sure to show the process
that gets a water droplet from one step to another.
CHOICE C Create a fictional story about the journey of a
water droplet. Base it on your water droplet’s
journey.
CHOICE D Create a local version of the water cycle. Be sure
to include the names of local rivers, bays, oceans,
mountains, and so on.
Activity taken from Sample 9.3- Water Cycle Activity Options on pg.
343 of Tomlinson, Carol Ann & Cindy Strickland (2005). Differentiation
in practice: A resource guide for differentiating curriculum: 9-12.

40. Example of Differentiating by
Learning Profile in Science
Who would benefit from selecting each
of the choices?
 Choice A, C, D
◦ high levels of creative intelligence
 Choice B
◦ high levels of visual/spatial intelligence
 Choice E
◦ high levels of naturalistic intelligence
Tomlinson & Strickland 327

41. Example of Differentiating by
Learning Profile in the
PSD Classroom
 The teacher selects readings to
deliver the content, which the class
reads out loud as a group.
 However, students are given the
following options if they do not wish to
read as a class:
◦ Read independently in the back office
◦ Read independently in the back of the
room

42. Ways to get the information you need to
differentiate by Learning Profile
Help Students Determine their Learning
Preferences
• Survey concerning Learning Styles (Auditory,
Visual,
Kinesthetic)
•http://people.usd.edu/~bwjames/tut/learning-
style/stylest.html
• Survey concerning Garner’s Multiple Intelligences
Multiple Intelligences Inventory like:
•http://surfaquarium.com/MI/inventory.htm
•http://www.literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.ht
ml
• Create questionnaire for students to complete that

43. Ways to Differentiate by Learning
Profile
Three Ways to Incorporate
Differentiation by Learning Profile
1. Let students gain access to content through varied
means (like reading, listening, talking, writing, etc.)
• Like the previous Language Arts example
2. Create activities/assignments that require or
appeal to various multiple intelligences for
successful completion
• Like the previous Science example
3. Allow options for students to compete against
others or themselves
4. Allow students to work independently or as a
larger group Strickland 5-6

44. ACTIVITY # 2
Take two minutes to think about and discuss the
following with your other elbow partner:
1) Think of a student you have worked with previously.
2) Identify this student’s most dominant learning style:
• Visual
• Kinesthetic
• Auditory
3) Now think of a lesson that this student was taught.
4) How could this lesson have been adapted to meet the
learning style of this student?
SHARE YOUR EXAMPLE
WITH YOUR OPPOSITE ELBOW
PARTNER

45. 3 Ways to Differentiate
“What a “A student’s “Current
student preferred knowledge,
understanding,
enjoys mode of
and skill level a
learning learning” student has
(Tomlinson &
about, Strickland 6). related to a
thinking particular
about, and sequence of
doing” learning”
(Tomlinson & Strickland
(Tomlinson & Strickland
6).
6)

46. Differentiating by
READINESS
Why? When we differentiate by
 To appropriately Readiness we should consider
challenge all student:
learners
 “Attitude (toward school &
Goal: topic)
“make the work a  Experience with the topic
little (outside of school or previous
too difficult for courses)
 Knowledge, understanding, and
students at a given skill with the topic
point in their growth-  Misunderstandings about the
and then to provide topic
the support they  Overgeneralizations about the
need topic
Tomlinson & Strickland 6 Strickland 8-9
to succeed at a new  General communication,
thinking, & reasoning skills”

47. Example of Differentiating by
Readiness in the L.I.F.E. Program
In order to teach students about the
2012 presidential candidates, the
election
process, and the act of voting, the
teacher accessed appropriate level
readings for each student on these
topics.
For verbal students, these readings
included text at the appropriate
reading
levels, but for non-verbal students
these
readings included symbols (which
had to
be learned and repeated).

48. Example of Differentiating by
Readiness in Physical Welfare
A Tiered Task:
Assignment A: Assignment B:
“A classmate had to “Pretend you were the
leave the room today coach of your kickball team
just as we were today. Select a key or
beginning to play critical play in today’s game.
kickball. Please write Pretend it happened in
that student a note some other way. What might
explaining what the results have been?
happened in today’s Why? What principle can
game, why it happened you infer? Be sure you pick
the way it did, and what something that will help your
your team could do to team in its efforts to improve
improve your over time.”
performance. Be as Strickland 8

49. Ways to get the information you need to
differentiate by Readiness
Things all teachers can Formal assessmentsthat
do to obtaininformation: can provide information:
• Pre-assessment • EPAS data (Explore, Plan,
•In-class/formative ACT)
assessment • Read 180
(during the unit)
•White boards • AIMSWeb data
•Knowledge rating chart • NWEA Map data
•KWL
•Aleks data
•Homework assignment
•Entrance & exit slips • Formal educational
testing
(WISC, WIAT)

50. Ways to Differentiate by Readiness
Two Ways to Incorporate
Differentiation by Readiness
1. Create tiered tasks
• Like previous Physical Welfare example
2. Offer mini-lessons to students missing content or
skills while simultaneously offering an alternate
activity for enhancement to students who have
mastered the content or skills
Strickland 8-9

51. ACTIVITY #3
SECOND: Complete the
FIRST : Examine your results activity that corresponds with
from our initial game (Is It your readiness level of
Differentiation or Is It Not?) Emerging, Established, or
pre-assessment. Then, use Expert.
the scale below to determine
 Emerging: Fill in the provided
the category you are in… graphic organizer with
EMERGING Correct examples of each type of
0-13 differentiation
ESTABLISHED Correct  Established: Identify and
14-20 describe a a truly
differentiated lesson that you
EXPERT Correct have observed or assisted
21-27 with in the classroom
 Expert: Reflect upon this
professional development
session and explain how it

52. What Does Differentiation Look Like?
5 Principles for
Differentiated Instruction
Quality Curriculum
Quality Tasks
Respectful Community
Continual Assessment
Flexible Grouping
(Tomlinson & Strickland, 2005, 16-17)

53. What does differentiation look like for
students with an IEP?
 Differentiation is an Examples of
instructional method Accommodations:
 extended time
 Differentiation is  alternate setting
meeting the students
where they arein  reader
terms of:  modified curriculum
◦ Interest  teacher notes
◦ Learning Profile  use of calculator
◦ Readiness  use of assistive
technology
 Can apply to a group  books on tape
of students

54. TWO PARA EDUCATOR
PERSPECTIVES

55. Questions…
 What are some things you have been
asked to do to assist with
differentiated instruction?
 What are some things you have done
to differentiate instruction for the
students you work with?
 Do you see your role changing as it
relates to differentiation?

56. Review & Reflection
• Differentiation is a way of • What does
thinking about teaching. differentiation look like?
• It is a systematic approach • 5 Principles of
to planning instruction Differentiated Instruction
• It provides learners (who • Examples from Para
are different) with equally Educators
appropriate options for
learning
• It is good teaching
• Three types of • How did we
differentiation differentiate throughout
• Interest the presentation?
• Learning Profile
• Readiness

57. GROUP ACTIVITY
BRAINSTORM:
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS IT
RELATES TO DIFFERENTIATED
INSTRUCTION?

58. BRAINSTORM:
What is Your Role within
Differentiated Instruction?
DIRECTIONS:
1) There are four groups (divided by job duty). Join the
group that is most related to your role.
• Program- Traci Hirstein
• Classroom- Ed Piotrowski
• 1 on 1- Griff Powell& Ed Nichols
• Direct Support-Amy Johnson
2) Brainstorm your role as it is related to differentiation with
the members of your group.
3) Record your thoughts on chart paper.
4) Appoint a spokesperson who will share your thoughts
with the larger group.

59. References
 Tomlinson, Carol Ann & Cindy Strickland (2005).
Differentiation in Practice: A Resource Guide for
Differentiating Curriculum: 9-12. Alexandria,
Virginia: ASCD.
 Strickland, Cindy (February, 2012). Differentiation
of Instruction at the High School Level. Alexandria,
Virginia: ASCD.